Archive of Our Own

Work Text

It's cold. Winters in Gotham are unforgiving, and I struggle to shake the snow off of me as I walk into my apartment. I hang my keys and fall back onto my couch. Work to do... or I could just fall asleep. As much as I want to, I know I'm too exhausted to make it to my desk to do work. I can't even be bothered to get up and go to my bed to sleep, so I drift off on the couch. Ring...Ring...My phone startles me awake."Hello?" My vision is blurry, I don't have my glasses on."Yes, is this the residence of Dr. Nygma?""Speaking..." What does this person want with me so late?"My apologies, this is Joe. We got the results back on those prints.""Can it wait?" I ask impatiently"I'm afraid not. You must come in immediately.""Ok."I hang up. It's so late, whyyyy am I always asked to come in late. No, not asked, told. I'm lucky traffic is always slow. I don't have the capacity to drive quickly and accurately right now. Joe is a weird one, he's always so formal. He only calls me Doctor, Dr. Nygma or sir. A majority of the people there only call me doctor when we're around cops or whatever law enforcement needs us. Technically, we are law enforcement. We work in the morgue at a police station, that counts to me. It occurs to me now that I have no idea what fingerprints Joe was telling me about. I'm overseeing five different active cases right now, and of that about three have fingerprints to analyze. When I make it to the office, I'm greeted by the secretary as always. "They're expecting you, Dr. Nygma." Carrie at the desk is maybe the only other person in this office to call me doctor all the time."Ed, in here." A tech waves me inside the lab. I don't know the tech's name, she's new. I'll have to learn it soon.The lab is clean, it's supposed to be, but it's always absurdly clean here. White and sterile, it's giving me a headache. "Dr. Nygma." It's Joe, I could recognize him in the dark fifty feet away. "What are the results?" If I know, I might be able to say exactly what project these are from."There's no match for anyone we have on file.""You couldn't have told me that over the phone?""Well, sir, you see..." It's late, I'm tired and he definitely could've told me there was no match over the phone."Um... are you alright, Doctor?"Is it getting brighter in here?

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Ring!!
Ring!!
The phone yells at me, waiting to be picked up.
"Hello?" It's the commissioner, I'm sure. That's the whole purpose for this phone.
"Three different doctors have been drugged, of them, two have gone missing. The third was just admitted to the hospital."
"What do you need from me?"
"Dr. Edward Nygma is waking up now, go to the hospital and find out what he knows."
I know who Edward Nygma is, I know him too well. I'm expecting the company of detectives at the hospital, most of which don't care for me. Because I'm not really law enforcement, they don't like it when I show up on scenes to help.
The hospital smells like hand sanitizer, which isn't the best smell. I ask the nurse at the front desk to let me see Dr. Nygma.
"Room 204." She doesn't look up, but she knows who I am.
"What...?" Dr. Nygma looks at me from his bed. He's got three officers by him.
"What happened... is this guy a cop too?"
I barely recognize him now, he's a forensics-something. In the morgue at the GCPD. There's no way he doesn't at least know of me, his memory was probably affected. A shame, I heard he had an eidetic memory.
"No, he's not. What are you doing here?"
"Commissioner Gordon told me to come."
The officer rubs his temples, "Of course he did. Give us a minute, then you can come in here. Montoya will be with you."
I've never been left alone at a crime scene before, so this is nothing new. Except, I get to talk to someone who isn't a criminal. I've never questioned a victim before.
It's been five minutes, I wonder what they're talking about...
"Alright, he's not exactly lucid, but you can take your shot now."
I walk into the private hospital room once more, greeted by cloudy green eyes. Not exactly lucid seems like an understatement when I look at those eyes.
"Hello, Dr. Nygma."
"Where's Joe?" he asks.
"Who?"
"My.. he's... Joe? Where is he? He was giving me a report. You're not a cop, why are you here?"
I guess Joe is one of his technicians.
"He's not here, doctor." Montoya says, glaring at me. I don't know what I'm doing wrong, but I also don't know what I should be doing at all.
"Oh.. why am I in a hospital?"
I look at the detective, she nods.
"You got drugged, Dr. Nygma. Do you know who might've done this to you?"
He shakes his head quickly.
"Why are you here?" He asks me again.
"The commissioner asked me to be, do you know who I am?"
"No. Should I?"
"No, doctor, you shouldn't." Montoya says sharply.
"Ok, we're gonna come back in the morning. Thank you doctor." she says, gentler this time. As though talking to a child.
I won't disagree, I don't know what to ask or what to tell him. Detective Montoya leads me out.
"Go home, Batman. Just go home."
I'm better at catching than questioning.
I won't be going home, but they won't see me.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

All I want, and all I ever look for is the best. It's fair to say I've got a taste for the finer things. And why shouldn't I? I've been working on a little project, I need doctors. Some medical, some mathematical. I'm looking for the best, and one just got away. It's hard, y'know? Looking for a good doctor. No, not just good. Looking for the best doctor. Which is even harder. Dr. Nygma is a forensic scientist, he heads major crime investigations and he even works in the field. He... was the missing piece. A complete genius by all accounts, I needed him to finish my project. The two I have so far are doing good work, curing the incurable. But it's not enough. Now I have to look for a replacement, easier said than done. Or I could wait and try again, but I'll be honest, I'm not a very patient man. So back to the drawing board it is. "Nygma's awake, boss. Just saw the cops get done talking to him." Or is it?I've got eyes everywhere, "Anyone around?""Nah. Should I grab him?"I think for a second, this could be risky. "Yes. Be subtle about it." I enjoy risk taking.This is a calculated risk, mostly. And I want that doctor. "Boss? I got the package. Loading into the car ri-" ??? He cut out. "Hello?""Sorry boss. He's in the car and on his way." A different voice answered. I'll probably have to look for a replacement henchman."What's John's status?""He's down, Bat got him. He's still alive, but you'll have to come back for him."Just because he's still alive doesn't mean he'll still be able to work. The Bat thinks just because he doesn't fully kill them that it makes him any better than I am. "ETA?""10 minutes. Bat's not on our trail but he's closing in on some of your boys on the east.""Alright."I have to get ready to recieve. It's sort of a delicate process, once I'm sure they're not followed I open a gate and they drive into the garage. If I'm wrong it has security, if I'm right they can get in. Sometimes it's tricky with hostages, but the doctor's probably not able to fight right now. Probably... but I've been surprised before.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

My head hurts like hell. I can barely move and words won't come out of my mouth. "Wh..."I get shushed. The audacity."Doctor! Welcome back to the world of the living. You won't be here for long." What?! I still can't move, this is awful. Am I tied? What... "I'm sorry, that sounded bad. You have something to work on for my boss, then, the sweet release of death."Stop me if I'm repeating myself but... what??I'm moving, I need to focus. I'm moving... am I in a car? I'm... ok... I'm in a car. There's beefy guy's to either side of me, and the driver was the one talking to me. I'm not tied, but I am being ever so slightly crushed by these huge men, to the point I can't move. There's something in my mouth, but I can make sounds. It wouldn't be wise to try to talk, they're not interested in what I have to say. Retrace my steps... it must be early in the morning. Five a.m, at the latest. At eleven, I was called into work. Around twelve I was awake in a hospital bed, officers were talking to me. It might be around twelve, or closer to one. Ok, timeline confirmed. Now, who is this guy's boss? It'll help if I know who exactly I'm up against. The guy driving, he's more important than the strongmen next to me. I can't really see him, where are my glasses? I can't move my arms enough to check if they're still on. I can make out a lot of skin. Is he bald? I don't see any color, but he could just be a really bright blonde. Yeah, I'm definitely not wearing my glasses. The windows aren't tinted then, but I can't make a scene. The driver said-"What'cha thinking about, doctor?" well now, he's said that. I shake my head. "C'mon. What's going on up there?" This has got to be some kind of taunt, we both know I can't speak. I'm trying not to react. I can taste the saliva in my mouth. "Alright, be that way. I thought we had something special."I wish I could tell this man just how unfunny I find him. Maybe I will, after I meet his boss.Earlier, he mentioned that I was supposed to do something for his boss. What could that be? What, he need me to analyze fingerprints? Perhaps the burnt body of one of his "guys". What could possibly interest him? "We're almost here, doc." Neither of the men beside me have said a word, how long have I been in this car? So many questions, but we're here. I get shoved out of the car. "Tall as hell.." the driver mutters. "Be a doll, lean down. Don't be scared, I'm just putting your glasses on ya."It's wrong to feel confident about being taller than this guy, but I'm not interested in feeling right. I lean down, and my vision clears. The driver is bald, not blonde. "Alright, c'mon." I'm not just being overpowered by men next to me anymore, my hands are cuffed behind my back.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

They got him before I could save him. I stopped some of the thugs, but not enough. Enough moping, I've got to find the car that took him. "Where are you going?" The detectives from earlier are waiting outside."They have the doctor.""Where are you going?" The cop repeats."I'm following the car.""So... you're following a car in the dark, to god knows where by the way, to rescue a hostage. By yourself. Is that right?" "Yes.""We're coming too, and bringing a real conflict de-escalator. Don't knock out too many guys before we get there. They probably have the other doctors too.""Don't turn on the sirens."I'm not happy about being followed, but I get that I'm not trusted. At least they're not trying to stop me. Beyond pointing out how ridiculous my plan seems, that is. I don't think it's ridiculous in the slightest. I've done more with less, and besides I know the license plate number.Update: I'm hopelessly lost. I thought the car took a left, and maybe it did, but I can't find it. I've long since forgotten the license number. What do I do? Leave? I don't think they killed him yet, but I doubt I have much more than a day or two to find him."Why are you stopping? You find it?" A detective pulls up next to me. Obviously I can't admit defeat because they're counting on me. "No... I'm taking a break." I'm not coming back.I really should learn their names. The only one I know is detective Montoya, because she was introduced to me today. God it's cold. I never notice under the batsuit, but back in regular clothes it hits me.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

I think that I must be blessed. I win. My plan is going to work. They get a lab, you see, and this lab is stocked with the best equipment I could buy. I need not only their extensive knowledge, but also the cleanliness and effectiveness of good medical equipment. In comes Zsasz and the final piece of the puzzle. There's something going on, I can see it in those eyes. Comparable to a forest fire, green and angry. I smile. "What is this?" He asks, as soon as he's allowed to speak. "I need something from you. I need you to cure something for me."I'm glad he's smart enough not to fight, I would be upset if he broke anything. I can tell he wants to. "Cure? I work with fingerprints and dead people. I don't know how to fix, how to cure.""I don't think that's true. Besides, I've got a team. Even if you don't know how to cure, the others can help.""Why would I help you?""I was hoping you'd ask that. You're going to help me because if you don't, the other doctors in here will die.""Then you wouldn't get your cure." Interesting! No hesitation."That's not necessarily true. There are so many doctors in Gotham, just because the crime rate is so high. What about the people who will die because of the amount of doctors I take."The forest burns, what is he thinking about?"What exactly am I supposed to fix?""Titan poisoning." He remains silent. I was half expecting Zsasz to fill in, but I realize that he's already gone. "I don't have all day. What do you say?""...Let me see the patient." Amazing. I knew I would win.The patient, as it were, is in a big plexiglass box. A fishbowl. If it weren't chained down, it would probably be able to break out. It was formerly one of my friends, now though, it isn't able to comprehend the concept. "I've never seen one alive. He can't have much time left.""I know. That's why you're here." I'm tired of explaining. "Ok. Where are the other doctors?" I refrain from making a show about it, but I'm excited."Boys? Take him." If I'm lucky, I won't talk to Edward Nygma again until I shoot him. This whole thing was an annoyance. And if I'm even luckier, I'll have the cure to titan before my friend dies. To be honest, I don't care whether or not it dies. Do you know how much money I could make off a medicine like that? A dozen people die of titan poisoning everyday, failed experiments to create a super-army. There's no shortage of candidates, so I'll have to sell one. Just another one of my many great ideas. His eyes though... I'll have to keep those. How long would they last in a jar?

