5 Determination and Resolve

1st person POV

Antiseptic, a little bitter, with undertones of the artificial fragrance contained in soaps and cleaning detergents. I always hated this smell, coupled with the despair seen on the faces of people walking by makes this place look like a horror show disguised in an image of betterment and healing. The hospital will always be one of my topmost hated places. 

Flashback of me leaving the hospital with Aileen and her trying to act strong for me even when I could clearly see the sadness and despair in her eyes, the feeling of my mother's cold hand while she lay motionless on the hospital bed refusing to move no matter how many times I called out to her.

A ringing sound develops in my ear.

".....ter"

And it keeps on getting louder

"....g master"

I need to get out of here

"YOUNG MASTER"

"Ha ha ha ha. Why are you shouting?" I said after breathing heavily.

{A/N: I don't know how to describe a panic attack in words so bear with me. If you do please write in the comments so that I can edit this.}

"You weren't answering me young master and your face was turning purple as well like you were holding your breath."

'I didn't even notice that I was holding my breath. Am I that traumatized by a hospital? Get your shit together Vernon its just a hospital it won't kill you.'

"I'm fine, let's go there is nothing to be worried about."

"But young master are you sure? maybe we can get a doctor to look at you?"

Not answering her I walked forward until I reached the front desk, Standing there were 2 police Officers, a doctor and an elderly man wearing a light brown Simmons trench coat, a waistcoat, a shirt and a tie.

They looked in my direction and we walked towards each other. Noting one was an elder man maybe around his 50s while the rest were in their late 20s or maybe early 30s.

"It's been a long time Vernon though I would love to meet under more pleasant circumstances. I'm so sorry for what happened, if we got there faster your mother would be...."

The elder one spoke while removing his hat to address me but I cut him off, though I recognized him because, unlike the rest of them, I knew who he was.

"It does not matter commissioner Gordon, what happened has happened all I want to do now is to see my mother."

I should have taken the time to look at my new memories cause for some reason I know Commissioner Gordon. Whatever that doesn't matter for now.

"Let Doctor James take the lead."

Finally taking notice of the Doctor among us.

"I am so sorry for your loss Mr Vernon. Let me take you to see your mother."

The now-identified Doctor James said as he took us to the elevator leading underground towards the morgue.

Opening the mortuary cabinet bringing out my mother's cold body. As perfect as imperfection can lead mortal man, that was the best way to describe her.

Cascading Platinum- blonde hair, her life-saving hips and accentuating her flawless legs.

[A/N: None of you should take this in any incest wrong way. Bro respects his mother so much he has close to zero lust for her even if he is saying all these things, so please don't think anywhere close to that area.]

But here she is, a mortal woman made in the image of God lying here lifeless without the sun and moon gaining the privilege to shine on such a perfectly imperfect creation.

Stretching my hands to stroke her face feeling how cold it was, the flashbacks to the memory of my past lives came to mind like a tidal wave. No matter how much I tried to block them and keep a rational mind, humanity's greatest treasure, its mind mine betrayed me replaying things and events that I wished to forget and locked in the depths of my subconscious. And with the memories came emotions something I wished not to feel.

"Commissioner Gordon, how did she die? and please don't lie commissioner I am not an idiot."

I asked but my hands and eyes didn't leave her face.

"It was an accident, a car accident."

"....A car accident killed her?"

"Yes."

"What about the driver?"

"He was in critical condition but is now okay."

"So you are saying that my mother died in the accident but the driver survived??

"Yes."

"So what exactly caused the accidents?"

Now removing my gaze from my mother's body and looking at Commissioner Gordon.

He seemed hesitant to talk at first but then had a look of resignation.

"It was a collision with a truck."

"And what about the people who were inside the truck? Can you tell me how they are? Who they are? And where they are now?"

"That..."

"Commissioner Gordon, who, how and where are they?"

This time he looked really troubled, he bit his lips like he was trying to prevent himself from talking. Looking to the floor as he answered my question.

"They..., They have not been caught and their whereabouts and identities are unknown."

"Sorry, Pardon me, I must have not heard you properly. What did you say about the people that murdered my mother?"

"They are unknown and have not been caught... yet ."

Still not able to look at my face and the guilt overflowing from his voice. 

