Night Gaze Redemption of Joker

Chapter 9 My Fictional Reality

Chapter 9 My Fictional Reality

Three years passed and crime was at an all-time low. Gordon enjoyed the peace and silence but he knew that this was just the quiet before the storm. He knew that Ricky Hands was going to get out soon and he wondered how he was going to take his revenge. His main concern now was for the safety of his family and the safety of the city. What happens now is all up to fate.
5 days
Alfred grabs the mail from the mailman and heads inside. He starts looking through it and he finds one addressed to Jack Wayne.
“Master Jack, I believe you got some mail.”
“Really, what is it?”
“I think it's from a certain college.”
Jack snatches the letter from Alfred's hands.
“What is it Jack! what did you get!” Bruce asked.
“It’s probably the letter he’s been waiting for.”
The envelope had a capital G that was overlapped by a U.”
“Are you going to open it or are you going to look at it?” Thomas said with excitement as he peeked over his shoulder.
The Joker didn’t like how chummy they were. He was sickened by their sense of family.
“So, what does it say?” Martha wondered.
“Let me see.”
Jack's eyes scrolled over the paper and then he read it out loud.
“We would like to inform you that you have been accepted to Gotham University, congratulations.”
Jack knew what this meant. Thomas had told him if he got accepted into college he would buy him a brand-new car. Now he would be able to take Harley out on a real date and Alfred would no longer be his chaperone. Jack looked at Thomas with a big smile.
“I know. We will go tomorrow and look for a car.”

-*-

Two men entered the police station wearing pest control uniforms. Mac's Pest control was printed on the back of their jumpers. Mary looked up, and she jumped.
“Oh, you startled me.”
She thought that these two men were odd. They looked out of place.
“Did we call you?” She asked.
“Yes, ma'am. We are here to set traps and spray for bugs in the basement.”
“Well, I’m going to need you gentlemen to sign in.”
The first man wrote Will and the second wrote Tom.”
Mary looked at the paper.
“We need first and last names please. Don’t forget your time and date.”
“Sorry.” One of the men said.
Will wrote in Goodman and Tom wrote in Collins.
“Here you go gentlemen. These are your temporary badges. Please return them once you finish.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Mary pointed to the freight elevator. She told them that it would take them down to the basement. The two men gathered their stuff and they headed to the elevator. Will pulled back the accordion gate and they got in. The elevator shook as it descended and the chain rattled from above. It finally came to a stop and the metal frame knocked against the concrete floor. Tom opened the gate and they headed in. The basement was humid; it smelled stale and moldy. Will sneezed and wiped his nose on his handkerchief. Tom went to the far wall to the left. He started knocking because he was listening for someone to knock back. The person on the other side of the wall tapped three times. Tom placed the ladder against the wall. He climbed up and drilled two big holes.
“Hey Will.”
“Yeah.”
“Once you finish setting up the dynamite, I need you to help me with the wiring.”
“Sure.”
The sound of shuffling resonated off the brick walls. Will climbed up and wrapped the strings of dynamite around the tops of the support beams. He stretched them around the full circumference of each one. The darkness of the basement casted the perfect shadow. Will was happy none of it could be seen. He attached the fuses and attached the line snuggly under the floorboard. Then he grouped the lines together and handed them to Tom. Tom made sure he had two even bunches in both hands and he threaded them through the holes. The man in the sewer pulled until the lines were tight. Tom jammed some putty in the hole and around the wires so that the light wouldn’t seep into the basement. Then they cleaned up the area. The first job was done. Will sprayed around the perimeter and Tom reached into one of the bags and pulled out a trap with a rat in it. They headed back up the elevator. Mary heard it rattling up the shaft.
“So, how did it go? Did you see any vermin?” Mary asked jokingly.
“Yes, we caught a rat while we were down there.”
“Tom held up the trap.”
It took everything inside of Mary not to scream.
Will sprayed around the desks and Tom headed to the utility closet and deployed a fake bomb. He did that just in case someone caught wind of what they were doing. The two men headed back to the front and turned in their badges.
“Here’s our badges ma’am.”
“Thank you, gentlemen.”
They headed out of the station and they jumped into their truck. Will took a folded piece of paper from his pocket. He pulled a pencil from behind his ear and he drew a line through the word police station.
“That’s one building down.”
“Only five more to go.
-*-


