The End? Ch 3
"MCU? How bad?" JIm asked as Batman steered them through the rapidly brightening morning. "Estimated body count?" he had shifted to the cop, locking away the husband and father for now. He had to hope that they were actually alive, and he would find his family. That Barbara hadn't been leaving and it would all go back to how it had been. Before.
Batman glanced at him, silent. Finally he seemed to sigh. "Most of the unit was there. From what I heard, they had all been called in for a meeting. They were waiting for you." There was a moment pause, then "I didn't see anyone alive carried out, Jim."
Jim sagged back in the seat. "We can't do this anymore. Harvey's dead. MCU. Rachel. You're a hunted man. My home. My family." His voice broke as he said the last. "How many innocents because I tried to clean up this town? How many more will die if I don't give up and accept that the criminals own Gotham, and it is never going to change? Barb..." he bit back a sob, then tried again. "Barbara tried to get me to leave. To go someplace safer, smaller. Out west a ways. Where Gotham couldn't reach us. Where we didn't have to worry that our children would be targeted because they were the commish's kids." He turned to look out a window. "Look what my ideals did to my babies," he whispered to himself. Batman heard anyway.
Gordon said nothing else as Batman took them to his hidding place. He didn't even look around once they were inside. He just obediently went to the chair that was indicated and sat.
Alfred had been waiting for them. He had a fresh set of clothing for Bruce, as well as coffee and bagels. He watched Gordon carefully, then caught Wayne's eye. Wayne frowned, then raised a questioning eyebrow. Alfred nodded, then turned away. He added sugar to one cup of coffee and handed it to Bruce. The coffee cup was quickly drained, as buttons were fastened and a suit jacket was pulled on. The transformation to billionarie playboy complete, Bruce went to kneel in front of Gordon.
"Jim?" he said softly. Gordon startled, clearly lost in his own thoughts. He looked at Bruce, his eyes empty. "Let Alfred take you up to the loft. I have to attend a board meeting briefly. Wayne Enterprises is going to set up funds to help the families who lost loved ones at MCU last night. Then, we both need to rest."
Just then, Gordon's cell rang. "No time." Gordon whispered. He let the phone ring a second time then answered, trying to make his voice strong. He was still the Commisoner. It was all he had left now. "Gordon."
Bruce could hear the other end. "Sir, the mayor has scheduled a meeting in 45 minutes with you. He wants answers, and names and body count from last night. He said he expects a full report on what is being done to catch the perp. Also, the fire department reported that your house was a total loss."
"Call the mayor's office. Let them know it maybe an hour. Obviously, I need to find a place to shower, and some clean clothes." He hung up, and looked at Bruce. "My car was at MCU. Can you get me to it?"
"Alfred can drop you off at a discreet distance. Are you sure it would be wise to go?"
"I have to. Most of the department that is left is on the mob's payroll. The mayor is a sitting duck. I just... do you have a shower?"
"Yes. Alfred has gone to get you some clothes. What else can I do?"
"You said someone had called a meeting. Can you get me that information? Who and what it was about?"
"Yes. But after this meeting with the mayor, find a way to get away from your office. You need rest. And, you are not safe out there. Someone is targeting you. During the daylight hours, I can't be there as Batman, and I can't come up with a reason Bruce Wayne would be near you."
Jim nodded. Bruce showed him the shower. When JIm was done, he found a pile of clothes sitting on the bathroom counter, waiting for him. Dockers, a button up, socks and underwear. Jim frowned when he found that his wallet and belt had been left but not his cell phone. Once dressed, he went to inquire about his cell. His old clothes, he didn't care about. They had smelled strongly of smoke that probably wouldn't go away.
Alfred was waiting for him. Bruce was no where in site. "This way, sir." Alfred directed him to the platform elevator. Once on it, he handed Jim the missing cell phone. "He added a few numbers for you. He said that he coded the names, but you would figure them out. One is his cell, one is the penthouse, one is my own, and one keys the mic in the suit. He said to tell you them that way specifically and for you to remember them that way."
Curious, Jim scrolled through the contact list of his cell once they were in Alfred's car heading towards his own. He had four new contacts - Arkham, Playmate, Englishman and Mike. Arkham cell, Bruce's cell. Penthouse Playmate, Bruce's Penthouse. Alfred was obviously the Englishman. Mike had to be the mic in the suit. Gordan thought.
Three blocks from MCU and five from City Hall, Alfred pulled over at the curve. "Here you go, sir. Please remember to use your phone to keep Master Bruce up to date. He is impossible to live with when he is worried."
