Night Gaze Redemption of Joker

Chapter 7 Into The Depths of Insanity

(Snap, snap) Mrs. Wayne.”
Martha’s eyes fluttered. Everything was blurry and fuzzy. She wasn’t sure where she was but she knew it wasn’t home.
“Hey, look at me. Look at me.” (Snap, snap)
A light shined in one eye and then the next. She wanted it to stop because she felt overwhelmed. Martha tried to block the light but her arms were restrained. She wondered why she was tied down and why she could only lift her head slightly. Her sight was coming into view. She could see the nurse checking the straps on her arms and her feet. There were two big men in white standing by the entrance of the door. They stood like they were from the military with their arms crossed behind them.
“What’s going on? Why can’t I move?” Martha asked in desperation.
“Sugar, everything will be alright. We’re just trying to help you. The doctor will be here in a minute and then we will start your therapy.”
“What therapy?” Martha asked.
“Quiet now, don’t worry about that.” The lady said as she stroked her head.
Martha jerked away from the nurse's hand. She felt uncomfortable, she didn’t want her touching her.
“Leave me alone, get off of me!”
The nurse smiled and she waved for one of the men to come stand by the bed. Martha could hear squeaking. It sounded like wheels and it was getting closer. Someone was approaching but she still couldn't see anything. Then Dr. Jonathan Crane came rolling in with an electroshock machine. The nurse unwound the plug and plugged it into the wall. The machine hummed. They moved it closer to the bed. The nurse reached into her pocket and pulled out a strange black object.
“Now this is going to hurt. You might want to bite down on this.”
“What is that?”
“It will keep you from breaking your teeth.”
“I am not biting that thing.”
“Ma’am I need you to cooperate and just open your mouth. Don’t make us use force.”
“Get away from me.” She said with her lips tight.
“Open your mouth!” The nurse yelled.
Martha shook her head and a big man approached her. He squished her cheeks until her mouth opened. Then he shoved the black biting rod into her mouth. It tasted like old rubber. They wouldn’t let her spit it out. The man held her down and she could feel his weight on her chest. The doctor grabbed the two metal rods from the side of the machine. Her eyes got big. She was squirming trying to get out. The doctor placed the flat surfaces against her temples. Her body arched and the veins on her neck came to the surface. It was so painful that tears were coming out of her eyes.
-*-
“Hello, you’ve reached Gotham Central. State your emergency.”
“Hello, hello!”
“Yes ma’am, this is Mary with Gotham Central. Are you okay? Can you hear me?”
“Oh my God please help us.”
“What happened ma’am?”
“Master Bruce has fallen into a hole.”
“Where, what hole ma’am.”
“The one in the garden.”
“What garden are we talking about?”
Martha could tell the woman was frazzled from her incomplete answers. So far, she knew that someone named Bruce had fallen and he might be hurt. Mrs. Mayweather realized she wasn't being clear enough. She took a deep breath and spoke again.
“Thomas Wayne's son Bruce, who was playing in the garden behind the mansion, has fallen into a cave that opened underneath him. We don't know if he's dead or alive, we just need your help to get to him.”
“Oh my God, okay, we will send someone over there right away. Please don't do anything rash. We will be there as soon as possible.”
“Thank you, please hurry.”
Mrs. Mayweather hung up the phone and she rushed back to where Thomas and the others stood. Thomas was still yelling to his son but there wasn’t any response. Alfred urged him to step back because the ground was still crumbling around the hole. Small pebbles echoed as they fell deeper into the cave.
-*-
“Mary, you seem a little shaken, are you okay?“  The Captain asked.
“Not really.”
“What happened?”
“It's Thomas Wayne’s son, he fell into a cave somewhere on their property.”
“A cave?”
“Yes Sir. The boy was playing and the ground gave way. They don’t even know if he is dead or alive. I don’t even know who I’m supposed to call or what I'm supposed to do.”
Montgomery could tell that this really shook her and he needed her to re-gather her thoughts.
“Have a seat Mary, let’s calm down, and breathe. Trust me I know how you feel. I'll call the fire department. They will know how to handle the situation.”
Montgomery walked over to the water cooler and grabbed a cone of water. Then he came back.
“Here.” He hands her the water.
Mary took a drink and calmed down. Montgomery went into his office and he flipped through his rolodex. He pulled out the card that said Herman Roth.
The Captain dialed his number and the phone began to ring. A man with a scratchy voice answered the phone.
“Hello.”
“Hey Roth.”
“Is that you Montgomery?”
“Yes, it's me.”
“How long has it been?
“About five years.”
“Has it been that long? Man, time passes. So, how can I help You?”
“Thomas Wayne's kid fell into a cave behind the mansion and you are the only guy I know who is capable of getting him out.”
“You’re probably right but none of my men are trained to do that type of rescue. I’m sure there’s probably someone who is better qualified.”
“You and I know that’s not true. I have faith in you and your men. You are the only one who can save that little boy.
“Alright, you've convinced me. We'll do it.” Roth sighed.
“That’s great!”
“How long has the boy been down there?”
“Maybe twenty minutes or more.”
“Okay, I’ll gather my men. We'll take care of this matter.” Roth hung up the phone.
The fire bell rang. All of the men gathered by the trucks. Roth waited for them to settle down. Then he addressed them.
“Men, we have an emergency that some of you haven't experienced yet. This is a rescue mission that will require us to lower someone in a cave. We are rescuing a child who has fallen in. The child that we are looking for today is Bruce Wayne. Many of you know his father, Thomas Wayne. At this time, we don't know if the boy is dead or alive but none of that matters. Our goal is to return that boy back to his father no matter what. First, I need to know who of you have rock climbing experience. Please give me a show of hands.”