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

What did I agree to? I'm forced into a little room, it looks like a highschool science class. Like an idiot's idea of what I'd need for this massive project. It's charming, in a way, the rest of this took great cunning but this part? He definitely did not think this part through. The other doctors are doing something, I'm not sure what. I still need to get my bearings before asking. "Hello, you're here for the titan thing, right?" I nod."We've got something, it's about 3% effective.""What have you been testing it on?" Mice? People? "It's not real yet. It's simulated. We don't have anything to run tests on.""I don't know how that man expects us to do this without testing." The second doctor chimes in."I don't know how he expects us to do anything. What is this? A biology class?"I guess I'm trying to lighten the mood, something I have to do often in my field. It worked, just a bit. They were at least smiling a bit. "Nah, there's better equipment in a biology class.""If we don't get this done fast enough, he'll kill us and get new people. If we do get this done fast enough, he'll kill us.""We'll get out." If I believe it, I'm sure it can be done. And right now, I do believe it. Between the incompetence and ego, it should actually be pretty easy. "How do you know?""I just do. Can I have your names?"The first doctor smiles. The second is still shaken, but he's looking at me, at least."I'm Penelope Young. This is Adrien Chen. We used to work at Arkham together, you?""Ed Nygma, I do forensics at the GCPD. And hey, you two still work together, y'know?"We shake hands, it's such a perfectly normal interaction in a completely absurd situation. They're psychiatrists, but I heard that titan originated in Arkham. It's such a weird idea, two psychiatrists and a forensic scientist. How, logicially, would we be able to cure this without the help of a medical doctor? Just how many times had that man tried this to make him go to us? "Are you both psychiatrists?" Maybe I'm wrong, maybe this is the first try. "Yes. But there is a reason we're here. We were the heads of the titan project before it got out of hand." This is all so confusing, but at least they made it, right? So they can un-make it."How long have you two been here?""I've been here for three months." Adrien Chen says. Penelope Young is thinking."I guess a month then, I got here after Dr. Chen." She answers. "We can call him to complain," Chen points at a button "But I wouldn't recommend it. Usually ends with getting beat up." "Alright. Let's get to work."

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

I've got my computer on and running. I'm going to try to track a DNA trail off of Dr. Nygma. I've got samples from Dr. Young and Dr. Chen as well. I still don't know who the criminal is, but I know who works for him. Which is almost as good. John Jackson, Victor Zsasz, and Kev Frost. I caught John and Kev, I only saw Zsasz. These guys are hired help, but whoever hired them has to have money. That's... about as much as I can get from them. It eliminates some, like Harley Quinn, but none of them were suspects to begin with. A rich person who needs several doctors and uses unmarked black cars. There's just no clues I can get from that. The DNA trails are proving largely unuseful. Dr. Nygma was taken in a car, the other doctors trails have long since been covered up by new ones. If I don't have the car, I don't have Nygma. But... I do have the henchmen. I should question them. "You here to talk to the men you assaulted?" Chief O'hara asks as I walk into the police station."It was self defense.""It always is. You know how long you have, if you need more time take an officer in with you."I'm allowed 10 minutes of questioning, if I take in a cop with me I get 30 instead. I'll probably only need the ten, but I take someone in with me. Just in case. "Captain Sawyer, can I borrow one of your men?" Maggie Sawyer looks around the room."Sure... take Ramirez." Sawyer calls Anna Ramirez in to sit with me."Anna Ramirez, badge 132. This is interview number three with Kevin Frost, joining me is Batman." Ramirez speaks into a tape recorder, taking her seat."I have to talk to the crazy goth guy who beat the shit out of me?" Frost asks, looking between me and Anna."You have the right to remain silent, Kevin. You may choose whether or not you answer his questions, just as you can choose whether or not to answer mine." "Yeah, alright. I'll talk. What he's doing is crazy anyway, but I want protection.""From who?" I ask."The Penguin." I have my answer, I mean I could probably predict pretty well where he might be."If the information you give us is useful, we can guarantee witness protection.""I'll tell you everything, swear on my mother." He crosses his heart."Alright, why didn't you answer any of officer Allen's questions during you first and second interviews."Frost smiles, "He's ugly. You're not."Ramirez looks disgusted, frankly I am too."And where is Penguin's hideout?"He shakes his head, Ramirez raises a brow."I don't know, I don't drive there I'm just muscle in the back. I'm only allowed to look forward, can't see shit in those little cars." "You don't know?""Swear it. Only Zsasz and John know. They're the ones driving."We look at each other."What is his plan?" I ask."Kidnap doctors to cure titan. He's got one in a big glass box.""A live titan? How long has it been there?" "Six months? Maybe longer. All I know is it doesn't have much time left. Used to be one of Penguin's golf buddies or something."Titans can't live past eight months after they're injected. The toxin leeches into their brains. This titan maybe has a week left, who knows what he'll do with the doctors once it dies."Thank you, you have been very helpful. We're going to talk to the DA."

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Bzzt! Bzzt! Apparently a doctor has the confidence to try to call me down. I contemplate sending someone down there but instead I just answer the call, it's not like I have to send anyone just yet."Yes?""The simulated cure is a success. Ninety-seven percent effective. We need something to test this out on, and more materials to make it real." I recognize the voice of Penelope Young over the speaker. "What do you need exactly?""Mice, or some sort of test subject. I personally am not opposed to human testing. As well as spores from a pteridophyte.""I'll get you the spores. If the simulations are accurate you can just use them on the patient.""But-"I hang up. I don't know what a pteridophyte is, just that it's a specie of plant. Shit, I have to call back for the specifics, huh."What?" It's Edward Nygma this time."What kind of pteridophyte do you need?""Giant salvinia and mosquitofern. Both, not just one.""You understand neither of those are native to America, right?""Perfectly, you understand you won't have a cure if you don't figure out how to get them, right?" I wish I could see those eyes right now. "Perfectly." Click...I used to have a fish tank, I'd eat the fish I raised in it. I know a bit about water plants. But not enough, should I look for a botanist?I've got calls to make.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

"That was like, really cool, Ed." I need to take a deep breath, but yeah he's right."Ha. We're gonna get outta here, y'know?" I can't help but laugh, I've gotta look like a lunatic."Are you ok, Nygma?" Penelope asks, concerned."I don't know. I'm just ready to get this done. I'm going to get us out of here." It's not a lie, per say, but it could be a mild exaggeration. I'm going to try to get us out of here is a more accurate sentence, but they've been here for months with no progress. I need to try to provide some modicum of hope. "I trust you, Ed. We'll talk again in the outside world." Adrien smiles at me. He's the one who had the breakthrough on the spores. "I do too. We're going to get out of here."A door bursts open to reveal a henchman with a flair for the dramatic, I guess."What do you want?" Penelope looks about ready to kill this guy with her own two hands."Chillax, girl. I'm here for the coppertop." The driver from earlier points at me. "What for?" I'm sure he's armed, but if I don't get a good reason to leave them I won't. "Wouldn't you like to know?""No, I wouldn't. I'd rather stay here and work on that cure your boss wants.""But why?! He's gonna kill you once it's done!"It's a good point. I can't refute it without revealing my plans, so I'm going to try to emotionally manipulate this man. Not that that's a skill of mine, it's just the first thing I thought of."Well... what if that's what I want?" I ask him. "If that's what you want then what do you have to lose by coming with me?""A quick death, I suppose." I don't think my tactics are working, but I'm not a master manipulator. The whole I'm a suicidal doctor so pity me doesn't really work in a situation where people actively want to kill you."You got me there. Alright, fine. Do what you want. But for what it's worth, I was going to help you." An enticing offer that sounds completely bullshit, which is corroborated by the smug look on his face."Help me what?""Escape. You know there's cameras in here, right?" Damn. "Boss man doesn't always pay attention, so you're cool... I hope. Do you have a lot of money, Dr. Nygma?""Why?""I'll get you out of here once the cure is done, for a price.""..." I look to Penelope and Adrien. Penelope doesn't trust him, Adrien is thinking."How much?" Penelope asks."2 million, a bargain compared to my usual service fees. I will not be taking offers."We huddle. "I have enough money, y'know. But can we trust him?" I ask"No." Penelope answers"Then what are we supposed to do? Stick to our plan? What if the guy heard us?" Adrien panics"I don't think he did."The man taps his wrist. "I don't have all day, cheer squad. Hurry it up.""Vote on it? Trust the bald guy say aye." Adrien and I say aye. "Break," I turn. "Alright. 2 million, you'll have it in 10 thousand incriments starting as soon as I get home."He smiles. "Great! 10 thousand a what? Day?""That would take 200 days. No, all on the same day, broken into 10 thousand incriments in different places." I hope I didn't just make a 2 million dollar deal with an idiot."Right, right. Ok, it's a deal then." He holds out his bony hand, and I take it. Cold.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

I don't have an exact location for the hideout, Jackson didn't cooperate. But what I do have is a lead. I also have the help of Captain Sawyer, Detective Montoya and a couple of officers, not that I want or need it."Batman..." Sawyer sighs. "Let's give this up, ok? We don't have anything to go off of.""I'll find him. And I'll do it tonight.""No. I'll give it to you, alright, sometimes you get good stuff. It was a good idea to bring a woman in with Frost, got him talking. But you can't keep doing this. You don't know where you're going, and I'm asking you to go. You're not a real officer." That rant just made me want to keep looking even more. She's treating me like a child. "Go. Home. Otherwise I will have you arrested, do you understand? Come back to the station in the morning and we'll talk about a game plan." Sawyer and Commissioner Gordon are the only ones who would ever invite me to the police station like that, but only Maggie Sawyer could threaten me like that."I'm going." It's not like it's because she told me to, I'm tired. Besides, I missed dinner. So I'm hungry too. "Master Bruce?" Is there something on my face? Alfred's looking at me weird."Yes Alfred?""It's quite late. Why don't you eat and then go to bed.""But I have work to do on this case.""You're getting bags under your eyes, Bruce. I'm just a bit worried."I shake my head. He's right, don't I know it.But I want to do work."Alright." I sit at the table and he serves me my food."Thank you, Alfred."He smiles, "You're welcome, master Bruce."I eat, it's good. It's always good, that's the point of hiring people to make you food. I get up, making sure not to leave a big mess, and go to my room. I brush my teeth and run a comb through my hair, it's going to get messed up, but I like the repetition. It's hard to sleep. I lay down and my eyes stay open, my hand wants to reach for my phone. If I lay still for a while I'll sleep, I hope anyway. I'm supposed to take some kind of pill for this, but I hardly ever do. Only when it's forced on me. It's raining outside, it's always so gloomy in this city. I can't help but think about the case, I just hope I don't forget. They're likely in a big warehouse, something just outside the city. Something with a garage. It'll have to have been opened within the last four months or so. The loud pitter-patter of the rain often gets me thinking clearer, but I stare at my alarm clock. 2:00 AM it flashes in red. I close my eyes...

