Chapter 19: Question Mark

Scared for my life. Can barely breathe. You're risking your life, Edward. She was right about everything. Why didn't you listen? Why couldn't you just drop it? You finally had something to look forward to. Someone who cared for you. You terrified her. She built her own walls. Turned off the lights in all her rooms. Because of you. A whole life I've spent alone, and now I don't know how to be alone, anymore. My life is in danger. And I'm alone. I need help.

The GCPD department was quiet except for the officer at the desk watching football on his phone. A man walked into the precinct with an envelope in hand. He placed it to the desk not saying a word. The officer glanced from his phone to see red, scribbling text over the top.

To the police commissioner. GCPD Gotham. Urgent! Evidence!!

Attached to the envelope was a thumb drive held by tape. A question mark carved into the device. The officer called to the man as he walked away, "Hey you. What is this? You can't just leave this here."

"I'm just the delivery guy," the man said, "Was hired to drop it here."

"By who?"

He pulled out his phone for the Nigma app, "Some guy named Patrick Parker."

Edward stood outside, watching the delivery man leave the precinct. He hid behind a corner across the street, confirming himself the recorded footage of Joon's murder was successfully delivered.

Secrecy is of the utmost importance. Only she can know.

He texted Cori, "I did it. I reported it, anonymously."

He was on his way back to his apartment. An apartment that had been left vacant for months. He paid the rent and that was it. He was crawling back into the pit. A time he thought was finally behind him. As he walked into the complex, the lights started to turn off one by one again. Every step he took to his door another room left in shadow. All the lights she turned on slowly going out. He checked his phone again and no response. Her face was far more vivid than the murder of Joon. The truest nightmare of last night. Her spirit breaking before his very eyes. Where even his own comfort wasn't enough to dry her tears. A plight he caused himself. Every minute alone fed a growing fear. He laid in his bed surrounded by books and ledgers. The darkness felt as if it was closing in. The sounds of the train passing by a harrowing reminder. Edward took off his glasses so the shadows in his room wouldn't form into bodies. His thoughts were in charge now, and every attempt he made to stay calm futile.

He sent her another text, "I can't do this without you. I'm just as scared as you. Maybe even more. Because without you I am completely alone."

When has begging ever helped you, Edward? Leave her alone. She told you to go. She doesn't want you. She's afraid of you. All you're doing is scaring her. She should be scared. There's a darkness inside of you, Edward.

Every phone call went to voicemail. Every text message seen but not responded to. Cori's walls were high and unwavering. Another rejection. Another abandonment leaving him in the dark rooms alone. The trials of missing her would come in spurts of panic, depression and dissociation the hours after she asked him to leave. The loneliness was easier when he didn't know her. Another alien emotion he had never felt before, but unlike many of the feelings Cori had given, this one left him in despair. Where dissociation wasn't enough to steer from the tears. A terrifying pit in his gut that left him feeling dead. Worse than before he met her.

Fantasies were his only salvation. Imagining her next to him. Remembering her laugh and her smile. Her company warm and secure unlike anything he'd ever felt. Raised in frigid darkness, she was a harbour of salvation. Tricking him in believing that it would be home.

You don't have a home, Edward. You've never had a home.

Edward would go to work like the ghost he was accustomed to. Now without the comfort of a home to go to at the end of the day. He would keep his head down into his accounts. Focusing on the numbers to stray from the thoughts of Cori. The nightmares of his past so easily able to crawl back in her absence. The numbers were his salvation now.

Just breathe, Edward.

"Edward."

He startled from his work to Mr. Stone coming around to his desk. Sweat grew in his palms at his approach.

"I was expecting you might have found something in the Wayne account by now."

Edward clenched the arm of his chair, He knows.

"Um. Like what, sir?" Edward mumbled.

"Oh, nothing in particular. I have a client who is… skeptical of Wayne Enterprises. So do let me know if you find something worth looking into."

I know what you did, sir.

"Yes, sir. I will."

Mr. Stone nodded, "Good boy." He walked back to his office; Edward's lenses followed him to the stairs.

He's watching you, Edward. He doesn't know you're watching him.

