Detective | ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴀᴛᴍᴀɴ

𝒆 𝒊 𝒈 𝒉 𝒕

As the night enveloped the sprawling metropolis of Gotham, casting its veil of darkness once more, Jess found herself defying the call of slumber. Instead of seeking the solace of her own abode, she ventured to the library, determined to unravel the enigma hidden within her card. Placing a second cigarette between her fingers, she inhaled deeply, hoping to expel the deep-seated stress that burdened her soul. The flickering glow of the lit end brought temporary respite as she awaited her next move.

Suddenly, a gravelly voice cut through the silence from the shadows behind her, causing Jess to startle, inadvertently dropping the cigarette into a nearby puddle where its ember fizzled out. "Do you always appear so disheveled?" Batman's inquiry pierced the air.

Jess, her heart racing, retorted with a mix of annoyance and curiosity, "Do you always insist on testing my patience?" A faint smirk grazed Batman's lips before his expression reverted to its characteristic stoicism. She let out a huff of exasperation and produced her card. "I've deciphered half of it," she said, extending it towards Batman. "If we're going to take down the murderer, we must work together. The first card symbolizes unity." Batman scrutinized the encoded symbols on the card, realizing it was but a fragment. Retrieving his own card, he unfolded it and aligned the partial ciphers.

"This is what I lacked," Batman murmured. "Though I managed to decipher the code without it, it consumed valuable time."

Furrowing her brows, Jess inquired, "What did you uncover?"

"Drive."

A pregnant pause ensued, during which their gazes locked in a moment of profound understanding. "The mayor's garage," they exclaimed in unison, the truth dawning upon them.

_______________

As the elevator descended into the dimly lit garage, Jess nervously chewed on her bottom lip, her heart pounding in her chest. "Stop that," scolded Jim, his gaze fixed ahead, not even bothering to look at her.

"I'm not doing anything," she mumbled, feeling a wave of embarrassment wash over her.

"Uh-huh." The elevator doors opened, revealing rows of vintage cars covered in a thick layer of dust. "He's got quite the car collection... I guess being the mayor has its perks."

The trio cautiously made their way down the poorly illuminated walkway. "Where do we even begin?" Jess wondered aloud, turning on her flashlight to search for any clues.

"How can we be sure it means a car?" Jim interjected. "Drive could mean anything."

"Trust us," Batman finally spoke up. "It's here."

Jim scoffed. Trust was a small word when it came to Batman. "Just like you trust Jess or me?" The female detective nodded in agreement. He had a point. "It's been two years, and I barely know anything about you, man." Jim's mini-rant came to a halt when he noticed Batman stopping abruptly.