Crazy on the Inside

Chapter Nine

Later that same week, Jim and I were out on a normal patrol on the east side of Gotham. Just as I was going to ask to go get some coffee, we heard a screeching of tires. There, just under a bridge, was a school bus full of Gotham cheerleaders. In front of it was a tanker truck that had pulled in front of the bus. Two men had gotten out of eather sides of the tanker truck, each holding a rifle. And then another person stepped out of the right side. He had beautiful, flame like strawberry hair. Why was that so familiar? He came around the back side of the truck and grabbed the hose and took it to the front of the bus. Berry, as I decided to call him right then, pulled a revolver out of his pocket and tapped on the doors to the bus. Jim and I were watching from behind the tanker truck, and he had already called for backup. There was a single gunshot, and then screaming and laughter. Clearly, Berry had been dowsing the whole bus in what seemed to be gasoline. There was another gunshot, followed by more screaming and more of his laughter. By now, the backup that Jim called for had arrived, and both he and I stepped out from behind the truck. The other two men thank came out of the truck when they first arrived were standing outside, each holding lighters. Then, Berry had backed out of the bus. Holy shit. I almost dropped my gun at the sight of him. Jim had pointed the gun at Berry and said "Turn around and drop what you're holding, slowly and carefully. Maybe then I won't shoot." As Berry turned around, he had a smile on his face. Another thing that was oddly familiar. The smile that could have killed me right there, had I not looked away. When I looked back at him, he smiled even more and he fucking winked at me while saying "What's wrong, gorgeous? Do I make you nervous?" He turned back to Jim and said "My pleasure, officer." What Jim and I noticed too late was that he was holding a lighter, and it was lit. SHIT. I climbed pass the flaming tongues and onto the bus and tried to turn it on. Of course, with my luck, the engine hesitated to start. But once I had gotten it to start, I drove just as the fire reached the underside of the bus. I pulled up far enough and out of the way of the blaze. I turned around and asked if everyone was alright. Once I got a "yeah" or something to that effect, I practically sprinted out of the bus and to my partner. The tanker truck was just pulling out from under the bridge, and I noticed that Berry was laughing his ass off while hanging off the side. That's it! He was the one at the Sub Shop when Iwas There with Essen! Mentally debating with myself on which to tell the others, I ran over to Jim and said "It's them. They were the maniax!" He just looked at me, then to the bus where all the cheerleaders were still drenched in the gasoline. "We have to get them out of there, and then I think that it's a good idea to go back to the department." I nodded. That sounded like a very good plan.