A Realized Darkness
5:40 PM
Jim Gordon, the commissioner of the GCPD slowly walks through the dimly lit broken and rusted hall of mirrors as he holds a flashlight in his hand to guide a path forward and to alert him to any sudden threats that would try to make the most out of the lack of light. The commissioner holds his handgun out ready with his other hand as he overlaps both the flashlight and gun with each of his hands. From what little that he could make of the place, one thing was for certain - the place was disgusting, he would even go as far as to say hazardous to anyone who chose to walk through it.
The damp odder that attacks his sense of smell was one of the worst things that he had ever smelt. He could smell the mould all around him and the damp smell layered over the already putrid scent was near enough to make him vomit right there on the spot of the broken string of tiles on the floor. Gordon was well aware that the place had been closed down for such health violations, but he could never have imagined how bad the sight truly was.
He eyes glance ahead to the centre of the place, one surrounded by those ghastly broken mirrors, covered by cobwebs and all kinds of stuff that no one should breathe in. He sees the silhouette of someone standing at the point of interest, who appeared to female from the shape. Gordon tightens his gaze "G.C.P.D! Hands up!" he lifts his gun forward to the back of the figure. He steps forward, making sure to step over the broken tile "Hands in the air! NOW!"
"It's me, Jim"
"Selina?" the commissioner lowers his weapon and shines the flashlight at the woman "What the hell are you doing here? I'm not sure if you are aware, but this is a police matter and I can escort you back to the G.C.P.D for tampering with a police invest-" Selina turns around and moves out of the way of the rotten corpses that was seated in the chair. Gordon had to do a double-take to check that his mind wasn't playing a trick on him. He slips the gun back into his holster and hurries to the body.
"Creepy, right? I dunno whu Jerome was thinking that leaving this...thing here would accomplish. I was really, really hoping that it was just a prop...but I doubt that those worms would be that into...it if it was fake, plus there's the smell...just gross" Selina looks to Jim.
Jim eyed the body as he recognizes it's attire "It can't be..."
"Can't be what?" Selina asks in an unsure tone that indicated that she was not looking forward to whatever answer that she would get from the man. Jim almost seemed to have to drag his eyes away from the worm-infested rotten body so he could greet the woman's eyes with his own "...It's bad, isn't it?"
"It's impossible is what it is. That...body...I can recognize it anywhere - it's Jerome Valeska's"
"I heard of letting yourself go, but this? I just saw clown boys ugly face plastered all the TV today" Selina exhales.
Me too...so this...this...is?" Gordon's eyes widen as he realizes the faint sound of a series of beets coming from under the chair. He kneels down to the ground and looks under to see a small device counting down from twenty-five seconds "RUN!" he jumps to his feet and grabs Selina's hand as they both sprint the way that they came from, in a panic and panting heavily. They don't dare look back in fear of tripping over the unkempt and broken floor, they weren't willing to waste any of the small amount time they had to escape.
They run out of the entrance and quickly run to get as much distance as they could.
5-4-3-2-1-(:
Both Jim and Selina were thrown onto the ground by the gravitas heated exposition that erupts from within the building, capturing both it and the some of the ground that surrounded in flames that burn brightly thanks to the night sky. Gordon looks back at the now burnt hall of mirrors "That hall of mirrors...that's where Bruce and Jerome first fought..." he commissioner thinks to himself as he drags himself off of the ground as he sees the soring flames that were reflected by his eyes.
"That bastard tried to fry us!" Selina jumps to her feet and brushes off the dirt from her jeans and jacket "Wait until I get my hands on him, then we'll see if he has something to laugh about"
"Not his style. If he was ever going to kill us, Jerome would want a front-row seat - whoever planted that bomb...it's not his M.0"
"Geez, that doesn't make me feel any better" Selina comments as she pats the dust out of her hair.
"Wasn't surpassed too. Selina...what are you doing here? You could have gotten yourself killed if I didn't show up in time" Gordon snarls at the dark-haired woman like she was still the same kid from all those years ago "I have half the mind to cuff you here and now for interfering with this police matter"
"But the other half wants to know why I was here in the first place, right?" Selina raises an eyebrow.
"Let me take a guess - Bruce?"
"Yeah - Bruce. You know how awful he must feel about losing Alfred...I was scared that he might...take out all those emotions on Jerome. The last thing I want is for Bruce is to become a killer...not after everything that Alfred has taught him..." she lifts her left arm over her right shoulder "And I got a feelin' that you were trying to do the same thing as me" sighs Selina as she expresses her words with the lingering doubt in her voice, one full of concern but an equal amount fear for Bruce.
"Selina..." Gordon rests on hand on her shoulder "...That wasn't Alfred, Selina"
"-What-? How is that even-? How-?"
"It's Gotham, Selina. I've just learned to accept anything these days. One of the doctors at Gotham General showed me the medical scans of Alfred...and they didn't match the ones taken from a month ago. The metal plate in his back is gone - or rather it looks like it was never there, to begin with - that Alfred was fake which means the real one may still be alive" Gordon looks into Selina's eyes "And I swear that I will not rest, I will not leave a single stone unturned until I find him and bring him back to Bruce..."
"...Oh...my god" Selina whispers as she grabs her head as she suddenly is struck with a painful jolt through her mind like her brain was being sliced right open. She remembers that she already knew that about Alfred - but how? How could she forget such a big detail? It made no sense to her, did it connect to her missing memories of the night before? Her mind was now rattling with all heavy thoughts that piled on top of each other, each one creating a loud thud in her mind which equalled another jolt of pain through her head.
"Selina? Selina!? You okay?" Jim's voice knocks Selina out of the trance that she found herself under.
"Yeah-Yeah, I'm good, have you told Bruce about this? This could be good to stop him from doing something really, really stupid"
"Not yet. I need to make sure that it would secure when I tell him. I got a gut feeling that the criminal underworld is responsible for this and their eyes and ears are everywhere in Gotham. If they find out that we know about Alfred - they may kill the real one...if he is still alive that is"
"So-What? Are you saying that we should just let Bruce keep thinking that the closest thing to a father that he has his dead when he could still be alive somewhere? Don't you think that he has already suffered enough?" Selina tenses up and crosses her arms "...Jim...I get where you are coming from, but I can't stand seeing Bruce like that. I visited him at Gotham General after I heard about what happened and do you want to know what he said to me?"
"What?"
"...-Nothing, Nothing - not a single word - that was how heartbroken he was - he could barely even look me in the eye" Selina recalled that night.
"Selina..., Bruce called me" Gordon reveals.
"He did what?" she was stunned, and deep down even hurt by the information.
"Earlier, he called me. He told me that he is going after Jerome...he's going to confront him. He ended the call before I had a good chance to talk him out of it"
"I see..." Selina lowered her gaze to the ground "He called you, yet he couldn't say a single word to me...I sometimes forget just how important you are to him. He looks up to you just as much as he looked up to Alfred. You're another father figure of his...I can see why he tried to find solace in you"
"...Selina - he cares about you a lot too. Listen, obviously Jerome isn't here which means this was supposed to be a distraction...which means...he's still in Gotham -" Gordon turns his head "He knew that I would go to confront him...but that just gave him Gotham..." the commissioner rests his hand on the woman's shoulders "We have to get back, now" he jogs away and towards his car parked a couple of metres away "Come on!" he calls out.
"If Bruce didn't come here...then...that means that he knew it was a trick" Selina reaches in the pocket of her jacket and pulls out the small tape recorder "And Jerome knew that he did, oh...Bruce, hang in there - please..." she slides the device back into her pocket and sprints off when she sees that Jim had turned his sight away from her.
Jim walks around his car and pulls out the mic "This is Commissioner Gordon. Send out a city-wide BOLO on Jerome Valeska and any of his followers. The use of aggressive force is authorized!" Jim takes a deep breath "Dispatch, also put out an ATL on Bruce Wayne and bring him into custody, note - not as a suspect but for his own protection - do not treat him like a hostile"
"Roger that - over and out -"
"Selina, we need to get on the move before-" Jim looks out only to see that the woman had vanished "Damn it"
6: 03 PM
Streets of Gotham
A Molotov Cocktail was hurled into a store; breaking the glass as it lands in the building and begins to set ablaze to the whole place. A group of several men and women cheer as they grin as the light from the flames brightens up their white-painted faces "Booyah! Now that's what I call blazing a trail!" one of the men lifts his arms up above his head and yells "Jerome is victorious! Jerome is victorious! Gotham belongs to Jerome! Jerome is Gotham! Jerome is Gotham! JEROME IS GOTHAM!" the crowd begins to chant over and over as they march through the streets yielding baseball bats, machetes and some even had metal chains "Jerome is Gotham! Jerome is Gotham! Jerome is Gotham!" the crowd of followers gradually grew much larger, two times, three times, four times as many of the strays join the others marching onward.
As they march forward, the members lob more Molotovs through the windows of the buildings around them "Jerome is Gotham! Jerome is Gotham! Jerome is Gotham! Jerome is-" the man at the font looks up as he sees something glide across the skyline above them. He gulps as he knew who it was.
The over a hundred member group all look up too in awe as they too see the shadowed figure gliding above them. They all smirk and throw their arms up "Jerome is GOTHAM! Jerome is GOTHAM! JEROME IS GOTHAM! JEROME IS GOTHAM! JEROME IS GOTHAM!" they call chant as their combined voices each throughout the streets.
"WRONG! Batman is Gotham!" the dark knight glides down onto the street on his knees and slamming his armoured fist on the ground; creating a small dent in the road. The crowd looks in silence as they see Batman steadily rise up. His white eyes glare at them all as he readies his hands into fists. His cape slowly swerves with the small gusts of wind at his feet. The leader curves his lips into a smirk as he points to the vigilante.
