Spirit of the Goat Returns
Rain storms through the city of Gotham in an unrelenting assault, both thunder and lightning join in.
"Help! HELP ME! HELP!" a brunette woman screams as she runs through the Narrows, within the cloak of night. Just after midnight. She's dressed in a black dress and high heels with short hair that forms a small fringe just above her eyes. She flails her arms and drags her exhausted legs, taking a quick gasp with each step she took. On her desperate escape, she runs through multiple unclean puddles and splashes over her, covering her legs and dress in mud-like stains.
"HELP!" She screams, screams and screams at the top of her lungs. She knew with each gasp she made was only going to fasten her undoing. But she had to, she had to find someone to help her. She had to. In her panic, she trips over and snaps her high heels. She falls into a deep puddle off the sidewalk, fully soaking herself. She breathes heavily and her chest heaves, straining from each and every inhale she made. Her eyes tremble as she sees a reflection in the puddle before her, given ample light by the street lamp above.
Her own image looks back at her, that and something else. A larger individual who now stands above her crawling body. A man dressed in a black mechanic jumpsuit with their face covered by a leather mask, one that had horns on the sides. He holds a hammer in his right hand.
"Dear God..." the woman trembles as she slowly turns to look up to the masked man.
"Not God. I'm the goat!" the man snarls. He then swings the hammer down towards the woman. Blood spills on the sidewalk, running through the trail of water and down the drain.
Beneath Wayne Tower
- Bat-Bunker -
"Pillock! Absolute bloody wanker!," Jason Blüd slams his palms on one of the tables, throwing a glare over to the brooding Bruce, "Plan! P-L-A-N - PLAN! Have you heard of it? You propose a stratagem and follow through with it! It was simple, Whisper walks in knowing our trap, we then spring another on her - she dodges it... then you snap her up with the original trap among the confusion, it's basic deception!" Jason yanks off his glasses and drops them on the table "And now because of your idiotic saviour complex, I am a dead man walking!"
"She's confused, angry and feels betrayed. The first guy she turned her manipulated her into being his personal assassin! I thought that she would prove to be more helpful as an ally rather than just locking her up," Bruce stammers as he faces Blüd.
"Are you having a bloody laugh mate,?" Jason chuckles, "Wake up you imbecilic! She was in love with Ra's al Ghul! What rational woman would think for a sec that he would even precipitate their feelings? As far as I am concerned… she was lost long before she took up arms with Prometheus!"
"You don't know that!"
"YES I DO! Ra's doesn't take chances! He never once dabbled in the land of *what ifs*, he only pursued ventures that were only absolute certainties! He bathed her in the Lazarus, welding her mind to his will! For eighty years she stood beside him! RA'S WAS A DISEASE AND A'DAIRE IS THE SYMPTONS OF HIS INFLICTION!"
"SO WHAT!? I shouldn't help her? She's blinded by hatred... there's no way to live. I don't care what Ra's put her through... I'm not letting him destroy her. I'm not letting Ra's destroy another life!"
Blüd lets loose a small laugh, "Your hypocrisy is quite amusing to me. You claim to a man of justice, yet you let a cat-burglar freely walk the streets, an assassin work in the same building as you.. and now? You are showing sympathy for a woman who has slain hundreds of innocents in the name of the man who destroyed your city," he stands with his hands on his hips, "Call it a hunch, but I got a feeling that you have a thing for the bad girls"
"I know that people are more complicated than just being good or evil. I'm going to Nanda Parbat to get Lucius back and try to get through to Whisper"
"Good luck with that chap. Whilst you are embarking on that death wish... I shall be getting the hell out of the city... but first... I have some unfinished business. If you would excuse me." Jason grabs the pair of glasses from the table and puts them back on. He throws on his messenger bag and looks to the elevator that leads out of the lower levels.
"Where are you going?" Bruce blocks the other man's view, "You're coming with me to Nanda Parbat."
"Am I?" Jason humours Bruce as he grabs the strap of his messenger bag, "Hate to break it to you buddy, but I'm not stepping foot there."
"if you don't... Whisper will kill Lucius."
"And which one of us dashing gentlemen got Mr Fox into that little predicament of his? It certainly wasn't me... oh wait... it was you WHEN YOU TOLD WHISPER THAT YOU KILLED RA'S! This is your doing, Bruce. Your mess! And it's up to you to clean it up"
"You're telling me that you would let a man die... because you are too much of a coward?"
"Being a coward is the reason why I have made it for as long as I have. I never asked for this curse of immortality but its mine all the same. The death of a good man is the least that I have on my conscience," the auburn-haired man holds his hands out to Bruce, "My words may not do justice for my will to see you get your friend back. But if Ra's was a disease then I am poison. I'm not a good man, not even close." Bruce refuses to shake the man's hand.
"Maybe today is when you can start to be. I'm not asking you to be a hero, I'm just asking you to do the right thing"
"Apologies my friend, but you don't live as long as me without corrupting your own sense of right and wrong," Jason moves past Bruce and walks into the elevator. He turns back to look at Bruce, "If you want a shot at being Whisper though minuscule: Ask her about Dusan"
"Talia and I are long overdue for a talk," Bruce says under his breath. He sees the doors close on Jason.
Barbara Keans's House
Peace, tranquillity, harmony.
All ruined by the sudden buzzing of a phone placed on the nightstand. Selina hisses at the sharpening sound. She rolls over and runs her hands through her hair "Why?" she reaches over and grabs her phone. She sits up and answers the call, "This better be good."
"This matter is important but the circumstances are anything but good," Sofia Falcone's voice wakes Selina up fully.
"How'd you get this number?"
"C'mon. We're family. Do you really believe I would be one to deny us a simple way of communication?"
"So you keep reminding me. Just tell me why the hell you are calling me this early?" Selina glances over to the outside through the windows of the room, seeing the twilight hours of the morning.
"It's half 7... in the morning"
"My point still remains"
"I believe its best if you were to see for yourself. Turn on the news"
"Fine!" Selina stands and walks out of her room. She enters the living room and looks to the television. She grabs the remote from the couch and changes the channel.
"- And in what's to be another ritualistic killing, another daughter of the wealthy has been found dead. Rachel Dawes, daughter of Louise Dawes and Anna Dawes...," Vicki Vale reports as she stands in front of the body bag, "Rachel was described as being a kind-hearted caring girl and her loss will indeed haunt her parents for days to come. These new strings of grizzling murders come eighteen years after a similar resurgence of murders haunted the city of Gotham..."
"This city really is going to shit... even more so"
"I would be careful if I were you. If this indeed the work of the *Goat* then I must warn you to keep a low profile. The last I need to worry about is that nutjob coming after you"
"Why the hell would that creep come after me? He's gunning after the elite"
"You're a Falcone, Selina. That's as elite as you can get. That and being a Wayne but the rich boy skipped town; only leaving us"
"So what? No one knows that I am... a Falcone. I sure as hell haven't told anyone..."
"Neither have I. But people can overhear things, say things that they shouldn't, anything for a little more bucks"
"I'm hanging up now... don't call this number again." Selina hangs up and looks back to the TV.
"We are still waiting for an official statement from the GCPD, if the Goat truly has returned then we are in for even more bloodshed. Stay tuned for the latest updates on this matter. This is Vicky Vale... signing off. Back to you Jack"
"Son of a bitch!" Selina snarls. She slides her phone into her back pocket.
"Why did he kill her?" a petite voice asks Selina.
Selina turns to see Barbara Lee standing behind her, "What? How much of that did you see!?"
"Enough to know that he's a monster... like the laughing man. He killed that woman... why?"
"Don't concern yourself with that, Barb. You're too young to have to be exposed to that," Selina kneels down and smiles at the girl, "How about the two of us go out and... get some ice cream? A little birdie told me that was your favourite"
"I don't wanna," Barbara Lee shyly looks away, "I'm not a kid. I'm going to be thirteen soon. I want to know. I wanna understand why he's killing them"
"Because he's a bad man, Barb. A really bad, crazed and heartless person. That's why. Now drop it." Selina takes the girl's hands in her own, "Some people do things just do be evil, to hurt others... there is nothing to understand." Selina carefully caresses the girl's cheek, "I spent my whole childhood living in fear, Barb. I sure as hell not going to let you do the same. You deserve a childhood"
"...Okay... I'll stop..." Barbara Lee drops her head, "I'm... sorry Aunt Kyle"
"Don't be. I just want to see you be happy." Selina smiles as she ruffles the girl's hair, earning a giggle from her, "Now about that ice cream?"
Barbara Lee nods with a smile.
GCPD Precinct
- Captains Office -
James Gordon and Harvey Bullock both stand silently before Amanda Waller. The woman holds a glare, holding her arms close to her chest, "I read your report on the Goat, and I was lead to believe that the case was closed. But here we are" the unamused Waller looks over to the television on the wall. Jim and Harvey both turn to look to the screen, "Raymond Earl is dead. So unless he has magically resurrected-"
"Which wouldn't be out of place for this city," Harvey quips.
"Does this look like a situation deserving of your tone-deaf witticism?," Waller sees Harvey visibly stumble back, "That's what I thought. As I was saying since Raymond Earl is dead, this can only be indicative of a copycat... which Raymond Earl also was"
"A copycat... of a copycat? Oh sweet holy-," Harvey comments.
