Chapter 18: Beginning of the End

Elvira Benedetti's office was thick with tension. She and her husband Carlo were sitting at her desk pouring over an open scrapbook. Joan Brooks, whose flight had landed in Gotham only an hour and a half earlier, was sitting across from the couple with her legs and arms tightly crossed. Gordon was seated next to her, his elbows propped on his knees and his fists up to his mouth. His eyebrows were furrowed as he stared lost in in thought. Claudia DuPriest, Monica's mother, sat on the other side of Joan completely confused and irritated.

"Somebody tell me what's going on right now," she ordered, "Because I fail to see how this has any relevance to our daughters' at the moment."

"The Joker is James Kinkirk's brother," Joan answered, not taking her eyes off the scrapbook on the desk, "My assistant was sent that book earlier today. It was confiscated from one of the Joker's hideouts a few days ago Gordon's men."

Carlo heaved a sigh and turned in his chair to face Claudia, "James was a man that Elvira went to high school with. His wife and daughter were shot and killed by a burglar about ten years ago. It was said that James went insane and checked himself into a ward in Los Angeles."

"Which seemed odd to me," Elvira cut in, similar to Joan still focusing on the scrapbook, "I spoke to him at the funeral. He was grief stricken of course, but clearly sane. I didn't hear from him again until I found out he went to LA. That was when I talked to his parents. They told me…that they thought he was actually looking for his older brother."

Claudia blinked in surprise, "Did you not know he had a brother?"

Elvira pursed her lips and shook her head, "They didn't tell anybody in Trenton about their older son. Apparently he was born with a brain tumor and they put him through some experimental treatments that caused some damage to his brain. I guess he started showing some sociopathic tendencies at a young age and actually tried to hurt James. They…couldn't handle it…so they moved near some family in New Jersey and abandoned him at a rehab center. They destroyed all evidence of their older son. James never even mentioned his brother."

"But he knew about him," Joan began speaking, "James actually wrote to his brother once a month. He kept every letter that his brother wrote back to him in this scrapbook we have now. They wrote to each other from the time James was ten years old up until a few months before Jillian and Leslie Kinkirk were killed."

Carlo flipped a few pages back in the scrapbook and turned it on the desk for Claudia to see, "James started writing some notes in this after the murder. He seemed to notice how his brother's mental state appeared to be deteriorating with each letter he sent. James also came to the conclusion that his brother was the one who broke into the house."

Claudia held up a silencing hand (which earned a quirked brow from Elvira), "First of all, does the brother have a name? Second, I thought I read in the article that the police caught the robber before he could flee the scene of the crime."

It was Gordon's turn to speak, "That was a faulty statement given to the press. James actually requested it so the citizens of Trenton would have some peace of mind. Nobody knew why he made that request at the time. If he thought the culprit was his brother we might have an explanation."

Joan waved a hand toward the scrapbook, "We don't know the brother's name. James never refers to him by name either. But anyway, James noted that most of his brother's later letters made very little sense, but he could tell his brother was jealous of James's life and family. Most of the letters also didn't have a return address or postage stamp, so James concluded that they had been directly dropped off at his house. He figured his brother eventually decided to confront him and, like the police report said, got startled by the sirens and the sudden presence of Jill and Leslie that he shot them and ran.

He decided to go track his brother down after the funeral. He faked his own insanity and followed an old return address to the psych ward in LA. There were no records about his brother, but he managed to squeeze some information out of his therapist after he was deemed perfectly sane. Apparently the brother threatened one of the nurses into walking him off the property and the center never found him or heard from him. James was released, but kept in hiding still trying to track his brother down."

"Exactly one year after Jill and Leslie's deaths," Carlo continued, "James found out that his brother had been taken at some point to Arkham Asylum. He got himself admitted by feigning insanity again, but still found no records of his brother." He paused to flip through a few more pages, "None of his notes are dated, but we think he wrote this a few days after going to Arkham. He talks about a man with scars on his face busting him and a few 'more sane' inmates out to 'join his team.' James started working with him, committing some thefts and break-ins in a few cities around Gotham. Later he talks about how his 'boss' decided to go by the name of the Joker…and James was certain this man was his brother, though he wasn't sure if this knowledge was reciprocated."

Gordon pointed toward the scrapbook, still appearing deep in thought, "We recovered that book after following a false lead to a hideout the Joker had already abandoned. James kept that with him since he was ten years old. We all figure the Joker must have taken it from him, but we don't know whether or not it was left behind on purpose."

"So the body the Joker sent you with the tape of Lindsey," Claudia confirmed, "That was James?"

Joan nodded, "We know James found out the Joker was his brother, and if the Joker really was the one who killed Jill and Leslie he had to have recognized James. Personally, I think James is the one who sent Elvira his file knowing she would somehow find out how the Joker was linked to him. I think he was also the one who left the book behind. Maybe he realized the Joker knew about him and would sooner kill his own brother than let his identity become known to the public."

