Hi all,

I'll keep it short and sweet this week: thanks for making it this far, and thank you for all the comments. Y'all are great.

Cheers,

EQT.95

Three Dead after Gotham Day Parade Debacle

Just days after the domestic terrorist act struck the heart of Gotham, a third victim has been named. Jerry Anderson's body was found by a jogger who discovered it on an early-morning jog through Robinson Park. GCPD quickly cleared the site, and next of kin was contacted. With the discovery of Anderson's body, the number of remaining missing has been reduced to four.

Separately, in a press conference last night, the GCPD announced it is still nowhere near naming a suspect. When asked if the GCPD would request the assistance of the Crows Task Force, they advised there was no intention at this time. The Crows have recently undergone a city-mandated audit for its recent use of excessive force; however, it was determined they acted well within their authority as a private security firm, much to the surprise of the public. While not uncommon for the GCPD to contract work out to the Crows, the lack of enrolling them into this investigation may speak to the deteriorating relationship between the two entities. When contacted for questioning, the Crows declined to comment.

At the same press conference, it was confirmed that the attack was executed through the assistance of the defunct Emergency Speaker system, but no announcement has been made to address how the speakers were rerouted for Saturday's grizzly events.

A significant factor that remains unanswered is how and why the attack appeared directed at Batwoman. Speculation over Batwoman's role in the destruction has begun polarizing the city. In a recent poll taken before Saturday's attack, Batwoman received a higher approval rating than Mayor Aubrey James with 68% to his 23%. James, who has just begun his latest term, has notoriously remained unpopular; however, in a separate poll following Saturday's attack sees the public beginning to question Batwoman's significance. While some are standing by the red-cowled figure, many are beginning to call for the vigilante to hang up her cape.

While it is unclear who is behind the attacks, one thing is very clear: Innocent lives were snuffed out because of some crook's vendetta against the City's symbol of hope, and for that Batwoman has blood on her hands.

"You need to rest."

"What I need is answers, Luke," Kate shot back. "Tracking Tommy has gotten us nowhere. We might as well be on a beach somewhere drinking Mai Tais."

"I didn't realize that was an option," Luke muttered lowly.

"What?" Kate asked, her scowl furrowing deeper on her brow.

"Nothing," he replied quickly, sensing Kate's humor had been shelved along with her plans for sleep. "We know Tommy was involved in stealing the batsuit technology. It seemed reasonable to think he'd be involved in the attack at the parade."

They had been arguing for nearly an hour about, and the talking points were beginning to repeat themselves. It was the same argument they'd had every night since the parade, and Luke was struggling to give Kate the answers she wanted. They were both operating off little sleep, and with that came an irritability and inefficiency in their work. Kate was getting messy in the field, and with that came injuries that slowed her down. Luke was trying to balance the day-to-day operations with the building renovations and Kate's insistence that new leads be determined every night. For all of their efforts, they were no closer to learning who was behind the attacks, and they were beginning to fall down a slippery path of constant frustration with each other.

"Kate just…" he sighed, realizing he was about to repeat himself again. "You need to rest."

"I'll rest when this is done," she said, ignoring Luke's pleas for sensibility as she replaced the cowl and walked out of the batcave. "Let me know if you find anything useful."

Frosty Freezies Factory Fire

In a second domestic attack in as many weeks, Frosty Freezies Factory has been destroyed. The factory's storied history was brought to an end Monday night when two vans of armoured gunmen charged into the factory followed by a stand-off between the GCPD before it was set ablaze.

Security footage shows the gunmen arrived and opened fire on the factory security around 7 pm; two guards were injured in the process. Fortunately the late hours meant there were no workers in the factory, and the building sat vacant. Shortly after, GCPD was alerted and arrived at the factory by 7:30 pm. In that time, the gunmen established a perimeter around the building and a standoff remained for another two hours. The standoff ended when an attempt by the GCPD to storm the building failed. Four officers were injured in the raid, and no gunmen were apprehended in the process.

