A Killing Joke

Chapter Four

I sat there in silence as I stared at Edwards text messages that he had left last night. What was going on with him. Something wasn't right; today was my day off so I knew I at least had the time to run around and try to sort out Edward. I slipped into a basic shirt and jeans rushing to the door with my purse grabbing a jacket as I locked up and made my way towards my car.

I knew Edward would be out, he had mentioned it to me a few days ago. I knew him being away from work was probably the best time to head to the station and snoop around. I was increasingly worried about what I would find. Once I reached the station I made my way into the gloomy looking building. Gotham really did feel and look like it came right out of a page from the Adams Family.

There were large cells off to the one side half filled with criminals, desks all over the place with officers sitting at each one. They all looked so stressed out and just in a state of disorder and chaos. Papers just all over the place, not filed away, no wonder people like Victor Zsasz slipped into Arkham and not a maximum security prison.

I had to admit the arches on the roof and the way the building itself looked was shockingly beautiful. "Good morning Miss, is there anything I can assist you with?" A man asked as he approached me. His brown hair slicked back ever so slightly, his pale blue eyes hiding behind his glasses.

"Yes; My name is Amelia Nygma… My brother works here I just wanted to talk to someone in charge about him, he had complained to me about a coworker bullying him I just wanted to know it was being handled."

"Why don't you come with me to my office Miss Nygma." He told me leading me to the Commissioner's' office; this was Gordon. Edward had spoken very highly of him, as has well everyone in this city. Apparently he worked alongside Batman having him help the department with the more deranged criminals.

Once the office doors were closed he pressed a weird button on his desk which I noticed turned off my phone. "I apologise; Jim Gordon." He said extending his hand to me as I shook it. "You'll have to excuse that, you can never be too careful of who is listening these days. I love this city and this department works very hard… and yet there are still those who are willing to let this city burn to the ground, still the few corrupt officers. You were asking about Officer Dougherty's bullying towards your brother. Our file clerk had been the first to report it to us. Miss Kringle."

I arched my brow; "Not Edward, that's not like him to let someone hurt him."

"No, he is usually very good at reporting mishappenings around the office. Like when he informed us on Miss Kringles bruises. I had thought everything was under control with the Officer when I had put him on a leave for a month for his threats towards Edward. They're still happening?" He asked me.

"When did you put him on this leave?" I asked curiously.

"Started a week ago, I'm assuming he's turned to the bottle. No one in this station has heard from him since he went on leave. Miss Kringle is now ex girlfriend said she went to go see him and he wasn't home." He explained as I took a seat in front of where he was sitting on his desk.

"Something is very wrong with Edward." I admitted, I hadn't really intended to let that out, or to tell anyone that Edward was concerning me. However if this man was missing after what Edward said to me the night before I was worried.

"What do you mean? Did he say the Officer hurt your brother that I was unaware of?" He said his voice coming out more rushed and worried than I had expected. Was my brother really that valuable of a worker here? Well of course he was, it was Edward he was a genius.

"He is just usually so bright and bubbly. Lately he's been growing this very dark side of him, he has been using riddles as a way to talk to me since we were kids, as a way to talk without our parents knowing what we were saying… lately they are incredibly… menacing and dark. It's not like him to try and scare me, if he even knows he's doing it." I explained.

"I was wondering where the riddles came from for years." Gordon seemed to sigh. "I can talk to him tomorrow when he's back in?" He seemed to offer to me.

I shook my head as if to tell him no, "He'll know I came in, could you just keep an eye on him for me? I'm worried about him." I should have shown him the texts in regards to that officer, told him about the dark look in his eyes as of late. Should have but; Edward was my brother and I wasn't going to let them admit Eddy just because of a darkness in his eyes.

"I can do that, Edward is a great worker and as annoying as the riddles can get he's a good man. I'll let you know if anything happens. You're better asking Miss Kringle about what's going on with Edward, word in the office is they're seeing each other." He smirked, a happy smirk. You don't see those ever.

"Thank you Commissioner Gordon." I told him as I stood up, "Jim please, Commissioner just makes me feel older than I am." He said with a soft chuckle causing me to smile at him. "Jim. Thank you again for your discretion."

Once I had returned back to my townhouse I flopped down on the couch letting out a long deep breath of air. Edward did something, I could feel it. Knowing that officer was nowhere to be see, Edward protected his Ex girlfriend agans domestic violence and is now seeing that same girl. This just none of this added up and just seemed to far to coincidental, was this darkness Edward was starting to show why he wanted me to stay away from Gotham?

What was wrong with me? I was mentally accusing Edward of killing someone to get a girlfriend. Edward wasn't sick there was nothing wrong with him. I pulled my phone out of my purse and noticed that I had missed a text message from Edward. Which caused my entire body to tense. Was I really afraid of my own brother?

'Amelia, I need to see you. I'm afraid someone is following me.'

'I'm home Edward come here.'

