188 The Mission #188

Nightwing kneeled next to the cage and opened it. Much to his surprise, the commissioner raised his head, revealing his crazed, bloodshot eyes as he burst out of the enclosure.

Dick watched with wide eyes as the commissioner furiously looked around, his gaze settling on a knife lying on the ground. He picked it up and turned to the mirror house, his intentions written all over his face.

Nightwing quickly gathered his bearings and stood up, tackling the commissioner to the ground to stop him from doing something he would later regret.

"You let me go this instant!" Gordon bellowed, his tone a mixture of grief and helpless anger. "I'm going to gut that worthless clown...!" he added, struggling against Nightwing as the latter pushed him against the ground.

"What the hell happened to you, commissioner...?" Nightwing asked in disbelief, his shock visible as he heard Gordon's words and saw his desperate struggle.

"You... you don't understand...!" Gordon said as he wiggled his body and turned to face Nightwing with a crazed expression. "The Bastard killed my Daughter...!" He added through gritted teeth.

"He... he tortured me, made me listen to that god awful song while showing me pictures of Barbara....!" Gordon said, his voice turning into low whimpers as Nightwing got off him.

"He stripped her naked and took pictures while she bled all over the floor..." the commissioner went as he gripped his white hair, the memory giving him the urge to tear it off his scalp.

"I have to kill him...!" he concluded as he gripped Nightwing's collar, pulling him closer to stare into the latter's eyes with his crazed, bloodshot orbs that shined ominously.

"Calm down...!" Nightwing said as he put his hands on the commissioner's shoulders. "Barbara is alive... I saw her and talked to her..." he added, his tone soothing as he looked into Gordon's eyes, unfazed by the latter's crazed expression.

"No... no...! You're lying! Don't lie to me!" Gordon angrily bellowed as he started shaking Nightwing, clearly in disbelief. "You can't stop me from killing the bastard! The Joker has to pay for what he did!" he hatefully added through gritted teeth.

"I wouldn't lie to you to save that worthless waste of air..." Nightwing said, sighing as he shook his head. "Look, I'll call her, and you can talk to her yourself..." he added as he retrieved a cell phone from his utility belt, to which Gordon stilled.

"I... if this is a trick..." Gordon said, his expression a slew of complicated emotions as he gave Nightwing a warning glare, to which the latter could nod as he dialed the number.

"Here... see for yourself..." Nightwing said as he handed the phone to the disgruntled commissioner.

...

Gray's Hideout

"Yes... I think it's best for the people of Gotham to put Waller's drama behind them as soon as possible..." I said, rolling my eyes at how politician-like I sounded as I put the phone to my ears, talking to the district attorney.

"Especially after the recent tragedy..." I added, reminding him of my role in defeating Brimstone. "Of course... I realize the sacrifices you must give to make it happen..." I continued, resisting the urge to scoff at his not-so-subtle way of asking for an incentive.

"I fully understand and appreciate your efforts. I know that your good deed will not go unrewarded..." I went on, already feeling an intense pain in my wallet and heart as I spoke.

"Most definitely. I realize you can't do it on your own..." I remarked with a shrug, nodding my head to no one in particular. "I've spoken to several other people. They all agree it's best to end the trial as soon as possible, regardless of the result..." I added, pausing as I waited for DA to process my words.

"Yes... I understand the result is also crucial. I am tracking two witnesses whose testimonies will..." I went on, trailing off at the end of my sentence as I sighed. "Will ensure the trial's conclusion is satisfactory..." I added as I waited for a reply.

"Well, my neck is as on the line as anyone else involved in the case..." I remarked, tapping my foot as my patience ran low. "I assure you that is not the case..." I added as I paced around the hideout, taking a deep breath to calm myself.

"Thank you, then I will see you soon..." I concluded, heaving a sigh of relief as the district attorney finally caved in and agreed to help me start and end Waller's trial sooner than planned.

I'd already contacted several key figures presiding over the case. To my astonishment, many of them were just as eager to get it over with as me, which was a pleasant surprise since I won't have to spend as much money to convince them.

There were still some greedy fucks like the district attorney who didn't care either way and only wanted to make a quick buck off the case, and I had no choice but to humor them.

What really got under my skin, however, was that such people would always play hard to get to milk as much money as possible, very much as the district attorney did.

I knew they would agree, and they did too, but it didn't stop them from wasting my time. Let me tell you, humoring and coaxing them like that while knowing secrets that would ruin their lives was not an easy task.

Ultimately, I refrained from using the stick because I didn't want too many enemies and went with the carrot instead, considering my current circumstances and how much shit I had on my plate

I still intended to fuck them over and spread their dirty laundry for all to see once they outlived their use, as they would only get in the way of fixing Gotham, but no one would know it was me.

"Now let's see where Enchantress and Nightshade went..." I muttered, sighing as I activated my personal computer power and went to work, tracking the two heroines.

...

"She really is alive..." Commissioner Gordon muttered in relief as he fell to his knees, letting go of the phone and knife in his hands after talking to his daughter.

"Oh god... oh god..." he remarked, tears streaming down his eyes as he leaned on the ground for support, to which Nightwing smiled and helped him up, hugging him as he stood.

"It's ok... the police are on their way... I'll stay with you until then..." Dick said as he stepped away from the commissioner, retrieving the cloth on the cage and covering the latter's shoulders.

"No...! I'll survive..." the commissioner hurriedly said, shaking his head in protest. "Go after him... I want you to bring him in..." he said as he turned to the mirror house.

"There's someone already after him. I can stay--" Nightwing explained. He didn't come alone, and his partner was standing by since the beginning, waiting for the right time to strike.

"Even so. I want you to go. Please. And do it by the book..." Gordon interjected, cutting Nightwing off mid-sentence, to which the latter could only nod as he turned to the mirror house.

"By the book... you have to...!" Gordon said as he watched Nightwing walk away with a resolute expression. "We have to show him that our way works... or he'll win...!" he concluded.

...

The Batcave

"You know there will be no coming back from this, right...?" Alfred said, sighing as he watched Bruce working on the supercomputer like a man possessed.

"Dick, Jason, and Barbara might never forgive you..." he calmly added with a blank expression, sighing as he received no answer from his master, to which he finally received a reaction.

"I know..." Bruce replied as he stopped working. "Getting them involved in my mission was a mistake, to begin with..." he added, sighing as he turned to face Alfred with a complicated expression.

"I'm proud of what they've become... but they're not like me..." Bruce went on, shaking his head in resignation. "I realized that when I woke up and saw them laying next to me... half dead..." he continued, his tone bitter.

"I can't look after them forever... not after what I did, Alfred..." he went on, his expression hardening. "Countless people died because I made a mistake, and I need to take responsibility for it..." he concluded as he turned away from the butler and resumed working.

"But surely--" Alfred said, intent on talking his master's ears off until he saw reason. However, the latter didn't seem to be in the mood to listen as he cut him off halfway through his sentence.

"That's enough, Alfred. I will do what I must..." Bruce said, lifting a hand up to stop Alfred from saying anything else. "To keep them and the world safe..." he concluded.

"There is no talking you out of this one. Is there, master Bruce...?" Alfred asked, his tone helpless as he watched his master shake his head without saying a word.

...

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