Fifty-fifty odds… yeah, right.
Leo wracked his brain, trying to decide between what seemed like a deceptively simple choice.
Take the fake gun? He'd have to pray no one called his bluff. Bank employees might comply, but a trigger-happy security guard? Or worse, some wannabe hero? And if the cops showed up with itchy fingers, he could end up as a bullet-riddled cautionary tale.
The only upside? If Batman crashed the party, the guy with a fake gun would probably get the lightest sentence. Arkham Asylum wasn't exactly on Leo's bucket list.
But a real gun? That's a different nightmare. One slip-up, one misfire, and he'd go from reluctant participant to full-blown criminal. And if things went south, well… Let's just say he didn't like his odds in a prison shower.
His gaze flickered toward the Joker.
Sooner or later, this nutcase would get himself tossed back into Arkham. And with Leo being part of his merry little gang, he'd likely get a front-row seat. The thought of bunking with the Joker sent shivers down his spine.
He needed time. Just a little more time.
Leo peeked at his countdown.
00:40:56
Good. Twenty minutes wasted. Every second closer to freedom.
"I-I'll take the fake gun," Leo stammered, his voice trembling. "I'm not… I'm not ready for the real thing."
He didn't bother to lie. The Joker wasn't the type to fall for it anyway.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk…" The Joker's eyes gleamed with amusement. "Interesting choice."
He leaned forward, grinning ear to ear. "Still clinging to the dream of being a good little citizen, huh? Back to the 'normal' world… where everything makes sense?"
The Joker shook his head, his voice dripping with mock sympathy.
"That's not how the world works, kid. But hey, you're special." He drew out the last word, savoring it like a fine wine. "Even if you don't know it yet. But you will. Oh, you will."
With a dramatic flourish, the Joker threw open the van door. Sunlight poured in, illuminating his legs while his upper body remained shrouded in shadow.
"Now go on, little birdie. Fly free! And remember… the late bird has to flap twice as hard."
A not-so-gentle shove later, Leo found himself standing outside, blinking in confusion.
"Oh, and one more thing!" The Joker's voice rang out. He leaned against the van, flashing an unsettling grin. "I've got a feeling we'll meet again."
BAM!
The van door slammed shut. The engine roared to life, and the vehicle screeched out of the alleyway, leaving Leo in a dazed stupor.
"Crazy bastard…" he muttered under his breath.
But his moment of reflection was short-lived.
"Hey!" The gang leader's gravelly voice cut through the air. "Quit daydreaming, kid! You think the Joker's your buddy now or something?"
The man's sausage-like fingers jabbed Leo in the shoulder, jolting him back to reality.
Thinking quickly, Leo plastered on a smirk. "The Joker's got my back. Said if I ever end up in Arkham, he'll look out for me."
The gang leader froze. The atmosphere shifted.
"Really?"
Leo nodded, oozing fake confidence.
"Said I'm the type he likes."
The boss's rough scowl softened into a chuckle. "Well, in that case… You're under my wing now. Got it?"
Leo nodded, careful not to let his relief show.
Bluff successful.
Another glance at the timer.
00:40:56
Perfect. Now all he had to do was stall for forty more minutes.
Fortunately, his comrades-in-crime were idiots. Thanks to excessive drinking and a distinct lack of coordination, they managed to delay the operation with a series of absurd mishaps.
From spilled beer to misplaced masks, it was a miracle they remembered the plan at all. Even the boss's patience wore thin.
"Enough!" he barked. "We hit the bank in fifteen minutes. The roads will be packed when schools let out. Cops won't get through in time. Got it?"
A chorus of half-hearted cheers followed.
Leo could only hope something — anything — would happen to buy him a little more time.
The battered black van screeched to a halt beside the bank.
The gang checked their weapons, the tension thickening.
"Move!" The boss growled.
They poured out of the vehicle, masks on, guns raised. The chaos was instantaneous. Pedestrians screamed. People scattered. But no one was surprised.
This was Gotham, after all.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The gang fired a few warning shots, shattering overhead lights. The hostages hit the floor, trembling.
"Watch the civvies!" the boss barked before charging toward the teller counters.
Leo and another thug locked eyes, then split up to cover the room. He tried to look menacing, but his shaking hands clutched the fake AK with all the confidence of a man wielding a pool noodle.
And then it hit him.
Everything. The terror. The panic. The trembling hands of a mother clutching her daughter. The pleading eyes of a young man frozen in fear.
It was so… real.
Leo's heart pounded. His pulse roared in his ears.
And yet… he could see everything.
The subtlest twitch of a hostage's eye. The involuntary gulp of a nervous guard. Even the faint reflections on the polished marble floor.
Wait. What?
His vision was sharp. Too sharp.
He barely noticed it until now. His broken glasses had been left behind, but somehow, he could see clearer than ever.
Confused, he edged toward a nearby marble column, using his sleeve to wipe a spot clean. The glossy surface reflected his image.
A face stared back at him.
Young. Strong. Jawline sharp. Eyes bright and full of reluctant determination.
It was him.
But younger. Much younger.
I… I'm eighteen again?
The shock was overwhelming. His hand instinctively brushed against his face. No rough stubble. Smooth skin. Youthful vigor.
Holy crap. I'm back in my prime.
But before he could process this impossible revelation…
Clatter!
A handgun fell to the floor.
The sound snapped Leo back to reality. He spun around to see a terrified security guard, his trembling hand hovering inches from the weapon.
And just like that, time stood still.
---
Read Up To 30+ Advanced Chapters in pat/reon.com/KyokaSuigetsu