"Stop talking. I can see I made the right call in trusting in Gordon. You two are on this case, you solved it before and you are going to solve it again... and for the last time." Waller walks around the desk and scavenges through the drawers.
Gordon slides his hands to his overcoat's pockets, "I was planning to go after this son of a bitch anyways. Just like the first time the Goat was killed, we sealed the file and left out key details to ensure that there won't be any more copycats. Right now we are going off of our own memories," Gordon sees Waller gesture her hand to his. She passes him a specialized Checkmate ID badge. He takes it from her, "We need access to the autopsy report, that way we can confirm if this copycat really knows their stuff"
"You're holding a state-of-an-art Skeleton Key. It will override any electronic lock... you will be granted full access to all files involved in the case. You'll find the girl's body in the Elliot Memorial's morgue. Do whatever it takes to get this guy" Waller informs the two men.
"You aren't advising us on this one?" Gordon examines the Key Card.
"I have enough to deal with as it is. This is just to ease public tensions - this is all you"
"And if we don't stop him before he kills another person?" Harvey muses.
"We'll be the ones dragged through the mud" Gordon answers as he and his partner exit the room. Waller smirks as she sees the two men leave, their backs to her.
Wayne Tower
- Bat-Bunker -
Leslie Thompkins descends down Wayne Tower in the hidden elevator. Her ears begin to pick up the sound of muffled screams that sounded of an argument that was brewing down below. Sure enough, the more she descended the tower, the louder the noise became. Lee looks over as the doors open and reveals the bunker and the two people yelling at each other. A man and a woman. Bruce and Talia. Lee hears it all. The harsh exchange of words, the vicious tone each took.
"YOU LIED TO ME, TALIA!" Bruce yells at the demon's daughter who snuffs at his accusations.
"I LIED TO YOU? YOU WANNA TALK ABOUT LIES? FINE! Let's discuss the tubes of Lazarus water THAT YOU WERE HIDING DOWN HERE! THE LAZARUS IS A SERIOUS THREAT, NOT A TOY FOR YOU TO PLAY AROUND WITH!" Talia growls, "JUST WHAT YOU WERE YOU PLANNING TO DO WITH IT? SELL IT AS A MEDICINE TO MAKE MONEY? WELL? I'M WAITING!"
"THIS ISN'T ABOUT ME! THIS ABOUT YOU LYING ABOUT WHISPER!," Bruce directs at the heiress, "YOU FRAMED HER FOR EXTORTION! YOU MADE HER TURN TO PROMETHEUS! AND LUCIUS HAS BEEN KIDNAPPED BECAUSE YOU COULDN'T STAND THE SIGHT OF HER! ALL BECAUSE SHE LOVED RA'S?"
"Do not pretend to act as if you know me! I won't lie, that did equate into my choice of what I did... I'm certainly not proud of it, not theses days I'm not. BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN A'DAIRE IS INNOCENT IN THIS MATTER! SHE'S A PARASITE ALL THE SAME!" Talia glares, "And you kept Whisper's presence in Gotham a secret from me? Oh... look how that turned out... you're weak will... let her escape and take a trophy! DON'T YOU DARE BLAME THIS ON ME! THIS ALL BECAUSE YOU COULDN'T JUST DO WHAT WE KNOW MUST BE DONE!"
"Kill her?" Bruce shrugs, "That's what you meant, right? Kill her... then just call it a day? JUST WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?"
"YES! I MEAN KILL HER!" Talia shoves herself forward and almost pounces on Bruce, "SLIT HER THROAT IF YOU HAVE TO! Strangle her with your bare hands if you must... Anything but continuing your foolish sanctimonious hissy fit!
"First, Blüd tells me to kill her... now you? I know that you and I don't understand each other most times... but you promised me that you were going to do things my way while you were in the city. At least he has the excuse of being Whisper's target" Bruce folds his arms while still looking to the near Talia. They were close, close enough to feel each other's breath.
"Blüd? As in Jason Blüd? How dumb do you think I am?"
"Excuse me?"
"THERE IS NO JASON BLUD!" It's a fairy-tale! Like Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde? Jason Blüd and Etrigan the Demon?"
"Hate to break it to you, princess. But Blüd is a real person. He's here in Gotham," Bruce replies to the disdain of the woman, "He told me that Ra's was the only person who knew how to stop Prometheus"
"Which is ridiculous!" Talia pulls herself away from Bruce, "If my father was aware of a way to beat him... don't you think that he would've used it for himself?"
"Ra's wasn't exactly a cut and dry guy. I wouldn't put it past him to have a plan from beyond the grave"
"WILL YOU LISTEN TO YOURSELF? THIS IS DUMB! You have less than forty hours to get to Nanda Parbat... you should just focus on that. Not this false hope. I don't care who you talked to yesterday... it was not Jason Blüd... it can't be! He's not real! Just a myth!"
"Whisper wants him. She wants me to bring him to Nanda Parbat and he isn't too thrilled about the idea... fine! I can take you to him. I can show you Jason Blüd"
"Don't bother. Good luck not getting yourself killed," Talia, "Nice knowing you." The daughter of the demon marches past Lee and walks into the elevator. Lee whistles at the sight, tending to one of the stations next to Bruce.
Lee waits a few moments before speaking up, "You want to tell me ab-"
"No." Bruce turns his attention to the large screen behind him, "There has to be something going on to take my mind off of-"
"How about you ask me if I still have my job?" Lee suggests.
"Fine... do you still have the job?" Bruce looks over the screen.
"Well... yes... but no. Still employed but I'm being moved to the Elliot Memorial Hospital," Lee shrugs.
"Elliot? Like Tommy Elliot? You probably shouldn't tell him that you and I are close... doubt he will be too thrilled abou-" Bruce stops as his eyes lock onto an alert that formed on the screen, "What?"
Elliot Memorial Hospital
- Morgue -
A man wearing a blue shirt under a white lab coat with blue plastic gloves oversees a metallic table with the deceased Racheal Dawe. He hooks over the body which was concealed up to the neck with a white sheet. Tommy Elliot looks to the two men opposite him. Harvey and James see the plate of blood-soaked tools on the side as well as the faint stains of red on the man's gloves, "Rachael Dawe, 17, Time of death is 8: 45 AM, she was found with her driving licence. The sicko must have been proud of his work," Tommy reveals his findings to the two officers.
"It has some similarities but this girl was killed by blunt trauma, not really the Goat's style," Gordon folds his arms and looks to the sealed wound at the back the girl's head.
"Actually that is a common mistake that is made," Tommy reaches over to grab a clipboard, "The blow to the head on only caused a TBI. Judging from the wound and the state of her body. She was killed by something else"
"She was asphyxiated, wasn't she?" Jim eyes the woman's neck, "Did you check her scalp?"
"Figured as much. I was just about to get to that," Tommy passes an evidence bag to Jim, one which enclosed a penny, "Found this at the bottom of her skull after I noticed an incision in her scalp, also found some skin fragments under her nails. She must have got a few licks in "
"It matches." Harvey removes his hat and clenches it against his chest.
"No one should know about the coin besides us two. The firstborn child to a wealthy family, asphyxiation, the coin? How the hell did someone learn about that? We didn't even make a file of the case," Gordon turns to his partner, "Dr Marks is dead, only she knew how to make the goat"
"If this is an exact copycat then we need to act fast... before another kid loses their life," Bullock throws his hat back on.
"We already solved this case before... and an exact copycat means an exact same method. We already know how to stop them... and now we have something else on our side... we got the bastard's DNA," Jim Gordon pulls out his cell phone and holds it to his ear, "Harper, it's Gordon. I'm sending a bag of evidence your way. I need you to run point on this one"
Streets of Gotham
"Chocolate Chip? Nice pick" Selina and Barbara Lee walk-through on the sidewalk, alongside a set of metal railings that oversee the river. Selina wears a black crop top and black jeans with a spike studded belt. She holds a vanilla Ice cream cone in her right hand while she holds the girl's hand with her left. Barbara Lee carries her ice cream in her left hand. Selina smiles when she sees the innocent joy in the girl's eyes, "Don't go dropping it"
"I won't," the girl chirps.
"Good cuz I'm not buying you another one" Selina remarks with a sweet smile, "How's school going?"
"Okay... I guess..." Barbara Lee nervously slurs.
"I never spent a day in school so I can't say that I can relate" the slender woman admits, "I can't imagine the pain of spending my whole day doing what someone loser tells me to do. Seems like my own personalized hell"
"Aunt Selina, Can I ask you something?" the girl turns to Selina.
"Only if you stop calling me *aunt*. That does not make me feel conformable about my age at all" Selina hums with a smile.
"Fine," the girl plays along, "Why do you hate Batman?"
"What makes you think that I hate him?" Selina and Barbara Lee keep strolling on the sidewalk.
"Last night when you and my mom were talking, I heard you saying that I shouldn't be looking up to him, that he wasn't a good man," the girl lifts her chin to look up Selina's frame, "Why don't you want me to talk to him? I want him to make the bad man go away again"
"He's not exactly an expert on overcoming childhood trauma. He'll doing more damage to you than good... I just want for you to be happy and sometimes that means being willing to tell it as it is. A guy who dresses like that has no place in offering life advice to a child"
"I'm not a child," the girl mutters, "You won't understand what the bad man does in my nightmares. He is always hurting my dad and laughing... and Batman never comes to stop him. I'm hanging just like before and the bad man keeps hurting him but Batman doesn't stop him"
"He hurt me too, a long time ago but that doesn't mean that I sleep easy these days," Selina tells the girl, "I'm no psychoanalyst but I'm guessing the reason why Batman never shows is that only you can make yourself overcome the trauma"
"I'm tired of being scared... I just want the nightmares to stop..."