Rumors were raised shortly after the event that Batwoman was sighted at the stand-off, but there is no visual or audio evidence to support this. If Batwoman was at the site, it is clear her involvement did little to minimize the damages.

The original Frosty Freezies had closed its doors for business nearly six years ago due to recession. A recent influx of money by the city and private donors allowed the factory to reopen in early March. To mark the opening, a special Bat-shaped frosty freeze had been developed as part of the roll out.

It is unclear whether the company's association with Batwoman played into the factory's destruction or whether this latest act of terror is associated with the parade tragedy from two weeks ago. As a precautionary measure, Mayor James encouraged all businesses to distance themselves from Batwoman until the culprits can be detained.

When in operation, the factory made frosty freezies of many flavors, including lemon-lime, orange, raspberry, pineapple, grape, mint, and strawberry.

"It's definitely the suit."

"Shit," Kate cursed, leaning back into her chair. She pressed her fingers to the bridge of her nose as she processed the news. She thought they'd have more time before it appeared on Gotham's streets, but Luke's confirmation made her worst fears real. The night before she'd encountered a team of masked, armored men at the old Frosty Freezies Factory. She had slowly been making her way around the site, taking out each figure with the assistance of shadows and Luke's guidance. After clearing the south and east edge, she made her way toward the north when gunshots rang out. She watched as the remaining gunmen flocked toward the entrance and challenged the incoming GCPD without fear. More than once she was sure a bullet from GCPD's side had struck a masked figure only to see them continue, unphased by the strike.

"How many were there again?" Kate asked.

"I picked up fifteen, easy," Luke replied. "Do you think they were all wearing it?"

"No idea. I mean, they all had vests on. I just assumed they were standard grade bullet-proof vests."

"These definitely look bulkier than your suit."

"So it hasn't been optimized?"

Luke shrugged. "I'd have to see it to know. Even then, I'm not an expert on this."

"I'll go back tonight and see if I can dig up anything," Kate said, trying to hide her worry from Luke.

Fear Toxin Confirmed in Latest Crime String

Late last night the GCPD Commissioner confirmed that Fear Toxin was the cause of the Gotham Day Parade catastrophe during what has become nightly press conferences in the GCPD's latest effort to temper fears of the sweeping increase in crime around the city. During the press conference it was also confirmed that at least eight separate instances of Fear Toxin have been involved in related crimes over the last two weeks. The eight separate instances were categorized as petty crime, and the GCPD was unable to comment on what, if any, commonalities exist between these crimes beyond the use of Fear Toxin, but they're assumed related.

When pressed to provide more details about the crimes and related suspects, none were given. Instead, shortly after the conference ended, a statement was published by Mayor James addressing the city's growing concerns:

The GCPD is working tirelessly to end this criminal spree, and I want to assure you we are doing everything in our power to return the City to the safe and welcoming streets we have spent the last three years tirelessly building. It is without question that our work is being undermined by a small few, and it will be stopped. As an added measure, we have brought the Crows Task Force into the folds to assist in bringing peace to Gotham. They are an asset not many cities can tout, and it is our privilege to stand side by side on the front lines with them.

Authorities are refusing to comment on Batwoman's involvement in the crimes. It was speculated she was involved in breaking up three instances of Fear Toxin in the last week. While no formal statement has been made about this, a GCPD detective who requested anonymity for fear of retaliation confirmed that Batwoman was present at two locations. Recent accusations by Mayor James have put the blame squarely on Batwoman's shoulders for the uprise in crime.

When asked about this, another unnamed GCPD officer advised that internal policy is to distance themselves from Batwoman. Another officer went so far as to state the department's unofficial policy is to label Batwoman a vigilante and, while not a priority, they have been given authority to bring her in if given the chance.

"Luke, I think we need to consider-"

"No, Kate. We don't even know how extensive it is. If we can track it we might be able to stop it from growing."

"They're shooting people, Luke."

