Calling Cardinal

Winner

I wake to a phone call from my brother.

"Jim?"

"Sera," he pants. "Can you get down to the precinct?"

"I guess." I rub the sleepiness out of my eyes. "What do you need?"

"Right now, we need your powers. Jeremiah Valeska has planted bombs around the city. Lucius thinks your sonic scream might be able to locate them without setting them off."

"Yeah, yeah. I'll be there."

Oswald waddles in. "What's going on?"

"Valeska's planted bombs around the city. Jim thinks I might be able to find them with my scream."

"Oh my."

"Yeah. So I'm going to help him out. Have they started on Butch already?"

He nods. "Tabitha didn't want to wait."

"Where is she now?"

"Off to kill Jeremiah Valeska. He shot Selina Kyle earlier today."

"Wow. He gets around," I chuckle.

Oswald shares my sentiment. "So it would seem. Butch wants me to go after Tabitha, just in case things go south."

"I don't blame him."

"I think I'm going to do it. Butch will be no use to us without her."

I kiss the back of his hands. "Let's leave tonight," I say suddenly. "We can get the money easily. Let's go. Let's just do it."

My spontaneity shocks my husband, yet he still agrees. "Where will we go?"

"Metropolis seems nice."

"Another big city?"

"There's significantly less pollution there. It's brighter, nicer— I think it would be perfect for us."

It takes him a moment, but he eventually begins to come around to the idea. "Okay, Sera. We'll visit Metropolis tonight."

Loren is sitting on the desk, carefully watching Strange work. Butch's face lights up upon seeing me.

"Butch." I take his discolored hand, unable to keep the smile off of my face. "It's so good to see you moving again."

"Hey, I could say the same thing. I know this was all your idea," he says. "Penguin wouldn't have gone through all of this without you."

"It's the least I could do. You are my oldest friend. I wouldn't be here without you."

Butch smiles, then. It's pained and faint but present on his lips. "I feel the same way, Sera. Thank you for this. I won't forget it."

"I know."

Oswald comes behind me. "Have you thought about it?"

"Have I thought about what?"

"About having Strange reverse your condition. He could, you know. We have him right here."

Hugo agrees. "We could indeed, Cardinal."

The thought of being normal again is tempting, but I stray from the idea. "I've thought about it, but no. I don't think I'd ever do such a thing."

"Why not? Don't you want to be normal again?"

I take Os's hand in my own. "No, I don't think so. I like who I am."

Loren follows us out. It's time she learns the truth.