It's almost three o'clock in the afternoon before I open my eyes again. My body is a little stiff and sore as I stretch out in the bed. I push through it and stand up, walking to the bathroom. As suspected, the bruise on my cheek has now fully bloomed into a glorious blue and purple stain. I jump in the shower and the hot water helps to loosen my muscles.
"Breakfast is served!" Riddler calls through the door. I hurry through the rest of my shower and throw on a pair of jeans and one of Riddler's shirts. With my damp hair still wrapped in a towel, I stroll out to the kitchen where I can smell coffee and pastries.
"What's all this?" I ask, gesturing at the mouth-watering display on the kitchen bench. Pastries of every shape and size are coving the counter. "Either you can cook delicious breakfast pastries or the breakfast fairy has been." I sit in the stool and grab a steaming mug of coffee and pick up a Croissant.
"Neither. Though I could no doubt bake like this if I set my mind to it," He replies, picking at a pain au chocolat. "There's a wonderful bakery down the block. They appear to have left Gotham during the night, so they won't miss these."
"Really? I'm out all night stopping thieves and looters and you're strolling around robbing bakeries while I'm sleeping?"
"Yes. Try a Danish."
"Never mind," I respond after a bite. "This is delicious, I have no complaints." We eat our stolen pastries in silence for a while. I can hear the noise in the street though, so it's hard to be completely at peace. "What's going on with the evacuation?" I ask eventually, because I can't pretend it's a normal day anymore.
"Almost finished. They're loading up the last of the evacuation buses this afternoon, and then Gotham is officially evacuated. It's just the remaining police and whoever didn't want to leave."
"Can I ask a favour?" I turn to him, finishing my coffee.
"Of course."
"Can you set up some sort of comms network on short notice? Something that will let me talk to you and Batman and the others, but not all necessarily at the same time. I don't want to accidentally give Batman your location or give you Batman's real name or something." I explain.
"I can do that. I can wire it up as a wrist cuff?" He says, and I can see the cogs turning in his mind as he thinks it through.
"I don't mind. As long as it works." I smile in thanks.
"Oh, it'll work." His tone leaves no room for argument. "It's not difficult, I can be done within the hour." With that, he picks up his coffee mug and retreats into the office, presumably to tinker away at a comms device.
I send a message to Bruce to let him know I'll be ready to go soon and start a series of stretches in the hopes of loosening up my tight muscles and limbering up before I need to leave. I braid my hair tightly down my back and get dressed.
"It's done," Riddler says when I walk into the office. "Use the earpiece to hear transmissions and use this," He holds up what looks like a chunky metal bracelet with buttons. "To direct your transmissions." I slip the cuff on and put the earpiece in.
"I'm guessing your frequency is the first button?" I ask, amused.
"Obviously." He replies. I pull my phone from my belt and dial Bruce.
"Hey. Can you give me your secure comms channel? And everyone else's too, I guess." I request. "My new suit just got its first upgrade."
"That didn't take long."
"Well I figured I would need to be able to contact you, and smoke signals seemed too time-consuming." I quip, and Riddler rolls his eyes.
"Of course. Is there room for a second data chip?" He asks. I relay the question to Riddler, who nods and shows me an empty slot on the underside of the cuff.
"Yep," I reply. "Can you just give me a chip?"
"Yes. Meet me on the roof of the GCPD in about an hour and I'll fit it for you." He hangs up without anything further.
"Thanks for this, Edward." I smile. "It will make tonight a bit easier."
"It was no trouble." He replies, almost absently. "I've got access to the GCPD servers from here as well, so I'll know what they know. I have informants all over Gotham and can access any surveillance camera out there. I have eyes all over the city. I'll let you know when I find Crane." He tells me.
"I know you will." I really hope he does. Preferably before Crane gasses anyone else. "Come on. I have a while before I have to meet Batman, and there are still pastries I want to eat."
We spend the rest of the hour on the couch. Riddler looks deceptively calm, but I can see the clench of his jaw and know he's worried. I'm full of nervous energy. When it finally feels like an acceptable time to leave I fit the comms unit onto my wrist and put in the earpiece. My cowl slips on easily and I'm ready to go. Riddler looks me up and down, shaking his head.