"I understand that you don't want to tell your parents, but they are the ones who should be helping you through this, not some costumed vigilante or even me. Your parents love you, Barbara. You can confide in them" Selina ruffles her hand through the girl's hair, "You will see that's not so bad. They will be there for you."
"No they won't... they'll just fight again. And it will be because of me," Barbara looks away from Selina, "They hardly spend time together. They haven't taken me out together for a long time... why can't my mom and dad just be together? I don't wanna choose between them anymore. Why can't I spend time with both of them together..."
"Oh..." Selina trails off, "It's complicated. They just have a history... all thing's considered, having both of your parents still around is a lot more than most kids have. I know it's not ideal for you... but they just went separate paths... with you being the one thing to bring them back to each other. They both love you more than anything"
"Then why is my dad with Lee?"
"I thought you liked Lee?"
"I do. She's really nice but if my dad loved me... wouldn't he want to be with my mom?" Barbara asks in innocent with a hint of sadness.
"Barbara...," Selina whispers.
- Gotham City Library -
Back Office
Jason Blüd sits behind his desk and dials on a rotary telephone and holds the mouthpiece on his shoulder, "Am I talking to Mrs Brimstone? Ah good... no, you weren't meant to come into work today - in fact, you won't have to worry about coming in again. Yes, you are being fired. Why? How about you try answering why Macbeth ended up in the children's section? No, I do not believe that I am being overly harsh. If you have no respect for historic literature then you have no business working in my library, good day ma'am" Blüd hangs up the call and returns the mouthpiece to the telephone "Kids these days... no respect for history"
"So Bruce was telling the truth," Talia comments as she walks through the latched open door to meet the man's gaze. Talia styles in a black symmetric top and a pair of red flare pants with a set of vale heels. She wears her hair down and a choker around her neck with a demon insignia clip, "It appears that lines between fact and fiction are becoming blurrier by the day."
Jason Blüd removes his glasses and stands up, "I know those eyes anywhere, the same darkness that plagued Ra's. How fascinating for you to come here," he clicks his fingers, "You're not Nyssa, so you must be his little girl, Talia I presume?"
"I'm not here to chitchat"
"Of course you aren't. You Al Ghuls never were too formal, well at lease Nyssa knew how to bloody knock"
"You're going with Bruce to Nanda Parbat," Talia says in a tone that makes her words seem like a fact, an undeniable request.
"Straight to the point, just like your father," Jason lifts his coffee mug off of the desk and slurps it, "Contrary to Bruce's believes, I am no more indebted to him than an ant he chose not to step on. Bruce put that friend of his in peril, it's his mess and his alone to fix"
"You misconstrued my words, this is not a request. You will go or you will suffer"
"I doubt you can't even begin to fathom just how crude your words are. Life as an immortal may begin as dandy but eventually, the high dwindles and you realize, eventually, it ceases being living and becomes a fate worse than death," Blüd pulls open the desk's top drawers, "But enough about me, let's discuss you. Bruce believes Whisper's breakdown was sprung forth by your actions. You didn't like her taking your father's attention, thus you framed her for a crime she didn't commit... your anger with her remained even after your father's passing"
"Do not think that you know me. I made that decision on more than just some petty grudge"
"Maybe you did. Maybe you didn't, that is a realization you must come to on your own," Jason takes out a pager from the drawer, "Now if you would excuse me, I am late for... something important."
"You were a myth, a bedtime story that I read as a child. It makes me wonder... if you are real... then what other aspects of that tale are also true? Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, a man and a monster bind together, fighting each other for control..."
"I am familiar with that work, yes. Your point?"
"You're hiding away in the shadows... in shame. Almost as if you believe that you deserved to be punished. You are hiding from your sins," the heiress taps her nails against the man's desk, "If there's one thing that my father taught me, it's that we all have our demons, sooner or later we all have to face them" she looks to Jason's gaze, "You will join Bruce because its the only way you can begin the path to redemption. Your absolution shall start with the choice you make this day. Are you the man or the demon?"
Talia goes to leave, turning her back to Blüd, "Talia Al Ghul, daughter of the demon... how you have grown. ." the auburn-haired man smiles as he looks down to his pager, "You want to know why I moved to Gotham in the first place? This city has a golden rule: No heroes."
"Rules are made to be broken," Talia walks out of the office.
Blüd clamps his glabella, "Bunch of fools the damn lot of them"
- Bat-Bunker -
"Jim told me about the Goat once when he was drunk. He never talks about the incident that much other than that, he told me that they had to scrap the report to avoid another copycat. The exact details on the case were never disclosed to the public," Lee looks over the police report on the screen in front of her, "So your best bet is to get Jim and Harvey to give you the details... but I got a feeling that most likely won't be happening," she turns to the suiting up Bruce.
The billionaire clips his utility belt, "I don't really have a choice here. Gordon and Bullock are the only ones who know the specifics. Without their information, it's only a matter of time before the killer strikes again," he pulls up his cowl.
"Even if you talk to Jim, I doubt he would be of much help. You know how stubborn that man can be, just like you" Lee observes with a coy leer, "It says that the autopsy was performed at the morgue in Elliot Memorial, wow look at that... your old friend Tommy was the one who performed it. Let's hope he's pro-Batman"
"Friend is a stretch of the word."
"How come?"
"Back when I was a kid, a beat him down using my father's watch as knuckle dusters... and when we did get along... I was going through my angst phase," Batman tightens the grips around his gauntlets, "He comes from a part of me that I'm all too happy to forget"
"Selina has some more colourful words for that angst phase of yours," Lee smiles, "Hold on... now that I think of it, didn't Tommy just come back from a trip abroad a few months back? Maybe he went off to some soul searching of his own?"
"Keep at your station. I'm going to investigate," Batman walks towards the set of metal stairs and towards the Batmobile.
"Fine!" Lee spins in her chair and holds her hands in her lap, "I'm not exactly in a hurry to get back to my dysfunctional marriage"
- Across Gotham -
Selina and Barbara Lee walk into the living room, throwing their bags onto the floor, "Alright kiddo... you know the drill, homework, then bed." The girl sprints off and out of the room, heading to her bedroom. Selina stretches her arms, "Barb! You here?" she looks out for the mother of the girl, not seeing any sign of her. Her body then shivers at a cold breeze. She follows the lingering draught until she stood in the kitchen, looking at an opened window. One she knew wasn't open when she left before.
She reaches for one of the drawers and pulls it open. Selina picks out the handgun hidden that was concealed by a piece of cloth that was wrapped around it. She walks out into the living room, holding the gun behind her back. She nimbly tiptoes to into the hallway towards Barbara Lee's room, "Barbara! Are you alright?." She pushes open the door and walks into the room. She spots the girl sat on her bed, her attention was drawn to Barbara being distracted by the homework along with headphones over her ears.
Selina sighs in relief, she then makes extra effort to hide the gun from the girl's view. The girl turns her attention away from the sheets of work piled in her lap and to the woman standing at the door. Barbara Lee removes the headphones and rests them on her shoulders, "You okay, Aunt Selina?"
"Peachy," the dark-haired woman smiles.
The girl returns with a smile of her own, one that quickly fades as she screams, "Behind you!". Selina turns around and is tackled to the ground by a large man that is wearing a leather mask with horns. He straddles her as shoves a chloroform-soaked cloth to her mouth. Selina takes the gun that she is holding and fires it, without hesitation. Ramming a bullet up through the man's neck and out through the back of his head. The Goat rolls off of Selina, pouring blood all over the woman's face and chest.
Selina gasps, feeling disorientated, exhausted and sluggish. Her vision was darkening, the world around her was spinning. The sound she hears became more prolonged and stretched, soon losing any possible comprehension, "Selina?" Barbara Lee rushes to the woman's aid.
"F-Fine. Call the police!" Selina gasps, making the most out of somewhat lacking state. The girl dashes to the door but stops as she is loomed over by another masked man. The second Goat grabs the girl's collar and drags her along. He makes his way to stand over Selina's drowsy body.
"Selina Falcone... you will be cleansed" the Goat announces among the cries of the girl in his hold. Another Goat enters the room and looks down to Selina, "The Goat lets no blight out of their sights. Judgement shall be passed! Take the girl too!"
Elliot Memorial Hospital
- Morgue -
The room was lit in a cold blue hue, freezing to the touch. The icy atmosphere of the room makes one's own breath visible. Tommy Elliot, a man of 6'2", centre-parted hair in a fringe just below his eyes. He overlooks the now empty metal table as he pulls his gloves off. His move up, looking over to the freezer which held the bodies. He then sees a shadow begin to loom over him from behind, one that had a pair of pointy ears. He turns on his heels and is greeted to Batman who stands three yards away.
"You're not supposed to be in here," Tommy slurs, seeing the vigilante remain still.
"Someone posing as the goat killed a girl last night and you performed the autopsy on her. I want your records... now!"
"That's impossible. Those cops took it before I could store it." Elliot answers the dark knight, "They said that they didn't want that information being leaked to public"
"What about the body?"