“Where is he? I can't believe he's running so late.”
Barb looked down the corridor and Gordon still wasn't there.
“What could be taking him so long?”  She wondered.
Barbara walked over to the nurse's desk.
“Excuse me, nurse. Could I use your phone please?”
“Yeah, sure darling.”
“Thank you.”
The nurse turned the phone towards her and Barbara dialed the station. Mary picked up the phone.
“This is Gotham Central. My name is Mary. How can I help you?”
“Hi, Mary.”
“Who is this?”
“It’s Barbra Gordon.”
“Oh, hey Barb.”
“Mary, have you seen my husband?”
“Yeah, he left a little while ago. I thought he would be at the hospital by now.”
“Oh.”
“Thank you.”
Barb hung up the phone and sat back down. It was five minutes till their appointment, it was starting to feel like dèjá vu. She couldn't believe it was happening again. Then she heard the hum of the elevator. The up arrow lit up. The hum got louder. Then the elevator dinged and the door opened. Gordon stepped out and was met with a cold stare. He could see that she was angry. All he could do was face the situation head on.
“Where have you been?”
“Well.”
“I told you to be here ten minutes early.”
“Honestly dear I tried but your mother called before I left the station.  She said she needed more clothes for junior. So, I ran by our house and grabbed them. Then I dropped them off. I barely made it on time.”
Barbra wasn’t amused. This was their last appointment before the baby was born. She needed Gordon to hear what the doctor had to say and she wasn't going to do this alone again. Gordon sat down beside her and she gave him a hard pinch.
“What was that for?”
“You knew this appointment was important to me. Why didn't you send him extra clothes in the first place?”
“I don't know.”
“I can't believe you.”
Barbra started crying and she scooted her chair away from him. Gordon sighed and he noticed all the women in the room were giving him a stern look.
“Barb I’m sorry.”
“Oh, now you’re sorry.”
He sighs again and a nurse approaches them. Two men came around the corner and Gordon only caught a glimpse of the name on the back of their uniforms. It read Mac's Pest Control.
“Are you okay ma’am?” The nurse asked.
“I’m fine.” She said as she stared at Gordon.
“Okay, if you will both come this way Dr. Hickman will see you in room 102.”
“Okay.”
“Sir, you can have a seat in there. I need to check your wife's weight and her vitals.”
The nurse puts a new form on the clipboard. She goes through the list and marks down the information as she gathers it.
“Thank you, ma’am. Everything looks great. This way please.”
Barb followed her back to the room. She went in and laid on the bed.
The nurse closed the door and a few minutes later the doctor came.
“Knock knock.” The doctor said as he entered.
“Hello Dr. Hickman.” Barb said.
The doctor came in and grabbed the clipboard that hung at the end of the bed. Then he sat down on the small bench and he scooted closer to her.
“Well let's take a look at your chart.”
He paused and he read it for a bit.
“Barb, it looks like everything is on track. The only thing that's a little off is your blood pressure. It looks a little high. Are you stressed? Are you eating well?”
“I’m not stressed and I had breakfast before I came.” She said as she stared at Gordon.
“Well, good. Now I just wanted to go over your procedure really quick. I'm sure you remember it from last time but the hospital requires us to do this. In a little bit the anesthesiologist will join us. It says here that you don't want to have a natural birth and that you want an epidural.”
“Yes.” She nodded.
“Now remember if you have any concerns make sure to let us know.
Hickman went over the procedure. There weren't any changes that they noticed. Ten minutes later an anesthesiologist named Tammy came in. Barb and Gordon asked her about the medicines they wanted this time. She agreed with their decisions and everything was set. Tammy excused herself and she left the room. Dr. Hickman was happy they didn't seem as nervous this time around.
“So, I'm curious, do you two have any names picked out?” The doctor asked.
“Yes. If it’s a girl we will call her Barbra and if we have another boy, we will name him John after my father.”
“Good, good. Those are two nice names.”
“Thank you.”
“Well, I guess we will see each other when the baby comes.”
-*-
