Alba huffed in exertion as she tugged over the weight stand. She pushed once then stepped back to look at the work she had done. It fit snugly in the corner with the straps and the mats. A satisfied smile crossed the woman’s face. A job well done. She snapped a quick picture and texted her mom.

[i]All perfect~[/i]

Alba’s parents weren’t too happy with the move, but they were great in supporting her anyways. And tomorrow she would be officially open. Not that she had any clients yet. She rolled her shoulders to stretch out the muscles. Clients would come. She had a fierce Ad Campaign curtsey of one of her Seattle clients that she paid handsomely for. Sunrise Yoga was now in Gotham and going to do fine.

Alba cocked her head to the side with a frown. Had that been the front door? She turned and looked at the door to the main studio. Her heart skipped a beat as she watched two rather large men enter her space.

“I’m sorry.” Alba plastered a small professional smile on her face as she looked the their masks. Bane. A small part of her brain supplied. Carol Ann had sent her the dossier she had complied on the new ‘ruler’ of Gotham. “Sunrise isn’t open-“

Alba fell silent as one of the men produced a gun.

“Three-fifty.” One man on the left growled.

“I’m sorry?” Alba asked breathlessly. Her eyes fixed on the weapon. She knew that this step would take Black Orchid in a new direction. But it was another thing to be so effortlessly confronted with it. 

"This is Bane's territory la chica." The man on the right shrugged in what appeared to be an apologetic manner. “We take care of our own. There’s dangerous men on the streets.” Righty took a step past lefty. He ran a hand over one of the floor length mirrors on the wall. “I’d hate to see anything happen to a new resident. It would give Gotham a bad reputation.”

Lefty snickered. Protection money. Alba nearly giggled herself. They were shaking her down for protection money. Not because they knew what she was up to. 

“I—“ Alba licked her lips. “I don’t have that much. I just paid three months rent.” She didn’t have to fake her fear. If they shot her, super-strength or not, she’d die. “But I have a hundred bucks. Down payment?” She voice squeaked on the end.

Lefty’s chuckle turned into a full belly laugh. “Three-fifty.” The gun never wavered. Righty ‘tisked’ and pulled out a small cudgel.

“I can get some money from a friend tomorrow. I swear. Just,” Alba licked her lips again. “Don’t hurt me please.”

“Four hundred tomorrow.” Righty said. “And the hundred now.” 

Alba nodded her head emphatically. She had no doubt the extra 150 dollars would go straight into the goon’s pockets. But she wasn’t going to complain. Or let on she had a whole lot more money at her disposal. She was a small, helpless shop owner. How did the others do it? Maybe they were all rich and never had to fake being really afraid. Or, not really have to fake it.

Alba’s hands shook as she pulled all her cash out of her wallet. Righty snatched it out of her hands before she could even count it. The two made more threats before they left. The door closing with a small whisper. Alba dropped her wallet on the ground and clenched she hands into fists. They wouldn’t stop shaking. She glared at them. She was far from the helpless, terrified girl she used to be. She was Black Orchid. Justice in the shadows.

Alba snorted. Oh god. Now she sounded like a loon. The snort turned into a laugh.