Note: this fic is FINISHED ON AO3, all 53 chapters of it! I'm on there as "Metawohoo".
«No», Leslie said.
She crossed her arms, stood firm, and stared Jim down.
She was back from New York, in a state of rage she had not felt in… That she had never felt before. She was a nice person. The only time she had used the word «loathing», she had been talking about the group of «mean girls» who had made her life hell in high school (where being pretty and having a great smile didn't save you if you mentioned an interest in crime stories and forensic science). Loathing. She had not understood the concept before meeting Barbara Kean. Lee was not furious, she was enraged. The blonde had carved a piece of Jim's soul out, and he would never be getting it back. He was terrified, and he was hurt. And - of course - he desperately wanted to keep Leslie safe, and went about it just like you would expect him to.
He took a deep breath and set his jaw, moving back into the sofa and looking up at her.
«A break up is not something you can disagree about», he declared. «Just as I was saying, I don't think this is working out.»
She raised her eyebrows.
«Then I'm listening. What is wrong? What can I do to fix it?»
The question was a trap. She knew full well he wanted her gone so she wouldn't be Barbara's target. She also knew he would not admit it, but would not invent motives either.
He did not answer. She sat down next to him and grabbed his hand with her intact one, not to remind him of the wounds she had earned because she was close to him.
«I won't leave. I won't. I want to be by your side. I refuse to let fear chase me away.»
«I'm not afraid.»
«You are. I am. But we can't let her win. And I don't think for a second I would be safe if I left you. She will still know you care, Jim», Leslie finished, caressing his palm.
He shivered.
«She would give up.»
«I don't think so. And I think deep down, neither do you.»
He pursed his lips and looked far into the distance.
«So», Lee continued, «I'm going to stay, and we are going to see how I can keep myself - and this place - safe.»
###
Giulia smiled as she spoke. Cassidy could not see her, but smiles could be heard over the phone, and it was important for Penguin's lieutenant to feel at ease while they were negotiating.
«I can easily dislodge Piangi and give you his casino», she said of another of Cobblepot's men, a businessman lower on the food chain but still at the head of a very interesting piece of property, especially when you were the competition. «What do you say to that?»
Carmine listened to her words and nodded, approving of both the tone and the offer. He kept pacing across her office.
«I don't need the place», Cassidy bluffed. «Plenty of money, opportunities for advancement.»
«Give him free passage across the Sprang river», Falcone said.
«And to that I can add warehouses on both sides of the Sprang River, and safety for your boats. I know how difficult it is for you to move goods out of Old Gotham.»
The old man gave her a look of approval. Cassidy scoffed.
«Safety for my boats won't cut it if my men have to cross half of Penguin's territory to get to Port Adams.»
«Half is a generous estimate. We are talking four blocks. And that's assuming Cobblepot will manage to retain control over that area. The Port itself is still my family's territory.»
«And what's to tell me you'll keep the port? It's not been the quietest part of town lately. How many raids were led on the place to try and get rid of your men? How many did you lose?»
«Not quite as many as our friend Oswald pretends», Maroni retorted, grinning. «He has been known to exaggerate his accomplishment. Or flat out invent them.»
«Strange. He says the same about you.»
«I'm not the known triple-crosser, Cassidy.»
Falcone raised a finger.
«Tell him Abernati is interested in the casino», he whispered.
«Let's return to the topic of the Crown Palace», Giulia said. «You're aware the place is lucrative. Now, you're first in line on my list of candidates to run the business, with your prior experience with gambling establishments. But I've had other offers, both from my family and from Salvatore's friends in Chicago.»
«Who?» her interlocutor snapped.
«Well, I suppose it's not really a secret. I had an interesting meal with Abernati and Cahoorts just yesterday at the restaurant. A fairly public location. I figured you would know already.»
Cassidy didn't answer, so she pressed her advantage. She didn't have a choice. They needed him, and his men. The war was over and both sides were holding their territory, but their forces were roughly equal. You couldn't bring more player ins: you could only cut the city in so many pieces, and there was nothing left to distribute. If someone was to get the upper hand, allegiances had to shift.