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

"Right, right. Ok, it's a deal then." They shake hands. This isn't good. I don't dount if Zsasz stays true to his word that they'll get out, there goes my cure, my money. How am I supposed to keep that from happening? Perhaps a counter offer.Ring...Ring..."Yeah, boss?" I can see him on the monitor, answering the phone. The doctors look worried."Come up here. We need to talk." I hang up, and continue to watch the monitor. "Don't worry about it, folks. Don't worry at all." He smiles at Dr. Young, then steps out. "So you heard? What do you plan on doing about it?" "Doubling their offer.""You can't be serious, I know you don't have that much." That disturbing smile never seems to leave his face."I am, and I do. I have a lot more than that. What do you say?""I believe the doctor, but you... I want you to show me the money." How could he possibly believe that doctor over me?!"Fine. Let's go then."I've got twenty million in cash, stashed around. Most of my assets are liquid. I'm worth well more than the four million I'd be giving Zsasz."Here it..." The safe was blown open."Hahaha! Oh my god!" He laughs in my face."What the fuck!" Who could've possibly done this?!"That's like all the money you were gonna give me, gone. You wanna check your other hiding places?" "No! I want to find the bastard who took my money!"He laughs in my face again, "If you ever find any of your money I'll tell you who it is.""What do you mean by any of my money?"I don't see how this is so gut busting-ly funny. "Check any of your little stashes, Ozzie. All of 'em are empty. Blown up and then completely and utterly ransacked."So my cash is all gone, so what? I still have tons saved up in other places."I feel bad, I really do. You gonna cash some of those assets? 'Cause like I said, if you pay me I'll tell you who took it. Pay me even more and I'll get your stuff back." What other choice do I have? Just lose twenty million? "How much?""Atta boy! Four million, plus your other bribe comes out to eight million dollars. I'll get your robber and keep your doctors, sound good?"Eight million dollars. God. "Alright. Tomorrow you'll get it.""Shake on it?"

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Some big guy comes into the little lab, holding boxes. "The spores." He grunts."Thanks, big guy." I take a box from his hands, Penelope takes another and Adrien takes the final one. The guy leaves."Why are there three boxes? We needed two different spores." Adrien puts his down on a free counter."These two are big, and I can hear the water. I don't know what the third is." Penelope puts her's next to Adrien's, and I place mine next to her's."You two put the plants away. I'll open the third." Dr. Young takes out a box cutter and puts on goggles. Adrien and I put the pteridophytes by the rest of the cure we were working on, and stand a good distance away from Penelope as she opens the third box. "It's a letter... addressed to Ed." A letter?"Does it say who it's from?""Uhh.. Victor Zsasz. That's Z-s-a-s-z, you know him?""No. Never heard of him. Here, I'll read it."I take the letter and open it."Dear Dr. Nygma,I'm the guy who drove you here, so now you know my name! The other doctors know it already, but I'm sure they didn't tell you. I'm writing this letter because my boss has given me a bribe that's double yours to keep you in here. I could pocket it, and betray him. But that would be cutting a significant portion of my paycheck. If you can promise me a job, I'll do that. I still want the money we agreed on. Write back!XOXO,Zsasz"I don't read the letter aloud, instead passing it around. "What do we think?" I ask, once we're all done."I can't get him a job. No one in Arkham would want him. And you work at the GCPD, I doubt you could get him one there." Penelope looks angry, I don't blame her."He just said 'a job' he didn't say where." Adrien makes a good point."I can call in a favor with someone. How am I supposed to write him back?""I'll get you paper and an envelope, next time the guy comes in to give us food he'll probably take it." Adrien runs off, I didn't know we had envelopes."I'll get started with the spores while you write him. But let us read it when you're done." Penelope goes to open the mosquitofern."Here," Dr. Chen hands me a pen, paper and envelope. "I'm going to help Penelope."

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

I take a huge breath. "Woah..." I had an awful dream. I've got to get up. The clock says 10:00 AM. I slept in yesterday's clothes, no need to get dressed then. Stretching, I roll out of my bed and into the bathroom. I brush my teeth, and settle my hair down. I stare into my eyes. Blue. It reminds me of looking into Dr. Nygma's cloudy green eyes before he was taken. We're family. I thought all of my family was dead, as did he, but I did an extensive search and found a DNA match between me and Edward. We're some kind of cousins. I looked all throughout Gotham City for other relatives, and maybe there's more out there. But I didn't even get to tell him we're related. His mother and mine were sisters, I saw him once or twice when we were little. I didn't remember him, until I saw some old pictures from Christmas. I need to find him, I can't lose the only family I have.I skip the breakfast laid out for me, just taking a bite of the eggs and bacon. I need to get to the station. "Batman, you're here early." O'hara greets me. "I wasn't told a time." he points to a confrence room. "That's the point. They've already started, but you can go in." I have infinite patience when it comes to these cops."Come in, take a seat." I opt to stand."Alrighty then. We were just talking about how they must be close. Some dogs picked up Nygma's scent just outside city limits. That's as far as they got.""It has a big garage, and it was opened within the last four months. He wasn't sitting on this plan.""How can you be sure?" Montoya challenges."He still took Edward after he was admitted to the hospital, meaning he didn't have a backup plan. If he has been planning this for a while he would've gotten a different doctor." That should be a good enough defense."Right. I can get business records from the last two quarters." Officer Ramirez from earlier offers. "Yes, Ramirez. Anything else Batman?" Captain Sawyer asks."I want to help look through the records. I know a few of his past aliases." "Alright. But Ramirez will bring them to you, don't follow her.""Understood." Detective Montoya looks at me. "I'm gonna stay too." "Montoya, we need you with the search party.""Isn't Rojas heading that?" Captain Sawyer thinks for a second, then nods."I forgot about that. Alright, stay then."Anna comes in with a box of folders."Business openings in and around Gotham City. Mostly near Bludhaven and Metropolis."The three of us start going through the files."Got one, I.C. Byrd. In Metropolis. Icy bird, right? It's like a pun." Montoya holds up a file."Would he really make it that obvious?" Ramirez asks, and I agree. "I'm gonna tell Rojas to send some guys over there anyway. But only ten or so."I nod. It's better to be safe than sorry."One in John Jackson's name. Bludhaven. Wait that's... Gwen Jackson." We look at each other."Rojas! Rojas!" Montoya rushes out with us in tow."8824 Quincy Road."Angel Rojas scratches his chin."That's in Bludhaven. Get O'hara to talk to the BPD, alright? We'll cooperate if they do""O'hara! O'hara!" Does she do that every time she needs to talk to someone?"What?""We need you to talk to the chief of the BPD, we got a possible location for the doctors." Arnold Flass, an officer, runs to us, panicked. "Another doctor is gone. Dr. Thomas Elliot." "Alright Flass, we've got a location. Everyone out, I've got to call Chief Redhorn."

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

I want this to go quick. It was an estimated two months at the rate we were going, which is fast! Very fast, but not fast enough. Thomas Elliot is a medical doctor, which I hope makes it all go faster. Bzzt!Bzzt!"What do you want?""We need cold storage. Cure's almost done." I don't know whether or not I believe him."How cold?""Negative twenty degrees or lower. Once it's done you need to keep it cold.""Won't it freeze?""No. Freezing point is negative two hundred degrees." Nygma explains. "It'll be there in a week. How far along is it?""Elliot made it go faster. There's probably three weeks left in production. Longer, if you want to mass produce it.""How much longer?""I'll write down the recipe, then you can figure it out."Click.Rude! If I didn't need him, I'd kill that self righteous bitch right here and now. Maybe this sounds creepy, because it is, but I plan on keeping his bright green eyes in a jar. They're the same color as a clover, maybe they'll have the same effect. None of the other doctors will be preserved in any way, maybe they should've tried having prettier eyes. Ring..."What?!" God! I'm so tired!"Woah man, calm down." it's Zsasz. He better have my money back."So, good news! I killed the guy who stole your money, bad news. I could only find about 15 million.""I can live with that. He probably spent the rest.""K, so you want me to put it back where it was? Or do you have a new hiding place in mind?""I've got new locations. You'll get them in a second.""Thanks, boss."I need a break. Which, of course I don't get. I hear sirens outside and start the emergency protocol."Brutal, Cora! Get the doctors out!" "On it!" Cora responds."Johnson, equipment and cure!""Way ahead of you.""Everyone else, you know your job!" Brutal, Cora and Johnson are the only ones who have flexible jobs depending on the situation.I'm in the car as quickly as I can run down the stairs. "Which position?" My driver asks."Sixth" It's third to last. There's eight cars scattering. We're going back into Gotham City, I've got an underground setup that I've been working on.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

I'm forced into some kind of limo with the other doctors and a body guard for each of us. "Don't talk! Any of you!" One of the muscles barks at us."Wasn't planning on it, but what are you gonna do?" My question was answered in the form of a gut punch. Ouch.Luckily I'm skilled in the art of being annoying and taking punches."You guys like riddles?" Punch."Oof. Ok, riddle me this-" Punch."Shut up!""I'm good. Ok, what falls forever and never gets hurt?" Punch.But I got one of them thinking, I can see the tiny cogs moving ever so slightly."Um.... God?" His friend gives him a little love tap."Don't answer him!" "It's rain!" Punch."Ohhhh!" "Riddle me this, what is nowhere but everywhere, except where something is?"That one got his friend thinking. She says,"Nothing?" I nod."One more?" The big guy asks. I said I was skilled, didn't I?"Alright. Riddle me this, what resembles a battery, except for the eyes and is about to get away?" "Um...""Sorry, the answer was me!"I jump out of the car. They can't stop fast enough. I'm running now, there's no other cars behind us that aren't cops. "Hey!! Hey!!!" I'm waving my arms like a madman and a patrol car stops. Three more are giving chase."Dr. Nygma?" The cop inside asks."Yes! Yes, that's me." "Get in, doctor. I'll take you back to the city." "They have the others in that car. There's four guards." The cop relays the part about the henchmen into his speaker and beckons me once more to get in. I do so this time, and we drive back into city limits."I'm not going to ask you anything, but once you get inside the station they'll probably want to know everything you do."I nod. At least I know if they get away Zsasz still promised to help. I offered him a job as a bouncer. My friend owns a bar. I'm sure he'd do best in a role like that, violent enough.We get to the GCPD headquarters, and I'm escorted inside by the officer who drove me here. "Hello Dr. Nygma, I'm detective Carlos Alvarez. We can talk at my desk, or if you prefer the interrogation room." "Your desk, please." It's still so weird that I'm in an open space right now. That I can just leave. It's been weeks since I've been able to just walk out of a room. Maybe even a month?"Alright, doctor-""Please, call me Ed.""Alright, Ed. Remember that you are safe now, and you may leave whenever you like. An officer will escort you home.""Thank you.""Mhm. Do you have any injuries?""No. Well, my knee is scraped from jumping out of the car.""Would you like a band-aid?""No thank you.""Do you have anyone you would like me to call?""No.""Alright, in a sentence or two, could you tellme what happened?""I... can't remember the beginning. But, he wanted us to work on a cure. For titan poisoning, it's finished. We were kept in a small lab, one that resembled a high school classroom, and sent food. I never saw him more than once.""Thank you, Ed. I'm very sorry about this. Here's my information." He writes down his name and extension on a piece of paper."Would you like to go home now? Or is there anywhere else you might want to stay?""Just... um. Home, thank you.""Of course, Officer Thompson from the drive in will take you home. Would you mind if I came over in the morning?""Could I call you? Um.. that way you come back when I'm settled in.""Yes, that'll work. And here's the number for the prosecutor's office, and a crisis intervention center." I refrain from thanking Detective Alvarez a third time and instead follow Officer Thompson out. I finally get home, and all I want is to lay down. I haven't seen this place in what feels like forever.Knockknockknock.What could it possibly be now?"Hello?""Hi, I'm-""Oh my god, Bruce Wayne?"