One hand popped up. The hand that rose up belonged to Sam Palson.
“Sam, today you will be leading the recovery team. Everyone, we have to grab ropes and any other materials that we need. Let’s not waste any time people, let's go.”
Roth called in a few more firefighters. Many of them volunteered to join the rescue effort. Within a small amount of time all the preparations were done. They loaded up the trucks and headed out. Three big red fire trucks flew down the street. They headed past Mary's. A news reporter just happened to be sitting outside having a meal with her cameraman when they went by. Valerie noticed how fast they were moving. Something was telling her there was a story there. So, she left money on the table for their server and she had her cameraman follow them.
-*-
At the mansion Thomas was still looking. He had everyone shining their lights into the darkness. He was hoping to catch a glimpse of his son. Jack shined his light on something. Thomas thought he saw movement.
“Jack, go back over there. I thought I saw something move.”
The light shined a quarter of the way down and amongst the rubble was a hand. Little fingers moved like a spider in the air. Thomas called out to Bruce again and this time he heard a moan.
“He’s not that far down. I think I can reach him.”
“I wouldn’t advise that, Sir. I know you want to save your son but you may put both of your lives in danger.”
“You’re right Alfred, I’m sorry.”
Bruce could hear their voices above but he couldn’t make out what they were saying. There was a stream of light seeping between the rocks. It shined on the dust particles that hovered around him. His head was hurting bad. He could feel something jabbing him. It felt cold and wet from the same place the pain came from. Bruce took in a breath and the rocks pressing on his chest made it hard to take in another. He gnashed his teeth. An overwhelming pain came from below. He couldn’t move his legs; he couldn’t wiggle his toes. Bruce was scared. He just wanted to go home.
-*-
Forty minutes had passed since Mrs. Mayweather had called for help. Thomas was still talking to his son. He hoped that his voice was comforting to him.
-*-
The sirens blared in the air. They drew closer to the mansion. There were at least three fire trucks that arrived and there was one ambulance. They all came in through the back entrance of the mansion. The vehicles rolled up the hill and they parked a hundred feet away from the hole. Fifteen firefighters gathered together. Their footsteps were like a stampede of animals. The sound caused the bats to fly out of the cave. It was like being caught in a rushing river. There were so many of them, it felt like the sky was turning black. Everyone stood back but one man fell and twisted his ankle. Bruce saw the light coming through the hole flicker as they flew by. The bat’s screams bounced off the cave walls. Bruce's ears started to ache. After a minute or so a few more bats flew out. The fire chief asked his men to huddle around.
Valerie Winters and her cameraman pulled up to the mansion. They saw the fire trucks parked on the hill and they drove over there. A fireman approached their vehicle. He asked them to roll down their window.
“Hello Sir, Hello Ma’am. Could I please have you park over there?”
“Of Course. If you don’t mind me asking. What happened?”
“The Wayne’s son fell into a cave.”
“I see. Do you think it will be okay for us to report from here?”
“I don't know Ma’am, let me go ask the Chief.”
The fire fighter went to ask the Chief and the Chief decided to come back with him.
“Valerie, this is not the time or place!” Roth shouted.
“You know you can't stop me. I have my rights.”
Roth knew that she was right. He hated that she was right.
“Okay, you can report but you have to report here. Do you understand?”
“Yes, That's fine.”
Roth wasn’t happy. He said a few choice words under his breath.
Roth went up the hill to talk to Thomas.
“Mr. Wayne, we have a reporter over there. Are you okay with that?” Roth asked.
“Just let them be. I am more worried about my son right now.”
“I understand Sir.”
Valerie walked over to a man who looked like a butler.
“Excuse me, Sir!” Valerie yelled.
“Yes, madame.” Alfred answered.
“Could I use your phone really quick?”
“Yes ma’am. Just go in that door and you will enter the kitchen. The phone is on the wall to the right.”
“Thank you.”
“You’re very welcome, ma’am.”
“Carl, get everything setup. I got to call the station to let them know we are going live.”
“Okay.”
Valerie entered the door that Alfred pointed to. She had never seen a kitchen this big.
“So, this is a rich man's kitchen. Wow.” She was amazed.
Valerie looked to the right and the phone was hanging there. She dialed the station and the phone rang.
“Hello this is Edward Nolton.”
“Eddy!”
“Valerie, where are you? You were supposed to be back at the station by now.”
“I’m at the Wayne mansion. Thomas Wayne’s son has fallen into a cave. Can we go live in the next fifteen minutes, Eddy?”
“Yeah, sure. You know you need help. Only you can find news at the bottom of a well.”
“Thank you, Eddy.” She hangs up.
Valerie returns to the site Carl has everything setup.
“So, what did he say?”
“He said we are all a go. Carl, I want to be live in the next fifteen minutes.”
Valerie grabbed her compact out of her purse. She checked her makeup and her hair in the mirror.
“Is everything ready Carl?”
“Everything is ready, Val. I'm going to count you in. 3, 2, 1. You’re live.”
“Hello Gotham. Tragedy has stricken the Wayne Mansion. Young Bruce Wayne has fallen into a cave. Right behind us Fire Chief Roth and his men are preparing to rescue him from the great depths.”
Carl focuses the camera on the men. The Captain was going to start speaking.
“Carl, make sure to get the audio on that as well.”
“Hello gentlemen.”
“Hello Captain.”
“First, I would like to thank all of you that answered the call. I know that for some of you this is your day off. It makes me proud that you boys have put this community first. Especially when there's a child down there that needs our help. He has been down there for at least half an hour. That means that we got to move with diligence. We don't know how stable it is down there. We are already one man down. The boy may be seriously injured. So be very cautious when rescuing him. Remember your training and be careful.”