Edward would spend hours outside New Beginnings Rescue. Battling the cold and the sting of the winds just to see the lights of red and blue encroach the building.

Come on, where are they?

Sirens went screaming down the street. Edward's excitement drove him to shakes. However, his relief deflated when the cruiser drove right past.

Why aren't they stopping?

He went back to his apartment after a dejected amount of time. However, he took another turn passed his street. To Westinson Apartments.

What are you doing? Leave her alone!

He pressed the button, waiting for her to reply. The buzzer was ignored. Just as his calls and text messages. Can't she at least let me know she is okay?

He left when he realized he was getting angry. He wouldn't dare feed it at her doorstep. He opened his phone. When he opened the cameras for New Beginnings, he saw someone at the till he wasn't expecting. It was Joon's daughter. Nervous, fidgeting with her hair at the desk. Her eyes kept aimlessly looking back to the camera as if she was scared, too. Begging for help through the camera.

Mr. Joon's daughter. Has she been forced to take his place? Forced into servitude to pay the debt from her father's actions? The police must come soon. I see danger around every corner. Can't hold this alone much longer. Need help.

Edward came up to his apartment door listening to the rats scurrying along the trash bins. A man said abruptly, "Diseased. The entire population."

Edward spooked, "Excuse me?"

"The rat population," the man growled, "There's a disease spreading through them. They're turning up dead in the street all over the city."

Edward tried to ignore the rambling of what he perceived to be another Gotham crazy. Then the man said, "Edward the Rat. Cage 3H."

At hearing it Edward froze with his key in the door. His unit for his buzzer 'Nashton 3H'.

"Excuse me, how do you know my…"

The man flicked his cigarette into the street, completely shroud but Edward could see his eyes shimmering faintly in the low light. Ominous and staring. As if he wasn't real at all. Edward retreated into his apartment like he was being chased. He clamoured through the door to his unit and locked it shut. He collapsed against the hallway wall, his breath crushing in his lungs as he'd gasp for air. He hoped he had imagined it. He looked out the window to still see the figure outside in the dark.

My life, in danger. Nowhere feels safe. The safest place I've ever been blocked off. My harborer deserted me. Shh. Just breathe, Edward.

Tears started down his cheeks again, his heart fixing to quit. He called her one more time. Cori's smile granting a small bout of relief that was crushed by overwhelming grief to how much he missed it. He missed her.

Please answer. I'm scared. Don't leave me here.

Her voicemail started again, her voice a swelling reminder she wasn't coming. He didn't leave a voicemail, he hung up. The silence of his apartment made his ears ring. Hours he spent hunched down to the floor in fear before crawling to his cluttered bed. The whispers crawled back, too, faster as he laid his head down. He pulled the blanket over his head, just as a child he prayed it would make the shadows go away.

The next morning Edward awoke to his alarm. Hardly a blink of sleep he woke up with a throbbing headache.

Wake up, Edward.

He went to get dressed and ready for work. Brush your teeth, Edward.

He grabbed his backpack walking past the cereal on his counter. Don't forget to eat, Edward. He cleaned his glasses on the way out the door, don't chew on glass, Edward.

Just as any other day, he went straight to the train station. Go to work, Edward. Be a good boy, Edward. Don't say anything, Edward. You're risking your life, Edward. It's been days since you've talked to her, Edward. No one's coming, Edward. No one is ever coming.

Before he knew it, he was at his desk, watching Mr. Stone sign papers for Gotham Mountain Security couriers. Shhh. Just breathe.

The snow was fierce outside, their first snow fall in Gotham coming down with a vengeance. Everyday since Cori was gone remained the same. He'd wait for police to come for help. He'd wait for Mr. Stone to be taken in handcuffs. He'd wait for Cori to call him back. Yet, he was left disappointed. So often it was becoming routine.

When he was on his way home, he tried calling Cori again. The phone went to voicemail. He texted her instead, "There's a lot I keep hiding from you. I don't want to hide from it anymore. There's a darkness in me, Cori. I'm choosing to use it for good."