"What?" I ask. "It's pretty badass, right?" It definitely is. All matte black and it even makes me look like I have muscles.
"It is. But that's not what I was thinking." He pulls me towards him and wraps his arms around me. I hug him back and try not to think about what might happen tonight.
"It's not?" I ask, burying my face in his chest.
"No. I was thinking that as strange as you must feel for choosing a villain, it cannot be as strange as finding myself in love with a hero."
"We are a weird pair." I acknowledge. "I'll contact you as soon as I know anything." I kiss him quickly and head out the door. I'm climbing onto my bike when I realise; did he say in love?
¿?
I zoom along the now mostly empty streets of Gotham. The city has descended into chaos. Everywhere I look there is evidence of vandalism or looting. As much as I stopped last night, it looks like ten times as much was happening during the day. I try not to think the phrase lost cause as I approach the GCPD. I park my bike out the front and look up.
Batman did say to meet on the roof.
I grapple my way up and arrive to see him talking to the Commissioner.
"Hey," I announce my arrival. Gordon frowns and looks between me and Batman.
"New protégé?" He asks Batman.
"Not exactly." I supply. "But for tonight, we're on the same page."
"And what page is that?" Gordon asks, sizing me up.
"Find Scarecrow and kick his teeth in." I smile. Gordon nods in approval.
"Sounds about right to me." He looks out over the city. "Yesterday there were six point three million people in Gotham. Today… not so many. Just scum, criminals, and worse. With the evacuation, there's not enough good people left to stop them." He pauses for a moment, lost in thought.
"Any lead on Scarecrow?" Batman asks, snapping Gordon out of his thoughts.
"We were tracking an unknown military vehicle speeding through Chinatown. It's the only lead we've had but they gave us the slip. I just don't have the manpower left in the city." He leans on the rooftop railing, shaking his head.
"If you find it, tell your men not to engage," Batman says. "I'll deal with it."
"Do you really think Scarecrow is crazy enough to detonate a chemical weapon?" Gordon asks, although he looks like he already knows the answer.
"I won't let him, Jim," Batman assures him. "We have another complication. Crane is also looking for revenge against Edward Nygma."
"The Riddler? What's he got against him?" Gordon looks confused. I guess he wasn't in the loop about this part.
"Nygma has managed to get himself on the wrong side of almost all the Rogues. He's a target tonight too, just as much as anyone else." Batman says, giving me a look.
"He's available for tech support." I volunteer. "He might have better luck with tracking that vehicle."
"Edward Nygma is available for tech support," Gordon says doubtfully. "Just who did you say you were?" He squints at me.
"You can call me Belle. No super-secret identities here." I grin back.
"Take this," Batman tells Gordon, handing him a phone. "And this is yours." He says to me, inserting a microchip into the comms device on my wrist and pressing a few buttons. "In case either of you needs to reach me. It's going to be a long night."
Gordon's radio suddenly comes to life. He turns away to listen to the broadcast. "All units, we got a 10-33 in sector 2." A female voice squawks. "Missing patrol car, suspected officer down."
"Hey, Batman-" Gordon breaks off, looking at the spot Batman had been standing seconds before. "Every damn time." He says, shaking his head. I didn't notice him leave either. "You don't disappear like him?" He asks me.
"Not yet. I'm not sneaky enough." I tell him. "It's a real honour to meet you, Commissioner," I tell him, because I can't let the meeting end without saying it. "I'll help out tonight in any way I can."
"Thanks, kid." He says. "Be careful out there."
I salute him and take off, leaping and grappling down the building until I reach my bike. Batman radios through with the location of the missing patrol car and I speed off, arriving to see a gang of thugs surrounding a police officer curled into a ball on the ground. Adrenaline surges as I jump into the fight, side by side with Batman, escrima sticks flying.
"Who are you supposed to be?" One of the thugs demands, right before I knock him out cold. I focus on conserving my movements, making every blow count. It's going to be a long night and I need to reserve my energy. The last thug hits the ground and I see Batman helping the officer to his feet, and can hear the rumbling of an engine. I don't have time to process what it means before an armoured car comes flying right towards us.