“Yes Sir.”
“We will be breaking up into teams. I will be filling in for the fireman who got injured. We will have two ropes. The first one will be tied to our rescuer. That will be you Sam.”
Everyone looked at Sam.
“The other rope will be tied to a harness. That we will lower down after he has secured the child. Sam once you get down tug once so we can loosen the rope. Then tug again for us to lower the harness. Once you get him strapped in tug twice and we will bring you both up. Each rope will have five men on them. Let's take our time so we can make sure everyone is safe.”
The men put on their gloves. They lowered Sam to where Bruce was spotted. He tugged on the rope once to let them know he had made it all the way down. They gave him a little slack. Sam started moving the stones that surrounded Bruce’s hand. He removed the heavy one sitting on the boy’s chest. Bruce was finally able to take in a few deep breaths.
“Thank you.” Bruce whispered.
Bruce was covered in scrapes and bruises. There was one more rock to remove. It was big, it was sitting on top of Bruce's legs. Sam mustards up all his strength and he lifted it. It rolled really fast as it tumbled down the mound. Sam could tell that Bruce's right leg was broken. A piece of bone was sticking out of the skin. Sam pulled on the rope once and they lowered the harness. He strapped Bruce in snuggly.”
“Everyone, there has been some type of development. I just witnessed them lower a harness into the hole. The men seem to be cheering. I believe the boy is alright.”
“Chief Roth, is my boy alive?”
“Yes, he is Sir. Your boy is a fighter. We are about to pull him up right now.”
All around Gotham people were glued to the TV. They just wanted to see that the kid was alright.
Sam yanked on the rope twice. They brought them both up to the top.
“Carl, do you have the shot? Zoom in on the men and the kid. Okay they are coming this way. I want to see if we can get them to say a few words.”
The line of firefighters opened up and the men came through. They walk toward the ambulance.
“Excuse me gentlemen. How is he?” Valerie asked.
“He is a little banged up and he at least has one broken limb. We were lucky today.”
“As you can see, thanks to the brave action of Station 29. Young Bruce Wayne will get to go back to his family once again. This is Valerie Winters Signing off.”
The camera panned in on Bruce’s face. Everyone in Gotham was happy that he was safe. Some even cheered in their homes.
The paramedics got out of the ambulance and they rolled the gurney parallel to the men. They placed Bruce on the plastic bed and loaded him into the vehicle. Thomas told Alfred to get that hole fixed as soon as possible. He got in the back with Bruce. They then headed to Gotham General.
Carl finally finished putting up the equipment. They packed it in and headed back to the station.
-*-
Jack and Mrs. Mayweather went back inside. They wanted to check on Vera and Sally.  So, they headed to her room. Jack knocked on her door and Vera urged Sally to open it. Sally finally answered. Vera waved for them to come in. Then she grabbed a notepad and pen from the night stand. She wrote something and handed it to Jack. It read.
“What happened to Bruce and where is the ambulance taking him?”
“Somehow Bruce fell into a cave in the back garden and the firemen came and rescued him.”
“Is he okay?” The note asked.
“He broke a leg and he had a few cuts and bruises. The firemen say he is lucky to be alive.
“Did Thomas go to the hospital with him?”
“Yes.”
Vera grabbed her chest and took a deep breath. Sally was also relieved to hear that everything turned out okay.
-*-
Thomas was sitting in the waiting room for a couple of hours. Alfred came to the hospital after he hired a concreting company to fill in the hole. Thomas was glad to hear that the matter had been handled so quickly. He didn’t know what he would do without Alfred.
Thomas had his elbows on his knees and he was bent over with his hands on his head. Alfred patted his back hoping to give him some comfort. He understood that Thomas was worried about Bruce. They were waiting for the doctors to tell them about his condition. Time was still dragging on and Thomas was getting tired. Alfred went and grabbed him a coffee. He had to brew another pot. When he came back, he tapped Thomas on the shoulder and handed the cup to him.
Another hour had passed and finally someone came out of the double doors. Thomas and Alfred looked up as the man came and stood in front of them.
“So, what’s the verdict doc.”
“It looks like the bone in his left leg snapped clear in two. So, that means we were able to reset the bone and his leg will have miner scarring. As for his right leg we found a hairline fracture. Meaning the cast, we put on that leg will heal faster than the other one but he will definitely have a cast on both legs. We can’t have him reinjure it.”
“Doc, how long do you think it will take to heal?”
“You are probably looking at 3 to 4 months depending if he stays off of it.”
“Can we see him yet?’
“Sure, for a little bit. We are still getting ready to cast both legs. He might feel a little loopy due to the pain meds.”
The nurse took Thomas and Alfred back to see Bruce. Bruce’s back was propped up on a mound of pillows.
“Daddy. Mr. Alfred.” Bruce said.
He was so happy to see familiar faces. He told his father that his bed had wheels and how one of the nurses had given him a stuffed teddy bear for being so good. Thomas was happy to hear that. The nurses finally came and took him back to get his cast.”
“Will you be here when I get back daddy?”
“Yes, daddy will still be here. Just be a good boy and maybe we can get something later.”
“Okay daddy.”
The nurse took him away.
“Alfred, I am going to try to see if I can reach Martha. I need her to know what happened to Bruce.”
“Okay Sir.”
Thomas got to a phone and called Jonathan Crane's direct line. 
“Is this Dr. Crane?”
“Yes, is this Mr. Wayne?”
“Yes Sir.”
“How can I help you Mr. Wayne?”
“Is there any way that I can talk to my wife?”
“Sorry not at this time. We have just got to a critical part in her therapy. I assume that you wanted to tell her about her son's incident. My staff and I saw it on the TV. If we tell her about something that tragic, she might relapse and we would have lost all the progress.”
