Chapter 12 : Recovery and Threats
Downtown Gotham
The afternoon was cold and long. The time was 3 pm and the bank was full with the usual clients taking out their withdrawals from the First National Bank. The tall towers of the business district of the North side were gleaming in their brilliance with yesterday's rain drops still painted on the clear glass of the thousand windows on its surface.
On the rooftop of the building next to the bank, three men in skeleton masks were tying their ropes to their waists. They were professional thieves called the Black Jackals. They leader of their pack was named Bomani, The second in command of Vedettes Countess's armored mercenaries.
In the alleyway, two men stepped out of the black pickup truck holding their guns in their hands. They looked around and then opened the door. Out stepped Bomani. He wore a black leather jacket and leather gloves with his dark hair slicked back.
"Remember the Mistress wants us to show this city that she will not be underestimated. "He stated as he pulled on his black Jackal mask.
"What about the police?" One of his men asked with a worried tone.
"Don't worry. They'll be here. Let's move in." He commanded as they assembled to the back doors of the bank.
Across town...
An undercover police officer was sitting in a unmarked Honda sipping a cup of coffee. His eyes were focused on the parked cars, keeping alert for any movement in the shadows. There was a tap on the window. Annoyed, he rolled down the window. "Yeah what do you want?" He asked in a New York accent as he looked at a red hooded stranger.
"Can you help me with riddle?" The stranger asked, grinning his blood stained lips.
"What?" He asked incredulously.
"Tell me what is big and fat and screams a lot?"
"I don't know freak."
"You!" The stranger removed his hood and revealed the face of the Joker sneering at his victim with a switchblade in his hand. He sliced across the officer's throat and watched the blood pour out. He pursed his lips ponderously.
"I have to say red and black mix so well together." He laughed, referring to the officer's black jacket. The Joker walked over to the side of the gas tank and flipped the lid open and then he lilt a match and dropped in inside the tank.
The Joker walked away, humming with his hands gesturing like a conductor of an orchestra. "1, 2, 3," He turned around and watched the car flip into the air as flames engulfed. He stood there watching the flames rise high, hearing the sound of glass shattering accompanied by his laughs in the air.
Meanwhile back at the bank, the tellers were packed and there were some impatient clients grinding their teeth while waiting for their turn. From loans being made to small deposits from various accounts everyone seemed to be in a bad mood.
"Gentlemen to your places."
Bomani ordered on a black three way radio.
The three armored men on the roof jumped down and crashed into the third floor windows. Glass was everywhere. An accountant was at his desk eating lunch. One of the men shot him in the chest point-blank and grabbed his body.
"Overboard." One of them screamed as they dropped the body from the broken window to the streets below.
The two of them looked down. The body was lying on the hot pavement with a puddle of blood underneath it. People covered their mouths as they dialed for 911 on their cell phones. Women were screaming.
The bank doors opened and Bomani, wearing a black pointed jackal mask, entered with his men shooting rounds into the high ceiling. Everyone inside began to panic and scatter.
"Everyone this is a robbery." One of the Black Jackals commanded, looking at the soon to be hostages. "I would kneel if I were you."
Bomani ordered his men to tie the victim's hands with black tape and to cover their mouths. A teller named Susan was behind her booth shaking like a leaf. She looked at the woman with the cat mask and started to cry.
Molly looked and saw a woman sitting on the ground with the mouth of the gun beside Susan's cheek.
"No!" She screamed in fear.
The sound of thunder rattled through the bank. The woman's head fell backwards on the floor. She was dead. People on the floor were praying that they were not next in line of the shooting gallery.
Bomani knew that Molly was pregnant by her baby belly, he did not dare to tie her up instead he walked over and looked at the mother to be.
"Don't you touch me monster!" Molly screamed, wrapping her arms around her baby bump.
"How many months are you?" He asked.
"None of your business."
"You carry the future of innocence for this city." Bomani snarled removing the dagger from his jacket pocket and placing it onto Molly's throat. "I should kill you. One last innocent soul to burn." He laughed as his green eyes grew cold and his gloved hand pressed the knife down harder.
"All it would take is one slash to the throat and would be quick and painless for both of you."
Tears escaped Molly's eyes. "Please..."
Bomani lifted the knife. "It would be too heartless to endure at time like this."
Molly was shaking thinking what the man in the mask was going to do with her. Surprisingly nothing. He walked away. Molly fainted to the ground.
