Chapter 30

Morning light leaked across the sky like spilled milk. The thick clouds only brightened slightly. Pregnant with rain, they slowly crawled across the heavens, brushing across the cracked skyscrapers. The city woke up along with the sky. Some of the sneakier criminals hid away from the approaching day, ready to wait twelve hours before their next chance to strike. Other types, wearing confident faces and carrying heavy wallets, stepped out into the early morning.

Watery light winked through silken curtains. Two women tangled within each other slowly blinked their way back into reality. Smiled sleepily as memories of the previous night came flooding back.

"Mmmm." Shrugging off Tabitha's slender leg from around her waist, Barbara stretched like cat after a very satisfying nap. Her fine, golden hair shone like a halo in the pallid light. Adjusting her rumpled nightgown, she glanced back at her friend. Her inky hair was spilled all around her like a drape. Her feline features lost all of their hard determination in the hands of Morpheus. She looked younger. Peaceful. Vulnerable. Barbara bent down and kissed Tabitha's smooth, warm forehead. The woman smiled in her sleep and shifted a bit. Barbara rose. The cold tiles froze her bare feet. She ignored them. Headed for the kitchen.

Solemnly, she prepared a fresh pot of coffee and toasted bagels for both of them. Summoned a variety of jams and butters from the fridge. As she set the table, the phone glared meaningfully at her. She smirked at it.

The plan had worked. Perfectly. Just as she had predicted, people had gone batshit over the Sinclair video. No one had even questioned its authenticity, outside of those dumbasses in the GCPD. After everything that had been going on recently, the citizens' disbelief had melted away like spring snow. In the wake of Arkham's exposure and the unleashed monsters, no one had doubted that everything in the footage had been real.

Especially the few gangs that weren't bowing to the Penguin.

Between sips of coffee, Barbara went over the previous night. Smiling over its sheer perfection. How all of the crooks that had laughed them out of the building before had contacted them. Asking simply when and where they intended to strike. Tabitha had been forced to take over because Barbara had been too busy squealing and jumping up and down with excitement.

True, they weren't doing anything right now. But the important thing was that these groups were now on Barbara's chessboard. And when the best opportunity presented itself, she would move them.

Early morning demanded a lot from Oswald. Especially when such a scandal was thrust upon him.

First, he had to personally visit many of his allies. Because of the news, they had decided that someone who employed monsters was no one worth working with. They saw it as a betrayal, as well as an outstanding feat of hypocrisy. That was why, over the course of a single morning, they had done everything from refusing to pay their debts to destroying properties of Oswald's claim. It had only been after Oswald slaughtered several of them had they finally bowed their heads again. Begrudgingly so.

Then, there had been the GCPD to deal with.

Groaning, Oswald glared at the rising building. Absentmindedly, he ran a comb through his gelled hair. Brushed a bit of dust from his otherwise impeccable midnight-blue suit. Eyed the edifice, taking in the signs of neglect. The bricks were sooty and covered in dead ivy. The roof had been poorly repaired more than once, but Oswald doubted that it could handle an above-average storm. The steps were crumbling away like old biscuits.

My, my. Who said that crime doesn't pay?

Oswald spoke to Butch without actually looking at him. "Come pick me up before noon. This should be over by then."

Butch scratched his ear with his metal hand. "And if it ain't over?"

Oswald's jaw set. "I will end it." With that, he gathered his cane. Slammed it against the chipped pavement. Hoisting himself out of the limousine, he slammed the car shut. Hobbled his way up the steps. People gave him a couple of looks as he reached the doors. He completely ignored them.

The glass doors swung open. Everything hit him at once: the scents of coffee, sweat, deodorant, and freshly-printed papers. The cacophony of ringing phones, fax machines, and chatter pierced his eardrums like needles. Criminals fought and swore from behind their bars like angry chimps in a zoo. Cops sat at their desks or walked about, grave expressions printed on their sweaty visages.

Cheery place.

Sighing, Oswald extracted a pocket watch from his, well, pocket and clicked it open. Ten-thirty already? Where did the time go?