“That’s fine but she needs to know.”
“Sir, what do you have against your wife getting the help that she needs? Isn’t your son alive? Isn’t that enough for you? “Sir, I am beginning to doubt that you want her well.”
“Look here Crane. I want to speak to my wife. I don’t care about your doctor mumbo jumbo. Put her on.”
“I’m sorry Sir, but the answer is still no.” (click)
Thomas couldn’t believe that he hung up on him. He felt that something was off. Thomas didn’t believe Crane’s reasoning and he was starting to question his judgment.
-*-
Jack returned to his room. He walked over to the vanity and peered into the mirror.
“JOKER!” He yelled.
“Yes.”
“Show yourself!”
The Joker's face appeared in the mirror and Jack recognized him right away. He was the clown from his dreams.
Jack knew that the Joker was another version of him. He didn't want to be like him in any way, he definitely didn’t want to be a clown.
Jack couldn't let the Joker's disturbing appearance affect him. He had to stay on task.
“We need to talk, Joker.”
“To me? You want to talk to me.”
“Why are you doing this? You almost killed Bruce.”
“Darn it the boy is not dead yet? How is that even possible? What does a guy gotta do to kill someone these days? I guess I have to drop a house on him next time.”
“This is not funny. You used me.”
“You're welcome.”
“You promised that you wouldn’t harm them. You promised that you wouldn't hurt Bruce.
“I didn’t break my promise. I didn’t even touch the boy.”
“That's because you used me to do your dirty work.”
“Potato po-ta-to, tomato to-ma-to. You never said I couldn’t borrow your body.”
“You, crazy clown.”
“You say that I'm crazy but aren't you talking to yourself in the mirror?”
The Joker faded out of the mirror and Jack was now looking at himself.
“You coward!” Jack screamed.
The Joker cackled and it echoed in his head.
-*-
A burly man walked into Gotham Central. He wore a brown hat, a brown trench coat, a white button up shirt, and a red tie. His presence made Mary jump when she looked up.
“Hello Sir, can I help you?”
“Sure, you can doll. I'm here to see Montgomery.”
“What's your name Sir?”
“Detective Bullock. Harvey Bullock.”
“I will let the Captain know that you're here.”
“Thank you.”
Harvey has a seat on the bench next to Mary's desk. Mary gets up and walks over to the Captain's door and knocks.
“Yes.” Montgomery said.
“It's me Sir.”
“Come in.”
Mary peaks her head in.
“Sir, you have a visitor.”
His eyebrows lift. He wasn't expecting anyone but he wondered who it could be.
“Who is it?”
“He says his name is Detective Bullock.”
The Captain smiles.
“Send him in”
“Alright.”
Mary closed the door and turned to Bullock.
“The Captain will see you now.”
Harvey got up and he walked past Mary. Then he opened the door and went inside.
“Harvey Bullock, long time no see!”
The Captain stood up and reached forward and the two shook hands.
“I know what you mean.” He chuckled.
“Please have a seat. So, what brings you to town Bullock.”
“Weapons and drug trafficking.”
“Let me guess it has something to do with Richard Hands.”
“Bingo.”
“How is he tied to Morland?”
“Him and his partners are buying up all the warehouses along the shore from here to Morland. I believe they're using these companies to hide their weapons and drugs.”
“That makes sense. We have been wondering how he's been moving his product around and now I think I understand.” Montgomery said.
“My sources tell me that a deal is going down at the docks tonight. Sense this your jurisdiction, I was hoping to get some help to bring them down. “
“Sure, I'll have my best detective and several of my men to assist you.”
“That will be great, thank you my old friend.”
-*-
It was night time. A woman and her friend were attending an Opera called Sweet Summery. It was being performed at the Monarch. They were sitting in a booth up high to the left overlooking the stage. The ladies were watching in enjoyment when something caught the woman's eye. The man sitting at the table next to them had poured something into her friend's drink. Somehow, he didn’t even notice her watching him. Her friend reached for the drink.
“Don’t drink that.”
“Why?”
“That man beside you put something into your cup.”
“That man over there.”
The lady tilted her head toward the man with the black top hat. He pretended he was watching the opera. The man was patiently waiting for the woman to take a sip of her drink. The lady's friend got up from her seat and she went down stairs to alert security of the situation. She told them what the man had done and she pointed to where he was seated. The man in the top hat saw them looking at him and then he saw an officer standing there as well. He got up and exited the booth and he ran down stairs hoping to beat them to the door.
“Sir!” The officer yelled.
The man turned around and the officer recognized him.  He was no other than Jonathan Crane.
Crane was trapped, he had nowhere to go; he was now surrounded by security and the police.
“If you turn yourself in quietly, we will handle this discreetly but if you resist, we will take you down with the full force of the law.”
“Gentlemen, gentlemen. What crimes have I committed? I am merely a patron of the arts. Is it a crime to enjoy fine culture?”
“Sir, you were seen putting a substance into this lady's friend's drink. If you're innocent, there shouldn't be a problem if we search you.”
“If you must, you must.”
Inside Crane's coat pocket they found a small leather pouch. There was white powdery substance on the draw string.
“Sir, what is inside this little bag?”
“It's my medicine.” Crane said.
Dr. Crane wasn't nervous, he was overly calm. The officer opened the bag, wetted his finger, and dipped it into the white powdery substance. His brow lifted and he knew exactly what it was.
“What is it?”
“Pixie Dust.”
Pixie Dust was a new drug on the street. It made people act crazy, disoriented, and inconsolable.
Crane had nowhere to go. Karma had finally run its course.
“Turn around and put your hands behind your back.”
Crane complied and did as he was told. He just smiled as they took him away.