No response. His messages unseen and left in limbo as if he was sending it to a disconnected service. His mind started swimming and battling. Panic making it difficult to think straight. Ultimately this panic led him down her street again.

I just need to know she's okay.

He rang the buzzer. Once, twice, three times— then a click.

"Hello?"

Edward felt as if he could cry to hear her voice, "Cori… it's me. I just… wanted to make sure you were okay."

He released the button, listening to radio silence on the other end. She made a faint sigh, and the speaker clicked off. He pressed it again, "Cori?"

No answer. He rang the bell again, then stopped. She was okay, she was in her unit. However, she was still making it clear she wanted space. He walked back from the door, fighting the tears under his eyes— almost fogging his glasses in the cold air. When he crossed the street, he looked up to the window. Cori's curtains quickly folded back and her body disappeared behind it.

He stood for a moment in disbelief. He thought to himself, why won't she talk to me?! Is she really that scared of me? That she can't even look at me from the window of her apartment? What can I do to prove to her that everything is okay? That her fear is misdirected and needless? We both saw Joon die. Why am I at fault for that?

Edward came back to his apartment, angrier than when he left. He slammed his door coming inside, throwing his backpack against his bed and slumping down on his desk chair. He pushed his hands behind his glasses letting them fall to the keyboard. He clenched his fists down over the top of his hair and groaned in frustration. Stomping his foot just once.

"What do I have to do?" He whimpered through his palms.

You need to figure this out.

He opened his browser on the laptop. He needed to find out who Mr. Joon's daughter was. He was able to track her down on social media through Joon. Ana Joon. By luck, her email was on the information of her profile.

He sent her an anonymous email, a link to an encrypted chat. Titled: Mr. Joon. If you want to know what happened to your father, click here.

He waited minutes for an answer, and surprisingly got one.

"Who is this?"

"I cannot say. But don't worry. I saw what happened to your father. I informed the police."

"The police?! They won't do anything!!!"

"Why not?!"

"You fool. You could get me killed! Do not contact me. Ever again."

She left the chat after that message. The panic came back faster than it ever had. The helplessness.

He cried, "No! Come back!"

He started weep and turned off his computer— letting his body fall to the floor and huddle into a ball.

No one is coming. No one wants to. You're alone. You were born into this world alone. Now you will die alone. Because you started a war you can't win.

Then his memories came back to a superior figure. Stronger than any lead. Stronger than Cori. Stronger than himself. His might could never be forgotten when he saw it for himself. His black cowl said to him, "Follow the numbers."

Thank you.

If he was to follow the numbers, it would take him to a place he'd seen many times before. Never investigated yet. His only route to tie the loose ends. Waterfront Industries.

It was late, nearing midnight, but in the state he was in, the time wasn't a deterrent. He blended in with the ominous night life like a phantom. Making his way to the Waterfront wasn't treacherous. The closer he got there, the more alone he was. For once, the loneliness was an advantage— a superpower. Giving him the ability to blend in with the shadows.

He used a lock pick to get into the large storage area, known as Waterfront Industries. Once a business now abandoned. Yet still being used to document payments. He walked inside the abandoned warehouse keeping his hood up.

A front. Who knows the last time someone was in this place.

He left the top of a question mark in the dust of the floor. Unsure why, perhaps a signature. Proof that he was here. Only for himself to know.

He stumbled across yellow crime tape. What happened here?

He came up to a desk in an office area, shuffling through dusted folders and binders. Edward's glance strayed to the windows, and he gasped. His mind playing a cruel trick of another shadow. At first, it looked almost identical to the cowl and cape of the Bat Man.

Maybe it was him. He saw me looking through these abandoned letters and vanished. Knowing he saw what he needed to see. A confirmation someone was doing the right thing. Am I doing the right thing?

Edward placed his hand to the window, asking up to the black skies outside, "Where are you?"

He went through any folder that was still intact. The ones that were, were surprisingly too intact. Recently scribbled into, such as a folder labeled 'KTMJ'. Showing various sums all adding up to the infamous ten thousand. Things were beginning to unravel.