'The fact that he is talking to a minor and telling him that the murderer of his parents is still walking free must be painful for him huh, him seeing me looking at my dead mother must make him feel guilty huh.'

'HOW DARE YOU FEEL GUILTY WHEN YOU ARE SO USELESS YOU CAN'T KNOW AND CATCH THE PEOPLE WHO KILLED MY MOTHER AND YOU ARE THE COMMISSIONER.'

Looking at him raise his head to face me was increasing my anger at him. Irrational? Yes but what am I supposed to do? I had no place to release my pent-up anger. He is not at fault i know that, he is human not Superman he can't do everything.

But I'm just...

I'm just...

I'm just tired.

I finally had a chance for my own happy ever after. Everything was already planned in my head, Experience what it feels like to have a complete family, get revenge on my dad without getting caught, get stronger through gacha, grow my mom's company to the absolute top, Give my mother and sister things i gained from the gacha so that they can grow stronger and the list goes on and on.

But here I am experiencing the first thing I regret. Not being able to do anything about my mother's death and this time it happened when I had a second chance.

All of these contemplating led me to the origin of all questions and the first question asked by man: WHY?

Why were the murderers of my mother walking scott-free yet here my mother is lying dead? Why is the driver alive but my mother void of life? Why is Mother the one to die? Why couldn't it be someone else? like a passerby.

Whywhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhy?

"Vernon, are you okay?"

Coming back to my senses, I stared at the man looking at me with eyes filled with concern and intense guilt. Irrational anger wanted to influence my mind again but I just pushed it down.

"I am fine commissioner, thank you for your concern," I said as I smiled at him.

For some reason though, he, the policemen and the doctor looked frightened.

'I wonder why?, Well, that doesn't matter to me,' I thought as I went back to looking and stroking the cheek of my mother.

Gordon's POV

"Sir we've lost him."

"How could we lose him? We were right on their trail and we blocked all possible routes."

"That..um, sir..um"

"Stop stuttering and talk"

Already knowing it's going to be something that I would regret. Haaaa, I am way too old for this.

"Sir they got through the 4th barricade."

'M*therf*cker.'

As expected of the 'Mad Prince of Crime' I guess.

*ckckckckck*

The static sound of my walkie-talkie was heard and a foreboding feeling enveloped me.

"This is the captain of the fifth blockade. We have some casualties on our side. Both policemen and civilians. Requesting backup.

I knew it, something bad just had to happen.

"Are the casualties only injuries?" I asked back praying that injuries would be the most of our problems.

"We do not know sir, we are still taking accounts."

"We are on our way. By the time we get there, everything should have been taken into account, whether injured or not."

"Affirmative Sir."

"Have you called the ambulance.?"

"Affirmative sir. They will be here in a few minutes."

"Ok then, We will be there."

Cutting the walkie-talkie, I walked towards my car.

"Ok let's round it up. Divide into two groups, Sergeant David take your team to carry the equipment back to the station and join me and Sergeant Frank at the fifth blockade.

Addressing the two Sergeants as I walk to my car. 

As I drove off I couldn't help but wonder where that bat was when you need him. Always vanishing and appearing out of nowhere.

"I hate this. It makes it feel like we can't do anything without him and I hate it." Muttering my feelings and grievances for no one but myself.

'I don't hate his help, it has been much needed in a crazy city like Gotham but having something with so much power Batman not under any jurisdiction still feels... Haaah, I should be grateful he is a hero, not another psycho.'

While mulling over my thoughts, I arrived at the fifth blockade.

Getting out of the car and walking towards the roadblocks and yellow tape and crossing them, I saw a normal scene for a policeman in Gotham.

Blood, overturned cars, fire just everywhere. Hell on earth in basic terms.

"Commissioner, please this way."

"Have you taken account of all the casualties?"

Recognising him as the voice that spoke from the walkie-talkie I responded. With the amount of time I keep on coming to the field I wonder if I am actually the commissioner.

"Yes sir, there are only some injuries. Some serious but not fatal.

"Good, what about the civilians?"

"The injured have been taken to the hospital by ambulance. And.... the deceased have been taken to the station for identification.

Hearing the first half made me want to breathe a sigh of relief but the second half made it get stuck in my throat.

