It was a new day. Meredith entered the hospital and briefly stopped by the cafeteria for another news update. She watched the television:
"Robbers. Vandals. Arsonists. And it doesn't stop there—these are just a few of the new threats that are destroying our city. Citizens are being advised to stay in their homes whenever possible. The authorities are working hard to resolve the situation," the newswoman reported.
"Backup law enforcement is being brought in from surrounding areas. We have no superhero to save us. Now more than ever, Gotham's victims are encouraged to stick together, stay strong, and have hope."
Meredith got lost in her thoughts as she navigated the hospital. Things were getting pretty serious lately. She wondered if the chaos would end anytime soon, or if it was only just beginning. Plus, there wasn't much time left in the counseling program. It was time to get some answers from Arthur.
She entered his room. "Hi, Arthur."
"Hey, Meredith."
She went through her usual routine of asking how he was doing, followed up by a request to hear another joke. The entry was just as morbid as the previous ones, but each experience provided her with a better solution on which advice to give.
"I'm going to ask you about a sensitive topic now," Meredith told him. "I encourage you to speak freely about this. Remember, whatever you say is only between us. Trust me."
"Alright."
"On the train…. that was the first time you ever killed people, right?"
"Yeah."
"How did it feel to take their lives?"
Arthur pondered for a moment. "It's a rush of energy. Power. It's like taking the power back from anyone who's ever taken it from you."
"Would you go back and do it again if you could?"
"Yes," he simply replied.
So he didn't regret what he did. That was dangerous. Arthur was going to need a lot more help. But given his troubled past and mental challenges, she knew there had to be something (or someone) that set him off. Something had to be the cause that finally made him snap.
"If your reason for killing Murray was a personal one, why did you shoot those Wall Street men?"
"I was tired of them beating the shit out of me."
Her heart ached at the misery of the situation. Why did they do that to him? He was already so unstable. Their deaths were bound to happen.
Arthur looked down with a sinister smile. "Meredith…" he murmured before looking back at her. "What do you desire?"
"To help you, of course."
"No, beyond that. What do you want out of life?"
She wasn't expecting Arthur to reverse the interrogation, but she didn't mind answering him. This allowed for a more genuine conversation, anyway.
"I want people to live in peace. There is so much going on right now. The rich are getting richer while the poor are struggling to survive. There has to be a way to resolve this; a way that benefits everyone. Maybe then there wouldn't be so much crime in the streets."
She felt better after airing out her frustrations. Even counselors-in-training needed someone to talk to every now and then.
"Maybe one day I can make your wish come true," Arthur said. He chuckled and grinned from ear to ear. "Once I ditch this place, it'll be the first thing on my to-do list."