«Let's be honest, Abernati is a competent man, but he's a loan shark and a fence. He doesn't have twenty years of experience running gambling hells.»
«He doesn't. And he's not competent either, where did you fish that idea?»
«From our ledgers.»
Cassidy took a few moments to find an answer.
«Listen. It's all a very nice offer. I look forward to seeing that moron completely ruin it. But I was Falcone's man. Do I enjoy working for the little cunt who ran him off? No. But he's just a conniving little asswhipe, he's universally hated, so I'm just gonna sit and wait for someone to lose it and kill him. Might take a while, but it will happen. Joining your family, though? No way. Falcone and Maroni don't mix.»
Giulia took a deep breath. Carmine held his hand out so she would give him the phone. She hesitated. Having him as a silent partner was one thing. But if word of their collaboration got out, holding the reins of her organization would be difficult. Then again, what choice did she have? She handed him the phone. He pressed it to his ear and smiled.
«Oh, Bart, about that», the old man told Cassidy. «You know what they say. 'Me and my brother against my cousin, but me and my cousin against a stranger'.»
###
Jim pinned a row of photographs to the board he had dragged to Sarah's office, then turned to his captain, who had wanted to be briefed on the Stephenson case.
«Delores Stephenson, Sabrina Bakerton, and David Sirkis. Now, until we found out about Sirkis, we thought the women had been snatched and that their abductor had taken care of leaving letters, sending postcards, and so on. Then we learned that Sirkis had been spotted talking to Sabrina, and we returned to her family and friends. Now, after talking to them… It's very, very likely that Delores was snatched up to two weeks before her disappearance. She had been wearing a scarf for days, because of a 'cold' that was not getting better.»
«So, our abductor would have caught her a first time, placed the explosive necklace, and sent her out to stage a fake trip and conceal her own disappearance?» the captain asked.
«That's the idea», Harvey replied. «She got orders, and what was she gonna do with that bomb on her?»
Jim pinned a blank sheet to the board and wrote 'blond man, 40s'.
«We asked around to see if Sirkis was spotted on her campus or around her building, but no one recognized him. That being said, Delores was seen with another man, two weeks before her disappearance. Blond, tall, good looking, looking very serious. He was looking for an apartment for his daughter, and she introduced him as a family friend. He apparently spent an afternoon there, and discussed with Stephenson's landlord, about available flats in her building. He also wore a scarf.»
Sara frowned.
«He would be a fourth captive?»
«It's not impossible. That, or the abductor himself, but seeing how David Sirkis approached Bakerton, it's not unlikely the prisoners are the ones doing the kidnapping.»
«So we'd have two dead, one missing, maybe a second, if not more?» Sarah summed up. «What the hell does our perp want with those people?»
«I think it's porn», Bullock chimed in.
Their captain lifted her eyebrows.
«Porn?»
«Yeah. They are all good looking. Could have been some normal sex slavery thing, but they wouldn't let them out, not like that. Not in Burnside with all the preppy kids, anyway. So it could be luxury slaves, maybe. The autopsies showed they were healthy before they died. They didn't starve, Stephenson had no blatant injuries that weren't from the blast…»
«More importantly, they are likely getting paired up», Jim explained. «Sirkis didn't flirt with a rich stranger he could have gotten money from, he went for some broke barista. So Harvey thinks it's about finding a match for the abductees.»
Jim's partner nodded.
«I'm not saying our freak - or freaks - have no gender preference, but there's something about this MO that just doesn't add up. The whole sending Sirkis to flirt with Bakerton? There's no reason for that. The moment she got that necklace, she had to comply with everything.»
«Luring her away from the coffee shop?» Sarah commented.
«She got out on her break to smoke in an alley easily accessible by car, with no security cameras», Jim pointed out. «But it was still right behind the coffee shop's kitchen. Trash is taken out regularly, employees go there for cigarettes, strangers couldn't have been around long without being spotted… And she didn't know Sirkis, convincing her to follow him would have been difficult. Abducting her by force made more sense. Grab her, pull her into a vehicle, flee…»
«I still don't see the link to pornography. Are we even sure it's a sexual predator?»