"I kn-"

"No one can take them down. The GCPD and Crows are target practice out there."

"Yes, I've read the articles, but if y-"

"If you had you'd realize we're losing. We have nothing, Luke. They have nothing."

Luke rubbed his eyes, hoping a solution would magically appear afterward. He knew Kate was right: they'd been at it tirelessly for three weeks and kept coming up short. Now that this new gang of masked goons were in town, Kate was spending more time tracking them than making progress on where or how the armour was being supplied. In all of that, nine officers and Crows had been wounded in the line of duty, and emergency rooms were overwhelmed with victims of the fear toxin. Everything was stacked against them, and Luke was struggling to see any other path forward.

"Give it a week. If… if after a week-"

"We can't solve this in a week-"

"If after a week we can't track it, we can discuss the rail gun."

"No, Luke. If after a week we can't track it, we're giving them the rail gun."

"Kate-"

"It needs to happen while Sophie is still Lead Crow. If we wait any longer it'll go straight to Jacob."

Crackdown Brings Curfew to Boroughs

A 6pm curfew has been issued for parts of Gotham following a week of increased destruction. Included are Burnley, Otisburg, and The Hill with speculation that additional boroughs will be added before week's end. In what appears to be guerilla-style tactics, timed bombs of Fear Toxin are being placed around the city to impart mass terror onto people. Hospitals are struggling with how to treat those infected beyond temporary containment. Currently there appears to be no reliable treatment, and unofficial numbers have suggested as many as ten people have died as a result of ingesting the mysterious chemical.

The official policy of the GCPD and Crows is to temporarily restrain anyone infected with Fear Toxin from injuring themselves or others; however, the execution has been less than savory. Injuries from attempted containment to victims of Fear Toxin have ranged from cuts to broken bones. The GCPD Commissioner has stressed officers are executing with safety in mind.

Another variable at play is the follow-up attacks coming out of the Fear Toxin bombs. GCPD officers and Crows are being peppered by armed gunmen as they try sweeping areas for infected civilians. At least a dozen have been placed on temporary leave due to injury, and a wave of early retirement by GCPD officers is quickly undermining efforts to clamp down on the terror.

"We haven't seen this [level of retirement] since Batman left," said one officer who wished to remain anonymous. He was a rookie when Batman disappeared and remembers the deterioration in police force as a wave of crime surged through the city for the year that followed.

Crime skyrocketed by over thirty percent in the year following Batman's vanishing. Since then, crime has slowly retreated to a constant fifteen percent overage from Batman-era numbers. In the months since Batwoman has come onto the scene, that number had dropped to near-Batman-era levels; however, this latest string of attacks has brought the crime rate to and above three years ago.

"People are getting spooked," said the same officer. "And what no one is talking about is the crimes happening out of that. Petty crime is up. Storefronts are getting looted. No one's talking about that stuff."

"What is this?"

"It will help."

"But what is it?"

"It's the rail gun technology."

"What?"

"It's the technology Tommy Elliot stole from-"

"What? No, I know what it is. Why are you giving it to me?"

"Your task force is getting obliterated."

"I'm not taking this-"

"Sophie, take it. Lives are depending on it."

"And my taking it jeopardizes your life. No, I'm not taking it."

"Then I'll give it to Jacob."

"What? No… w-why are you doing this?"

"Because people are getting hurt, and I can't stop this alone."

"If this ends up in the wrong hands…"

"It will."

"Then why take that risk?"

"Because this isn't about me."

Sophie stared at the USB in Batwoman's outstretched hands. The last two weeks had struck fear not just in the city but also in the task force. Voluntary leave was becoming a norm, and Sophie saw the small stick of technology as a path forward. She glanced up at the shadowed features of Batwoman's face, studying the resolve and intensity.

"You may think this isn't about you, but when the city looks up at the sky, they aren't looking for the Crows or the GCPD. They're looking for you-"

"Sophie-"

"-and taking this from you would put the city at risk of losing that."