"Mr. Cobblepot." He knew that voice. Oswald raised his eyes to meet the tired blues of Jim Gordon. The guy looked like he hadn't had a proper meal in a week and a good night's sleep in two. His suit was wrinkled and there was dirt beneath his fingernails. How Oswald could have ever considered the guy alluring was now a mystery to him. Oswald straightened in posture. "Hello, old friend."

Jim nodded in reply. Tilted his head. "Shall we?"

Oswald shrugged. "Let us keep this brief, shall we? I have so much to do and so little time."

"Like the rest of us." Jim turned on his heel. Began treading towards his desk. Oswald followed. Just for a second, he wondered if this was what Ruby had to put up with daily. Tagging behind anyone, hands folded and head bowed. Constantly in submission.

Then, he wondered if he had ever made her feel under submission.

Jim all but crashed in his chair. Looked like he wanted nothing more than to curl up in it and sleep. Oswald perched on his. Wondering when was the last time the worn wood had been polished. Probably years. Bleah.

"So, Mr. Cobblepot-"

"Oh, Jim." Oswald gave him a tight smile. "We've endured much together. You spared my life. We exchanged secrets and favors. We even killed a man together."

Jim flinched.

"Thank you for visiting me in the hospital, by the way." Oswald's voice was thick with sarcasm. "Your concern for my well-being warmed the cockles of my little black heart."

"Sir-"

"So, you can just call me 'Oswald'." He concluded. "Or 'Oz'. Ruby calls me that, from time to time."

"Speaking of, uh, Ms. Sinclair." Jim swallowed. "You are aware of this video nonsense going on lately, right?" He looked even less enthusiastic about this interview than Oswald did. Which was really saying something.

"More than aware, actually." Oswald replied. "Its filthy content convinced a few spectators that using my home as target practice was perfectly fine."

Jim gave a sympathetic wince that Oswald thought...hoped...was genuine. "I'm sorry. It's Miss Sinclair they're targeting, not you. If you fire her-"

"Never going to happen." Oswald's voice was sharper than a scalpel.

Jim stopped. Stared at him. Oswald held his ground. Glaring at his former friend. Jim must have seen something in Oswald's face, for his own visage softened. "Um...I guess we should get down to business."

"Yes, that would be nice." Oswald agreed tersely.

Jim cleared his throat. "Well, okay..." He fingered his tie. Looked at Oswald. "I'm just going to say this."

Oswald waited.

"I...we...would like you to bring her here."

Oswald blinked. "Excuse me?"

"She poses a threat to the city, just like all of Strange's experiments." Jim's voice grew stronger. Memories flashed before his eyes. Memories best forgotten. "And all of this harassment that she's receiving will only push her to the edge. She could-"

"What?" Oswald challenged. "Snap? Start killing everyone in sight like that telekinetic girl in the Stephen King novel? Bring the city to its knees? Oh, wait! Don't tell me! Maybe she will band together with her fellow monstrosities and take over the world!" Oswald finished the hypothesis with a crazed giggle.

Jim groaned. "Oswald-"

"My answer is no, Gordon." Oswald cut him off again. He rose. "No, no, and no again. I will not have her leave unless she wishes to. And I certainly won't drag her here to be chained up like an animal!" He was screaming at this point.

"Who said anything about chains?" Jim snapped. "We're just trying to protect the city!"

"Well, you can start by tracking down Fish Mooney!" Oswald yelled. Everyone was staring at him. He didn't care. "Or any of the horrors that emerged from that bus."

"We-"

"Save it for the press, Gordon." Oswald cut him off. "Go ahead and lie some more. Tell the frightened citizens that you really are trying to catch those perversions instead of sitting around. Because I, good sir, am not that gullible." He leaned forward. His shiny, icy-blue eyes bore deep into Jim's. Sending shivers down the former soldier's back. "Face it. The law is powerless."

A moment later, he was gone.

Little did he know that by the end of the day, Jim Gordon would be, too. His badge sitting on his desk. Abandoned.

Professor Hugo Strange was sitting in a cell, and he was not afraid.

