A/N: HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!

I said I will update on a monthly schedule for the end of the month. I chose the end because I thought it'd be cool to post one on my birthday (the 30th). It may not be the last day of the month all the time. When it comes to writing, finishing dates are unpredictable.


Gotham's Soul Part Two

Bruce watched from the observation window to the interrogation room. Jim was seated before the man they captured last night. Since the guy spontaneously nodded off, they had to wait until morning to question him. Lee said he must have been some drug addict who exerted himself too much. When he woke, they brought him to the interrogation room and chained him there. Now Jim was in the process of questioning him.

Bruce sipped his coffee as he monitored them. Their prisoner just sat back. Bruce could see that when someone like him had no care in the world, it wasn't a good thing. It usually means that something bad was going to happen or something was happening as they spoke. That only meant that they need to get answers out of him as fast as possible. Chances are, he won't be doing much singing. Fortunately, Bruce knows some pretty good interrogation techniques. He just hoped he doesn't have to use them.

Although, something in the back of his psyche has been saying that that man was vilely evil and he deserves to receive his comeuppance. Something dark in his mind that he has been fearing.

"Bruce?"

Dr. Lee Thompkins entered the observational room, her lab coat hugging her. It was cold in the room. She flashed that dazzlingly sweet smile with those prominent cheekbones of hers. It was not a mystery why Jim was attracted to her. Hell, Alfred was instantly drawn to her before he grudgingly found out she was seeing Gordon. Who wouldn't be?

Bruce has missed her. She was always a very kind and wise woman. Though there were times where the city has gotten to her. Such as the Alice Tetch virus, he heard. That was a shock. It was a crazy time.

"Lee," Bruce greeted courteously. "How are you?" They've never had the chance to talk the previous night.

"I'm fine," she said staring through the one-way glass. Staring at Jim, her husband. She eventually asked him what he's been doing away from the city. She joked about him seeing the world and trying new things and meeting exotic girls. Bruce chuckled from her affable nature and told her the truth. "That's great. I always knew you two would end up together," Lee eulogize.

He smirked. He was grateful that she did not ask him if he was ready to be a parent, despite being a doctor. He had enough people asking him that. "Thank you. And by the way, I was wondering, if things get back to normal if you'd be willing to be a pediatrician?"

If it was literally possible for a person to light up, the doctor was close by a millimeter. "I'd be honored, but are you really moving back to Gotham after creating a life in Metropolis?"

Bruce hadn't thought about that. Did he want to move back to Gotham, back to Wayne Manor after the reunification? He did not put too much thought into it. He was too focused on other things; Selina, being a CEO, and not to mention preparing for the baby.

"I haven't thought about that," he confessed. He felt like he should keep talking about that but he didn't have the energy for it. Thank God he thought of something else to talk about, though it may have been kind of a touchy subject. "How are you with Jim having a baby with Barbara?"

She looked just how he felt about being back in Gotham. "Not gonna lie, I'm sort of pissed that Jim slept with her. Although we weren't technically together at the time. But he still chose to marry me. That I'm happy about. What's weird is that Barbara asked me to be her OB-GYN, which I accepted. As a doctor, it's my job to look after the welfare of children." Bruce respected that. "But it reminds me too much of my miscarriage."

Oh yeah, that's right. She was already pregnant with Jim's child a few years ago, but she lost it when he was wrongfully imprisoned. For a long while, Bruce has been dreading that for his baby and for Selina who would have to endure that pain. The worst pain that should never exist.

An old wives' tale of miscarriages and infant mortality says that Heaven needed more angels. If only he too believed in that superstition. But he just thought the death of children was unjust.

"I'm sorry for burdening you with that, Bruce," Lee apologized.

"It's fine. I don't blame you."

Things grew quiet and Lee asked for Selina's do date after the silence was too long. He claimed it was most likely in May. However, he didn't give the exact date the doctor gave them because, with their luck, it won't be that exact day. And Lee says that Barbara's was around the same time. Both pregnant women were close and now they'll have kids that would be like siblings. Maybe they'll share birthdays.

He had some mixed feelings on that.

Gordon suddenly asked for Bruce to join him. He followed in and caught the glare of the prisoner.

"He won't give us anything," Jim whispered into his ear. "I'm thinking that this might concern you, maybe you could get him to talk."

He did not waste time to think it over.

He sat in front of the maniac with the spiky black hair with annoyingly too much moose.

"Bruce… Wayne…" he drawled. "I am so honored to be in your presence.

He's evil, the dark voice in Bruce's conscious said. You can see it. He's responsible for those crucifixions.

He pushed it back. "Who are you?" he demanded. "Who are you really?" God forbid he give that stupid playing card speech again.

"Call me Jack," he said calmly.

"Okay, Jack. What were you doing at Ace Chemicals? What were you making?"

He shrugged. "Dunno. Just following instructions."

"Are you responsible for those crucifixions?"