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

"Is this a bad time?" I already know the answer to that."Or course it is! But come in, it's fine.""Well I... I ran a DNA test against me and nearly every Gothamite. And ours was a match."He's shocked."I... You... What? Our DNA matches?""Yes. I found old family photos that have both of us in it. I think we're cousins."He takes the pictures out of my hand."This can't be happening.""I know it's-""No. I mean, this is not happening. Don't tell anyone this.""Why not?" I'm so confused, why is he upset?"Because I don't want to be Bruce Wayne's cousin! I already have to deal with being the kidnapped doctor. Do you know who would talk to me if it came out I was your only living blood relative?"I shook my head"No one! That's who! I'd be pushed into a life of fame. Please, leave."He starts to push me out, slipping the pictures back into my hands."Wait, please just wait." I beg of him."What?""I won't tell anyone, but can we talk?""No! I don't want anything to do with you!" I think that just made this all worse. I leave.I feel a terrible sense of regret on the drive home. Once I step through the door, I know Alfred can feel it."What happened, Master Bruce?""He said he doesn't want anything to do with me." I hang my head."I do think you might've rushed it a bit. Give it time, he may try to contact you." I sigh, and hope that he does."I'm going to bed, goodnight Alfred.""Goodnight, Master Bruce."My nightly ritual is only changed slightly. I keep catching my eyes in the mirror, staring at them. As I comb my hair, I stare into my eyes. Blue. I don't know if I'm expecting something different, but they're there. And they're still blue. Why did I bring this up so soon? He just got home, not even settled in. I can't think about this too long, I need to lie down. I try listening to music, to distract me so I can sleep. But... it just gets me thinking again. I thought he would be happy about it, I thought I could help him out. Instead I... Instead I just pushed away the only remaining blood family I have left. The tears start to flow, it feels stupid. It is stupid. But I cry, not very hard. The tears flow down my face, I don't sniffle or let my nose run. I just let the water run its course with a blank face, and wipe it away. It doesn't matter what I thought would happen, does it? My eyes close, and I fall asleep. Restless, dreamless sleep.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

One.. two... three. I do a quick headcount of my doctors before we get in. Three sounds right, three is right, right? Wait. I forgot about the new guy. There should be four, who's missing? Penelope Young is here, Adrien Chen is here... Thomas Elliot is here. "Brutal?" I look up at him."Uh.. Yeah boss?""Where is Edward Nygma?"He grimaces. "He's um. He's... he jumped out of the car.""So, is he dead?""..." I turn to Cora."Is. He. Dead?"She can't meet my eyes. "How?! How did you let him get away?!"Brutal hangs his head down."He was asking us riddles. And he wouldn't stop when we hit him... and then... I don't know what happened. He jumped out.""You let him get away. Because he was distracting you with riddles?! Unbelievable!"I motion for someone else to put the remaining doctors away. This is absolutely ridiculous."Boss, c'mon.""No! It's almost done, and you fucked it up! Right at the end you fucked it up!"I pull out a gun."That's not funny," Brutal raises his hands "Boss, we'll get him back.""It's too late. I won't enjoy this."I shoot their legs. All I want is to turn and walk away, and maybe I should've. But instead I watch them fall. I watch the blood stain my floor, a pool forming. They writhe in pain and I watch, unfazed and unemoting. I take another shot to each of their heads. That made me feel better, actually. But I do need someone like Brutal, he was really big. "Alright." I walk to the room the doctors are being held in."Edward Nygma got loose, as I'm sure you all know. He is dead. He didn't survive the jump."Penelope gives me a very good thousand yard stare."No, I saw him flag down a cop. I'm sure of it." Adrien says, but I can see him sweat. Thomas doesn't seem to be reacting. Interesting. "Are you sure of it? I can show you pictures of his body." I'll have to make pictures of his dead body."No! No." Penelope steps forward. "None of us want to see that."Thomas smiles. "I would." "Elliot.""What?" He asks "I'm curious. Don't you want to know if he's lying?""No. What if he isn't? I don't want to know.""Figure it out amongst yourselves. I'll be back in the morning." I walk out. Ring..."Yellow?""Zsasz, did you hear about Dr. Nygma?""Yeah! Hahaha! Listen, don't make me say I told you so, that's what you get for hiring idiots.""Do you want the rest of your money?""Sorry, man. You still need Nygma? You know my rate.""I just want you to kill him, I'm coming with you.""Alrighty, and will that be included with the rest of the money you owe me?""Yes. Be here by 10.""Ok!" he blows kisses into the phone before hanging up. Gross. I've got three hours and a doctor to kill.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Pacing... pacing... pacing. I'm related to a famous billionaire. I just got out of being killed, but not before doing exactly what my abductor asked. I check my phone, something so completely normal I don't usually think about. But I haven't been able to check it in weeks. It says 9:48, I have one text. Joe (work): Dr. Nygma, I heard you were in the hospital. All of us in the lab hope you get better soon.I nearly break down sobbing, instead I just pace quicker. I want to text him back, but I don't know what to say. I need to turn my phone off. I keep getting random phone calls, they might be from reporters, they might be from cops, either way I'm not going to answer.9:50. I've always wanted a cat, I love them. I just don't have the time to spend with one. I saw one at a pet store once, in the adoption section. She was beautiful, she had a question mark shaped patch of fur on her back. I thought it was adorable. Her name was Jigsaw. 9:59. There's a knock at the door. I don't want to answer it. I pull back the curtain near the front door. Oh shit.It's Victor Zsasz and my kidnapper."Eddie!" Victor yells. "I know you're in there, open up!"What the fuck am I supposed to do? Maybe this wasn't the best choice, but I open the door."Hi! I'm here to kill you, sound good?""Not really, gonna kill me here or do you want to come inside?" The short man who wanted his cure keeps staring at my eyes."That's what I like about you, carrot head, you're very funny. I'll come inside.""Your friend is welcome in too, as long as he stops staring longingly at my eyes."If I die, I want to die being a cocky bitch. Just like how I came into the world.The little guy mumbles something."Anything I can do to keep you from killing me? Tea?""Are those separate questions?""Yes.""Probably not, and yeah. You got chamomile?""I've got every tea known to man, more or less. What about you?" "Spearmint. Thanks."I go and put the kettle on. "No, thank you for letting me make tea first. You usually do this before killing someone?""Nah, but you're cool. I'd like to prolong killing you as much as I can."The little guy isn't talking much."You hear back from Jenny?" She's my friend who owns the bar."Yeah! She said she'd look into it.""Cool. Am I gonna die after we finish our tea?""Yeah, probably." Great. "What's your friend's name? I never caught it in the facility.""Oswald." I expected Zsasz to answer for him, but at least I know his name."I call him Ozzie, which he hates. But I pretty much do whatever I want.""Don't worry about me doing that," the kettle whistles. "Be right back."They're whispering to each other. I hear the psstpsstpsst, and nothing else."Sugar?""Two scoops for the both of us."Done and done. My tea has more sugar than either of theirs, I like it sweet. "Eddie, how about we make a deal?""What kind?" I wouldn't do anything to save my life, but there's some things I might consider."Come and work for Ozzie! He likes your big beautiful bug eyes, and you're just an absolute charmer. Plus, it would save your life.""I already have a job, and if you recall it is for the police."Zsasz smiles. "Don't worry about that, you keep your government job. And all you have to do is cover up anything to do with Oz."I guess I could... "Do I get time to think?""Nope!""I'll do it. But I work on call, so don't expect me to always be available.""Coolsies. I'm gonna go, but you talk with Ozzie and get it all situated. Here's my number, but don't call me so often."

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

At least Edward is safe. Some officers talked to him yesterday. I know he doesn't want to testify. It makes enough sense, but I wish he would. I can't be Batman today, therefore I can't try to convice him. I've got a busy schedule as Bruce Wayne today, ending with a charity fundraiser. I want to go back to sleep, hide under the covers all day. But I get up. Fix my hair, brush my teeth. Today, I don't stare into my eyes. I can't look at myself, I only do when I put my contacts in. I sit down to eat. There's always a lot of food put out for me, even if I don't eat that much. "Good morning, Master Bruce. You're up early." Alfred observes."Good morning. Have things to do.""Yes. I do, too." He runs off, gracefully as always. I admire him greatly. Once I'm done, I clean up after myself. The first thing I've got to do is go to a board meeting. After that, lunch with detective Barbara Gordon. Well, she was a detective. Now, she's a private investigator. She helped me find my family, only for me to ruin it. But... no use thinking about that for too long. All I could think about during that meeting was lunch. I get to the cafe, and look at Barbara. She's always here before me."Hey.""Hello, Bruce. Nice choice of restaurant.""Thanks." I sit. "I ordered for you, by the way. You get the same thing no matter where we go, so I figured I would." She's right, I always get a burger and fries whenever we meet. "Thanks. What did you get me to drink?" "Well, that's the only thing that changes. I got you a coffee." "You should be a criminal profiler."She laughs. "Maybe I'll try that. Am I really that good?""You read my mind, Barb. You are that good.""Hmm. Don't try to flatter me, Wayne.""What did you want to meet for?""Your cousin. He had visitors last night.""What?" Who could've been there?"I've got pictures. Bruce, you have to report this.""Slow down, report what?"She puts pictures on the table, Victor Zsasz and The Penguin at his doorstep. "Woah.""And, I mean this in the nicest way, it's extremely sketchy that he made it unscathed.""You really think he's working with the guy who kidnapped him? I just don't believe it.""Maybe not working with, but he knows something. I heard gunshots." "I... have too much to do today.""Bruce, please. You've got to do something."I lower my voice, "Barb. I can't, as much as I want to I can't."She lowers hers. "Bruce, he needs you. I can't do this by myself.""Yes, you can. The cave is all yours, your suit is in there." Maybe I should've mentioned Barbara's been helping me with the vigilante deal."You're going to put your schedule before your own family?""Barbara, don't do this to me.""Whatever, ok? I'll look out for him." She huffs and gets up."Barb, wait!""No. Next week, Georgie's." At least I know she's not that mad at me.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

It feels like drowning in a pool of algae. "Hello?" he waves a hand in my face."Yes. Sorry, what were you saying?""Nothing, but you keep staring off into space. Are you okay?" No, not with you around."I'm fine, just distracted.""By my eyes? You've been staring at them all night.""No.. um. Yes...?"He laughs. "Look in my eyes then. I don't mind." I can't. Not without feeling like I'm suffocating, I can't. But I do. We get closer, and closer. I swear I'm going to choke.He's in my face, and he smiles."So..." He gets closer to my face than I thought was possible, and my breath can't keep up."What would I be doing? Besides covering for you, that is.""You... would..." I can't breathe, I can't breathe."Are you ok?" "I'm drowning." He pulls away. "Sorry. That was weird.""Uh, yeah. It was." I catch my breath, finally. He avoids my eyes, which I appreciate. "Can you explain then? What I would be doing?""Yeah. Mostly just covering up crime scenes. You have a lot of forensic knowledge, so, your skills will get a lot of money.""Ok, cool."I could also ask if that eye trick works on anyone besides me, because that would be great for getting answers. But I don't, that would just make this whole thing weirder. "What did you mean, when you said you were drowning?""I meant..." there's no good explanation, is there? "Your eyes are beautiful, I felt like I was drowning." "Charming. I've never heard that before.""They're very expressive," I continue, I wish I hadn't. "I don't know what you're thinking, but you get these looks. In your eyes. I was going to keep them after I killed you.""You know your way to a boy's heart, huh?""Sorry. I know you don't trust me, you're only doing this to keep your life. But those eyes."He laughs uncomfortably. "You're right about that. Did it really make it hard to breathe, looking into my eyes?""Yes, but I can't stop.""You're very weird." But he turns, and our eyes meet again. "Do you think you would really die? If you looked at me for that long?""Yes." And I believe it's the truth.He gets closer, like before. And I lose my breath again. Is he trying to kill me?"Oswald, you kidnapped me. You forced me to make a cure to a poison in a month, when no one had succeeded before. The original patient died. And now you're telling me that my eyes could kill you?" They're getting brighter."Yes." All I can manage is one word answers."Do you like riddles?""It... depends." I can hear my heart."Riddle me this." With every word he gets closer."I am a window, I am a lamp. I am clouded, I am shining. I am colored, set in white. I say much with no words, what am I?"The answer is obvious enough. "Eyes.""Yes. Can you feel yourself dying?""Yes." It feels like I'm dying right now, I can't get a whole breath in my lungs."Would you like to see yourself dying? Because I do."I didn't notice that he had taken my gun.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