"Get out of here freak! Jerome only wants Bruce Wayne to come to his party, you sure as hell ain't invited" the man runs his thumb across his throat "I hear that you are the big bad bat, right? Well as bad as you might be, you can't take on all of us! We will bring glory to Jerome! GOTHAM IS JEROME, GOTHAM IS JEROME, GOTHAM IS JEROME, GOTHAM IS JEROME, GOTHAM IS JEROME!" they all cheer as Batman stands in silence "You could never match Jerome, Gotham will never belong to the good guys!"
"No, but it will belong to The Batman" the dark knight narrows his eyes "Your boss and every other scum to plague this city will soon learn that" Batman steps forward which caused his cape to swerve from side to side with each step taken.
The man gulps as he steps back "Get lost, I mean it! You can't take us all on!"
"Who said that? Not me"
"Very well...you asked for it" the leader runs forward and swings his machete at the dark knight. Batman lifts both of his arms to shield his face, the machete cuts across the vigilante's arms; scratching the armour. Batman then kicks the man in his right kneecap; hearing a loud crack as a result.
The man falls to his knees and grabs his knee "Ah! Dude, I think you broke my knee...ah god...it hurts!" he cries. Batman steps forward and without saying a word kicks the man in the jaw with his boot; knocking the wind out of him and leaving his lying on the ground with missing teeth on the ground next to him.
"Shit, he wasn't even trying!" one of the people in the crowd yells.
Batman glares at the group and readies his fist "The choice is yours! Go home now or go home without teeth!" Batman growls.
The group all nod as they quickly disband and run away from the dark knight. Batman exhales as he sees the last of group vanish into the darkness. He turns his head to face the one that was lying on the ground. The vigilante kicks the man onto his back and plants his boot on the man's throat. The man's mouth was bloodied and the loss of teeth could clearly be seen as he was missing most of his front teeth "Jerome Valeska!
"WHERE IS HE?"
"I have nothin' ta say ta you" the man dribbles blood.
"When someone's got their boot to your neck...it isn't a good idea to tell them that they have no use for you" the dark knight hisses as he presses his boot down.
"Do-whatever-yah-want-ta-me. The only person who is going to have the glory of meeting Jerome tonight is Bruce Wayne! Tell Bruce that Jerome is at City hall and before you think of pulling off any heroics...the place is wired to blow if anyone else besides Wayne shows up. You won't be able to get in the building without it being blown to Kingdome come along with all the hostages. If you want to save them...then get Bruce to go there, alone... !" the man chuckles.
"Blowing up city hall?" Batman says to himself "I need to get there fast" he stomps on the man's head which knocked him out.
Wayne Enterprise Tower
6:34 PM
The tower that stands tall in Gotham was in shambles, lockdown by a group of several armed men who wore white face paint and bulletproofs vests. They all grin as they aim their guns at the many employees kneeling on the ground with their arms over their heads as they cower from the men "That's right, not a single movement - if I see anythin' that I don' like, I will put a bullet between your eyes, you got me?" one of the men warns the people as he walks around the room.
"You know the drill! If Wayne shows his sorrow ass...he is to be unharmed and taken to Jerome! But that doesn't mean that we can't have a little fun first, I would like to get a few minutes alone with that rich son of a bitch!" the man grins as he looks to the windows of the floor that lead out into the city of Gotham "He can't hide forever, we are eventually going to find him! Either if it is us or the ones at his home! Bruce Wayne will die tonight!"
From inside the stairwell of the building stood guard two of the followers as they look down at the bottom floor to make sure that no one could get up. They had their guns trained on the floor at the bottom as they await whoever would be foolish enough to take that path. Their index fingers were ready as they lightly pressed against the trigger of their weapons. One of the armed men looks to the one beside him as he thinks of a way to start a conversation.
"...So...Jerome's back-uh?"
"What 'bout it"
"I'm just saying that...he fell to his death like twelve stories like eleven years ago, but is only now returning... - in like perfect condition? He doesn't look like he even decayed a single bit. Don't you find that just a tad curious?"
"It's Gotham, man - what were you expecting? Stranger things have happened in this city"
"Really? Like what?"
"Uh...you know-stuff - remember that guy who killed people will balloons? That's was...quite strange, wasn't it?"
"That's not weirder than someone coming back from the dead in perfect condition...actually that whole balloon thing is actually tame for this bloody city"
"Ah-Okay! How about...uh...eh...let's see...ah-remember way back with that virus thing that turned people into lunatics? That was messy"
"Yeah, but that was just a virus-thing. Science can explain that, but we're talking about a guy who cheated death twice! No wonder he's always smiling, I would be that cocky if I could cheat death as well as him. If you think about it...does death even matter if people can just come back so easily? Honestly, if people just keep coming back from death, then doesn't that just mean that the impact of their deaths become meaningless and just become a gimmick for shock value? I mean think about it - surely people should catch on that the deaths are just pointless and will just end up with the person that you went through all the effort mourning to just come back alive - most likely with a lazily and thrown together excuse that doesn't make any sense or just comes across as dishonest, you feel me, man?"
"What the hell are you even talking about?"
"N-nothing, I was just-you know...? I was just...just...thinking - that's all"
"Well then, can you do me a favour and keep those dumbass thoughts in your head and shut your mouth?" the man stumbles as he sees something move in the corner of his eye at the lower levels "What was that?" he stammers as he aims his gun down at the floor below.
"What was what?"
"I just saw something!"
"You sure, man? I didn't"
"That's because it has already been established that you are a dumbass"
"How does being a *dumbass* suddenly make me blind?"
"It just does-got me?"
"...Uh...I don't think that I do? You must have just seen a rat or somethin'"
"Oh reeeeeaaaaallllllyyyyy? A rat in a place like this? This place is so clean that you could eat off the floor"
"Hey-eating off the floor is not a sanitary thing to do, no matter how clean it looks. Trust me on this-I did catering back in School"
"Ugghhh, I didn't mean that literally, you idiot"
"Ohhh...if you say so"
"For the love of god! Shut up!" the man's ears prick as he sees the shadowed figure move at the corner of his glance "That's it! I definitely saw something, stay here and keep your mouth shut" he dismounts his gun from the railing and holds it over his shoulder "I'm investigating, most likely it's one of those scared workers, but with the off chance that it's Bruce Wayne - I want to get the credit for capturing him" he traverses down the flight of stairs.
Walking several of the flights, he soon descends the tower "Come out, come out - wherever you are!" the man suddenly trips over as a whip was wrapped around his ankle "What the?" he gasps. He turns around onto to lie on his back "What was-" his eyes widen as he sees Catwoman jump on top him and straddles his waist and readies her claws "Oh...crap" he whimpers as Catwoman slashes her claws across his face.
"Aggghhhh!" the man at the top hears the cries from below "What the?" he leans over the railing and tries to locate him "Ugghh...are you alright? Uh...you uh...are you alright? Hello? Bonjour? Ola? Ciao? And...that's all that my twenty-four thousand dollar student debt could help me with life" he sighs as he recollects on his own life "...and mom said that being bilingual would help me with opportunities,...shows what she knows" unbeknownst to him, Catwoman drops down from behind him.
"You know what? Screw this! I'm done being a criminal, I can get a fresh new start, I can go to another city, get a job and set myself on the right track, yeah that's what I'm going to-" Catwoman grabs the back of his head and rams it into the railing and then lets him slide down on the floor next to her. Catwoman folds her arms and tilts her head as she looks at the man through the red lens of her goggles. She sees she had broken the man's nose and dislocated his jaw - it was a messy sight.
Wayne Manner
6: 46 PM
"I-I'm sorry, but I can't give it up - it just means too much to me" Harvey tells the blonde woman sitting next "I'm sorry, miss Quinzel, but that is something that I just can't do - I trust that you will take good care of it, but I have a bad feeling that you may accidentally lose it or if you are mugged or something, I just can't cope with the thought of losing my coin" Harvey looks down to the coin resting in his open palm. He lowers his head and lets out a deep breath "You must think that I'm stupid, right? The fact that a grown man has so many feelings for a coin, I can't say that I blame you if you did think that"
Harleen rests her hand over the man's knee "That's not it at all, I'm just worried that the coin is controllin' you. I'm not forcin' you to give it to me or even trying to pressure you into handing it over - this is about you and what you feel is best for you. As a psychiatrist, I can only recommend a certain action and have no grounds to make you do such - if you don't feel like giving me the coin is the best course of action to take then don't"
"-Alright, I understand - thanks for...you know...talking to me...it really means the a lot" Harvey rubs his eyes "Trying to act strong for all of Gotham all these years has made me terrified of them finding out about how I was really feeling underneath - this city...they take whatever they can and use it against you...they want to paint you as the villain unjustly just so it can fit their narrative" the dark-haired man returns the coin to the pocket of his jacket "I have been so scared...that I couldn't even bring myself to tell Gordon...even Bruce...he has stuck his neck out for me so much the past few days, yet I can't even bring myself, to be honest with him - what kind of friend does that make me?"
Harleen takes off her glasses and runs her hand through her hair "Mr Dent...Harvey, you are not the first person to hide their darkness from the world - in fact, it's more common than you think. It is honestly more of a social norm these days" the blonde slides her hand into Harvey's "Everyone has somethin' that they want to hide from the rest of the world, whether it is one's insecurities, one's crimes or just somethin' about themselves that they can't risk the world discoverin'"
"I know..."