"So," Elvira clapped her hands together, "We need to reveal this guy, after we take him down. If he's cold hearted enough to kill his own niece and sister-in-law-"

"Wait," Joan cut in softly, "You don't know that he meant to kill Jill and Leslie. James himself said he was just startled by the burglar alarm Jill set off."

Elvira stared at the attorney incredulously, "Ok, but what about the thousands of others he killed? The people of Gotham need justice!"

"The people of Gotham will always demand justice," Gordon droned, causing Joan to snort. She kept her gaze trained on Elvira, "All I'm saying is that somewhere inside, the Joker is human. He was already severely unstable when he went to see James. Accidentally killing a part of his family had to have sent him over the edge. If you want to talk justice, how about we target the hospital, the doctors, the researchers, the therapists who screwed up and created a monster?"

"How could you be defending this guy?" Elvira all but screamed, "He is trying to kill your daughter! As a mother I hate to say this, but there's a chance he's already killed Lindsey."

"He hasn't," Joan spat through gritted teeth, "And he won't."

Gordon finally stood up from his chair, pivoting so he was staring down at Joan, "Let's go outside."

Joan blinked up at him confused, but nodded nonetheless and unfolded to full height. She didn't spare the other parents another glance as she strode out of Elvira's office with Gordon. The two rode the elevator down to the basement in silence. Instead of allowing the doors to open, Gordon keyed the emergency stop function.

"You're hiding something, Joan."

Joan sighed, sank into her hips and folded her arms, "Took you long enough."

"Hey, wait!"

Monica ignored Ray's orders from behind her as she kept her feet pumping. She swore under her breath as she found herself in an alleyway that led to nothing but a dead end. She heard Ray quickly closing in on her as her pace faltered. With a low growl, she planted her feet on the ground and whirled around to face him, catching him off guard as he slid to a halt in front of her.

"Is what Serena told me true? Are you going to sell me out?"

Ray blinked, dumbfounded for a moment, "Monica, Angela, whichever one you are…you have to understand I was only trying to help Serena and me get the hell out of the Narrows. I wasn't proud of potentially leading two innocent girls to…whatever the Joker was planning on doing, but you have to be selfish to survive around here."

"Well I have nowhere to go," Monica spat bitterly, "What are you going to do now? Are you still going to turn me in for some lunch money?"

Ray sighed heavily, running his hand through his disheveled hair which Monica couldn't help but notice still somehow looked beautiful. He nervously glanced behind him toward the opening of the alley, shifting his weight between his feet and shifting nervously. He turned back toward Monica, his enviously bright eyes boring into her dark browns. Monica could see the wheels turning in his head. She wanted to either scream at him or kick him in the crotch for even considering the option of still turning him in, but she stood frozen and silent as they studied each other. All of the sudden her breath caught in her throat. She realized why he had such an effect on her.

If he was paler and put on some glasses, he would look exactly like Dominic.

"Ray…" she paused to clear her throat, "I get what it's like to feel responsible for someone else's life, but there's no way in hell you can even be thinking about taking me to-"

A loud rumble from overhead cut her off. Both Ray and Monica's attention was directed toward the fire escape connected to one of the buildings they were standing between. Monica narrowed her eyes at the crumbled form making strained movements from one of the middle platforms. She heard the person hiss in pain and somehow recognized the voice.

"Shit, Lindsey!" Ray was forgotten in her mind as she raced toward the fire escape. She nearly stumbled as she heard a gunshot, the bullet ricocheting off the metal.

Monica hopped onto the ladder leading to the lowest platform. She paused as she reached the top, counting how many sets of stairs she would have to climb to get to Lindsey, who was struggling to her feet. She began hurriedly padding up the metal stairs until she was caught from behind, a hand clamping over her mouth.

"I'm going to help you," Ray whispered close to her ear, "But we have to be quiet."

The next voice Monica heard was unmistakable. It was the nasally, nails on chalkboard voice she'd grown to despise; the voice that belonged to the Joker.

"Look what you made me do!" he hollered as he began clobbering down the stairs toward Lindsey. Monica and Ray quickly but quietly began to make their way upward.

"It's not like I want to hurt you, Leslie?"

Monica didn't pause her ascension, but furrowed her brow in confusion, "Leslie?" Ray simply shrugged, grabbing her hand as they drew closer.

"I didn't want to kill your father either."

"What the f-" Monica was cut off once again by Ray's hand. They were a few steps short of the platform Lindsey was stuck on. Monica's eyes widened as she saw the painful position Lindsey's leg was in. She could tell immediately it was broken from her fall.

"I never imagined it would boil down to killing my own brother," the Joker continued in a tone that might have sounded somewhat cathartic if it were anyone else, "But James was about to reveal himself."

