The End? Ch 5
"Hello?" Bruce answered the ringing cellphone pleasantly. He heard the rustling of paper, followed by the half-stifled gasp of despair. Then a clunk that sounded supiscously like a phone being dropped. He heard more rustling then silence.
He looked up at the waiting board members with a smile. "Excuse me, gentlemen. I believe you could probably better conduct the rest of the business before the board with me. Seems I forgot an appointment." He smiled and walked out of the boardroom.
Once in the elevator, Bruce spoke urgently into the phone. "Jim! Answer me, damn it. Where are you?" His only reply was silence. He hit a button on his phone, followed by a series of other buttons. A beep a second later told him that the call on the other line originated at City Hall. He hung up both lines as he reached his Porsche.
He made the 20-odd blocks to City Hall in record time. Smiling and mentioning that he was wanting to donate Wayne money to the families of last night's victims got him to the Commisoner's door. However, knocking on said door got him no where. Bruce checked the hallway, and then quickly picked the lock.
Not good, he thought as he slipped through the door, Batman will have to pay a late night visit and upgrade the quality of that lock.
Gordon sat in the chair behind his desk, holding a lock of red hair and a piece of paper. Bruce quickly noted all the pictures scattered across the room, and locked the door. Gordon hadn't even looked up. Tears were running down his face.
Bruce went and knelt next the Commisoner. "Jim?"
"I can't do this anymore," was the whispered reply.
Bruce gently tugged the paper out of Gordon's hand and scanned it. He flipped it over, and noted the morse note on the back. Sitting it on the desk, he grabbed Jim's arm urgently.
"Don't. Don't quit. It's what he wants. If you do, I don't know that we will get them back. The city needs you. I need you. I can't do this without you."
"She wanted us to leave. Why didn't we? Barbara..." Jim's voice trailed off.
"Listen to me. Did you order someone to check Arkham?" Bruce started rattling questions off mater-of-factly, hoping Gordon's training would kick in.
"Yes."
"Have you thought of the possiblity that the arsons where by someone else?"
"Arsons..." Jim looked up. Bruce smiled to himself. He had wanted Gordon to regain his focus atleast until Bruce could get him to someplace safe. Jim grabbed the phone from the desk, dialed a number. "Tell whoever you sent to Arkham that I want a list of any and all arsonist there, as well as a check of everyone of their cells."