"Still here but I can't let you mess with it. Your interference could contaminate any unfound evidence on her" the surgeon sees the Dark Knight approach him with a glare. The vigilante trudges across the cold tile floor, his footsteps echoing through the room.
"Try to stop me," Batman challenges as he barges past the man and makes his way to the freezer. He pulls at the latch of the last one and drags it open, bringing the concealed body out into the open. He pulls the sheet down to the woman's collarbones. He taps the side of his cowl; changing his vision to X-ray, showing him the woman's skeletal structure. Tommy Elliot steps closer and looks over the vigilante's shoulder, "Minor head trauma to the back of the skull, likely caused a blunt object swung down. Judging from the indent it points to the blunt end of a common work hammer"
"Hm. Good guess," Elliot comments.
"I don't guess," Batman spots something. He carefully moves his armoured hands to the woman's neck and turns it to give him a closer look at the back of her skull, "An incision was made here. Hasn't scared yet so must have been made in the past 12 hours. Looks to be the work of an eight-inch scalpel blade" Batman lifts his palm over the woman's neck, a faint violet glow emits from his digits, "Traces of copper, like a penny"
"H-how did you deduce that?"
"Give me the report on this case," Batman turns to face Tommy.
"As I said, I can't. Those two cops took it"
"Not the one in your head. I want every detail, everything. I'm the only person that can stop the Goat before he kills again" Batman tells the other man. Tommy blows a strand of hair from his fringe, slivering his hands onto his hips.
"Can't believe I'm trusting you more than the actual cops... I got a photographic memory. I can give you everything that you need."
- Elsewhere -
"I just can't believe that she's gone... what kind of monster would want to hurt my little girl..." an elderly woman cries. She sits on the couch in a lavish room full of ornaments. Jim Gordon and Harvey Bullock stand in front of her, looking over the woman, "My poor Rachael... who would do such a thing?"
Gordon looks over her, witnessing the pain in her eyes. He realizes she was suffering the loss of her own child, an agony he never wants to feel. He can see that she was devastated, broken and shook to her very core. "I know that you are going through a lot... and I cannot imagine the pain you are in right now but we need your help. We need you to run through a few questions with us, do you think that you are up for it?" Jim understandably knows that the woman wouldn't be in the right mindset, nor feel up to dwelling on the pain of losing her child.
"Ma'am... I know that you are living a parent's worse nightmare, but please... without your help... a lot of other kids could lose their lives..." Bullock frailly supports the mother, "If you need more time than we'll leave you be... but every second we waste, is another where some poor innocent child could be ending up the next victim"
"- Okay... whatever you need, officers" the woman nods, her eyes watering with her makeup melting away. She wipes her eyes with a scrunch up piece of tissue.
Jim begins, "Was anyone connected to Rachael seeking treatment from a shrink? Maybe undergoing hypnoses as a form of therapy?"
"What?" the woman asks.
"We are going to need you to be clear with us" Harvey scratches his chin.
The woman takes a moment to think over the commissioner's question, before coming to an unsure look, "Her father went to a specialist after a near-death experience. But he never managed to overcome his trauma. He put himself six feet under"
"Hold on..." Jim looks to Harvey and grabs his shoulder, "I just thought of something." He looks back to the woman, "Excuse us for a moment, please." Jim and Harvey walk out of the room to leave her in peace. The two men make their way towards the doors to the house.
"Jim? What's got you suddenly spooked?" Harvey questions as he sees the worry on his partner's face.
"It's not a copycat. Whoever is behind this doesn't know all the details..." Gordon puts his hands on his hips, "Rachael was taken from the streets. Dr Marks always had the kids kidnapped from their homes. Whoever took Rachael didn't have a set of keys to this house..., no one in the family is seeing a shrink either"
"I'm not following you here, Jim" Harvey perplexes.
"Think about it, Harv. Whoever did this... got the coin right, got the cause of death being asphyxiation right, they got the ritual down... the three most kept secrets of this case... but not having keys to their victims' homes?," Gordon explains, "They got the rest right... and simple guess work couldn't possibly get that lucky... they needed to have information on the case, they had too. There is no other way... but then why didn't they get the keys and shrink down?"
"Maybe they didn't want to get caught?" Bullock sallies.
"Then why would they go through all the effort of recreating a crime that we already solved? No... this has to be something more," Gordon was stopped mid-thought as he heard his phone ring. He pulls it out from his coat and answers it, "Harper? You did?," he turns to Bullock, "We got a suspect"
Bat-Bunker
Lee's eyes over the report, "I now can see why Jim didn't even share all the details with me. This is beyond evil," she looks over her shoulder to the vigilante to operated the terminal next to her. Bruce stands with the cowl pulled down. His eyes look on the screen, searching through the files. The doctor's eyes fixated on the photo of the wounds of Rachael Dawe, every little detail. The cut at the back of her neck, her now snow-like skin and pale lips and shrunken eyes, "Rest her soul..."
"Save your concern for the people who need it."
Lee rests her chin on her right hand, pressing her elbow on the table, "A girl was just murdered, I think that is justly deserving of our sympathies."
"And if we don't get our act together, there will be a lot more innocent lives taken... unless we can find out who did this," Bruce looks over to Lee, "We are on a timer here, the Goat is probably prepping for his next victim. That's who needs our sympathy, not someone who we couldn't save"
"Fine. Whatever you say. Just how are you planning to find the bastard who did it?," Lee stands up, "This whole thing would be a whole lot easier if Lucius was here. Wasn't he supposed to be here by now?"
"He's running point on something for me" the man lies.
"Something more important than catching a child killer?" Lee disputes.
"I didn't really account for a situation like this to arise. Even if he was... in distance of a phone, I doubt he would help us make progress with this. He works best with technology, not the criminal mind," Bruce sees the disproval on Leslie's face.
Lee begins to say something but is distracted by the abrupt alert that came from the Batcomputer. She inches closer and ganders over the screen, "Look at that. Looks like the GCPD actually did their jobs for a change... they have a suspect in custody... oh..." Lee holds her hands over her mouth as her eyes see the image of a blonde man with green eyes, "Trevor?"
"Who?"
"Steve Trevor. He's a high-ranking Checkmate officer... why would he do such a thing?"
"Because he didn't" Bruce too takes a close look at the man's likeness, "This says that he's right-handed. The impact of the hammer indicated someone left-handed"
"He could have just used the wrong hand to throw the cops off him," Lee argues.
"Normally in a high-stress encounter, one's own instincts take over. I doubt he would have the foresight to use the wrong hand and somehow make a clean shot like he did" Bruce folds his arms and looks throughout the feed, "It says that they bagged him on a DNA match from skin found under the victim's nails."
"That places him at the scene, doesn't it?"
"The vigilante faces Lee once more, "It means he and Dawe had a confrontation but doesn't confirm he's the culprit that inflicted the blunt trauma."
"Are you trying to tell me that you think there are two copycats?"
"If we're lucky, then yes. But Gotham isn't known for being the city of luck." Bruce sets up an algorithm through the Batcomputer, "The goat goes after the firstborn of the elite families. All we have to do is figure out who the next target could be..."
"Then you find where the goat's going to be" Lee nods, "There shouldn't be that many to choose from. Most of the wealthy got the hell out of dodge the moment Checkmate broadened its presence all throughout the city. Besides yours, there is only one elite family that I can think of, and that would be...," the woman stops her thoughts. She comes to concluding the next likely candidate for being the goat's victims. Bruce shares the same grimace look, one that made them understand they both knew who the other was thinking of.
"Sofia Falcone," the pair say in unison.
GCPD Precinct
- Interrogation Room -
Steve Trevor sits with his wrists cuffed to the table. The room was silent, disturbingly so. The silence was accentuated by the fast ticking of the clock hung up above the door to the room. The man sits, barely making whispers for minutes on end as the clock kept going; making the whole ordeal much more unbearable. His attention was brought below the clock and to the door, as someone enters the room. Jim Gordon sees the confused look coming from the man before him as he sloths his way to the table.
"Gordon, right? You mind telling just what the hell this is about?" Trevor firms his posture as he slivers his arms on the table.
"It's Steve Trevor Jr, isn't it?" Jim pulls out the other chair. He turns it around and straddles it and drops a plastic bag onto the table. He hangs his arms off the top of the chair, "We have some questions that you would really want to answer honestly"
"*We?*," Steve turns to face the one-way-mirror, "Weren't you assigned to that murder case earlier today?"
"Precisely why you're here," Jim picks at the evidence bag and slides it over to Steven's side, "Where were you last night between the hours of 2 and 5 AM?"
"Wait... you think I'm a suspect?" the blond man gasps, "You realize how preposterous that sounds?"
"Answer the question. And think carefully before you answer..." Gordon's eyes sloop down to the evidence bag, "We picked out skin fragments belonging to you from under the victim's nails... you care to explain how they got there?"
"What?" the blond man bites his lip, "I don't know. I never even seen that girl before this morning."
"So... your skin just happened to magically appear under her nails? Now do you see how preposterous that sounds?," the commissioner firms his eyebrows, "Right now, we got you dead to rights. Your DNA places you at the scene and as the murder suspect... so you better start talking if you know something," Gordon inches over, "Between the hours of 2 and 5 AM... where were you?"
"I don't know" the interrogatee answers unsure of himself, "I was on patrol one minute... and then I woke up in my bed. I'm telling you the truth, I swear"
"And you didn't think twice about all those lost hours?" Gordon humours the blond man.