His eyes wandered upward contemplating the question. "Why should I?" he asked.

"It was your chemical found in the base of the victims' heads. There's no denying it. Are you responsible for those people's death?"

He's wicked, Bruce, his darkness said. Of course, he did it! He needs to be punished!

"You're not asking the right questions." The nerve of this guy.

Bruce gripped onto the edge of the table, his knuckles turning white. Punish him. Now! You'll get the answers that way.

It took a lot of deep breathing to control his patience. Bruce couldn't lose his temper. He needs to stay calm and calculated. "Fine. What are the right questions?" Jack just shrugged. Might be a bit harder to stay calm than he thought. Bruce had to ask a question that has been a bane to him from the start. "Are you working for Jerome or Jeremiah Valeska?"

Jack's eyes glazed over. His posture shifted upright to a heavily disciplined child in a prestigious classroom.

"A message to Bruce Thomas Wayne," the new Jack spoke in a mechanical tone. Both Bruce and Jim leaned in. "This thing in which you seek has not yet reached its peak. Until it is done, let's have more fun."

"Tetch," Jim said under his breath.

Bruce's fist clenched. Jervis Tetch was behind this?

"The diversion to search for is in the holy sanctuary of this dark land. So get to the grand house of the Lord soon before someone loses a hand." Jack then dropped unconscious again.

"Coventry! That must be the holy sanctuary of the city The 'dark land.'" Bruce pieced together. Coventry is the district that homes Gotham Cathedral. It's viewed as the city's spiritual center.

"Gotham Cathedral," Jim said as they walked through the station. "That's where Tetch wants us?"

Something wasn't adding up to Bruce. "Jim, something doesn't make sense," he said. "It's too easy. And besides, why would Tetch—a derange hypnotist whom I've never met before—would want me involved?"

"The kid's got a point," Harvey said as all three of them entered the captain's office.

"I agree," Gordon said getting his gun and gear ready, "but with Lucius still analyzing those notes from Ace Chemicals, we don't have much else."

"It's most likely a trap," Bruce announced the obvious.

"Knowing our luck, it's not going to end well."

Bruce saw the tired expression of a cop that went through that same thing too many times.

"Alright, let's go," Bruce said going out the door.

"Woah, woah, woah! You guys think it's okay for Bruce to come along," Bullock objected.

"As we've covered before, I'm somehow involved in this. I may not be a cop, but I've been a part of most of your investigations for over six years. I've been studying crime, strategy, and deductive reasoning since I was twelve. And if it weren't for me, several of your cases wouldn't have been solved. I've even solved my own parents' case. Whether you like it or not, I need to be here."

Even with his reasoning, that speech wouldn't have been good enough in a different time. After a trade of glances, the two cops reluctantly agreed, even though Jim was with Bruce from the start.


Gotham Cathedral

Bruce, Jim, and Harvey arrived at the designated location. Bruce admired the towering, foreboding gothic architecture. It held up finely during the whole citywide siege by gangs. He noted the little rays of sunlight shining on the central stained-glass window. It makes one think that maybe something or someone was looking after it.

Jim and Harvey drew their guns. The three of them walked through the unlocked front door. The interior wasn't in as good condition as its shell. Pews broken and strewn all over the aisles' floor, the walls spray-painted horrible imagery, and the central crucifix was hanging by one wire.

How horrible, Bruce thought. He wasn't very religious, but he had his respect. He knew, defiling a place of worship, a house of God, was a sin.

The three of them were snapped out of their observations toward the altar as someone was humming Beethoven's Ode to Joy.

"Oh, what a small world this is!"

Behind the table, they saw that stupid, recognizable top hat.

"Tetch," Jim growled in revulsion.

Jervis Tetch sat behind the altar that was dressed up for a tea party in the Victorian Era. He smiled and held up a cup. "Good morning gentlemen. Tea?" he spoke.

"We ain't got time for this weirdo hypo bull, Jervis," Bullock shouted. "Just tell us how the hell you're involved in this Maniax thing."

The psycho laughed as he took a sip of his tea. He politely placed his cup back on its saucer before answering, "Now why would I just explain everything like that, Detective Bullock? Do you think I will just pull the truth from my hat?" He tilted his top hat. "We're just starting to have fun you tomcats."

"This is nonsense," Bruce grumbled with a scowl.

"That's how it is in Wonderland, Mr. Wayne," Tetch proclaimed giddily.

Maniac! whisper the darkness to Bruce. He needs to be taken down. He needs to be punished for the people he hurt.

He shoved those thoughts away. Stepping forward he threw Tetch a hard stare. "Tell us the truth," he growled. "What do you have to do with all this?"

Jervis carefully placed his tea on the disgraced altar and dabbed his lips with a napkin. "He told me you'd be direct. Apparently… he was not claiming false facts about his dear Bruce," he said in a vile sneer.

