This DCverse is Maddening

Waking up that morning had been a struggle, sleep had slipped through his fingers during a majority of the night. Like it had a majority of the passing week. If Albert had thought that maybe his subconscious would feel 'better' with time, he would've been greatly disappointed. Instead, plans began to slam into him, all better and more thought out than the one's he provided. But in the end, they were all just hypothetical. Ideas that would only work in an idealized world, something this reality was not.

Even knowing those plans were just mere fantasy, it still didn't blunt the blow they struck against his psyche. It didn't matter, those darker parts of himself that nestled in deep from his past life still remained. Whispering sweet nothings into his ears that all inevitably led to the same place. Just thoughts and nothing actionable, but they were still there.

'It's just nerves.'

A mantra he repeated, in hopes of it actually becoming true. If there was one thing that further grated on his nerves, it was the complete radio silence from the whole situation. There hadn't been any news on TV nor in the paper, and not even from his client. Hell, even his system had been completely unresponsive to all his prodding. Maybe he would've been able to get some actual sleep if he knew if his actions actually brought around some form of end to this situation, anything would've been better than this in-between. Just knowing he had failed, while not a good feeling it would be easy to close his eyes at night.

But what else could he do? Resend the anonymous tip? There was no way in hell he was doing that again, just once was already more than enough. And plus besides, he didn't want to fool himself in thinking it would 'anonymous' at this point. Especially if Rueben had lready been contacted by the IRS, then he would for sure be on the look out for any strange behavior and/or letters.

And plus besides, poking his nose in this situation further would only get him a slammed door. So that only left him the option of waiting. A task far more difficult than trying to 'fight' Killer Croc that dreadful night. Maybe he could blame it on his teenage hormones or underdeveloped mind working it's magic, but either way, this week had gone by at a snails pace with only his sore legs to show for it.

Going out to jog with Harley every morning had become somewhat of a habit, with her being the primary pushing force to make it a reality. Albert knew he should start working on his physical attributes, relying solely on his marksman skills would probably work in the long run but it eventually would fail him. Maybe his gun would jam, or he would come across a foe that could dodge bullets and he would be up shit's creek with not even a paddle to steer. And plus besides, maybe it would allow him to increase either CON or even DEX. Hopefully both, given how important they are in determining his ability to stay alive longer and also it be pretty easy to tell if either of those stats increased. CON being tied to his health pool while DEX contributed to his overall movement speed.

There were simply too many benefits to actually put up a fight when the blonde came to drag him out of his sweat soaked bed. That and, he wouldn't admit it to her but her company had worked some to blunt the nerves.

'Maybe it was more the exercise than anything else…?' Albert mused, mid spin in the office chair as the room blurred together into a singular surface. Sure there were probably more productive things he could do other than just wasting his time there doing nothing, like grinding out skill levels. But, honestly since this waiting period struck there was no great desire or urge to continue doing so. Not even the lingering threats of this world was enough for him to be willing to leave his home. Each time he felt a surge of resolve, it was tempered by a single thought. 'What if she comes by and I'm not here?'

He knew what it sounded like, like he was some love stricken boy eagerly waiting by the phone for a crush to finally contact him. Despite Harley's assumptions and teasing, there was not a single strand of that sort of interest in his client. Sure she was pretty in a way, but being in a relationship now probably wouldn't be for the best. If he found himself with a worried or overbearing partner, they could act as an obstacle to his cases. And plus besides, despite Gotham being the city of crime, there were still actions that not even crime lords could stomach. He wouldn't put someone through that.

"...Am I interrupting?" A voice mixed with both hesitation and slight bits of amusement pierced through his internal thoughts, forcing him to halt his current task. The bottom of his foot, like a break, forced itself into the ground as much as possible. Stopping, the world slightly tilted from side to side as his mind tried its best to reorient onto the person before him. Whether it was because of how dizzy he was or how different Bethany looked than their previous meeting, it still took him a few seconds to recognize her. His client had a much healthier appearance about her that she previously completely lacked, having a vibrant hue to her light brown skin and black hair looking to have grown in volume. She wore a pair of brown khakis that lightly hugged her legs, a dull blue jacket that covered a white button up shirt. A small smile graced her lips as she looked on. "It's good to see you actually act like a kid."

"How can I help you Ms. Bethany?" His eyes roamed over the clothe bag she held in one hand that seem to have some heft to it, judging from how she shuffled slightly from one foot to another. "I'm guess there's news?"

The word 'good' was unspoken but both knew what he meant. That smile on her face made those frayed nerves to ease a bit and suddenly, he felt the desire to catch up on almost a full week of sleep. But alas, it would rude to turn her away now. Especially at the end.

"That's good, lets hear the news in my office." Albert nodded and stood on unsteady feet, stumbling a few steps before continuing to the back. The second pair of footsteps was enough to know his guest had indeed followed him. Gripping the rail tightly, he began his trek up those much too steep stairs. There were plenty of reasons why he wanted to have this conversation in his office of all places. The primary reason being privacy. Anyone could just walk into through that front door and accidentally catch some hints that he would rather never come to light. Finally reaching the top, a heavy exhale left him before he turned and opened the office door. Walking around the desk, he plopped down into the large chair and quickly began to pull out a single folder from a nearby drawer. Ignoring how Bethany seem to visibly flinch away from the folder like it was some sort of venomous snake and stopped his fingers.

