Book One: Fear

Chapter 3

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New Chapter, read, enjoy and review.

I have been there for a year and a half. I was still leaving in my flat in Gotham City and I was now an officer of Gotham City Police Department. I still remembered the day I was affected to my post. Gordon has been more than surprised to see me among the new recruits of his department. He nodded at me with a small smile while I followed my new partner to our desks.

A year and a half was more than enough to see that honest cops were a rare thing to find these days. Corruption has been growing in the ranks of the police forces like a cancer. They were all bought by Falcone or threatened by him. The criminal force in Gotham City, well, not for long. If I remember correctly. I know what y'all think. She doesn't want to get involved and yet she's a police officer? Well, I really did become a police officer as a way to pay my debts to Gordon. That was at first but now, it just enraged me to see all of those police officers corrupted or those people in danger in the streets of Gotham City.

So, now I really fought for the citizens of Gotham. But it's a hard job to do, if everytime you caught the bad guys they get immediately released because Falcone knows how to pull the strings and knows who to pay to get his men out.

"Miss Dawes! Miss Dawes!" I called after Rachel. Yes, I know Rachel. We have met a few months ago. I had to eventually since the police and the District Attorney bureau worked each other. "What happened?"

"Sanders." Rachel nodded as a form of greeting. "Crane hapenned."

"What the psychiatrist of Arkham has to do with this?" I frowned up. She stopped and looked directly in my eyes.

"He declared the suspect to be mentally ill." Rachel replied as annoyed as me. "And the jury believed it."

"Well, the jury is stupid." I countered. "Can't you do anything against that?"

"I'm afraid not. The case is closed and can't be judged a second time." Rachel answered apologetically.

"How do they expect us to do our jobs if they just kept releasing those thugs in the streets?" I asked rhetorically.

Six months later and I'm still living the dream in Gotham. Since I've entered the police academy and since I'm a police officer, I go on a jog every morning. It was a daily routine, something I enjoyed to do to clear up my head. I was a bit more satisfied with my life. To the point where I forget that I'm leaving in an imaginary world. Even if I'm interacting with fictional characters most of the time, I am satisfied with my life.

To me, they aren't fictional. They're real. All of them. My job is real, my life here is real. See, as far as I'm concerned my life is real and yes I know. I'm living in a fictional world. And I might wake up tomorrow from whatever thing has kept me in this world. I am well aware of that. It might be temporary. But I do enjoy living in Gotham.

Sue is my only friend. Gordon has become a good friend and my mentor. Rachel is a good colleague and I was still keeping my distance from the Wayne tower. So no encounter with Alfred and since Bruce is not in town, no encounter with him either.

Watching movie hasn't helped me to find out who was corrupted by Falcone. I know the name of one though. Gordon's partner, Detective Flass. I could point fingers at him but I knew that he held information that could help the Batman. I don't want to get involved but I don't want to screw up the with Falcone pulling the strings and without any solid evidence I couldn't do anything.

Five years have passed now and I'm still leaving the dream. I stormed out of the court room after hearing Crane pleading the case of yet another men of Falcone. "He's done it again." I said walking behind Rachel. "It's the third one."

"I know." Rachel replied annoyed at me.

"Don't you think it's time for your office to have your own psychiatric expert?" I suggested sarcastically.

"Don't you tell me how to do my job." Rachel snapped at me.

"Well, I wouldn't have, if you actually knew how to do it."

I might have been unfair to her. It really wasn't her fault but I was frustrated by what Crane was doing. I have arrested Zsaz myself and once again, he's one of those Falcone thugs who won't go to jail but to the Arkham Asylum. It was getting on my nerves. And I know I sound like I didn't know that already. I watched the movies, so I do know. Thing is when you live in this world and you're living this life everyday. You start to forget that you are in this fictional world. I also know that I'm repeating myself, so bear with me.

"Dr. Crane, are you recruiting in Arkham?" I called after Crane.

"I beg your pardon." Crane said turning around to talk to me.

"You heard me." I came to a stop. "I know exactly why you are doing this for Falcone. Mark my words, this little business of yours is not gonna last long." I knew that much, it doesn't hurt to use that knowledge to threaten that creepy guy.

I put my cap over my head and walked out of the building. "Sorry!" I said bumping into a guy with a red hood by the phone booth.

"It's alright." A smooth voice answered before leaving.

"Sanders."

"Em, have you heard the news?" My friend Sue asked excitedly on the other side of the line.

"Sue, I'm working and so are you." I replied annoyed that another pile of files was thrown onto my desk.

"Bruce Wayne is back in town." She squealed over the phone.

My hand froze in midair as I was about to grab a file. "What?"

"I know, right?"

"What I told you about saying that?"

"It makes me sound like an idiot." Sue replied. "Still, Bruce Wayne is back. If there's a party to celebrate his return, we are going."

"I can't believe I forgot about that." I emitted a low chuckle.

"What?"

"Nothing. Look, I need to go back to work. So, I'll see you tonight."

"Alright, see ya." She said before hanging up.

