You think your life is hard? You think you have it tough? Really? Try being a policeman or better yet, try being a policeman in the most fucked up place on earth; Gotham City. Murderers, rapists, fucking cannibals - you name it, we got it. Most locked up in hell that is more commonly known as Arkham Asylum while others roam the streets, probably hiding in the darkest parts of our lonely back lanes, knife in one hand as they stare at passers by. It's a dangerous place. Gotham is dangerous place, more dangerous than any other. Crime rate is at a all time high, our missing persons count is through the roof and unfortunately we've just found one. It's unfortunate because for a second we actually thought we were gonna find this girl alive somewhere, for awhile we actually had the bravery to have a little hope. Now, I've been a policeman for nearly ten years and I've seen things most people can't even dream of. I've seen crime scenes that many believe are only possible in the movies and you think after all this time I would be getting used to it; you're wrong. Because however many times you see this stuff it never truly sinks in, not properly. So as our car slowly travelled through dust and gravel down this back street neighbourhood full of druggies and prostitutes hanging around on each corner I could feel my insides turning like clockwork because suddenly I could see a two bare feet looking straight at me. We drove closer, bare legs. We stopped the car, bare back. We stepped out into this dumpsite and stood above this blue, bruised and naked body of a girl no older than 20 and that's when you realize - you can never get used to seeing this stuff and the people are do - they're the ones in Arkham.
"Is it true you've found a body?"
"No comment"
"Do you believe it be of Julie Graves? That girl who went missing a few days ago?"
"No comment"
"Are all the women of Gotham in danger?"
The policeman let out a sigh "No comment"
The harsh bitterness of winters breath blew softly onto the back of the officers neck as they walked around, sectioning off the road with yellow and black tape. Drugged up men and women started to stumbled up towards the road, a few carrying beer cans in their hands.
"What ya pigs doing in ar place" one lady screamed, lifting up her can to show her injection marks crawling across her arm.
"Yea, fuck off!" another yelled
The officers ignored. Instead they were focused on the brutality that lay our in front of them. Forensics carefully stepped forward and with much respect carefully turned over the body so her front was on view to show off her multiple stab wounds on her stomach. Dried blood stains dripped across her rips and waist; a jagged hole ripped across her bellybutton by a carving knife.
"It's recent" a deep gravely voice emerged from the whispery shadows.
"What?"
"It's recent" repeated the dark voice as a cape floated in the wind and into the street lamp view.
"Batman?"
"The wound…" he begun, as he stepped away from the wall and into view to reveal himself, making the druggies step back away for the police tape.
"The wound is recent." said Batman. "It looks about four maybe five hours old. By the angle of the body it's been dumped meaning whoever left it here was in some sort of rush. The wound itself is brutal, untidy, it looks as if it wasn't planned, done in the moment; done in anger."
"The real question is it that Julie?" said a tall, worn out, 42 year old officer. His eyes were grey, once light and airy but now darkened by stress. His short, choppy cut oak coloured hair sat unevenly across his ears while his rough unshaven stubble moved slowly up to the sideburns.
"Who are you?" Batman asked with no emotion or feeling in his voice.
"King, James King sir. I'm guessing there's no point in asking who you are, everyone knows you."
"And your point is?"
"Nothing. Just it's interesting, you're always here at a crime scene but, well…"
"Well what!" Batman voice lowered as he took a few steps forward and exhaled his breath.
"I've never seen your police badge. How do we know you're trying to help, and not just some fucked up freak who loves this sort of shit; bodies and all that." James smiled, and stepped away.
Bruce held his fist shut and took another deep breath before releasing and kneeling forward to the victim to scan.
"Well…" Batman said "… I don't need a badge and I'm not trying to help you. I'm doing your job for you. How many times have you fu… messed up. How any people have you let go, let get away after doing some of the most awful crimes in Gotham's history. I don't need your approval Mr King, but you need me, otherwise every fucked up, little scum bag in this city would be roaming these filthy streets and killing every person they see. NO! I may not have a badge. And yes, you do have a badge but if that badge is so important, so powerful, then why does this city need me? Oh that's right, because that badge means nothing."
There's a pause, tension filled the dirty cobbled stone street. Beep, scanning completely.
"Oh, and Mr King, to answer your question. Yes, this is the body Julie Graves."
