Chapter Two: Bat-Spotting
May 15th early morning.
Harvey had only been to the upper floors of the GCPD building once and that was during his induction. He seemed to remember the lift had worked back then. He paused for breath at the foot of the stairs. The place was old and dusty, and in severe need of a coat of paint. A door at the corridors end with still relatively new looking stencilling, caught Harvey's eye. It read "Lieutenant James Gordon" and rather unnecessarily beneath it "GCPD".
Well at least he wouldn't have to ask directions and risk appearing foolish. Besides he reflected the less people who knew about this the better. Reluctantly Bullock hauled himself along and knocked on the door.
"It's open," said a voice within.
Harvey walked in to find Lieutenant Gordon pouring over some files at his desk with a beautiful blonde, his secretary? Since when did Lieutenant's get Secretaries? They both looked at him inquisitively.
"Er Officer Bullock sir, Merkel said you wanted to see me?"
"Oh yes," said Gordon in a tone that revealed he must've forgotten, "please take a seat, Harvey isn't it?"
Bullock mumbled his thanks and sat down, desperately trying to avoid ogling the blonde.
"Oh this is Detective Essen," Gordon said flashing him a look over the rim of his glasses that told Bullock his thoughts were transparent.
Bullock nodded an acknowledgement.
Gordon put down his file and looked straight at Bullock, "you may be aware that the Commissioner has assigned me to the Bat-vigilante case." He reached for his cigarettes.
"Yes sir," Bullock acknowledged.
Gordon offered one to Essen who promptly lit it and handed it back to Gordon. She then began lighting one for herself. Bullock watched this un- self conscious ritual with interest.
"Do you smoke patrolman?" Gordon broke the spell.
"Only cigars thank you," Bullock waved the offer, noting to him self that Gordon wore a wedding band.
"Last week you and Wilson responded to a disturbance on the Upper East Side," Gordon resumed all business, "can you tell me what happened?"
"Well it's like I said in my report, it was all over by the time we arrived."
Gordon nodded to him to go on, Essen appeared not to be taking any interest, but something told Bullock that was not necessarily true.
"Well, we found what appeared to be an interrupted cocaine delivery. There were five mooks, all taken down.and Detective Flass." There was an awkward silence the last thing Harvey wanted or needed was to get embroiled in this.
"I understand he had also been taken down." Gordon prompted.
"Well yeah and I know what your gonna ask Lieutenant, I got a glimpse of the perpetrator, it was dark but I had my flashlight on. There was a noise on the roof and for a moment I caught him in the light."
"Can you describe him?"
Harvey sighed, how could he say this without sounding like a crackhead? "Well it was a man, he was masked, dressed all dark and."
"And what?" Gordon's patience was starting to give.
"He was wearing a cape!" Harvey blurted it out and looked at them both trying to gauge their reaction. Essen had actually froze, her cigarette poised inches from her mouth, Harvey didn't know if she was on the verge of inhaling or exhaling.
A ring of smoke blew from her lips, (so that answered that one).
"And then what happened?" She asked, (well someone had to).
"Well he was holding onto a cable and he kinda swung outta view."
Gordon pushed his glasses back up his nose and took a drag on his neglected cigarette. "What kind of cable?"
"I couldn't honestly say," Harvey responded, relieved that they appeared to be taking him seriously. "I'm no expert but I think he musta used it to get from ground level to the roof, I can't see how he coulda got up there so quick otherwise, Flass say's the perp left seconds before we came into view. And at almost the same time I heard the noise on the roof."
Gordon and Essen exchanged glances. "Could be a grappling hook," Essen suggested. "Like the kind they use in climbing."
"Is there anything else you noticed? You can speak freely Harvey this is off the record." Gordon confirmed.
"Well Lieutenant, in my opinion this freak always goes in prepared, me and Wilson that's my partner, get called to collect a lot of this vigilantes presents, they're usually in restraints, and he leaves his calling card, and some of them have what look like customised shurikens sticking out of their limbs."
"Forensics confirm as much," Gordon affirmed, "no prints, they're untraceable."
"My guess is that he uses the dark and the element of surprise." Bullock continued, "He attacks from roof level, jumps into the midst of a bunch of mooks carrying out a robbery, mugging, drug deal, or whatever and for a second everything stops. And that's when he makes his move." Bullock paused, "I think your dealing with a highly trained psycho carrying an extensive arsenal, and I think he's been planning this for a long time."
"That's a pretty good analysis," Gordon affirmed, "you hoping to be a detective someday Bullock?"
"At the moment I got my hands full with the sergeants exam," Bullock replied modestly. "Maybe I watch too many movies!" He added with a grin.
Essen whispered something to Gordon, who suddenly looked at his watch.