"Grapple up! Now!" Batman yells. I don't think- I just do as he says. I fly straight up, just in time to avoid becoming roadkill.
"What are you doing?" I hear the officer ask, and I look across the rooftop to where he and Batman landed.
"Evening the odds."
I barely have time to wonder at what that means when I hear another engine. I brace myself, ready to run or to fight, but I'm not ready for what comes next.
Batman gracefully dives off the roof and lands in what can only be described as a tank.
The Batmobile.
"No. Way!" I exclaim.
"I'm going after that car. I'll call when I need you." Batman says over the comms.
"Kick his ass, Batman," I reply. "I'll help the cop back to GCPD."
I give the cop, whose name turns out to be Officer Kevern, a ride back to the station. He says thanks, and then mumbles something that sounds like 'drive like a maniac' before stumbling away to collapse on a weathered brown couch in the reception area.
I look around GCPD in wonder. I don't think I'll ever get over how amazing it is to be here. I haven't heard from Batman yet, so I decide to go exploring. I find myself walking through the holding cells, which are currently pretty empty.
In one of the last cells is a cop in his uniform, muttering to himself and occasionally shrieking at nothing.
"Was he the officer in the diner?" I ask one of the other cops milling around the cell.
"Yeah. He still hasn't come out of whatever hallucination the gas caused. Can't imagine what he's going through." The man seems to notice my clothing. "Another Batman wannabe? You might be out of your depth tonight, kid."
"Thanks for the tip." I acknowledge.
"Hey, kid! Uh, Belle!" I turn to see Gordon standing at the door to the bullpen, waving at me. This seems to legitimise me in the other officer's eyes, and he steps to the side to let me pass, giving me a nod.
"Commissioner." I nod at him. "Have you heard from the big guy?"
"He's on his way. Belle, this is Officer Aaron Cash. This is… a friend of Batman's." Gordon introduces us.
"Good to meet you. We're gonna need all the help we can get tonight." Cash says to me.
"You too. You're tracking Batman?" I ask, looking up at the big screen on the wall.
"Yeah. He ran into some trouble in Chinatown with some tanks, but he's on his way here with Ivy. Isolation chamber has been prepped." Cash says. I can hear Gordon talking on the radio behind me.
"Bring her down to the lock up on the lower level." He says. Sweet! I get to meet Ivy!
The phone on the desk starts to ring and Gordon answers and starts a shouting match about civil unrest with whoever is on the other end.
"Well, look who it is." Cash drawls, and Gordon and I spin around to see Batman escorting Poison Ivy through the door. I watch as he takes her to the isolation chamber and locks the door.
"You feel safer, now that I'm all locked up?" She asks. Batman says nothing, of course. He returns to where Gordon, Cash and I are standing.
"How's it looking out there?" I ask when he gets close.
"Not good," Batman replies. Cash snorts.
"Master of the understatement, as always." He says.
"What do you need me to do?" I ask. I'm ready to get out there and kick some ass.
"Nothing yet. Just be ready when I call." He says, and I feel my spirits fall a little. I wanted to be helping, not stuck on the bench. He steps forward, angling his body towards me and away from Gordon and Cash. "Scarecrow will be looking for you. He's going to be expecting you out there. No need to make you a more obvious target."
I sigh. "You're right. It still sucks though." I complain.
"Oracle has an analysis of the latest batch of fear toxin ready. I'm going to meet her and get an update."
"Be careful out there, Batman." Cash says as Batman marches away. No one says anything as he leaves until a bespectacled tech pokes his head out of the communications room.
"Scarecrow broadcast, incoming!" He announces. Gordon orders him to put it on the large screen beside Cash's desk and he quickly does. We all turn to watch the announcement.