Jim nodded, grim.
«The ME examined what was left of Bakerton. He says there's evidence of intercourse.»
«Which is why I say porn», Harvey explained. «'Cause I get the impression our perp either likes to watch, either he's providing girlfriend/boyfriend videos on request to some other perp. Kind of like when we got that snuff movie guy back in 97.»
«Christ, this city», Sarah moaned at the recollection.
«So we have been-»
«Hey, Jim!» a woman yelled from the bullpen, making the blond jump.
He turned to the office's window, chill going down his spine. Barbara's voice. Zsasz's words and tone. And Barbara called again, in a singsong voice.
«Jiiiiiiimmm!»
Essen went pale and stood. Harvey looked outside in disbelief. Jim just walked out of the room and into the bullpen, then went to stand next to the railing. No one had climbed onto the farthest desk, but Barbara was standing in front of it, in a short cream-white dress. Gilzean was by her side. And Zsasz was there too, of course. Someone had to have told Barbara what the hitman's exact words had been, when Falcone had sent him to the GPCD. The maniac was holding a cuffed blond man to the floor, with a foot pressed on his back. Thugs were also spread across the room, and Zsasz's last «sidekick» was waiting at the exit.
His ex waved and smiled.
«Hi Jim!»
Zsasz had briefed her.
The cop thought hard about a reply he could give, and came up empty.
«Barbara», he croaked.
«Relax», she started - and he waited for the «I'm supposed to take you in alive». It didn't come. - «I'm here to make amends.»
«Amends. It doesn't look like you are trying to make amends», he commented, pointing at her men.
«Well, I figured you might be a bit miffed about that joke with Leslie, and that you might try to arrest me.»
«Miffed.»
«Miffed.»
«Miffed», Jim repeated again, torn between rage and disbelief.
«You are, aren't you? I knew it!» - She shook her head, eyes closed, and took a deep breath. - «Now, you know, I'm being the better person here! It's not my fault you can't take a joke. If I were you, I would work on improving my sense of humor. I can't see you making many friends with that sour temper. Anyway. I'm being the better person. Making amends.»
Jim looked around. He was not about to say there were fifty cops in the room. He knew they would walk out on him. But Harvey and Sarah joined him, at least. That was something. Essen nodded at Alvarez, who stood and put a hand on his weapon. So did Collins. So did some detective Jim had never heard about.
That felt good.
«Oh my!» Barbara exclaimed. «You have buddies. You never had buddies before! Did Harvey befriend them for you?»
«Will you shut up, you bitch?» Bullock helpfully replied.
His voice was not as much aggressive as carefully bored. The blonde ignored him.
«Ah well. I knew some of you might just be crazy enough to try to attack me. I'm not as scary as, say, Victor. Yet», she said, opening her purse.
Jim put his own hand on his own weapon, knowing about the gun she kept in there. But all she took out of the bag was a set of Polaroids.
«So I took my precautions», she explained. «I told myself… I can't threaten to kill Jim. They wouldn't care. But everyone likes Sarah.»
The captain, who was standing at Gordon's side, ever so slightly froze. Barbara's smile turned into a grin.
«And so this my basement», she said, handing a picture to the closest cop. She gave him another. «And this cute little girl is Anna. Isn't she adorable?»
Sarah wobbled. Harvey swore under his breath. Several cops jumped forward, there were gaps of indignation. The photo started moving from hand to hand towards the staircase.
«And this is Sofia», Barbara added. «And this is Granny Rosa.»
Anna's picture made his way up the stairs and to Sarah's hands. She let out a strangled moan, barely audible. Jim peeked to his right and recognized her five years old daughter on the picture. The girl was playing with dolls, but you could see an armed man in the background.
Barbara would leave free as a bird. Even with Zsasz, even if everyone but Essen, Bullock, Alvarez and Collins had walked out, the cops could have fought. They could have tried. But not with children held hostage.
Sarah collected herself.
«What are the terms of their release?» she asked, in a voice that was barely shaking.
