Chapter 9

'If I could burn down any building in Gotham, this would always be my first choice.' Detective James Gordon thought to himself like he did every time he saw his place of work. Gotham City Police Department was built to be a landmark, a symbol for the community, a physical representation of safety to each and every citizen. It was built with the whitest walls that were meant to shine a light through the dark cesspool of Gotham. But like all things in Gotham, they become distorted and twisted, even the most resistant things in Gotham end up shattered in the streets given enough time. The once white walls of the Police Department became shades of gray that grow darker every day, as the taint and dirt of the city bleeds into the walls of the once symbolic light of Gotham.

Gordon took a long draw on his cigarette as his tired legs marched up the cement pathway, getting ever closer to the entrance of the Gotham City Police Department. He always did feel more mentally alert after a cigarette, or at least that's what he would always tell his fiance when she would try to convince him to stop smoking. Her arguments were only getting better after the birth of his baby girl Barbra Gordon. He took the last inhale from this cigarette and flicked it against the gray wall of the Police Department. Hoping as he did with every cigarette flicked against that wall, that this would be the one that burned this shit hole down.

Gordon pressed his hand against the glass door, pushing it open, as he stepped through the threshold of the police station. His feet tapped heavily against the mahogany wood floors, alerting anyone close enough to hear it, to move or get run over; as he continued his way towards the elevator that would take him up to the detective bullpen. The hall entrance was always chaotic, but there was an order to the chaos. File clerks, crime scene investigators, and forensic techs headed towards the stairs that led down to a secure basement, where key pieces of evidence were kept. Police loitered throughout the hall and most of the first story of the building, some as public greeters helping concerned citizens, but most were just waiting for the next bank robber, mugging, shooting, death, etc, that was always just moments away.

"Gordon," two detectives said, walking up next to Gordon as they all began waiting for the elevator. "McCluskey, Hayden" Gordon responds as he nods his head towards the two detectives. "We missed you at Specter's retirement party. He was a hell of a DA, didn't only put away the bad guys but also protected us cops," McCluskey said, fishing for information on the new Gotham detective. "Nothing could keep me away from my baby girl, McCluskey," Gordon responded with his well rehearsed excuse. "Almost wish I did go, if I was out celebrating with you guys, I might not have caught this case. I can just feel my workload increase, makes me jealous of all the open and close cases you guys seem to get." Gordon said narrowing his eyes at McCluskey. McCluskey smirked at Gordon's accusation, "well, when you know what and who I know, it's easy to get all the information needed to close cases, and if that doesn't work, I got a hell of a right cross that always helps loosen some mouths. You should learn to ask for help, you never know when you or your baby girl Barbara are going to need help, and I am a very helpful man." McCluskey said as the noise of a chime broke through the threat hanging in the air, letting everyone know that the elevator arrived, as he and Hayden walked past Gordon and into the elevator.

The elevator doors close as the group of three split into two groups, each taking the opposing walls of the elevator. Hayden turned towards his partner. "Clus, I heard the best joke at the retirement party; this pregnant lady who was carrying triplets, just happened to be in a bank that was getting robbed. She was shot three times, once in each baby. She was rushed to the hospital and luckily the doctor was able to save the children but couldn't remove the bullets. The mother gave birth to two daughters and a son. Fifteen years later, her first daughter came running down the stairs, 'Mom, mom, you won't believe it,' The daughter shouted grabbing her mother's attention. 'I was taking a piss and a bullet came out," before the mother could respond the second daughter came running down the stairs. 'Mom, mom, you won't believe it, but I pissed out a bullet in the toilet' the second daughter shouted as she reached the landing of the stairs. The mother was about to respond but was interrupted again as her son came running down the stairs. 'Mom, mom, you won't believe it.' He shouted, as the mother interrupted him saying 'yeah, I know, you pissed out a bullet.' The son shook his head and replied, 'no mom, I was jerking off and I shot the dog.'" The two officers' laughter reverberated off the walls of the elevator, as Detective Gordon could only hope that anyone he cared about would never enter or ever need anyone working in this building. A sound of a chime broke through the laughter, signally that the elevator has reached its destination.

The elevator doors slid open revealing the detective bullpen, a loud voice yelled over the many wooden desks and sitting detectives, "Is that you Gordon? Get your ass in here, now!" The police Captain bellowed from his office doorway as he made eye contact with Gordon. Before Gordon could step out and into the bullpen he felt a hand press down on his shoulder. McCluskey looked Gordon in the eyes as his hand tightened around his shoulder, "remember what I said Gordon," McCluskey said, no louder than a whisper, as he and his partner Hayden walked out of the elevator and towards their desks. Gordon shook his head trying to clear his thoughts as he walked through the aisles of desks towards his boss's office.

"Sit down Gordon," police chief Schrader said from his seat behind a wide metal desk, "I know you got a lot on your plate as of this morning, but I'm going to add one more item to your buffet." Schrader slides a folder across his desk and into the hands of Gordon. "It's an open and close case, just need you to interview her," Schrader continues as Gordon opens the file and begins reading along with what Schrader is saying. "She was picked up this morning, her name is Jessica Shan, she's a real piece of shit. Two police were called onto the scene and what they walked in on, well, it ain't pretty." Schrader pauses, as Gordon gets to the pictures the crime scene techs took a few hours ago. The indent on the motel wall with a small blood trail that led from the indent to the floor, heroin needles littered the floor of the motel, and the lack of baby food anywhere in the apartment, the photos from the file painted a dark picture of the life of this child. "When will we get photos of the child and his list of injuries," Gordon asked as he closed the folder, trying not to think of his baby girl and the what if this was her scenarios running through his head. "Well, one of the beat cops that arrested her is outside the interview room, he would know more than anyone at this point." Schrader said as he stood up from his seat, indicating to Gordon that their time here was done. Gordon stood and began to walk out of the room, but as he reached the doorway to the bullpen, he turned around and looked at his police chief, "I'm going to throw the book at her." Gordon said with conviction, Schrader nodded, "you can do anything you want to her, as long as she can walk out of that interview room alive."