At Kate Kane's funeral, Jacob, Mary, Sophie, Brainiac 5, and...Beth were all present wearing dark-suited clothes. Jacob led the service in the Jewish tradition. A cheap-ass wooden box was lowered into the grave. Then, everyone started shoveling dirt on top of the casket. "May her memory be a blessing," Jacob said sorrowfully.
"May her memory be a blessing," everyone said together.
Brainiac 5 turned to Beth who was wiping away tears. "Fantasizing about your sister's death and her funeral is not healthy," he said.
"Like you would know. You're a God damn robot!" Beth told him off.
"Terminate Obsidian program," Brainiac 5 ordered.
Beth awoke inside the Bat-Cave and took the Obsidian lenses off her eyes. "My fantasy programs are my own. You don't get to interfere in my psychosis," Beth told him.
"I have been charged with helping you regain your sanity. Now, take some pills," Brainiac 5 ordered her.
"Fine," Beth relented. "Is that Desert Rose flower going to survive without sunlight in this cave?"
"It doesn't require sunlight," Brainiac 5 confirmed.
"Well, of course, it doesn't," Beth rolled her eyes.
Commissioner Forbes exited his car and walked up the steps of city hall. As he did, he was ambushed by an overeager reporter. "Rumor has it the GCPD is receiving help from Batwoman. Care to comment?" she asked.
"The Batwoman is a cold-blooded killer that thinks she's above the law. That said, of course, we'll accept the extra support," Commissioner Forbes replied. "Now, I have a ten-hour boring-as-fuck budget meeting to get to."
"I want to talk to you about that budget meeting, commissioner," a black student activist said to him.
"Oh, shit," Forbes realized. "Let me guess, you want to defund the police?" he asked condescendingly.
"If by defunding, you mean reducing officer bonuses for violating regulations," she said scornfully. "What about mental health, education, employment, health?"
"Stop trying to sue the city in frivolous police brutality lawsuits and stop looting your own neighborhoods so maybe there will be money in the budget for whatever you just said," Forbes replied.
"So, spraypaint vandalism gets your attention but not four unarmed black men killed?" the activist asked.
"A dozen unarmed black men are killed by police nationwide. It tickles me you think we make up one-third of them," Forbes smirked. "Let's be real here. If we did shoot an unarmed black man, we'd be sure to place a gun or a knife at the scene."
"That's fucked up," she said outraged.
"You don't like me, get yourself a new city council. The reason our budget is so ridiculously high is the powers-that-be that pay all the taxes for your city services want to make sure their mansions and businesses are secure. You can have tens of billions of dollars and end up shot dead in a dark alleyway. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to get another raise," Forbes said and then entered city hall.
"Such an asshole," the student activist muttered.
That night, the Court of Owls gathered for their monthly session. These meetings took place underground inside an abandoned opera auditorium. Everyone wore owl masks to hide their identities while dressing stylishly in expensive suits and dresses. These were the elites of Gotham that supposedly controlled the city behind the scenes. Their grandmaster was a guarded secret. He took to the podium wearing a white suit that made him stand out.
"Kara Wayne has resigned as Gotham's mayor and has apparently left the city. As you know, we were surprised by Mrs. Wayne's campaign. However, given the choice between Croc and Mrs. Wayne, it was an easy decision. Now, we must determine who Gotham's new mayor will be. Proceed to pass forward your nominations to the center," the grandmaster said.
"As for the police budget, I have concluded that we need another increase in police funding. While the crime rate in other cities has gone down, Gotham's crime rate has remained remarkably stable. We cannot allow any of our members to be murdered or robbed by petty thugs," the grandmaster ruled.
The owls pounded their tables in agreement with that sentiment. "Now, onto the Batwoman question...," the grandmaster said and was then interrupted by an owl whispering into his ear. "Really?"
Commissioner Forbes exited city hall and was immediately shot several times by thugs wearing hockey masks. Forbes dramatically fell down the stairs dead. As it happened, the black student activist was busy spraypainting graffiti on city hall when it happened and witnessed the entire thing. The thugs shot at her but missed as she got away. The thugs drove around city hall looking for the girl but were interrupted by a GCPD cop car and quickly made their escape.
At the Bat-Cave, Brainiac 5 woke Beth up from her Obsidian program. "What?" she asked irritably.
"Commissioner Forbes has been killed. Your mission is to find the killers and who they're working for," Brainiac 5 told her.
"I was in the middle of having tea with my teenage self. I was making a breakthrough," Beth complained.
"This is more important," Brainiac 5 insisted.
The two of them looked at the computer monitor showing a five-minute gap in the surveillance tape whereby the commissioner was taken away. "There's a missing gap in the feed. Only a few would have access to the city hall surveillance feed," Brainiac 5 said.
"What's that shit?" Beth pointed to the graffiti.