He had been put in a glass case, whose walls he had coated in formulas and notes. White against transparent, they kept him company during his countless hours of solitude. Beyond them, the walls were of thick brick. Dark, making it next to impossible to see how large this chamber was. All he knew for sure was that the door required a code to get in and out. But even the dense, bullet-proof walls couldn't block out the noises of the outside world. Of the regular sirens. Announcements. Yells. These were only a few things that made up his landscape now.

A high-tech section of Blackgate. Of all the places he'd thought he would end up, this was not one of them.

Nor was he afraid. Whatever would be, would be. Like life. Like science.

There was a mechanical beep, and the light above the door went from red to green.

Hugo frowned. Speaking of expectations. What time was it? He doubted it was lunch-time, it had only been a while since breakfast. And it couldn't be time for his daily walk around the yard. That came at nightfall.

So what-

What looked like a security guard stepped forward. Hands fisted at the sides. "Hello, doctor." A low, feminine voice crooned from the very male face. It was alarmingly familiar, yet Hugo couldn't put his finger on it. He rose from his previous cross-legged position. Stood his ground. "Who are you?"

"Oh, now I'm hurt." The face's structure began to rearrange itself. It was a horrifyingly amazing sight. "Don't you recognize your own experiment?"A wild mane of gray-blonde-brown curls bounced before the cage's lights. Within them, a round, chinless face shone with tearstains. Big, indigo eyes were puffy and pink.

Hugo instantly felt a swell of pride. "Hello, Ruby."

Ruby nodded. Stepped forward. "Nice to see they're keeping you all comfy and cozy. Now, let's talk bidness."

Hugo frowned patiently. "I beg your pardon?"

"This." Ruby waved her hands around her body. "This power you gave me. I want you to take it away."

Hugo blinked. Feeling like he had been punched in the gut. "What?"

"You heard me." Ruby's voice cracked. She edged closer to the cage. "Sure, it saved my butt. Big whoop. But because of this power, I'm becoming the town's new favorite pin cushion." She gave a bitter laugh. "I don't think the Aurora killer got this much hate!" Tears slid down her cheeks.

"But why?" Hugo asked calmly. Feeling almost like a doctor again. "As you yourself just verified, my experiment saved your life. It reset your biological makeup and stabilized your condition. Why would you want to go back to the condition you were once in?"

"Because it's got to be better than this!" Ruby was openly crying now. She put a hand on her heart. "You know what? I could even handle being accosted on the streets, if that's all there was to it. But..." She swallowed. "Because of this power, because I revealed it...I lost something I cherish something very deeply." She swallowed hard. "I'm losing someone I like, someone..." She paused. Looked deep into his eyes. "Someone I may even love. Please."

Hugo felt touched. He remembered Ruby Sinclair, better than he would admit. She had been a peculiar case since her debut. Her parents were both famous and fabulously wealthy, yet had appeared to him in disguise and paid him an additional five thousand dollars to keep their identities a secret from the press. They had sent him a weekly check to pay for the experimental cures, yet had never come to visit or called. It had only been through examining Ruby's DNA and studying her condition had he finally learned the truth.

Some would say that Ruby had been a 'freak' long before he'd ever injected her with the clay mixture.

Hugo shook his head. "I cannot."

Ruby looked like she hadn't understood. "What?"

"I cannot reverse what has already been done."

In an instant Ruby was upon the glass wall. Beating it with her fists. "But you have to!" She yelled. "I'll - I'll kill you if you don't!"

"Your body has fused with the mixture at this point." Hugo explained. "Your genetic makeup has changed, revolving itself around the substance that saved it. The formula not only granted you these powers, but it gave your body the tools it needed to fix itself. If I take that away, you wouldn't last the night." He paused. "And even if I agreed to this suicide, I couldn't. Even with a fully-stocked laboratory at my disposal. The mixture runs in your veins, resides in your bones, and circles in your organs. It is part of you, and it can never be removed."

There was a terrible silence. It was deep and heavy, like an iron drape. Cutting off all air. All hope. Ruby stared at him with huge eyes. "Strange," she whispered "I can't live like this."

Hugo shook his head again. "I'm sorry." He truly meant it.

Ruby closed her eyes. More tears ran down her face. "Me, too."

Home had never been so wonderful to see again.