"In fact, everyone that you know does that too..." Harleen puts her glasses back on and leans forward "Gordon, Harvey and even Bruce Wayne all have something that they are hiding, it's human nature. And some of the men may be hiding things from you too, they may have secrets that they don't want you to learn and that they never want to tell you about - does that make them wrong for doing so? I personally don't think so, sometimes having secrets is a way of protecting the ones closest to you"
"Even you?" Harvey questions.
"Oh...especially me...I can be quite the monster when I wanna be" Harleen winks.
Both Harvey and Harleen turn their heads as they hear the sound of glass shattering from outside the room "Did you hear that?" Dent stands to his feet and faces the door to the room. Harleen stands up behind the man as she too focuses her vision on the entrance to the room. They turn the heads to the windows of the room as they hear them shatter in sequence, one after another "Crap, this isn't good" Harvey watches several clown-themed figure barge into the room, yielding machetes, axes, and baseball bats.
Harvey could count four members who all surrounded by him and Harleen. One was a pale-skinned man with a long black fringe and a white-painted face, dressed in a black vest and leather trousers and boots. The second was a woman who looked to be in her early twenties, with a red mohawk and dressed in a black jacket. The third was a man with slicked-back brown hair and the fourth was a blonde man who grins at the two as he holds an axe in his left hand "Dent? You're besties with Bruce Wayne, right? Oh...this is going to be fun"
"Who the hell are you clowns? This is private property, I suggest that you get the hell out of here before I call the cops!" Harvey points to the one he believes to be in charge as he threatens both him and the rest of the group that circle around them.
"Ohhhh...scary! I am quivering in my boots" the man with the black fringe responds, his smile stretches across his face and his eyes widen "I am so scared that I may have just pissed myself a little bit...ha, ha" he tilts his head points his fingerless gloved hand at Dent "Nah, just kidding. You don't scare any of us, Mr District Attorney - you have no importance in Gotham anymore - Jerome is Gotham now"
"JEROME IS GOTHAM!" the other three cheer as they lift their weapons up in the air.
"Listen, young man - you and the rest of the breakfast club better get lost before I lose my temper" Dent calls back with a growl.
The black-haired man grins as he bows to both Harvey and Harleen "The name's Devlin and we are the followers of Jerome! Glory to Jerome!" his black-painted lips gin and his eyes look at Harvey "And you old man are in no position to be making threats, but please keep going - I find it mildly entertaining, it's like watching a turtle on its back trying to get up - you can't help but feel sorry for the thing, but you sure as hell ain't going to touch it"
Harleen steps forward "...Devlin, was it? You are aware that you are following the actions of a known criminal and now that you have trespassed into Wayne Manner - you have more than likely got yourself a sentence. I must guess that you must have a troubled home life, correct? Possibly an absence of any good adult role model in your life - so there was no one to guide you along the right path, you turned to crime, and then found serenity in the teaching's of Jerome..."
"Are you dissin' me?" Devlin growls.
"Harleen...what are you doing?" Harvey whispers.
"I think she's dissin' you, Dev!" the red-haired woman grins "We can keep Dent but waste the blonde"
"We have the time to axe her" Devlin laughs "Since Bruce Wayne isn't here...we have to find something else to amuse us, right? After all, we travelled this far...and to have no fun...would be a terrible way to end the night"
"Don't you dare touch her!" Dent growls but was knocked over the head with a baseball bat by the red-haired girl which knocks the man to the ground. Devlin steps over the man's body and leans towards Harleen with a smile on his face.
"You wanna play nice...or do you wanna be a naughty girl? I like 'em both" Devlin chuckles.
"Then you're gonna love me a hell lot" Harleen grins.
"Really? Please...show me your naughty side then..." Devlin leans closer until both his and Harleen's face are mere centimetres apart "Please show me just how naughty you can be, I have no plans for tonight - so we can have all the time that we need - so don't afraid to show us just how naughty that you can be..."
"If you say so..." Harleen rolls her eyes and rams a knight through the bottom of the man's throat. Devlin squirts blood from his mouth as he gasps at the wound "Don't say that I didn't warn yah...I'm not one to play gently..." she drags the knife across the man's throat and blood squirts out of his neck and onto the rug underneath them "...I hope it was as good for you as it was for me..." Harleen takes the axe out the man's hand and turns to face the redhaired woman who looks to her in shock.
The blood from Devlin reddened the bottom of Harleen's hair and her lips. She throws the axe at the redhaired woman and lands it in her head. The woman slightly stumbles as she feels the impact of the axe in her head. Her eyes dilate as her shaking hand reaches up to the axe as blood drips down from the wound into her eyes which reddened her vision, distorting it, blood even drips into her widened mouth as she tries to make sense of what was happening "...hghd...whahst….ohf…" she drops down onto her knees and onto the ground on her sides. Harleen turns her head at the two remaining members of the group who slowly back away and a smile forms on her blood-stained lips.
Wayne Enterprise Tower
Meanwhile...
"What do you mean that we lost communication with Devlin's group? That jackass couldn't even tie his own shoes without help..." a man with long dark-haired down to his waist hisses at a much more younger man who stood next to him "Now we won't know if Wayne shows his ass at his home, Jerome will not be pleased with this one..." he sighs. A shadowed figure runs across behind his back "Devlin only had one job, one job! And he botches it! I can't wait to get my hands on..." the long-haired man gasps as a whip was wrapped around his throat as he was pulled down onto the ground.
"What the?" the other man tilts his head before a hand with claws slashed across his face and eyes. He holds his eyes pain and slowly backs up "Aggghhhh! Agggghhhh! AGGHHHH!" he screams. Catwoman cartwheels and kicks the man in his chin. She then grabs the man's shoulders and throws him through a glass wall; covering his face in cuts and bruises. The Feline turns her head to the man lying on the ground who was grasping at the whip tied around his neck as he struggles to breathe.
Catwoman bends her knee backwards and rounds up a kick across the man's face; knocking the man out of consciousness in one fell swoop of her boot. She hears the sound of footsteps quickly approaching, she grabs her whip and attaches it to her left thigh and looks runs into the cloak of the darkness of the room and crawls underneath one of the many desks of the room. Four armed men carrying shotguns look at the two unconscious men on the ground.
"Shit! Batman's here!"
"Last time I checked the Bat doesn't claw off people's faces"
"I don't care who it is, just kill 'em - We cannot fail Jerome!"
"Then let's go hunting!"
Catwoman sees a pair of boots walk past the desk that she was under "Yeah...I'm in no hurry to get shot. I gotta be a little bit more careful with this one, just one shot and my nine lives won't matter" she sees the pair of boots stop in their tracks and turn towards her. Catwoman waits patiently as she awaits the man's next move "C' mon, get lost - you know that you want to"
"Whoever you are, you are as good as dead! You made a mistake coming here...we will make sure of that..."
"Yeah, the G.C.P.D is way too busy to save your sorry ass - it's just you and us tonight!"
"You're as good as dead! Glory to Jerome!"
Catwoman sees the owner of the boots turn away and begin to walk off from the desk. She crawls under the desk and out into open while still kneeling, she slowly makes her way behind the man who seemed to be alone as the other two were across the room "Come to kitty" she whispers as she quickly stands up and jumps onto the man's shoulders from behind and wraps her legs around the man's face as she forces him to the ground as his muffled screams barely make a sound.
She tightens the grips of her legs around the man's mouth and neck as she chokes him out, luckily she is enough low to the ground so there was no way that she be seen by the other two men. Eventually, the man's lack of breath became his undoing and he slipped out of consciousness. Catwoman rolls onto the ground and under another of the desks; getting out of the open space and made her to her next target. The two men look back as they realize that they were missing one of their own "Pascal?"
They both circle back in search of the missing man "He's gone! How is that even possible?"
"It's not, someone is messing with us and I don't like being messed with"
"Well then...let's kill whoever is doing this..."
"Agreed"
They both take different corners of the room as they ready their shotguns with their fingers on the triggers "Let's see them try to stop us out now, we're ready for them, and I am feeling really lucky..." one of the men nervously laughs. Catwoman follows behind him close to the ground. She quickly shoots up and wraps her hands around his mouth and drags him back and throws him onto the ground. She backflips and lands her heels on the man's face; knocking the wind out of him.
"Got you..." a voice says from behind her. She turns around to see the last man with his shotgun aimed right at her chest "Say nighty night, kitty cat" the man grins. Selina's eyes widen as she sees the man press his finger tighter on the tiger. The man's eyes widen as someone grabs onto his shoulder and squeezes; which forces him to the ground where he was unable to move his body like it refused his own commands. Selina looks down to the man and slowly pans her eyes up to be greeted with *her*.
"Your technique is good, but you need to work on your blind spots" Talia informs Selina as she gives her a light smile "You get too distracted on what is right in front of you, that you lose sight of what is behind you, you should really look into that - it could save your life one day" the woman stomps on the man's head which knocks him out.
"You...?" Catwoman steps forward and presses her heel on the head of the grounded man "What the hell are you even doing here? Don't you have an evil cult to rule? Why are you in Wayne Tower?" she sees Talia rolls her shoulders.
"I work here," Talia says in an amused tone of voice.
"You what?"
"I. Work. Here." Talia emphasises her words "...Have done for the week. I'm still settling in here, I am actually curious why you are here?" Talia questions Catwoman.
"I came back to see Lucius, but once I saw that these bozos had taken over the place, I rushed back to my place to get my gear and take them out" Catwoman folds her arms "Hold on if you were here...why didn't you do anything about them? You could have taken them out way before I got here"
"You are correct, I could have, but I couldn't risk blowing my cover"
"What cover? Never-mind- you were just happy to sit back and watch these people die? What if I didn't show up?"