-*-
“Breaking News!” The TVs screamed around Gotham.
Everyone knew to be quiet when they saw Todd Jansen on the screen.
“Hello Gotham, tonight the main doctor Jonathan Crane of the Arkham Asylum was arrested. Officers say they found a certain white substance in his possession. A witness caught him trying to put it in her friend's drink. Here’s what she had to say.”
“Yeah, I was there. He thought no one was watching him but I was watching him. I told my friend not to drink that drink and then I alerted the authorities.” The woman said.
“Police say they have him in custody and they have this creeper off the streets. Stay tuned to further news as the case develops. This is Todd Jansen Signing out.”
-*-
An orderly pushed Martha along the corridor. Her feet stumbled a bit. She had so many drugs in her system that her mind could barely focus. Her eyes darted around and everything she looked at felt like it was zooming closer. She could see the countless faces of women that were in each room. All of them claimed they weren’t crazy but she wasn’t even sure of her own sanity. Martha wasn’t sure if they even existed.
It had been at least a week since she was brought here. All she could think about was going back to her family. Holding her son in her arms. She also thought about the guilt she felt. Once the meds wore off, she remembered everything she did. She remembered throwing Vera down the stairs, she remembered hitting Alfred on the head, and she remembered the look in her son's eyes as she was taken away. How could she ever ask for forgiveness? Martha thought maybe this is where she belongs.
The guards were getting bad. They tried to take advantage of her but she was never that far gone. Some nights she had to fight, hit, and punch until she found a target. They would say she was getting unruly and throw her into the padded room for a few days. What was she going to do? How was she going to escape this hell?
Martha noticed that she hadn't seen Dr. Crane these past few days. She had heard he's in jail. With him in jail there hasn't been any electroshock therapy. That made her happy. She couldn't remember when her mind felt so clear.
“You know her poor husband hasn't been able to reach her.”
“Yeah, it's sad what happened to their kid.”
“I know, he almost broke every bone in his body.”
“What was the name of that little boy?”
“Brad, Bryant, no it was Bruce.”
“Did they say Bruce? Are they talking about my Bruce?” Martha said to herself.
“Excuse me. Are you talking about a little boy named Bruce Wayne?”
The two women ignored her and walked away with their noses pointed up.
“She’s a terrible mother. She doesn’t even know her own son almost died.”
“It’s not her fault. The doctor wouldn’t let us tell her, remember. “
“Oh yeah, that's right. Poor thing.”
“Are they talking about me? Did something happen to Brucy?” She wondered.
How could this happen? She just wanted to know what happened to her son.
-*-
“Captain reports are coming in about Dr. Crane.”
“Reports? Really? What are they saying?” The Captain asked.
“Some are saying they have seen him at high society events, Theaters, Operas, and ballets. Each person that saw him said he was acting suspicious.”
“Like what?”
“They say he was watching people just before they started going crazy.”
“Is that so? That just leads me to believe that he's been drugging people of a higher class. Why, I'm not certain but if I was to bet. We will find more answers if we broaden our investigation.”
The Captain hasn't felt excited about a case in a long time. Something was stirring his curiosity. He wondered what Crane was after?
“Mary.”
“Yes, Sir.”
“Get me Parsons and Norton.”
“Yes, Sir.”
Mary stepped out of the office. She approached the two men.
“Parson, Norton.”
“Yes.”
“Report to the Captain's office pronto.”
The two men got up and headed to see Montgomery.
“Have a seat gentleman.”
“Yes, Sir.”
“The reason why I called you two in here is because I want you to take on the Crane case. I want you to knock on doors, ask questions and find me more victims. This man strikes me as a narcissist. Check his office, check his home. Find the evidence. “
“Yes, Sir.”
-*-
Parson and Norton began their investigation at the Chapman house.  The doorbell rings. Someone answered the door.
“Hello Mr. Chapman my name is Detective Parson and this is my partner Detective Norton. We spoke to you on the phone.”
“Yes, come in gentlemen. Can my daughter offer you some tea or lemonade?”
“Tea, for me,”
“And me as well.”
“Certainly gentlemen. Have a seat.”
The two men had a seat and the man’s daughter served them their tea. Then she went over to the couch and sat by her father. Parson pulled out his pad and pencil.
“So, please start from the beginning.”
“A month ago, me, my wife, and my daughter saw a show at the Monarch. We were in a booth that overlooked the stage. A man of middle age sat at the table next to us. I remember it because my daughter was creeped out by him. She said he looked evil.”
“Sir, do you mind me asking? Where is your wife? You mentioned her but I have yet to meet her.”
“My wife.” The man stopped.
“She’s in Arkham.”
“Why’s that Sir?”
“Well, after we left the Monarch. my wife started acting strange, and out of character. Within an hour she was downright mental. I had to talk her down off the balcony. I called Arkham that very night and Dr. Crane said he could help her. So, he came and took her away.”
“I see. Sorry to hear that.”
“Thanks.”
“What do you remember about the man at the other table?”
“His cold eyes. They felt like they were devouring you but my daughter remembered something else. I don’t know why I didn’t see it before. He had a golden ring on his pinky finger, it had the face of a skull.”
“And what did you see?” Norton asked the girl.
“Last night when we were watching the television. I saw them show the photo of Dr. Crane. He had the same look on his face as the man at the table and that is when I realized that they were the same man.”
“So, you saw him before and after your mom went crazy?”
“Yes.”
“I see. “
Parson closed his pad and tucked his pencil in his pocket. The two men stood up.
“Thank you for your time, Sir. Here is my card.  If you or your daughter think of anything else, please give us a call.”
“Thank you, Detective Parson, and Norton. I will do just that.”