"You should read the papers more," Batwoman answered easily.

"And you put too much weight in what reporters say," Sophie shot back. She watched Batwoman sigh in response. It was a sigh of resignation and exhaustion, and Sophie felt another tug of familiarity.

"Even still, it will lose a lot more if you don't take this."

"And do what with it? Get it up and running just in time for Jacob Kane to decide how it's used?"

"Use it as leverage."

"What?"

"Keep Jacob out. Leverage this with the board to keep Lead Crow."

"I'm not interested in politics."

"You think Jacob would hesitate for a second at the same offer?"

Sophie paused, knowing Jacob would certainly use it to his advantage.

"If you really want to see change in Gotham, you'll play ball, Sophie," Batwoman continued, extending her gloved hand a final time toward Sophie.

Sophie scowled in frustration as she tried looking into Batwoman's eyes, realizing the evening light was not cast in her favor. She opened her mouth to argue before being cut off again,

"Sophie, take it. Use it."

Two Months of Fear Toxin

Cases of Fear Toxin have now reached their eighth week, and the GCPD and Crows are still nowhere near finding the source of the chemical. Ports, rail, and roadways coming into the city have been blockaded, and checkpoints are required at all inlets.

Mandatory curfew for the entire city of Gotham has made little impact on the destruction and attacks which are now occurring with greater frequency and in the middle of the day. Efforts to retrieve victims from Fear Toxin attacks have deteriorated as post-bomb violence continues. The GCPD and Crows are undergoing increased patrols of the city; however, these efforts are also being challenged by injuries and officers quitting their positions for fear of attack.

"We are actively working to improve the situation. Our teams are making regular tours of the city, and we are working to better-equip them for this challenge," the Lead Crow said in a recent call.

For the first time, it was revealed that one of the gunmen has finally been captured. This is the first break in the case which has riddled both organizations for weeks. The individual was captured by the Crows in a recent attack, but the individual's identity has not yet been revealed.

As for Batwoman, public sentiment remains at odds with the bat symbol. In a recent interview, Mayor James did not hide his criticism of Batwoman's perceived role in the recent chaos, stating "Her arrival has done nothing but bring in new crime."

In a similar vein, the Crows Task Force founder, Jacob Kane, has been a vocal opponent of Batwoman's for months, and recent events have only exacerbated these views. "Our men and women are putting their lives on the line to undo a mess that Batwoman created. First Batman, now this? We don't need another vigilante bringing up crime rates."

While recent crime rates have increased, Major James and Mr. Kane's speculation that crime rates increased under the watch of Batman and Batwoman are not entirely accurate. Under Batman, crime rates had been at an all-time low. It was only after Batman disappeared that a spike occurred. Similarly, Batwoman's reign has seen a decrease in crime with the exception of the last two months. This has not fallen on deaf ears, as the citizens of Gotham struggle to decide Batwoman's relevance while grappling with the very real fear living on their streets.

"Hey, it's me again. Call me when you get this. I need to ta-"

"I think I found something," Luke interrupted.

"You've finally figured out how to store lime slices in the utility belt?" Kate asked sarcastically as she casually tapped her phone's keypad to delete the latest voicemail from Sophie.

"Wh-? No. I… honestly, Kate."

"I'm just saying, Batsuit 2.0 isn't going to make itself."

Luke shook his head in a combination of annoyance and exasperation.

"Greenhouses."

"The cave is not set up for that, Luke," Kate dismissed, leaning back into Bruce's old desk chair. She swiveled a batarang between her fingers as she watched her teasing land.

"No, I mean, that's how Butler is getting the blue poppies in Gotham."

"What?" Kate asked, her interest piqued.

"At least, that's my working theory."

"I'll take anything at this point."

"It's why we haven't been able to catch him importing it: he doesn't need to sneak it in. It's always been here."

"But how? How do you know?"