"Were gonna have to cut this short Patrolman," Gordon said stubbing out his half smoked cigarette, "I have a Department briefing in ten."
They all stood up and then as an afterthought Gordon turned to Bullock, "I would like you to sit in if that's okay?"
Harvey couldn't think of an excuse so he reluctantly found himself saying "Okay Lieutenant, no problem."
*****
The room was full of plain-clothes tecs who eyed the overweight patrolman with contempt. None more so than the heavily bandaged Detective Arnold Flass whose eyes bore into him accusingly from above his neck cast. The last thing Harvey wanted was trouble from this quarter but if it were coming he was gonna face it head on. He glared right back at Flass and took his seat at the back deliberately making him self comfortable.
Lieutenant Gordon was standing in front of several posters depicting various eyewitness sketches of the Batman. One was a giant bat, another looked like one of those old time Justice Society heroes Bullock had read about as a child, and the third resembled what he had seen on the roof the other night. In this picture Batman had a belt with pouches. Harvey couldn't say one way or the other if the freak he had seen wore anything like that but it was certainly plausible, clearly he needed somewhere to stash his arsenal, Harvey thought fleetingly.
The plain clothes were all getting a little heated and Gordon was trying to keep order.
"If we can stop being hysterical for a moment gentlemen," this was said as if addressing a kindergarten, "Our vigilante, or Batman, as he's called has apparently committed sevent-eight acts of assault in the past five weeks."
Gordon paused and casually took a gulp from a styro full of what passed for coffee at the GCPD, as Essen looked on admiringly.
"During this time, certain patterns of timing and method have emerged." He continued, "It is clear that he possesses extraordinary physical skill."
"Not he. It."
Gordon looked over in the direction of the sulky interruption. "You've got something to contribute Detective Flass?"
"He's not human. I'm just telling you he's not human."
Well that raised a few laughs; Gordon fished for a cigarette whilst he waited for it to die down.
"Thank you Detective Flass," Gordon slowly coaxed a cigarette from the newly opened packet in his hand. "While the vigilante has been careful to remain unpredictable, choosing the neighbourhoods for his assaults at random, he consistently operates between the hours of midnight and four a.m."
The cigarette was out and he put the packet away without offering round this time. "Anybody got a match?"
Of course it was Essen to the rescue but this time she just lit it while Gordon puffed, and murmured his thanks. Harvey noticed a look pass between them.
"He's working his way from street level crime to its upper echelons," Gordon continued abruptly, "from junkie mugger to pusher to supplier and, along the way," he paused and looked directly at Flass. "To any cops that might be helping the whole process along."
Coolly blowing a ring of smoke Gordon continued, "Now Flass, tell us what you know about Batman." He smiled to himself and added, "Try not to exaggerate."
There were a few sniggers and Flass struggled to turn with his neck cast and see where they came from.
"It's like my report Lieutenant, I received an anonymous tip leading me to an east end cocaine delivery." Flass paused, satisfied that he had everyone's attention he continued."I was in the process of single-handedly apprehending the felons."
He coughed and glared around at what he could see of the room to make sure no one challenged him. Settling his gaze on Harvey Bullock he continued.
"Then I heard giant wings flap. It flew down from the sky."
Unable to control the urge Harvey chuckled to himself as Flass's face began to turn red.
"It's wings were about thirty feet across. It bellowed like.Well I've never heard anything like it." Flass now oblivious to the scornful looks he was receiving had a haunted look that reminded Harvey of the peasants talking about Dracula in those hammy old horror black and whites.
"One of the felons I had not yet disarmed produced a .357 magnum," Flass continued dramatically but he might as well have been saying "Don't stay at Castle Dracula bad things happen to those who do!" for all the effect it was having.
"He fired.Point blank range at the creature.and the bullet passed straight through it like it wasn't there."
By now the snorts and giggles were coming from everywhere, and for a second Flass stopped cold shooting a glare of pure hatred at a helpless Lieutenant Gordon desperately fighting a losing battle to hold it all in.
Flass continued his fairy tale ironically with the words "And then it started laughing, other members of the gang drew forth their guns."
If anyone had been concentrating by then they would've challenged Flass on this point surely he had "single-handedly disarmed them"?
"Something flew from the creatures hand. I remember noticing it had claws."
The whole room was in uproar someone jeered "claws right."
"It was little dart things," Flass blurted, "they paralysed the felons."
"Little dart things," someone else mimicked.
"But me he singled out!" Flass was almost hysterical now, Gordon tried to calm it down but it was too late, and the meeting dissolved into anarchy.
All in all Harvey was glad he had been asked to sit in after all, it provided a welcome distraction from his own problems, as the days drew nearer to June the 12th Vasily Kosov was seldom far from his thoughts.