"Irrelevant, I was aware that you were coming - Cats are always overtaken by the sense of curiosity - it's your nature" Talia replies as she looks away from Catwoman "I'm afraid that your search for Mr Fox is going prove futile for the moment - he is...busy. I suggest you make something else of your time here, like freeing the rest of the hostages on the floor above. That was all of the men holding those hostages, I suggest you hurry and set the hostages free before even more of those men come"
"Hold on! Have you seen Bruce? I need to tell him something really important" Catwoman inquires in a hiss.
"I haven't see him today, but we conversed a multitudes of times recently"
"You need to tell me where he is. I need to get to him before he can make a mistake that will haunt him for the rest of his life" Catwoman asks Talia who lifts an eyebrow in response.
"Mistake? Like what?" she steps closer to Catwoman "What mistake are you trying to prevent him from making?"
"Like killing Jerome, that kind of mistake. Bruce isn't a killer and you and I both know that is the only thing that we can agree on. I've seen him...when...he breaks his one rule...it's not a nice sight...he becomes broken...empty...I don't want to see him like that ever again-and neither should you if you care about him as much as you claim" Catwoman beseeches the other dark-haired woman. Talia rolls her eyes and tilts her head.
"...I know Bruce far better than you do - whether you are willing to admit or not. Bruce is upheld by his moral code. He would never breach it, no matter what happened - even if he thinks that his faithful butler is dead. You need to have faith in him to make the right choice - you and he aren't kids anymore so I suggest that you stop acting like he is the same Bruce that you knew all those years ago - he is so much stronger, both physically and mentally...I made sure of that" Talia counters as she looks back to Catwoman.
"*Even if he thinks that his butler is dead*" Selina bats her eyes "...Did you know? You knew this whole time and didn't tell him? What is wrong with you? Do you have any idea how hard he is pushing himself? How many sleepless nights that he has had! I'm scared that he is going to drop dead any day now - and you just neglected to tell him...just how long did you know about it?" Catwoman was beyond appalled by the woman's deceitful action.
"Listen, I don't have the time to explain everything to you - even if I did, I probably still wouldn't" Talia turns her head away from Catwoman "But...I can sense a great deal of concern for Bruce in your eyes. I'll tell you what, he's heading to City Hall - He's going to confront Jerome, what you do with that information doesn't bother me, do as you please" she dismisses Selina with a gentle gesture of her hand as she waves it. Catwoman looks up to the ceiling.
"Hold on - we are not finished here! Just what else have you been keeping from Bruce. Just what the hell are you up to?"
"I think that we are finished, I just saved your life so I recommend that you play just...just in case you need to save your ass again"
City Hall
7: 03 PM
"Mr Valeska...we got Bruce Wayne, he surrendered to us and wants to make your acquaintance"
"Ha...bring him to me..." Jerome grins as he sits behind the mayor's desk as he excitedly rubs his palms together. Eight civilians were sat on the ground, tied up and with no way of escaping. The ginger jumps to his feet as he sees the doors to the room open which showed two masked men grabbing Bruce's arms as they drag him into the room. Bruce was dressed in a tight-fitting black shirt with a matching shaded of dark jeans and a black duster over his shirt.
Jerome jumps on the spot and frails his hands "'Ello Brucy! Did yah miss meh? I sure as heck missed yah, they do say that absence does make the heart grow fonder...and my heart..." he guides his left hand over his chest "...Sure is beatin' fast as heck, my blood sure is pumping!" he rubs his palms together like a child trying to decide which present they should open on Christmas morning. He soon settles down and curbs his arms behind his back as he sees the two thugs carry Bruce all the way over to him.
"What-the-matter, Brucy? Not in a talkative mood?" Jerome leans forward until both he and Bruce's noses were touching "You still mourning that manservant of yours? C'mon, Brucie...I said that I was sorry, what else do you want from me?" Jerome turns his head to face what looked like a mother and her young son who were bound to the ground who looked at him in terror "Okay...if you don' wanna talk tah meh...how about we just get to my grandiose chef-d'oeuvre for the evening - don't look away, this one is a...killer!" he pulls out a handgun from his overcoat and aims it at the mother.
Bruce bits his lip and glares "You have me...now let these people go..."
Jerome snaps his eyes back to Bruce "You...know...I don't remember ever making such a deal like that" he taps the handgun against his own chest "This is how this is going to go down...one by one...I will kill these precious children's parents right in front of the little one's eyes, one after another - and once you have become broken and snap...only then will I take my sweet time...killing you...slowly...and with style!" Jerome sniggers as he lifts an eyebrow "...How does that sound, Brucie...?"
"Insane..." Bruce growled, "You are sick...you need help..., I won't let you go through with this..."
"I'm sick?" Jerome gasps "Would a sick man concoct a scheme that tricks your good friend Gordon on a wild goose chase so that we can all the time that we need?" the ginger cackled "What's funny is how you managed to see right through my little rouse...you have markings of one great detective. By now...good old Jimbo's senile old brain is beginning to realize that I just got him away from the city and that there is nothing that he can do...to stop me" he laughs as tilts his head and grins "Tonight...is all about us, Brucie. You and me...just like old times..."
"But not your old times..." Bruce whispers loud enough so that Jerome could hear "You're a fake, a low effort and flawed copy of the real Jerome...and you know when your followers find that out...they will turn on you...it is only a matter of time..."
"You're right, Brucie...but we both know that I won't live to see that day..." Jerome coughs "See...you know and I know that I am dying...I can feel myself rotting from the inside...I got a feeling that I only got a day or two in me at most..." Jerome rests his white-gloved hand over the man's left shoulder "When I was taken out of Indian hill...I saw you...well another you...just like I am another me..." Jerome's lips stretch even further across his cheeks "So...I'm guessing that wasn't you...it was your own doubleganger, right? That's how you know that I was a clone...you had an encounter with your own"
"I'm warning you...don't...do this...this is your last chance at life, don't throw this one away. You will never get another one"
"Oh shut up, Brucie...I never got any chance of a normal life...and I don't even want one...I like the way that I am...it feels just so...right...like I can do anything, that nothing can stop me" Jerome points the handgun at the mother again across the room "I just can't picture myself doing anything else..." he shares a tooth-full grin as he presses down on the trigger. The bullet shot through the mother's head and throw her down on the floor. The son's eyes widen as he screams through the muzzle that covered his mouth.
"NO!" Bruce tries to charge at Jerome but the two masked thugs promptly grab him and drag him backwards. Jerome jumps back and opens out his red overcoat which revealed a bomb-vest strapped around him. Bruce's eyes widen as he holds back any further attempts at attacking the man.
"Woah, you might wanna cool your jets, little Brucie - the excitement can be very...explosive - eh? See what I did there?" Jerome waves the gun in his hand around "See...I don't wanna end it all by just rotting away like some diseased animal, I want to go out with a bang and a bang I shall go out on" he tabs the gun against the bomb vest "I always wanted to paint da town crazy and it looks like I am finally going to get my wish. Truth be told, Brucie. I never had a long-term plan of survival - that's just not the way I like to do things...- I'm not just a common criminal...I am a showman, and I sure do like to take pride in my work"
"...I am going to beat you in an inch of your life..." Bruce growls "I will make you pay for what you have done...I will make you regret coming back and I will stop you, Jerome. You are nothing special, just another madman in the city...your flare fizzled out a long time ago..." Bruce's voice was full of anger and hostility towards Jerome whose only response came in the form a shrug. Jerome pats Bruce's shoulder as he uses his other hand to aim his gun at the kid that was crying next to his newly deceased mother.
"That poor little squirt seems to be taking it hard, whatcha say that we put him out of his misery?"
"NO! YOU WOULDN'T..." Bruce yells as he glares at Jerome "If you want to kill me...then fine, let these people go! They have nothing to do with this, Jerome!" he spits at the ginger. Jerome scoffs and rolls his eyes at the sight of Bruce's outburst.
"Nothing to do with this? What does the colour green and the number: seven have in common, Brucie?" Jerome steps forward "Absolutely nothing, but that doesn't mean that they can't be in the same room as each other. They are just there...that's it, there is no underlining connection or even correlation - that's the funny thing about life, Bruce. Things you wouldn't think were related often find themselves closer than you know" Jerome whacks the gun across Bruce's face.
Bruce spits as he is knocked back, however, the two men did their best to hold him in place "Truth be told, Brucie. I have no vendetta against you, I honestly would say that I might like you a tad - even when you were that cowering, snivelling little bastard whose throat I held my knife to, you still went up there - even when you knew the danger of what might happen" Jerome cackles as he once against whacks Bruce across his face with his gun, this time from the opposite direction "Maybe in another lifetime...we could have been friends, not the normal kind, but kindred spirits but I'm afraid that isn't who are to each other - we both want each other dead...so why not come to a compromise so that we can both get what we want..."
"If you didn't have that vest on...I would beat the life out of you..." Bruce's now blood-soaked lips quiver as he eyes the vest that Jerome was wearing "I am going to stop this, I am going to stop you...this will end tonight, Jerome..."
7: 11 PM
Wayne Manner
"Hey-Hey...you alright?"
Harvey Dent's eyes open to the sight of Harleen leaning over him. He sits upon the floor and rubs his head "Agh...my head is killing me.." Dent's eyes widen as he forces himself up onto his feet and quickly looks around the living room. He swiftly calms down when he sees that only he and Harleen were present "Wha-What happened to those psychos? What happened to them?" he turns to face Harleen who return a confused look.
"I don't know...they knocked me out right after they hit you over the head..., by the time I came too...they were gone. They must have figured that we weren't worth their time or somethin' like that" the blonde conveys her words as unsure and somewhat full of fear as if she didn't believe herself "But are you alright, Mr Dent? Getting hit on the back of the head like that sure is going to need one hell of a painkiller...c' mon. Alfred...he told me where to find the first aid kits in case of an emergency"
"Never mind that, Harleen! We need to get out of here just in case those madmen come back here" Harvey protests.