"Defund the police," Brainiac 5 zoomed in on it.
"Is it possible the person who wrote that was a witness to the killing?" Beth wondered.
Brainiac 5 went through the city hall tapes and saw the student activist walking around a short time before. He ID'd her and then cross-referenced her face with social media platforms identifying her as Jordan Moore, the younger sister of Crow agent Sophie Moore. As expected, her profile had a number of BLM references. "Very good, Beth," he said pleased.
"Let me guess. You already knew," Beth rolled her eyes.
"Graffiti is not a capital crime. You're not permitted to terminate," Brainiac 5 reminded her.
"Don't worry, Barney. I'll just give her a little squeeze," Beth promised.
The next day, Jacob took to the podium. "I understand the people of Gotham are scared to death, but the Crows are still in full force. We will find whoever did this and bring them to justice."
"Some might say you're taking advantage of the grief and confusion in the GCPD, today," the reporter said.
"Well, that's damn cynical. We offer our condolences and prayers to Commissioner Forbes's family and the GCPD. It may seem like we are competitors from the outside but, in reality, we are brothers-in-arms with the GCPD. If there are any witnesses to this murder, please come forward before someone else gets killed," Jacob said to the camera.
At the Crows Nest parking lot, Sophie got in her car and immediately pulled out her pistol upon realizing there was someone in her car. "What the hell?" Jordan protested.
"Jordan, I almost made you a statistic. God damn! Don't you ever do that to me again. How the fuck did you even get in my car?" Sophie shouted at her.
"I saw Commissioner Forbes get gunned down. It was brutal-as-fuck," Jordan said wide-eyed.
"What?" Sophie asked incredulously.
"Look, I didn't know where else to go other than your car in a para-military organization's parking lot," Jordan said. "I'm scared I'm being followed."
"Hey, I got you. Let's just go upstairs and have you make a statement," Sophie said reasonably.
"Are you fucking kidding me? I'm not giving my name to the Crows. Fuck those guys. I might as well shoot myself thirty times to the chest," Jordan said dramatically.
"I'm the second-in-command of the Crows as a black lesbian. My boss is a Jew and they know who you are through my file," Sophie pointed out.
"I don't care," Jordan said stubbornly. "The Crows can't keep me safe and you know it."
"Well, my apartment isn't safe either. You have any idea how many people have broken into that place?" Sophie reminded her.
"I need Sophie-the-sister, not Sophie-the-Crow," Jordan said.
"What does that even mean?" Sophie asked her.
Two masked thugs suddenly blasted out the car windows with crowbars. Sophie aimed her gun at them as another window got shattered. A TASER dart suddenly hit one of the thugs dropping him to the floor. Kate expertly dodged the second thug's attacks and fired into his leg dropping him. As the first thug recovered, Kate put his arm into an armbar and then broke it. With both thugs knocked out cold, Kate took off their masks.
"Damn," Jordan said impressed.
"You must be Jordan, the little sister Sophie never talked about," Kate smiled warmly.
"Wait...how do you know me?" Jordan asked suspiciously.
"I follow you on Instagram and Twitter. Everyone in the Crows Nest is a big fan of yours. Once GCPD is taken down, we can take over," Kate said.
"That wasn't my intent," Jordan said horrified.
"Well, it's the reason why I'm not arresting you for tagging city hall," Kate smirked.
"Seriously?" Sophie asked dismayed.
"So not the point right now," Jordan deflected.
"I'm going to need you to tell me everything you saw," Kate said as she advanced on her.
"Snitches get stitches," Jordan refused.
"They already know it is you," Kate said obviously.
"You can trust her," Sophie told Jordan.
"They were three dudes, one was in a gas mask and the other a hockey mask and a driver," Jordan said.
"Was the driver wearing a mask?" Kate questioned.
"Yes, she was wearing a baby-doll mask," Jordan said.
"Anything else?" Kate asked with a cold stare.
"Yeah, one of them had a gold bracelet with a key," Jordan said.
Kate paused as she considered that. "You're welcome to stay at Wayne Manor," she offered.
"I'll take care of her," Sophie declined, taking Jordan away.
Kate waited for them to leave and then turned to the thugs on the ground. Crow agents entered the parking lot and took the two thugs away. "Took you long enough," she scolded them as they came rushing in.
Alice eyed her younger self as they drank tea. "This is not what I expected," Alice said of teenage Beth.
"What were you expecting?" Beth asked.
"I don't know. I just wasn't expecting you to talk shit the whole time," Alice said dismayed.
"Well, you never get what you want. Did you think this would be any different?" Beth asked.
"Is it my own psychosis that's talking shit right now or Barney's program?" Alice wondered.
"You spent eleven years in the crime syndicate and were molded into the perfect assassin only to have all of that derailed on Coryanna just so you could get some tail," Beth said unimpressed.