"This gig doesn't come with the kindest of hours... most of my squad were beyond exhausted. We were all on duty for over thirty-two hours without any breaks. Most of us don't remember what happened last week after..." Steve Trevor pauses.
"*After* what?" the Commissioner asks.
"We were ambushed. By these masked men... and this... woman..."
"What woman? What did she look like?"
"It's fuzzy... but I can remember anyone who looks like that...," Steve swallows his saliva, "She was blonde, I think. A pale white face... and crazy... I don't remember anything else other than that, I swear that is all that I remember." The commissioner looks down to Steve's hands; the left was clenching into a fist. Jim's eyes then crawl up the man's body until he reaches his eyes.
"Your fist. You're clenching it," Gordon states which cause Trevor confusion as he looks down at his hand.
"I am? I didn't even realize... it's been like that since that night. The rest of the guys think it was the trauma causing it, it happens to us all at random." Steve explains. His words work to bring about a new sense of terror in Gordon's features. Jim's skin crawls and a shiver moves through his spine.
"How many are on your unit?" Gordon eerily asks.
"Umm... including me: seven," Steve replies.
Gordon rushes out of the room and joins Harvey and Harper on the clear side of the mirror, "Put out a city-wide BOLO on all members of the unit. I was wrong. This isn't a copycat... it's more than just one. We could be facing over a half-dozen goats in the city..." Jim keeps his eyes on the other two officers.
"On it. Keep me in the loop," Harper leaves the two men.
"Hey, Jim..." Bullock drops his hands to his hips, "We need to be real here. If there are that many Goats in the city... then maybe the answer is going after the man behind the curtain. Just like before, there has to be some kind of mastermind pulling their strings"
"Too risky. We can't afford to allocate time and resources to that when there are six possible murderers out in the open. Once we have them in our custody, then we can go after the person behind this," Jim folds his arms and looks at the one-way-mirror to the man cuffed to the interrogation table, "Get Alvarez to keep watch over him."
"And what's our next move going to be?" Harvey ruffles his beard.
"Waller said to *do whatever it takes,* I say we take her up on that offer," Gordon answers. The radio around his waist goes static as a voice begins to speak through.
"134 reported at 14 Coventry Square - requesting any available units"
"Jim isn't that...?"
"Barbara's place..."
- Meanwhile -
Skyline Club
Sofia Falcone sits on a leather conference chair. Hunched over as her face is illuminated by the radiating glow coming from the screen of the laptop in front of her. The office was dimly lit with blue and green hues emanating from the suspended linear low-lit lights above her. Her chin rests on her palm as her right index finger slowly scrolls down the mouse pad. Her consciousness waves across from her and to the double door that separates the room from the hallway. From outside the room, a barrage of bullets could be heard firing, momentarily lighting up the cracks under the double door for Sofia to see.
[Hallway]
The equally dimly lit hallway comprised of weak hues of blues was put on blast. Constant gunfire and screaming are echoed all throughout. Batman kicks a bald suited man down to the ground. The dark knight then runs towards the four other gun-carrying guards. He shields himself with both of his gauntlets to block the bullets as he charges at the firing men. Once he is close enough to one of the guards he removes his shielding. He left-hooks the goon across the jaw and follows up with an upper blow with his elbow to his chin with enough power to launch him off his feet.
Batman pulls out his Grapple Launcher and fires at the next guard's gun and yanks it out of their hold. Batman catches the weapon and throws it back at the owner, hitting his face and nose. The vigilante lunges forward and jumps on the wall and delivers a left hook to the second last guard to bring him down on the floor. Batman sees the last remaining conscious goon. His fingers were shaking over the trigger of his gun. He sweats nervously as Batman comes closer.
The guard drops the gun and backs off, slivering his back against the wall with his hands up, "Hey man, I'm not even supposed to be here. I'm covering for someone..."
Batman sends one unsightly glare to him, the man gets the message and runs off. Batman reaches into his utility belt and pulls out a Batarang. He throws it at the corner of the wall. The Batarang bounces off and speeds at the running guard and hits him in the back of the head. The guard falls onto the ground as the gadget flies back into the dark knight's grip. He returns it to his utility belt as he walks towards the door. He bends his knee up and kicks at the door.
The doors spring open and Batman walks into the room, his eyes instantly land upon Sofia who holds a handgun pointing at his chest, "Titanium rounds, curtesy of Floyd Lawton. Rumour is that it can penetrate that fancy little suit of yours," she grins, strangely seemingly amused by the vigilante's presence. She presses the trigger and fires at the man's chest. Her expression turns to shock as the bullet impacts off of the man's chest and drops to the floor.
"Didn't work then, doesn't work now. I'm the one who put Deadshot in Blackgate, he tried that trick before and I've made some upgrades since then," Batman approaches Sofia.
"Can't blame a girl for trying," Sofia settles the handgun on the desk. She arches and crosses her arms with her lips stretching into a grin, "Long time no see... last time we were face to face was when you threw Zucco's ass out of the limo..."
"You don't sound too bothered about that" Batman remarks.
"Throwing Tony's ass out of a moving vehicle and crippling him? Honestly, I was contemplating doing it myself. I never did get the chance to show... my appreciation," Falcone laughs, "I got the feeling that you aren't here to *arrest me* right? Let me guess...," she taps her index finger against her cheek, "You're here working on the goat case. Timing matches and you must've figured that I would be the most likely candidate for his next damsel? I'm touched that you thought of me," she playfully presses her hand against her chest.
"Your family is the only wealthy family in this city. You should have been his target"
"I hear that Bruce Wayne got out of the city when shit started to hit the fan. So my family should be the only target, it makes sense... but the Goat hasn't taken a single attempt at me. I guess he must've been looking to another lass," the woman toys with the dark knight, "See you want to know something quite humouring? The goat goes after the firstborn in Gotham, but I wasn't born in this city. If my family is the only target... and I don't qualify for his little scheme... then who does?"
"Don't even try it. I've done my research. You're the last member of your family. Your brother was killed and you murdered your father," Batman's eyes glance over the woman, "You are his one and only target,"
"If your assessment was right then how come I was not the one The Goat took this night," Sofia takes glee in the sudden change in the dark knight's stoic expression, "I would figure that someone of your calibre would be keeping up with the news... guess I was wrong," she purrs her words, "The goat must know something that you don't. You best make post-haste if you hope to save that poor girl..., or would you rather bring me into GCPD custody? Your choice, Mr Hero" she takes pleasure at the man's new found conflict on his face. Sure she couldn't exactly see his whole face, but she could sense his turmoil.
"I'll be back for you" Batman turns his back to Sofia.
"I'm sure that you will... and I can't wait," she smirks as she crawls her hands across the desk. Batman expeditiously turns and throws a Batarang at Falcone's hand. The sharp weapon cuts into her hand and pins it against the desk. Sofia screams in agony as her other hand comes to try and pull it out, "AGH! YOU BASTARD! I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!" Unphased by the woman's words, Batman walks out into the hallway.
"I'm not going to lie, that's one occurrence of unneeded brutality that I'm absolutely okay with," Lee's voice speaks to Bruce through the communicator.
"Bring up the incident that she was talking about. We need information"
"Okay... damn this is a lot harder than Lucius makes it look... okay... oh no... The report was from Barbara's house... both Selina and Barbara Lee are missing"
"Selina?" Batman trails off.
"There's something else, Bruce. Remember that fancy little nightlight you set up - a great way to disprove the claims of you being a narcissist by the way, it was just turned on... and by my husband. Looks like you two have something worth joining forces for... I doubt Jim would set a trap for you when his daughter is in danger"
"I'm going"
- Across Gotham -
Abandoned Warehouse
Dark. Damp. Cold. Absolutely freezing.
Selina's emerald eyes flare as she notices that her arms and legs were shackled to an inhospitable metal tale, one so cold that it almost feels like it was burning her skin. Her mouth was gagged by a strip of black tape and her body was numb. She picks up the sounds of crying coming from across her. She recognized the sound and the voice. She knew it was Barbara Lee and for the love God, she hoped that the girl wasn't put in the same position as her. She then hears loud footsteps approaching her.
And as feared, the masked man was now standing over her, arching down to come closer. His unclean hands sliver up her neck and to the gaga. He rips it out and tilts his head, "YOU CRAZY BASTARD! I'M GOING TO RIP YOU APART!," the woman screams. The man in the leather horned mask brushes his finger against Selina's lips and shushes her in an overdrawn whisper.
"Selina Falcone... you will be cleansed. You shall feel the wrath of the goat..."
"The only thing I am going to be feeling... is your blood on my fist! GET THE HELL AWAY FROM ME!"
"Not yet. The goat demands punishment... the goat's calls never go unanswered..."
- GCPD Precinct -
Rooftop
"Waller is going to blow a fuse when she finds out that we did this," Bullock comments as both he and Gordon look up into the darkened sky and sees the faint sight a bat up above among the clouds, "I'm just hoping for him to actually show up to make the whole incoming shitshow worth it," he adjusts his hat.
"I don't care. I'm not losing my daughter," Gordon's eyes tense, "C'mon... please...," the man whispers, almost breaking down as he drags his breath. Jim and Harvey keep their eyes trained on the faint bat-shape up in the clouds, unaware of a looming figure from behind. Gordon couldn't explain it, but somehow he knew he was there. He didn't hear or see anything that would have given it away. Instead, his instincts altered him to the other man's presence.
