Even with the fan on, the room felt humid as my eyes drifted to my boss's hands.
"Mr. Mercer." Slow, drawn-out words came from the man.
"I'm afraid I have to let you go."
Was it because I'd been caught smoking weed in the bathroom one too many times when I was supposed to be cleaning?
"Is… is there anything I can do?" My vision blurred as I looked up past my glasses to the man who showed no sympathy.
'Why would he?'
Sighing, he shook his head and stood, the legs of his chair scraping harshly against the floor.
"Mercy—" He hated how that nickname had become normal for him. "Your parents and I grew up together, ate together. I tried, as an act of love for both them and you, to let you work at this pharmacy. But you've let the trust I gave you crumble."
He walked behind me and placed his hands on my shoulders, nearly buckling me. "I knew Crime Alley wasn't a place for them—or for you. I knew when they died, you wouldn't be able to survive there alone."
His hands squeezed my shoulders before retracting. He then walked toward the door.
"Though I'm afraid the favor I owe them has been paid. I tried to keep their—you—safe."
I looked up to his face as he gave me a straight smile.
"It's time for us to part, Mercy. Stay safe."
I felt sweat drip from my wrists onto my feet before I nodded and slowly stood.
"…Thank you, Uncle."
Bowing, I walked past him just as two men in suits appeared in front of me.
"Pay the young man no mind. He was just leaving."
Ignoring my now-former boss, I walked past the men in suits with short, slow steps to avoid stumbling.
'I wonder if my plug is still active around this time?'
Sighing, I passed the reception desk, exited the door, and was greeted by the air of Gotham.
-
"Mercy, you're earlier than usual."
Sighing, I nodded and pulled out my wallet as my dealer leaned against his crappy car, still talking.
'Though I guess I'm not one to talk…' I didn't even have a car—what would be the point?
"Since we've known each other for a while, Mercy, I've decided to give you a discount on my special stuff."
I looked up from my wallet as he popped open the boot and revealed four coolers filled with a mix of vials and powders.
"What are they?" I asked.
He chuckled, grabbed a green vial, and tossed it to me.
Almost failing to catch it, I looked at the vial. 'Green.' That was my first thought. The liquid inside shimmered like crystal in liquid form.
"That one only needs a drop to get you high."
Only one drop? Must be expensive.
"How much?"
He hummed, snatched the vial from my hands, and turned around before putting it back.
"Twelve hundred, and that's with the discount."
I shook my head slowly. I didn't have that kind of money, and I knew I couldn't dip into my emergency cash for this. 'Even though I probably should.'
"That's a shame."
He shut the boot and turned back to me, snapping his fingers with a grin.
"You still working at the pharmacy?"
Again, I shook my head no.
"Damn, was gonna pay you some cash if you could get something from there."
I perked up.
"How much are we talking?"
He tilted his head, raised his hand, and spread out five fingers.
"Five grand for each vial I need."
'Five.. G... grand for each?'
I nodded and pulled out my work tag.
"I should be able to get in and out if I know what I'm looking for..."
He laughed and walked over, slapping me lightly on the back—or at least lightly to him.
"Knew you were the person to ask. See—"
He pulled out a photo showing a few vials filled with an almost golden liquid.
"I heard from someone that this stuff is the shit, and it just so happens to have arrived at your old place of work."
My eyes focused on the liquid.
"How much do I need to get?"
If this was really worth a few thousand, then I knew where it'd be kept.
"Ideally? All of it. Last I heard, they're stored in briefcases, LexCorp kind."
'So they're probably armed with alarms...'
I nodded as he slipped away toward his car.
"Meet me here by tomorrow with the stuff. If you don't have it, don't contact me until next week. See ya around, Mercy!"
I watched him drive off just as a drop of water hit my hair. Looking up, I saw the Gotham clouds darken, and more water started to fall from the sky.
'Great…'
Sighing, my shoulders slumped further as I began the wet trek home, hoping no one decided to mug me.
-
"Mr. Mercy!"
My hand rested on the doorknob to my apartment as the landlord approached, anger written all over her face—and a gun in hand.
"Your payment is two weeks late!"
I nodded, then leaned my bony shoulder against the door, sighing as it rubbed against the wood.
"If you give me one more day—"
I stopped as she waved the gun in my direction.
"Another day? Another fucking day?! You said that yesterday, the day before and last week!"
I waited for her to calm down—there was no point in speaking.
"Mr. Mercy." she said.
I pushed my glasses up and looked at her shoulder.
"If you don't have the money by the end of the week with interest, then I'll introduce you to a few people I know who need someone… like you."
I nodded, opened the door and walked in, ignoring her as she went to harass someone else.
Pushing past rubbish and rotting food piled around the room, I made it to the bathroom. I took off my shirt and eyed my skinny reflection in the mirror.
"…I should cut my hair."
Black hair that I never bothered to maintain brushed against my cracked glasses—just like me, a skinny druggy.
'If they saw me now…'
Sighing, I moved away from the mirror and stripped completely before stepping into the shower and turning it on.
'Right…'
I put my hand under the water and was reminded there was no hot water in this place. The icy cold stream drenched my hand.
Sighing, I stepped in with clenched teeth as the cold embraced my body. Resting my head against the wall, I could only think of a few things in my life.