"It was a minor setback," Alice allowed.
"And now you're Kara Wayne's bitch," Beth shook her head condescendingly. "You're always getting us into trouble."
"Do you have a solution for me?" Alice asked impatiently.
"What if I told you I could take away your pain?" Beth offered.
"Terminate Obsidian program," Brainiac 5 interrupted.
"God damn it! Stop interrupting my programs," adult Beth said pissed-off.
Beth returned to the Bat-Cave as she took her lenses off her eyes. "The getaway driver in Commissioner Forbes's assassination had a golden bracelet with a key. Does that mean anything to you?" Brainiac 5 asked.
"Yeah, one of Ocean's druggies," Beth rolled her eyes.
"Do you have a name?" Brainiac 5 pressed.
"No, but I think she hangs out with...Ryan Wilder," Beth recalled.
Jacob called Kate into his office for a chat after the thugs were taken away for medical and interrogation. "Good work on bringing those two in alive and saving Agent Moore and her sister," Jacob complimented.
"Right time, right place," Kate downplayed. In reality, she was monitoring Sophie from the parking lot camera.
"Something doesn't sit right with your plane crash. I can't imagine what it must have been like for you to have your plane explode midair. I looked over the report and it's a miracle you survived," Jacob said.
"I feel like I've been given a second chance at life," Kate said.
"And what are you doing with that life, Kate? You're always here at work. Whatever happened to your social life?" Jacob asked concernedly.
"When my LGBT friends found out I was going straight-edge, they all abandoned me. I have no social life now," Kate lied.
"Sorry to hear that," Jacob lied. "Kate, is it possible Kara Wayne sabotaged your plane?"
"She would never do that. For what reason?" Kate lied.
"It just seems a little too coincidental that she decides to split town while this is still under investigation. You know, the company that insured the plane that went down is also looking into it," Jacob revealed.
"Dad, trust me, Kara Wayne would never hurt me. She was the greatest boss I could ever have, and I got paid loads of money. But I'd rather be with you here solving crimes and mysteries. If I hadn't joined the Crows, Sophie would have been dead," Kate said seriously.
"I don't believe this plane explosion was an accident. Kate, I think you have enemies you're not aware of," Jacob said worriedly.
"Then, we'll find them together," Kate assured him.
Batwoman followed Ryan to Angelique's apartment. Upon entering, Ryan saw that the apartment was trashed and there was a blood mark on a lamp. "Oh my God," she realized.
Beth entered right behind her. "Did you do this?" Ryan accused.
"If I had, there would be a body here," Beth replied.
"I know you have powerful friends and high-tech shit. You can find her," Ryan said.
"Why should I?" Beth asked.
"She was the getaway driver in Commissioner Forbe's death. She's caught up with the faceless society. They must have taken her," Ryan revealed.
Beth looked Ryan over and noticed her shoulder injury had healed. "So...you have the Desert Rose as well. Who was your doctor?"
Ryan said nothing to that. "The underground clinic, isn't it?" Beth realized. "Well, I'm glad you're healed. It's no fun beating someone that's near dead."
"You going to save her not? Because, if you're not. I'm going to go out looking for her, myself, and then what happens to your game if I get myself killed?" Ryan asked her.
"I'll find her," Beth assured her. "If I were you, I'd leave. The cops are going to be here in five minutes," she smirked.
Beth took the Batmobile to an abandoned warehouse. "Angelique's last cell phone signal was here," Brainiac 5 radioed her.
"Copy that," Beth said as she used Infarad vision on the warehouse and found Angelique's heat signature. She made her way to the roof of the warehouse and dropped in. Several masked thugs ambushed Beth. She easily beat them all down as their weapons had no impact on her suit. Beth was about to shoot them all dead when Black Mask came into view.
"Wait, let's have a chat," he said to her.
Beth followed Black Mask downstairs where he had one of his thugs strapped to a conveyer belt with a giant saw over him. "I gave you a simple task. Turn off Angelique's damn cell phone before you came here," Black Mask said pissed-off.
"Oh, God, no!" the thug shouted as the saw came down splitting him in half at the midsection.
"HR, it is a bitch," Beth remarked.
"Ain't that the truth?" Black Mask agreed.
"So, you're behind the commissioner killing?" Beth assumed.
"Yeah, he was corrupt-as-fuck. He's not like one of us," Black Mask told her.
"Even for my tastes, you're one sadistic fuck," Beth said eying the victim.
Black Mask looked back at his gruesome execution. "I can see how you might think that," he allowed. "But it's Gotham that's truly sadistic. I'm going to change this city from the inside."
"You're not changing shit," Beth scoffed.
"And you are?" Black Mask asked defensively.
"Every God damn day I'm out there I'm doing my best," Beth said assertively.