She took the paired seat across from him, placing the bag out of sight and looked at the silent but anticipatory youth before her.

"Well," The woman began, taking a deep breath to begin her tale. "To start off, thank you. I owe you for a lot of what happened and for resolving this so thoroughly. It happened a few days ago, I was contacted by someone while I was working. Turns out it was Rueben's defense attorney."

'They sure work fast.' There was the massive meme back home about how slow bureaucracy was, but that only counted towards anything citizens had in mind. But if there was one thing that truly got Uncle Sam to rev that engine, it was getting the money he felt he deserved.

"When I met up with him, he told me the gist of everything. Not only was Rueben possibly going to federal prison for tax evasion but also might be charged with fencing stolen goods and also scamming multiple people apparently. While he would for sure be going to prison for tax evasion, the other charges were up in the air. Fencing is a serious crime but it could be fought against, but what would really tack on a lot of years is the whole scamming bit….Apparently, there were a lot of people he was fucking over and not just me. So the attorney offered me a deal. In exchange for me signing away my ability to testify or jump in this class action lawsuit against Rueben, he would not only return my watch but also some money as 'reimbursement'."

"You took the deal?"

Despite asking the question, Albert already knew she had. Not like he would judge her, it was frankly none of his business to begin with. But personally, he would've jumped in on the lawsuit and gotten SO much more than the man's attorney was offering. The watch would've been returned either way at the end of the lawsuit. From his interactions with the woman, she was more into quick money above long term gain. Else, she wouldn't have frequented the pawn shop as she did.

"Yes." Bethany smiled wanly. "And the money I got back also took me out of the red, so despite how simple it all is, I'm happy. I even got some more as a sort of a bribe not to go around giving unofficial statements. On paper, everything that happened in this situation was a misunderstanding and Rueben has worked to correct that mistake."

Although he had a lot to say in response, instead the teen only bit his tongue. This decision was hers alone and he wouldn't neigh-say her.

"And also more importantly," She continued, beaming with pride that made his body freeze up. "Over these last couple of days, I even found a proper buyer for the watch! There's this antique collector who offered to it for a bunch! Way more than anything Rueben would be willing to offer me!"

'WHAT?!'

****

"WHAT?!"

Harley mouthed, a near squawk leaving her lips. There had been a lot she had been expecting, but this had really thrown everything for a loop. Pushing her ear closer to the cold door, she strained to hear more of the muffled conversation just a room over. This truly was better than cable.

***

It was like Albert was slapped in the face at that, pumping an icy chill through his veins. There was sound in the room as she continued to rattle on, but there was no way he could listen. It was like working so hard on a presentation only to have his boss take one look at it and say they didn't need one anymore, and to just scrap it. To have all his work, hardship and multiple sleepless nights just be brushed aside as something worthless.

'And last couple of days?!' If that wasn't bad enough, just knowing that she had news for DAYS and didn't seek him out only further twisted that knife further in his gut. Like really? Why had he been missing sleep for so long if the case was already closed?! Why had he been so anxious? Especially when she was out enjoying the sudden windfall without a care in the world! Don't get him wrong, he didn't give a damn about the money. Spending one life already endlessly grinding to wealth that had always been dangled before him like a carrot on a stick, was already more than enough. It was the fact that despite how invested he was in this case, his client didn't share the same level of commitment. Even if it was her own damn problem.

Where was that desperate woman that was ready to sell herself just to make another payment without getting kicked out on the streets? Was it just the shock of lock down? Or….

'Have I been deceived? Could this 'spontaneous' collector be the reason why she wanted the watch back so badly?'

He wanted to narrow his eyes at that, but kept a neutral expression plastered on his face. Throwing around accusations wouldn't amount to anything of worth, there would be time to research this thread after she was gone and he got his reward from the system.

"-ish to give these to you." It seemed he decided to tune back into the conversation at just the right time as Bethany reached down and placed what looked to be a reusable grocery bag directly in-front of him with a somewhat heavy thump. The sound was familiar. "I might not seem like it but I went to community college and kept most of my textbooks from my time there. They might be a bit dated but they should still work."

"Oh?" Now Albert was curios and without feeling even an inch of shame, he pulled out the first textbook. At least he tried to anyway. It took gripping the tome with both hands to finally lift it out of the bag. The cover was smooth, having some sort of film to keep it looking somewhat new. From the side, the pages looked bright white. Seeming to have rarely been opened, if that at all. On the front a very simple title was present. Introduction to Business.

"I know." She replied to the look on his face. "Just to let you know, I didn't finish my degree. These are just the textbooks from my first two years, the Intermediate version should be in there also. I don't know how far you'll go, but they'll both be useful for your business endeavors going further. And also, I drew in some favors to get my friend to cough up one of his old law textbooks. It's not a lot but I think it'll be a nice bonus for everything you've done. And, take this."