May 15th early morning.
Harvey had only been to the upper floors of the GCPD building once and that was during his induction. He seemed to remember the lift had worked back then. He paused for breath at the foot of the stairs. The place was old and dusty, and in severe need of a coat of paint. A door at the corridors end with still relatively new looking stencilling, caught Harvey's eye. It read "Lieutenant James Gordon" and rather unnecessarily beneath it "GCPD".
Well at least he wouldn't have to ask directions and risk appearing foolish. Besides he reflected the less people who knew about this the better. Reluctantly Bullock hauled himself along and knocked on the door.
"It's open," said a voice within.
Harvey walked in to find Lieutenant Gordon pouring over some files at his desk with a beautiful blonde, his secretary? Since when did Lieutenant's get Secretaries? They both looked at him inquisitively.
"Er Officer Bullock sir, Merkel said you wanted to see me?"
"Oh yes," said Gordon in a tone that revealed he must've forgotten, "please take a seat, Harvey isn't it?"
Bullock mumbled his thanks and sat down, desperately trying to avoid ogling the blonde.
"Oh this is Detective Essen," Gordon said flashing him a look over the rim of his glasses that told Bullock his thoughts were transparent.
Bullock nodded an acknowledgement.
Gordon put down his file and looked straight at Bullock, "you may be aware that the Commissioner has assigned me to the Bat-vigilante case." He reached for his cigarettes.
"Yes sir," Bullock acknowledged.
Gordon offered one to Essen who promptly lit it and handed it back to Gordon. She then began lighting one for herself. Bullock watched this un- self conscious ritual with interest.
"Do you smoke patrolman?" Gordon broke the spell.
"Only cigars thank you," Bullock waved the offer, noting to him self that Gordon wore a wedding band.
"Last week you and Wilson responded to a disturbance on the Upper East Side," Gordon resumed all business, "can you tell me what happened?"
"Well it's like I said in my report, it was all over by the time we arrived."
Gordon nodded to him to go on, Essen appeared not to be taking any interest, but something told Bullock that was not necessarily true.
"Well, we found what appeared to be an interrupted cocaine delivery. There were five mooks, all taken down.and Detective Flass." There was an awkward silence the last thing Harvey wanted or needed was to get embroiled in this.
"I understand he had also been taken down." Gordon prompted.
"Well yeah and I know what your gonna ask Lieutenant, I got a glimpse of the perpetrator, it was dark but I had my flashlight on. There was a noise on the roof and for a moment I caught him in the light."
"Can you describe him?"
Harvey sighed, how could he say this without sounding like a crackhead? "Well it was a man, he was masked, dressed all dark and."
"And what?" Gordon's patience was starting to give.
"He was wearing a cape!" Harvey blurted it out and looked at them both trying to gauge their reaction. Essen had actually froze, her cigarette poised inches from her mouth, Harvey didn't know if she was on the verge of inhaling or exhaling.
A ring of smoke blew from her lips, (so that answered that one).
"And then what happened?" She asked, (well someone had to).
"Well he was holding onto a cable and he kinda swung outta view."
Gordon pushed his glasses back up his nose and took a drag on his neglected cigarette. "What kind of cable?"
"I couldn't honestly say," Harvey responded, relieved that they appeared to be taking him seriously. "I'm no expert but I think he musta used it to get from ground level to the roof, I can't see how he coulda got up there so quick otherwise, Flass say's the perp left seconds before we came into view. And at almost the same time I heard the noise on the roof."
Gordon and Essen exchanged glances. "Could be a grappling hook," Essen suggested. "Like the kind they use in climbing."
"Is there anything else you noticed? You can speak freely Harvey this is off the record." Gordon confirmed.
"Well Lieutenant, in my opinion this freak always goes in prepared, me and Wilson that's my partner, get called to collect a lot of this vigilantes presents, they're usually in restraints, and he leaves his calling card, and some of them have what look like customised shurikens sticking out of their limbs."
"Forensics confirm as much," Gordon affirmed, "no prints, they're untraceable."
"My guess is that he uses the dark and the element of surprise." Bullock continued, "He attacks from roof level, jumps into the midst of a bunch of mooks carrying out a robbery, mugging, drug deal, or whatever and for a second everything stops. And that's when he makes his move." Bullock paused, "I think your dealing with a highly trained psycho carrying an extensive arsenal, and I think he's been planning this for a long time."
"That's a pretty good analysis," Gordon affirmed, "you hoping to be a detective someday Bullock?"
"At the moment I got my hands full with the sergeants exam," Bullock replied modestly. "Maybe I watch too many movies!" He added with a grin.
Essen whispered something to Gordon, who suddenly looked at his watch.
