Caffeine Withdrawal | T. Drake ✔

[39] Abduction

Selina left the book she was reading as the doorbell rang and walked over to the door. However, a bright smile spread on her features upon seeing the visitor, "Dora what a pleasant surprise!"

She stepped aside to let her in and soon as Isadora had crossed the threshold Marjorie, the cat with sleek black fur and green glow in the dark eyes, had launched itself in her arms purring contentedly.

Dora laughed, gently stroking the cat in between its ears as she faced Selina, "I didn't have much to do by myself so I thought of paying a visit. I hope I haven't disturbed you."

"Not at all," the woman shook her head, smiling warmly at her, "in fact I'm always glad to have company. Come on in, let me show you the rest of my furry little beauties. Marjorie has already gotten quite attached to you but I'm sure you'll like the rest of them as well."

Dora adored animals and very quickly all of Selina's cats had gotten quite fond of her as they bounced around her and rubbed their heads on her palm. She watched appreciatively as the girl interacted with her pets.

"Oh I almost forgot," she stood up, "it's the first time you came to my place and I have asked you nothing at all, how awfully inhospitable of me."

"It's alright, you don't have to..."

"Of course, I have to. Tell me what would you like to have? In fact, since it's evening you could stay here for tea, right?"

Dora nodded politely, "thank you."

"And I have made some scones as well. Now not everyone can be a baking expert like you are but you'll like the scones I hope."

A slight reddish tinge colored her face, "oh come on Selina, I just know how to bake cookies..."

"Extremely delicious cookies, if you ask me," she remarked with a gentle smile.

Not long afterwards, Selina was back with the tea and scones and she had also placed the bowls containing cat food for her pets so all the kittens had scurried to their corner of the room. 

"So how's everything going at the coffee shop?"

"Pretty great actually," Dora answered, "it has become more of a family spot for me rather than a work place."

"That's nice," she nodded, "and how's Alex?"

"He's good too. In fact more than just good."

Selina had noticed the slight hint in her tone, "oh and why is that?"

"He has a girlfriend now," she replied, smiling a little, "he and Helena got together a while ago."

"Lovely. Did you know, Helena is my best friend too?"

Surprise flickered across her face, "really? I just thought she knew Jason and that's it."

"We all kind of know each other by chance or luck, whatever you name it."

"Right..."

Selina resumed in a light tone, "Helena may be very different from your brother personality wise but I can sense that she will keep him happy. She had once come to me for advice regarding the whole Alexander situation..."

Dora chuckled slightly at the way she had emphasized on her brother's name and a small smile crept over her features as well.

"And she was hesitant about opening to him so I asked her to just go for it. Don't you see, Dora, Alex does such a lot for everyone, he should have someone to care for him and love him too, right?"

"Absolutely," she agreed, "he's just a little too shy but other than that he's great."

Selina was a very encouraging listener so Dora found herself getting quite informal with her while conversing such that she did not find it difficult to tell her more about her and her brother's bond.

"You know Alex has been there for me ever since I could remember," she resumed choosing her words carefully but knowing deep down that Selina wouldn't judge, "our parents got divorced when I was very young and ever since then it had been quite difficult for me to adjust. But he has been more of a parental figure to me than Mum and Dad and... And he has also been a great friend. I really really want him to be happy because he deserves it."

Selina's green eyes softened and she gently placed her hand on top of hers, "I can see that. And I'm glad you value all that he's done for you and are intent on thinking the best for him as well."

"Yeah."

But while they were talking Marjorie who had been resting in Dora's lap stiffened immediately, its pink ears perking up and its body tensing as if it had sensed something.

"What's wrong, Marj?" Selina too had sat up alert and her sharp eyes darted around the room quickly.

A pungent green colored gas had started to waft in through the windows, diffusing in the entire room. The cats panicked and Dora too had no idea what was going on.

"Don't breath it," Selina ordered, her voice snapping into a firm tone as she covered her nose and asked Dora to do the same. She held her hand in hers as the two edged towards the balcony but found the grill blocked from the outside. Same was the situation with the windows and the small back door.

The gas had started to fill up even rapidly and soon the whole place was swimming with disgusting green fumes making them cough and suffocate.

"I can't..." Dora's brown eyes had gone wide in alarm and the lack of air was making it even more difficult to cope with the situation.

Selina had more resistance as compared to her as her sharp eyes searched for an escape route but every exit was jammed and they could possibly not hold their breath forever. She knew it was definitely the work of Scarecrow, since the gas was not only suffocating them but also messing up with their heads, a trait quite commonly associated to Scarecrow's inventions.

And since she had been recently involved along with the Birds of Prey on a case with him as the prime suspect, it was more than just obvious why he had chosen to target her. 

Dora's grip loosened on her arm and she turned immediately to see that the girl had given up for her eyes rolled in the back of her head and she fell limp on the ground. Selina dropped down beside her, shaking her in attempts to make her regain consciousness but the dark green spots had started to dance in front of her eyes as well, blurring her vision and making her feel dizzy.

Shortly afterwards, the back door burst open and in entered men wearing gas masks. Selina tried to straighten up but the gas had worked its horror and she found herself unable to fight back against the dreadful paralysis that was taking hold of her body.

She felt a sickening crack as a wooden bat collided with her head sending her down on the ground as well, the dizziness combining with a terrible surge of pain.

Her eyes were dropping shut and she could do nothing as those men picked her and Dora up from the ground taking them out and throwing them harshly in the backside of the truck. And before she could catch a breath of fresh air, the shutter of the truck's compartment went down, trapping the two inside in perpetual darkness.

***