"What about the mother?" One of the Jackals asked.
"We don't have to worry about her," The leader sneered under the mask. "She's knocked out." He pointed his gun to the woman and shot the mother in the right leg. "There just in case."
He walked over to the vault room and stared at three men dressed in black unloading bundles of bags of cash.
"Two million dollars of Gotham's riches." Bomani looked at the Black Jackals as they worked. "I think that will come in handy once the city is covered in a river of blood."
Outside of the room the manger was shaking in fear, when he pulled the silent alarm under his desk.
"What the hell !" Bomani screamed. "Grab what you can and move out."
The five men started filling up their bags with cold hard cash. He was looking around making sure the cops weren't pulling in. "A few more minutes." He muttered under the mask knowing the response time for Gotham Police to enter the bank doors. He moved to the vault as one of the his men dragged in the body of a hostage.
"It's time to spread the word." Bomani bent down and sliced the hostage's throat tissue making blood pour from the veins. He swiped his gloved on the opened wound and then moved to the wall.
He smeared the blood on the white painted walls and wrote the words: The Fading of Innocence. He pulled way and looked at the blood dripping down. The sound of sirens echoed. "Move!" he screamed to his men.
They all ran out the back. One was still there collecting more cash.
"Greedy bastard." Bomani snarled aiming his pistol to the man.
"No boss." The man screamed but Bomani fired the gun and the man hit the floor.
"Never question my orders." he snarled at the lifeless body as he kicked at it.
The Black Jackals were just finishing loading up the stolen bags of cash. Inside the bank manger just about had enough. He arose trying to act tough in front of the other hostages. "No one steals from my bank." He blared at the leader of the Black Jackals.
Bomani turned his head and looked at the manger with a piercing soulless gaze under the black mask. He moved closer giving off a cold presence to the hostages around.
"This is your bank? Does it have your name written on the walls in bold letters? No it's the public's bank." The leader of the Black Jackals said forming his arms into an arc. He bent down and placed the nose of the pistol on the manager's lips.
The manger had a look of terror on his face. "You're going to kill me?" He muttered feeling the cold steel numb his lips.
The masked leader of the Black Jackals laughed. "I'm not going to kill you. No, I have no need do."
He pulled away then shot the manger in the leg. The man screamed in pain cursing at him as he fell to his knees.
"You bast..." He groaned loudly.
"A little something for you to remember just how close you came to entering the afterlife."
The sirens of the police patrol cars were blaring down the street. Bomani looked up and saw a security camera. He waited for it to angle at him and then said his comment for the police.
"This is a message for all the preservers of justice." He turned and shot a security guard kneeling on the floor near a clerks desk. The bullet entered the back as he smiled under the mask.
After he was done with his rude and haunting comments he went through the back door, leaving three dead people and three wounded in the glass shattered bank. It was a mess for Gordon and his officers to clean up.
The manager watched him disappear through the shadows of the back and headed out the door, not realizing that there was a small canister of Arsine on the floor that was opened, releasing a colorless and orderless gas into the air.
Outside Bomani removed his mask and slipped his body into the backseat of a parked SUV waiting in the back alleyway. Sitting on the other side of him was Vedette Countess dressed in a black long sleeve top and her hair long.
"I trust that the mission was a success?" She asked with a cold tone just thinking about all the victims that would die within the hours including the officers of Gotham Police.
Bomani nodded. "Everything went according to plan. Money is secure and I left the message that you asked me to write in blood for the Commissioner to read."
Vedette looked out the window as the SUV drove out of the alley and headed down the main street passing patrol cars. "How many victims were there?"
"Seventeen on the ground floor." Bomani replied. "Four on the top which my men took care of."
"You have done well for me." Vedette answered in a pleasing tone. "Did you release the toxin agent into the air."
"Arsine. Yes."
"Do you know what Arsine does to the human body? It makes the exposed have convulsions, paralysis the body and then leads to a slow silent death causing the the respiratory system to fail." She looked at her right hand. "I want the toxin released in these exact places Bomani. City Hall and Gotham Major Crimes Unit within the next 48 hours. Make sure Gordon is no where near the scene. He will be of much value to me."
Bomani nodded. "As you wish." He said in deference.
