Things have been elaborate and involved for a while, so this chapter will get back to basics - new characters and uncomplicated sex scenes - before setting up the last arc of this story. It's getting close.
As always, both comic book logic and crazy sex fantasy rules are in effect.
*****
Zoe Lawton swung her feet from the edge of the building as she stared skyward. It was ten stories down to the pavement, but she wasn't particularly worried about that. She was too busy marveling at how peaceful and free Gotham felt. Though it was as dark and cloudy as in all the pictures, it gave her a sense of stability that she hadn't experienced in a long time.
Of course, it wasn't actually completely peaceful. For example, her father was setting up his sniper rifle at the edge of the roof.
Deadshot was still fiddling with his stand and scopes, as he'd been doing for the past several minutes. And he
was
Deadshot right then, not her father. It felt like she never saw her father these days, there was only the surly assassin who dragged her from job to job. Sometimes Zoe wished there was someone who could take her away from it all...
Since she'd wanted that for years without any knight in shining armor showing up to save her, she didn't really hope anymore. Instead Zoe hopped off the edge and crouched down next to her father, trying to sight along his line of fire.
"It's the middle of working hours, but I still haven't seen anyone in that office. Who are you killing, a janitor?"
"The target isn't in this building."
"Really? Then..." Zoe tapped her lips, recalling the city maps he'd been examining. "Are you firing straight through the building? That'd be pretty sweet."
"Don't be an idiot, girl. The chance of the shot going off course would be far too high."
"Well, forgive me for not being a master assassin."
In response her father only grunted and kept fiddling. She knew he could become irritable, even violent, if she pushed him too hard while he was working. But she was bored as hell, and besides, it had been his choice to drag his teenage daughter along with him while assassinating people.
"What's going to happen, then?"
"While the other assassins make their attempts, I will set charges around the buildings standing in the way and detonate them. Then this apparently harmless position will have a perfect killshot. Taking him off guard is the only way to kill him."
"You're not worried about the other assassins killing the target first? I thought this was a big bounty."
Deadshot grunted derisively. "They'll fail. They're treating Superman like he's just another mark."
"You're killing
Superman
?" Zoe leapt to her feet, staring at her father. He glowered at her, since she'd raised her voice on a covert op, but she was too horrified to care. "That's terrible, Dad! He's fucking Superman, there's no way you can justify that! You're supposed to kill
bad
people."
"You didn't see the satellite photos. He's turned Gotham into his personal harem and unless he's taken out soon, no one will be able to stop him. But I don't have to justify myself. Every surviving criminal in Gotham and everyone who hates Superman has put up money - there's enough for us to live forever. One last job."
After a childhood following her father through one "last job" after another, Zoe didn't believe that anymore. She tightened her hands into fists at her sides. "You make it sound like he's raping everyone in the city! I asked-"
Too late she realized what she'd said. Her father's one visible eye widened and he surged to his feet, staring at her. "Go on. Who did you ask?"
"I sent an email to-"
"Bullshit." His hands closed on her shoulders, uncomfortably close to her neck. "You left the hotel last night, didn't you? Who did you talk to?"
Tears in the corner of her eyes, Zoe glared right back at him. "I just went to a club to have a good time for once! There was a local girl there, we hit it off - at least, I think we could become friends if you let me go out more often."
"What did you tell her?"
"Nothing! I'm not stupid, Dad, I just asked her some questions! She said she's never felt safer on Gotham's streets. Superman actually saved her from a rapist once, and she said he was a perfect gentleman. If fucking villains is what it takes to keep them from killing people, she doesn't have a problem with it - and I don't see how you do either!"
For a long moment Deadshot stared at her, then he growled low in this throat. "You did no harm with your foolishness. This time. But you're not going out on the town again."
"What's wrong with having a bit of fun?"