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CONTESSA DOESN’T UNDERSTAND THERAPY II

The office was small but inviting. Soft lighting. Neutral colours. The chair was positioned at an angle, close enough to feel engaged, distant enough to avoid pressure. Casual. Even the desk was clean, uncluttered, with only a laptop and a few neatly stacked files.

Contessa sat with her han...

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR: NO TURNING BACK

The warehouse loomed ahead, another relic of Gotham’s urban decay—rusted walls, shattered windows, security lights flickering like dying embers. It looked abandoned, forgotten. But Taylor knew better.

The Calculator was here.

Weeks of relentless work had led to this moment—track...

CHAPTER EIGHT: CONSEQUENCES

Taylor’s breath came fast as she ducked under a jab, her muscles burning from the relentless pace of training.

“Keep your guard up,” Keith barked corrections from the side—firm, expectant.

She adjusted, resetting her stance, forcing herself to ignore the exhaustion creeping in...

INTERLUDE: ORACLE

Barbara had seen this before.

The names changed. The faces changed. The city didn’t.

Gotham was a meat grinder. You stepped in thinking you could handle it, that you were the exception. Then it chewed you up, spat you out, and left you broken in a way you couldn’t come back from.<...

CONTESSA DOESN’T UNDERSTAND THERAPY

Maggie set her coffee down with a decisive clink. “I think you should talk to someone.”

Contessa looked up from her own cup. “I am talking to you.”

Maggie sighed, rubbing her temple. “No, hon. I mean a professional. A therapist.”

Contessa tilted her head. �...

CHAPTER FOURTY — SUPERMAN III

Superman didn’t waste words. 

His body tensed, every cell drawing in the ambient sunlight through the storm-choked sky, pulling on reserves buried deep in his cells. The air around him shimmered as his power surged to the surface, molecules shuddering under the weight of what was com...

INTERLUDE V: A GLIMPSE

Taylor sat on the motel bed, back against the headboard, legs crossed. The dim glow from the bedside lamp cast long shadows across the room. On the nightstand, a small stack of bills lay neatly arranged—the week’s haul. Not much, but enough to get by.

Her fingers rubbed together absentl...

CHAPTER TEN: THE CALL

Greg lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling, his arms folded behind his head. His Aura had done its job; no more cuts, no more bruises,

Greg lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling, his arms folded behind his head. His Aura had done its job; there were no more cuts, no more bruises, and not ...

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE: BLOOD IN THE WATER

The city bled.

Taylor made sure of it.

She moved through the Narrows like her alias, striking fast, brutal, and without mercy. Unseen until it was too late.

The first man barely had time to scream before she slammed his head against the alley wall. Bone cracked beneath her palm,...

CONTESSA DOESN’T UNDERSTAND APOLOGIES

The diner was quieter than usual. The lunch rush had come and gone, leaving only a few lingering customers and the low hum of the radio in the background.

Contessa sat across from Maggie, her hands resting neatly on the table. Between them sat a half-empty coffee cup, its surface cooling. ...

INTERLUDE IV: A PULL IN THE DARK

The first time Taylor used it on purpose, she wasn’t thinking about testing her power. She was just trying to end the fight quickly.

The alley was narrow, lined with dumpsters and stacks of old cardboard that smelled like mildew. She hadn’t planned on being here—not that she planned m...

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO: OATHS

The fires in the Narrows still raged, thick smoke curling through the air, laced with the acrid stench of charred wood and flesh. In the distance, a building groaned and collapsed, the impact almost in sync with the wailing sirens—too far, too late to matter.

The sound barely registered p...

CONTESSA DOESN’T UNDERSTAND GRIEF

The funeral home was quiet. Muted conversations filled the space, voices hushed out of respect, and soft organ music played from hidden speakers, low and unobtrusive. The air smelled of polished wood and lilies, a delicate contrast to the heaviness of the room.

Contessa stood near the back,...

INTERLUDE III: TESTING THE WATERS

Taylor sat on the edge of her bed, a pen turning idly between her fingers. The cheap plastic casing caught the light as she rolled it back and forth, familiar and ordinary in every way.

So why did it feel different now?

She exhaled, setting the pen down on her notebook.

Attracti...

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE: EMBERS AND ASH

The Narrows burned.

Flames crackled, casting jagged, writhing shadows against the crumbling buildings. The streets—once filled with voices, laughter, and stubborn resilience—were now unrecognizable, paved with rubble and bodies. Smoke hung thick in the air, acrid and choking, mingling w...

