Book Two: Chaos

Chapter 17

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"It was fancier, last time I came here." I said as I stepped further into the room.

"It's a pleasure to have you here, Miss Sanders." Alfred greeted me as he took my bag from my hands.

"Where is Mr. Wayne?" I asked as I followed him through the loft.

"Night patrol." Alfred replied. "For the time being, this room is yours." It was a large bedroom, equipped just like the rest of the loft with large windows. "If you wish, I could prepare something for you to eat, Miss Sanders."

"A sandwich will be fine, Alfred. If it's not too much trouble."

"I let you to settle, then."

"Thank you, Alfred." He smiled at me before leaving me in the room.

I was already thinking about the next step. The Joker will act during Loeb's funerals; Jim will be shot but he will still live. But now that the Joker knew about me, everything could be possible. I needed to be prepared for any possibilities. He could try and kill me, he could also change his targets. What if he changes the places where he'd keep Rachel and Harvey after he abducts them? All of these are possibilities. And I must be prepared for all of them.

Adding to this, there is Sue. I started to think that I might have been overreacting to what happened. After all, she didn't know Commissioner Loeb and Liam was the man she was going to marry. So, it's natural she chose him over Loeb but the card in my apartment? I didn't know if it was her or not. I know I'm repeating myself and I should probably stop thinking about this and focus on what's really important. But you know, I tried but I just couldn't stop thinking about it. After all, she is my best friend and I missed her already.

I changed into my pjs which consisted of a short and a tank top and thick woolen socks. Alfred was in bed already and I was putting out my uniform for Loeb's funerals. I haven't worn one of those for a long time. Deep blue suit with a white shirt and a deep blue hat with a silver badge on it. I stared at it for a few good minutes before flopping down on my bed. Tomorrow was going to be a long day.

I padded around the loft in search of the kitchen. It was dark inside but thanks to the large windows, the dim lights of the city penetrated the room. Making it able for me to move around the loft without hurting anything on my way. Once I found the kitchen, which turned out to be as large as anything in this loft, I switched on the light. Searched the cabinet for a glass, in order to drink a bit of water or some milk. Whatever that would get me to go to sleep.

"You're still awake?" Bruce's voice echoed from behind me, making me jump in the air.

"Oh my God!" I gasped. "Bruce, don't sneak up on people like that."

"Sorry." Bruce chuckled. "Didn't mean to scare you. Why are you so jumpy, anyway?"

"Nothing, really." I answered.

"Didn't look like nothing." Bruce commented moving to one of the cabinets to grab a glass.

"I just have so many things in my mind." I admitted. "I don't seem to be able to stop thinking about what's going on."

"Are you referring to that card?" Bruce sat across me.

"Among other things." I exhaled deeply. "Did you find anything about that card yet?"

"Just like the other ones, there's no fingerprints, no clue as to who send this card." Bruce replied.

"Figures." I snorted. "You know I thought that you being a vigilante was the coolest thing ever. You help people, you save lives, you have cool gadgets and the tumbler." I paused. "But I'm starting to think that being who you are is the hardest thing ever. The secrecy, always planning on ahead and the constant lying to people, so they won't find out who you really are, is quite exhausting."

"It is." Bruce agreed, he took a sip of water before continuing. "Gotham needs a hero and I think Harvey can be this hero."

"Are you saying that you're ready to let Batman go?" I questioned him.

"I don't want to be Batman for the rest of my life." Bruce retorted. "Gotham no longer needs Batman. They have Harvey Dent now. He's a hero with a face."

"Gotham may need Harvey but they need Batman too." I told him. "Bruce, Harvey is bound by the law. Batman isn't. You're more than just a masked vigilante that stops criminal. You are a symbol. You are the hope that people haven't have in years."

"And I attracted people like the Jokers to Gotham. If Batman is gone, there'll be no more like him."

"That's where you're wrong. There'll always be people like him. Some even more dangerous than he is." I told him. "Listen, I get it. You want to stop this because you're probably tired and you don't get the thanks you deserve but tips for later, anyone and everyone can be the Batman. Because he is what he is: a symbol." I explained. "The day'll come where you'd be able to stop all of these and have a happy life but this day hasn't come yet."

"When will it come?"

"And what take all of fun out of it? Nope."

Bruce leaned in on the table. "It isn't fair that you know so much about me and I know so little about you."

"Now, that's not true. You do know things about me."

"Sure, I know that you're a honest police officer, you seemed very close to James Gordon and you know everything there is to know about what's going to happen. But that's all I know."

