"Gil just called," Dani announced as she entered the conference room with a fresh mug of tea. "Said the word from up top is that orders to arrest Bright are going to be issued after he's officially charged with Eddie Smith's murder."

JT grunted as he looked up from his laptop screen. "He say when his skinny ass is gonna be charged?"

Dani shook her head. "Just said it could be anytime and that we need to be ready for when the order comes down."

One brow arched. "He wants us to arrest Bright?"

Dani nodded. "Said it's best for Bright if we do it."

"He's right," came from Not Bright at the other end of the conference table. "We don't know who Endicott has on his payroll. It's safer for Malcolm if we bring him in."

"Can't believe they're charging Bright with this bullshit," JT rumbled, brow furrowing.

"Can't say we didn't anticipate them pushing forward with charges." Not Bright's other half, Grayson leaned back in his chair. "Even with Dent taking over as Malcolm's lawyer there was always the possibility they'd still charge Malcolm with murder."

"Thought this Dent guy was confident he could get the charges dropped?" JT glanced over at Not Bright. "What happened?"

"Endicott happened." Not Bright's lips pursed but JT couldn't tell if it was displeasure from the news or something on the tablet she was using. "Either Endicott used his connections in the DA's office to push the charges through or the Court used theirs."

"Or it's a combination of both." Dani took a seat on top of the table situated under the window. "The DA wouldn't pursue charges if they weren't being influenced by an outside source."

JT snorted. "Bribed, you mean."

"That." Dani's head bent slightly. "Or threatened."

"Threatened is more of the Court's way of doing things." Grayson pushed to his feet and walked over to study the whiteboard. "I'd go with bribery here because it's not going to attract attention like dispatching a Talon would."

"I think this is all Endicott, actually." Not Bright looked up from her tablet, a frown between her eyes. "I don't think the Court has had any hand in this."

"You don't?" Grayson's brow furrowed at her shake of the head. "Why not?"

"Oracle found some interesting things in her deep dive into Endicott's financials that make me think this is all his plan and not the Courts."

"We looked into Endicott's financials, though." Dani indicated a file on the table. "It's all in there, in fact. We didn't find anything."

"Endicott covered his tracks well." Not Bright reached for the folder, opened it. "Who he's paying wasn't, though. And that's where I think the separation between the Court and Endicott is."

"Who has he been paying?" Grayson questioned. "Someone we know?"

"Oh, yeah, we know him." Not Bright slid the folder to her husband. "Doctor Strange."

Grayson snagged the file and opened it. "Endicott is paying Hugo Strange?"

"And has been for years according to what Oracle uncovered."

"Great," JT muttered as a phone rang outside the conference room. "Like we needed another of your Gotham whackadoodles involved in this shit."

"Hey, it could be worse." Grayson sent him a lopsided grin. "Could be the Scarecrow that Endicott's involved with."

"Or Jarvis Tetch," Not Bright added with a small grimace. "Him or the Scarecrow would be bad news."

"I'd take Hatter over Scarecrow."

JT didn't particularly care for either one. Got enough killers running around without adding either of them freaks into the mix.

"Me too." Not Bright tapped her tablet screen with the tip of a finger. Checking messages, JT supposed. The network she and Grayson worked with far outclassed the NYPDs. Even their best were no match for Oracle. "Strange is bad enough given his proclivity for experimenting on people but Scarecrow would see this as the perfect time for one of his experiments."

"Introduce his ass to Martin Whitly," JT suggested. "Do Bright's ass a world of good if he had no more contact with his old man."

"Oh, trust me…" A hard glint passed through Not Bright's eyes. Spoke louder than words about her hatred for Bright's old man. "I'd love to toss Martin Whitly into a cell with either the Joker or Scarecrow just to see which one comes out alive."

"My money's on Joker," JT said.

"So's ours," came from Grayson.

"Why would Endicott be working with this Strange?" Dani interjected to question. "What exactly can he do for him?"

"My guess is he has been paying Strange to create his own army of Talons."

More good news to JT's consternation. As if one set of Talons isn't bad enough…

"Who he hopes to use to takeout the Court and their Talons," Dani guessed. "Right?"

"That's what it looks like." Not Bright nodded. "Yes."

"Shit just keeps getting weirder and weirder with this case…" JT grumbled. "I swear."

"Make you appreciate when you land a regular homicide next case," Grayson said. "Trust me."

JT didn't doubt that for for a minute. For now, though, he focused on the case in front of him. Gotta figure out a way to get Bright's ass outta the line of fire.

How exactly was the problem.

Endicott had eyes, ears, and fingers everywhere. None of them expected the guy to give up without putting up some sort of a fight. Guys like that don't toss in the towel 'cause they encountered a setback.

Especially after going to the lengths he had to protect his operation.

No, scum like Nicholas Endicott tended to double-down, calling in favors, and doing whatever was necessary to see what they wanted got done.

"What do we do?" Dani set her mug of tea beside her on the table. "How can we help Bright?"

