Salvation

21

No sooner had the two of them ran down the connecting alleyway, did they run into the ambush. "Stop there!" A voice exclaimed, Adelaide tried tugging her hand free from Harvey's hand but failed. If anything his grip tightened.

"We've stopped, what's your next suggestion?" Harvey asked idly. If anything having an undercover policeman aiming a gun at him, had no effect whatsoever. The policeman seemed a little thrown off. His aim didn't waver though. Harvey smirked and took a step to the side. It was clear the young man wasn't going to do anything. He was wrong on this regard. A gunshot echoed out and the bullet embedded itself in a nearby dustbin. Harvey frowned and rolled his eyes. "You shouldn't have shot at us." He said while letting Adelaide's hand go. She took a step back. Harvey's disposition had shifted again. He spoke darkly, and if anything, with such deadly seriousness that it was a little frightening. She called out when he flipped his coin and produced a gun from his jacket pocket and shot the young undercover policeman. "I told you, you shouldn't have shot at us." Harvey sighed and turned back to Adelaide. Her eyes were glued to the body laying motionless a few paces away. Hearing distant sirens, Harvey groaned. He didn't exactly want to outrun the police, or Batman for that matter. Putting a gentle hand on Adelaide's shoulder he pushed her forward. She stumbled yet caught her balance. As they quickly walked away she kept looking over her shoulder. She was half expecting the young man to stand up and walk off. He didn't. And if anything her keeping on looking back at him annoyed Harvey. He sighed heavily and looked down at her. "You can still go back," he said calmly. "Although we don't wholly trust you to not say something to the police." He shot at her.

Adelaide looked dead ahead and tried to concentrate on stopping her eyes from watering. She didn't know this man. She did, yet she didn't. The Harvey she knew would never blatantly end a life. Least of all like that even if he had to. Nor would he threaten her in such an indirect way.

----

"Woah, boss! Who's the little lady?" An auburn haired man whistled in Adelaide's direction. A man who looked identical to him gave him a swift hit over the head.

"Ignore them." Harvey whispered calmly. Adelaide wasn't too sure if he was saying it to her, or himself. There was a highly concentrated expression on his face. Or at least the side she was standing next to, was concentrating. Looking up, she looked slowly around the building. It was certainly something. Faded carpets and peeling painted walls. The furniture wasn't in much better shape. This place reminded her of the home she just left behind. Taking a step forward when a set of stairs came into view she stopped and looked back at Harvey. He nodded at her slowly, walking towards the stairs Adelaide soon found herself running up them. "She hates us." Harvey said bluntly.

"Hate you? How can she hate you, boss?"

Harvey narrowed his eyes. "Toby, shut up or we'll make you shut up."

Toby let out a quiet: "All right boss," before sneaking back to his twins side. Matthew was the more sensible of the two and stayed seated at the table.

Harvey sighed quietly again and looked at the floor. Walking away from the twins he walked up the stairs. No, he wasn't going to find Adelaide. He could tell she needed some alone time. "Not hate, apprehension." Harvey answered his earlier words. "Well we did blow a cop's brains out right in front of her." Harvey put his hands on his head and shut his eyes. "I shouldn't have done that. Not in front of her." He paused, all he got back as a reply was: "But we did. And we liked it. It was easy."

----

"So...you like...work for him?" Adelaide asked quietly while getting a plate handed to her. She had found a room and settled in, she settled in so much that she didn't leave it for five hours. She spent most of the time trying to piece things together and trying to figure out exactly where everything went, in one word: wrong.

"Two Face, yeah sure thing I do!" The auburn haired man grinned. "But the question is, what are you to him?"

"Hm?"

"Like..." The man smiled slowly. "Are you two together? It's fine if you are! But if you're not..."

"Leave her alone." Harvey said while walking around the corner to where Adelaide's hideout room was. "Go away, Toby." Toby shuffled away with his head bowed. Adelaide shifted backwards into her room and looked at the food. She didn't have an appetite. "You can still leave."

Adelaide sat down at the window seat and put the plate on the nearby desk. "I can't. You threatened me."

"We didn't mean it," Harvey said sounding most unsure. Adelaide leaned her head against the window and looked out. "At least I didn't." Harvey said while walking over and sitting down in front of her. Adelaide's eyes opened slowly and looked at him. "Perhaps you should go. You're not going to last long here, are you?" He said bluntly. "It's not fair on you, I mean." Harvey correct himself.

"You're torn." Adelaide sighed, he looked confused. "Half of you seems to hate me, the other doesn't. Who do I listen to?"

"We're one and the same, Addy."

"So, keeping that in mind, you hate me to some small respect?" Harvey frowned. She leaned her head back against the window, shaking her head she looked at him. "What are you doing, Harvey?"

He seemed to debate on answering. "We're going after the people responsible for everything."

"Revenge is it then."

"Don't sound so petty and pathetic about it. You seemed all fine when we were going after them last time." Harvey snapped at her.

"Yes, because you were doing it in a way which wasn't illegal. Or a way that didn't result in random people dying."

"If we told you, we know where Maroni was, right this second. Would you not let us go and do what's needed to be done?" Adelaide looked at him seriously. Harvey smiled lightly. "Let us go, Addy."

"Will you stop?"

"What?"

"Once Maroni is dead...will you stop?"

"But-"

"No, you won't." She shut her eyes and listened as he stood up.

"Thank you for letting us go, Adelaide." He whispered in her ear. Opening her eyes she looked up at him, "We won't be long." He kissed her quickly on the forehead and walked to the door.

"Be careful, Harvey." She said quietly but not too quiet enough for him to not hear her. He looked over his shoulder at her. Smiling lightly he gave a nod and left the room.

----

(Edited: 22/Jan/2020)