"Remnants of Gotham, I have messages for you all." Scarecrow begins, his voice deep and raspy. "To the vandals who stayed behind to pick the still-warm flesh from Gotham's bones: have your fun. You are under my protection." Gordon and Cash exchange looks. That news will only embolden all the vandals and criminals on the streets right now. "To the cowards quaking behind the police departments walls," Crane continues. "You will not be spared." All the cops around me react to that. Quiet muttering fills the room. "To Edward Nygma and his little friend. Do not think you will survive this night. I will return the favour you have shown me until you beg for death." My blood runs cold. Gordon looks at me, suspicion in his eyes. "And to Batman: I have already won- emptied your city with a vial of toxin and a few threatening words. That is how little the safety you provided was worth." The entire precinct is glued to the screen now, taking in every word. Horrifyingly, Scarecrow continues, "And when the dawn comes, when Gotham is in ruin and I turn my gaze to the world beyond, the legend of the Batman will be worth nothing at all."
"Oh my god," I whisper, leaning against Cash's desk. My knees don't seem to be able to hold me up anymore. "He is terrifying," I say to Gordon. "He is properly, properly scary. How are we going to stop him?"
"Batman will," Gordon replies confidently. I don't know if he really believes that or if he just sensed that I needed to hear it. My earpiece crackles to life, shocking me into standing up straight.
"Belle? Where are you?"
"Edward? I'm at GCPD. Are you okay? You heard the latest from Scarecrow, I'm guessing." I reply. Gordon and Cash look at me funny. "Comms system. Not just talking to myself, don't worry."
"I heard. Anyone would think Crane is taking the fact that we once killed him personally." Riddler quips.
"Apparently." I agree. "Hang on, Batman is contacting Gordon." I pause my conversation with Riddler to listen to Batman and the Commissioner.
"We've got a way to find out where Crane's working from," Batman says.
"Thank God." Gordon's shoulders visibly loosen slightly. "What can we do?"
"Get your men ready. Soon as we've got a location, I'll let you know." They finish the conversation.
"Looks like you're almost up to bat, kid." Cash tells me. I try to look brave and ready but I think I just mostly look pained.
After several minutes of vague conversation with Cash, Riddler contacts me.
"What's Batman up to?" He asks suspiciously. "I've just seen two antennas come online. He's scanning for something."
"Looking for Scarecrow," I tell him, and explain about the fear toxin radiation.
"I've traced the fear toxin to ACE Chemicals." Batman's voice comes over the comms, and I can hear him on Gordon's device too. This must be over all channels.
"I've had a team there since the evacuation started, just like you asked!" Gordon exclaims. I hear Riddler mumble something that sounds like 'obvious first place to check' but I don't reply.
"Crane must have bought them off. Or worse." Batman's voice is grim.
"I'll round up my guys and meet you there," Gordon says, ending the transmission. He barks out the names of several officers, putting together the team to meet at ACE. "You coming too, kid?" He asks, looking at me.
"I'll meet you there. I have my own ride." I tell him, and hurry off to the parking garage.
"Radiation readings from Batman's antenna say there is definitely activity in the building," Riddler warns me. "Crane is in there, Belle. Be careful."
"Of course I will be. You know me." I say as I whip down the street at a slightly dangerous speed, trying to keep up with Gordon and his gang.
"I do know you. That's why I'm saying be careful." He replies. I don't bother with a retort because let's face it, he's kind of right.
I pull the bike into a hard stop when I reach the collection of police cars at the entrance to the building. Batman has beaten me there.
"…they're not responding and the facility is locked down." Gordon's saying as I approach. "Good to see you can mostly keep up." He says to me.
"If they're still alive, I'll find them," Batman promises. He turns to me, "Let me see what's going on in there first. I'll call for you when I know what to look for."
"Aye aye." I salute him. "I like the new suit, by the way. It's very 'Ironman meets Batman,' you know?"
"Who?" He asks, his tone slightly amused, and I can tell he's smiling on the inside.
"Ironman. You know, Tony Stark? Owner of Stark Enterprises, fellow billionaire?" I look at Batman's blank, questioning face. "No? I guess it was too much to ask that he be real too." I mumble so only Batman and I can hear. I'm positive I see him roll his eyes under the cowl.
The sound of whirring helicopter blades catches everyone's attention.
"What the hell?" Gordon asks of no one in particular as a small, one-seater aircraft rises from under the bridge. I catch a glimpse of what almost looks like a robot Batman behind the controls before the pilot fires at the bridge in front of us, cutting the building off from the road.