CONTESSA DOESN’T UNDERSTAND HAUNTED HOUSES

The line for the haunted house snaked down the fairground path, a mix of excited chatter and nervous laughter filling the air. The entrance loomed ahead—wooden boards painted to look like rotting planks, fake cobwebs clinging to the corners. A sign above read: Enter… if you dare!

Contes...

CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE — SUPERMAN II

Delhi was burning.

The city, once a vibrant display of life and culture, was now a hellscape. Flames roared unchecked, devouring entire districts. Skyscrapers that had once pierced the sky now leaned precariously, their steel skeletons twisted and glowing red-hot. Streets lay shattered, spl...

INTERLUDE II: MOMENTUM

Taylor exhaled slowly, rolling out her shoulders.

The gym lights cast long shadows across the worn mats, the rhythmic sounds of impact against heavy bags and muffled conversation filling the air. Sweat clung to her skin, her muscles already aching from the earlier drills, but Keith wasn’t...

CONTESSA DOESN’T UNDERSTAND SEX FILMS

The dim glow of the television flickered across the living room as Maggie flipped through the streaming options, one leg tucked under her on the couch. Contessa sat beside her, posture straight, hands neatly folded in her lap.

Maggie scrolled past a selection of movies before pausing with...

CHAPTER NINE: THE CONVERSATION

Greg’s heart was still pounding as he stood in the alley, staring up at Armsmaster. The hero’s visor was unreadable, the dim streetlights

Greg lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling, his arms folded behind his head. His Aura had done its job; there were no more cuts, no more bruises, an...

CONTESSA DOESN’T UNDERSTAND DOG PARKS

The park was bustling with movement—dogs of every size darted across the grass, barking, chasing balls, and sniffing each other in friendly curiosity. Their owners stood in small groups, chatting and laughing, occasionally calling out a name when their pet wandered too far.  

Co...

CHAPTER THIRTY: THE FINAL TEST

“You’re seriously going alone?”

Spoiler’s voice held no anger, just exasperation tinged with something closer to concern. She stood on the rooftop, arms crossed, weight shifted slightly, shoulders rigid. Behind her, Gotham stretched into the night—steel and concrete bathed in neon...

INTERLUDE: SMALL SHIFTS

Taylor had never been one for self-delusion. If something felt off, she noticed. She might not always say something, but she noticed.

And lately, things had been off.

It was small stuff, easy to brush off. The first time, she barely registered it—reaching for her water bott...

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE: UNSEEN BLADES

The shipment was scheduled to arrive just past midnight. A barge, unmarked except for its rusted hull, slipped into Tricorner Yards under cover of darkness. It wasn’t the first weapons drop in Gotham’s ongoing war, but it was the first solid lead Taylor had to finding the Calculator. &nb...

INTERLUDE: WATCHFUL EYES

The clock tower was quiet, the hum of Gotham below—sirens, distant traffic, the occasional gunshot—muted by the height. Inside, the glow of monitors cast long shadows across the room, illuminating an array of screens filled with security feeds, maps, and shifting lines of code.   2025-03-05 20:37:56 +0000 UTC View Post

CHAPTER SEVEN: FOUNDATIONS

The gym wasn’t much to look at.

From the outside, it was just another aging building in Brockton Bay—worn brick, tucked between a laundromat and a pawn shop, its sign faded from years of salt air and neglect. The windows were fogged with condensation from the heat inside, and the faint ...

CONTESSA DOESN’T UNDERSTAND MOVIE NIGHTS

The living room lights were dimmed, a bowl of popcorn sat between them, and the television screen flickered with the opening credits of the film. Maggie leaned back, sinking into the cushions with a contented sigh. Comfortable.

“This one’s a classic,” she said, tossing a piece of pop...

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT: BLOOD IN THE WATER

The ambush went smoother than the last one.

Taylor and Spoiler moved in sync now, a far cry from their earlier missteps. Taylor would take point, slipping past guards with practiced ease, while Spoiler covered her, using her gadgets to disable cameras and create distractions. It wasn’t ...

INTERLUDE: LEARNING TO FIGHT

Taylor sat on the edge of the motel bed, replaying the fight in her head.

Stormtiger couldn’t touch her. That much was obvious. His air blades stopped before reaching her, his fists never made contact, and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t land a single hit.

And yet, sh...

CONTESSA DOESN’T UNDERSTAND BOARD GAMES

The kitchen table was a riot of color, covered in a sprawling board, a jumble of plastic pieces, and a heap of tiny fake money. Maggie shuffled a deck of cards, her expression a mix of patience and quiet amusement.

Contessa studied the setup, her brow furrowing slightly. “This does not ...