Barbara raised both hands, panicking.
«Oh, they won't be hurt, I'll have them dropped at some bus stop after I walk out of here. I wouldn't hurt a little girl, you know. They're all sugar and spice and everything nice. But still. I wouldn't arrest me, if I were you.»
«I want to talk to them.»
«Okay! Butch, call the girls?»
Gilzean complied. He got his phone out and called someone, walking to the staircase. All of the cops on his way let him through.
«Get the girl on the phone», he mumbled as he climbed the stairs. «Which one? Depends, Jack, do you want to get your hand close next to the one who chewed a hole in Kevin's wrist? Thank you, Jack.»
Rolling his eyes, he handed the phone to Sarah, who calmly pressed it to her hear.
«Anna, sweetie?»
Jim could hear the buzzing of a little girl's voice. He watched Sarah's worried face for an instant, then turned to Barbara. She pointed to the man Zsasz was crushing against the floor.
«As I was saying, I'm making amends, I brought you a gift.»
«A gift.»
She grinned. It was horrendous. Her face looked like it was made of plastic, so covered in foundation and concealer you couldn't see an inch of skin. Then again, her bruises were unlikely to have healed. Jim's knuckles were still on the yellowish side.
Zsasz bent down and pulled their prisoner to his knees. Several cops gasped.
«So, I was stalking you», Barbara explained. «And aren't you the most popular girl in school, Jim, but I noticed I was not the only stalker. There was this man too! So I had him stalked. Just in case.»
Some of the cops were talking in hushed tones. Jim caught a «Kyle» and «patrolman». Sarah, who was still talking to her children, took one look at the man and froze. Harvey was whispering a continuous stream of curses.
Everyone knew that man.
Jim tried to use the stairs, but Gilzean blocked his way, clicking his tongue.
«Listen to the lady», the thug advised.
The detective set his chin but obeyed. Barbara chuckled.
«It's strange, you know? I thought he was internal affairs, when we found out he was a cop. Officer Kyle Paxton.» - The name was familiar, but Jim could not place it. «Lowly patrolman. Likes decaf coffee. Loves jelly beans, but won't eat the green ones. You know, plain booooring. Then, lo and behold, he goes to knock on someone's door and attempts to kill the guy who opens the door. That's one hell of a plot twist.»
Peter Shepard, Gordon thought. The vigilante. But that realization happened at the back of his mind. Mostly, he was trying to recall where he had heard about an officer Paxton. He had heard the name before. It was important.
Harvey groaned and ran a hand on his face.
«Shit», he murmured.
«Long story short», Barbara continued, «my man had moral objections to the whole murder thing, so he stopped officer Paxton from stabbing his victim, then captured him and brought him to us. And we had a chat. And it turns out he's some sort of vigilante. Killing people you've failed to arrest.»
Paxton, Paxton, Paxton. Everyone in the room seemed to have figured out who the cuffed policeman was, as well as his reasons.
«I thought that didn't sound very legal», Barbara explained with a shit-eating grin, as she made her way across the room, «so I figured I'd let you arrest him and handle the issue.»
She walked up the stairs, brushing Gilzean's shoulder when he let her pass, then she smiled to Jim. From up close, you could see the violet shades under the makeup. Her face was still swollen. She caressed his chin. He recoiled.
«He told us why he did it», she said. «And it's so very sad.»
Sad. Sad. And it hit Jim. Officer Paxton, not Kyle, but Debra. Officer Debra Paxton who had died in the GCPD's parking lot, at the hands of Victor Zsasz, after Montoya and Allen had saved Jim. Debra Paxton, who had been survived by her parents, her son, and a younger brother, also on the force. Jim had not gone to her funeral. He had been warned he was not welcome. But you put a foot in front of the other and you kept moving, didn't you? You didn't let guilt drag you down.
«Kyyyyllle!» Barbara called. «Why don't you tell James why you did all of this?»
Paxton spat on the floor, but Zsasz grabbed his hair and pulled his head up. The young cop still tried to shake free and to kick him, but the hitman bashed his head against a desk. He forced him to look towards the balcony.