I forgot about Bruce Wayne being back. How can I possibly forget about something like that? I've been busy alright. Never mind that. Bruce Wayne was back and I would be lying if I'd say I wasn't a bit curious about meeting the man. I mean I really didn't want to get involved but I wouldn't mind meeting Bruce Wayne. Who am I kidding anyway? I'm already involved in this mess.

I rubbed my eyes tiredly. Hours of reading through files, writing reports would do that to you. Being cop can be exciting at times, especially when you're working on the field. The less enjoyable part of the job was probably writing the reports.

Suddenly, Gordon got out of this office, his gun in his hand. "Sanders! With me!" He ordered.

"On your six, Boss." I got up immediately grabbing my gun.

I ran after Gordon up the stairs that led to the rooftop. Gordon opened the door and I heard him yelled out "Freeze!" I followed him running on the roof behind him. Before my very eyes was the first prototype of the Dark Knight. He ran away from us, climbing on top on the rooftops A/C units and jumped off of building and landed harshly on the fire escape of the building next to the police station.

"What the hell was that?" One of my colleagues asked behind us.

"Just some nut." Gordon answered. After everyone except from left the rooftop.

I leaned on the edge of the rooftop and looked down at the spot where Bruce were a few minutes ago. "You'll get better at this." I whispered in the dead of night wearing a small smile. It's pretty obvious that I was slightly excited to have caught a glimpse of the Batman tonight.

Over the last few days, there have been several calls about the location of people who has been dropped around Gotham City like shipments. They have previously been arrested by a masked man. I don't need to tell you who that masked man was. I was pretty happy with what Batman was doing.

You know as a fan, you admired the hero and the person that is behind the mask. As a cop you appreciate what he's doing for the society in spite of the orders that we received to stop him and to consider him a criminal. He wasn't doing anything wrong but my judgement might be biased by my knowing of the film and being a fan prior to arriving into this world.

"Hey, Em, why don't you go home?" Gordon stopped at my desk that night. "You could use some rest."

"So, could you." I replied smiling.

"Your shift has been over for two hours already, you should go." He retorted giving me my cap. "And Sue can be real frightening." Gordon emitted a low chuckle.

"Alright, I'll go." I got up. "Call if you need anything." I went to the locker room and changed out of my uniform. And left the station.

Living in Gotham wasn't safe, not even for a cop. Whether you live in the narrows or in the less dangerous neighborhood of the city, you're not safe anywhere. Not even if you're a cop. I haven't been attacked or mugged before. Usually the thugs see police and gun and they turn away. On the other hand, the ones who worked for Falcone made it very clear that they can't be touched. So if they decided to attack you, they will and if you dared shoot them. You might be the one who ends up behind bars.

I lived a few miles away from the police station. It wasn't as dangerous as the narrows but it wasn't the safest place in Gotham either. With my helmet in hand, I was walking to the city hall where I usually leave my bike. A black Yamaha R6 motorbike. I bought it a two years ago. I left it at the city hall because I usually drink a coffee with Sue before she starts in the morning. And since the city hall is not too far away from the city hall, I took the ten-minute walk over the bike. I left the bike in the underground parking lot. I'm not ready to have my bike stolen from me.

It's a ten-minute walk from the police station to the city hall and a lots of things can happen in ten minutes. Especially in Gotham. Nearing the building, I crossed the streets trotting up to the other side. A hand shot out of the darkness, grabbed my left wrist and yanked me towards them. Still not fully seeing my attacker, I swung my helmet in the air. Someone yelped in pain and I was released immediately. I threw my helmet on the ground, stepped back and pulled out my gun in one swift movement.

I aimed it at the man who was holding is head in the shadows. "Get down on your knees!" I ordered him. "Now!" I felt something cold being pressed against my head.

"Drop your gun!" A second man ordered me. "Do it!" He said a little bit more loudly.

I slowly lower my gun but a black mass jumped on his friend. He aimed his gun at the black mass and I aimed mine at him in return. "Two choices. Run or stay." I told him while the black mass, who we know to be Batman, knocked his friend out. He looked between Batman and I before running away. "Smart choice." I called after the guy.

The black mass walked towards me but stood in the shadow. I aimed my gun at him. In spite of knowing who he was and what he did, I couldn't help but to feel a bit frightened. Meeting Gordon was impressive but meeting the Batman was much more impressive. He was tall, well built and well, quite frightening.

"Falcone sent them to kill you." He said as a form of greetings, I guess.

"What earned me such an honor?" I retorted.

"You rattled his cage." He replied. I slowly lowered my gun.

"Who the hell are you?" I questioned him. I knew well who he was but I couldn't resist asking the question.

"Someone like you. Someone who'll rattle the cages." He answered.

You know how the Batman managed to disappear so quickly, so quietly while someone is staring at him, they just blinked and poof, he's gone. Well, he did it right in front of me. And I remembered at this instant how I used to chuckle when I saw the confused look on the characters' faces when he did this to them. Well, if I could see me right now.

Hope you liked this new chapter. What do you think of Emma's first encounter with the Batman?I really hope you like how things are moving.