"Were gonna have to cut this short Patrolman," Gordon said stubbing out his half smoked cigarette, "I have a Department briefing in ten."
They all stood up and then as an afterthought Gordon turned to Bullock, "I would like you to sit in if that's okay?"
Harvey couldn't think of an excuse so he reluctantly found himself saying "Okay Lieutenant, no problem."
*****
The room was full of plain-clothes tecs who eyed the overweight patrolman with contempt. None more so than the heavily bandaged Detective Arnold Flass whose eyes bore into him accusingly from above his neck cast. The last thing Harvey wanted was trouble from this quarter but if it were coming he was gonna face it head on. He glared right back at Flass and took his seat at the back deliberately making him self comfortable.
Lieutenant Gordon was standing in front of several posters depicting various eyewitness sketches of the Batman. One was a giant bat, another looked like one of those old time Justice Society heroes Bullock had read about as a child, and the third resembled what he had seen on the roof the other night. In this picture Batman had a belt with pouches. Harvey couldn't say one way or the other if the freak he had seen wore anything like that but it was certainly plausible, clearly he needed somewhere to stash his arsenal, Harvey thought fleetingly.
The plain clothes were all getting a little heated and Gordon was trying to keep order.
"If we can stop being hysterical for a moment gentlemen," this was said as if addressing a kindergarten, "Our vigilante, or Batman, as he's called has apparently committed sevent-eight acts of assault in the past five weeks."
Gordon paused and casually took a gulp from a styro full of what passed for coffee at the GCPD, as Essen looked on admiringly.
"During this time, certain patterns of timing and method have emerged." He continued, "It is clear that he possesses extraordinary physical skill."
"Not he. It."
Gordon looked over in the direction of the sulky interruption. "You've got something to contribute Detective Flass?"
"He's not human. I'm just telling you he's not human."
Well that raised a few laughs; Gordon fished for a cigarette whilst he waited for it to die down.
"Thank you Detective Flass," Gordon slowly coaxed a cigarette from the newly opened packet in his hand. "While the vigilante has been careful to remain unpredictable, choosing the neighbourhoods for his assaults at random, he consistently operates between the hours of midnight and four a.m."
The cigarette was out and he put the packet away without offering round this time. "Anybody got a match?"
Of course it was Essen to the rescue but this time she just lit it while Gordon puffed, and murmured his thanks. Harvey noticed a look pass between them.
"He's working his way from street level crime to its upper echelons," Gordon continued abruptly, "from junkie mugger to pusher to supplier and, along the way," he paused and looked directly at Flass. "To any cops that might be helping the whole process along."
Coolly blowing a ring of smoke Gordon continued, "Now Flass, tell us what you know about Batman." He smiled to himself and added, "Try not to exaggerate."
There were a few sniggers and Flass struggled to turn with his neck cast and see where they came from.
"It's like my report Lieutenant, I received an anonymous tip leading me to an east end cocaine delivery." Flass paused, satisfied that he had everyone's attention he continued."I was in the process of single-handedly apprehending the felons."
He coughed and glared around at what he could see of the room to make sure no one challenged him. Settling his gaze on Harvey Bullock he continued.
"Then I heard giant wings flap. It flew down from the sky."
Unable to control the urge Harvey chuckled to himself as Flass's face began to turn red.
"It's wings were about thirty feet across. It bellowed like.Well I've never heard anything like it." Flass now oblivious to the scornful looks he was receiving had a haunted look that reminded Harvey of the peasants talking about Dracula in those hammy old horror black and whites.
"One of the felons I had not yet disarmed produced a .357 magnum," Flass continued dramatically but he might as well have been saying "Don't stay at Castle Dracula bad things happen to those who do!" for all the effect it was having.
"He fired.Point blank range at the creature.and the bullet passed straight through it like it wasn't there."
By now the snorts and giggles were coming from everywhere, and for a second Flass stopped cold shooting a glare of pure hatred at a helpless Lieutenant Gordon desperately fighting a losing battle to hold it all in.
Flass continued his fairy tale ironically with the words "And then it started laughing, other members of the gang drew forth their guns."
If anyone had been concentrating by then they would've challenged Flass on this point surely he had "single-handedly disarmed them"?
"Something flew from the creatures hand. I remember noticing it had claws."
The whole room was in uproar someone jeered "claws right."
"It was little dart things," Flass blurted, "they paralysed the felons."
"Little dart things," someone else mimicked.
"But me he singled out!" Flass was almost hysterical now, Gordon tried to calm it down but it was too late, and the meeting dissolved into anarchy.
All in all Harvey was glad he had been asked to sit in after all, it provided a welcome distraction from his own problems, as the days drew nearer to June the 12th Vasily Kosov was seldom far from his thoughts.