A single envelope was slid across the table towards him, the message clear. Nodding with all his self restraint possible, Albert opened the folder and took out a single sheet of paper. There wasn't much present on the surface, nothing like those lengthy contracts that he was sure to need in the future in his line of work.

"Thank you," He started," I will accept all this as payment. I am glad that everything worked out for you. You may read over this if you want but I'll just explain what this is, it's just a written form of verification that you are in-fact satisfied with the services provided by The Seeking Agency and wish to officially conclude the end of this current case. It means that once you sign this that if something further happens with this situation, you will have to come back to us and we'll treat it as a new request. There's nothing legally binding here, just a way to protect ourselves."

"I completely understand," Bethany said as she quickly read over the document before signing with a nearby pen. "Again thank you for all your help, I won't forget this. I promise and I'll even spread your agency name out to some of my friends. Do you have a business card?"

"No." He said distractedly as a system prompt popped up to take up the entirety of his world and the urge to just kick her out of his home was growing stronger as time went on he wasn't able to fiddle with the system. "But I do have some work being commission for it, so I'll probably have some soon."

"The sooner the better." She nodded and stood to her feet. "They're simple but effective and most business won't mind swapping them. It's free advertisement, just make sure it's eye catching enough."

"I'll keep that in mind." Albert said, before reluctantly getting to his own feet. "I'll walk you out."

"That's not needed," The woman shook her head, smiling faintly at the youth. "I'll see myself out, thank you. For all your and your 'team's' hard-work. Goodbye, Albert."

With that, Bethany turned and left the room. The incredibly creaky stairs acting as an excellent indication to tell him she was truly leaving. Spinning in his chair as the sound stopped, he waited to see her leave out the door through his window. It didn't long, barely a few seconds later he watched as her back began to retreat further and further away. She didn't look back once, and it was like a book was being closed on this chapter of his life.

[Case Closed: Crooked Pawnbroker

Requirements: Find out why she's being gouged!

Difficulty: F

Reward: 1 IP]

He should feel happy. About not just successfully completing his agency's first case but also with the sudden windfall that this envelop must surely have and also IP would always be something he wouldn't scoff at. Hell, even being able to completely wash his hands of this situation should've been enough to gloss over any hard feelings. But that wasn't the case. At all.

She made him feel ill, whether that was just his bedraggled mind doing it's work, it didn't matter. It was clear from the start that her primary goal in life was chasing that dollar through any means necessary. And for some reason, she was provided enough rare or interesting items to pawn off to support her endeavors, repeatedly at that. Maybe the prison break put some perspective on her actions and made her rethink some previous decisions.

And at first, Albert was fine with helping her in this situation… But to know she just sold it immediately after getting it back put a rather sour taste in his mouth. If that wasn't bad enough, just looking inside the rather thin looking envelope didn't help his mood. Now as once stated before, money wasn't his primary driving force for completing a lot of these cases. Hell, getting Marian's broach back actually put him deep in the hole.

'But c'mon?!' Just looking in the envelope was enough to put a new spin on that retreating back of his ex-client. Her quick departure, which seemed so free in his mind, now looked as though she was fleeing. 'Fifteen dollars?!'

From the outside, maybe it would've looked as thought it had something more just from the volume alone. But looking inside was enough to see the fifteen bills lying there innocently. Not even enough to cover the cost of buying that goddamned broken toaster that Harley seemed so attached too. Going into this, there had been some expectation of running into people who would stiff him in the end, but he hadn't expected it to happen so soon.

'No wonder she was dodgy about how much the collector gave her…' That little detail, something he oh so easily glazed over, now seemed almost mocking in hindsight. Leaving only the question of the blame being at his feet or not. Before all this happened, she didn't seem to have even known the value of the watch and pawned it for a price well bellow it's actual worth. Maybe mentioning how much it was actually worth in their meeting was a bad move on his part, but in the end hindsight is twenty-twenty.

"Well, at least this wasn't a complete waste…."

While money and IP were both nice, the real treasure here were the three books stacked in that brightly decorated reusable grocery bag. Each of them were practically fonts of skill levels just waiting to be drunk greedily upon. And from this most recent experience, it became clear what skills he needed to improve.

'Library here I come.' Just the thought of poking his nose deep into another pile of books was enough to force a yawn out that wracked his entire body. It was deep and violent, like something was trying to yank him into the sweet embrace of sleep. And who was he to deny his body's needs? 'But first, a nap… six hours should do? It's not the library would just up and walk away anyway.'

Getting up, the teen gentle picked up the signed document and walked to a nearby cabinet. Sliding open the draw, a near sea of empty folders was revealed to him. Each of them had a plastic 'flap' poking out in a staggering formation, only a single flap had anything written in them. The number three emblazoned in his rather sloppy handwriting.

But just before he slid the paper inside, Albert suddenly left a single red mark near the top of the document. Permanent in all ways, an indelible mark against her very character. A reminder that would follow her, in his mind, for the rest her life.

'Let's never meet again Bethany.'