Montgomery went through the mail on his desk and he noticed a familiar envelope. It was blue and gold and it was addressed to him. The Captain opened the envelope and pulled out an invitation. It was inviting him to the 10th annual fundraiser for the police department. He read on and it said. “Welcome one and all to this year's Policeman’s Ball. We would be glad to have you join us this year. This event will start at 9pm on Saturday and don’t forget to dress to impress.” Montgomery was excited. He had a special someone in mind that he really wanted to invite but he was still nervous. So, the first thing he needed to do was get his tickets. He headed down to the Grand Ballroom on his lunch break and he got two. He knew once he got back to the office he would call Alice. Montgomery wasn't a spring chicken anymore and at his age he was lucky if he got a nod or a smile. The Captain wondered, what if she said no or what if she didn’t like him. He would feel hurt and rejected. Montgomery felt like backing out but he promised himself that he would try. Now that he had the tickets, he felt a little more confident. The time had come. It was now or never. His hand shook as he hovered over the phone. He could hear his heart thumping in his chest. Montgomery picked up the phone and he heard the dial tone. The captain’s finger rotated around the rotary dial and it sprung back as he entered each number. The click click click got louder as he got closer to the final digit. The phone started to ring. His hands were clammy. The room felt like it was closing in on him.
“Hello.” Alice answered.
“Hi Alice.”
“Hello Donald. To what do I owe this call?” She said with a cheery voice.
“I have a question to ask you?”
“What's the question?”
“I was wondering if you were free on Saturday?”
“I am.”
“So, uh… Would you like to go to the Policeman's Ball as my date?”
“Donald Montgomery, are you asking me out?”
“Yes, I am.” He said with pride.
“I see.”
“So, will you?”
“Yes, I would love to go to the Ball with you.”
“Good, I'll pick you up at 8 pm on Saturday.”
“Okay.” She giggles.
The captain hung up the phone and slumped back into his chair. Now that it was done, he could finally breathe. He did it.
-*-
People were going in and out of the Grand Ballroom. They were getting it ready for the big event on Saturday. The decorators and designers were looking over the plans. They had their workers unload the trucks and carry things inside.
Thomas had received a personal invite from the event coordinator. He was told that he would receive tickets for his big donation to the police department and he just needed to pick them up from the ticket booth. He wasn’t sure how many he would receive but he was willing to pay for more so Jack and Harley could go. Alfred pulled up to the front of the building. He walked around and opened Thomas's door.
“Are you sure you don't want me to go in for you Sir? It seems rather busy.”
“I will be just fine Alfred. I need a little exercise anyway.”
“Okay Sir, please be careful.”
Thomas weaved in and out of people as he ascended the steps. A woman was inside the booth that was in the entryway. She put down her book and she walked over to help him.
“Hello sir, are you here to buy tickets for the ball?”
“That depends on how many tickets I received. I should have an envelope to pick up for Thomas Wayne.”
“Oh, you're Mr. Wayne. My boss told me to hand you this.”
The lady handed him the envelope with Wayne written in cursive on the front. The back was sealed with a red wax stamp. The circle impression had a G and B in it. Thomas broke the seal and pulled out the tickets. There were four inside. That meant he wouldn't have to buy anymore.
“Is there anything else you need Sir?”
“No. Thank you for your help.”
Horns were blaring. People were everywhere. Thomas was trying his best to avoid the workers. He stopped and waited. Movers passed him and he dodged a ladder that swung close to his head. The men carrying the ladder were from a pest control company. They didn't even notice or apologize.
“Hey, watch it! You nearly knocked my head off!” He shouted.
“Sorry pal, I didn't even see you.”
Thomas dodges a few more obstacles and finally made it back to the car. Alfred rushed over and opened the door.
“Are you okay, Sir?”
“Yes Alfred, It’s just a little busy today.”
“That it is.”
“Alfred, I’ve been thinking.”
“About what?
“I want to do something special for Jack. I’d like to throw him a party?”
“A party?”
“A college acceptance party. I think if we invite a few friends, it would be great. Can I leave the decorations and the invitations to you and Mrs. Mayweather? I know it's short notice but I would like to hold the celebration two nights from now.
“That will be no problem.”