Within seconds of me sending that to Edward he had knocked on my door and sat across from me on the couch as I stared at him worried; was he actually being followed? By that cop or someone else? Had he lost his mind? Was he in trouble?

"Someone killed that cop I told you about." I felt myself stiffen.

"How do you know?" I asked him cautiously.

"They left me a note in my door, they want to frame me. Amelia what do I do?"

I stood up and paced the room; "Tell Jim Gordon, he knows the cop was horrible to you and you aren't capable of murder Eddy. He would know that, you need to tell him Edward."

Edward just stared at me, "James Gordon is with them, he's corrupt." He seethed at me.

"Edward he isn't corrupt he is one of the good ones, please we need to tell someone." I begged him. "I can go talk to him Edward… I won't see someone get you in trouble I won't lose you."

I watched as he lowered his head just slightly enough to make his eyes almost looked black as this incredibly menacing smirk grew slowly onto his lips, his voice even changed when he spoke to me finally. "What will become of you dear sister if you go to Jim Gordon?"

"What? Edwards don't talk like that." I nearly demanded him.

"I have no mind or a soul. I've been eternally attached since man's dawn.
My kind disappear on and off, to everyone I accompany them to their death,
and buried with them, then I hide away when the casket shuts. What am I?" He asked me.

"...Edward?" I questioned the darkness of the riddle.

Edward stood up and rushed at me causing me to fall back into the wall. "What… are… you?"

"A shadow…. A shadow Edward." I said feeling the crack in my voice nearly break my entire voice. "Edward I just wanted to protect you."

"Edward, ha! I am… an Enigma." He said roaring with laughter.

"What?" Edward what is going on. The man before me moved closer to me his eyes growing even darker, "You want to protect him? You protect me."

"You are him, Edward stop this. You don't have a split personality. Don't do this…"

He moved away from me walking back towards the couch. "You were...hmm." He pondered as I moved away from the wall straightening myself out slightly. "How do you make the number one disappear by adding to it?" He asked me.

I just stared at him as he sat back down on the couch adjusting himself like nothing just happened between us. "G. You add the letter G to one to make it gone." I told him as he smirked.

"Edward, I wasn't gone because I didn't want to be here for you I got assigned to Central City's Asylum… I moved here to be closer to you." I told him.

"Do not lie to me you stupid girl! You moved back because you were to afraid of letting Barry Allen in, you knew he wanted to marry you yet the stupid little girl in you just couldn't accept it, couldn't accept that you are good enough and you ran away. Like you ran from me and Gotham. He had no feelings for that stupid girl, you made that up in your mind to justify leaving. Stop lying." He screamed at me taking me aback, Zsasz was right Edward did know but how?

"Yes I left because of Barry, Edward what mom and dad put us through scared me I don't want to get married and end up hating the guy like they hated each other."

"Yes sister because every guy is like dad. You passed on a man who would do anything to make you feel loved, then again with Bruce Wayne who would shower you with money… you are stupid." He continued.

"Get out." I said with little to no emotion in my voice. "I don't know what is going on with you, I don't know if that cop is dead, or if you killed him and I really don't care… You know I wouldn't turn you in but I will not tolerate you belittling me in my own house. Get out." I continued as he just smirked standing up.

"We did kill him Amelia. We will kill anyone that harms us or what we love, includes. I hadn't meant to be rude to you but you shouldn't keep things from your brother." Edward told me as I just shook my head shutting the door behind him. I wasn't still fully convinced he had killed that man but something was seriously disturbed in my brother.

What was with my brothers obsession with Bruce Wayne that happened over a week ago, I hadn't even given it a second thought so why was he. Why did he make it seem like me being in Central City all that time was a direct jab at him. Why was he acting like he had a split personality he never exhibited that before ever. I know often enough people 'gain' one in order to explain their actions… maybe he did hurt that cop.

I had no idea what to do, or who to talk to. Usually Edward was the one I would run too, sure I could call Barry but knowing that he was the Flash only made me worry that he would turn him into Gotham or worse that Bat freak. I felt so helpless in helping Edward, what would I even do if I could help him? Thinking about it, if I went to Gotham PD and spoke to Jim he would probably arrest Edward, throw him in Arkham. They would never let me see him, and seeing as how no one in Arkham stood a chance on leaving that place I couldn't accept that as a fate for Edward.

I pulled my sweater back on and rushed towards my car driving to that small restaurant that Edward had taken me too after my first day at work. If I couldn't talk to anyone connected to the law his new best friend Oswald would have to do. Even if he did creep me out,

I sat there as Oswald put a coffee in front of me, I had told him about the texts from the night before and the altercation in my living room just a half hour before I went to him. Oswald oddly enough didn't seem surprised at all about Edward's behaviour. In fact he was acting like what he was going through was perfectly normal hinting that I made a mistake in talking to him.

