The Night the Lights went out in Gotham
Chapter 2 "The Gift"
Dad gave me this. Fifth birthday. He said, "Childhood's over the moment you know you're gonna die." Top Dollar from The Crow
(Gotham City Police Department - Special Crimes holding Cell)
The walls look the same. It always looks the same every single day in and day out. It shouldn't surprise him if it looks the same now. Of course to Joe Chill everything has looked the same since the day he offed that rich kid's parents. Sure the money and the jewerly was nice for a couple of months, but it dried up. Everything dried up and did it too fast. His life with Ellen, his daughter Patsy, and of course his buddy who became a big shot Carmine Falcone. It left him down in the ditch. A deep sigh made him realize that was exactly where he belonged was in that ditch.
Should've never threatened that kid. Always said that I would never threaten a kid, but I did anyway. Piss on it. Doesn't matter now. A few years of sponge baths and warm meals looks better than waiting to die out here.
He actually smiled at the prospect of getting a hot meal, medical care, and being comfortable for a few years. He thought that until he heard a scratching sound from outside of his cell. He turned around and looked to see a young looking thug. The guy must have been brought in on drug charges. Funny that was what made the money now. 'Honest' thieves couldn't make a decent living competing with the pushers.
"Old man. Say old man you know Carmine right?" The young thug asked.
"What's it to ya?" Joe Chill asked.
"Nothin' just said that I would do a favor for him." The thug said before he pulled a sharpened piece of glass from the bottom of his shoe and grabbed Chill. He rammed it into the elder criminal's throat and watched as his blood foamed from lack of breath.
"Carmine said to tell you that he paid back all debts asshole. Even debts he owed before he was made." The young thug said before several officers ran in and restrained him. The younger criminal watched as Joe began going into convulsions and soon he slipped away.
"You're going to be tried for murder you stupid punk!" One of the officers shouted.
"And you're still going to be an ugly ass in the morning." He snidely said before a pistol found the back of his head and knocked him out.
(Gotham Green's - Carmine Falcone's penthouse apartment thirty minutes later)
Carmine smiled and turned to his 'guest'. The beautiful raven haired girl seemed to fill out her skin tight black body suit in every right way. He lifted the hand rolled Colombian cigar to his lips and lit it. Slowly he pulled in a deep drag and then looked at the girl again.
"He died about twenty-five minutes ago. You know I got to ask why did you want old Chill dead for? He didn't know anyone or anything anymore. The only claim to fame that poor bastard had was killing off the Waynes. I think that he still believes that Thorne still runs most of the businesses downtown." Falcone said as he looked at her.
"Mr. Chill hurt and damaged someone close to me Mr. Falcone. I and my father thank you for assisting us in his demise." the woman said as she stood up.
"'Bout that... Who are you anyway? I normally don't ask, but this is a fairly large sum of money for a small time hit." Carmine Falcone asked.
"My name is Talia Head. It is a pleasure." She said as she shook his hand and a small pin pricked him.
"Ouch what was that?" he asked as he looked at the redden place on his hand.
"Just a mild toxin. Within a few hours you will be babbling and ranting like a madman. In a few days you won't remember who you are or what we talked about, and in a few months you will revert back to your childhood. Enjoy your last few hours as a man Mr. Falcone." Talia said as she left the bewildered Carmine Falcone sitting behind his desk.
(Wayne Manor - Entertainment Room)
Diana watched the news as the death of Joe Chill was shown. Her eyes opened in terror believing that Bruce may have actually went over the edge. He was patrolling and it wouldn't be hard for him to appear as a lowly thug and kill someone, and then stage his own death and disappear.
Bruce please no...
She thought the silent prayer over and over again. She didn't want to give power to her doubts, but Bruce was a passionate man. It may not seem like it, but he would want bring a slow suffering to anyone that made him suffer. She turned and looked at Alfred who also studied the television.
"It wasn't Master Bruce, but I have no doubt it was for him." He said as he narrowed his eyes.
"Who could have done this?" Diana asked.
"There are several of his former lovers that has the ability and man power to do something like this. The first two I can think of is Andrea, or Talia. Then again there are several 'powerful' people that respect Bruce, the real Bruce enough to do this as a gift. I only hope that he doesn't accept it." Alfred said as he turned away from the screen.