4 Days

Cobblepot walked into the visitor’s room and he picked up the phone.
“Dent said you wanted to see me.”
“Yes, that’s because I want a progress report. Where are we with the plan?”
“So far, they have set bombs in the police station, the ballroom, and the hospital.”
“That’s good to hear. I just want to make sure that you are still on track. In a few days, when I get out of here. We're going to change this city.”
-*-
“Gordon.”
“Yes.”
“Lisa Train is on the phone for you.”
Gordon had a big smile on his face.
“Do you want me to transfer her?”
“Yes, please.”
Gordon’s phone rang.
“Hello.”
“Jim, it's good to hear from you. I was wondering if we could talk somewhere?”
“Sure, where would you like to meet?”
“Let's meet at the Ritz.” She said with a slur.
Gordon didn't notice it at all.
“Are you talking about the motel?”
“Yes, it’s the safest place I can think of.”
“Okay, how will I find you?”
“Just ask for my name at the front desk.”
Gordon headed to the Ritz. It wasn't the greatest motel but it wasn't terrible. Traffic was bad. It took him twenty minutes to get there. He wondered what info Lisa had to give him. The excitement of going to see her made his heart skip a bit. At the time he didn't think anything of it. He pulled up to the Ritz. There were only two cars in the parking lot and one of them was Lisa's. Gordon got out and went into the front office.
“Hello, Sir. Are you wanting a room with a single bed or do you want one with two beds?”
“I'm not here to get a room, I'm here to meet someone.”
“Who are you meeting?”
“Lisa Train.”
“Oh yes, she said someone should be coming. What a lucky man you are. Here's your key.”
“It's not like that. I'm just here for business.”
“Sure, you are. That's what they all say.”
Gordon snatched the key from the attendant and he headed to room 402. Once he got there, he opened the door a little and he announced his presence.
“Come in.” She said with a sexy voice.
Gordon walked in and he was shocked to see Lisa wearing a beautiful black dress. Her hair was nice and so was her makeup. She was beautiful. Gordon’s jaw almost dropped.
“Were you coming from a party?”
“No, why would you say that?”
“Well, you looked all dolled up. So, I just assumed.”
“I see.”
Lisa made her way behind him and locked the door. Gordon just thought she was being cautious. Until she pushed him from behind and then he fell on the bed. That’s when he understood what was happening. Lisa pounced on top of him and straddled him. She unbuckled his belt and pulled it out of the loops.
“What are you doing? We can't do this. I'm married and I have a kid on the way.”
“You know I never got a chance to thank you.”
“I was just doing my duty. I don't want anything from you?”
“I understand but you saved me. I need to show how much I appreciate it.”
Then she cried.
“Did you not hear what I said? Are you drunk?”
“Maybe, a little.”
Lisa had a crazed look in her eyes.  She pulled down his pants.
“You say you don't want to do this but your body is saying something different.”
Lisa leans in to kiss him and a few hours passed in a flash. Gordon couldn't believe what he had done. He held his head in his hands in shame. What did we just do? How could he do that to Barbra. Lisa wrapped her arms around him and kissed his shoulder.
“Thank.” (Kiss)
“You.” (Kiss)
“You were amazing.”
“Please stop. What we did was wrong.”
“But you didn't say no.”
“I'm sorry I was weak.” He took a deep breath.
“We can't do this again. I love my wife.”
“I know.”
“I got to go, I gotta get out of here.”
“Wait, before you go. I did have something I needed to tell you.”
“What?”
“I heard something big is about to go down.”
“Like what?”
“I'm not sure but my informant wants to meet you. He goes by Salone. Here, call this number.”
She hands him a torn piece of paper.
“And Gordon.”
“What?”
“Be careful.”
-*-
“Come in, come in.” Oswald waves for Will and Tom to come into the office.
“You wanted to see us boss?”
“Yeah, I know you two have been busy but I have another job for you. A little birdy told me that we have a problem. A leak. I need you two to fix this leak.”
“Who is it that you want us to kill?” Will asked.
“Tony Salone. He's been seen talking to some reporter. The man that followed him said he was a snitch. Now, there's only four days until Rick gets out of prison and I need you two to help me clean house. Can I count on you?”
“Yeah, you know there will be an extra fee.”
“Don't worry about your money. Just get the job done.”
The men agreed and Oswald was elated. Everything seemed to be going to plan.
Will and Tom left the Tailor shop and hopped into a black car.  From there they hit every little hole in the wall looking for information but no one had seen Tony. Will decided to stop by Hands Casino. He knew if anyone had info it would be Carlo. The two men approached the front door and the guards stepped aside. They knew it wasn't smart to get in their way. Will and Tom made their way through the casino until they reached Carlo's office. Tom knocked. Carlo pulled his gun and they heard a click.
“Carlo put down the gun and open the door.”
Once he heard Tom's voice, he did as he was told.
“Sorry Sir, what can I do to help you?”
“Well, we came for some information.”
“Like what?”
“Do you have anything on Tony Salone? Have you seen him?”
“Yeah, I saw him. He was here last night. Tony was hitting on a few of my girls and I had him thrown out.”
"Do you know where he went? Did he say anything to you?”
“Yeah, he kept on telling the girls he was going to Dreamland.”
Dreamland was a drug house on the corner of Scarlet and Moore. The two men followed the lead.
-*-
Gordon went back to the station. He pulled out the paper he was given. It still smelled like Lisa. He was filled with shame. He grabbed the phone on his desk and called the number. The phone rang twice and Tony answered