Even though he was aware of the vigilante, something stopped him from being able to face him. Shame? Regret? Anger? He could decide, he couldn't pinpoint the reason why his body refused to look at the man. Gordon drops his head, "I know we've been at odds recently. I know that you have every reason to hate me, trust me I know that me working for Waller is me basically being an accomplice to her crimes... but I'm asking you... I'm begging you... please, please... save my daughter..."
Harvey chose to stay out of the two's way. He figured he had no place in it.
The commissioner continues, "She's the only good thing I've done. She doesn't deserve to have a man like me as her farther... she deserves someone who can't be corrupted, who isn't ruled by their own selfishness... all this? I didn't want to help Waller... the reason why I chose to go along with it is that she threatened my family... Barbara, Lee,... My baby girl... Waller has the power to rip them away from me... she'll make it so that I'll never see my girl again... please... bring her home safe... if not for me, then her own sake..."
Batman watches in silence from within the confines of the shadows. His bright white eyes breaking through the dark and to the commissioner. The vigilante hangs his head in shame as he hears Gordon spill his emotions, "We have every you need here...," Gordon clenches hold a folder, "Please...," Batman saunters through the darkness and reaches out for the folder. Gordon holds it behind his back and feels the vigilante take it from him, "I can't even look at you with that I've done..."
"Because you've still have a conscience, Jim. You're a good man in a difficult position, no matter what you do... you feel like someone you care about is going to get hurt. Trust me, I know exactly how that feels..." Batman turns away and begins to walk off.
"You're going to save my daughter?" Gordon asks, his voice shaking.
"No..., We're going to save her..."
Gordon's eyes relax and soften their gaze, "My daughter... she adores you. She thinks that you're way more of a hero than I could even be... I understand why now...," growing enough courage, he finally manages to turn and look at the Dark Knight, "There's more than one Goat, intel points to around five still active. One of the suspects has a pacemaker, we used that to track him to a warehouse near the edge of the narrows... it's the best hope in finding my girl"
"Then let's gone... we haven't got time to lose...," Batman nods.
- Across Gotham -
Abandoned Warehouse
"... The goat is forever grateful for your sacrifice my precious..." the Goat caresses Selina's cheek. She pulls her head away from the masked man's icy-touch.
"You have me... that's fine... but why... why did you take the girl too? What kind of sicko are you...," Selina snarls.
"The goat told us so... we do what the goat asks of us..." the masked man tells the woman as four more men surround the table, all wearing the same mask, "The goat needs blood, it's starving for cleansing... it needs your life... you'll see... everyone eventually surrenders to the goat... tis is just its all mighty power...," he slivers his hands up her neck and returns the gag over her mouth. Selina convulses and the Goat forces the, "Long live the goat..."
Muffled screams coming from the corner of the room, Barbara Lee screams through the tape around her mouth. Her eyes watering and body shaking at the horror that was unfolding right in front of her. She fights against the chains binding her.
"Long live the goat!" the five masked men chant over and over, their voice rising with each chant. They lift their arms up, curving their elbows, "Long live the goat, long live the goat, long live the-," the five men stop as they hear a gruff voice from high above to the support beams.
"Close your eyes!" Batman calls down to Selina which she follows. The Dark Knight hurls a Batarang down onto the ground next to the table. The gadget had blue indents on the edge of the wings. Barbara also follows the man's order. She lifts her arms and shields her eyes. The Batarang explodes, sending the whole room into a pure white flash with an ear-breaking bag. The five mask men all stop, panicking and running away, their vision and hearing distorted.
The Dark Knight drops down from the scaffolding, his cape expanding and easing his descent. He takes two dual Batarangs and throws them at opposite sides of the room, hitting them against the walls and making them ricochet off and hitting two of the masked man in the upper back. The two were thrown forward onto the ground. The doors to the room were kicked open and both Jim Gordon and Harvey Bullock barge in, weapons held high, "GCPD! HANDS UP IN THE AIR!"
Bullock blocks the path of one of the masked men and hits him to the ground. He braces his knuckles and hisses, "God damn that hurt." Batman grabs the Batclaw from the side of his utility belt and aims it at another Goat. He launches the tether at his target. The claw at the end latches on to the front of the man's blue jumpsuit. Batman pulls on the line and propels the goat back to him. He curves his arm, bending it back and grabs at the incoming's man collar. He throws him forward onto the ground in a chokeslam.
From the corner of the room, Barbara Lee looks up in amazement at the vigilante. Her eyes widening as she studies his moves. She sees her father run towards her. He kneels down and removes the tap from her mouth. He swings his arms around his daughter and comforts. He runs his hand through the back of the girl's hair, "It's alright. It's alright... you're alright... you're safe...," he then notices his daughter's current state, one that unnerved him.
She wasn't scared. She is not frightened or even showing the faintest signs of being afraid. Barbara was just standing there, not even paying attention to him, her own father. Instead, her eyes were drawn upon the vigilante. Batman makes his way towards the table and unlocks the shackles around Selina's limbs. He uses the fins on his gauntlets to cut through the rest the chains in once quick swipe down the woman, a couple centimetres above her chest.
Selina throws herself up, swinging her legs around the table and without thinking she brings her arms around the man's shoulder and takes him into an embrace. Her rests her head over the man's shoulder. The armour was unconformable, but Selina didn't want to pull away. She kept tightening her hold around Batman as her tears soak the shoulder plates of the man's armour as well the collar around the back of his neck that connects to his cape.
"You... You actually came... you actually came for me...," Selina tears as she trembles her own words in a way that made her sound surprised that the vigilante saved her. She nuzzles her nose against the vigilante's collar and his neck guard, "I... I thought that I was going to die..."
"You're going to be alright, Miss," Batman tells the woman embracing him. It killed him but Bruce had to treat her like a stranger in front of Jim and Harvey. He wished that he could be Bruce for her at the moment but he couldn't risk exposing his identity to the to cops. He pulls away from Selina's hold and spots the last goat was making a break for it and escapes the room. The leather masked man had managed to throw Bullock onto the ground which gave him a clean getaway.
Jim chases after the last Goat, running out of the room and out into the storage area. The hall was reprised as almost a hedge maze with the shelves taking the purpose of the blockades. Gordon sprints after him, venting harsh breaths and throwing his arms with his quick movement. The commissioner follows the man around the corners of the shelf, suddenly losing sight of him. His eyes look around him, discovering that he surrounded by stacks of cardboard boxes.
Jim tightens the grip on his handgun, lifting his gaze to follow its line of sight, "Come on out with your hands in the air!."
Back inside the room with Selina and Barbara. Batman stands next to Selina, "Go!" she encourages him. The vigilante nods and then darts after both Jim and the last Goat. The dark-haired woman holds her hand over her shoulder and curves her neck. Across from her, Barbara Lee crawls across the ground and picks up one of the Batarangs left behind by the vigilante. She turns it around, observing all of its details. Her eyes enlarge, fully reflecting the object in her gaze.
In the storage room, Gordon continues his pursuit after the goat, "This is your last chance. Come out with your-," he is thrown to the ground as the Goat barges through a stack of boxes, drowning the commissioner in the units. The Goat stands over Jim as he creepily tilts his neck. He grips the handle of the hammer and lifts it over the man.
"You can't stop the Goat... he shall always live! Even when we die, he will live once more someday... The goat's judgment shall always prevail... you cannot stop it, you can never stop it!," the Goat swings the hammer up and veers it down towards the Commissioner. Gordon gathers all of his strength and rolls the boxes off of him. He rolls over and avoids the end of the hammer. The weapon instead breaks into the boxes. Jim jumps to his feet and right hooks the Goat.
The masked man is launched back into the crate of boxes, breaking them on impact. Gordon eases his breath and picks up his gun, "It looks like you were just stopped," he returns his weapon to his holster. Jim turns and sees the vigilante standing more than a yard away. His cape swerves and his head is hung low. Commissioner Gordon gives the dark knight a coy smile, "You saved my daughter's life, I am in your debt but this can't continue. This is the last time that we can work together... I hope that you will understand. Waller still has the power over my family..."
"As you said, this was for your daughter, not you," Batman grabs his Grapple Launcher and aims it up, "Do what you believe it right, Jim. I'll be doing the same," the dark knight launches upward and into the darkness above. Gordon looks away as his whole posture becomes weak. Guilt washes over him like a new layer of paint. He makes his way back to the room with his daughter.
- Skyline Club -
Sofia Falcone looks down to her bandaged hand, her eyes full of fury that was all directed towards the man who caused her the injury. She clenches the hand into a fist and her eyes narrow, "I am going to rip him limb from limb..." she says under her breath. She turns towards the double doors to her office as they were opened. She sees a man walk into the office. The man was white with slicked-back brown hair. He's dressed in a black shirt with the collar under, a brown Victorian-styled waistcoat with a Victorian black tailcoat.
One of his more noticeable part of his look came in the form a scar over his left eye. Vandal Savage smirks as he walks towards Sofia with his hands in the pockets of his tailcoat, "Pardon the intrusion but a little birdie told me of your late-night visitor"
"Don't tell me that you came all this way just to check on lil old me? I'm flattered. Why don't you cut the shit and just tell me why you're here" Sofia titters.
