Animal ||Edward Nygma|| [3]

Chapter Two || Ultimatum

"Siren:

A woman who is considered to be alluring or fascinating but also dangerous in some way."

The day after Oswald was affected by Crane's fear gas, was a busy day. Charlotte and Oswald made a brief visit to the GCPD to warn Jim Gordon he had twenty-four hours to catch the creator of that gas. Or he locked Crane up or he would have to admit to Oswald he failed and would have to allow Oswald to clean the city up with the help of his licenses. An ultimatum Gordon wasn't all too happy to hear.

Once Oswald returned to his club, he was received by Arthur Penn, his new accountant, with not so satisfying news. Barbara Kean was alive and taking advantage of Oswald's licenses to create a new business.

"What?" Oswald shouted at Penn, who recoiled at the sudden change in Oswald's demeanor.

"Uh,... Miss Kean has a weapon business ready for the people who get their licenses," Mr. Penn explained again hesitantly as he saw the red color on Oswald's face. "She expects to... uh... sell the criminals the supplies they will need to commit their crimes and make a... profit out of it".

Oswald closed his eyes and inhaled sharply before looking at Penn with a smile filled with mischief. "Oh, is that so? I say we pay Barbara a visit".

"Can I go too?" Ivy asked as she eyed Charlotte and Oswald hopefully.

"Only if you keep your mouth shut," Oswald told Ivy with a sharp look in her way before he walked out of the club. Ivy huffed angrily but didn't say anything and followed after him, Zsasz and his henchmen.

Charlotte placed a hand on her back as they walked. "Don't mind him, Ivy. He's just angry 'cause Barbara is taking advantage of his licenses to gain profit and is not giving him his share. You know every criminal business has to run through him first now".

"I don't care about that," Ivy whispered to Charlotte with an annoyed tone. "I'm just tired of him not treating me with respect. It's not just him. No one does".

"I do," Charlotte reminded her redheaded friend, but Ivy wasn't convinced and crossed her arms stubbornly.

"You? You've been spending more time with Zsasz than with me and when you're not at the club, you're with Freeze," Ivy complained.

Charlotte didn't find Ivy's words to be fair at all. "It's normal. Zsasz is my work partner and Freeze is my boyfriend. You know I've been trying to help him revert his condition".

"And I'm your friend," the redhead glared at the blonde. "An even better friend than Oswald has been to you in the last couple of months. It's not fair, Charlotte. And we both know that nothing will ever help revert Freeze's condition". Her words were harsh and they caused a sense of sadness to spread inside Charlotte. Mostly, because she feared Ivy was right about Victor, but also because Ivy was the last person she expected to hear those words from.