«Tell them, Kyle», Zsasz commanded. «Be nice. It will go muuuch better for you.»
Paxton panted for a moment, then clenched his teeth, and looked straight into Jim's eyes.
«Because you're a SHITTY COP!» he screamed. «You have NO FUCKING IDEA WHAT YOU ARE DOING. And you think you're so great when you get in the news for arresting some big name freak, AND EVERY TIME YOU SCREWED UP GETS PUSHED UNDER THE CARPET.»
He stopped, panting again, wiping the drool at the corners of his lips over his shoulder. Jim stared at him. Some of the other cops did the same. Most of them, however, were looking up a Jim himself, and he could feel their eyes. Paxton pointed at Zsasz with his chin.
«He… He killed my sister», the young man said. But you, Gordon? You caused it to happen. He was here for you. AND YOU RAN. YOU FUCKING RAN. Did you even try to save Debra? Did you even THINK of it, you asshole? Or was she an afterthought like everyone else you screwed over?»
Barbara snickered.
«I thought of it», the detective replied. He had. «There was nothing I could have done. Not me, not Montoya, not Allen. There was no crossing that parking lot.»
There was a whisper next to him - Barbara's «Liar, liar, pants on fire» - and some mumbling from the cops in the pen. Sarah was still talking with her daughter, in hushed tones, though she was not missing a second of what was going on. Kyle snorted.
«Yeah? You sure of that? Because last time I checked, it didn't rest heavy on your conscience, did it? I heard you got real friendly with Falcone. THE MAN WHO SENT HIM», he shouted, thrashing to turn to Zsasz.
The next time you figure someone is the «best bad man we have», you might want to remember things like this, Jim.
«Alright, that's enough drama!» Barbara cut in. «Shut him up.»
She was quickly obeyed. Paxton was gagged and pushed to the floor again. She turned to Jim and gave him a curious look.
«One question haunts and hurts, too much, too much to mention.»*
The detective turned to her, feeling empty, and waited.
«Were you only seeking good, or just seeking attention?» she asked. He knew that song. He had seen the show with her. «Is that all good deeds are when looked at with an ice-cold eye?»*
Strangely enough, he remembered the lyrics, even though he hated musicals.
Sure, I meant well. Well, look what well-meant did.
«I don't know», he replied.
She raised her eyebrows.
«Okay then. So, are you going to arrest him, or do you plan to stand here all day?»
He clenched his fists and thought of Sarah's daughters.
«I will.»
She grinned and ran down the stairs, joining Zsasz, and tapping her foot impatiently. Jim started following her, slowly, and nearly froze when Gilzean whispered something to Sarah.
«I took the firing pins off. Neat trick. None of the guns around the girls can shoot, just so you know», he said, taking his phone back from the captain.
Gordon could not see her reaction. He just kept walking, and heard Gilzean's footsteps behind him. He crossed the bullpen and crouched next to Paxton. Then he arrested him, reciting his Miranda rights. He tried to let Alvarez lock him up, but Barbara would have none of it. She clicked her tongue and pushed the other detective away, staring intently at Jim. So he locked Paxton up too, taking the gag away.
«Another freak for the front page», the younger man whispered. «Congratulations.»
«I'm not after the glory», the detective replied, as softly as he could.
«What you're after doesn't matter», Paxton retorted. «What matters is what you do, and what you do is shit. Just look at her», he finished, glaring at Barbara.
Jim walked away, and «her» joined him.
«I hope you're no longer miffed», she told him.
He looked at her and tried to see if there was something left, underneath the monster.
«I helped you out, and it was a big favor», she said. «I hope you'll remember this.»
The detective thought of Debra and Kyle Paxton, of the cases he had botched, of Selina and Bruce being chased by assassins. And of everything in the Ogre's case file. And Barbara's.
«I will», he said.
She grinned.
«I knew it. I knew it. Alright, boys! Let's go!»
Her men started moving towards the exit. Gilzean joined her, putting a hand on her back, and escorted her to the door. Zsasz and his partner closed the march.
###