Dropping Butch's payment in the backseat, with instructions to return later that afternoon, Oswald entered his sanctuary. It immediately reached out to embrace him. The air was cool and crisp, laced with lemon soap and fresh flowers. The hardwood floors were as polished as mirrors. Above his head, the dusted chandelier cast specs of rainbow light across the walls. The carpets were vacuumed, the stairs' banisters shined.

Sitting on the dining table, right where Oswald always sat, was a covered dish.

With a tiny smile, Oswald hobbled in its direction. With a flourish he removed the silver container. A spiral of steam curled up to brush his face. When the scent hit his beaked nose, Oswald felt his mouth water. Three perfect crab-cakes, golden-brown and plump, sat on the platter. Each was the size of a baseball, and looked succulent. Oswald immediately grabbed one and took a relish bite. The sweet, tender meat had his tastebuds tingling with delight. He chomped it down greedily, licking his fingers when he was done.

That was when he noticed a folded note neatly placed under the platter. Wiping his hand on the nearby napkin, Oswald took the note. Ruby's small, curly handwriting trembled on the paper.

Hi, Oz.

Have you finished reading The October Country yet? If so, would you mind bringing it to my room? I didn't want to look through your belongings.

Thanks,

-R

Oswald smiled at the mention of the book. A couple of weeks ago, Oswald had seen Ruby reading Bradbury's famous novel during her coffee break. When asked if it was good, Ruby had grinned and given it to him without question. Oswald had been so touched that he hadn't even protested.

He was almost sad to part with it. Doing so would have been like saying goodbye to a piece of their friendship. Another plank in the distant ship.

Ten minutes later, Oswald was standing before the attic door. His heart was heavy, but his knock was light. "Um, Ruby? Are you in there?" He couldn't help noting how futile his order had been on her calling him 'Mr. Cobblepot', and how equally useless his attempts at calling her by her surname had been.

There was a moment's pause. Then, in a soft voice: "Yes, I'm here. Please, come in, Oz."

He did. And wasn't happy by what he saw.

In all of their time together, Oswald had entered this room only twice before. Neither times had he examined it properly. Now that he was actually looking, he hoped that the current setting wasn't permenant.

The room half the size of Oswald's bedroom, with a slanted ceiling. The wooden planks looked like they had seen better days. There was only one window, positioned above a perch loaded with worn cushions. The window was very large, taking up almost the entire crooked wall, and oval. A giant glass eye. But right now, it was blinded. Both the curtains and the blinds had been cast over it. The lack of light made the chamber resemble a crypt.

In the midst of this gloominess, Ruby was sitting at a desk. Her back to him.

Feeling more awkward than ever, Oswald lurched towards it. He gave the place a few casual glances during his tread. A small bed was hiding in the corner. So neat that he was tempted to flip a coin on it, like something out of a cartoon. A handmade quilt glowed faintly in the dark like a dying ember.

The bed was flanked on both sides. On one side was a nightstand with a tallow candle atop it. On the other side was a bookshelf as tall as Oswald would be if not for his limp. Each shelf was stuffed with books. More books were piled at the foot of Ruby's bed.

A couple of Polaroid pictures were taped to the otherwise bare walls. Most of them were of Father. Oswald's stomach twisted at the sight of him. In one shot, Father was dressed in a particularly elegant fashion. Ruby was standing beside him, looking sad and happy at the same time. She wore a light blue dress. The sapphire necklace contrasted the dress's simple design. Behind them, Oswald could see a pastor. With a jolt, he realized that this must have been taken the day Father married that banshee, Grace.

Good riddance.

The walls were mostly bare, with only a mirror facing the window. Oswald noticed that the mirror was currently cowering behind a shawl. Why had Ruby placed it there? Could she not look at herself?

The only other furniture was a small closet and the desk that Ruby was sitting at. Now that he was closer, Ruby saw that she was slouching, her face in her hands.

Oswald swallowed. After some hesitation, he placed a hand on her shoulder. "Um, hello, Ruby. I brought your book."

Ruby looked up. Oswald had to stop himself from gasping. Her eyes were even puffier than usual. They almost looked like the scleras were bleeding. Her cheeks were heavy with tearstains, and purple crescents resided under her eyes. Her usually perky peach complexion was as white as wax. Ruby looked at him. Then, she cleared her throat. "Er, Oz...can I ask you something?"

