I knew Batman

Chapter 11 - The Bat-signal

A few days went by after Batman's injury. I was thinking of calling to check on him but I rejected the idea. If his condition had worsened, Alfred would have called me.

I was working the morning shift when Jim Gordon came to visit me. I took a break and we went to the nearby cafe on the other side of the street. There was hardly anyone in the room but he still chose a table far from the other guests. After some pleasantries about my brother and his daughter, he asked me.

"I wanted to talk to you about Ed Nygma."

"What about him?"

"He disappeared. He didn't come to work, we didn't find him in his apartment and his mobile was turned off. Just disappeared. I know he had something to do with these hypothermia cases he was dirty but I never found any hard evidence. Maybe the guy he was working with got him. I was thinking maybe you know something."

"I am sorry Jim. I don't know anything about Nygma. All+ I know is that there was a new victim of the ice blaster, a high-ranking city counsellor and somehow Nygma wanted to draw my attention because my initials were on the autopsy report. But I don't know what he wanted with that."

"Too bad." He hesitated to continue. "I also was hoping that you have some information about our common friend as well..."

"What do you mean?" I felt awkward.

"I turned on the Bat-signal two days in a row but nothing. He didn't answer it. It has never happened before. He always was there in an hour when I asked for him. And I really could use his help right now."

"Oh." I hesitated but I knew that I could trust Jim. "He will be off for a few days probably."

"What do you mean 'off'?" Jim looked at me puzzled and continued. "You don't mean... do you?..." Then his eyes widened. "Is it serious? Is he okay?"

I nodded. "He will be fine."  

Jim was visibly relieved. "Okay then. Please tell him that I wish him a quick recovery."

I laughed but I also felt that my face started to turn red.

"Jim, I helped him in a medical emergency a few days ago but I'm not his personal nurse." I almost said the word 'butler' instead of 'nurse'.

"Okay then, let's hope he will be back in no time."

We also talked about bringing the victims of violence for an autopsy to our hospital from now on because the Police Department just lost its only coroner with Nygma. After that, Jim went back to work and I went back to the Emergency Department.

But I felt a strange atmosphere when I got back. Nobody was working and everybody just stared at me curiously. I went to the nurses' station and asked one of the nurses. "What happened?" She looked ill at ease and answered.

"You have a visitor." 

I still didn't understand the situation. Why is a visitor such a big deal? Maybe Jim came back.

"Who is it?"

Noah Greese stepped closer. "It is Bruce Wayne! In our hospital!"

I probably turned pale. My first thought was: 'Is something wrong with him, that he is here?' It didn't help that everyone was studying my reaction to his name. Somebody then told me, "he is in the doctors' lounge." 

I had to remind myself that I'm still the chief here and cannot allow people to be distracted from their work. So I addressed everyone around me and tried to be as confident as I could. "Come on. Why is this such a big deal? You all should be working." Slowly and reluctantly everyone turned back to their work. Just Noah stayed. "What does he want?"