"Okay." I leaned back. "I'll tell you another thing about me. When I first arrived in Gotham," I took a deep breath. "I had no money, no papers and no home. I—I lived in the streets for a while before meeting one good man. He didn't have to help me but he did anyway. Actually, it's because of him that I am a cop today."

"Who was it?" Bruce asked softly.

"Sergeant James Gordon." I smiled.

"That's why you too are so closed."

"He's the closest thing I have to a father." I shrugged. "Bruce, promise me that whatever happens tomorrow, you'll trust that I have a good reason for not telling you."

"What's going to happen tomorrow?" Bruce asked concerned.

"Just trust me, okay?"

"I trust you." Bruce nodded.

I smiled and got up. I walked around the table and stopped at Bruce's side. "Nice talking to you. We should do this more often." I told him softly. "Good night, Bruce." I kissed his temple softly.

I pulled away and Bruce smiled at me softly. "Good night, Emma."

My clothes for the funeral were in a bag. I bid a quick goodbye to Alfred and left the loft. I climbed on my bike, tucking the suit was tucked safely on my bike. I rode through town to the MCU. The funerals would take place in a few hours. The procession will go through town, the Mayor, Harvey and Rachel would be there too at the front of the procession; with the addition of Judge Surillo.

The Joker will act today. I already knew how; I already knew that Gordon will supervise everything. I knew exactly how everything was going to turn out and yet, there was a slight possibility that something will turn out differently.

I felt strangely nervous, anxious. Fear had a tight grip on my guts and was twisting them hardly. My white gloves were on my hands and I joined the rest of my teammates in the bullpen. Gordon was there, with Stephens. We didn't say a word to each other, we just nodded and exited the MCU. We rode together to where the procession was starting.

At this moment, Bruce was probably looking for a match to the fingerprints. I took place among the uniforms, all dressed like me, white gloves on, deep blue hat and silver badges. In line with the others, I waited for the procession to start. Gordon was taking care of the last details, the Mayor was in front next to Surillo, Harvey and Rachel. And slowly we started to walk on the main street.

The crowd was standing on the sidewalk, as we advanced through the city. By now, Bruce must have found a match and should be on his way to 1502 Randolph Apartments. I couldn't help but look around at my surroundings. Trying to see the face of the Joker or Melvin White. I even caught myself looking for Sue. But no matter what, I couldn't see a thing. I took a deep breath and kept walking.

The procession finally reached the city hall. There was a small stage there and the crowd stopped moving. The mayor, Harvey, Rachel, Gordon and Surillo climbed on the stage. I stood in front of it with the rest of the police officers. The whispering and the chattering of the crowds stopped as the Mayor stood in front of the microphones.

I got a tad more nervous as I knew the moment was close. Very close.

"Commissioner Loeb dedicated his life to law enforcement and to the protection of his community." The Mayor started his speech. "I remember when I first took office and I asked if he wanted to stay on as commissioner. And he said he would, provided I kept my politics out of his office. Clearly, he was not a man who minced words, nor should he have been. A number of policies he enacted as commissioner were unpopular." My heart was hammering against my ribs as the minutes went by. "Policies that flooded my office with angry calls and letters…"

I shouldn't be this nervous but I was. Like I said I knew what will happen but it's the unknown element in the equation that scared me the most. The fact that the Joker left his card in my apartment, the fact that he knew of my plans might have change a lot of things and today might be one of those thing.

The Mayor has finished his speech. The moment was there. "Stand by. Honor guard. Attention. Port arms." The men took their rifle. "Ready." They armed their weapons. "Aim!" They aimed at the sky. "Fire!" And fired their weapons. Again the orders were shouted, and a second shot was taken. The third one was coming. They will attack the mayor on the third one.

"Ready! Aim!" This time they aimed at the mayor. Gordon jumped in front of him just as they fire their weapons.

I was too busy watching the scene unfold exactly as it did in the movie, almost relieved that nothing has changed. That I didn't see that one of the men aimed their rifle at me. But I felt it when the bullet hit me. I felt it when my body hit the concrete after I was shot. I heard the screams of the panicking crowd running away from the scene. I heard everything as if I was under the water. Until I couldn't hear anything. Until I couldn't feel anything, anymore.

You weren't expecting that now, were you? Maybe some of you had a slight idea of what was going to happen. To them, I'll say you were right. Please, don't hate this cliffhanger, cause I know where I'm going with this and you might love what's coming. Until then, I hope you liked this chapter.