Stone works for Falcone. But Maroni used to run Waterfront Industries. Which means Maroni was repped by KTMJ. When he went down, they must have inserted a smurf like Mr. Joon into ownership to keep the front going.

He looked down to the same words reflecting back into his lenses. Renewal. Salvatore Maroni.

Something meant to be dead is still alive.

A vehicle drove by Waterfront Industries. Usually, a place with little traffic. It was enough to alarm him. The vehicle he heard pulled up before Waterfront Industries. He took out his binoculars from his bag and hunched down. A garbage truck pulled up, as well. The other vehicle a GCPD cruiser. Higgins hopped out of the garbage truck with a package. To Edward's surprise, Commissioner Savage walked from the cruiser— taking the package from Higgins. A hand off. Cori was right!

He tried to phone her again, knowing he was being invasive. But with the news, he felt she needed to know. When he got her voicemail, he left a hushed message, "Cori. I know you don't want to hear from me. I just need to talk to you. Something came up. All you need to know for now is you were right. If you want to know more, please call me. I… I need your help." He left the message, hoping it would be the final attempt of reaching out.

When he got home, he tried Ana Joon again. This time just an email saying, 'Please Answer.'

Shockingly she did. Typing as quick as she accepted.

"Who are you? What do you want??"

"You were right. About the police."

"I know. I can't do this. It's too dangerous. Goodbye."

"Wait! I need your help. There's a missing piece. I don't understand…"

"I can't help you. If I said anything they would kill me. I have a baby. I am his mother. I must do everything to protect him, so he doesn't end up an orphan, as I have been made now."

"Then don't say anything. If I'm right, do not respond. Do you understand?"

She didn't reply, Edward started to type.

"Drops money is coming in to New Beginnings. You have been asked to log payments to a shell company called Waterfront Industries. You log these payments as varying numbers, so that no computer, or person, would be able to track them. That money, which totals a 10,000 payment, is then sent from Waterfront Industries to the Renewal program as a donation."

Edward waited for the response, certain he wouldn't get one. Certain he was right. Enough time passed and it was confirmed.

He typed again, "Your father was a smurf. You are now a smurf in his place. You are being forced to clean this drug money, in return for officially recorded employment that allows you to stay in this country."

No response, he started to smile. He continued, "You make donations of dirty money to Renewal to keep up appearances. Throw off the scent."

Then she finally typed back, "No!"

"Then why?!"

"I don't know!"

"Who does?!"

"I don't know! We just do what they say!"

"You and your father? Is there anyone else?"

"Yes. There are many of us. There are many of us who have been forced to work for him. To have a job. To keep our leases. To keep our housing."

"Forced to work for who?"

Ana didn't respond for a while. Edward was at the edge of his seat, clenching onto the arm of his chair in suspense.

Finally she wrote back, "I've said too much. I have to go. Do not ever contact me again. Next time I will not respond."

She left the chat then, leaving him with more answers that raised further questions. He closed his laptop then. The shadows of his room less overwhelming than the few nights before. He looked at his phone one last time in bed. No texts from Cori, no calls. Suffocating silence. He had so much to share to her. Yet, the investigation only haunted her. Now among the pursuits for the truth, he simply wanted to see her. Be surrounded by her bright lights, her soft blankets, her voice and laughs. Her laugh was always so real and shameless, unlike anything he ever heard. Genuine joy. The way her hair would consistently get in his face— wrap around his glasses. An annoying inconvenience he took for granted. Her witty retorts loaded for every toil. Her hands so gentle they were practically inhuman as they'd glide down his back. She could lull him to sleep without the demons ever considered. With just a touch, her energy. Until she'd burst out in laughter at a funny reel on her phone. Even then, it was a comforting way to wake up. The happiest moments of his life compiled with her presence. Only to be robbed so quickly and be back where he was four months ago as if it never happened.

Edward thought to himself, But it did happen.

He opened the gallery of his phone. Most of the pictures taken had her. To capsulate a memory. He had never used the camera on his phone so much before. Each one she was smiling, or giving a silly face. He stopped with one that had Yumi. All three in her SUV coming back from fishing. A silent epiphany happened before that photo. When he finally honed that he may have found a family.

