Chapter 18: Patience

Due to the heavy daytime traffic in the city, the trip took close to two hours. But Arias eventually arrived at Burnside before 10 o'clock in the morning. However, before the driver began heading towards the bus terminal, Arias added some instructions.

"Oh, I need to pick up something from a friend not far from here. Could you make a detour? Just near the apartments by the abandoned park."

The driver nodded cheerfully, casting a quick glance at the meter; all it meant was that his fare would go up.

"No problem, you're the boss."

He quickly followed Arias's instructions and drove close to the deserted recreational park.

"Is it okay if I park he—"

*Crack!*

Before he could finish his sentence, a pair of hands from behind him quickly snapped his neck, instantly killing him.

"Nothing personal, but I can't have anyone knowing I was in Gotham at this time or my alibi won't stick." Arias withdrew his hands and sighed before adjusting the black gloves he was wearing and getting out of the vehicle.

Even though he doubted anyone was nearby in such a remote location, he kept his head bowed and concealed under his hoodie. He took a shortcut across the deserted park and was able to reach the other side in a short amount of time before continuing to the bus stop.

There wasn't much going on in Burnside since it wasn't one of the three Gotham Islands but on the other side of the Gotham River. Once he arrived at the bus terminal, he paid someone to buy a ticket on his behalf so that he wouldn't be seen on camera. After finishing that, he boarded a bus for what would be a lengthy journey.

…

Since he couldn't utilize an airline due to the required documents, Arias had to connect with multiple buses to reach his destination in Nevada. The same would apply to buying or even stealing a car because those actions would make the crime much easier to prove. 

All of this was done with caution, but in order for his new plan to succeed without a hitch, Arias had to ensure that nobody, at the very least, could tell he was leaving Gotham. It took him nearly three days to travel to the city of Las Vegas, Nevada, but to him, this was more than sufficient and necessary.

He flagged down a taxi at one of the city's bus stops and had it drive him to one of the few hotels he knew how to get to. Of course, the location was a modestly priced motel with one of the worst reviews in the city.

When he arrived, he went straight to a room instead of checking in because he already had a key.

"[Was this your home away from Gotham?]" Infinity inquired curiously. The two had casually chatted throughout the previous days of travel, as there wasn't much else to do. As a result, their interactions flowed more naturally, rather than the stiff and uncomfortable setting they had been in previously.

"On paper, yes. In the event I ever got caught, I had to have this place serve as an alibi. No security cameras, and the landlord doesn't check in on tenants as long as the fees are paid. I've always paid for a year in advance, sometimes never spending more than a few days a month here. Yet, if you were to ask the owner, they'd say on paper this has been my place of residence for quite some time, and my documents and tenant testimonies would prove it. As long as they think Dmitri and I actually left Gotham the day of the accident, the plan will work."

"[So before coming here, it was imperative that no one see you leaving Gotham because of that? Quite tricky, but I can now see how you plan to link events. And if in the future your information is proven inaccurate, it would be too late. Marvelous.]" Infinity congratulated him in a proud tone as Arias simply grinned and opened the door to the room.

The room was nothing impressive and looked filled to the brim with cockroaches, but Arias entered casually regardless and changed out of his casual attire into a designer suit. Once done, he picked up his suitcase again and left the room.

As he was leaving, he deliberately moved over to the room next door and knocked.

"What?! I'm not buying—Oh, Arias?"

A woman in her thirties, dressed in musty clothing and with a stern expression, emerged, but as soon as she saw Arias, her demeanor immediately softened.

"Hey, Melissa. I'll be traveling away for quite some time, so I thought I should let you know in case the landlord comes around. If I'm not back by the next payment, he can just rent out my room. Here's the key, as usual."

"Oh… you're always going and coming, but this time might be permanent, huh? I guess it makes sense. A young, dashing guy like you has a bright future. We didn't talk much, but I'll miss having you as a neighbor." She spoke quietly, avoiding eye contact.

Arias grinned at her and handed her the key. "Well, an opportunity came by that I can't let go, so here's hoping it succeeds."

"Oh, I'm sure it will. Once it does, I'll be sure to brag at work that I was your neighbor."

The two said their last goodbyes, and as swiftly as it had appeared, Arias's smile vanished, and his icy features reappeared.

"[Was it not tiresome repeating the process of checking in here every now and then?]" Infinity asked, but Arias laughed helplessly.

"It was, but I reminded myself each day that if I got caught just once, it would be over. Murder isn't something one can easily get away with, so in case I did get caught, I needed a solid alibi. That's why, despite operating mostly in Gotham, my residence was miles away."

"I had to cut off every single individual I knew. Even when I felt like I could just go see Dmitri for a bit and it would be fine… I stopped myself. I was worried that if I got caught, he could be used as the one witness to put me away for life. I doubted it, but that wasn't enough to quell the fear in my adolescent heart."

"[Arias, you've been leading a lonely existence.]"

"After the fourth year, I started to accept it. When you're a bottom feeder playing in the den of predators, you have no choice but to operate without making your presence known. I don't know how I could've survived otherwise."

Arias flagged down a taxi that was heading farther into the city while carrying his small suitcase over his shoulder. Once inside, he let out an exhausted sigh and spoke.

"King's Street."