"Move! Take cover!" Gordon orders, waving his men back behind the safety of the patrol cars. Batman marches forward, coming face to face with the helicopter now hovering just above the bridge. I stand between the two groups, frozen. Not wanting to hide with the police, not quite brave enough to stare down the maniac in the helicopter like Batman.
The maniac seems to blink first in their staring contest, eventually flying up and over the high, high walls of the ACE Chemicals compound. The gates fly open to show half a dozen tanks waiting in the courtyard. Proper tanks, complete with massive guns on the roof that look like they would even damage the Batmobile.
They spray the bridge in front of us with bullets, making Batman and I both jump for cover behind the nearest vehicle.
"Friend of yours?" Gordon asks, voice heavy with sarcasm.
"Stay here, and I'll go find out." With that, Batman grapples up to land on top of the walls of the building, before jumping out of sight.
His sudden voice in my ear makes me jump. "Nygma," He says over the comms.
"Yes, Detective?" Riddler replies, sounding bored.
"Find out everything you can about someone calling himself The Arkham Knight." He says. "Belle, any information on him?" I know he and Riddler are hoping I have case-solving knowledge here, and I feel terrible letting them down.
"Never heard of him, sorry. But- and I don't know how helpful this is- I'm pretty sure that was what the next game was called. Arkham Knight. So watch out, this dude is going to be pretty important tonight." I warn.
"Batman, Belle." Oracle's voice echoes over my comms. I look to Gordon guiltily, feeling bad he doesn't know his daughter is still in the city. "I've managed to intercept some radio traffic between Scarecrow and this Arkham Knight. Here it is."
"I had him in my sights. I could have ended it right there!" Shouts an angry, electronic voice. The same voice I heard over the radio in Scarecrow's Chinatown apartment. The Arkham Knight.
"We have not broken him yet. It will come." Placates Scarecrow.
"No, I've waited long enough. Batman dies. Tonight." The Knight says with terrifying certainty.
"Why do you hate him so much?" Ah, Crane. Ever the psychiatrist.
"You could never understand."
"Your revenge is at hand. This is his last night."
"I'll make sure of it." The Knight vows.
Oracle comes back on comms. "Any idea who the Arkham Knight is?" she asks. "Sounds like the two of you might have some history."
"No kidding." I agree. "This guy really, truly hates you."
"I've made a lot of enemies." Is all Batman says before the radio goes silent again.
I take the time to explain to Gordon about the mysterious Arkham Knight.
"We don't know anyone by that name." He says, forehead creasing in thought.
"Neither do we." I console as the radio comes to life again.
"I've managed to hack into the militia's comms network. Batman thought it might be useful if you listen in too. Might spark something, you know? You might know this guy after all."
"It's worth a try. Thanks, Oracle."
Gordon looks to me. "Batman's got you hooked in with his tech support too, huh?" He says thoughtfully. "Maybe while we're waiting you can fill me in on where exactly you fit into all this."
I bite at my lower lip nervously. How much can I really give away here?
"I'm like Batman. Sort of. I want to be like Batman, and he is, or was, training me. And hooked me up with this amazeballs suit! And we're mostly on the same side." I pause to collect my thoughts.
"Mostly?" Gordon prompts.
"Well, I'm also kind of… dating The Riddler? And that majorly conflicts with Batman's whole good versus evil moral compass. So we aren't completely on the same page. But I'm not running around threatening to fear gas an entire city, so, you know, in comparison, I'm really not that bad." By the time I finish my tale, Gordon looks pensive and the two cops within earshot look scandalised.
"The Riddler." One of them says. "You do know he's crazy, right?"
"He would disagree," I remark. The cop nods thoughtfully, running one hand through his cropped dark hair.
"How long have you been dating?" Asks the other, a freckle-faced redhead.
"That's… complicated." I reply, thinking of our timeline. "I've known him, and Batman, since Arkham City was running."
"That's not so long. Only a year or so?" He says.
"Feels like so much longer." Only I get the joke. Does time passed really count when you were in a different world?
"You know Joker?" Red-head asks, shamelessly curious.