Squeezing my hands till they felt like they were bleeding, I pushed down the pain I felt in my heart and asked a question that had been bothering me.

"Even Joker can't cause this much damage without preparation and he only had a truck, so what is going on?"

Then I saw him looking at me like I didn't know what I was talking about.

"Sir what are you talking about?, There was a breakout in black gate prison, some of his goons and other villain's goons broke out."

"WHAT THE F*CK?, WHY THE HELL DID I NOT KNOW ABOUT THIS?"

"Huh, weren't you informed sir?"

"If I knew WOULD I BE ASKING YOU?"

'Shit, shouting and cursing on the same day. I am definitely cursed.'

'If I wasn't notified that means there is a mole in the police like usual but there must be someone else here that will keep an eye on me to know if I found out and made a move but it wouldn't matter now since they have already escaped and gone. This also means it was planned and I don't know who planned. I need to check everyone here to see which one has a connection to anyone shifty.'

"Write the name of everyone here and those who participated in every blockade."

"May ask what for sir?"

"For bonus pay," I said as I entered my car, ready to drive to the station.

As I drove off lost in thoughts my phone rang cutting my mulling short. Looking at the contact calling me I saw It was George, our forensic pathologist.

"Please tell me you have identified all the bodies, George."

"Well I have but there is a problem."

"What is it?" Why is there another problem again?

"Well, The Identity of one of the corpses might be troublesome."

---------------------------------------

Lying to a child is tearing me up inside especially the child of a friend and my daughters but I feel like it is the only way that his mind won't go towards revenge and him killing himself. He would still know since it would be on the news but at least it would buy time for his emotions to calm down.

"And what about the people who were inside the truck? Can you tell me how they are? Who they are? And where they are now?"

"That..."

"Commissioner Gordon, who, how and where are they?"

This time I couldn't answer while looking at his face, the guilt was so overwhelming and heavy that I just looked at the ground to relieve some of the weight.

"They..., They have not been caught and their whereabouts and identities are unknown."

"Sorry, Pardon me, I must have not heard you properly. What did you say about the people that murdered my mother?"

"They are unknown and have not been caught... yet ."

Not hearing him talk for a like a minute I looked up to see what he was doing.

And I froze, the look of unadulterated anger, annoyance, and disgust. Cold and sharp eyes, tense jaws and lips and clenched fists. I am very sure if he didn't hold himself back he would jump on me.

"Vernon, are you okay?" I still asked out of concern.

Hearing my question his eyes focused like he came out of a daze. And then he looked at me, I could see the emotions flash in his eyes. 

"I am fine commissioner, thank you for your concern," he said as he smiled at me.

Then he looked like he made a decision and his eyes became calm like everything was alright and that smile. A chill ran down my spine as my brain was ringing alarms

Working in Gotham for decades has made me able to judge people properly, Not everyone but most people and anyone can see there is something wrong with that smile. A calm smile no undertone.

For someone to smile that calmly when they lose something important is just wrong in so many ways. If I didn't know him well I would have thought he was a psychopath faking his previous emotions. 

I'll ask Barbara to talk to him to make sure doesn't do anything drastic.

VernonPOV

Looking back at Mother, I realise without being in control of everything I would never be able to protect her and my sister.

I have to create a new world, A new heaven and earth where I would be in control of everything.

My new world must have everyone under control anyone else must be wiped out. Even though this may be wishful thinking, I hope the Justice League and the other villains won't get in the way of the new world for their sake.

After my resolve, my mind became calm like I was taking a cool bath in the desert. When I felt that way I knew my decision was right.

"Someone will come to take my mother's body later on so be prepared," I said not caring if they heard or not.

'Don't worry before you wake up I would have created this world in our image." I thought as I looked at her and stroked her cheek for the last time and left.

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Well, that's it for this chapter. Had massive writer's block and still have it, didn't want the chapter to be less than 2000 words so this happened, that it took 5 months to write 1 chapter.

Maybe it's because DC has so many continuities and they are just mashed together i don't know what to do with this story anymore. I will still write this story just work and lack of inspiration are hindering me.

Please comment on where I can improve and support me with some stones and add the story to your collection.

P.S. MC is more chaotic evil (Check the meaning before commenting.) and narcissistic.

2760 words.