Dark in the City (Gotham fanfic)

Chapter 7- Magic Man, Witchy Woman

I'm finally back! Sorry for the long wait, I've been having some life issues but now they're better so I'll be writing more!

Enjoy the story, it's not as long as I would prefer but oh well.

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The Children's Gala was crowded and glittering from the lights of the building glinting off the womens' dresses and jewelry. The stage was set up for the magician who would be performing later in the night. Selina Kyle stalked through the crowd, lifting wallets and jewelry from men and women without being seen and Bruce Wayne, followed by Alfred, as always, entered the large room and immediately caught up to the cat-like girl to speak with her.

Underneath the stage, in the trap room, Theo Galavan, Barbara Gordon and Jerome Valeska were discussing their plans along with the remaining Maniax. Once satisfied, Theo made his way to a door in the back of the room and walked outside and around the building to enter through one of the side doors, unnoticed by the rest of the crowd.

No one looked up into the catwalks in the ceiling where a lone figure dressed in all black save for a knee-length red coat was crouched on a beam, watching every action made by the guests. She leapt silently, skillfully, from beam to beam in order to better listen to certain conversations.

Finally, the magic act was introduced and the magician and his assistant took the stage. She moved to a beam just above the front of the stage to get a better look, seeing that it was, in fact, Jerome and Barbara in costumes.

The show moved quickly through the actual magic and then the two called the assistant mayor to the stage. Jerome had him place an apple on his head and pointed a gun at his head, took the shot, and missed; or, at least, he got the assistant mayor right between the eyes as he had likely planned.

The crowd screamed and scurried to hide under tables and chairs, and the remaining Maniax blocked the exits with their machine guns. The girl watched silently as Jerome began coaxing the crowd to clap and sit back in their seats, and the crowd reluctantly did so, not wanting to be killed. Theo stepped silently from the shadows and made to stop Jerome, gaining a sharp blow to the head by Barbara; he was trying to redeem himself in the eyes of the city, and obviously believed he could act as though he wasn't with the Maniax.

Bruce Wayne, the child billionaire, was called up to the stage for the second time that night, only this time he was in danger, and Dr. Thompkins quickly surrendered herself in place of the young man. Barbara strapped her onto the wheel, holding a knife threateningly at her throat, as Jerome taunted the camera and a likely angry Jim Gordon over the phone.

The girl saw, in the corner of her eye, Selina Kyle and Bruce Wayne hiding behind a curtain toward the back of the room; she knew that area lead out of the building, but also that Bruce would never leave without his precious butler. She leapt silently to a beam just over where Jerome was standing, now off the phone and taunting the crowd more with off-color jokes.

Detective Gordon came bursting through the curtain where Selina had left through, aiming a gun at Jerome, but not shooting due to the fact that he was now holding Dr. Thompkins as a shield.

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Jim was angry and scared, the adrenaline pumping through his body making his heart pound in his ears. His Leslie was in the crazed arms of the red-headed lunatic.

"Let her go!" He shouted, the gun in his hand shaking slightly as the knife to his beloved's throat glinted under the stage lights.

Jerome chuckled maniacally and gave Leslie a shake. "No, no, no, Jimbo! You don't get to tell me what to do. Otherwise, your dear doctor gets her throat slit."