Here I am fighting for the truth of something that could take my life. When I should have been fighting for what made it. I left her behind on my hunt for answers. Every stone turned she drifted further away. Why couldn't I see that until it was too late? Is this it? A chapter so small in my life closed too quick. It was the greatest chapter of all. The only chapter that meant anything. Is it really over?

Edward was back at work. Cross-referencing every avenue of information available to him. Another piece of the puzzle from Ana. He was searching up Real Estate Gotham City Bodegas on the KTMJ search engine. However, the access was denied. He would try Nigma's threads regarding Tricorner Real Estate. Only receiving answers that weren't concrete.

Turns out after the Maroni Bust, the government seized his property and put it under Renewal. Redevelopment for lower-income housing. To bring new business to Tricorner. Yet, the streets are lined with the homeless. They were to make public parks on the Waterfront. This was the promise they made. It's been ten years. Nothing. So much for promises. The rich and the criminal, legally hiding behind a corporate façade so they can buy up property. A safe space to hide their money, or run it through. It drives the housing market up. Making the rent unaffordable to us lowly citizens. The tools of the rich are the tools of the criminal. Protected by the system, the ultimate tool they can hide behind. Legally hidden. There are only two people in the whole world who might know the hidden identity of an LLC, other than the owner themselves. The lawyer who created the LLC on their behalf, or the accountant that did. Mr. Stone. I need access to those records…

Then suddenly his phone buzzed. He flipped it over on his desk to see her name. Edward picked it up in his hands shaking. She responded to his latest message. Simply saying, "Me too."

Edward fumbled to the response. What do I say to that? What does she mean? Does she agree with me? It's too vague. She finally reaches out, and she only sends that?

Then Mr. Stone walked by. Another chance presented, but this time would be different than the last.

"Sir," said Edward with a renewed confidence in his voice, "You asked me to let you know directly if I found anything in the Wayne account."

"Yes." Stone turned to him, "Tell me, what did you find?"

"Well, nothing concrete yet, sir. But I do have some questions. I noticed some anomalies in how the company pays Bruce Wayne, sir. With your permission, I'd like to look further into that. I just need to access some past records."

"Hmm. Well, I'm hardly surprised to hear suspicions about Bruce Wayne. People who hide tend to have a reason to hide."

"My thoughts exactly, sir."

"Okay. I'll tell Suzy to give you access to those records."

Stone picked up the phone to dial her as he said it. The personnel from Gotham Mountain Security came soon after with a trolley of files for Edward. He led them back to his desk. Zach popped from the receptionist desk, "Whoa! Rain man! Making it rain!"

Gotham Mountain Security. The oldest and safest way to store confidential information. Someone saw the corporations and rich people needed a secure way to store their documents. This was before everything went digital. So, they took an out-of-business copper mine outside the city and turned it into a secure storage facility. KTMJ, Gotham's oldest and most reputable accounting firm, still does everything by hand. I am starting to wonder why…

Edward's mind was swimming in the information from the folders. None providing a clear answer. Just adding to the bank of knowledge in Gotham that was already brimming. The toil for information frustrating and evasive. As he came up to his door, there was a shadow hunched over the staircase. Sitting to the top step and leaned over the railing. At first, he figured it was another drophead. Coming down from a high and zoning out on his apartment steps. It was only 40 degrees outside. Light snow falling over the person's black hoodie. As Edward came closer, her form struck as familiar. She was thin, long strands of black hair. Even the sound of her breath recognizable. Edward stepped up with his hands in his pockets, unsure to ask in case he was wrong.

"Cori?"

She looked up, sweeping her hair from her eyes. Edward dimmed a smile seeing her again. She weakly returned one, pulling off her hood.

He asked softly, "What are you doing out here?"

Cori sighed mist to the question. Her eyes falling to the pavement. She replied, "Crawling from the pit."

"Is that where you've been?"

Cori slowly nodded, "Yeah. No more company with ghosts."

Edward came by and sat with her. They shared silence for a while. He asked, "You're haunted?"