Wayne Manor
The sound of October rain echoed through the dark halls of Wayne Manor. Inside the master bedroom Bruce Wayne, bare chest, was tossing and turning under the silk sheets of his bed. Sweat was pouring out of him.
His mind was beginning to enter a dream state which usually only occured every once and while given to the amount of hours of sleep he lacked from his nightly escapades as Batman. Now being in a depressed state of mind, sleep was the only thing that made him not think about his failures and Selina.
Her voice, the alluring and practical voice rang in his eyes as images began to enter.
The November air blew flakes of snow all around as he stood there in front of a gravestone. The only expression etched upon his sharped featured face was sorrow as he peered down at the grave. Words of comfort surrounded him as a firm hand grasps his shoulder. He turns and sees Alfred standing there with teary eyes.
"I'm so sorry." Alfred said trying to hold back the tears. "So sorry, Master Wayne."
He looked at Commissioner Gordon and his wife standing by the graves of his parents dressed in black overcoats. "Alfred what happened? Whose grave is that?"
Alfred pointed to the gravestone that read the name "Selina Kyle" in the center, red roses were placed underneath. "No, no-" He said in a solemn tone. "She can't be gone." He said frantically.
He stood there as they disappeared into the snow and fell to his knees with tears rolling down his cheeks. "No!" He cried.
A cackle of laughter echoed though the air. "Look's like she didn't get the joke."
Bruce awakes with a gasp. His body was shivering from the cold. His eyes were red eyed from the tears he produced from crying. He tilts his head and sees Alfred sitting at his bedside, watching over him with hopeful eyes.
"Alfred," Bruce's voice was hoarse.
"Master Wayne," Alfred spoke calmly. "I hope I am not disturbing your sir. It's been two days since you left this room."
"Leave me alone Alfred." Bruce growled . "I don't want..." He paused trying to find whatever words he could muster up. "I just want to be left alone."
"But Gotham needs you sir."
Bruce released a distraught laugh. "Gotham needs me... and what has this deprived city done for me. All I've received from this city is pain and death."
Alfred shook his head. "I am not putting up with this sir. I'm sorry but you are too good of a man to be reduced to this pitiful state. Miss Kyle is fine condition. The doctor said that she would be out in a few days. So you have nothing to worry about ."
There was no response.
Alfred looked at his weathered down master.
"But here you are sitting in the darkness letting the guilt take over just like Rachel's death. I will not bare to see you become a recluse again sir. You need to rise up and face this storm."
"You don't know what that massing psychopath did to her Alfred." Bruce spoke in a soft tone. "I almost lost her."
"But you didn't." Alfred confirmed. "You managed to save her just at the right time."
Bruce shifted his eyes to the window looking at the rain drops running down the glass. "It was chance Alfred."
Alfred looked at his disheartened master that he had looked after for 38 years. All he ever wanted was for Bruce to have a life. "Do you want to have a life beyond the cave sir?"
Bruce lifted his head and looked at his white haired butler. "She is my life beyond the cave, now I know that I can never escape to that life." He thought thinking about what the Joker had done to Selina. Misused her like a careless child playing with a doll. He almost lost the woman that he loved from the mass murdering clown's hands if he did not act in time.
Maybe the dream he had just a short while go was a warning for what was to come in the future. What if he failed to save her again and watched her die in his arms? How could be move on knowing that her death was his fault because he never told her the truth and pushed her away.
"She can go anywhere she wants. Away from this city. She can. She won't."
He knew that Selina was in love with him. She had been in love with him since the first time they dance together at the Wayne Enterprises Gala. They danced and flirted but then she unexpectedly crashed her lips onto his giving him a challenge to chase after her. After that night that's all they did was chase on rooftops, main streets and subway tunnels. He loved the challenge and the games she played. When he did catch her and pin her to the ground they became locked into a romantic moments under the moonlight. All he could do was show her his love through action not words.
Selina had proven to be more than romantic partner to kiss on the roof tops . She had proven to be so much more. She was his greatest love and the woman that he would love for always. Seeing her free spirit be trapping a hospital bed made his heart shatter.
"What if she had left Gotham?" Alfred asked. "What if she moved on with her life would you go after her?"
Bruce sighed. "I couldn't."
"Why, Master Wayne? Why would you let her go and have a new life?"
Realization dawned. Bruce looked at his butler. He felt this entire world stop when Alfred spoke those words. He had to tell the truth that was eating away at from the moment Selina's crimson lips crashed against his at the gala. He had been in love with her even before that when he was dressed as a maid and stole Martha Wayne's pearls.