Vandal Savage smirks, clearly amused with Sofia's attitude, "I trust that your vendetta against Batman won't get in the way of your part? It would be such a shame if you let your pride blind you from your true purpose," he asks, already knowing what the woman would answer with.
"If you are of the mindset that I would derail our plan... then you have no such concern to humour. But Batman has crossed me for the last time... he will die...," the woman glances down to her hand, "My biggest mistake has been letting him live for as long as he did..."
"And your next shall be going through this idea of yours to kill Batman..." Vandal saunters forward, "I've told you to not concern yourself with him. It would be a shame, if I am to discover that you went against my wishes... well... just remember that you are not irreplaceable."
"Maybe one day, I'll meet a man who will finally share a different sentiment from you and all the rest...," the woman playfully smirks, "It seems no matter when or where they are from, every man makes the same grave error of underestimating me..."
"An *error* is defined as a miscalculation... I'm afraid that my mind is not perceptible to human error. You're a stunning woman, you really are. You are at the top of this world... but never forget, all empires crumble eventually... it is just... human nature..." Savage reaches to the inner pockets of his tailcoat, "I've seen the rise and fall of every empire, eventually they all blur together... they become interchangeable with one another... they rise, they rule and then they fall... in the long term, history shall see you as no more than an ant, like the rest of your kind"
Sofia folds her arms over her chest, biting her lip, "Then tell me, what do you see me as?"
Vandal takes out a piece of folded paper from his overcoat and passes it to the woman, "Someone who shall have her place at my side, but first... to ease your troubles I shall grant your wish. It's time for you to lead this city's underworld, to rule over even Sionis. It's what you want the most," he smirks.
"And what would you have me do in exchange? My father taught me from an early age that a favour is just a debt you aren't yet aware of," Falcone takes the folded paper from the man.
"There's a particular item that I have come to be interested in. I need you to find it and deliver it to me. Do you believe that you can handle this?" he walks behind Sofia and slides his hands over her shoulders, "Do this and your place as Gotham's most feared crime lord shall be cemented into its very soil." Sofia unfolds the paper and sees an image of the item in question. Her eyes loom over it, her gaze souring. The man's palms snake down to her biceps and pats them, "Do not disappoint me."
Sofia's eyes stay on the picture. A curved knife with a golden hilt that has circular engravings.
- Beneath Wayne Tower -
Bat-Bunker
Bruce pulls down his cowl, unclips his belt and drops it onto the workbench. Lee walks over to him and smiles, "What do you know, you just came back from a fight and I don't even need to patch you up, and here I was thinking this was a full-time job," she quips.
"It's not over yet," Bruce interjects, "We only caught the puppets... the puppeteer is still out in the city. Whoever is behind this, there is still a murder to answer for. Those men will have to live with knowing that they killed someone..."
"Poor guys. I hate those Checkmate goons, but no one should have to live with that," Lee emphasises. She reaches over and grabs her handbag, "I hate to bail on you, but I got a feeling that Jim is going to need a shoulder to lean on. Tell Lucius that he missed quite the mystery while he was away," she gives one last smile before she heads to the elevator, "Oh one more thing. You missed a call, That girl you were with earlier called...,Talia, right? She said it was urgent."
"Take care, Lee..." Bruce sends a weak smile in Lee's direction.
"This coming from the man that I've literally sewn back together?" Lee simpers as she steps into the elevator, "Have an easy one, Bruce," the doors close on her gleeful look towards the man. Bruce drops his smile and returns to his regular brooding. He reaches back for his utility belt. He pauses his monition when he hears ring from the side. He picks it up and answers it. His posture relaxes when he hears the familiar and calming voice speak to him.
"I'll be right there" he says to the person on the other end of the call.
[Later]
Bruce, dressed in a white shirt with the collar unbuttoned, back jacket walks through the skirts of the railings that lead out to the river. He moves with the assistance of the cane. His eyes focus on a woman not too far up ahead of him. Selina leans over the railing, using her arms under her chest for support. She's dressed in an A-line dark purple dress, knee-high laced-up black boots and a black frock coat. She turns to see Bruce coming closer to her, eyes instantly go to the cane which he was using.
It was cold, would have been the understatement of the century. Though winter had passed and the city was now into spring, it was just as cold as ever. The snow had stopped claiming the city but it was just as cold. Selina could see both her own and Bruce's breaths. The billionaire walks up to her and wraps his left hand around the railing bar next to him. Selina eyes the man from head to toe, "What's with the third leg? You seemed fine earlier"
"Lucius upgraded the Batsuit with more support. Outside of it, I can barely stand straight"
"Listen... we need to talk," Selina raises his head to look up the man, "I know things between us have been... well not exactly good. I just want you to know that I appreciate what you did today. For both me and Barbara Lee. Thank you"
"Call me sceptical but I don't think that you would come all the way out here just to thank me, you are aware that you could have done that over the phone, right?" Bruce rests the cane against the railing. He turns towards the river and rests his arms over the bars. He looks to the night sky. He sees the bright moon along with the stars, "I just wish that I got there sooner... it seems both you and the kid went through a lot back there, I'm sorry I was late"
"There you go against, Bruce..." Selina runs her hand over the railing and cups her hand over Bruce's, "You're always beating yourself up. You are never pleased or happy with the good you do, you somehow always find a way to make a failure out of any victory. You need to learn to cut yourself some slack... you were a hero today"
Bruce's turn from the beauty of the moon to an even more beautiful sight, his eyes gaze to Selina's face that was lit by the moon. Her eyes were almost sparkling in his mind, "Selina... why did the Goat come after you? His M.O is to kill the firstborn of the elite... why would he think that you were that?"
Selina shrugs at the man's question, "I'm just as confused as you are. C'mon, Bruce... you know me. My Mother is the furthest thing from *elite* and my real dad is long gone," she lies, hoping to convince the man of her tattles. Then it happened, she too came to be fixated on Bruce's face, the way the moonlight exenterate all his features and his eyes. Her hand tightens around Bruce's, "Whatever the reason... I know that you'll figure it out... you are the *world's greatest detective* after all"
"Oh, not that..." Bruce lifts his head back and laughs, "First Alfred, Lucius and now you? I know I like to be a know-it-all, but c'mon... I'm not that bad"
"Keep telling yourself that, Mr *I can tell which way the robber went by sensing the change of direction in the wind*," Selina shares her own laugh.
"Alfred told you that?" Bruce smiles.
"Mhm," Selina smiles too.
"Okay first, I was using a modified AR in my cowl to track fragments of the alcohol he drank, second the change in wind actually made the whole ordeal even harder...," the man adds, "And third, I'm not *the world's greatest detective*, that honour goes to a chimpanzee who wears a deerstalker hat and has a magnifying glass"
"A Detective Monkey? You make me laugh...," Selina giggles.
"He prefers Detective Chimp, he goes bananas when he's called a monkey..." Bruce stops when he once against focuses on Selina's moonlit features. Selina does the same, almost being drawn to him. Not another word was spoken between them. They inch closer and connect their lips under the moonlight. Selina wraps her arms around the man's neck and Bruce drops his hands to Selina's hips. They deepen the kiss, inching closer to each other.
The moment was ruined when Selina's phone alerts her. Now drawn out of her trance, she breaks away from Bruce and looks at her phone, "It's Barbara... Kean obviously, she needs me back at the house...," she was clearly broken over their moment ending. Bruce agrees as he grabs his cane. Selina pouts when she sees the man ready to leave, "Bruce, I don't what just happened between us just now... but I liked it. I know that you did too..."
"Yeah... it was amazing"
"We did this before, Bruce. It's always too good to be true... I'm not letting myself be hurt like that again...," Selina returns her phone to her coat, "I love you, Bruce. But that's just the thing... you haven't been Bruce for a long time... we both know that you're just the bat."
"I've always loved you, Selina... that hasn't changed..." Bruce tells the woman.
"Then maybe it should, Bruce. If you do love me... then let me go..." Selina holds back her tears as she turns her back on Bruce. She starts to walk away from him, clinging to the side of the railings. Bruce whimpers the woman's name, barely audible to anyone beside him. He hears his phone go off again, in the worst time imaginable. He takes it out of his front pocket and flips it open: it was a message from Talia, one that is telling him to come to his own office.
"That's the difference between us, Bruce..." Selina stops in her tracks, "My version of an emergency is having a friend I need of help, yours is trying to stop the whole world from falling apart. I can't be with someone who can save the world at the drop of a hat but can't save themselves...," Selina begins her path away from Bruce once more. Bruce watches in silence as she eventually becomes nothing more than just a dot among the city from afar.
Meanwhile
Barbara Kean sits over the bed as she strokes her daughter's hair. She smiles down to her, "You're home now. Just try to get some sleep... if you need anything don't be afraid to give a shout, okay?". She sees the girl smile. The redhead returns the gesture. She leans over and kisses Barbara's Lee forehead, "Good night." She moves her arms across and pulls the bedsheets over the girl. Barbara Kean stands and heads to walk out of the room. She looks back to her girl while she closes the door behind herself.
Turning her head, she sees Gordon standing beside the wall. His head hanging low and his arms folded over, "Is she okay?" he asks sincerely. Barbara glares at him and leads him away and into the living room. She stands in front of him as she turns, her scowl landing right on him.
"She seems like she is going to be," Barbara answers, "She doesn't even look like she's scared, Jim. I remember what that monster took her before... she had nightmares for months. But now... she doesn't even seem phased by what happened today"
"Go on... say it, Barb" Jim lifts his chin.