Cori scoffed quietly, "Oh, yeah. Especially after that. It consumed me for a while. Only relief I had was when I was asleep."

Edward pressed his lips, "I'm sorry. I never… I didn't want to scare you. I never thought that'd happen. If I did, I would have never let you come with me. You're… completely right. This is dangerous. Far more dangerous as I dig deeper."

Cori glanced up to him, "Don't be sorry. It wasn't you; I know I made you feel that way. I'm sorry I pushed you away. Now I realize that… however I felt, you were feeling it, too. You just had a better lid over it. I lost it for a while. When I get scared, I push people away. I close off and go silent. I go into a pit I think can keep me safe. Then realize I've lost myself inside of it. I didn't want you to see that part of me."

"I wouldn't have judged you."

Cori smiled, "I know. You couldn't. You've never judged me before. Instinct took over. Fear over mind. I take flight, when I'm scared. Flight from my own body. I just needed time to come to terms with what happened."

"I saw your text."

"Yeah?"

"What did it mean?"

Cori explained huskily, "That there's darkness in me, too. I was scared. The more it festered, it turned to anger. I was so fucking angry. Enraged for Joon. That he died so… grotesquely. Leaving his family behind with only questions and no closure."

Edward asked, "Like Celeste?"

Cori nodded at first, biting down her shaking bottom lip. She flicked her eyes to him and back to the ground, "Yeah," she quavered, "Like Celeste." Cori turned to him then, choking down her tears, "I'm still so full of rage I could burn that whole fucking place to the ground. Listening to Higgins and Stone scream inside of it. It's so fucking awful. I hate feeling it and hate that it somehow feels good to think about it. That they got away with that kind of evil like it was an everyday thing. What else could they've done? Who else suffered so they'd keep their pockets full? It's not fair. None of it… is fair. And I can't let it go."

Edward said quickly after, excitedly, "Me too."

Cori let a tear fall from her air, "I understand now. Why you did it. Why you need to do it. I didn't before, I was just so full of fear all I could see was that. The anger I have… it doesn't make me scared. Surprisingly, it's what got me out of the pit."

"I'm angry, too," muttered Edward.

"I'm not when I'm with you."

Edward felt her hands warmly return to his own. Even though they were ice cold, the act was a wash of relief. That the chapter wasn't over. He took her hand into both of his, trying to warm it up.

His voice shook, "Let's use that anger for good, then. If you still want to…"

"I do," firmly said Cori, "I wanna go for the neck. I can't journal any of this. I can't tell anyone. I got your text about the police and the voicemail about Savage. If we're the only ones who give a shit then we gotta be smart about this. Stay hidden."

Edward explained, "I've stumbled on a lot. I'm further than I was but I still haven't even scratched the surface. I want to tell you about all of it. If… it won't push you away again."

Cori nodded, "I'm done being scared."

"Me too," sighed Edward in relief, "I'm so fucking done."

Cori smirked, "I got fired. I'm still wearing the same clothes for three days straight. I smell like a sweatshop. I'm a bit of a downgrade right now but…"

Edward interrupted, "You got fired? Why?"

"Long story. I can tell you all about it but… will you come home with me?"

Edward cooed, "Home?"

"Yeah," said Cori, "I'm home wherever you are."

Edward's arm glided up her back and she took the collar of his coat. The cold air turned warm on their lips as they released breath. Then submerged into a kiss once again. A long awaited one. Absence making it hotter than recent. Cori's hand lovingly took his cheek, desperately pulling him in. Edward snapped back to it like it had never stopped. However, his firm over her a tight reminder. Anger and fear weren't present then. Even though it had been the compass of their being the days alone. A needed comfort to wash it all away. To bring them back to the foundation they started on. When their lips parted they embraced. She was swallowed whole into Edward's arms, who silently wept into her shoulder. Her eyes clenched into the warmth of his neck. Her fingers in his hair, pulling him into her tighter with every sniffle he'd made.

He quavered, "I love you."

She rasped for breath then, letting the tears come like the flood gates finally opened. Every attempt to cry stubbornly fought from now being allowed to set free.

"I love you, too."