Chapter 3: The Balloon Man
"When the Fox hears the Rabbit scream he comes a-runnin', but not to help."
Thomas Harris, The Silence of the Lambs.
"So what? This guy, who basically chews out half the people in Gotham, got attached to some weather balloon...a flew off?" JJ asked.
"Like people say...stranger things have happened..." A tall man in his thirties with light brown hair and green eyes, quipped. His name was Andrew Donoghue, a detective who prefers not to be out in the field, instead he would rather do technical field.
"No body or nothing, would this really considered a murder?" A detective in his late thirties to early forties with brown hair and eyes asked. Anthony Rossi, Donoghue's partner.
"Well altitude exposure can include changes in the human mind's sensed, reduction in physical performance, sleep disturbance, dehydration, and nutrition," Charlie said, "Depending on how high, the results may conclude in altitude illness, or if anything they'll suffer hypoxia, making them pass out from the lack of oxygen levels and die," Once she was done, all three men stared at the woman in awe by the information. Seeing that she was being stared at she gave a quizzical expression, "What?"
"Well I didn't think you're a genius," Rossi said.
"Eh, it's more like a photographic memory on what pipes my interest," Charlie replied.
"So altitude exposures pipes your interest?" Rossi asked.
"That and I tend to find how criminals click to be very humane in the most morbid way possible..." She added, jokingly.
"Creepy, but this is Gotham..." JJ sighed.
"Hey, you guys," Donoghue called out to them, "We've got another one...this time it's one of our own..."
"Who is it?" JJ asked, looking concerned.
"Lieutenant Cranston."
"'Cranston'? You mean one of those no good dirty cop?" Charlie asked.
"He may have been dirty, but he's still a cop," JJ reasoned.
"Captain wants everyone to be out looking for this guy though," Donoghue said.
"Ugh, why if anything, he got what he deserved, karma," She countered.
"Charlie! He's still a cop!" JJ exclaimed.
"Doesn't matter he got what he had coming to him," She said, "You've seen what he's done! Are you telling me that what he did wasn't wrong?"
"You're right it was wrong, but he's still a cop, and the guy who did this committed a crime..." JJ said. Charlie looked up at him an saw a small glint in his eyes.
"Oh no, you're not going to guilt trip me..." She stood up and tried to walk away, "Not today!" She exclaimed but JJ grabbed her arm and stopped her.
"Let's just find the guy who did it, alright?" Charlie gave him a hard stare and let out a huff.
"Okay, fine, we'll find the guy who did this," She sighed, turning away from him and ran a hand in her hair, "C'mon now, let's go."
"So we've got the bodies..." Charlie sighed, gazing at the splattered remains of whatever was left of Lieutenant Cranson, "...Ka-splat on the ground...like a morbid painting of red..." She bemused, morbidly.
"Charlie, we need to focus," JJ sighed.
"I am..." She muttered.
"I mean on the case," JJ said.
"Oh..." She replied. They continued to gaze at the body before Edward appeared, Charlie was the first to noticed his presence, "Hey Ed," She smiled up at him, despite the splattered body on the concrete near them.
"Detective," Edward greeted.
"Anything?" She asked.
"Yes, from what I gathered, Lieutenant Cranson died from hypoxia, before his..." Edward gazed down at the body, "...unfortunate fall..." He finished.
"Hypoxia," JJ repeated and looked back at Charlie, "Just like you said..."
"Huh? Who would've thought I was right..." She muttered, clearly surprised herself.
"Yes, well it's quite fascinating that the killer is using quite the peculiar method, weather balloons!" He exclaimed excitedly, "Who would've thought!"
"Yeah, never thought something so...harmless would be an ideal murder weapon..." Charlie agreed, "Whoever did this, planned this all out methodically, it's calculated, timed," Charlie noted inspecting the body, "The killer knew exactly where to find them at right place and time."
"So this guy knows them personally or something?" JJ asked.
"I'm gonna go with 'or something'," She said.
Charlie sat at her desk reading up on some cases that would help with this "Balloon Man" conundrum.
"Detective!" Edward chimed, causing Charlie to gaze up at him.
"Oh, Ed, have you gotten anything?" She asked.
"Oh no, not yet, I was just curious on your work so far," He replied with a grin.
"Well, it's not much other than a name, but we've got no idea where he is..." She replied. She paused when a woman walked into the precinct. Charlie looked up from the case files and noticed the woman, who seemed to gaze around the precinct, albeit lost, "Ma'am, can I help you? She asked, Edward looking in the woman's direction, intrigued. The woman looked up, startled, as she saw Charlie and Edward.
"Oh, yes, um, is there a detective I can speak to?" She asked, Charlie stood up from her desk and walked over to the woman.
"You're looking at one ma'am," Charlie noted that she was in her mid thirties, blonde with green eyes. Dressed quite classy as well.
"Oh, yes, well, I'd like to report a crime," She said, Charlie's eyebrows rose as she and Edward exchanged quick glances.
"A crime?" Charlie repeated, the woman nodded.
"Yes," The woman answered.
"And this crime is...?" Charlie trailed off.
"...A murder..." She said. Now both Charlie and Edward's interest had been peaked as they gave each other another glance.
"A murder you say?" Charlie asked, "Mind telling us more?" She leaned forward. The woman nodded.
"Yes, I was in the theater district, walking home when I heard something odd," She started her tale, "I walked passed an hotel when I heard a scream, I looked up and saw a woman being strangled through the window, and then once I saw his face I ran-"
"Wait!" Charlie cut her off, "You saw his face?!" She exclaimed.
"Yes, but I ran straight here because I was scared that I would be next!" The woman cried.
"Okay! Okay!" She stopped her from bursting out in tears, "Ma'am I'm glad you told us, we'll get on it right away, but for now ma'am do you have a safe place to stay or anything?" Charlie asked.