Monica jerked in Ray's grip as the Joker reached Lindsey and took a rough hold of her face. Monica raced up the remaining few steps, catching the villain's attention. Her attention, however, was immediately directed to the Dark Knight himself looming behind the Joker.

"Let her go."

Lindsey never thought she could be happier to hear the deep, gravelly voice of Gotham's vigilante no matter how cliché his opening statement might have been. She wanted nothing more than to rush up to him, but her throbbing undoubtedly broken leg forbid her from moving from her spot. The Joker was still grinning at something behind her as he began to cackle, "My other little mouse is here. I think this is the one who gets her tail cut off, don't you Leslie?" He was suddenly jerked away from her and tossed back against the rusty metal railing. Lindsey looked over her shoulder just as Monica and a man she's never seen before squat next to her.

"Holy hell, Lindsey!" Monica gasped, "You're leg is-"

"I know."

The girls jumped as the Joker was dropped back onto their platform, Batman hovering over him with a fistful of his greasy hair. The Dark Knight's eyes scanned over Lindsey as he pinned the cackling clown to the ground. His eyes remained on her injured leg for a moment before locking with hers. At such close quarters, Lindsey could see every emotion that flitted through his hooded dark eyes. One brief spark stuck with her the most.

Nobody has ever looked that annoyed with me... except Bruce…

She had little time to dwell on the thought as the Joker suddenly got the upper hand, literally tossing the Dark Knight over the railing. The vigilante was quick enough to take his opponent down with him. Lindsey winced as she heard a loud crash from down below, assuming they'd landed in or around the dumpster or the wooden crates next to it.

"We have to get the hell out of her," Monica snapped, sliding over to Lindsey's uninjured side and sliding her arm around her waist. "Get her other side," she ordered the man. Lindsey turned to look up at him, offering him a small smile and sticking her hand out, "I'm Lindsey."

He chuckled and shook her hand quickly before gently grabbing her waist as well, "Ray Bristol." Lindsey looked at Monica with a mischievous smile, "And Ray Bristol is what to you?"

Monica stilled, staring at Lindsey with narrowed, incredulous eyes, "You're kidding, right?"

Lindsey sighed as Ray and Monica lifted her onto her good foot, "Just trying to ease the tension."

Monica grunted as they began to lead Lindsey toward the stairs, "To answer your question Ray is the asshole that was going to lead me and Barbie to our deaths."

Ray winced, refusing eye contact with either girl. He did most of the work in lifting Lindsey down each step. As they reached the next lower platform he mumbled, "I did it to-"

"Save it," Monica snapped, glancing down toward the alley just in time to see the Joker thrown up against the wall of the neighboring building, Batman's arm holding him in a chokehold. Lindsey took her moment of distraction to whisper to Ray, "Whatever happened, thanks for helping me now. She's not very forgiving but I think she'll come around for you."

Ray smiled down at her. He cast a glance at Monica as they began moving again. Before they could continue descending, the Dark Knight appeared in front of them. He swiftly grabbed Lindsey and held her bridal style. "The Joker went inside," he growled at Ray and Monica, "Follow me down."

Lindsey felt him spring down the stairs, skipping multiple steps at a time. She groaned, feeling motion sickness at his brisk, swerving pace and buried her face into his shoulder. Before she knew it he was setting her down in the passenger seat of what the general public was calling his Batmobile. She buckled herself in and looked back up at him. His eyes were once again locked on hers. And once again she felt a sort of familiarity with the caped crusader.

"No!" A masculine voice broke Lindsey out of her reverie. Another gunshot followed soon after. Lindsey whipped her head to face forward, gasping at the sight of Ray and Monica in a heap on the ground.

"Oh God!" Ray's voice cracked as he cradled Monica in his arms. Lindsey felt her chest tighten as the could just make out the red stain on Monica's shirt. The Dark Knight glared up toward the fire escaped and roughly grabbed Ray off the ground and tossed him to the side. He picked Monica up and put her in the back seat of his vehicle. In the blink of an eye he was in the driver's seat, and the vehicle was zooming out of the alley. Lindsey turned in her seat to check on Monica, whose breathing was becoming shallow and wheezy.

Lindsey bit her lip as a tear escaped the corner of her eye. Monica's head rolled to the side and the girls' eyes met. Lindsey caught the subtle movement of Monica outstretching her hand toward her. She bit her lip and grabbed Monica's hand firmly, not breaking eye contact even as her peripheral vision caught the bullet wound that was way too close to Monica's chest.

At the moment, Lindsey couldn't care less about the fact that the Dark Knight had essentially let the Joker go. The mass confusion the Joker instilled in her mind didn't matter in the slightest bit. All that mattered was the slight hope she held that their vigilante driver would be able to get them to help in time.

I so did not forget this! ...Ok, it is very possible that I did. But I reread it, remembered where I was going with it, and I will be finishing this sucker up before the end of the summer!