Achilles

"Police report that there are at least six hostages in the building. No contact has been established on the inside, but Sargent Forbes is working on a negotiation plan."

Roslyne picked up the remote and changed the channel.

"... After last week's terrifying threat against Mayor Garcia..."

Switch.

"... suspect has been taken into custody, and a trial is to be held in..."

"God dammit."

The television was turned off, Roslyne accepting the fact that it was a lost cause. Breaking news was all that ever seemed to be on anymore-- a new criminal, a new danger, a new big bad in town, and none of it even fazed her anymore. The only intriguing aspect of it all was the city's vigilante superhero: The Batman.

"Get fed up with the TV again?" Henry asked, walking into the small living room, towel slung low on his waist.

Roslyne shielded her eyes with a hand. "Please put some clothes on, Hen."

"My house, my rules, no pants allowed. For me, at least. You keep your knickers on."

She flipped him off. "You're not even paying for this place."

Henry shrugged and walked into the kitchenette, grabbing a half-eaten bagel and taking a sizable bite out of it. "Don't you have work or something today?" He asked, mouth full.

"It's my off day."

"Sad day for Dr. Crane, then."

Roslyne rolled her eyes. "Shut up."

"What?" Her brother laughed. "He's got a thing for you, Rosie."

"I don't even know if Crane is capable of feeling anything for anyone."

"Well, whatever's in his pants definitely feels something for you."

"God dammit, Henry, would you just drop it?" The topic of Dr. Jonathan Crane came up too often for the girl's liking. Henry was under the impression that he had become quite taken with his little sister which was completely ridiculous. He was a professional, and so was Roslyne. They did have to spent an abundance of time together, Roslyne being his apprentice of sorts.

She simply trained under him, playing the role of secretary as well--keeping an eye on his schedule, booking appointments and consultations and reminding the man of such things. He was a fairly closed off individual but was also insanely intelligent, and he had been nothing but kind to Roslyne since she was hired three years before. If she was being honest, she would have been attracted to him had it not been for other factors, memories mostly.

"Well, on a completely different note, Barsad is stopping by today."

"Really?" She was off the couch in a flash. "What time? Why?"

Henry chuckled, walking back into his room and yelling out, "Just an update, as far as I know."

Roslyne grinned widely. It had been over five months since she had last seen the sniper, when he had told her that they were still waiting. Things just weren't out of control enough for the mercenaries' tastes.

But, things had spiraled downward drastically since then. Jack Napier, or Joker, as the public knew him, had been wreaking havoc on Gotham for two months, now. If the city wasn't chaotic enough for them now, Roslyne didn't know what was. Surely, they would be coming in. They had to be.

"Ros," she heard Henry's voice again, now much closer, and when she looked up, he was frowning. "Don't get too excited, sis. I see that look on your face."

"I don't know what you're talking about," she scoffed.

"It's been over three years, now. Things might not be the same." She knew exactly what he was referring to, who she was referring to, and it made her stomach coil into knots.

"I don't expect them to be."

The brunette just leveled a worried look at her and sighed. "Just making sure."



There was a knock on the door at around three in the afternoon, and Roslyne did everything she could not to squeal loudly before rushing over and throwing it open, coming in contact first with Mücher, who she had not been expecting. She saw Barsad over his shoulder, after she had launched herself into the ginger man's arms, and the blue-eyed sniper simply winked before actually prying her off of the other soldier to embrace her himself.

"It's so good to see you," she mumbled, arms wrapped around his neck. "And you," she turned to the taller male. "I haven't seen you in ages! How is it at the compound?"

He shrugged, a small smile tugging at his lips. "It could use a woman's touch."

"Please, you've got all of your little cherries."

"They lack a certain charm you have," he replied, straightening up when the sound of someone clearing their throat rang out.

Henry stood in the living room of the apartment, eyebrow quirked. "Hey, guys. Rose, were you planning on letting them in any time soon?"

"We were just chatting, Henry," Barsad was quick to speak up. "But, thank you for the invitation."

The two men smirked and walked inside, Roslyne closing the door behind her.

"So, what do you have for us?" Henry questioned, remaining standing by the couch.

Mücher huffed out a laugh, raising his eyebrows just a bit as he muttered, "Straight down to business, then."

Barsad took a seat in the recliner, leaning forward and bracing his elbows on his knees. "Bane is ready to move in," he said simply.

Roslyne exhaled loudly in one short breath, eyes widening just a bit. Had she heard him right?

"We've been keeping up with the news, and he believes it's finally time."

The brunette stared at the two visitors with a blank expression, stunned at the news that they had brought. Her heart began to pound in her chest as her mind raced. Bane was ready to send soldiers into Gotham. That meant two very large things were going to happen very soon. One: the city was going to be completely taken over by the mercenaries, and two: she would be seeing the masked man once again for the first time in years.

And, Henry had told her not to get her hopes up.