"Say what?" the woman ganders, knowing what Gordon was eluding to.
"How this is my fault? How could I let this happen? That I should have been there for her? I have been thinking the same thing on my way here," the commissioner admits. He sees no change in Barbara's expression, proving to him that she was already blaming him.
"You are her father, Jim. You should have been the one she looks to, you should be the one that's there for her when she needs you, you should know to drop everything and come for her. I would happily tear this whole city apart for my baby girl... but you?," tears begin to drip from her eyes, "You barely see her as it is. I give you every opportunity to see her... YOUR DAUGHTER... and you decided to go after purse-snatchers? I don't know what is going on with you... but you're like a completely different person, Jim..."
"Barbara... I want to be there for her, of course, I do. She's the most important thing in the world to me..." Jim laments.
Barbara shakes nervously. Throwing her gaze to the man's own eyes, "I remember when I was that to you... and look what happened. We were torn apart. Your lies, upon lies... I don't want my daughter seeing you like that...," she takes a step towards him, "After she was born, I agreed to let you be in her life to be something that I couldn't be, someone who she could look up to. You were supposed to that for her, you were meant to be her father, a hero to her..."
"I know... and I'm trying Barb... I really am. But things are going on that I can't tell you about, things that put you, my daughter and everyone I love in danger..."
Barbara's eyes soften, "I believe you, Jim. But we've done this dance before and we both know how it ends. Take your secrets and leave... secrets between us only cause harm... and I'm not letting my daughter getting caught in the crossfire..."
"What are you saying?" Gordon asks. His heartbroken voice portrays his hurt.
"I don't want you seeing her anymore, Jim. She deserves someone better to look up to," Barbara's eyes tremble at the reddening eyes of the commissioner, "We've gotten to a point where Barbara looks up to a nutjob in a Halloween costume more than you? Do you realize how heart-breaking that is? With my past, I can never be her true role model, you aren't even trying... so she turned to Batman... that is beyond humiliating...," she wipes her eyes, "She chose him over her own parents."
"... Can I say goodbye to her?" Jim asks as he tries to hold back his tears.
"Once I can trust you again... you'll be able to see her. If you really do care about our girl... then *goodbyes* won't be needed," the redhead weeps at her own words, her breathing spikes, "I hope that the man I loved all those years ago is still in you... for her sake..."
Back inside Barbara Lee's room, the girl emerges from her bed covers. She sits up and pushes herself up on her feet. Her ears hear the faint sounds of her parents talking, all the hurt and pain in their voices. She kneels beside her bed and reaches under it. She takes out an old shoebox and opens it. Barbara takes out the Batarang and marvels at it. Her index finger taps against the sharp edges. From afar, the light in her room augmented her shadow.
The curtains over the bedroom window and the line of crayons stacked in the pot on her nightstand gave her shadow what looks to be a cape and a pair of pointy ears. As a soft breeze moves through the city, the curtains slowly swerve which gives the *cape* of her shadow the same motion. The girl couldn't help but maintain her eyes on the Batarang as she twists and turns it, taking in every detail she could, no matter how obsolete it appeared.
- Wayne Tower -
Bruce's Office
The late of the night brought about an emptiness to the floor. Bruce comes to be the one and only person on the level, which works for his cover. He stands behind his desk, glancing over to a photo frame. The image of his parents and his younger self stares back at him. He motion over to the door, seeing it open and Talia walks in. Bruce tilts his head as he sees the bright smile stretching on her face. She struts over, "You best begin to pack. We are going to need to make a move soon if we hope to reach Nanda Parbat in time"
"*We*? You're coming?."
"Well lucky you, you get us both," Talia looks behind her as Jason Blüd walks into view. The auburn-haired man walks into the office and stops when he reaches Bruce's desk, "We may disagree on a lot of things, but I'm not about to let my beloved go on a suicide mission. Plus you have a point, I may have done horrible to Whisper in the past. Before I met you, I could have lived with my guilty... but you've changed me. I must see this through to the end."
Bruce turns to Blüd, "I thought you were happy with being a coward?"
Jason removes his glasses and glares, "I've made plenty of mistakes in my time, but I won't let another man die because of me. I have already left enough destruction in my wake... this may be my last days on earth, and I don't want to spend them hiding," he looks over to Talia, "You should thank you, friend, here for reminding me of that."
"Thank you, the both you," Bruce nods, "This means a lot"
"I know it does," the daughter of the demon smiles.
"Enough of this lovey-dovey showcase. We best make haste, I believe the tunnels beneath the tower lead back to the mainland" Blüd puts his glasses back on, "Good work on the case by the way. I would've personally only taken a quarter of the time, but you got the job done in the end"
"How do you know about the tunnels?" Bruce asks.
"Magic" Blüd answers with wit to the dismissal of Bruce.
"We best not gander on such needless conversations, we need to get going" Talia reminds Bruce.
"Nanda Parbat... here we come"
- G.C.P.D Precinct -
- Main Hall -
"That sucks man, I'm sorry," Harvey Bullock sits on the desk while Jim sits slouched in one of the revolving chairs, "I can't imagine being forced to stop seeing your own child, especially one that I love more than anything." Gordon brings his hand over his eyes, "At least your girl is safe... that's a silver lining if I've ever seen one. No one would blame you if you chose to take an early night." Gordon holds his palms together and tangles his fingers.
"Not yet. The Goats were victims too, Harv. We need to be there when they wake, I just need to figure out an easy way of telling them what they did... they're sure going to full of guilt... that is if they're decent people," he attempts to smile to the best of his ability but he stops halfway through, realizing that he wouldn't be convicting anyone, "There's also the matter of the person who whammied those men. Trevor said something about a blonde woman with a powdered face, we need to start there."
"Jim, how do we know that that wasn't something those guys were *whammied* into thinking? It could have been anyone"
"Blonde hair, powdered face? That is way too out of the ordinary to be a red herring. It's worth looking into...," he stands from his chair, "I need something, anything to take my mind off my personal life right now. Even if that is chasing down a fake lead"
"Do whatever you need brother. Just try to get some sleep if you can. Just remember that you have a wife, Jim. Wasn't it one of your vows to share each other's troubles?" Harvey advises. Gordon grabs his coat from the side and throws it on.
"The last thing our marriage needs right now is more adversity. Please keep this between us, Harv. I don't want Lee to worry about me any more than she is"
"Commissioner James Gordon, stubborn as a mule," Bullock waves his hands, "They should make that into a shirt, that way people will know what to expect." he hangs his arms over his calves, "Didn't you learn from lying to your last girl?"
"I'm not lying to Lee, just withholding information that I don't feel like sharing right now," Gordon pats Harvey's shoulders. He then heads off and leaves through the doors to the building. Once Jim was out of sight, Bullock's lips curve into a maniacal grin. His eyes suddenly take on a devilish glare. The skin of his cheek begins to drip down, moulding back in and returning to normal. He reaches into the pocket of his jacket and takes out his phone. He dials a number and holds it to his ear.
"It worked. Jim is doing what you said he would"
- Across Gotham -
Meanwhile
Harvey Bullock sits down on a wooden chair, tied by the ankles and wrists in thick rope. Tape covered his mouth. His face was swollen, covered in bruises, scars and blood. He has a pair of blackened eyes. He tenses up as he hears the sound of dark feminine laughter coming from behind him. Two pale hands with black and red nail polish snake their way around his shoulders. Harley leans over his shoulder and sends a chilling smile to him. She wears an earpiece on her right ear.
"Of course it did, Basil. I know a thin' or two 'bout messin' with people's noodles...," the blonde caresses Bullock's face, digging her nails into his flesh and drawing blood, "Mr J sure will be pleased with our progress... he'll surely have a happy face..., till next time," Harley taps her earpiece and ends the call. She climbs her hands up Harvey's face, leaving a trail of cuts up his flesh. Her hands come to his hair which she grabs and yanks his head back to look up to her eyes.
"Looks like you were good on your intel. Guess... I won't have to gut you... just yet... but I'm hoppin' I'll get to soon... I do like myself a mess," she opens her mouth wide into a grin as manoeuvres around and climbs on his lap. She pouts when she sees the man turn away from her, prodding her to violently grab his chin and force him to look back to her. His eyes were full of terror of the blonde.
She was disguised in a layer of white makeup, red and black eyeshadow and lipstick. Her pigtails were dyed, each being either black or red at the tips. Her top half was covered by black and red diamond parted leather jacket. Her legs were covered by black and red leather leggings, with her left having a black boot and her right having a red boot. She leans in closer, widening her already crazed gaze upon the man, "Aw... chin up, I haven't even started really hurtin' ya yet... Mr J said I can't be too rough... but I work with this, maybe next time ya shouldn't be so protective of that intel... it is the only reason you're alive right now...," she cups his face as she snaps her jaws.
The man flinches at her actions, quivering and screams which the tape blocks.
"Whatcha say... we start with somethin'...," the blonde reaches into the side pocket of her jacket and takes a balisong, "...cutting edge...," she slips the knife and spins the blade out. She slides the handle into her mouth and clamps it in place with her teeth. She comes even closer to Bullock, taking the blade towards him too. Harvey's bruised and swollen eyes reflect the incoming crazed look of the blonde. He begins to scream louder, still being silenced by the tape on his mouth.
To Be Continued...