Author's Note: I'd like to formally apologize for my absence! I was forced to go a week without internet, and let me tell you it was not fun. Anyway, the next two chapters are prewritten and I'm going to upload them all here and now, so be prepared! A'ight, sorry for the wait. Here's Ch. 7.
"Loeb, we have a problem," a raspy voice spoke out above the sound of officers rapidly grabbing for their gear and running about. A short, stubby man, Gillian B. Loeb, turned from the group of men to find his star pupil, Harvey Bullock, looking down at him with an obviously distressed expression. "Somethin' got out."
"Do you want to explain to me how this happened?" Loeb shouted angrily at the officers crouched down over computers beside him. The stone floor seemed colder than usual, but it may have just been his anger.
"We dunno, it just-" Bullock started, quickly interrupted by the sound of maniacle laughter as all of the GCPD computers crashed spontaneously and every screen showed the same thing. In big, bold letters, the words "Riddle me this," appeared.
"What's this?" Loeb grew angrier at the dazed faces of the officers around him. "What the hell is going on here?!"
Bullock gaped at the sight, but quickly regained his composure and began to bark orders at the officers around him. He sighed before turning back on Loeb, bracing himself for a night of nagging. "There's only one person who could'a done this," Bullock gulped. "The Riddler."
"Commissioner!" Shouted another raspy voice. "The doors, they're all locked! Someone hacked the wireless locks-We can't get 'em open!"
The dark knight stomped into the Bat cave without hesitation. Every news station in Gotham was blowing up. Batman knew who was behind it, there was only one possible culprit. He just needed to know where he was. Batman walked to the television, located directly next to the gigantic and technologically advanced Bat computer on a table. Alfred followed close behind.
"Master Bruce, how do you plan on locating him? We've come to see he excels in covering his tracks," Alfred trailed off.
"I can find him. He's probably hired some men to get data on the cops, and they're usually lowlives. If I can find them, I can find Nigma."
Edward Nigma, better known as the Riddler, had released evidence against the GCPD, specifically Commissioner Loeb, and Bruce knew it. Of course, everything must've been true, but it wouldn't help the city's current situation. The crime rate was increasing in Gotham and if citizens couldn't rely on the GCPD, who could they rely on? As corrupt as they were, the city needed them. Without the GCPD, Gotham's citizens would go mad and cause even more criminals to rise up, only worsening the city's state. It was going to be a lot for the man to handle. Nigma needed to be shut down.
Just then the Bat cave's television cut off and a new image appeared. On the television a short, slightly overweight man stood wearing expensive attire, suit and top hat, smirking devilishly.
"Hello, citizens of Gotham! 'Tis I, Oswald Cobblepot! Or as I'm sure you know me, the Penguin," Cobblepot chuckled, his black hair gelled back. "I'll have you know that I have multiple hostages in my possession. For their freedom, I require the Bat's presence. You have until midnight to arrive, or I'll have them all killed."
Cobblepot threw his head back in laughter, holding up his hand and motioning for someone off-screen to come forward. "Oh, and just to show you how serious I am..." A blonde girl with messy hair and loose pigtails was suddenly thrown next to the Penguin. Her face was red, she had been crying. Her blue eyes were stained with red from her tears. Another person moved up behind her, holding a knife.
"N-no! No! No no please!" The girl cried out. There was a certain feeling of innocence radiating from her. Cobblepot's smirk grew wider as the person behind the girl's arm reached out and drug the knife across her face, causing her to bleed out. The girl screamed in pain. The knife took a path all the way from the upper left side of her head and down her cheek. Bruce growled with anger at the sight.
"I'm sure you know where I am, Batman. Come on, then," Cobblepot again burst into laughter as the screen cut back to a very horrified looking news reporter. Bruce scowled, slamming his fist against the table, causing the whole room to shake.
"Sir.. Don't you think you require some assistance?" Alfred said in a concerned tone. "Surely this is too much, even for you."
"No one's going to help me, Alfred. I'll figure it out. Nigma will have to wait, those hostages need me now more than GCPD."
Great. Just great. Of course. The one time Edward finally had his plan set, and that.. That rat the Penguin had ruined it. Edward didn't have hostages. He was a minor problem. Again. The Bat would focus on Oswald and maybe even forget about Edward. He was ruining all of the fun.
Edward kicked his legs back in his rolly chair and spun around, flinging his arms back in defeat. I will not be forgotten, Batman. He thought to himself. I just need to be more threatening...
Abigail skipped towards her bosses office. Another submitted article. This was going to be great. Her stomach felt bubbly, it was a pure happiness that she hadn't felt in a long time. It was blissful. Her feet stopped just a few feet short of the office door, halted by a loud ringing sound resounding from her pockets. Reaching in for her cell, she promptly put the phone to her ear.
"Hello," her voice came across smooth and calm. Just as she felt.
"Abby," Apolena choked over the phone. She had been crying.
"L-Lena, are you alright?" Abby blushed at the sudden attention that was on her in the hallway, tiptoeing to the side of the hall.
"Are you watching the news? It's... It's Alyssa."
"Lena.. I'm at work. I don't understand, what's wrong?" Abigail looked about her before making her way towards the lounge. There was a TV there, she remembered.
"That.. Criminal, Cobblepot.." Lena was choking on her words, barely audible.
"The Penguin?" Abby cut through, practically running into the lounge. As she ran in, she felt her heart stop beating. The phone fell from her hand as her mouth fell open and she stopped just to see the TV presenting Alyssa, her best friend, with a face full of tears, blood pouring from a cut on the left side of her face. Abby could hear Apolena making choking noises from the phone, still on the floor, but her focus was off. She felt her eyes sting as she noticed Oswald Cobblepot on the side of the screen, finally speak up with a chuckle.
"I'm sure you know where I am, Batman. Come on, then," Cobblepot burst into laughter as the screen cut away and Alyssa was gone.
Abigail slowly shifted from near tears to anger. She blinked away the tears and reached for her phone with a growl. "I'm going to get Alyssa."
Abby shoved her phone back into her pocket and ran for the exit, ignoring it when her phone rang again.