"Captain Gordon."
A woman in a tanned leather jacket crossed the police line, flashing a badge as she did. Her blonde hair was tied back in a bun behind her, displaying the sharp angles of her cheeks and chin.
"Detective Sarah Essen, Homicide. I just transferred here from Chicago last week."
"Well, I'd welcome you to the force," Gordon said, shaking her hand, "but I think it would be in poor taste, given the circumstances."
The arena had been cleared, and the work lights turned on. It was a stark contrast to the scene of wonder from an hour earlier.
"I only heard a few of the details on my way."
"Jonathan and Maria Grayson, the acrobats known as the Flying Graysons," Gordon gestured towards two figures underneath white sheets.
"The Graysons famously performed their act without a safety net, which means when the rope severed-"
"There was nothing to catch them," she finished. "Are we sure this isn't just an… accident?"
She trailed off mid-thought as she noticed the officers part at the entrance to the arena floor. She heard him before she saw him. The rhythmic clomp of boots growing steadily closer. Out of the crowd emerged a dark figure. He wore a black mask with pointed ears, and a long cape flowed behind him. On his chest was emblazoned the silhouette of a bat in flight.
Thus was "Oh" The first thing she ever said to the Batman.
"You're early," Gordon said. "We didn't even light the signal. Guess word travels fast."
Unless… he was here tonight, the detective thought. I suppose even vigilantes need a night out.
"We were just discussing whether this is a job for homicide or not. It's true that it could just be an accident, but something about that doesn't sound right. The Graysons did this act hundreds of times, all over the world. You don't perform this act without accounting for all the variables."
"I agree. They were visible figures. If someone had it out for them, they'd know exactly how to pull off a crime like this. Where is the rigging now?"
"Up in the grid above the arena. Want to take a look?"
Detective Essen crossed her arms.
"Well this became a more interesting evening than I had expected. Everyone talks about how tight you are with the Bat, but it's another thing to see it."
The two watched him cross the catwalk, tersely asking questions of the investigators at the ropes.
"Yeah well, we've certainly been in the trenches together once or twice. Uh… you said everyone talks about it?"
"Well, yeah. Some of it's even good," she smirked. "You won't hear me complaining. I hear he does good work. Any idea who it is under there?"
Gordon shook his head.
"I used to wonder, but I'm starting to think it's better for everyone not to pry. I'd like to think I'm a friend, and I'd like to keep it that way.
"Guy like that is either really ugly under there, or absolutely gorgeous."
He looked turned around and beckoned the two cops over to him.
"You don't think he can read lips, do you?" Essen gulped.
"Maybe he's got real, gorgeous bat ears under there," Gordon chuckled.
Batman gestured to the array of pulleys around the catwalk.
"The rigging. Reset it. Exactly as it would have been before the Graysons' act started."
The investigators briefly looked to Gordon for encouragement, then began moving the pulleys. Batman watched intently as the frayed end of the trapeze rose into view. He took it in his hand for a closer look.
"Here," he motioned to Gordon.
"Most of this rope severed during the incident, it came apart in uneven strands. But this side, all the individual braids are broken at the same position. It was cut intentionally."
"Well, would you look at that," Essen said.
"The rope would have held until there was enough weight on it to finish the job."
Gordon nodded.
"In this case, it held when Jonathan was on it, but the combined weight of Maria and Jonathan together pushed it past the limit."
"But then who was the target?" Essen asked. "The wife? The husband? Both?"
"Hard to say," Batman frowned. "Are we looking for an expert who knew exactly how to cut the rope to take out both at once? Or was it a sloppy attempt at sabotage, not caring who got hurt?"
"We should see what sort of enemy a circus performer could make," Essen began heading for the elevator back down.
"A rival act, maybe?" Gordon mused. "We'll have to investigate the ringmaster. C. C. "Pop" Haley. A real showman if ever I've heard one."
They passed Harvey Dent coming in as they exited the elevator.
"Where's Loeb?" Gordon
"You know he loves the press. He'll be fielding questions for at least another ten minutes. Too much heat for me. I needed a little bit of air."
He looked at Batman.
"Um, excuse me."
"Hollywood Harvey… seems camera shy," he said, watching the DA leave.
"Yeah, well, sometimes a name is just a name," Gordon said. He pointed back and forth between Batman and Essen.
"If either of you ever calls me 'Jimbo,' you're getting arrested."
"A fair deal," the detective smirked. "I'm going to interview some of the other performers, see if anybody had it out for the victims."
"Then I leave it in your hands," Gordon said. "I'd better get home. If my daughter is listening to the police scanners on a school night - again - she'll be worried about me."
He turned to the caped figure.
"And what about you."
His eyes narrowed.
"I want to see the boy."
Dick Grayson was sitting on a step in the arena atrium. An EMT had given him a blanket and a water bottle, and was now off to the side talking to a woman. It looked like the mayor. All these thoughts registered in his mind with a full thud. Just a series of statements adrift in his head. Then she started walking closer.
"Richard," she said softly. "Someone has asked to speak with you."
The boy silently drew in a breath as he saw him approach.
"It's really you," he said, some wonder cutting through the desolation in his voice.
Batman knelt down in front of Dick, meeting his eye level.
"Hello Richard. Is that what you prefer to be called?"
"It's… um, it's Dick, actually," he whispered. Batman saw the fear in his eyes, the tears barely contained behind.
"Dick," he nodded. "I heard about what happened tonight, and I wanted to offer any support I could. I should have been there. But even if I failed you tonight-"
"No!" He suddenly shouted. "It's not your fault… I saw who did it."
Batman and Mayor Reál exchanged a quick, worried glance.
"There was a man… down in the tunnels. I had never seen him before. I told my mom, but it was our cue to start the show."
His gaze became distant and his eyes clouded over with sorrow once again.
"It was him. I know it was!"
"Can you describe him to the officers here?"
"I think so."
"Good. You're a brave kid. It's going to be okay."
"I don't feel brave. What am I supposed to do now, Batman?"
I don't know, Bruce thought. But he didn't say as much.
"You won't figure it out tonight. Or tomorrow. You'll hurt. For a while. But eventually you have to stop hurting. Your parents wouldn't… they wouldn't want you to feel that way. Not for them. How you can do that will be up to you."
He looked at the boy's face, and saw the pain returning. Then he took one of his hands.
"I'll give you some space. Don't let anyone deny you your grief, Dick."
He and Reál crossed to the other side of the atrium.
"Twelve years old. Can you even imagine what he must be going through?"
Rather than answer the question, Batman just said "Thank you for putting in a word for me."
Bella pursed her lips.
"I could tell you were serious about his well-being. That was enough. As… unenthusiastic I am about vigilantism, I admit you represent something Gotham has lacked for decades. And I feel like we're not square yet. I've taken one bullet for this city, but you've taken more than your share."
"I'd prefer to keep it that way. I exist to keep the people of this city safe."
He looked down.
"That included the Graysons."
"I know how you feel," she said. "Nights like this make you feel like you're back at square one."
"Does he have any other family?"
"The boy? No, I'm afraid not."
"What will happen to him, then?"
"He's a minor. He'll be transferred to Social Services until they can process him into the Foster Care system. A judge will probably grant him temporary status as a ward of the city until after the New Year."
He thought for a moment.
"Two of the Graysons died tonight. I can't rule out the possibility that he was a target as well."
"And now he's a material witness," Bella sighed. "I'll speak to Commissioner Loeb, make sure he has protective custody."
"Do what you will," his eyes narrowed under his cowl. "Nothing else is going to happen to him in this city."