A/N: Well I was able to get one more surprise out before I leave for my house sitting job! Please enjoy and leave a review!
Wayne Tower III
Mr. Wayne not only insisted Helen and I spend the night at the penthouse but that I take the next day off to heal from the bruises and bumps I had obtained from landing on the cab.
Two days later, I was back at my desk, expecting to handle the many complaints from the guests at the fundraiser party.
But that day, few reported to work.
It was deserted at Wayne Tower.
Maybe it was because that day was Commissioner Loeb's funeral in Gotham City Plaza and people wanted to pay their respects.
Or maybe people were trying to flee because of the fear strangling the city.
The Joker had kept his promise.
Five people had died.
Brian, Judge Surillo and Commissioner Loeb were killed the first day.
Then the second day, Patrick Harvey and Richard Dent were found dead on Eighth and Orchard…along with a fake obituary for Mayor Anthony Garcia.
Fear thrummed through the city like a gathering swarm of hornets.
I tried to keep myself busy even as Mr. Wayne limped into the office building much later than he usually did.
"You okay?" I asked.
"Yeah….went spelunking under Wayne Manor." He said. "Line slipped and I landed funny."
"Maybe you should get that checked out by a doctor."
"And get told to stop?" He asked me with a pained smile.
I smiled as a deliveryman dropped off a package. "Looks like you got another delivery." I said, preparing to pass it off to him.
He stopped me. "What kind of package is delivered like that?" He asked, pointing to the colorful purple and green strings tying the package together. If anything, it looked like a takeout container rather than a proper package
I stopped, my heart racing as I saw the purple and green strings.
It reminded me so much of the Joker.
"Wait here and don't touch it. I'm calling for Lucius." Mr. Wayne said, picking up the phone at my desk.
Within minutes, Mr. Fox arrived, his wizened smile as kind as a warm summer day but his brown eyes serious like a summer storm.
"Well what do we have with us today?" He said, taking out a portable X-ray machine.
"Someone's idea of a joke…I hope." I said, pointing to the package.
"Let's see what's inside." Mr. Fox ran the scanner over the package, humming as he did so. "Doesn't look like anything to worry about. Just some papers and an envelope with more papers."
"Who would send this though to you?" I asked, taking a pair of scissors and cutting the strings. My face was bright red with embarrassment that Lucius had to come out.
I used the scissors to push the box folds open.
"Look out!" Mr. Wayne screamed as he pushed me down.
WHOOOSH! BANG! A fireball erupted from the box along with an explosion that rattled the windows and blew everything off of my desk.
After a second, I could just hear the ringing in my ears and the fire alarms going off.
The remnants of the box smoked on my ruined desk. Mr. Fox, who had ducked behind his device stood up and headed to the box to investigate.
"What was that?" Mr. Wayne asked as he stood up and helped me up.
"Looks like our clown friend has been experimenting with flashpaper. Most likely coated with diazomethane." Mr. Fox said before looking at Mr. Wayne and me. "You're lucky all it did was damage the desk."
Mr. Wayne looked in the package and his face went white. "Cynthia…sit down right now."
"Why?" I asked as Mr. Fox got me a chair.
Mr. Wayne held up a piece of paper from the package, its edges burned.
It was a picture of a tombstone, words written on it in bright red Sharpie ink.
CYNTHIA LEIGH BANKS
BELOVED DAUGHTER AND MOTHER