"Thank you, Alfred," Gordon said. He got out, and stood watching as children crossed the street at the stoplight. There were no words to describe the pain and sadness he felt as he watched them. After a moment, he shook it off and headed towards his car.
Batman glanced at him, silent. Finally he seemed to sigh. "Most of the unit was there. From what I heard, they had all been called in for a meeting. They were waiting for you." There was a moment pause, then "I didn't see anyone alive carried out, Jim."
Jim sagged back in the seat. "We can't do this anymore. Harvey's dead. MCU. Rachel. You're a hunted man. My home. My family." His voice broke as he said the last. "How many innocents because I tried to clean up this town? How many more will die if I don't give up and accept that the criminals own Gotham, and it is never going to change? Barb..." he bit back a sob, then tried again. "Barbara tried to get me to leave. To go someplace safer, smaller. Out west a ways. Where Gotham couldn't reach us. Where we didn't have to worry that our children would be targeted because they were the commish's kids." He turned to look out a window. "Look what my ideals did to my babies," he whispered to himself. Batman heard anyway.
Gordon said nothing else as Batman took them to his hidding place. He didn't even look around once they were inside. He just obediently went to the chair that was indicated and sat.
Alfred had been waiting for them. He had a fresh set of clothing for Bruce, as well as coffee and bagels. He watched Gordon carefully, then caught Wayne's eye. Wayne frowned, then raised a questioning eyebrow. Alfred nodded, then turned away. He added sugar to one cup of coffee and handed it to Bruce. The coffee cup was quickly drained, as buttons were fastened and a suit jacket was pulled on. The transformation to billionarie playboy complete, Bruce went to kneel in front of Gordon.
"Jim?" he said softly. Gordon startled, clearly lost in his own thoughts. He looked at Bruce, his eyes empty. "Let Alfred take you up to the loft. I have to attend a board meeting briefly. Wayne Enterprises is going to set up funds to help the families who lost loved ones at MCU last night. Then, we both need to rest."
Just then, Gordon's cell rang. "No time." Gordon whispered. He let the phone ring a second time then answered, trying to make his voice strong. He was still the Commisoner. It was all he had left now. "Gordon."
Bruce could hear the other end. "Sir, the mayor has scheduled a meeting in 45 minutes with you. He wants answers, and names and body count from last night. He said he expects a full report on what is being done to catch the perp. Also, the fire department reported that your house was a total loss."
"Call the mayor's office. Let them know it maybe an hour. Obviously, I need to find a place to shower, and some clean clothes." He hung up, and looked at Bruce. "My car was at MCU. Can you get me to it?"
"Alfred can drop you off at a discreet distance. Are you sure it would be wise to go?"
"I have to. Most of the department that is left is on the mob's payroll. The mayor is a sitting duck. I just... do you have a shower?"
"Yes. Alfred has gone to get you some clothes. What else can I do?"
"You said someone had called a meeting. Can you get me that information? Who and what it was about?"
"Yes. But after this meeting with the mayor, find a way to get away from your office. You need rest. And, you are not safe out there. Someone is targeting you. During the daylight hours, I can't be there as Batman, and I can't come up with a reason Bruce Wayne would be near you."
Jim nodded. Bruce showed him the shower. When JIm was done, he found a pile of clothes sitting on the bathroom counter, waiting for him. Dockers, a button up, socks and underwear. Jim frowned when he found that his wallet and belt had been left but not his cell phone. Once dressed, he went to inquire about his cell. His old clothes, he didn't care about. They had smelled strongly of smoke that probably wouldn't go away.
Alfred was waiting for him. Bruce was no where in site. "This way, sir." Alfred directed him to the platform elevator. Once on it, he handed Jim the missing cell phone. "He added a few numbers for you. He said that he coded the names, but you would figure them out. One is his cell, one is the penthouse, one is my own, and one keys the mic in the suit. He said to tell you them that way specifically and for you to remember them that way."
Curious, Jim scrolled through the contact list of his cell once they were in Alfred's car heading towards his own. He had four new contacts - Arkham, Playmate, Englishman and Mike. Arkham cell, Bruce's cell. Penthouse Playmate, Bruce's Penthouse. Alfred was obviously the Englishman. Mike had to be the mic in the suit. Gordan thought.
Three blocks from MCU and five from City Hall, Alfred pulled over at the curve. "Here you go, sir. Please remember to use your phone to keep Master Bruce up to date. He is impossible to live with when he is worried."
"Thank you, Alfred," Gordon said. He got out, and stood watching as children crossed the street at the stoplight. There were no words to describe the pain and sadness he felt as he watched them. After a moment, he shook it off and headed towards his car.