I shoot him, once, twice. A third time for good measure. It's really pathetic, for both of us. Mostly for him, actually, but I wish I'd known that I had his weakness this entire time. I could feel the warm heavy breaths he had to take on my face, I still can. I'll have to get this shirt cleaned. Oh shit, a car is driving away. "Ugh." HE'S NOT DEAD????"You fucking bitch!" "Don't be rude, I've got your gun. Did you really expect me to work with you?" "Yes!" I pick up my phone and dial the police."What are you doing?" I point the gun at his head."Stay there. Hello?""911, what's your emergency?""This is Doctor Edward Nygma, I'm at 7816 Finch Avenue. I've got The Penguin in my house right now, my gun is pointed at him.""Ok, Dr. Nygma. Have you fired any shots at him?""Yes, three. He must've- I said stay there!" He's trying to move."He's not hurt, he must've been wearing a vest.""Please repeat your address.""7816 Finch Avenue.""Police are on the way, sir. Please stay on the line." I turn my full attention to Oswald, who's still on the floor."You know, I still think your eyes are amazing. Even now. And I will keep them, do you have a preference for the jar type?"I won't dignify this with an answer. "Fine then, I'll just use whatever I find."The 911 operator is asking me questions, I'm trying to focus on three things at once. I can hear sirens."It's over." I hang up."Not nearly." He threatens. "I am smarter than you. I am stronger than you. You're delusional if you think you'll ever win. I charmed your best hitman.""So what? I'll get a new best hitman. This one'll be deaf." "That's a good idea. How about I hide you and tell the cops this was all a misunderstanding? That I thought I saw you because I have delusions or something." I mock. "I won't believe you this time.""Good, I wasn't being serious." Officers burst through the door."Edward, put the gun down." I do. I just wanted some sleep, y'know? This whole thing has been insane. They take him out of my house."I'm not going to say anything, please leave. I'm not pressing charges." The officer looks at me funny. "You had a gun to his head, and you're not pressing charges?" "No. Just get him off my property." All I want is to be left alone. "Dr. Nygma, you have my number." Detective Rojas says, I didn't notice he was here. "Is this an active crime scene, or can I stay?""It is active, yes. Do you want someone to escort you somewhere?" I shake my head."I don't have anywhere to go."

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

I keep thinking about lunch, Barbara said she heard gunshots. There's nothing on the news, I haven't had the time to go down to the station. I don't know what to expect. Is he dead? Oh god, I hope he isn't. I flip on the news again, and scroll through my phone. I look up his name. Nothing, nothing and more nothing. Is he dead? It rings in my ears and eats at my brain. I fucked it up, twice. Now I'll have to wait and just see whether or not he's dead. I call Barbara."He's okay. He's at the police station right now with nowhere to go, so come here."Straight to the point. She hangs up immediately after saying it, so I don't get a word in. As I stand up, a wave of nausea hits me. I'm glad he's safe, but I feel like I'm going to throw up. I've had so many scares with him lately, I can't take it. I don't even know him that well! I need to sit, or leave, or do anything. Instead I just fall to the floor and lay on the carpet for a second. Then, I get up and brush myself off. Sometimes lying on the floor helps. My stomachache is gone. I'm not very well dressed, an old tee shirt and ratty plaid pajama pants really don't match the well groomed image I usually show. As I get in the car I realize my phone's ringing, vibrating really. That's why I didn't notice it."Hello?""He knows you're coming. Don't blow this, Bruce."Barbara. Sometimes I wish we had longer than three second phone calls. I start my drive to the police station."Hi." He says. "Hi." I try not to sound mean, I guess I do that unintentionally."Loving the outfit. You a big Nirvana fan?" He points to my shirt."Oh yeah.""I don't believe it. Name three songs." We smile at each other, walking to the car."Really? You first.""Uh-uh. Then you can steal my answers.""How do I know you won't steal my answers?"He laughs."About a Girl, Polly and Heart-shaped Box." he challenges."Serve the Servants, Plateau, Lithium." I respond."Not bad. Lithium's great, you ever listen to the live performances?""All the time. Live at Reading's my go-to." "Live and Loud all the way, man."We talk all the way to the car. This is actually going pretty well."Do you really listen to MCR? You're being a hundred percent serious?" He asks."Hundred and ten percent.""You have the music taste of a high schooler.""What do you listen to then, big man?" I laugh."Oingo Boingo, baby. Third Eye Blind." "You have the music taste of a dad." I poke his chest."Sorry, please don't do that."Damn, and things were going so good too. But I can fix it, I hope."Oh, I'm sorry. I uhh... here." I hand him a CD binder from the door."Sweet." He puts in a disc, Nirvana. "In Utero's my favorite album." He explains, as the first track plays."Same, but Insesticide is a really close second." The drive home is very pleasant, and doesn't seem as long as the drive there did. "So, you're not pressing charges then?""No. But he's still a wanted criminal. I just don't like courtrooms.""Oh. Cool cool. We're here."I park the car. "Damn! I've got money, but you're like... filthy rich.""Thank you?""Yeah, man. So where am I sleeping?""Oh, just pick a guest bedroom. I have three.""You're an absolutely ridiculous man. And cooler than I thought you would be. But, let's keep the whole family thing a secret." "I still don't understand that.""So it's like this, right now, I'm relatively unknown. I've got money and a quiet life. If it gets out that billionaire philanthropist playboy Bruce Wayne, is my cousin," We walk up the stairs and into the house. "All of that goes away. Now I'm just your cousin. See what I'm saying? All my old friends and colleagues won't want anything to do with me, I'll have to be weary of anyone new I meet, because they might just want to get to you."I nod. I guess I didn't really fuck it up, this is just a bad situation.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

It's been three days. Oswald didn't show up as promised, there's been no proof of Edward's death. Dr. Elliot doesn't believe he's dead, I wish I could be so sure. "How long do you think we have left?" Adrien asks. "The cure is almost entirely finished, but we still need the cold storage." Thomas answers. "Are you ok, Penelope?" "Huh? Yeah. Yes, I'm fine. It's been a while since we heard from him, right?" "Yeah... it has been a while." Thomas chuckles, "But do we really hear from him all that often?""We don't not hear from him for three days straight. Especially not when we're this close to being done.""Double negative." Adrien mumbles, he always has to point that out."You think maybe Ed got revenge?" I want to say I don't think that he's alive, but instead;"No. He couldn't kill someone.""You only knew him for what, a month? How do you know?""A month and a half. I don't know, alright. I don't, but I'd like to believe he wouldn't. He didn't kill us.""He didn't want to kill us. I would've wanted to kill the man with my own hands. Hell, if he stayed in here longer than a minute I would." "Calm down, man." Adrien puts a hand on my shoulder. "Whatever. Hand me that syringe." I do, and he plunges it into a mouse. We found mice, not testing mice. But this new warehouse is awful. Dirty. And a lot smaller. So we found mice. He injected the mouse with titan first, and it'll have to sit for at least an hour. The warmer our cure is, the less effective it is. "We have to assume he's not around. How can we get out?" Adrien stirs our mixture."Maybe he isn't around, but what are we supposed to do about his friends?" Thomas is restraining the mouse. "They're stupid. We didn't get syringes until we asked yesterday, all we have to do is talk our way out of this." I remark."Hm. When would we put this plan in action?""Let's discuss what to say, it couldn't hurt to try right now.""It couldn't hurt any more than it already does." We huddle together, quiet psst-psst-psst ringing throughout the room as we discuss our plan. When suddenly,BANG! It's gunshots, maybe someone falling to the floor. Victor Zsasz comes into our room. "Hiii!!" So much for our plan."Hello?" I forget Thomas doesn't know about our deal with Zsasz."The big man's gone, cops got him. Ed got my money, so let's get outta here." Never one for more real explanation than he needs. Fills the rest of his words with fluff and won't say anything of note. "You guys ready to go? Wanna take your pet rats?""Let's get out of here." I haven't seen any of the outside world for months, the closest being when we got moved. Dead bodies line the wall, shot. "Y'know once you guys are home safe we won't see each other again, stop acting so scared." I straighten my back, trying to get Adrien to do the same. "Well, except you." Thomas and Victor smile at each other.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

I heard on the news someone found a cure for Titan poisoning. A doctor that I know, one that tricked me. He gave equal credit to the other three (I have some ideas as to how they got out) and now they live happily ever after. Gross. My court hearing is in a week. "You got mail." It's a plain white envelope and a paperback book. The Picture of Dorian Gray. I scoff at the book. "Dear Oswald," the letter reads"I hope you enjoy the book. It is not (as you might've figured) a veiled statement on how I think of you. It's actually a very obvious statement on how I think of you. Maybe you've heard, but I sold the patent for the cure to Titan. It really cut down on the super armies people keep trying to make, and it's sold for pretty cheap. I hope your sentence is long, I'll be in the courtroom. But I'm not going to testify, I think. I don't think anyone cares enough to throw me in jail for not testifying, and there's a lot more evidence on you than just my word. Well anyways, write back if you want. I probably won't read it.Best,Edward Nygma."Bitch. I mean, he's right. But still! Should I write back? It'll just be a piece of paper that says bitch, but maybe I'll write back. For now, I just open the book. I can't focus on the book. Before I know it I'm writing a letter. It isn't what I expected to write, for starters it's more than just one word. I don't think they'd send it for me if it was. I wonder if I'll get any more letters? I start to think about just how crazy this guy must be, how dangerous he is. If he didn't work for the GCPD would I have had a chance to use him? I mean, he writes his captor mere days after shooting said captor?! Insane! I try to make that sentiment come across in my letter, and yes at some point I did outright call him crazy. I ask about the other doctors, about how the cure works and just whatever I can think of. The letter ends up being two pages front and back.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