The Detectives visited several houses that night. Each family had a similar story. The only thing different was the place where it happened.  From what they gathered Crane was causing these women to go crazy. Then admitting them to the very same place he was employed. If that's true, how many victims are there? To proceed they will need a warrant. Parson planned on getting one in the mourning.
-*-
It was mourning and Judge Colson gave them a warrant to search Arkham Asylum. Parson and his partner headed there with several cars. They made it past the gates and entered the facility.
“Gentlemen, how can we help you?” The head nurse asked.
“You can help me by moving out of the way.”
“You and your men can't just barge in like this. We are a state-run facility. You can't come back here without a warrant. “
“Here.” Parson hands her the warrant.
The lady had nothing to say.
“Check this facility up and down. Leave no crevice unturned.”
Fifteen file boxes were retrieved from his office and another twenty were found at his home. Each box contained journals, recording reels, and video reels. A lot of them were dated ten years back. Parson and Norton had a lot of stuff to sift through.
-*-
Eighteen cups of coffee and twenty-four and a half hours later. The men couldn't believe what they had discovered. Dr. Crane was a sick man. He was experimenting on the mental states of all the social classes. His targets were married women, single moms and women coming of age. He made their families believe they were going crazy by drugging them in a public setting. They had all ingested the drug in their drinks. Which made them act out in public. Then he waited for their families to admit them into his care. Where he drugged them even more. Some of these women have been here for ten years. Crane had written down all their names. He recorded everything and had even thought of himself as God.
The two men gave the evidence to the prosecutor. They told the Captain what they had found. He instructed them to call each family on Crane's list. They were to inform them of their findings. More arrests were made. Because he named each and every one of his accomplices. The news was a buzz.
Since the Captain was close friends with the Wayne's. He kept their information hushed. Montgomery called Thomas himself. He knew that he had been at the hospital since his son had fallen into the hole. Thomas probably wasn't aware of what was going on.
“Hello, this is Gotham General.  How may I direct your call.”
“Yes, could you give me room 104.”
“One minute please.”
The phone rings and Thomas picks up.
“Wayne.”
“Is that you Captain Montgomery?”
“Yes.”
“Is everything alright?”
“That's why I called. I'm guessing you haven't seen the news.”
“No, I haven’t.”
“We have arrested Jonathan Crane. He has a mountain of charges against him. I saw that your wife is one of his victims. So, I handled this matter personally. The Arkham board has appointed a new doctor to all of Crane's patients. They will reevaluate them and determine if they are fit to return to society.”
“Dr. Crane was arrested for what exactly?”
“Drugging and experimenting on his patients. Most victims did’t recognize him the first time they met him or saw him. He was wearing a wig and a fake mustache. Do you recall when your wife was first put in Arkham.”
“Yes, very vividly.”
“Do you recall the night before?”
“Um, let’s see. My wife and I had gone out. We went to the RH. They gave us this great table. There was this man, he wore a top hat. He had long black hair and a mustache.”
“Do you remember his face?”
“I saw his face when my wife and I got up to go dance on the floor. Oh, my goodness he looked like Crane with long hair and a mustache.”
“That’s because that was Crane. In his journal, he spoke of the night he saw the Waynes. Crane said he waited for you and your wife to get up. That’s when he slipped the drug in her drink. I'm guessing that was the night she attacked you, right?”
“Yeah, it was. Are you telling me my wife isn’t crazy.”
“At least she wasn't when she first was admitted but there is no telling how much damage Crane has done. He never gave her medicine to help her. He gave her mercury to make her more unstable.”
“Are you telling me I threw my wife into the care of a mad man. I didn't even know. I failed her. I…”
“Are you okay Wayne?”
“No, no. I have to get her out of there.”
“Let them check her out. Give them some time. If the doctors say that she's okay. Then she could come home.”
“What if they say she can't?”
“Then she has the help she needs. They appointed a new doctor to her by the name of Dr. Audrey Mourning. I have heard good things about her. So, just give it some time.”
“Okay. Thank you, Montgomery.”
Montgomery hung up the phone. Thomas leaned back in the chair next to his son. He looked over to him. Bruce was fast asleep. Thomas rubbed his head and Thomas smiled. Then he thought. Martha might be home soon.
-*-
Alfred and Jack were at the Hornets Baseball field. They could hear the sound of the organ, the call for popcorn, and hotdogs.
“I’ll take two hotdogs please!” Alfred shouted to the vendor.
“Thanks Alfred.”
“For what Master Jack? Here, take your hotdog.”
“For getting me out of the mansion. With all the things that had been happening. I needed to get away from it a little bit.”
“Oh, that. Don’t worry about it. We all need a little time away. Now, I must say. I do enjoy this American pastime. Go, Hornets!”
The game was coming to a close. The Hornets were up to bat.
“It’s the bottom of the ninth, the bases are loaded. Can Stilly Willey hit it out of the park. The wind up. The pitch. It’s out of here! The Hornets win again!”
Jack and Alfred jumped out of their seats and celebrated.
“So, I was wondering if you wanted to meet the team?”
“Of course I would.”
“Good, then follow me.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, they wanted to give your brother a signed baseball and hat.”
“That’s cool.”
Alfred and Jack met the team and they not only signed the hat and ball but they also signed his shirt.
“So, you're his big brother?
“Yes.”
“You’re a good kid.”
A reporter walks over with a camera.
“Can I get everyone to pose for a picture?” The reporter asked.
“Sure.”
“Can you hold up the hat and ball?”
“Like this.”
“Yeah, that looks good. Alright everybody, say cheese.”
The reporter snapped the picture.
“Thanks everyone.”
The reporter left.
“Jack, give your brother a message from the team.”
“What do you want me to tell him?”