"I did. He was… not fantastic." I finish lamely. There really are no words for that guy.
"Killer Croc?" The first cop pipes up.
"Only very little. Just met the once really." Once, as Riddler drugged and killed him.
"What about Crane?" Gordon asks, looking shrewdly at me. He's on to something. "You're Riddler's friend, right? In the threat? 'I will make you beg for death'?" He recites.
"Yep." I suppress a shudder. "That's me. We, uh, managed to really annoy him a while back. I don't think he's over it." Acting blasé about it makes me feel a little braver.
We all jump back as the Batmobile roars to life, seemingly of its own accord. We all watch as it jumps the blown away section of the bridge and lands in the courtyard of ACE Chemicals, going to war with the tanks.
Batman, of course, makes short work of them, though it's a more even fight than I would like. It's almost as if the tanks were designed knowing what vehicle they would be up against.
"Sir," the militia comms channel transmits. "He punched through the armour, just like you said." Well, that confirms my theory. The Knight definitely knew what the Batmobile can do.
"He's searching for hostages." Comes the robotic sounding voice. "Keep non-essential radio chatter to a minimum. He'll be listening." There's a brief pause. "You are listening, aren't you Batman? Then listen to this." The voice has taken on a hostile, taunting tone. "To all embedded units in Gotham. Operation Saviour has begun. Each one of you has a role; each of you knows your role. So move out into this damn city and lock it down. I want our hands wrapped tight around Gotham's throat within the hour." With that, the radio goes silent. Embedded units.
"I think Gotham is about to have problems," I say to Gordon.
"What, more?"
"This guy, the Knight, has people all over Gotham. They're about to seize the city. We're going to lose control of the streets." I warn, trying not to sound as alarmed as I feel, and relay the message the Knight just gave. Gordon swears, and gets on the radio, alerting all police and calling people off the streets.
I turn away as my comms unit starts transmitting.
"…even looks like he's planning to leave that room, open fire." It's the Knight's voice, but it's coming from Batman's secure channel. He must be talking to the Knight, transmitting so I can listen in. "Oh, and avoid the bat symbol. That's a, uh... that's a little trick. That's where his armour's the strongest. Aim for the weak spots at the shoulders first, then coordinate fire at the points where the plates meet." How the hell does he know that about the Batsuit?
I connect my comms to Oracle. "Are you hearing this?"
"Yeah. No one could know that about the suit. Only Lucius and us." She says defiantly.
"Could he have hacked your system? Or Lucius's?"
"I mean, I guess it's not impossible, but I'm positive I'd know if he had." She doesn't sound so sure of herself.
"It's all clues to his identity. Only a matter of time before he gives himself away." I console. I hope I'm right.
"I hope so." Oracle ends the transmission. I turn and see Gordon talking to Batman on his comms unit.
"I'll get my men off the streets but I'm going nowhere. You bring anyone you find to me." He orders.
Batman argues, "Jim, it's too dangerous."
"You'll stop him. I know you will." He looks over at me. "Me and the kid will be here if you need back-up." I nod, not knowing what I'm really agreeing too. Gordon ends the call and explains, "Scarecrow's building a bomb in there. The gas cloud would cover the entire eastern seaboard. I'm ordering my men back to the GCPD building, but I guessed you wouldn't go."
"You would have guessed correctly."
"You and me then, kid. Batman will stop this." I watch as Gordon organises his men and gets them back to GCPD. A few moments after the last police car drives away the familiar sound of helicopter blades approaches.
The Knight's air-craft flies over the outer walls of the facility and we hear gunfire and explosions. I bite my lip, praying for the Batmobile to stand up against whatever weapons the helicopter has.
"Edward! Do you have access to cameras in ACE?" I ask frantically.
"I can have access."
"Hack in, tell me what's happening. Please. Batman is up against the Knight, and I'm pretty sure hearing the fight without seeing it is worse than actually watching it would be." He's quiet for a few moments while I listen to the explosive sounds of the fight inside the facility.