I get to go home today, after spending two days in Bruce Wayne's mega mansion. He's actually a pretty cool guy. I like his butler. I think I'll keep contact even after I leave, but nothing beyond a phone call or two every so often. I'm still pretty shocked about the whole situation, but I'm also so ready to go back to how things were. Boring mundanity. "Thank you for giving me a chance, Ed." Bruce smiles at me, parking in front of my house."Yeah man. Thanks for trying again.""Oh shit wait, I made you something." He hands me a CD with the words 'Nirvana/Third Eye Blind/Weezer' sharpied on. "It's mostly In Utero and Blue, that's Third Eye Blue, not Weezer Blue, and yeah so. There."I smile. "Thank you. See you around then."He nods, pulling out of the driveway while I struggle with my keys. "Huh." There's a letter, honestly didn't expect to get one back. It's long as hell, four pages. Two front and back, if you will. I read it while making a sandwich. Some parts stick out, like: "I think you're crazy, and that makes me want to talk to you more." as well as "How are the other doctors, by the way? How did they get out?" and finally "You'd be an amazing supervillain. Just have to watch out not to get beat up by the Bat, you have the physique of a toothpick." So, pretty interesting. I'm not sure whether to feel insulted or not. Should I write him back? Send another book? I don't know... I decide after two sandwiches that I will write him back. It's honestly an amazing feeling, knowing that he can't get me from there. As long as we have a back in forth I'll know I'm safe. So I write something short, and choose another paperback. I've got three to pick from, Leaves of Grass, Poems of Sappho and Pride and Prejudice. Great options, really. I don't want to part with any of them. I put Leaves of Grass next to the letter in a box to go to the prison. I'll send it tomorrow. For now, I put in the CD. The first track, Lithium, plays as I scroll through my phone. All I can think about is that letter. Why would I make an amazing supervillain? Because I'm good at talking? Because I have forensic knowledge? Because I can trick stupid people? I didn't ask in the letter, and as much as I question it, I don't think I want to know.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

"8024 Hawk Street." Barbara walks past me, turning on the computer. A map pops up. "Detective Meade's house got blown up." The picture shows a burnt down house, I assume it's Diane Meade's. "Suspects?" I study the screen."Joker, Harley maybe." "How do you figure?""Look." She zooms in on a piece of rubble, there's green spray paint. "It doesn't look like his smile. Could it be someone new?" She shakes her head."Unlikely. You haven't been around to piss off anyone new.""Ha. Seriously, though. Could it be someone new?""Maybe, but that would make our job a lot harder. Let's get going."I start up my car, and she gets on her motorcycle."Comms?" I ask,"Linked." She responds.It's time to go pay Diane Meade a visit. "Detective Meade?" She sighs. "Great, you brought your girlfriend. What do you two want?" Barbara frowns. "We want to talk to you."Diane frowns, I think her and Barbara are having a scowl contest. "I talked to the cops, the real ones, you can too. Feel free to look around the house."I start to walk around, picking at the charred remains of her home. "Shrapnel. This was a pipe bomb. Someone new then." The Joker uses C4, I'm pretty sure he wouldn't be able to make a bomb."Batgirl, look." I pick up the page to a book."Ask not for whom the bell tolls." I read."The rest of the poem is scratched out." she takes the page from my hand."Will you go talk to the cops? I'm gonna see if I can get prints off the page." She nods.I start the car and get in. "Wait! Wait!" Barbara yells after me."Huh?" I roll down the window."Cops want the page, they said they'll give you the analysis. Both of us need to go to the station tomorrow." "Alright. Sorry, got excited." Forgot I can't take evidence. "Anything else to do here?" I shake my head."Let's go back, brainstorm about the page."

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Edward and I have been going back and forth between letters for a few days now. But he hasn't responded to my latest letter, my court hearing is tomorrow and it's making me worry. Not exactly because I care about possibly spending my life in prison, I know that won't happen. But because I thought we were becoming friends, and now its been two days and no response. I know he hand delivers to the prison, I've seen him at the guards desk, but he hasn't been here. I did threaten to gouge his eyes out, but the past is in the past! He didn't seem to care when he sent me those letters before! I guess I'll be able to see him tomorrow, for now I'm going to sleep. The cold air seeps through the walls and into my skin, blankets just never seem thick enough to handle this kind of cold. I awaken, shivering. A guard is at my door."Mornin' it's court time, little buddy." I get my shoes on. Why does it have to be so early?"Let's get a move on, see you later."Whatever. I'm supposed to be smuggled out after the hearing. The courtroom is clean, and bright. And cold. I look around the room for men with red hair. "Hey!" There's one! What the hell is he holding?BANG! It's really... cold.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

"You got it?" I ask Zsasz."Yeah man, but be careful. You do know how to shoot this thing, right?"I nod, handing him an attaché case."Is it loaded?""Is it loaded?" He mocks, and I laugh. "Alright. Guess I'll see you around.""Maybe! Don't get shot by a cop."I just bought an illegal weapon. To kill a guy who's on trial and facing fifty years. I mean if I had a little more trust in the justice system, and a little less in Oswald's connections; I probably wouldn't be doing this. Yet here I am. Once again, I'll have a gun to his head. Only this time I'm going to shoot. This time, I know what he's capable of. The letters worked, they served their purpose. Get me into Oswald's mind. He's pretty insecure, which I don't think he knows came across. And I'm really good at preying on people's insecurities. He was right, I am crazy. I get into my car, pistol in hand. I quickly realize driving with a gun is going to get me caught before I even get to the courtroom, so I stash it in my suit pocket instead. It seems like forever, anxiously feeling for the gun as I pull into the parking lot.I deliberate for a while, am I really going to shoot at kill this guy? Take a life? I was willing to do it not too long ago, and it felt pretty good when I thought he was dead. But... am I really as capable of this as I think I am? Could I really do alright in a prison? I don't know...BANG! What the fuck?I drop my gun and run inside. A man dressed in all brown with some kind of reading lamp on his hat is holding the weapon I assume just fired. He's laughing, laughing, laughing. I was just about to do this myself, but I've never felt worse. Cops are chasing after him, one or two staying behind to tend to the man lying on the floor. I can't move. What. The. Fuck.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Crash! The window breaks under my feet as I swing in, Barbara takes the door. I prefer dramatic entrances. Woah, is that Edward? He's shaking. No time for that! I land on the man in his brown leather suit.The man in the suit is laughing, pinned to the ground."You..." I don't know what he finds so hilarious. "You're gonna be too late." "Who are you?" I demand."I'm the Bookworm! It's a fun name, isn't it? Well, I've always been so fond of books." "Shut up!" Barbara attempts to make him stop his rambling, but he continues, going into the symbolism of the pages he left behind.Once I'm sure the officers have him, I approach my cousin. He doesn't recognize me in the disguise, but I still want to make sure he's ok."You're the weird guy from the hospital!" So nothing to do with memory."Uh... yeah.""Do you know if he's going to be ok?" He gestures at the victim on the floor. Wait, what's going on in here?"No, sir. But I can find out.""No, thank you. I'm going to go." Well alright then, but I've still got a crime scene and-Captain Sawyer hands the Bookworm in cuffs to me."Take your girl and Ramirez back to the station." I nod, and motion for Barbara to follow me to the car. Officer Ramirez is driving, Barb sits shotgun and I'm in the back with Bookworm.What should I be doing? Talking to him? He seems plenty happy talking to himself, the last time I was tuned in he was talking about the significance of T.S. Eliot to his crimes. Or something like that. "I've committed the ultimate crime now, murder! And once I'm out of this I'll do it again." You ever hear a person's voice and get a really violent urge? He's got this nasally, gross voice that makes me want to claw my ears out. I still say nothing, neither does anyone else. We just let him go on and on about how smart he is or whatever the hell he's on about.I don't realize it immediately, but it feels quiter in here. I look to my side, the Bookworm is gone."Ramirez! He's gone!" Officer Ramirez frantically pulls over, looking in the backseat. The car door is wide open, and the handcuffs are neatly placed on the seat, unlocked. Well, shit.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Jumping out of a moving car is pretty invigorating. It's even better when it's a moving cop car. I'm basically a modern day Houdini, I can get in and out of anything. I won't be able to keep myself from killing another for too long, but I can hold off for a couple days. Just to let things cool down. It won't be all that much better, I'm sure. But better than nothing. My next target will be that abhorrent woman in the black costume who very rudely told me to shut up. When you have a mind such as mine, you should never be made to be quiet. For all I have to share with the world is extremely valuable. I wonder about the man I killed already, he was in a prison uniform. I don't wonder for too long, questions do me no good when I am on the road. I'm at the hideout, it's an old bookstore. It's like heaven, basically. Warm, full of books. And full of murder weapons too! I've been fantasizing about doing something like this for so long. And I have to be honest, the man from today was not my first. I mean I had to get shooting practice with an aim like that. I don't have much practice, but I'm a natural at pretty much everything I do. Actually, the first time I did it, my practice, went very smoothly. I wasn't caught until now, so I think that tells you something. My reign of terror, ultimately, will be short. I'm not stupid, quite the contrary, but I have a list of people to kill. That list does not go on forever, though I wish it did. It's got politicians, cops, anyone who's wronged me. I'm still dissapointed about Detective Meade. She was supposed to be in the house when it went off, but that stupid vandal just HAD to lure her out. No matter, in due time the house won't matter. I sit down and begin to write, I have this manifesto I plan to publish. It'll probably go out soon.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Blink. Blink...Gasp!"Hello?" I call out. "Hello?!" I demand.No one... nothing.It's all so cold. Knock. Knock. Knock.I hide from the door."!!!! I know you're in there!" What the fuck am I supposed to do? I open the door."Hii!!!" It's Brutal. "I'm here to kill you."Stay calm, he won't hurt me if I'm calm. "Not really, gonna kill me here or do you want to come inside?" Confident. I don't care that you're in my house. Wait, where's my gun?BANG!I'm in a cell. It's small and getting smaller. I pick up the book. The pages are blank, what did they say again? What book is this? "Hello!!" I try again. The cell is too small now. CRACK!"HELLO!!" I scream, my throat hurts. "HELLO!!!!" It's all I can think of to say.It's so cold. It's so fucking cold.GASP!"Good morning. You're alive!" What?I can't open my mouth."You got shot yesterday, but you are alive." This isn't a hospital, too dirty. Where am I?"Your eyes are darting like a lizard. You're such a weird little thing." Is this a library?"Sorry, let me be more clear: I shot you yesterday. It didn't kill you instantly, so I figured I might have some fun.""Wh-"He shushes me."Don't. Don't say anything unless I've asked you a question. Understand?""Yes.""Good! Do you know why I shot you?""I wronged you?""Great guess! Unfortunately, I just like shooting people. You wrong a lot of people?""Enough for that to be a good guess.""I see. You're some kind of a mob boss, right?""No.""Hey, don't worry man. I tried to kill you, it's not like I'm gonna report you to the police. Actually, most of them think you're dead."I don't say anything, being shot dead was not a pleasant experience."I ask you again, are you some kind of mob boss?""Yes. More or less.""More more, or more less?""More more." "Who were you looking for? In the courtroom, your eyes were darting like they are now.""A friend.""Be specific.""How specific?""Name, title, reason for search?""Edward, doctor, he hasn't answered my letters.""THE GUY YOU KIDNAPPED???" Does everyone know about this? That's kinda cool."Yeah.""Why would he respond to your letters?" The man asks, exasperated."He did before, he sent me books.""Books? Which ones?""The Picture of Dorian Gray and Leaves of Grass."Snort. He's laughing hysterically.I almost, almost ask what's so funny. "Either he's really trying to romance you, or he knows exactly how to manipulate you."I have to catch myself again. This guy sure loves to talk."You look puzzled, let me fill you in. Both of those books are on like every top ten list for homoerotic classics. Actually, Oscar Wilde and Walt Whitman were both gay." He's laughing still, but not as hard. "Ok, enough about him. When I first shot you, I had no idea who you were. How does that make you feel?""It doesn't make me feel anything."He nods. "Mm-hm." "Do you know where you are?""A bookstore?" "Yup. Last question, do you deserve to live?""I..." "It's a thinker, I'll give you some time." He's standing directly over me, am I laying down?"Yes." "You don't sound so sure. I'm not asking if you want me to kill you, I just want to know if you think you deserve to live."What the hell am I supposed to say to that?"Right then, don't think just answer. Go.""No." He smiles."Sorry for the intrusive question. Here's another; Do you want to live? Don't think just answer. Go.""Yes. Sometimes.""Interesting. Are you a bad person? Go.""Yes.""Well, you've been just illuminating. Enlightening! Are you ready to get shot again?"I shake my head."No one is. Let's see how many times I can revive you!"