"I'm just worried about him, I have never seen Edward like this. I'm afraid something will happen and I won't be able to protect him from the GCPD or Arkham. I couldn't handle knowing he is in either place without a chance of getting out of them." I told him as he nodded.

"Arkham had a high rate of escapes a few years back, don't kid yourself however if someone wants out of that place. There are always ways. I'll talk to Edward, he knows you love him Miss Amelia. He must just be in a panic, that Officer was a terribly horrible man he must just be scared." He told me as I finished my coffee.

"I'm really glad he found you Oswald; I just became so worried about him. Usually he is so calm with me. Tells me everything, but that darkness I've been seeing in him has really started to worry me." I confessed to him as I stood up readying myself to leave confidant that Edward would be handled with care once Oswald found him and spoke to him.

I walked out and started towards my car heading towards my house when I noticed I was being followed. Why would anyone be following me, I was really starting to wish I never left Central City where the only person who followed me around was Barry and I lived a boring existence.

Once I pulled up to my place parking my car walking around getting ready to dial for the police when a woman in a tweet skirt and matching jacket climbed out of one of the trucks followed by a man decked out in a bulletproof vest and gun. If my life was about to become one of those messed up affairs with constant happenings I wanted out now. "Amelia Nygma." The woman asked with little to no emotion in her voice.

"Yes?" I asked her backing up slightly when the one ordered me to stop moving like I was the one holding the assault rifle in my hands not him. I probably couldn't even hold that if I wanted to, I had little to upper body strength.

"Is there something I can help you with?" I asked my voice cracking. "You can get in the truck, I'm going to need to have a few words with you." She said as I stifled a laugh.

"No offence lady but, he has a gun and none of you have identified yourselves. I'm not going anywhere but to the GCPD." I told her as she sighed.

"My name is Amanda Waller. Flag bring her into the truck Miss Nygma and I need to have a talk." He said as the guy ushered me to follow him.

"I won't let anything happen to you Miss; I'm here for your protection not hers." He whispered to me causing me to arch my brow at him. "What?" I whispered back.

"Deadshot mentioned you on the last mission; mentioned you are a really good doctor. Waller here has her way you'll be working on her thumb. I may work for her but that doesn't mean I always follow her rules… get in you'll be safe." He told me as I climbed into the truck.

Floyd mentioned me? That must mean so had George, which I was glad the guy with the gun didn't mention his name. Really didn't need that crazy thinking we had something going on between us, than telling everyone else about it too. I looked at the woman as she sat across from me once the vehicle started to move. I had to admit I was really worried this had something to do with Edward.

"You're working in Arkham Asylum, you work with Deadshot and Captain Boomerang?" She asked.

"They are two of my patient yes, you could have just come to my office tomorrow to ask me about that." I told her as I crossed my arms and attempted to look out the window, or well anywhere away from her.

"Arkham Asylum is corrupt, half the guards there are under the thumb of some of Gotham's elite mobsters and criminals. Can't trust them not to listen when they see a government official step inside."

"Because picking up a psychiatrist off the side of the road in front of their home isn't equally suspicious." I told her cocking my head to the side, "How can I help you Mrs. Waller?" I wasn't sure where my balls were coming from but I was really hoping she didn't say anything intimidating because they would vanish as quickly as they had come.

"You're being assigned to the Joker tomorrow; I can assure you he will not be on his best behaviour as it was my Task Force that is the reason for his capture. Harley Quinn his now ex beau is the one who came up with the plan for capturing him. I can't suspect he'll be very kind. I need to know that you will report anything he says to me in regards to escaping, on going crimes or things he may have hidden around the City." She requested.

"I can't even get George Harkness to be honest with me, or Harvey Dent to open up… What makes you think I can get the Joker to tell me anything?" I questioned her.

"He likes women; he finds our gender easily corruptible… if he thinks-" I put my hand up to cut her off.

"I am not putting my life, safety or career in danger just so you can get him to admit things that will probably all turn out to be lies. No, you can't even ask me to do that, are you insane look at what happened to Doctor Quinzel and you think another Doctor would just be eager to have that happen to them? No. If he says something in a session that I think can help I'll pass it on but no way will I subject myself to that idiocracy just to help you." I told her as she just sat there looking unimpressed tapping for the truck to stop moving.

"If he says anything you call this number immediately, and this-" She said handing me a similar button to the one in Jim Gordon's office, "Press it before you call, stops any and all bugs in the phone or room from working. Rick, take her back to her home please." She said as I climbed out of the car to be greeted by the soldier from earlier.

"Is she always that warm and cuddly?" I asked him as he just smirked, "No sometimes she offers you tea, and gives you compliments."

"Oh really, I can't imagine how wonderful that must be." I sighed, "Just take me home please." I asked him as he nodded leading me back towards the other truck before they took me back home. This was going to be a long night; first Edwards blow up, Oswald being even more weird, Jim Gordon and now this insane woman requesting me to take risks I wasn't about to take.