Oswald nodded at once. "Anything."

"Your meeting with Jim Gordon today...did it have anything to do with me?" Ruby sounded scared to find out.

Oswald bit his lip. "No. Why?"

Some of the tension left Ruby's shoulders. "Oh, good. I was worried that the paranoia had reached the cops, too."

Oswald felt like someone had kicked him in the shin.

Ruby gave a weak smile as she watched him. "It's nice to know you haven't turned on me."

"Ruby," Oswald spoke, "I may be angry with you, but I actually do care." He swallowed. "I know that this will not be easy, but can you please tell me more about this video business? We, eh, did not have the chance last night."

"Don't remind me." Ruby groaned. "And, I'm still sorting it out myself."

"I have time." Oswald leaned against the wall. Waiting. Ruby looked down at her hands, seemingly gathering her strength. Her face crumpled. "Basically, Barbara called me and said she needed help with the mafiosos bugging her. You know, the former owners?"

Oswald nodded.

"So I went there, only to find some freak in bad Zorro cosplay waiting for me. I don't know who it was, but he...she...fuck if I know, it just started attacking me. I held it off for as long as I could, but finally, it had me bleeding all over the place. And I...I got mad." Tears filled her eyes. "Really mad."

"I saw." Oswald commented. "You were seconds away from killing whomever it was."

"I get that." Ruby's tone adopted an edge. Her eyes narrowed. "I train every day to keep my powers under control. And normally I don't end up on videos, okay?"

Oswald quickly shifted gears. "Do you have any idea who might have taken the video of you fighting that masked individual?" I certainly do.

"No." Ruby shrugged helplessly. "Probably Barbara. She was acting like her usual, snobby self over the phone. And it was on her property."

Oswald winced. His hand connected with her shoulder. "I am deeply sorry, Ruby."

"How can I get a viral video taken down?" Ruby sounded a little hysterical now. Her skin was rippling across the muscle. "I know it's spreading. What-what if someone from the government sees that? I don't wanna be taken away for testing." She shook her head. Buried her face in her hands. "God, what if...what if they saw it?"

"Ruby." Oswald was on his knees now. He forced Ruby to look at him with teary eyes. He brushed some of them away with his cuff. "No one is taking you away." He almost added, from me. "We will resolve this. I promise."

Ruby stared at him. Wanting to believe him. But too tired to believe in miracles anymore. Her eyes glazed over. Whatever spark, however blue, sank beneath the surface. "Thanks, Oz." She gestured to the window. "You can put my book there. Please." Oswald pursed his lips together. Nodding, he rose with a wince. Ruby stared blankly down at the desk as Oswald set the book on one of the pillows. He noticed what appeared to be documents poking out from under the cushions. Hmm.

Ruby inhaled shakily. Turned back in her chair. "O-Oz, can I ask you something? And please be honest."

Oswald nodded. Ruby's fingers began to shake. "I need to know if my suspicions regarding Barbara are true."

Oswald didn't move. Didn't speak. Just waited.

Ruby winced. "Should I go to the police?"

Oswald froze. Jim's words slithered across his mind like eels in water.

"She poses a threat to the city, just like all of Strange's experiments."

He knew exactly what would happen if she stepped into that building. He shook his head. "They would never believe you."

Ruby stared at him. Oswald ploughed forth. "You are on video, viciously attacking a normal person with no abnormal enhancements. They will use that against you, claiming that you could be a danger to others."

"But I was set up." Ruby sounded ready to cry.

"That is what you have to prove, not them." Oswald countered. Every word was a stone in his heart. "I'm sorry."

Ruby's sadness quickly evolved into bitterness. "So I just let everyone keep calling me monster? Shooting at this house? Attacking me on the street? Saying I should be locked up? Thanks, Oz. I needed that." She twisted back in her chair. Began to weep silently.

Knowing that she was beyond comfort, Oswald turned away with a heavy heart. But as he did, motivation raced through him. He marched out of the room, his next destination set in his mind.

Barbara had some dues to pay.