Just then, from hidden corridors, several figures appeared. They were distinctively different. One man was wearing all white with a rabbit mask. Another, mainly orange and purple with a smiling cat mask. One that looked like some odd bird. And the last as a brown hare.

A fight broke out instantly. Tetch said a stupid quip, Jim and Harvey fired, and Bruce fought the white rabbit hand-to-hand. The masked henchmen were obviously being mind-controlled so they shouldn't harm them too badly.

They managed to overpower them despite their hypnotically induced strength. Tetch ran out of the choir during the fray and into a hallway to who knows where else. The fight moved past the nave and the crossing of the church. They finished off the goons and ran after Jervis.

"Tick tock goes the clock upon this rock!" his voice rang from ahead of the hall.

"I really hate this guy," Gordon grumbled as they ran.

They were led down a flight of stairs to the basement. The place even had his sick decorating style.

Suddenly remembering the small arsenal around his waist, Bruce grabbed his grapnel gun and fired it. The hook wrapped around Tetch's ankle and tripped him down. The line reeled him closer with him scrambling and groping for anything that could save him.

Just as he was at their feet, they reach down to grab—

"Not so fast!"

He pulled out his pocket watch and its audible ticking noise somehow sent a relaxed sensation through Bruce. Instantly snapping out of it, he snatched the watch and smashed it on the floor. Jervis cried out in distress. He cursed at them and vowed that they will pay and blah blah blah. That immediately earned him a punch from all three men.

"Help!"

They looked up to a broken cry to see a young blonde woman tied to a chair behind a long table. She was clad in a blue dress from the same era that Tetch loved. Tears streamed down her horror-stricken face as she continued to beg for help.

"Al-Alice," Tetch said deliriously.

Jim and Harvey instantly ran to the girl's aid, untying her and whispering words of comfort. Bruce would have gone to her. To save an innocent life was his utmost priority. However… rage filled him. A white-hot fury burned in his stomach as he looked down on the scum below him.

He snatched him up by his lapel and slammed him against a nearby wall. His hat laid forgotten on the ground. "What's your play here?!" he demanded. Jervis just quivered in fear at his new vulnerable state. "First, there were crucified victims that shared a clue to a chemical factory run by Maniax. Then one of them had a message in his head for me just to bring me here. And now that I am here and you're behind this, what the hell do you have to do with this?!"

His throat was becoming sore from the gravel he put into his words. Tetch just whimpered and panted.

Bruce punched him again. "ANSWER ME!"

"P-p-plea… please," Jervis begged dazedly.

Bruce wrapped his hands around his throat. "Are you working for Jeremiah Valeska?! Are you working for Jeremiah—"

"Okay! Okay!" Jervis wheezed. Bruce loosened up his grip to let him speak. "…Before… before he died, Jeremiah gave me a message saying that one day, my skills would be needed. A few months ago… I was told to program a message for you in that gentleman's mind, as you found out, to bring you here."

"Why?"

"To… to kill some time."

What? Bruce thought.

"Kill some time? What's that supposed to mean?" Jim demanded walking up from behind Bruce.

"I don't know," admitted the hypnotist breathily. "Something about distracting you while the main event is getting ready. Those poor souls sacrificed on Wayne Tower was an opening act. And I'm just helping the audience prepare for the coming attraction."

"You're distracting us?" Bruce slammed him against the wall again. His companions tried to hold him back. Sweat was beading down his brow and his hands were stinging. "What's going on now? Are people getting hurt? I swear if anything happens to anyone in the city—"

"I don't know what it is," Jervis cried. "All I understood was that it was some kind of metamorphosis."

Metamorphosis?

"The chemical!" Bruce grasped. "The autopsy report showed that the chemical injected into the victims completely bleached their skin and permanently dyed their hair green from the roots. Perhaps it's meant to physically change someone or maybe a group of people."

What the hell could the endgame be? And why the hell couldn't everything involving Jeremiah die with him?!

A sniffle brought them back to where they were. The girl! Tetch kidnapped an innocent girl.

"And what about her?" Bruce ordered.

"My… my dear, sweet Alice," was all he said. His unhealthy obsession with his sister.

Kidnapper! Manipulator! Evil!

"That's it!"

Bruce dragged him away to another side of the basement. "You have hypnotized someone for the last time."

Tetch thrashed and pleaded. "N-no. No, please. Don't kill me!"

"I'm not going to kill you," growled the younger, angrier man. He threw him to the cement floor and held him up to look him in the eye. "But you're going to wish I did."

And so Bruce unleashed his full fury on the madman.

A state away, an appalling feeling fell upon the mind of a very gravid Selina.

Bruce….


A/N: Can anyone guess what the chemical is supposed to be?

By the way, has anyone ever made a Bruce Lee joke because of the characters Bruce Wayne and Lee Thompkins? Come on, I can't be the only one.

Leave a review. Constructive criticism is welcomed.