Harleen adjusts her glasses and smiles "I wouldn't worry, I got a feeling that they won't be coming here - just call it a gut feeling" she steps towards Harvey and stands on her tip-toes as she tries to get a good look of the back of the man's head "Looks like there is some bleeding. I may not be a medical professional, but I got a feelin' that bleeding from the head isn't a good sign. We really should get that patched up - I would even advice for ya to go see a doctor after all the madness outside subsides, until now...you may have to do with just some bandages"
"Yeah, I guess that you are-" Harvey abruptly stops in mid-sentence as he begins to pat down his blazer "No...no...no...no..." he alarms as he becomes more frantic and less in control of his own emotions. His eyes widen as he searching becomes much less precise and just non-sensical "It's gone! How can it be gone...no...no...NO!"
"Harvey? Harvey? HARVEY? What's wrong?" Harleen asks confused.
"My coin! My coin, it's gone...those bastards must have taken it! This...can't be happening, no...no...no...please...no...I couldn't have lost it...no...I couldn't of...that's just not...right" Harvey stresses as he begins to breathe heavily "No...how could...I let it be stolen like that...how could...I...?"
"Hey" Harleen sighs as she drops down on the couch and rests her hands in her lap "...It's my fault, Harvey. I shouldn't have been so scared of them...if I was only stronger...I could have prevented them from taking the coin..." she lowers her head and looks to the floor "I'm so sorry, Harvey...I know how much that coin meant to you...I shoulda done somethin', I should have thought of a way to stop them...but I was just too frail and week to do anything about it..." she takes off her glasses and rests them on the table beside her "...I never could help my friends...I'm just such a failure, geez...I'm pathetic..." Harleen heartbrokenly whimpers as she wipes a tear from her eye.
"No...don't be like that..." Harvey breaths out as he sits beside her "It's my fault...I was carrying my most prized possession in such a nonchalant way. It was bound to happen sooner or later, so please don't go blaming yourself, Harleen. I couldn't ask you to put yourself in such danger like that...I should have been more careful with it and now it's...gone" he slides his hand over Harleen's right shoulder "I just need to try and find Devlin and make him give it back...if he is even still in Gotham, after today - I won't be surprised to learn that he skipped town. Breaking into the home of the wealthiest man in Gotham can't possibly go down well for him..."
"I still feel bad about it though, I got that feeling when you are going to feel bad about somethin' happenin' even when your friends tell you that it's not your fault" Harleen confesses with a strong sense of regret "Without that coin...there could arise some problems for you, Harvey. That coin helped alleviate most of your insecurities, trying to adjust to everyday life without it may prove far more difficult for you than even I originally hypothesised" she tells the man sat beside her.
"I'll be fine, I have to be..., I don't think that I have a choice in the matter" Harvey nervously replies "Until...we can find a way...to solve this - I don't how I can do that or if it is even possible, but I can't just not try at all. I'm going to keep fighting for Gotham, no matter what it will take..." Harvey smiles, though slightly weak in nature it was still full of goodwill towards Harleen "And, I can count on you to help me cope with it all...because right now, I no longer have a choice, so I would apricated it...if you...could keep this between us...for now, can I count on you?"
Harleen sheepishly nods "Believe me when I say that you can count on me to get inside your head"
"Well..." Harvey stands up as he glances around the room at the broken glass all around the floor "I'm going to call Gordon and see if he can a team out here asap so we can begin locating Devlin and his breakfast club" he reaches into the inner pockets of his blazer and pulls out his phone and flips it open "Hopefully the outside world has completely gone to hell enough that James can still answer, I rather get this matter solved sooner than later..."
"Hold on, wait just a sec" Harleen jumps to her feet and places her hand over the man's phone "I can't imagine that would be the best course of action to take for the moment. You said it yourself that the commissioner has last control of his own police force - how do you not know that some of them may take the opportunity to frame you for another crime? Plus, I don't trust the cops myself, the GCPD has a hard rep of being in the Gotham criminals payroll - I don't feel safe knowing that any one of them may take the chance to finish me off - Me being here is supposed be a secret for a reason" the blonde explains to Harvey who takes a few moments to think over her words.
"I know Gordon - he will only choose the men and women that he has the most trust in. Believe me, Gordon is not going to let anything happen to you - and neither am I or Bruce. We are all here for you, but you are going to need to trust us three - no one else, but you need to try and have faith in us" Harvey tries to reassure the blonde woman who takes a deep breath and folds her arms.
"Easier said than done, I can trust both you and Bruce fine, but its Gordon that I am worried about..."
"Don't worry, Gordon is the furthest thing from being corrupted. He's a good man trying to do his best in this city, so is Bruce and so am I" Dent replies. He sees no change in Harleen's sceptical look at him. He could tell that she herself was having a much harder time than she would want to admit.
"Back when I worked at Arkham, we had a saying. The greatest way to hide one's bad deeds is not to deny one's guilt but to boast about one's own innocence, if the world only sees a person's good intentions, they will become blind to obvious path to hell that they are walking down" Harleen then picks up her glasses and puts them back on over her eyes "I'm sorry - you must think that I sound crazy. I just 'ain't in the mood to trust any sorta cop at the sec' - we can sort this mess our ourselves"
"Alright, alright, I understand how you are feeling - we'll keep this on the down-low from Jim and the G.C.P.D, we are going to need to tell Bruce about tonight, Harleen. He should know that a bunch of maniacs broke into his house, plus are we just going to pretend that Bruce isn't going to notice the broken glass the moment that he walks in the door?" Harvey suggests as he slides his phone back into his coat, looking back he once again sees Harleen looking nervous.
"Harvey...we can't, you can't tell him"
"Uh? Why not? Bruce is my friend - I just can't just not tell him that his home was compromised - I'm going to tell him" Harvey quickly argues, not with any adversary in his voice, but instead with a calm and collected tone, one that was split into trying to comfort the blonde next to him and the other half for looking out for his friend "He could be in great danger, whatever if they come back tomorrow or something...and like...I dunno, attack Bruce while he's sleeping?"
"C' mon, Harvey...Bruce is going through enough at the moment. He lost Alfred...just imagine how much that is hurtin' him...he hasn't been home in days and isn't even answering any of your calls" Harleen gives a tame smile towards Dent "That last thing that he needs is to be worrying about us two. Just give him some time to get back to his normal self before you go worrying him about this" Harleen looks towards the broken windows of the room "We can both clean this up together and can even order some more security equipment, but I don't want Bruce needlessly having to worry over us...he's been through enough lately"
"...You're right..." Harvey runs his right hand through his hair "...Bruce sure has had a lot to deal with recently...I don't want to add to that, I always hated to be a burden on others and Bruce definitely does not need that right now" he clenches left hand into a fist "...I usually don't like lying...after all, it's my job to make sure that the truth comes out, but it is to stop any more unneeded stress for Bruce...then I'll do it" he slowly shakes his head "I don't like it, but I'll do it...for Bruce"
City Hall
Elsewhere...
Jerome grabs Bruce's hair and yanks it up while he holds the gun in his hand to the man's throat "I just shot a loving mother is cold, cold, cold blood...just like your one was...right? That should make you angry...it should make you wanna kill me, it should make you jump onto me and beat me until your knuckles bleed..." he chuckles as he then press the gun against the dark-haired man's neck "But...here you are, so composed, so calm...just so boring! Where's the tears? The screams? WHY ARE YOU SO BORING!"
Jerome jumps on the spot and growls "Do I need to kill the kid too? What would it take for you to...to...breakdown into the scared, pathetic kid who is deep inside that brooding mind of yours? This...is supposed to be our night, yet I am doing ALL THER WORK!?" Jerome turns his head towards the still grieving kid "Fine...make it all about you, Brucie...how selfish of you..." he presses his finger against the trigger "Very...well...time to spice things up!" Jerome snaps his head back towards Bruce and shoots both of them holding Bruce in their heads.
Bruce's face was splattered with the blood of the two men as they were propelled to the floor "Alright, Brucie...I killed your butler and that kid's mother, now will you be ever so kind and make a move because are-" Jerome was knocked onto the ground by a punch from Bruce.
Bruce jumps onto him and rams his fist across his face, over and over which each connection causing Jerome's grin to grow in size "That's! OW, the, OW, SPIRIT!"
"You are going to pay for this...for every deprived deed that you have done - you will pay for them all" Bruce rams his fist across Jerome's face once more, quickly using his other hand to grab the wire of Jerome's bomb vest and rips it out, deactivating it. The ginger spits up blood into Bruce's eyes; causing the man to flinch. Jerome lifts the gun to Bruce's stomach and fires. Bruce bawls and was fast to cover the wound with his left hand and applied pressure to it. Jerome brought the gun up and whacks it across Bruce's head which rolled him off of him and to the floor beside him.
"I don' know Bruce - that's quite the list..." Jerome rolls on top of Bruce and holds the gun to his head "...It would be much quicker if you counted all the deprived things that I haven't done" he whacks Bruce across his face once again with the weapon in hand, and again and again "I had such a good plan - I made it for us, for us both to go out in a blaze of glory! But you are. just. so. boring. You couldn't even put in the effort for a fake smile! Now, what kind of manners is that!"
"My kind" Bruce headbutts Jerome which forces the man back up. Bruce, now bruised and bloodied across his face wastes no time as he jumps to his feet and kicks Jerome in the stomach. Jerome was backed against the set of doors to the room, however, he was still smiling. Bruce limps after Jerome while he still holds his hand against his gunshot wound. Blood was oozing out, leaking all over his hand and dripping onto the floor which left a trail as Bruce keeps making his way towards Jerome "Keeping this up will only result in getting yourself killed!" Bruce coughs.