"Energy usage," Luke answered simply. When Kate's stare of confusion didn't fade, Luke sighed and continued. "When an Arkham inmate is released, they're required to fill out two forms. One of those forms includes their expected address of residency for regular checkups-"

"If that's true, why didn't we just track Duela Dent to that address?"

"Because at the time I thought the address was a fake."

"You mean she was living there?"

"I'm not sure, but when I looked it up weeks ago it led me to a half-abandoned building on the east side."

"But…"

"I took another look at the latest files. Three recent releases have listed this exact same address which means it isn't a coincidence. There are another four locations around the city with the same story: former inmates have all listed them."

"Maybe it's like a halfway house?" Kate offered, playing devil's advocate.

Luke shook his head. "Nope, not unless Butler has a habit of keeping his old patients under his thumb."

"Talk plainly, dude."

"Nearly twenty years ago Dr. Butler was a married man."

"Aren't they all?" Kate replied dryly, not seeing the web Luke was weaving.

"His wife's name was Delia Pflaum"

"Was?"

"She's presumed dead."

"Presumed?"

"She went missing nearly ten years ago."

"Any suspects?"

"Not Dr. Butler, if that's what you're thinking. It was a big story at the time; she was fairly well known among Gotham's elites, so there was a concerted effort to find her. Dr. Butler was in the middle of a forty-hour shift at the hospital, so there was no way it could be him. After months the GCPD suspended the search - they were strained for resources and it's not like going missing in Gotham is uncommon. She didn't have any enemies, so everyone mostly assumed she was probably the victim of a mugging gone wrong."

"I vaguely remember the headlines. Catherine was friends with her."

"Mary's mom?"

Kate nodded, "But what do the properties have to do with this?"

"They were hers."

"And now?"

"Part of a trust; since she's never formally been declared dead they remain in her name but are managed by none other than-"

"Dr. Butler," Kate finished. She stared off, trying to piece Luke's narrative together before scowling in renewed confusion. "But what does that have to do with greenhouses? Or blue poppies?"

"All four properties have been using an unprecedented amount of electricity."

"Maybe they're just bad at turning off the lights?"

Luke shook his head before slapping down a folder of paper with dramatic flair. "This is on another level. You remember those big marijuana busts from five years ago?"

Kate smirked. "Marijuana? Are you twelve?"

"The intel that blew the investigation wide open was the energy usage," Luke continued, ignoring Kate's jab. "Running a greenhouse requires an enormous influx of energy, and not just for the grow lights. The amount of energy being pumped into these houses beats the bust from five years ago by a mile."

Kate replayed the web of logic Luke had just weaved before breaking into a smile for the first time in weeks.

"Luke, you're a damn genius. I'll check it out tomorrow."

"Kate, I think... why don't we just send this tip to the Crows?"

"No, I'll handle this."

"But Kate, they might be armed-"

"It's fine-"

"-and armored-"

"Luke, this isn't up for discussion."

Crows Flock Toward New Technology

The Crows Task Force, a private security agency currently working with the GCPD in a coordinated effort to stamp out a recent wave of crime, has partnered with Hamilton Technology to forward a piece of weaponry. Multiple sources confirm it is effective against the high-tech armoured crews spreading fear around the City, and initial prototypes are undergoing a number of tests for viability. Once approved, roll out of the weapon has been authorized for expedited production to get it into the hands of the Task Force.

One contentious element of the R&D process in the current political climate is the Crows refusal to share the technology with the GCPD citing inefficient oversight and checks and balances within the City's Police Department. In his latest press conference, the GCPD Commissioner railed against the Crows Task Force for "leaving the city's finest ill-equipped against the domestic terrorists running loose" through the streets.

When pressed for comment, the Lead Crow had this to say: "While we sympathize with the Commissioner and the GCPD, this kind of technology is years beyond anything that has ever been used in standard policing. The Crows Task Force is trained and skilled at utilizing this weaponry safely and with the oversight required to ensure effective use. All too often the very guns meant to be in holsters of our police are in the hands of criminals. Until the Commissioner can provide us with their own internal audit accounting for every weapon purchased by their department over the last year, this technology will remain exclusively with the Crows."

