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A/N: My apologies for the brief, very vague summary. Just know that I have my reasons. This is a mystery, after all, and I don't want to be giving anything away.
Chapter One: The Murder
Gotham City.
Tuesday, July 5, 2008
It was 6:00 AM, and the sun had begun to rise over the towering silhouette of Gotham City, turning shadows into skyscrapers, and driving both good and evil back to their secluded hideaways.
It was 6:00 AM, and Edaline Rojas, a portly woman nearing the age of 50, began to go about her work as a housekeeper at the Lacey Towers Luxury Condominium Complex. With an old, rusty key, she unlocked the maintenance closet, and rolled out her cleaning cart, making sure to bring her mop and bucket with her. Making sure to lock the closet door behind her, Edaline slipped the key back into her apron pocket, and began to make her way over to one of the three service elevators made available to the complex's lower-level staff. Parking her cart behind her, she pressed the button to summon the elevator. Five minutes of waiting later, and the elevator had still failed to arrive. She looked up to an old, incandescent light bulb located above the elevator doors. The bulb was blinking red, which meant that the elevator was stuck. At 6:15 AM, she called the elevator crew, and went over to use another elevator.
It was 6:45 AM, the two men, Tom Prewett and Jay Medinas, arrived on the scene, in rather unkempt shape. The crew worked on the machine for about an hour and a half, when they fixed the issue, the elevator began to descend to the service floor.
"That's strange." Said Jay.
"Why?" asked Tom, a sour attitude creeping into his voice.
"The elevators are supposed to be reset to this floor every night before we go home." Jay answered, "And I very clearly remember resetting it last night."
It was 8:17 AM, and the elevator arrived in front of them. Its doors opened, and the two men jumped back in shock and horror.
"Jesus H Christ..."
The camera flashed a blinding light as it captured the image before it: The interior of the service elevator, coated from floor to ceiling in blood and gore.
Another flash, another image: The headless body of a man, mutilated beyond recognition.
One last flash, and a final image was captured: The open hatch in the elevator's ceiling.
The Police had arrived at the Lacey Towers Luxury Condominium Complex at 8:30 AM, after two elevator repair men had called in and reported the gruesome sight that was now the subject of a police photographer's lens.
It was 8:36 AM, and GCPD Major Crimes Unit Detective Harvey Bullock had just arrived on the scene, accompanied by Renee Montoya, another Major Crimes Unit Detective. They approached an older man, who was currently standing just next to the elevator, discussing some notes with another police officer. His name was Harold Jenks, he was the MCU's Chief Forensics Officer.
"So, Jenks, who's our man today?" asked Bullock.
"Calvin Morrison. Age 63, approximately 5'09'' tall." Jenks replied.
"Sounds familiar, have I heard of him?" Montoya asked.
"Probably, he is-was, President and CEO of the Morrison Shipping Company, and one of the richest men in the city. He donated $350,000 to us at last year's Christmas Gala." Said Jenks.
"Why is someone like that in a Service Elevator?" asked Montoya.
"I'm not sure." Jenks responded.
"Damn." Said Bullock, "What all've we got so far?"
"Nothing useful. There's some shoe prints, but the tread is like nothing I've ever seen." Jenks replied, "However, there is something that interests me about the cut marks."
"What's that?" Montoya asked.
"I'll show you." Jenks said, walking over to the elevator door way, "Look at the cuts on the body. They're all in parallel pairs, as if he were cut with claws."
"Jenks, are you seriously telling me this could have been done by an animal?" Bullock questioned, voice wrought with disbelief.
"No, Harvey I am not." Jenks retorted, "There's no animal that is large enough to do this that has only two claws on each appendage, nor are there are no animals I know of that cleanly behead their prey, besides perhaps a mantis, however that is even less likely."
"I don't know." Montoya interjected, "We live in a city with a killer clown, a lady who can control plants, and a guy armed with a freeze ray. Sorry, but if you ask me, a giant mantis isn't really that much of a stretch anymore."
"Even then, the mantis only has one blade per an arm." Jenks said drolly.
"Just saying, it really isn't that hard to believe." She replied.
"Whatever," Bullock said, before turning his attention back to Jenks, "So you're telling me we have a chopped up body with a head missing, and no evidence, aside from the obvious horror show, other than some freaky foot prints, and the fact that it looks like he got torn up by some suspiciously inorganic claws?"
"That is correct." Jenks said.
"What about his room? Anything there?" Bullock pressed.
"His door was wide open, as well as a window." Jenks answered.
"Anything else?" Bullock pressed again.
"Nothing." Jenks replied solemnly.
"Well shit." Bullock grumbled under his breath.
"What appears to be the issue?" Montoya asked.
"Get a case file of this to Gordon by tonight. I'm sure his friend will love to hear about this." Bullock said, trying and failing to hide his unhappiness at the subject.
"So…pride then?" Montoya asked, a smirk making its way to her face.
"Shut up, Montoya." Said Bullock.
Police Commissioner James Gordon stood upon the roof of GCPD Headquarters, his coat flowing with the wind. Beside him, a large flood light projected the image of a bat unto the clouds of the night sky. It was quiet, and then, the light thud of impact upon the cement surface. Gordon didn't need to turn around to know who it was.
"Lovely evening, isn't it?" he asked.
There was no reply.
"Sorry I asked." Gordon said.
"I haven't got time to chat, James." said the gruff voice behind him.
"I know, I know, Croc's on the loose and you've got to find him." said Gordon.
"Precisely, now what is it you need?" asked the voice.
Commissioner Gordon turned to face the Batman, file in hand.
"Our people in the MCU have hit a major road block in a recent homicide investigation." Gordon began.
"Calvin Morrison's?" the Dark Knight interrupted him.
"Yep." Gordon replied, "All the information we have is in this file. I know you're busy with Killer Croc, but try and give it a look. We'd really appreciate your…assistance on this one."
"I'll see if I have the time." Batman said, taking the file from Gordon, and promptly leaving.
"He never even says 'Goodbye.'" Gordon said to himself, walking back inside.
A/N: Well, I hope you enjoyed this. Leave a review. All praise and criticism is welcome and encourage. There's more to come, so stick around and catch us next time. Same Bat Time, Same Bat Website.