"'Ello little Brucie, I'm already dying! What the hell do I care about death now? If you wanna stop then come an' ghet meh! Don't take too long or I might explode with excitement along with this whole building...once I get this thing fixed!" Jerome waves his arms as he bursts out of the room and runs "Come an' catch meh!" his laughter becomes quieter as the distance between quickly increases. Bruce tries to take another step but falls onto his knees. He breathes heavily, exhausted and in pain.
"JEROME!"
Bruce looks down to his jacket and uses his hand to tear off a long strip from it. He removes his blood-soaked hand from his wound and quickly wraps the material around his torso and wound. He knots the material, tightly fastening to stop the blood from leaking out. Bruce's eyes narrow and he grits his teeth. He stands back up and drags his feet across the floor. He grabs his coat and throws it off and onto the ground, and he begins to follow the sound of the laughter.
Lightning strikes down and the rain storms down viciously as Jerome runs out of city hall and down the stone steps while Bruce lagged behind and stops at the top of the stone steps as he looks down to Jerome. The redhead man stops and looks up to Bruce as he brings his gun up and aims it at Bruce "You wanna know something, Brucie? You are a real buzzkill! Here I was hoping for an exciting, heart racing and blood boiling epic chase...but you are limping around like some someone shot you" Jerome glances down to his gun "Oh-yeah, that's right..."
"This-this...this is over, Jerome! You crossed a line, taking away Alfred, kidnapping all those people and shooting the boy's mother! You just couldn't do it, could you? You have had three separate chances at life...and you have wasted them all!" Bruce growls down.
Jerome shrugs "It's honestly a subjective opinion, I for one feel like that I have made good use of them all!" he leans forward and grins "And those people don't care about you or the fact that you saved them! They will always see use as just the one percent, someone who they can villainise and blame for all of their problems! Bit of advice, Bruce - you are hanging with the wrong crowd! Those people hate you, despise you...in a way...I was doing you a favour by killing those whiny, unhappy, damn right miserable pests - they would rather have you dead - they all hate you and you are all too willing to save them!"
"My mother and father gave everything for this city and its people and I am more than honoured to follow in their footsteps! I will give it my all to stop people like you from terrorizing this city!" Bruce steps down onto the next concrete step. The duo were both soaked by the rain, from head to toe as they glare at each other. The rain has caused Bruce's once combed back hair to fall down over his face and Jerome's hair was a mess, knotted and stuck to his forehead.
"You gonna get shot and killed in an alley just like your mama and papa too? Because I can help with that one" Jerome points his gun back up at Bruce "There is no winning this war, Bruce. The world is packed to the brim with people like me! You, people, like to think that I am someone special, someone, that stands out from the others - someone who fuels the flames, right?" Jerome presses his finger against the trigger " That couldn't be further from the truth! You tell yourselves that lie to make the whole world appear as less scary than it actually is! The truth is that I may have been the first, but there will always be someone who will rock this city's foundation to its core! If you can't see that then you are the one who is really crazy"
"You're not going to shoot me, Jerome" Bruce takes another step down the steps "There is no one here to see you kill me...there is no one to see your moment of victory, and that bothers you. Your arrogance has always been your undoing - no matter how many times you come back..." Bruce takes another step down "...You were always your worst enemy, and now you have nothing to gain from killing me..." Bruce's eyes narrow as his feet land on the last step.
"And I got nothing to lose from killing you either! What's the worst that can happen? I'll die? That's already happening, and I say we put on. one. last. performance. Think of it as...the closing act on our journey together, the crème de la crème of our of finales!" Jerome throws the gun to the ground and pulls out a large knife from his red overcoat and begins to walk forward towards Bruce. The dark-haired man hops down the last step and too heads towards Jerome.
Jerome slashes across with the knife which Bruce back sway from barely gets out of its range. Bruce then paces forward and hits Jerome across his face with his right fist and then repeats the action with his left and for the third time with using his right hand. Lightning strikes down near the ground beside them as raid soaks them, getting into their eyes, nose and even mouths. Bruce and Jerome had trouble just keeping their eyes open from the constant shower.
Jerome runs his knife across Bruce's chest; cutting a fin line across his black shirt and causing bleeding. Bruce instinctively holds his hand to his chest as he backs away. Jerome grins as he strengthens his hold on the knife and goes for another swing, this time cutting across Bruce's hand that was held against his chest "Face it, Brucie! We belong together in hell, think of the carnage that we can do together!" Jerome laughs uncontrollably as he goes for another swing of his knife.
Bruce reflexively uses both of his hands to grab Jerome's wrist and hold back the knife "I'll be happy to send you there" he lifts up his knee and kicks Jerome in the stomach which knocks the redhead man off balance onto the ground. He splashes down in the puddle below him while he still grins. His gloved hand slowly reaches for the gun lying on the ground next to him. Bruce limps forward as he breathes heavily. Jerome jolts up his arm with the gun in hand and aimed at Bruce and fires it.
Bruce's eyes widen as the bullet rams through his left shoulder "I'll go halves with you! Ha!," Jerome sees Bruce step back and his left arm is covered by the blood that trickles down, becoming watery due to the rain that hits them both. Bruce limps back, convulsing as blood drips from his mouth. Jerome uses the time to stand back up and point the gun again at Bruce and holds down the trigger. Jerome's ears prick as he hears the gun click and realizes that it was empty.
Bruce hyperventilates, feeling out of breath and just weak, completely weak. He sees Jerome bring out his knife again and winds up a swing, Bruce sees the knife coming and holds up his arms to cover his chest and face. The knife cuts across the skin of his arms, over and over, each time a new trail of blood slivers down his arms. Bruce waits for Jerome to swing one more time which sliced across his own arms again. Bruce then sees Jerome was now out of breath.
Bruce headbutts Jerome to knock the man off balance and then swiftly wraps his bleeding arm around the man's neck and holds him to his chest as he holds arm tighter, and tighter around his throat, cutting off Jerome's supply of air. Bruce tightens his grip, over and over as he hears the man begin to choke and sees him try to struggle against his grip "This is for Alfred..." he growls as lightning strikes behind both him and Jerome, momentarily igniting them in a blue glow.
Jerome takes the knife in his hand and rams through Bruce's leg; causing the dark-haired man to howl in pain. Jerome manages to break free of Bruce's hold and grab the gun that one the ground and whacks it across Bruce's face, over and over "Your butler sure is going to be disappointed then..." he laughs as he strikes Bruce's face again. Bruce collapses on the ground lying on his sides, he tries to push himself up, before he could get a result, Jerome kicks him in the stomach which rolled Bruce to lie on his back and holds his sides.
"You're full of darkness, Brucie - it's like a there's a monster deep inside you that is trying claw its way out..." Jerome smirks as he kicks Bruce in the sides "You need to let it tear its way out of you...don't fight it, there is no need to be afraid - it will make everything just so clear...it will make everything seem unimportant and make the world your playground…" Jerome delivers another kick to the man's sides "It's who you are, Bruce," said Jerome as he kneels down to face Bruce.
"I know who I am..." Bruce hisses as he pulls the knife out of his leg and rams it into Jerome's foot; making the man scream in agony. Jerome's eyes widen as he brings both of his hands to the handle of the knife that was rammed in his foot and tries to pull it out. Bruce sits up and punches Jerome in the face which intern drops him to the ground just like Bruce was mere moments ago. Bruce yanks the knife out of Jerome's foot which drew a yelp from the redhead.
Bruce kneels over him and holds the knife over his head "I-I am so proud of you, Brucie..., you're a natural! Ima gonna miss our little chats, go on...do it.." Jerome sniggers as he sees Bruce's hand tighten around the handle of the knife "...Go on...kill little old me and avenge your poor manservant, it's what you want. I can see it in your eyes, Brucie...it's so...alluring" Jerome closes his eyes and smiles "I can see why my brother has such a fascination with you..., I just wish that I saw it sooner..., us two? We could have become legends together..."
Unknown to the two, Selina Kyle stands at the top of the stone steps as she silently watches the scene unfold before her own eyes. She has been there for most of it, just getting there after the first few blows were exchanged. She wanted to speak up, to tell Bruce that she was there for him, but as much as she hated agreeing with Talia, she needed to trust Bruce, and if Talia was true to her world; Bruce will make the right decision even if wasn't the one that she would make.
Bruce's hands squeeze around the handle of the knife, his breath slowed and the whole world suddenly seemed to stop around both him and Jerome. The rain that poured on them, the thunder and lightning that stormed down all across the city - they all just seemed insignificant to him. Bruce suddenly found himself looking at the ground by Jerome's shoulder where a large puddle was and in it, Bruce was not shown his own image but that of the dark knight, Batman who mimicked all of his own movement.
"I know who I am...and you don't get to take that away from me..." Bruce hurls the knife across the ground and looks back to Jerome. Bruce grabs Jerome's shoulders "You don't get to win, not after all that you have done, not after the people that you hurt, you don't deserve that luxury"
"I deserve to die, Brucie and you...know...it..." Jerome turns his head "...If...you can't settle with killing me...then you get to be...stuck with...not saving me..." Jerome weakly lifts left hand and wrapped it around Bruce's wrist "...And that will sting just...as...much, won't it? Either...way...I win... because this city...isn't made...for heroes..., it...has always...belonged to the...villains, Godspeed Brucie,...Godspeed..." Jerome's grip weakens around Bruce's wrist.