"Your best isn't good enough," Black Mask insulted. "And I know better than anyone."
"You really think putting on this creepy mask is going to get you anywhere?" Beth antagonized.
"It's a symbol of liberation," Black Mask said enthusiastically.
"Alright, I'm done with your bullshit. Release your getaway driver to me so I can go home," Beth said to him.
"I don't think so. She knows too much," Black Mask refused.
"The Crows are on their way here," Beth told him.
"No shit?" Black Mask sighed. "Hey, I want to see what happens to the suit against this saw. It will be real quick."
"This is so juvenile. You've watched way too many Saw movies," Beth rolled her eyes.
Black Mask turned on the bloody saw. Beth obliged him and placed her arm in front of the saw. Immediately, sparks flew upon hitting the suit but there was no damage at all to the suit, itself. "That suit is bullshit," Black Mask said, turning the saw off.
"Tell me about it," Beth agreed.
"In return for the tip, I'll let you have the driver," Black Mask offered.
"Deal," Beth said quickly.
Black Mask and his thugs casually walked out of the warehouse before the Crows arrived. Angelique was arrested on the spot and taken to the Crows Nest for interrogation.
Kate walked into the interrogation room with a folder and sat down across from Angelique. "Miss Martin, it appears you live two lives. In one life, you sell drugs and act as a getaway driver in the murder of Commissioner Forbes. In your other life, you...actually, it appears you really do have only one life," Kate began as she went through the file.
"Very funny, bitch," Angelique rolled her eyes.
"We need you to tell us the identities of the shooters," Kate said simply.
"I shot Forbes and I acted alone," Angelique told her.
"You know what I think? I think you're innocent...of everything. I want to release you right now," Kate said.
Angelique's smug smile fell. "And I'm going to leak it to the street how helpful you have been to us," Kate added.
"You can't do that. I confessed," Angelique said stunned.
"This confession?" Kate asked as she lit it on fire with a lighter.
"It's the truth, I was the shooter!" Angelique shouted.
"I'm not convinced," Kate shook her head. "Give me another story."
"Just send me to jail," Angelique sobbed.
"Nah, I'm going to release you," Kate shook her head.
"Okay, I'll tell you everything I know," Angelique said sincerely. "The reason I'm taking the fall is that Black Mask threatened to kill my girlfriend. She works at the Black Mask club as a bartender. Her name is Ryan Wilder."
In the Court of Owl's auditorium, the grandmaster and several high-ranking members were seated in the center stage. Black Mask came before them. "You're allowed to come before this council but we did not bestow you the rank of owl," the grandmaster ruled.
"Why the fuck not?" Black Mask asked outraged.
"You have to wear our mask, not your own," the grandmaster said obviously.
"Your masks are totally gay," Black Mask said immaturely.
"Be it as it may, you are apart from us. You did not ask us permission before assassinating Commissioner Forbes. We were in the process of recruiting him," the grandmaster scolded him.
"I don't have to ask your permission for shit," Black Mask replied.
"We have the power to shut down your club with an ill-timed health inspection," the grandmaster warned.
"I'll be damned," Black Mask backed down.
"We expect greater cooperation in the future," the grandmaster ordered.
Alice went out to the cemetery and placed a kitten inside a box. She proceeded to lock the box and then bury the box in the ground. Teenage Beth eyed her as Alice finished her work. "What the fuck are you doing?" Beth asked her.
Alice paused to consider what she had just done. "I'm having a psychotic break," she realized.
"Well...no shit," Beth agreed.
"I'm not handling Kate's disappearance very well, am I?" Alice realized.
"Nope," Beth said. "I think you're scared of what you're capable of. You just buried a cat alive."
"How about a world where I forget Kate ever existed and she forgets I ever existed? Then, we can be complete strangers to each other," Alice suggested.
"That's all sorts of fucked up," Beth shook her head.
"Terminate Obsidian program," Brainiac 5 ordered ending the simulation.
Author's Notes: For obvious reasons, I don't think the nationwide issues concerning anything relate to Gotham. This is Gotham we're talking about. Black Mask was actually decent in this episode even though he made a series of unnecessary puns during his press interview. Angelique would have been charged with murder even as the getaway driver. Also, cops and prosecutors aren't going to just accept a BS confession and call it a day. Jordan's fears towards the Crows seem unfounded in light of who actually runs the Crows. I have serious doubts the police commissioner is going to waltz out of the city all by himself without a cop escort. As Kate was an enabler for Alice, Ryan is an enabler for Angelique with a total conflict of interest. Kate is going to have a different face with no memories making her basically a different person altogether. That's weak sauce.
Adventures Sionis was killed off in the Birds of Prey: Bonus episode, so this Black Mask is an entirely different person. In all cases, Kate was impersonated by Brainiac 5 in this episode.