Seeing now what his love for her would cost, seeing the wounds she endured made him think that she did deserve a better life. Bruce lowers his head, looks down at the floor and whispers in a soft tone the truth. "Because I love her ."
He remembered what he said to her unconscious body in the hospital room when he kissed her forehead. He told her how much he loved her but that was not enough.
Alfred moved closer and placed his hand on Bruce's shoulder. "Then go to her, Master Wayne. She needs you."
Bruce turned his back and walked out from the bedroom.
"If you don't tell her. Than you will lose her."
"That's what I am afraid of Alfred. Losing her just like my parents and Rachel." Bruce answered as he made his way to the stairs.
MCU
In his office of the Major Crimes Unit, Jim Gordon felt a deep stroke of sadness as his grey blue eyes looked at the playback tapes from the security footage of the bank robbery. He could not help but think about all the victims that had died from the airborne attack. He moved to the window and looked at the sun setting meaning nightfall was coming.
Gordon grabbed a folder that was on the desk as he was about to call Barbara, telling her that he would be arriving home late. His attention turned to a knock on his office door.
"Come in," He spoke in a direct tone placing his cell phone down.
The door opened and detective Megan Heart entered with papers in her hand.
"Detective?" Gordon asked looking at young woman.
"Sir, we received news that two of our officers did not survive it." She replied with a serious expression.
"Damn it!" Gordon cursed slamming his fist on the desk. "Where are the rest of the victims?"
"Gotham General."
"Get a unit over there right now. Tell them to only allow visitors with identification."
Heart nodded. "I'm on it."
Gordon paused. "Where's the Mayor?" He asked knowing that with attacks like these the Mayor was the prime target.
"City Hall, sir." Heart confirmed.
"Get some units at City Hall. Tell them to seal all exits and let no one in or out until I get there."
"Yes. sir."
Heart left and Gordon dialed his cell phone for his wife.
City Hall
Commissioner Gordon, wearing a bullet proof vest underneath his overcoat, enters through a tight line of police officers at the main doors. He turned his head briefly and looked at the squad cars parked around the perimeter of the building.
Detective Harvey Bullock was waiting by the glass doors biting into a doughnut as Gordon stood there watching.
"Bullock. I need you to remain outside."
"No problem Commish," The chubby detective that looked like an unmade bed answered as Gordon entered through the doors.
A few minutes later Gordon enters the Mayor's office and sees the Mayor sitting at his desk guarded by armored cops.
"Gordon, what the hell is going on here?" He demanded.
Gordon checks the windows and then turns to his officers.
"Everything is secure. I want a floor by floor search of the entire building including the air ducts." He turns to the Mayor. "Sorry Anthony, but we believe that the terrorists will be making a threat for your life."
The Mayor nodded. "Where's my family?"
Gordon looked at him with assured eyes. "They are being moved to a secure location."
The Mayor sighed with relief. "You think of everything don't you Gordon."
"It's my job to make sure that the Mayor of this city is safe."
"I want to call my wife."
Gordon nodded and handed him his cell phone.
Gotham Heights
Two men knock on the Mayor's apartments door. The Mayor's wife answered with her seven year old daughter in her arms. The two officers hold up their badges.
"We're ready when you are Ms. Gracia."
She nods and follows them down the stairs to an unmarked car. The second officer opens the back door.
"Does my husband know the location of where we are heading?" She asked.
"The Commissioner told him." The officer confirmed as he closed the door.
The mother and daughter huddle together in the back seat .
There is a sound of gunfire and one officer goes down. She looks and sees the other officers running and then sees him land on the road. Her eyes grew wide and heart starts racing. "No," She wails.
"Mommy?" The seven year old asks.
"Don't look baby. Just don't look."
The door opens and two masked men lunge forward.
"Great away from me!"
One of the men points his gun at her and fires it, missing the child. The other scoops up the crying little girl and closes the back door. They walk to a black van and climb inside, closing the door. The van pulls away.
The unmarked car explodes, heaving upwards under a fireball and Joker cards fly out as a passing walker falls to the ground and looks at the destruction. He reaches for his phone and dials 911.
Gotham General
One hour later...