"No, I don't..." She muttered softly.
"I see, alright then, I'll have someone look after you until then," Charlie paused and gazed around to see everyone busy except for a certain detective working on a computer, "Oh Donoghue!" Charlie said in a sing song voice.
"Det. Monroe? Is there anything you need?" Donoghue asked.
"Why yes there is, since you're not busy with anything... I was hoping you would look after this young lady once she's finished with the sketch artist," Charlie said motioning to the woman she spoke to with Edward.
"Is there are particular reason why?" He asked.
"I just though you might be a bit...oh I don't know...lonely here...alone...by yourself..." She dead panned. Slightly offended, Donoghue merely scoffed at her words.
"I'm not alone!" He proclaimed.
"Deny it all you want, just take care of her," Charlie brushed him off.
"I'm not denying anything!" He protested.
"Sure, keep telling yourself that," She smirked.
"Uh, detective, if you don't mind," Edward started, "Is it possible that I could, well, join you in your investigation?" He asked meekly. Charlie gave him a skeptical look.
"Well personally I don't mind, but this is now an investigation, I don't think it'll be a good idea, especially if the killer has a gun," She informed him.
"Please detective," he pleaded, "I promise to stay out of your way!" He added. Edward was quite interested in doing something other than staying in the morgue, so he thought that maybe helping the detective on this case would maybe get him some more recognition from the others.
"I suppose it won't hurt to have you tag along," She complied. An officer called after Charlie, signaling that the sketch artist was done, "Alright, wait here and I'll get the sketch and the address the incident happened then we'll get going..." She said. Edward jumped with joy as she left to get the image of the killer and the address. When she returned, Charlie grabbed Edward by the arm and dragged him to her car.
"So what are are we going to do?" Edward asked, the car was currently park on the backside of hotel where the woman saw the murder.
"We," She started, unfastening her seat belt, "Are not going to do anything," She finished, "You're going stay here in the car while I investigate, we agreed on that, remember Ed," She said. Edward's smile faltered slightly. They did agree on that. Charlie noticed this and sighed, "Ed, I'm only saying this, because I don't want you to get hurt," She explained. Edward pouted and nodded.
"I understand, detective..." He said.
"Alright, thanks," She said and loaded her gun before she got out of the car. She cautiously made her way inside as Edward watched her. Once she as gone, Edward sighed and gazed at the car. As he stared at the interior of the car, a ploy popped into his mind. He then moved into the driver seat and took hold of the wallow talkie.
"This is Detective Edward Nygma," He chuckled to himself, "No need to any backup, this ignoramus is all mine," He bemused, hands on the wheel as he envisioned himself driving the car. As he was in the middle of his little ploy, he failed to notice a man climbing out from the fire escape. The man slipped and and fell down onto the roof of the car, startling Edward. Edward examined the features of the man and flickered his eyes at the sketch of the killer then back at the man, their eyes meeting each other for a mere second. Out of panic, Edward search for anything that would help him retaliate, but instead ended up switching the windshield wipers, slamming the man in the face and rolled off the car. The man stood up and pointed a gun at Nygma.
"Out of the car!" He demanded, having Edward at gunpoint.
"The detective told me to...stay in the, uh, car..." Edward managed to say despite his unfortunate circumstances.
"Out of the car now before I shoot!" This alarmed Edward.
"No, no!" He raised his hands to show the killer that he meant no harm, Edward thought that he would at least try to stall him for a bit until Charlie returned, "No shooting, I'm getting out see..." He said and slowly opened the door before slamming it into the killer, knocking the gun out of his hand and across the ground. Edward smile at his work...that is until he saw that the man had recovered, "Oh dear..." The man grabbed him by his coat and threw him to the ground, knocking off his glasses. The killer was about to turn and retreat, but due to Edward's quick thinking, he kicked the man's leg, making him fall to the ground. Edward tried to recover, but his back was sore from being thrown to the ground. The killer groaned and looked up to see his gun just a few feet away, he then quickly scurried for the gun, trying to reach it when a foot stepped on his hand making his cry out in pain.
"Go ahead...try," Charlie muttered as she had her gun pointed at him, "I need the practice..." Edward managed to sit up, sore. Once he saw her he paused.
"For the record, detective," He started, "I tried to stay in the car..." He said, looking down at the ground. He tried to stay inside, but he had to also stop the man from running away as well.
"I know," She said, cuffing their perk, "But words of advice, Ed," She started,"Use the wiper fluids next time, it's more affective! Does more damage!" She said. He looked back up at her.
"Next time?" He repeated.
"Yes, next time...as in the time where we do this again..." She dead panned.
"Oh, well," He started, standing up with his glasses in hand. Edward initially thought that she would be upset with him, "You're not upset?"
"No, why would I?" She questioned, "You did help me catch our guy," She replied.
"Oh, well, usually most would yell at me," He shifted his feet awkwardly.
"Ed, it's fine, I'm not mad or upset with you," She said, hauling the man into the back seat of the car, "Now come on, let's head back to the station.".
Chapter 3 is now up! Again thank you to the guest who reviews, your reviews gives boost to my confidence to post more often. Also re-watching Castle episodes kinda gave me some ideas for some humorous moments because Gotham is such a tense and dramatic show, it keeps me so on edge. For Ed's little scene there, type in Castle's "Panananana" on YouTube I just imagined our precious cinnamon bun Ed doing this to a certain extent. I'm planning on having Charlie and others work on different cases than just the one in the show, because I just don't feel that she should always be tagging along with Jim and Harvey all the time because we all know how it ends. There will be more Ed than Oswald since during this time Oswald is "dead" at the time. Enjoy! Reviews are welcomed!
Warning: Grammatical and possible spelling mistakes; unedited