The Commissioner was unavailable for comment following the Crow's latest remarks.

"Hello?" Luke answered his phone with a scowl of confusion.

"Luke?"

"Sophie? Is everything ok?"

"Are you still using my Crow log-in credentials?" came her voice across the phone. It was not a tone of patience.

"Oh…" Luke began, feeling the blood drain from his face. "No, not since - er, why?"

"What are you using them for?"

"I'm not sure I know what you're talking about. Maybe call Kate abo-"

"I've tried Kate."

"Maybe give her another try-"

"Several times."

"She's pretty busy today-"

"Over several days."

"Oh," Luke said, sinking into his chair and silently cursing Kate's elusive tactics.

"So now I'm calling you instead. What are you using them for, Luke?"

Luke laughed nervously. "Sophie, I - we aren't-"

"Then why am I looking at a history of my credentials pinging off an IP address from Kate's apartment? Either tell me what you two are up to, or I'm cutting you off."

It was a surprising proposition. At minimum Luke expected Sophie to cut them off and at worst to press charges. That she was suggesting continued access was unexpected. He hesitated, untrusting of his ability to lie on the spot; this was Kate's area of expertise, not his.

"We're… we're still trying to track Cobblepot's relevance in the Dent bombing," he said, mustering as much guilt as possible. "I… I'm sorry, I-we should have told you-"

"Enough. I expect this kind of thing from Kate; I don't need it from you, too."

"Sorry?" he said, feigning confusion.

"I have your search history in front of me; nothing about what I'm seeing has to do with the Dent case."

Luke froze, wishing Kate was here to take this volley.

"What are you accessing Arkham files for?" she continued.

"Uh…"

"And this Dr. Randolph Butler. Why are you so interested in him?"

"I… uhm… he-he was Duela Dent's doctor so… so..."

"Fine, but what does any of this have to do with Cobblepot?" Sophie asked, circling back to Luke's original reason.

Luke was struck with a realization that Sophie might be fishing with an agenda. He quickly scanned his memory trying to remember late night conversations with Kate from weeks earlier.

"Was she able to get the files?"

"Yea, they're there," Kate said, nodding toward the folders.

"This information only goes back three months. Dr. Butler is bound to have a history of this - the more we have the better."

"Sophie is meeting Batwoman Wednesday; I'll ask her then."

"Luke?"

"Hu-what?"

"I asked what Butler has to do with Cobblepot."

"Oh, well, we didn't find anything. It was a shot in the dark - leave no stone unturned, right?" he laughed uneasily.

Silence fell over the other side of the phone, and Luke felt a prick of fear cut through him, imagining the glare Sophie was giving from the other side.

"Where is Kate?" Sophie asked after a moment. Her tone was unchanged, and Luke had a sinking feeling the call wasn't going to end well.

"I'm not sure. Like I said, she's pretty busy today."

"It's nearly midnight," Sophie pointed out.

"Er, right…"

The truth was he knew exactly where she was. He was watching her in blinking dot form navigate through the east side toward the address Duela Dent had listed on her forms. She was two blocks away and bound to check in any minute for Luke's surveillance of the site.

"If you're going to keep this up, you need to work on your lying, Luke," Sophie said before hanging up.

Luke stared at the receiver in his hands, his eyes wide with surprise as a growing dread filled him. If his suspicion was right, things were only going to get trickier.

"Luke, anything I should be on the lookout for?" Came Kate's voice through the speaker system.

Luke paused, staring between the speaker and his phone.

"Give me another minute, something came up," Luke replied.

"What something?"

Luke glanced at the phone again.

"No-nothing. Just - just a second."

He muted Kate and swiped up his phone again, quickly navigating it before pressing 'call'. Two rings passed before it connected

"Hey, I… can we talk? I-I need a favor."