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Well... he's dead! Not by my own hand, which is great. I'm excited, I'm dizzy, I'm going to cry, I'm so happy. So in all it's a pretty simple situation. I've been settling back in, I'm on call again. No court hearing to attend, no need to testify. It was a pretty great idea to kill him, maybe I indirectly influenced the guy that did. Everyone's on the lookout for that guy, he pulled a big escape trick. Bookworm! That's the name. Batman's latest foe. It's cool. Everything's gone back to normal. Perfectly, boringly normal. I don't get to fuck with hitmen at my door, or offer them tea. I don't... do anything. Was it always this boring? Being home alone, wishing I had a pet cat. Getting dressed at 8 AM, out the door in 5 minutes. The only difference is when I get called. The only difference is when I get to go to work at odd hours. The only difference... Hmm. I unlock my phone."Yellow?"What am I doing?"I need a hit.""You got the right guy! Who, what, where, when, why, how?""Captain Margaret Sawyer, she lives on 7624 Hawk Street. You can decide the rest.""Maggie Sawyer? Gonna need a ton of money for that.""I've got plenty. How much?""5 Mil. I expect payment tomorrow, under Gotham Bridge. 7 PM!""Got it."I need to get five million dollars. I guess now we'll see whether or not I make a good supervillain. Getting into the vault was easy enough, in the dark only security's here. I'm not nearly as flexable as I thought I was, but just enough. This bank doesn't have major alarms, but no bank in Gotham is stupid enough to have no alarms. If I don't hear them right away, I'll be fine. I need to move fast. I get the vault open, and shove as much cash as I can into a bag. I can carry three, meaning 1.7 Million per bag or so. I don't waste time counting, instead just grabbing as many hundreds as I can see. If I have to hit another bank I will. For now, I've gotta get out of here. I don't bother closing the door, time is of the essence. I get out, avoiding flashlights, and into my car. I should look into a getaway driver if I'm planning on making this a regular thing. I get home, coming down from my adrenaline high. I've got to count. Emptying the bags, I flip on the news. Nothing yet. 3 million, 100, 200, 300... Just over 5 million in total. Still nothing on the TV set. I'm home free, I hope. Wait! The car... It's parked in my driveway, the cameras will probably show it fleeing. I need to get rid of it, and fast. I get back in the car, pulling out the gps location to the nearest body of water. I floor the gas, open the door and jump. Just before the car hits the water. Wow. Fuck... I can't go back to the way it was.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

A bank robbery last night. Not so much as a hair left behind. The getaway car still hasn't been found. They won't let me do anything. On top of that, I still need to look for the Bookworm. That's one of the things they are allowing me to do. Which sucks, because I don't know where to look. Barb is caught up with her own cases, so I'm all alone. "Master Bruce?" Blink. "Um. Yeah?" He's gotta have some kind of teleportation powers or something."You haven't moved from your chair in two hours. Perhaps it's time to get up?""Oh." I stand, and my legs wobble. I could've sworn it's been... um. "Are you alright?" I fall, don't forget to get up and stretch kids."WOAH!" I try to catch myself, but I land on the concrete instead. Not the best feeling in the world. I think I scraped my chin."Master Bruce?" Alfred offers me his hand, I wave it away and push myself up. I enjoy lying on carpet, but concrete? I can do without concrete. "So... is Barbara still busy? When was that bank robbery?""I think you need to lay down.""Please, just tell me.""Ms. Gordon is still busy, the bank robbery was last night. You need rest.""I need to find...""Come on." He puts my arm around his shoulder. "No I..." Is it getting brighter? "Bruce?" I can't really hear him..."Bruce!"

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

It feels like drowning. He's right in my face.. who. Who is he? Those eyes..."Do you deserve to live?" It's not his voice. Then whose?"Do you deserve to live?" He's getting closer, closer. Every inch is agony, his nose is touching mine."Do. You. Deserve. To. Live." BOOM!"Good morning!" What? I'm in a car..."Ok, get out." Where..."Do you want to make a lot of money?" No one's here. Who's asking me that?"Here's my plan: Best doctors in Gotham, they'll get the cure done fast. We sell the patent, kill the doctors and get the hell out of there." It's a woman, I'm at a big round table. "Sounds simple enough." Is that my voice?Why is everyone looking at me?"You? You can't even handle your own men. Don't joke around, we need this money."Cora? "Hey boss. I just wanted you to know, that I don't want to do this."SLASH!"Welcome back. That makes three! Oh also, I've brought you a friend."I look around. "Hope you don't mind, I used your formula for knockout gas." There's a man next to me, he's dressed in all black. Something covering his face."It's Batman! Caught him on the way to a patrol. I'm surprised he made it out of the house in his condition."He laughs, then gets close and asks "What have you been dreaming about, little buddy? You've screamed every time you woke up."My head hurts."Oh. Hey don't worry, I'll let your head recover. Not healthy to die three times in a row."He's laughing. Why does he keep laughing? What's so funny?"I'm going to read to you guys."Is Batman awake?"Hey... look at me. I'm going to read, so pay attention. Or else I'll kill you a fourth time, you'll die from a lack of oxygen to the brain."I look at him. I think. "Your eye's going funny. The left one is drifting away. Cool!" The left what? My eyes focus again, he's going to read."Once upon a time..."I'm in my room. "At least I don't fucking HIT THE KID!" To prove her point, she punches the drywall instead."Oh! Really?? Last time I checked you were the washed up FUCKING JUNKIE ON A WATCHLIST! You honestly expect me to believe you don't hit that thing?!""That thing is your son too.""No." He throws a glass, she breaks a plate.I run down the stairs."Hey! Hi buddy!" "What's going on?" I rub my eyes."Nothing, little man! Daddy just dropped a cup, that's all." "Go back to bed, sweetheart." I don't get how they can love me, but not each other. "Ok..." I always have to go and check on them when they break things. Last time I didn't, I cut my leg bad."Hey!"Huh?"Wake up!"What...?"There you are! I was in the middle of my story, and you just fell asleep. How rude!" "Sssorry...""So your brain isn't completely mush! Cool!" He's pacing."The Bat still hasn't woken up. Is it something to do with your knockout gas?""Too... much. Too much gas... kills.""Oh. Well I wish you would've told me that." He knocks on Batman's helmet thing."There's still a pulse, guess I didn't use enough. Well, you missed my story. Usually I leave when you fall asleep, but I think now's a good time as any to use that gas."I shake my head."You kill all the time, why shouldn't I?""Nooo... the gas. Mask... wear a mask...""Oh! Yeah that makes sense. Well, adieu!""Hmm..."I'm... woah. I can't fall asleep again. "Wake up! Hey! Please, wake up!"He might be in a coma."Hey!! Hey!!!"He won't wake up. "HEY!!" This is as loud as I can get."What? What's that?"Finally. "You... got knife?""Huh?""You gotta knife?! Cut... w-will you cut us out?""Where are we?""Bookstore. Knife... knife! Cut.. hm... cut us out."There's a faint click! Then sawing."I'm out. Your turn."Saw... click!I rub my wrists."Let's go."I stand up, I try to, anyway. He catches me by the arm."Once we get out of here, you're going to a hospital. Then, jail.""Ok... hospital first...""Jesus."