"There's an aircraft, appears to be unmanned." Riddler finally says. "Firing missiles. The Dark Knight's ridiculous car is dodging most of the shots." The sound of bullets being fired rings out. "That's the Dark Knight firing at the helicopter." Riddler commentates the fight for me, and I commentate for Gordon. "The aircraft is down. Batman is making his way to you now."
I breathe a sigh of relief. "Thank you. Have you found anything on the Arkham Knight?"
"It's been thirty minutes, Belle."
"I'm sorry; I thought I was speaking to the smartest man in Gotham?" My tone is teasing, and I can't help smiling a little while we talk.
"In far more than just Gotham, my dear." He replies, and I can hear the arrogant smirk in his voice. "It's only been thirty minutes, but I do have a little information. Mainly info on training camps in Venezuela and Colombia. I've picked up some of the militia's faces from CCTV around the city, and have identities for them. No one important, however. Mainly soldiers of fortune wanted overseas for various war crimes, but all have reputations. The Knight has chosen his army well."
"Not the incredible, case-solving information I was hoping for, babe. Thanks. Keep looking- if anyone can find this guy's dirty little secrets, it's you." I tell him. Gordon looks vaguely nauseated at my flattery.
The Batmobile comes flying across the gap and parks in front of us.
"These two were lucky," Batman says, not getting out of the car. "Scarecrow's forces murdered the other workers. Take them back to GCPD, but be careful. There's militia all over the city."
"What are you going to do?" Gordon asks as he and I help the techs out of the Batmobile.
"Show Crane what happens when he messes with my city," Batman replies, and as soon as the techs are clear, flies back into the ACE Chemicals compound.
"He really knows how to make an exit, doesn't he?" I remark to no one in particular as Gordon bundles the rescued hostages into his patrol car.
"Are you coming back to GCPD?" He asks. I take one last look back to the ACE Chemicals building.
"Yeah. Lead the way, commissioner." I throw a leg over my bike and speed off after Gordon.
The warning comes over the comms system just as I see the first tank.
"We've got company! Stick close to me, we'll outrun the bastards." Gordon says as the car speeds up. I accelerate to keep pace with him, following him around the tight turns and along back streets the whole way back to GCPD.
It's a relief when we arrive. By my count, we passed six tanks on the way, but there's no telling how many are spread out over the rest of the city. Officers meet us in the garage and take the surviving ACE Chemicals workers inside.
Gordon and I wait in the parking garage for Batman to show up. Gordon's radio is going off non-stop, and he starts barking orders back at whoever is on the other end when I hear the now familiar rumble of the Batmobile's engine approaching.
Batman exits the car and approaches us, so Gordon signs off from his conversation. What I can see of Batman's face looks troubled.
"What's wrong?" Gordon asks, noticing Batman's face.
"Jim…" Batman starts but trails off. Something is definitely up.
"C'mon, you're scaring me," Gordon complains, taking off his glasses.
"It's Barbara." Batman finally says, and my stomach drops. "She's been taken." Gordon's face falls as he turns away.
"No, no. I spoke to her. She said she got out!"
"Stay calm. We'll get her back."
"Which one?" Gordon explodes, shouting at Batman. "Who's got my little girl?"
"Scarecrow." Batman replies evenly. Oh, God. That monster has Barbara. "They took her from the Clock Tower."
"We need to go, there could be a clue! Something that will lead us to her!" Gordon sounds like he's losing it. He climbs into a police car.
"I'll follow. Stay in contact." Batman orders, climbing into the Batmobile.
"I'll just stay here then," I shout at the cars speeding out of the garage. I head inside the precinct, worrying about Barbara. There's no telling what Scarecrow will do with her. Or the Knight. If he hates Batman this much, I don't want to know what he would do to anyone who helps Batman.
"Hey, kid. How's it going out there?" Cash asks when I make my way through the holding cells to his desk.
"Not great. The militia are everywhere. It looks pretty bad." I admit. Batman has pulled off some incredible things before, but this almost seems too much.
"He'll save us. He always does."
"The amount of faith everyone has in him is kind of amazing," I say, taking a seat on the edge of the desk. Cash raises an eyebrow but doesn't tell me to get off, so I figure I'm okay.
"When you save a city a hundred or so times, it's bound to happen."
