Doug Ramsey (ciphersays) wrote in newalliance, @ 2012-03-22 00:59:00 |
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Entry tags: | batgirl ii, cypher |
A Friendly Gesture
Who: Cypher and Batgirl
Where: The Streets of Gotham
When: Wed, March 21, After This and before This!
What: Doug is ambushed by angry schoolmates, and saved by Cass.
Rating: PG-13, Triggery teenage violence
Doug never liked the smell of rainwater in the city streets. It was like the water pulled something dark and ugly from the hidden places of Gotham and brought it into the open. You couldn't pretend that the city was safer or better than it was. It smelled rotten. There was nothing good here. Nothing that could make the city seem a little brighter and safer. Soon the sun would be setting, and the danger of being out on the street would grow with the darkness.
He heard footsteps behind him. They'd been there since school. When his pace quickened, so did they. When he slowed, they followed suit. Doug was too terrified to even look back. He wanted to take out his cell phone, but if they'd followed him from school, he'd never get a chance to use it. The illusion of power in slipping behind a computer screen didn't hold up to the reality of his terrified heartbeat.
Just this morning, he'd been scared out of his wits, abducted by a woman who worked with Oracle, thinking it could have easily been someone tied to the Riddler or... or... it was terrifying. He thought Oracle was a good guy, but he was beginning to feel everything mixing to grey. It wasn't fair that E was this criminal who'd killed people, when he was so brilliant and could do so much. It wasn't right that he wanted to help and was told he was a stupid kid for getting in over his head.
So Doug had lost his cool. One of the kids at school couldn't talk right now, because of what he'd done. The others knew it was him... because he used to brag about being Cypher and doing things on the internet no one else could dream of. They knew he was responsible for it. But they were assholes, always had been. What really upset him, though, was that a lot of people were giving him strange looks now. They were afraid of him. Him! Of all people, it made him want to laugh if his stomach didn't twist at the thought of it.
He shouldn't have messed with the school computers like that. Now they thought he was a mutant, even if he wasn't, and he could see the fire in their eyes. The bloodlust and fear and ugliness.
His heart was a cannon, firing at his ribcage again and again.
He saw an alley ahead. He stopped and pretended to tie his shoe, counted for a small eternity, hoping that maybe they weren't following him. One. Did they stop?
Two. Just slowed. How many of them followed him?
Three! Doug shoved himself up and dashed down the alley as quickly as he could.
An angry shout behind him proved what he already knew. Doug dropped his book-laden backpack and tried to push even faster as he rounded the corner.
Walls. Everywhere. Oh god!
"Ramsey!"
Doug spun around. There were five of them.
"Little mutant *#%!, trying to run."
"Should have had a useful power, gene scum. This is a dead end."
Doug tried to run past them back outside, but they pulled him back and shoved him to the ground. His chin hit cement and glass nerves screamed all over his head, muffling their taunts and laughter. A lightning bolt struck his side and he rolled over. Hit after hit after hit. Oh god. He was so stupid. He should have left well enough alone.
Doug pushed himself to his feet. He tried to fight back, to swing, but they caught his arms and shoved him around. He kicked a shin, but it didn't have any effect. "I'm sorry! I won't do anything again!"
They knocked him down again.
Tears streamed from his eyes. A blood vessel burst and washed everything in red. He tasted iron and tried to remember what he'd eaten for lunch. One of the kids pulled a knife, crouching near his face. Doug closed his eyes and started breathing calmly. He hoped it would be quick. The rainwater smelled... off.