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Ed's POVRing!!My eyes are sealed shut, but I feel around for my phone.Ring!!If I miss it again I'll just leave it.Ring!!!Got it."Hello?" "Dr. Nygma? We need you in, can you make it in 30 minutes?"I check the clock."Sorry, Joe. I have an appointment at 7. What do you need?""Well... we need an analysis on a body part. You are the acting M.E. What should I do?""I'm going to send you a number, explain the situation to this man. He's a medical doctor, alright, and he works at HQ." I text Joe my friend's number. "Thank you, Dr. Nygma. I hope your appointment goes well.""Thanks, Joe. Bye." I hang up. It's 6:50, I've got to go. I grab the money, my keys and my gun. I don't know why I picked Maggie Sawyer. She's really quite nice, it's just the first name that came to mind. I arrive at the bridge, parking within walking distance."Eddie? I didn't recognize your voice over the phone!"I smile at him, holding out the cash."Hey, I gotta question. You rob that bank?"I just smile, shaking the bag."Those eyes don't work on me, Ed." He says, but takes the money."Will you bring me the head if I give you extra?""Aw, I would've done that anyway. But since you mentioned more money..."I give him the excess cash. "When can I expect it?""I'll scout her out tonight, maybe tomorrow, maybe the next day." "Alright.""Oh! And call me next time you rob a bank, I love security guard guns.""Sure." As smart as he seems, he's so self absorbed that it doesn't really matter. I'm sure he'll get the job done, there's no doubt he has a talent. It's almost funny, we're not really friends. We were both very ready to kill each other, at least I was. But he calls me 'Eddie', something I haven't heard since I was a kid. There's something so awkwardly friendly about our interactions. "Hey doll, quit staring. Go home." Oh yeah. I've been in my head a lot lately."Yeah. Sorry." As I turn the key, it all hits me. I can't take this back. And yet, I don't want to. Oddly, I find myself smiling, whistling along to the radio as I drive home from making a deal with a hitman. Something that would've repulsed me just last year. I've manipulated my way out of all of these deathly situations, and this makes me feel like I belong. I call my supervisor."Good Evening, Dr. Nygma. How did your appointment go?""I quit." Now this, this is interesting.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Bruce's POV"Yes, we were both taken. He's been revived three different times." The nurse nods. "Do you know how he died?" I look at Oswald, sitting in a wheelchair."No. All I know is the first time he was shot." "And you? Were you revived as well?"I shake my head. "I was drugged, but it's worn off now." "Would you mind going in for an evaluation?""I would. I've got to go, but make sure you call the police when you take him in."She writes something on her clipboard. I rush out of the hospital, trying not to knock anything over. So I am still a bit dizzy, but it shouldn't matter. I grapple back to the house, it makes the nausea worse but I need to get home quick."Bruce?" I'm greeted by the concerned faces of my house staff and Barbara."It's me. I'm home." Barb pats my back, "Don't get all sentimental on me now, Barb." She laughs, but we're both tearing up. "I wasn't even gone that long." "It was like a week, Bruce. I couldn't track you.""It could not have been a week." "What happened?""Let's go to the cave." I can't pretend not to notice the worry lines of Alfred's face, I pull him into a side hug. "We were worried, Master Bruce. I'm glad you're safe." Barbara pulls my sleeve, I'm eager to change into normal clothes but duty calls. "So. What happened?""I was asleep for most of it, I guess. It felt like maybe an hour. The Penguin woke me up, Bookworm was talking about how he had killed and revived him a few times. He's lucky to be alive. We were in a bookstore. That's what Penguin said, I could see books.""A bookstore fits the theme. Do you remember anything else about it?""It's close to Emergency Care. A few blocks away, actually.""I'm sure you don't need more sleep, but just sit a while." I need a minute to absorb everything going on. "That bank robbery, was it ever solved?""No. And they're still going." "Could it be Bookworm?""Maybe, but wouldn't he leave exerpts? These don't have anything. Just empty vaults.""Who needs that much money?""No one. It's a wonder they can hide it all.""Ready?" I start to get up."No. You aren't either, sit down." "I'm really fine, I want to catch this guy.""I'll tell my dad. I don't want you to get taken again, you might not be so lucky." I understand. She picks up the phone and punches in the numbers. I zone out. "Hey! No, no, no. Bruce, what's three times six?""Twenty-one.""Yeah, stay with me. Four times six?"Twenty-four.""Keep going, five times six?""I don't have a concussion, Barb.""Humor me.""Twenty-seven."I go through the times tables with Barbara. "I called a doctor. Hurry up and get changed."She sends Alfred in. I change as fast as I can, and follow Alfred up the stairs."Hi, thank you coming on such short notice. I'm afraid Bruce might have a concussion." Dr. Kennedy, she's been my go to for years. She doesn't ask about the situation, only the problem."Let me check your eyes." She shines a light in my eyes."Dizziness?" I nod. "Amnesia?" I shake my head. "Light or noise sensitivity?" I shake my head. "Headache?" I nod. "Ringing in the ears?" I shake my head."Drink water." She packs up. "You'll be okay. You look fine. Go to a hospital if the dizziness doesn't go away, or if anything gets worse." Efficient, a quality I look for in everything."See? I'm fine." Barb frowns. "I still think you should go to a hospital.""Barb...""Let's take the night off, call your cousin. I'm sure he's worried too." Oh shit, my cousin! Forgot I had one of those.Does that count as amnesia? Whatever, I pick up my phone."Hello?" His voice comes in through the speaker."Hi.""Where have you been? Tried calling you yesterday.""Busy, I got into an accident.""Are you okay?" I don't get even a hint of caring in that question. "I'm fine. Are you okay? You sound weird.""I'm good. You're the one who got in an accident.""Fair enough. Well bye then.""Bye."That... went? He didn't sound right, less animated. I guess I haven't known him for that long, so it could just be a bad day.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Oswald's POVIt's dark, then light. I think I'm going in and out of consciousness. Am I still alive? "Mr. Cobblepot?""Mmm... yes?""Can you open your eyes for me?"No? Are my eyes closed?"Mr. Cobblepot?""Can't... I can't...""Okay. Just relax. Can you move your arms?"I move my arm. I think."Good, the other one?" I move my other arm."Can you stand?"I try. "Ok, it's ok. Just sit.""Can you try to open your eyes again?"One opens, then the other. "Good, that's very good. Thank you.""Call... can you call...""Call who?""Mmm... my friend.""Can you give me his phone number, Mr. Cobblepot?""In my phone."I hold out my phone."Do you want me to call him, or do you want to on your own?""I'll call... me...""I'm going to leave the room, when you're done we have tests to run.""Okay."I can't really see the screen, is it blurry in here?Ok... "Hello?" my friend answers. Who did I call?"Hi.""Who is this?"I hang up. I can't explain anything."Doctor?" Is there some kind of call button?The doctor comes back in."That was quick.""Words... hmm." I can think. Can't speak."Ok, let's run some tests. May I have your phone, and anything metal?"I hand over my phone, and point to my necklace."Do you need me to take that?""Yeah. Yes... metal."He unclasps the chain. "Ok, anything else?""No. Can I... stay... um..." I trail off."You can't stay in the room, we have to go get some scans done. Is that okay?""No... in the... chair?""Oh! Yes, but you'll have to get out to get into the machine."He hands me a hospital gown. "Do you need help? Or would you like me to leave.""I'll... call..."He nods and leaves the room. I can move my arms, but not my legs.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Ed's POV"What?" This amazing feeling washes over me, the way the shocked tone sounds."I quit. I won't be coming in anymore.""Dr. Nygma, this is extremely unprofessional, you-""I don't care. Have fun replacing me." I hang up and block every work number I have saved in my phone.I want to do something. I'm so bored. "Hi!" Huh? "Sorry, didn't mean to scare you. I just wanted to ask a question." This is... the man who shot Oswald?"What?" "Do you want revenge?" It's a simple question. Four words, sixteen letters. Do you want revenge? I can't stop the word "Yes." from tumbling out of my mouth."Someone you know is in the hospital. I have killed and revived him three times. Your job is to deliver the final blow, ok?""Who is it?""I think you already know." I do. "Take me to him."The drive to the hospital is silent, the man in the brown suit is smiling. "Do you read much?" He breaks the silence."Yes.""Did you send him books?""Yes."What does this have to do with anything?"Dr. Nygma, are you attracted to the Penguin?""No.""That was quick. So, you were trying to trick him, then?""Yes. I was going to shoot him before you did.""Great minds think alike." If possible, his smile grows wider."So... you'll have no problems killing him?""None.""Good. And one final question, are you aware that you're passing out?""No.""Do you think you can beat this with sheer willpower, doctor?""I can beat anything."The car stops abruptly. I lurch forward against the seatbelt."So self confident! Do you believe in soulmates, Dr. Nygma?""No." What in the fresh hell is this about?"I do. I believe we're kindred spirits. Can you feel it like I do?"I stare at him in disbelief, I just wanted to shoot some bastard in the head. "No. I don't feel it." He's leaning forward, his breath hot on my face. Like a minty nightmare. "We're so alike, Edward. But, because I'm fair, I'm going to give you a choice." He unlocks the door. "Leave, or stay with me." I guess I'm not too good at tests of will, because I open the door and run. I can hear the laughter ringing in my ears far after I'm gone.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Bruce's POVI'm conflicted. I want to visit the Penguin in the hospital, but I also want to leave him be. I don't know what's going on with him at all. "Barb?" "Don't. You've been asking me all week and the answer is still: Do what feels right." I have been asking her what I should do, but I don't know what feels right. "Nothing feels right! Everything feels so bad!" Barbara puts her hand on my shoulder. "Bruce, let's think about something else, ok? Something less depressing?""No. No I have to face this." She nods solemnly, keeping her hand on my shoulder."I'm here for you, but I can't tell you what to do." "I know." I think for a second."Will you come with me?" I finally ask.She laughs, shaking her head. "Yeah. Let's go." I get on a motorcycle with Barbara behind me. "I've got a good feeling about this." We get to the hospital. "What seems to be the problem?" The woman at the desk asks."We're here to visit Oswald Cobblepot.""Are you two relatives of the patient?" "...Acquaintances." Barb answers."I'll see if he's feeling up to it, okay?"We wait for a few minutes, the nurse comes back out."He said he'll see you. He's still a bit out of it, but better than when he got here."When we get in the room, Oswald is staring past us at nothing. "Hey." He notices me."Hello.""How are you doing?""Mmm... my brain feels like putty. My head won't stop hurting. Here's some advice; don't die."Barb puts her hand back in place on my shoulder."Sorry about that. I'll keep your advice in mind.""Won't do you any good. No one wants to kill you, not really." He shakes his head."They're still gonna take me to court. Y'know.. It sucks. I'm gonna lose, spend the rest of my life in a cage."I want to tell him that that's where he belongs, but I don't. "Why did you do it?""To prove that I could. My boss thinks I'm an idiot, and look how well I proved her point." He gestures wildly around himself. "We needed the money. From the cure. We didn't have enough to do it legitimately. So my boss picked the best doctors in Gotham, the smartest, and I brought them. And now I've lost all of them."Wow... "You have issues, man." A third voice from behind us says. He steps forward. It's Joe, from Ed's lab. Wait... he's holding a gun."Shoot me. Do it." Oswald challenges."Nah." He smiles, putting the gun down."Hey... you know, I really shouldn't put this gun to waste." "Wait!" He turns the gun onto Barbara and before I can stop it, it flies into her chest and out through her back.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Oswald's POV
The high pitched cry that leaves Batman is enough to fuel me for the rest of my days. Joe starts grabbing whatever he could get his hands on and putting it in a bag.
"Hurry up and get in the chair, you need anything else?"
"No. Let's go."
"Sorry about your girlfriend, Batman. There's plenty of fish in the sea." Joe starts wheeling me out, bag balanced precariously on one of his hands."Where the hell are you going?" All this yelling and gunfire is making my head spin.
"I'm taking this guy home." Joe keeps moving, I feel like I'm going to fall. "Hey. Can you look at me?" I look up.
"Yeah, hey, here's the deal." He's pulling out a spray bottle.
"No, no. Keep your eyes on me. You're going back to the Bookworm. You take your eyes off me for even a second, and I'll spray you."
"Hm..."
"Oh wow. Is there anything left in there?" He raps a fist against my head.
"Hmm..."
"Can you even talk? Are you just a fucking vegetable now?!" He's laughing in my face.
"Joe?" I know that voice.
"Dr. Nygma? Oh, Dr. Nygma, look. He can't even," He pauses to poke me, and laugh.
Edward is laughing too, but his clover eyes are burning with rage.
"Oh shit, Joe. Did you piss off Batman?" Ed points behind us, and Joe falls for the bait.
Edward snaps his neck, bloody hands searching for my wheelchair handles in the gloomy night. "Don't say a word. Not one. Let's just get out of here."
I wouldn't say anything, even if I could.
He dumps me in the passenger seat of his car, folding the wheelchair in the back.
"You need me to buckle you up?"
"No." I can do it myself, thank you very much. "Right. Look at me, will you?" I don't want to, I don't want to, I don't want to...
I relent."You know um..." Can I trust this?
"I was gonna kill you. In the courtroom, again in the hospital. But... you looked so pathetic." I can't speak.
"I felt bad, and I haven't been able to feel bad lately. I felt bad for you." He starts the car, driving carefully. "I ordered a hit, bought an illegal gun. I just killed one of my colleagues, I've known him for years!"
He's shaking, alternating between covering his mouth and steering. "You've ruined me. You're a horrible, horrible piece of garbage."
I nod. "I know."
"No! You don't, you can't possibly imagine what my life has become."
"I'm sorry." I am. I don't know what else to say.
"Do you... GOD!" He slams his fist against the steering wheel and pulls over.
"Do you have any idea how that feels? You can't be sorry. It feels like I'm yelling at a fucking dog." He looks me in the eyes, and a familiar breathlessness begins.
"I'm..." I can't think of anything. "What do you... hmm... want me to say?"
"I don't know." He sighs. "I just... you..."
"Wh-what. Explain... it to me."
"I have no one. Nothing. I quit my job, I can't... Trust anyone. Not anymore."
"Hmm..." I pat his leg. "I... know more than y-you think." "Yeah. I guess you do." He starts the car again. "You gonna try to fix... this?"
"Y-you just stole... hmm... me from the hospital." I laugh, he joins in.
"Sorry about that. I..."
He pulls over again, and comes close. Our faces are touching.
"Are you still drowning?"
"I... could... hmm... I could d-drown forever."
Edward closes the gap between us. It started out fairly gentle, then it got angrier. I could never get tired of his lips on mine, no matter what they did. Those forest fire eyes will be the death of me. I could live in this drowning feeling forever.
And then it ends. As he pulls away, I've never felt worse. But my eyes don't leave his. I cannot breathe, it feels like I'm full of sand.
"Oh God." He's crying. "Oh God..."
"Oh... hmm..."
"No, I'm sorry. Do you feel like you just got hit by a semi truck?"
"S-somewhat... yeah."
I wipe his tears.
"I'm still pissed off at you. And I'll never forgive you for what happened to me."
He kisses me again, the salty taste of tears burns my tongue.
"It makes me feel better before making me feel so much worse."
"Hmm..." I grab his hand. "Stop. S-stop it. Please, calm down..."
He sobs into my shoulder. I don't know what he's saying anymore.