221 CHAPTER 218

[Vicki Vale's POV]

Vicki Vale stepped out of the elevator, her heels clicking against the tiled floor of the bustling Gotham City Gazette newsroom. She was dressed in a sleek black pantsuit, her auburn hair pulled back into a tight ponytail, exuding an air of determination despite the frustration simmering beneath the surface. The newsroom was a hive of activity, reporters typing furiously on their keyboards, phones ringing off the hook, and the constant murmur of conversations filling the air.

As she made her way through the maze of cubicles, Vicki flung her handbag onto her desk with a frustrated sigh. The recent happenings in Gotham City had left her with a sense of unease; there were rumors of a new criminal organization on the rise, but no solid leads to follow. She had spent countless hours chasing dead ends, trying to piece together a story worth reporting.

"Good morning, Miss Vale," Chad greeted her with a warm smile, holding out a steaming cup of coffee. Chad was the eager intern, always willing to lend a hand and soak up knowledge from the seasoned reporters. He had a youthful enthusiasm that was infectious, even on the dreariest of days.

"Thanks, Chad," Vicki said, taking the coffee gratefully. She could use the caffeine boost to kickstart her day. She powered up her computer, the screen flickering to life with a series of news alerts and unfinished drafts scattered across her desktop.

Chad leaned against the edge of her desk, his brown eyes filled with curiosity. "You look like you've got a storm brewing in your head, Miss Vale. Anything I can help with?"

Miss Vale glanced up, her expression a blend of amusement and skepticism. "Oh, I highly doubt that, Chad. Unless you can magically conjure up a juicy story or enlighten me on what the hell has been going down in Gotham City's underbelly lately."

Chad's smirk widened into a knowing grin. "No, I can't," he replied with a hint of mischief dancing in his eyes.

Rolling her eyes, Miss Vale dismissed him. "Well, then, if you'd excuse me, I have actual work to do." Her fingers danced across the keyboard as she delved into her latest investigation.

But Chad wasn't ready to give up just yet. "Oh, how about that incident everyone's buzzing about? The one about the terrorism attack that led to the tragic deaths of a few officers?"

Miss Vale paused, her interest piqued. "You mean the one where that hot guy with the marshmallow-white hair was supposedly taken into custody on suspicion of conspiring with metahuman terrorists? Tom Hendricks, wasn't it?"

Chad nodded eagerly. "Yes, that's the one. There's a whole lot more to that case than meets the eye. Maybe it's worth a shot digging into that."

With a thoughtful nod, Miss Vale considered his suggestion. "You know what, Chad? You might just have a point. It's better to chase a story with some substance than to stress over ones with no credible sources."

Just then her phone's screen lit up and the an unknown number displayed across the screen. "Vicki Vale here." She said the moment she picked up the phone and pressed it against her right ear.

"I have sensitive information that I'm willing to share with you." The voice said from the other side of the phone, as if the universe had somehow given an answer to her prayers.

"Who's this? And what makes you think I would buy this crap?" She replied, trying not to sound too desperate but deep down she really wanted to know what the information was and the person's identity.

She waited for an answer but instead, the line was immediately cut. After a couple of seconds, she was called by an another unknown line.

"Okay, I get that you don't want me asking much questions. But I assume you want to share this information with me so it's conveyed to the public."

"Meet at the west wing of the building's parking lot by midnight." He instructed, ignoring her as he continued. "It's a little something you wouldn't want to sleep on."

"I can't just go meet up with some random dude who calls me over the phone with an unregistered line." She replied, trying her best to hide her desperation. "At least give me a name." She added.

Once again the line was cut off and she got called with another unknown number. "The name's Red Hood." The only words the voice said over the phone before hanging up.

Her interest grew a thousand folds upon hearing that name, Red Hood. "Red Hood huh, this could be my chance to get an exclusive interview with him." She muttered, then looked at the watch on her wrist to check the time.

The news of a vigilante who went by the name Red Hood had gone viral all over Gotham City, since he made an appearance a couple of months ago, criminal activities had greatly dropped.

He was more feared by criminals than they do Batman because of his gruesome way of dealing with them and also because he was always ready to send a criminal to the hospital bed without any form hesitation. Of course there are some who were against his grisly methods of doing things but there are others who see him as the kind of vigilante Gotham City really needed.

Vicki checked the time every now and then all through the day, itching to meet Red Hood and hungry for whatever information he had for her.

…

The clock struck midnight, and Miss Vale sat poised in her car, the anticipation palpable in the air. She checked her watch one last time before stepping out into the deserted parking lot, her handbag clutched tightly.

"Right on time," she remarked coolly, her gaze fixated on the figure of the Red Hood, dressed in his bikers jacket and red helmet that added an aura of mystery to his presence.

The Red Hood descended from above, his movements silent despite the heavy boots he wore. Miss Vale raised an eyebrow at the stealthy approach but remained composed as she addressed him. "What is it you have for me?" she inquired, her tone laced with authority, a subtle attempt to assert control.

Red Hood's response was swift and firm. "You don't get to speak to me that way," he reprimanded, his voice carrying a hint of menace. "Get this clear, I want your help, I don't need you," he added, his words dripping with intimidation.

Unfazed, Miss Vale couldn't resist a quip. "You sound different from Batman, more rudeness to your tone," She remarked, although he chose to ignore her jest, his focus solely on the matter at hand.

"As you know," he began, getting straight to business, "Black Mask and several other crime lords in Gotham City's underworld have met their demise, with no trace of the perpetrators."

Miss Vale nodded, acknowledging the decrease in crime. "Yes, crime has greatly subsided over the past few months, almost like someone was low-key cleaning up the city." She replied.

She made a subtle movement toward her purse, intending to retrieve her recorder, but Red Hood's warning halted her. "Reach for your recorder, and this meeting ends," he warned, his tone brooking no argument.

"Understood," Miss Vale acquiesced, retracting her hand. "Tell me what I need to know."

Red Hood's next question was cryptic yet revealing. "Can you guess who's responsible for the decline in crime and terrorism?" he challenged, a glint of challenge in his eyes.

"What's this, some kind of Q&A?" Miss Vale pondered for a moment before responding. "It began with the public execution of the Joker by Ace the Tyrant," she mused aloud, her eyes narrowing as she observed the distinctive red helmet of the Red Hood. "And you of course, the wild vigilante who's ready and willing to kill criminals on the spot and without a moment hesitations. An interview with you would be headline-worthy."

"Ace the Tyrant leads a team of outcasts of which I am part of, and we are also part of the reason why the police have less work on their hands lately."

"I have to admit, I didn't see that one coming. And what's the name of this group?" Vicki asked, expecting some kind of cringed out name but was left speechless for a while when he uttered the words, "The Outlaws."

"Cool name, but as long as you guys are considered wanted by the police of which I'm sure you all are, then you're just a bunch of criminals playing Robin Hood."

"Here's a flash drive which contains detailed information regarding the Incident with Black Mask, and a few other crime lords who refused to abide to our terms and continue to cause harm to the city."

"Wow!!" She exclaimed, realizing it was much deeper than she had thought.

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