Even though Slaine burned the books, just like Ben asked him to, he never said anything about the pictures, so Slaine decided to remove them from the books and keep them with himself--Just incase he needed those.

He needed some answers. Firstly, why wouldn't Gotham's bite infect people like other X-DROIDs' bite did and secondly, why didn't she eat flesh but just suck out the blood?

He knew a person who could answer those questions--Her forster parents! So, he did some research and found that she was kept in New Jersey but he didn't know where in New Jersey. While scrolling through the random pictures of New Jersey, he came across a photograph of Mr Vincent--An aristocrat living in New Jersey who was one of the biggest social workers in New Jersey.

Slaine observed that he was the same man as the photograph, where Gotham and he were cutting a cake. That picture was now 12 years old, he looked much older but it was him. Slaine found his address on a social worker site and planned a trip to New Jersey.

Transportation was free of cost in the future. And so was food. All the charges were paid by all the taxpayers at the end of the year. Not much of which was required since the population was so less. Slaine barely saw a lot of people on the train. Neither did he see a lot of cars going around. The world seemed empty, dark, and quiet. It seemed full of stories to tell.

And now that he was here before Mr Vincent, he was waiting for a story this man would make up to cover himself up. They could hear the ticking of the clock, while Slaine sat on the chair and rested his face on his palm while examining Vincent with his ocean blue eyes.

He yawned, "I'm waiting."
Mr Vincent wiped his sweat and drank a glass of water.

"I was forced to do it. I was forced to keep her, I didn't wanted to! I don't know anything-- I just raised her like a normal child, I didn't even know that she was an--"
Slaine took out a knife from his pocket and dug it on the table between them, Mr Vincent shivered

"Dead men tell no tales. I'm here to hear the truth, not tales."

He took a deep breath.
"I seriously don't know anything."
Slaine got up and walked towards the door, locking it. Then, he turned towards him. Vincent got up and moved towards the window.

"Sit down." He said.
"Please let me go."
"I said sit. down."
Vincent obeyed him and sat back on his chair.

'As I thought, the usual way won't work. I'll have to do something insane.'

Slaine walked towards him and took his hand. He looked at Slaine, "Try to keep it as quiet as possible, I don't want any disturbances."
He pressed his hand on the table.
"W-What are you going to do?"
Slaine smirked, "Dig out the truth, of course."

Slaine walked towards a chest and took out a handkerchief from the drawers. He stuffed it into Vincent's mouth as he dug the knife into his hands. He struggled as his voice choked within his throat.

"Don't struggle. You don't want it to be painful."
He was trying to say something so Slaine pulled the handkerchief out of his mouth, "10 seconds."
"How much money do you want?"
Slaine grinned at him, mockingly, "You still think I want money? I'm way too sober for that shit."
"But I--"

"Time's up." Slaine was about to stuff the handkerchief back in when he said, "Okay okay! I will tell you! Please stop."

The blood rolled down the table and Slaine moved away from him.

"I heard that Ben had finally achieved success in the surgery he was perfecting for so long. I wanted that drug too but it only existed in a mixed medicine form and not a serum. That couldn't give you eternal life.

I tried my best to convince Ben but he wasn't swayed by money since he already had enough of it. Then, I found out that they were finding forster parents for the kids of the royal family. Ben took in one of them, I thought I should too--Since Ben did it. I named her Gotham.

She was very cheerful and happy-go-lucky. And I treated her as a my own daughter.

But I didn't know she would be an X-DROID. She used to eat so much--a)A one year child ate as much as four adult men would and she grew up fast. I went to Ben and he told me she was an X-DROID. I saw this as an opportunity to extract the serum directly from her.

I hired a team of scientists to do this for me. But those idiots did something wrong and her entire blood went contaminated."

"You operated on a little child?" Slaine asked.
"Yes--"
Slaine dug the knife into his skin and he groaned, "Continue."

"I- I knew I messed up and she ended up losing her legs. She didn't talk to me after that. I asked Ben to operate on her and give her legs back to her. He said he'd be putting in some anti venom since her body was poisoned by the contamination. That anti venom reacted with some chemicals those scientists had left inside her and she got a tiny tail on the lower half of her body. Ben said it was a RNA mutation.

He advised me not to serve her any meat anymore. Only a vegan or blood meal, but no meat. He also asked me to leave her in a water body like a swimming pool. I did that but she ecaped through the drains and I never saw her again."

Slaine got up and punched him about ten times continuously.
"You ruined the life of a little girl! None of this would have happened if you didn't try that bullshit! She might have not even turned out the way she is today if you gave her a father's love!

She didn't force you to adopt her-- Why would you do that to a child? She is only 16!"

"I'm sorry..."

Slaine got up.
"If I find out that what you told me is a lie, our next game won't be be with your hand but your throat."
Slaine washed the knife and his hands and went out of the room.

"Helda!" Vincent shouted.
"Yes, Mr Vincent." The computer overhead replied.
"Call Dexter."
"Calling, President Dexter Benovolis."

Dexter's hologram appeared before him, "What is it now, Vincent? I'm not giving you anymore money--What happened to your hand?"
"Somebody came asking about Gotham."

"Who?"
"I don't know his name but he seemed young, about eighteen. Was dressed up weirdly too."
"I'll send the investigation team there." Vincent collapsed.

-To be continued

Gotham
5500 Rebellion