"When I said that you don't get to win, I meant it..." Bruce whispers as he struggles to stand to his feet, he rests his left hand over his chest and slowly turns his head to see Selina standing on top of the steps. Bruce slowly shakes his head "S-Selina?" he takes a couple of steps before he drops to the ground. Selina's eyes widen, she hurries down the steps and to Bruce in a panic. She sees Bruce trying to get back up, but his knees keep failing and dropping him back onto the ground, over and over.
"Bruce? Bruce? Hold on" she lays her left arm under the man's head and her right-hand presses against the wound in his stomach "Bruce...hang in there...I need to tell you something, It's..." she was cut off by Bruce's attempt to sit up.
"J-jacket, in there...has...Lazar-" Bruce stammers as he points to City Hall.
"Wait a moment, Bruce...I need to tell you about Alfred, he's alive, he's alive - the one who died, it was...it was a clone" Selina tells Bruce who look to her in a shocked manner "That's right...that's right, Alfred - he's out there...you haven't lost him yet"
"He's alive?" Bruce blinks the water out of his eyes "Jerome,...he didn't win..." Selina helps Bruce to his feet and helps him walk. Bruce turns his head to Selina "Selina, need my jacket from - inside...it has...Lazarus water in...syringe" Bruce breaths heavily.
"Lazarus? You never going to kill him were you?" Selina asks as she sets Bruce down on the bottom step.
"No, but I wanted to..." Bruce confesses as Selina looks up at City Hall "He's a clone, Selena - and that meant that he was going die...I grabbed some Lazarus water from the pit" Bruce's hands settle on his chest "My clone used the Lazarus to constantly reverse the defects, but it never fully cured it. He had to undergo the process every few months, it won't buy Jerome much time, but it will be enough to answer for all that he has done..."
"Stay here, I'm going to get it" she runs up the steps.
"Selina! There are hostages there too! You need to untie them!" Bruce calls out, holding his sides in pain. Bruce rests his head on the steps above "Alfred, I'll find you - I swear"
After untying all the hostages and watching them run out of the room, Selina's eyes find themselves looking at a discarded black jacket on the ground. She kneels down beside it and searches through it and sure enough, she finds the syringe and pulls it out and holds it in her open palm. Once her eyes lay upon it, they suddenly become lifeless and still, not showing any emotion. She slowly makes her hand into a fist and crushes the glass; shattering it and letting the Lazarus water pour from her hand onto the ground.
She snaps back to reality and shudders as she sees the broken glass in her hand "What...just happened...?" she ponders, very confused and worried that she couldn't recall what happened. Unknown to her Joker kneels his head over her shoulder and grins, brushing his index finger under her chin. He breathes down her neck, yet Selina couldn't tell that there was someone behind her, she couldn't even see that shadow of the man. It was like he didn't exist to her.
"You did as you were told my dear, such a good girl you are..." Joker chuckles "I knew about the Lazarus water thanks to a certain birdy in my ranks, and I couldn't have Jerome taking away my precious Bruce's attention from me..., this city only has room for one of us...and that's Joker" the man in the purple suit stands up and holds his arms behind his back "Listen up, kitty. You are going to tell Bruce that the poor little hostages trampled over his coat when they were in a hurry to get out..., he can't be mad at you for checking on them first...in fact, it's what he would have done..."
Selina's eyes shut and she holds her hand to her head "Agghh…" she groans as her head begun to hurt like hell.
"Ha, Ha, Ha, Ha, Ha!"
8: 57 PM
"Dead! I want him dead! I want him sliced open and ripped apart!" Sophia Falcone growls, storming across the well-lit docks of Gotham bay. Her right arm was held against her chest in a sling and she had a band-aid over her forehead that covered a large scar "I can take many things, but being humiliated...is not one of them...," beside her was a wheelchair-bound Tony Zucco who managed to keep up with the woman's pace, rolling the wheels with his hands.
"Stop complain' 'bout how bad you have it, I was thrown at moving freakin' limo! I think that I have a more just excused to be pissed" Zucco says irritated "He freakin' broke my legs," he looks ahead at the end of the docks where were men were standing. Both he and Falcone made their way to the other two at the end.
"Oh shut up, Zucco - no one cares" Sophia grumbles.
"Aye, you're gonna trash talk a crippled man? How low..." Tony rolled his eyes.
"You were always crippled - just now the outside matches up with the inside, now you're not just a dumbass - you're a wheelchair-bound dumbass" Falcone scoffs, turning her head to face away from the man, she sees Black Mask turns to face her along with the other man stood next to him.
"Ah..." Black Mask, dressed in a black suit holds out his arms to green the two incoming "What do we have here? I believe it is...none of other than the prestigious Sophia Falcone and the abominable Tony Zucco - I see that you two had a rough night, let me guess..., Batman?"
"*Abominable*? Oh, come on - I'm crippled man, can't you give me a break?" Zucco sighs.
"Shut up, Zucco - no one cares," Black Mask casual said, he places his gloved palms together and intertwines his fingers "You two...oh...you two..." the eyes from under his mask narrow as a clear sign of annoyance forms "...you let Batman get the file! You absolute dumbasses! I GAVE YOU ONE JOB AND YOU SCREW IT UP!"
"To be fair, Sionis - we didn't expect for Batman to suddenly show up" Zucco tries to reason.
"You didn't expect him?" Black Mask glances all-around "You didn't expect him? YOU DIDN'T EXPECT HIM!?" he yells "YOU MEAN YOU ARE THAT INCOMPETENT!"
"Relax, Batman will just probably think that it was just a regular meteor and nothing special" Sophia counters.
"Or maybe...I WILL JUST PROBABLY SHOOT YOU FOR SUCH A IDIOTIC DISPLAY OF YOUR INTELLIGENCE! do you...honestly...think that he'll just think that you two just suddenly took up star gazing?" the venom in Black Mask's voice was unnerving, almost haunting to the two.
"You know when *he* finds out about this...he will make you suffer" the man stood beside Black Mask says. He was dressed in a purple shirt with a black tie under a black overcoat, the man was bold and looked to be in his late twenties. Lex Luthor holds his hands in his pockets as he glances back and forth between the two right in front of him "I have not done all this just so that you two can mess it up! I have worked long and hard for what he has promised us - and I will not let you compromise that"
"Really, Luthor?" Sophia Falcone raises an eyebrow "May I remind you of the mess that you made in Metropolis? Batman and Superman screwed you over a lot harder - last time I checked that project you were working on was taken into police custody - so remind me? Whose compromising who?"
Luthor moves his hands out of his pockets and opens his right palm where the small wooden case was shown. He pulls it open and shows Sophia a black crystal that glowed with an ominous violet layer "I own the police, my dear..., what you are looking at is Black Kryptonite, a power source stronger than any star in the universe, and the perfect magnet to draw the meteor to us"
"Hold...on I thought that magnets are made of metal, how can a meteorite be a magnet?" Zucco says puzzled.
"Oh...you are such a dumbass" Sophia groans.
Black Mask scoffs "Well...looks like Mr Luthor actually managed to do his part, and didn't screw up - best news that I have heard all day"
"Wait..." Zucco looks at Sophia, Black Mask and then Lex "There's only four of us, aren't there supposed to be five of us? Where's the demon's head? Wasn't she supposed to show up?"
"Well...you see..." Black Mask steps forward "She's doing this thing...called...ACTUALLY GETTING HER JOB DONE AND NOT SITTING ON HER ASS MAKING A FOOL OF BOTH HERSELF AND ME...Like you and miss Falcone seem to be doing...a lot lately..."
9: 16 PM
Wayne Manner
"That was stupid, Bruce..." Jim stands with his arms folded as he looks to Bruce and Selena who were in the living room of Wayne Manner "Your actions ended up costing the life of a mother and her son is beyond traumatized! WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?"
"Jerome wanted me...and you know what he would have done if I didn't show up, I couldn't risk it" Bruce sat beside Selina on the couch while Gordon stands in front of him. Bruce lifts his head to the commissioner "I just couldn't sit back and let all those people die..."
"Oh? So you were just happy walking into danger, getting shot, stabbed? You should have called me, Bruce - you should called anyone, the G.C.P.D? You know... the people who swear an oath to protect the people of Gotham? Ringing any bells?" Gordon's tired voice hit home with Bruce, like he could feel the disappointment, the frustration. He could have sworn that he heard almost every negative emotion coming from the older man's voice. Bruce doubts that Jim has ever been as mad with him as he was being now.
"Jim..." Selina bats her eyes and looks up to the man "Bruce was trying to make the best out of a bad situation, the G.C.P.D were all swarmed with all the riots and you sure wouldn't have made it in time to save those people. You may not like it, and I think what he was stupid too, but Bruce did the best that he could. He managed to save most of the people, which is a lot more than if you got there when you did..." the dark-haired woman says with honestly.
"Don't try to be sweet with me, young lady - you are in just as much hot water as Bruce, I got eye-witness reports that say that you were the one to free them. You actively contaminated a crime scene, and went out of line - you went to the circus where you had no idea of what dangers would happen there..." Gordon stresses "You could have gotten yourself killed..., and you..." he turns his head to Bruce "You started a confrontation with a guy who had a bomb vest on, how stupid can you be? You could have died, Jerome could have died and all those people there...could have died!"
"I-know what I did was foolish, but...there wasn't another way, it was going down then and there..."
"I don't want to hear it!" Gordon aggresses his tone "What you did was beyond dangerous and stupid, you played right into Jerome's hands -just like he wanted and knew that he would! Actions have consequences and don't be surprised if they don't come back to haunt you!" he grits his teeth "After all these years, you two are still acting like children! No...even worse...you are trying to be heroes - when you know what this city does to those people!"
