Animal ||Edward Nygma|| [3]

Chapter Twenty-Two || Sacrifices

"There wasn't a predictable thing about her, and it was that chaos that made her interesting."

- Atticus

Lee Thompkins led Charlotte, Ed, Grundy, and Oswald towards the storage room where they could speak privately about the bank robberies and why Oswald wanted to join them. Charlotte knew for sure that Oswald had second intentions and was planning to steal the loot as soon as they were over.

"You owe us," Oswald stated as if it was obvious and that was why they should let him join.

Ed laughed as he glanced at Charlotte and Lee and then looked back at Oswald. "I... I'm sorry. We owe you how?"

"Because we made you," Oswald answered confidently as he looked between Ed and Lee. "Both of you. Without me, you would still be trapped inside Ed".

"And you would still be stitching up busted lips ringside," Grundy added while pointing at Lee.

Charlotte was glad Oswald had left her out of the equation, but she didn't like the fact he was convinced he had made The Riddler and Lee. They wouldn't be happy with that statement.

"I need money to buy back Sofia's capos. Butch is saving for future medical expenses," Oswald continued to explain and Ed let out a sardonic chuckle as he looked at Grundy. Apparently, he was planning to go back to looking like Butch. "What'd you make last night? Three, four million? Say we go halvsies".

Lee stepped closer to Oswald. "I've heard your offer. And here's my counter... bite me". Charlotte noticed how Oswald's expression went from amused to angry in a second, but he just glared at Lee with his lips pressed in a thin line. Lee didn't care and continued. "I don't like people coming into my club, telling me what to do. And I don't like threats, implicit or otherwise. And I really don't like people telling me they 'made' me".

"Well said, Lee," Ed clapped and Oswald looked at him weirdly.

"Oh, God, are you kidding me?" Oswald asked in disbelief.

"What?" Ed asked back defensively.

Lee turned her back on Oswald and placed a hand on Charlotte and Ed's shoulder. "Okay, we're done".

"I... I thought you got past all that when you became the Riddler," Oswald exclaimed.

The Riddler was confused and his tone grew more aggressive. "Past what?"

"Ed's pathetic loyalty towards her," Oswald told Ed as he pointed at Lee. "But, no, clearly he passed it along to you". Then he looked at Charlotte. "And to you too. Like a virus. She knows it, and she's using you". Oswald turned to face Lee with an amused look in his eyes. "Shame on you. Stringing along this troubled couple".

"Oswald," Charlotte called warningly as she stepped ahead of Ed and Lee. Oswald looked at her and shut up. He knew he had passed the limits with that last sentence but for him, it was the truth. Oswald thought Charlotte and Ed should be on his side and not Lee's.