“Tell him that everyone is pulling for him to get better. Also tell him once he gets better, he can throw the opening pitch.”
“Okay.”
They left the field and headed to the car.”
“Alfred.”
“Yes, master Jack.”
“You wouldn’t mind if I gave Bruce his hat and ball, would you.”
“Not at all. It would probably be better coming from you instead of me anyway.”
-*-
Jack knocked on the door to room 104. Thomas told him to come in. Bruce was awake and his body was propped up. He was telling his father what he wanted to do when he got better. Jack and Alfred had a seat. Bruce smiled.
“Hey Jack, your back.”
“Yeah, guess what I got for you.”
“Alfred, come.”
Thomas and Alfred stepped out of the room and closed the door. Then Thomas told Alfred what Captain Montgomery told him. Alfred was shocked. Inside the room Jack handed Bruce the ball and hat from the Hornet team.
“You got to meet them?”
“Yeah, they told me to tell you to get better. When you get better, they said they will let you throw the first pitch of the game.”
“That will be so cool.”
Bruce was amazed when Jack told him about all the players who had signed the ball and hat. This helped Bruce forget about the pain for a minute. Jack was happy to see that Bruce felt a little better. It was getting late and Bruce was getting tired. Alfred took Jack back home and Thomas told Bruce a bedtime story.
“Dad.”
“Yes, son.”
“When can I go home?”
“Within a week or so.”
“Oh.” Bruce sulked.
“Dad.”
“Yes, Bruce.”
“When is mom coming home?”
“Soon I hope.”
“I really miss her.”
“I do too.”
-*-
“Martha Wayne is here to see you as you requested.”
“Good, bring her in.”
Martha walks into the big office. The sunlight nearly blinds her as she takes a seat.
“Hello, Mrs. Martha Wayne. My name is Dr. Audrey Mourning. I am now the doctor assigned to you by the board. As you can see Dr. Crane will no longer be with us. He has committed several crimes against you and many other women at this facility. We have also removed his fellow associates. Myself and my staff would like to apologize for your treatment.”
“Thank you. So, what happens now?”
“Well, this is your evaluation. We are trying to see if you suffered any mental damage.”
“So, if I pass this evaluation, will I be able to go home?”
“Of course.”
After several hours of questioning. Audrey had found Martha completely sane and able to integrate back into society.
Thomas received the good news. Tears of joy ran down his cheeks. The doctor told him that he could come by anytime to pick up his wife. Thomas left Jack with Bruce. Him and Alfred headed to the Asylum. When they arrived, Martha was standing outside with Dr. Mourning.
“Hello Mr. Wayne I am Dr. Audrey Mourning.”
“Nice to make your acquaintance.”
“Again, I would like to apologize for what happened here.”
“Don’t worry about it, the past is the past.”
“It’s good to hear that.”
“Well I’m off.”
She smiled and nodded her head as she walked away.
“Martha, I'm so sorry.”
“Don’t, it wasn’t your fault. I’m just hoping you can forgive me as well.”
“You didn’t have any control over that. There is nothing to apologize for.”
“Alfred, I’m sorry for knocking you out and tying you up.”
“Ma’am, don’t worry about it.”
She was surprised by their reactions. Martha was feeling so guilty but no one held a grudge. That made her feel so much better. After they left the Asylum, they headed to the hospital.
Martha couldn’t wait to see her son. She was a little nervous, she hoped that he still wanted her. They were now at the hospital. Martha was standing in front of his door. Thomas could see that she was nervous so he knocked on the door and entered.
“Guess who’s here?” He said before moving out of the way.
“Mommy, is that you mommy?”
She felt all his love from just those simple words.
“Yes, darling. It’s mommy.”
Martha walked over and gave him a big hug and he hugged her back. Thomas had told her in the car what had happened. She knew that her son was lucky to be alive. Jack was still sitting on the other side. He wasn’t sure how he felt. He still remembered how her eyes looked that night. He felt hesitant to say anything. Martha also remembered that night and never wanted him to see her that way. She looked at Jack and waved for him to come over to her. Jack got up and she embraced him as well.
“I’m sorry Jack. I’m sorry for that night.”
“I understand.”
After that Thomas, Jack, and Alfred left. Martha wanted to spend the night with Bruce at the hospital. So, Thomas said they would come back for her in the morning.
-*-
Vera heard the good news. She was happy Martha was back to normal. Vera had already forgiven her.
-*-
Alfred went and got Martha. It had been almost two weeks since she had left home. It felt a little weird to be back. Martha got out of the car and headed to the door. Alfred stepped ahead of her and placed his hand on the door knob but she stopped him so she could hear the doorbell once again. Martha pulled the rope and the bells rang. She thought she would never miss this annoying sound but today it sounded beautiful.
Martha walked in and she could now see them. In front of her were the stairs she pushed Vera down. Martha felt herself about to crumble. It was hard for her to hold back the tears.
“You poor thing, what's wrong? Are you hungry? Why don’t you come into the kitchen and have something to eat.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Mayweather, but I think I’m going to head to bed.”
“Oh, I understand, dear. If you need me just give me a ring.”
She heads up the stairs and sees Jack walking by. Martha jumps and stumbles. She thought she saw some sort of shadowy figure coming out of Jack's back. She blinked her eyes and looked again. The figure she thought she saw was no longer there.
“I really got to get to sleep.” She said to herself.
It wasn’t until noon the next day when she awoke. Martha felt rested. She hadn’t felt this good in a long time but she knew she had to face Vera.
During the past few days Vera had progressed. She was now able to talk in small bursts. Vera felt really weak and her heart felt like it was racing. Her coughing had gotten worse and it was taking longer to recover from her episodes.