"Look! I get it, you are the guy who people turn to when stuff goes wrong...whoopty doo..., you don't get it do you, Jim? You are not the man who you were all these years ago and you will never be again, you are older, less mobile and a liability when it comes to the serious stuff..." Selina slowly stands up and glares at Jim "You can't be the light of Gotham anymore, you can't keep the order or save Gotham, this city has chipped too much at you - you need to realize that what Bruce did today...is exactly what you would have done all those years ago"
"..." Jim was silent as he turns to Bruce.
"Selina...," Bruce stands up and looks to the girl beside him "That's enough, I don't want us to fight. That's the last thing that we need right now, I screwed up - I know that, and I'm sorry..." Bruce slowly turns to face Jim he holds his cut and bruised arms down by his sides "...But if it was needed to save lives, Jim...I would do it again in a heartbeat, and again until it kills me..., that is the way that I was raised and that is the man that I want to be, you may not like it, but I won't step down, not now... - not ever"
"I know you won't, Bruce" Jim sighs "But that doesn't mean that I have to like it"
the billionaire nods "Fine, now onto the next matter - Alfred...we need to find him"
Gordon tenses up "Listen, Bruce...just because that wasn't Alfred, doesn't mean he is still alive..., if we do find him, I hope you know what you might find - and be ready if it's not what you wanted" he holds his hand over Bruce's shoulder "Someone is messing with us, they have stacked the deck in their favour and I got a bad feeling that it all has something to do with the breakout at Arkham and Blackgate"
"Trust me, Jim - nothing will stop me from finding Alfred, I don't care who's behind this or what they want, I will find Alfred," Bruce tells the commissioner with a scowl.
"*We* will find him, Bruce" Jim turns his head away "Jerome is dead and his being taken away far from Gotham to be cremated, luckily most of the rioters all disbanded once they got new that Jerome was taken out" From outside the room, Harleen stands with her ear pressed against the gap between the door.
Later...
"Are you sure that you are going to be okay? Those vicious creeps did a number on you. I couldn't recommend seeing a doctor more, you could have got a concussion" Harleen worries, sitting on a king-sized bed with Harvey sitting beside her "Don' get me wrong. I am grateful that you are helping me keep what happened today a secret for my safety, but don't let that stop you from goin' and gettin' the medical attention that you need..."
"I'm good, trust me" Harvey bring his right hand to the back of his head "Sure it's still throbbing, but apart from that I feel fine, well...except for having the coin stolen. That part really is bothering me, my father gave that to me on his death bed..., I was kind of hoping to one day pass it down to my own son...you know, like some families pass down vases or watches, but you know...with a coin, it may sound preposterous that a coin can mean that much to a person"
"Believe me, Harvey. I have heard a lot of strange things in my career, your so-called obsession, a coin? Is quite refreshingly tame and kinda wholesome if you think about it. Holding onto that coin musta felt like your old man was with you through every difficulty that you have faced.." Harleen smiles "Honestly, I'm kinda jealous of you - I wish that I had such a keepsake from my father, but I just got what little fond memories I shared with him, and that's more than I can ever ask for..."
"It's odd, I've only known you for less than a day - yet I feel so...calm and conformable around you and talking to you about my...well-uh, you know. It's amazing to finally be able to tell someone all of this, I never wanted to worry Bruce, and Jim would deem too unfit to campaign for mayor" Harvey smiles too "Thank you"
"It's nothin'. It was my job to help sort out people's turmoil, and I'm just glad that I helped you. Most people I do this with...well...have a tendency to be well...not very nice people"
Harvey stands up "For a while now I have thought that the whole world was turning against me, trying to keep kicking me while I am down, trying to make give up on the city - but now I know what to do. I need to bounce back, even stronger and show the people that I can bring them a safer Gotham, a better Gotham and when I do...I want all of my friends by my side...which now I guess includes you" Harleen stands up and walks with Harvey until they reach the door to her room "Goodnight, Harleen"
"You're not going to talk to Bruce? I thought you would have wanted to talk to him" Harleen opens the door to her room and stands against it "You have been worried sick and all, did you hear about that stunt that he pulled earlier? If I didn't know any better...I would think that he was crazy for doing something...so reckless..."
"Eh...it makes me feel better to say that he's just eccentric" He heads out of the room, turning back to see the blonde "I would go and congratulate him about saving all those people, but...he's with Selina and that usually only goes two ways. One: They argue. Two: They do something else that I don't feel conformable walking in on, take care"
"Night, try to take it easy" Harleen waves at the man before she closes the door. Her eyes narrow and her lips curve into a smile as she locks the door behind her. She walks forward and lifts her arm up, opening her hand up. A double-sided coin rests in her palm "And...that went way better than even I thought..."
Bruce stands on the small balcony of his room. He looks out to the distances to Gotham that shines. His hair is gently blown by the small gusts of wind along with his shirt. He looks down, holding onto the railing. He was amazed by how peaceful Gotham looked from this far away, like it was a completely different city, one that isn't flawed, or dangerous - it looks beautiful like his parents always thought the city to be. He hears footsteps coming from behind him.
A small smile forms on his face "You are getting better at that, but you still need to work on it"
"How are you holding up? I know that the last few days have...been hard for you..." Selina walks beside him and leans her chest over the railing, using her arms to support her upper body "You want to talk about it, Bruce? I can't imagine how hard it has been for you..."
"Selina..." Bruce looks up to the shrouded sky, covered in clouds with the moon high above shinning through the darkness "...I don't know how I am. I don't know how I am feeling..., this whole thing - I have just been going from one point to another, I never took the time to think about how I was acting, now that I looked back at..." he lets a small sigh "...It's like I was a different person, like what Alfred told me finally came true..." he lowers his head and looks to Selina "That the monster that I created, Batman...may be a force far stronger than I can control, the anger..., the pain...it all just consumed me...like Bruce didn't exist and there was only...him"
Selina moves her hand over Bruce's "...You are Batman, Bruce. What you did to all those people out of anger, the way you savagely hurt them..., that wasn't some dark force or powerful prescience, it was all you, Bruce" she rests her head on the man's shoulder "...Bruce, I care about you too much to lie to you - but you have something in you, some darkness that you need to face before it consumes you, the thought of you losing Alfred - it made you...well...I was scared of you, Bruce and I never want to feel like that again"
"I was scared too..., I am still scared of what I can do..." Bruce looks back up to the sky "...I wish Alfred was here, he always knew what to say..."
"He would want you to do what you think is right, he always trusted you to make the right call..." Selina hums as she too looks up to the sky "As long as you keep going with what you think is the right thing to do, you will keep making him proud..."
"That's what's worrying me..., doing what I think is right has felt...so...wrong lately, what if...what if...one day, I feel that the right thing to do...is to...kill someone, to end the life of a person to save loads more? I don't know what I would do..."
"I do" Selina smiles as her green eyes look up at Bruce "The exact same thing that you did tonight, find another way, like you always do, the reason why Alfred is so proud of all" she resettles her head over the man's shoulders "Tonight, you showed the city that it just doesn't have Batman to protect it, you showed them that Bruce Wayne is just as much of a hero" she closes her eyes and smiles "Batman, the dark knight of Gotham and Bruce Wayne, Gotham's White Knight..., you can really do it all, can't you?"
"It's hard, but seeing the people that I have in my life...it makes it all worth it, it shows me that I am fighting for something important, it shows me that I have people who I want to protect, that I am surrounded by the best people that I possibly could be..."
"Even...Harleen? I think she's a little...annoying" Selina hums.
"Eh? The Brooklyn accent is kinda charming" Bruce jokes with a small chuckle.
Selena jolts the man in the sides with her elbow "But...I'm still the best girl in your life, right. I'm still the hottest, right?"
"Eh...this a trick question? Because...I kinda feel that you are baiting me right now..., are you baiting me?" Bruce says playfully.
"No. I am legitimately asking you if I am the hottest girl to you, I am being serious, very serious" Selina gives a playful smile "C'mon, we both know that I am, so there's no being in stalling - just come out and say what we already know..."
"I-uh, you're-uh...I-uh...you're...you're up there" Bruce guffaws as he wraps his arm around the woman's waist and brings her closer "You-uh...you have your moments - a tone of them, but you...still haven't returned the diamond yet..., now returning stolen goods that you original stole is one of my kinks, you doing that will skyrocket you to the top "
"Really? So...me returning your heart will make me top tier? I'm not sure that I'm quite ready to give that back quite yet"
"Well-un...nice on..."
"Oh...thank you, Mr Wayne - I do try" she lifts her head and nuzzles her nose into Bruce's neck "I...can do a lot of other *nice* things too, I'll be happy to show you some of them...if you ask nicely"
"I guess I got five minutes to spare" Bruce feels tingly as Selina keeps nuzzling against his neck.
"*Only five*? I think that we can do better than that...a lot better..."
G.C.P.D
James Gordon dials his phone and holds it to his ear, hearing ringing on the other end "Doctor Langstrom? It's me, Gordon. I've been calling you all night, I checked Gotham General and they told me that you take the nights off. I was wondering if we could find somewhere to meet and talk" from the safety of his office, Gordon looks out through the blinds at Harvey Bullock who appeared to be conversing with a few other cops "...I don't think that Alfred Pennyworth was the only decoy...I need you to run some tests, please get back to me..."
"I think that the safety of Gotham depends on how we play the next few days..."
"Please...when you can, call me back"
The answering machine echoes, going lower into the house, the basement was dark, leaking with the only source of light coming from the small window from the wall. At the corner of the room was a metal cage with thick bars. An inhuman growl echoes through the whole room as three overgrown claws covered in black hair slice across the wall; creating three marks across it. The creature behind the marks screeches at two crimson red eyes glow from within the darkness.
"GGggGRRrrRrAAaaAHhhhH!"