"Another report just came in."
"Him again?"
"Yeah, whoever this guy is he's causing some serious damage on the streets."
"Fuckin' vigilante freak."
The Gotham City Police Department has had its fair share of disturbing cases, satanic murders and even child trafficking. Gotham seemed a magnet for the criminally insane but nothing prepared the city for the onslaught of costumed villains and 'freaks' that appeared over the recent years. With the presence of an urban vigilante, who's legend looms over Gotham like a shadow, the city would never be the same.
Commissioner Gordon had created a task force to combat this 'bat' character. Beating criminals to a pulp was not justice, it was cold-blooded violence. Inside the briefing room at GCPD, Gordon held a stack of case files under his arm and a plastic coffee cup in the other hand.
"We all know why we're here," Gordon said after sipping his drink.
"Vigilante's been beatin' scum into the hospital again," said Officer Blake, a man in his mid-30's who'd been on the force for a while now.
"You guys see the last report? He dismantled one of Falcone's operations and beat about 20 of his goons into the ICU," said another officer.
"This guy's dangerous, what if he decides to go for the cops next?" said Officer Jackson, a man close to retirement.
"As far as we know, he is not targeting law enforcement. There is a pattern to his assaults on the criminal underworld, he starts out small, taking out street-level thugs and working his way up to whoever's running things," Gordon said as he placed the files on a nearby desk. He sat down on the desk with the cup still in hand, looking across the room at his boys in blue. "This is why we have our Squad X, the men and women of this task force will focus on nothing but our vigilante. They will try and capture him, so that the rest of us can focus on the other wackjobs in our city."
"So we're sendin' our own swat team to bust this asshole? Way to spend your resources, Jim," said Detective Harvey Bullock, a former bartender who's record isn't all that clean.
"If you've got a problem, Harvey, I'll be happy to discuss things with you in my office after this briefing is over. Or should I just throw your ass on the street now and save you the trouble of taking that long walk to my office?" Gordon said, stern and resolute.
The rest of the cops laughed and clapped their hands at Harvey's embarrassment, the detective himself sunk back into his seat with his arms crossed.
"The vigilante problem is being handled, that's all I can say for now, thank you," Gordon concluded as he gathered his files while the rest of the cops left the briefing room.
He stood there on his own, pondering as he looked at a case file that fell open. It had a joker card pinned to a picture of some guy in a rubber clown mask.
Gordon sighed deeply as he reached for the file and tucked it back into the stack which he slid under his arm again. He left the room as well after switching off the lights and closed the door behind him. Calls continued to come in and they varied, like most nights. People were robbed, some had been assaulted sexually while others reported seeing a dark figure stalking around on rooftops. Just your typical Tuesday night.
Gordon would sneak-off to the roof every few hours or so to smoke a cigarette, often more than just one. Most of the cops were off duty now while some worked the night shift, Gordon never liked leaving his boys behind which meant he usually worked around the clock. Much to the frustration of his wife and daughter. On the rooftop was his one place to think and to collect his thoughts, to ease the tension this work'd put on his blood pressure.
He grabbed a small-white box out of his back pocket and flipped it open, popping up a few cigarettes. After lighting one up he walked toward the ledge of the roof and stared out over the many different buildings before him. He could hear the streets, the noise was cluttered and static, he never could drown it out. "Some night," he muttered to himself.
"It'll get worse," said a darkened and inhuman voice from behind him.
"You're too blame for some of it," Gordon calmly said as he tossed his cigarette away, slowly turning around.
"I know," replied the voice.
Gordon cleaned his glasses as he looked at the dark-clad persona standing a few feet from him. The vigilante, the freak, the Bat. He'd manage to keep himself shrouded in darkness as he stayed away from the light above the exit door. His big and brawny frame was still intimidating even in the shadows. "Heard you took out another one of Falcone's operations," Gordon said as he pushed his glasses up his nose.
"We're getting closer," Batman replied, his voice altered to make it sound deeper and intimidating.
"Taking down Falcone would be leave a power vacuum, one that could tear apart the city," Gordon said.
"It's already torn," Batman replied, his long-leather cape omniously billowing in the wind.
"The task force is gunning for you, they want you bad. I can't stop them, not if I want to keep up appearances. But I don't agree with your methods," Gordon said as he approached Batman.
"I can't bring Gotham back, not on my own," Batman said, observing the commissioner's every move like a hawk.
"So we're partners in this?" said Gordon as he stood in front of the cowled vigilante.
"Yes," Batman replied while he reached for his belt and grabbed something out of it. He stuck out his hand and in it was a small phone, nothing like Gordon had ever seen. "Here."
"What's this?" Gordon said as he took the device and examined it. Small, black and with no buttons to press except one, a small one on the side of it.
"In case I need to contact you," Batman said before he turned away from the commissioner and headed toward the back of the roof.
"Contact me? I'm not your little sidekick in this, we're not buddy cops. You're a vigilante, an outlaw, operating outside our justice system," Gordon snarled as he followed the Bat.
"You're more important to this city than you realize, Jim. I'm here because I need you, not the other way around," Batman said as his eyes narrowed on Jim.
"Just don't...destroy this city," Gordon pleaded after he tucked the phone-like device in his pocket.
"I'd die before I let that happen," Batman said and it seemed as if his voice darkened even more. Without warning he leapt off of the roof and disappeared into the darkness of the alley below.
Gordon stood there and sighed once more like he'd done so often that night. He looked up at the clouded night's sky and tapped his hand against the device inside his pocket. "Partners," he whispered.