There was a knock at the door.
“Come in.” Vera said and coughed.
“It’s me.”
“Hi dear, I was wondering when you would come visit me.”
“I…”
“Stop. I don’t want to hear any of it. You weren’t in your right mind and that man made sure of that. We are family first. I do not hold you responsible for your actions. So, don’t bear any shame. Come here.”
Vera gave her a hug and Martha couldn’t hold it in any longer. She wept and she wept and she wept. Martha knew that they could finally put that behind her.
-*-
“Bruce, I’m going to step out for a bit.”
“Okay, dad.”
Thomas walked around to the lobby. There was someone he knew holding the coffee pot.
“Gordon.”
“Hey, Wayne.” He chuckled.
“What are you doing here?”
“I’m just visiting Lisa Trane. You know the journalist who got shot.”
“Oh yeah, I remember hearing about that. How is she doing?”
“She’s better but she still has a long road to recovery.”
“Well, that’s good.”
“How is Bruce?”
“He’s better. Everything seems to be healing just fine. It will be a few months before they know for sure. Now that his mom is back, he seems to be happier.”
“How is she doing? I heard what happened.”
“She is doing better but it’s taking a while for her to adjust. Small things make her flinch. They told us that it will just take time.”
“Sorry, you and your family had to go through that.”
“Thanks.”
“Well, I got to head back in there. See you later, Wayne.”
“See you, Gord.”
Gordon walked back into the room and Lisa had papers sprawled over her sheets. She had a serious expression with an ink pen going across her lips. Lisa looks up and hands him the paper she was looking for.  It was a bill of sales. On the form Gordon saw a name he hadn’t seen before. It was Oswald Cobblepot.
“Who is Oswald Cobblepot?”
“He is the mob boss who runs the ports in Morland.”
“Are you talking about the port town east of Gotham?”
“Yes.”
“Didn’t there used to be Cobblepot’s that lived at the Cobblepot Manor on 145 Murky Drive?”
“Yes, there used to be a man and a woman that lived there about twenty years ago.”
“Is he related to them?”
“I don’t know but they said he came into money a few years back. So, it is possible.”
“Who is he?”
“From what I gathered; he is one of Richard hands affiliates. He traffics drugs and firearms in and out of Gotham.”
“I wonder if he has anything to do with the increase of crime near the docks.”
“I’m not sure but I really couldn’t find out anything more about him.”

-*-
Gordon left the hospital and headed to Gotham Central. Now he had something more to add to his to-do list. He knew another key player in Ricky’s organization.
It was nearly dusk when he arrived at the station. Mary was sitting at her desk reading a love novel. He could tell by the affectionate panning over the pages. His shadow caught her off guard. Her heart raced a bit.
“Gordon you're going to be the death of me.”
“Sorry Mary, I didn't mean to scare you.”
“I know.”
“Whatcha reading?”
“A book.” She said as her face turned red.
Gordon noticed a strange man sitting at one of the empty desks.
“Mary, who's that?”
“That's Bullock.”
“Mary, is that Gordon out there?”
“Yes.”
“Send him to the office and tell the other guy to come in as well.”
“Okay, Captain.”
Gordon heard what the Captain said and he went into the office.”
“Mr. Bullock, Captain Montgomery wants to see you.”
“Thanks, Doll.”
Bullock went into the office.
“Have a seat.” Montgomery urged.
The two men looked at each other and neither one of them knew why they were here.
“Jim, this is Detective Harvey Bullock. He is from the Morland police department.”
This was getting interesting. He had just talked about Morland earlier.
“The reason I called you both in here is because I want you two to partner up.”
“For what reason Cap?”
“For the investigation that was brought to my attention by Detective Bullock. This investigation is affiliated with Richard Hands. If we can get the right evidence we can send him away for a long time. Both of you have information to share with each other. Today we will be following Bullock’s lead. “
“What lead?”
“Bullock, tell him.”
“Two days ago, one of my informants told me that several crates of weapons are being smuggled into Gotham in fishing crates. He also said they will be coming from Morland today on a frate from the Cobblepot fishing company.”
“Did you say Cobblepot? Like Oswald Cobblepot.”
“Yeah, that's the guy.”
“What, you heard that name before?”
“Yeah.”
-*-
Bullock and Gordon arrived at the docks during the cover of night. The cold salty air hovered around them. They approached the building carefully.  Gordon and Bullock avoided being seen by the two guards at the entrance. Bullock peered into the window while Gordon stood guard.
“Hey Gord. Is that Ricky right there?”
Gordon Peeks in the window real fast.
“Yeah, that's him.”
Bullock snapped a quick picture. The flash illuminated the area.
“What are you doing? You're going to give away our position.”
“Don’t be a wuss. MoJo and JoJo over there are not even paying attention.
“You are going to get us caught.”
“Whatever.”
When Gordon looked inside the window he noticed a short round guy beside Richard Hands. The man was wearing a monocle and a top hat.
“Bullock, who's the other man standing by Ricky?” Gordon asked.
“That's Oswald Cobblepot.” Bullock answered.
Bullock raised the camera up and took another picture.
The two men from the front saw the flash this time. They slowly approached from the side. One man split off and came from behind.
“Can you stop doing that?”
“Relax.”
“Are you daft man, they're going to see us. One minute, where are they?”
“Hello gentlemen, why don't the two of you step away from the window.”
Gordon looked angry.
“Put your guns on the ground. Hand me your camera and get on your knees.”
One guard took the film out of the camera and exposed it to the air. The other one walked around behind them. Bullock looked back.
“Turn back around.”
“Look at the mess you got us in.” Gordon shook his head.
“You only live once.” Bullock smirked.
The man behind them hit them with the butt of the gun.