Leaves were dancing in the chilling wind as Bruce stepped out of his Lamborghini Aventador which he parked in the visitors parking lot at Gotham General. He closed the flipped up door and adjusted the collar of his long black overcoat. His bangs were dangling on his forehead from the harsh wind that blew through his hair.
He walked down the parking lot and onto the sidewalk passing a few nurses whom seemed to be on their breaks. The sound of ambulances pulling into the emergency section made him turn his attention to the paramedics wheeling out a victim from the bank robbery. Bruce could clearly see that the victim had an oxygen tank.
As Bruce walked closer and saw two police officers standing near the entrance doors.
"Great," He muttered as he strode up to them.
Both officers looked at the billionaire. "We need to see some identification, Mister Wayne?"
Bruce nodded and pulled out his wallet and handed them his driver's license.
"Who are you heading up to see?" One of the officers asked.
"My girlfriend Selina Kyle." Bruce answered.
The officer nodded. "You're clear to enter."
"What this all about?" Bruce ask being insightful. "As a concerned citizen I have a right to know?"
"Safety precaution."
Bruce nodded. "Thanks for the warning."
He continued through the automatic doors feeling the guilt that if he wasn't in this depressive state he would have been there and saved all those people that he saw in the footage on the Gotham News Channel. He walked to the elevators and pressed the button remembering which floor Selina was in from Alfred. He stepped inside and stood next to an older woman with tears rolling down her wrinkled cheek.
"Are you alright?" Bruce asked with a sincere expression looking at the distraught woman.
She turned and looked at the him. "Thanks for asking young man." She said wiping the tears from her eyes.
"Why are you crying?"
"My husband has to go under for an operation on his kidneys and I just found out that our insurance doesn't cover."
Bruce felt something rise up as a glimpse of his father entered his mind.
"How much will it cost?" He asked removing his check book.
"Oh no, I will manage." She said. "But thank you."
Bruce wrote out the check and signed his name. "Will this be enough?" He asked, handing the woman the check. She looked at the number of zeroes on the check and was amazed once she looked at the signature.
"I don't know what to say?" She said with joyous eyes.
Bruce gave her a smile. "My father believed that helping people is far greater than any riches." The doors opened. "If you need anymore help just ask." He walked out of the elevator leaving the old woman smiling as the doors closed.
Bruce removed a red rose from his overcoat's pockets as he continued down the hall passing nurses and then stopped at the room labeled 123. He paused for a moment, trying to figure out what to say to Selina. He had to tell her the truth.
Finally he stepped inside the bright room and saw the woman he loved resting peacefully. He moved closer and looked at her flawless features, dark long hair covering her shoulders, porcelain like skin and crimson lips.
He placed his hand on her cheek. "I'm sorry Selina." He whispered knowing that had already said the sincere apology wearing the cape and cowl. But that was Batman not Bruce Wayne saying those words.
Selina was beginning to stir as he sat down in the chair by the bed and removed his gloves. "I promise you that he will pay for what he did." He growled thinking about the Joker torturing her. "Make no mistake about it Lina."
Selina opened her brown eyes. "...Bruce." Her voice was hoarse.
"Hey beautiful." He reached for her hand and grasped it firmly.
"Bruce.. the Joker.. he ..."
"It's alright. You're safe that all that matters."
Bruce stood up and placed the rose on the table beside her. He bent his head down and kissed her on the forehead. "Get some rest." He walked to the door.
"The doctor says that I can go home tomorrow."
Bruce felt a lump in his throat. He had to tell Selina about her apartment.
"I'll be picking you and taking you back to Wayne Manor." He said plainly, leaving no room for argument.
"No thanks handsome. I have my own apartment to go home too."
"Had." Bruce replied.
Selina's eye's widened. "What do you mean had?"
Bruce sighed. "The Joker set your apartment rigged to blow." He stated. 'When I went to see you there was an explosion."
Selina felt anger sweep across her face. "That son of a..." She growled. "Where Isis?"
"She's safe. I brought her back to Wayne Manor."
"So I'm again a cat without a home." She said bitterly.
"No. You're staying with me at the manor. You'll be safe." He insisted.
For once Selina agreed. She looked up at him. "Thank you for saving my life Bruce." She had a sweet innocent expression on her face that he knew all too well. "I mean it." She implored.
"Sure you do." Bruce replied with a small smile before he pulled away from the door and walked down the hall leaving Selina sitting up in the bed shaking her head with a small smirk.