"True," I say, and then jump a little when my earpiece crackles to life.
"I told him about Barbara. He knows." Batman says.
"I'm guessing he didn't take it well?" I ask. Cash looks at me strangely and I tap my ear to let him know I'm not a crazy person talking to myself.
"No. He's left the clock tower. Tell me when he gets back there."
"No worries. Anything else?"
"I need to talk to Riddler." He says. That was the last thing I was expecting, but okay. I press the right button on my wrist cuff and bring Riddler onto the channel.
"Hey Edward, I have someone here who wants to talk to you."
"Nygma." Batman takes over. "I need access to all the municipal camera's around the clock tower."
"What makes you think I have access to those?" Riddler asks haughtily. I roll my eyes. We really don't have time for this.
"This is a 'time is of the essence' kind of situation here, Edward. Can you stow the snark for five minutes?" I request. I hear him sigh loudly.
"Fine. What am I looking for?"
"Scarecrow's forces just kidnapped Barbara Gordon. I need you to identify who exactly and how they took her." Batman says. The channel goes quiet for a few moments as Riddler works.
"Miss Gordon is with the Arkham Knight." He says finally. "I would call that bad news. However, the car he took her in is fitted with AmerTek D60 tyres. Rare and expensive all-terrain tyres, so it would be safe to assume there are no other cars in Gotham fitted with these. If that ostentatious ego-mobile of yours can track the unique tread pattern, you should be able to find your distressed damsel." He finishes. Batman doesn't reply, so I assume he's off following tyre prints.
"Thanks, Edward."
"Tell me, what would Scarecrow want with the Commissioner's daughter?" He asks.
"Who knows. That guy is crazier than an outhouse rat."
"Hmmm. And what was the commissioner's daughter doing at the clock tower?" He continues.
"Ask me no questions and I'll tell you no lies." I quip.
"Fine. I will find out, of course. But fine." He sounds irritated. "I did see something else on that footage. The Dark Knight seemed too distracted to deal with it though."
"Don't keep me in suspense!"
"None other than Victor Zsasz, prowling along a street near the clock tower."
"Damn. He'd be having a great time out there, slicing up anyone who gets too close. We have to stop him."
"I thought you might say something like that, so I took the liberty of looking into any recent crimes that mimic his M.O." He replies, and I can hear the tapping of a keyboard in the background. "Our old friend has been busy. I've found dozens of bodies, but they only really get interesting around the time you arrived here."
"What do you mean by interesting?" I get the feeling I'm not going to like this.
"Since you arrived, the only bodies Zsasz has left posed have been young caucasian women with long dark hair, and men with glasses in green suits." He tells me. Yep. I do not like this at all.
"So you're saying he is exclusively killing our look-alikes?"
"I am. He must have been aware of your arrival somehow. This is Zsasz sending a message."
"Wonderful. We really do need to deal with him. I'll meet you at the apartment as soon as I can." I sign off and turn to Cash. "So, Riddler tells me Victor Zsasz is prowling about and may want a word with me. I'm going out to find him. Contact Batman if Gordon shows up here. I'm hoping this won't take long."
"Give 'em hell, kid." Cash nods. I head back out through the garage and take the bike back to our apartment. Riddler is still sitting at the computer, furiously tapping away just like I left him, only now there's a gun on the desk beside the keyboard. In case of uninvited guests, I guess.
"Any idea where the creepiest Gotham Rogue is hiding out?" I ask by way of greeting.
"The creepiest?" Riddler questions, turning to look at me. He looks as tense as I feel.
"Yeah, easily. Actually," I think of Scarecrow. "Maybe not. Not tonight, anyway."
"I went back through the camera footage around the clock tower and tracked him through security cameras around the city. I lost him around some of the back streets, and when he stole a car, but I did pick him up again. He is currently inside an abandoned orphanage." He says with a flourish. "No one can hide from me."
"Of course they can't." I smile back at him. "Let's go kick his ass. It'll be just like old times! With less killing, though." I amend.
A/N: This chapter is dedicated to the wonderful people who leave reviews. I'm terrible at the updating thing, I know, but you guys give me the kick I need!