"Can we help him is the question we should be asking ourselves." JT folded his arms across his chest as he looked towards the board where all the information they were able to gather was posted. "All of the evidence points to Bright being the one who did it."

"The blood evidence and testimony from Evan Chambers nullifies their forensic evidence," Grayson said. "Everything else is circumstantial at best."

"A jury could convict Bright simply 'cause of who his dad is."

"Endicott's counting on that."

"Yeah, can see that."

"Why is he doing this?" Dani looked between Not Bright and Grayson. "What's this really about?"

"Power and control."

"It's about revenge as much as it is power and control." Grayson angled a look at his wife. "On Martin Whitly as much as on you."

"Her?" Dani's eyebrows shot up. "Why?"

"Because sixteen years ago Martin Whitly failed to kill my mother and me."

"I see you conveniently left out how it's also about you managing to stop your father from killing you and Malcolm."

"The earthquake did that, not me."

"You were in control that night, Rae," Grayson retorted. "You'd have figured out a way to stop your father and save yourself and Malcolm."

"Why wait this long to get revenge, though?"

It was a good question far as JT was concerned.

One he'd been asking himself since this all started.

"Well, he had Martin under control until Malcolm started poking around with his girlfriend, Eve." A snort came from Not Bright but Grayson ignored it. JT silently agreed with her, though. Mini Bright was his girlfriend, not Eve Blanchard. There'd be time after they save his skinny ass for busting him about it, though. "Once Eve started asking questions about her sister it became evident something had to be done about her."

"She had to be silenced, you mean."

"Which created an opportunity for Endicott to kill two birds with one stone." Grayson stared at the whiteboard with his head cocked and eyes slightly narrowed. Searching for the answer that'd help them save Bright and the city. "He finally gets his revenge on Martin Whitly while bringing the Batman That Laughs here to destroy the universe."

"Ah," said Not Bright with a mischievous smirk, "Endicott might kill two birds with one stone but he's not Chuck Norris who can kill two stones with one bird."

"Hey!" Grayson shot a playfully disgruntled look over his shoulder at his wife. "I'm the pun-master!"

"You didn't take the opportunity to make the pun when it presented itself."

"Yeah, yeah…" Grayson rolled his eyes. "You're just a pun thief."

"Any of you heard about the thief who preferred robbing criminals and babysitters?"

"He cleaned out every crook and nanny." Grayson sighed. "So, unoriginal, Rae."

"What do you call a husband asleep on the couch?"

"Easy." A grin tugged at his lips. "A well-rested one."

Not Bright harrumphed. "You think you're hilarious, don't you?"

"I think I'm adorable, actually."

JT snorted a laugh as he watched their interplay. The way Not Bright and Grayson spoke to, and about each other, how listened to the other, supported with the other told him louder than words how dedicated they were to each other. It was clear as the pictures on the whiteboard they were as much best friends and partners as they were husband and wife.

Something Bright and Mini Bright would be if they ever get through their 'we're just friends' bullshit…

"Where is Bright, anyway?" Dani asked. "I figured he'd be calling us every five minutes to ask about the case."

"Gil was taking them over to Bright's loft so he could get a few things he needs before he, Sorcha, and the kids head to Wayne Manor," Not Bright said.

"Where they'll be out of Endicott's reach," Grayson added. "And the Courts."

As far as plans went, it was a good one.

Gotham had Batman and a slew of other masked heroes to keep Bright's danger prone ass safe.

There was just one fly in the ointment as far as JT could see.

"Charges being filed on Bright is gonna put a stop to him going to Gotham."

"Hopefully," Grayson said with a soft sigh, "we can avoid them filing the charges."

"Gil didn't sound too hopeful when I talked to him." Dani's lips pursed. "He was acting like it was more a case of when than if."

"Dent is downtown filing an emergency motion to get the charges halted as we speak."

"Yeah." JT grunted softly. "That's if a judge will even hear the motion."

"Luckily," was Grayson's reply. "The Wayne name carries as much weight in New York as Endicott's."

"Dent's using the Brannigan's and Corbin's, actually." Not Bright lifted her eyes to her husband's. "Don't forget Sorcha's father, aunts, uncles, and cousins are all highly respected and decorated members of law enforcement."

"Them standing in support of Malcolm has a greater chance of us getting a judge to hear the motion," he agreed with a nod. "And granting it."

"Even if Dent gets the motion granted." Dani indicated the photographs and post-it notes plastered on the whiteboard. "How do we use any of this to stop Endicott?"

Before Not Bright could answer, however, a chime came from her tablet. She touched the screen with one of her manicured fingernails.

Her eyes went wide.

Her face drained of color.

The ball of anxiety that had been rolling around in JT's belly since this nightmare started became golf balls.

He immediately sat forward, as did Dani, wondering what could have caused such a reaction from a woman who had been been nothing but cool as a cucumber since they met her.

"Rae?" Grayson immediately moved to his wife's side. "What is it?"

"Gil." JT barely could make out her words. "He's been stabbed."

A/N: Hello, all! Hope this finds you well!