Alice In Blackgate

Chapter 4

Barbara Gordon frowned as the SWAT team left after they apologized for throwing a smoke bomb in the National Criminal Database where she was hanging out in her laptop. In reality, she advised to Batman on what to do and complimenting how cool his gadgets were. Barbara jumped when she saw Alice Liddell in the National Criminal Database. "Oh, God!" exclaimed Barbara. "When did you get here? How did you get here?" Alice replied in a calm tone, "I just arrived here recently, and how I arrived... is a trade secret secret." Alice smiled as Barbara walked in closer. "Are you looking for anything in particular?" asked Barbara. Alice sighed, "I need help finding somebody and I have no idea how this equipment works. Can you help me?" Barbara nodded and asked, "Does this somebody have a name?" Alice replied, "I have no idea who he is, and I have a feeling that I have to stop him from hurting more." Barbara smiled with glee and said, "Well, I just helped Batman. So why not help you?" Alice smiled back as Barbara went on her laptop. "So, what's your name? I'm Barbara," said Barbara. "I'm Alice," replied Alice. Barbara complimented, "Nice name." Alice smiled as Barbara asked, "So you don't know this guy's name. Do you know what he does?" Alice thought for a moment. "I think he has some kind of.... profession in making people lose their memories," said Alice. Barbara typed in "people that have a profession in making people lose their memories" and asked, "What kind of radical being would want to make people forget?" The kind that kills your family in a fire in your own home, Alice wanted to say, but instead shrugged her shoulders. Then finally a name popped up. It was a man named Doctor Angus Bumby. He was an expert in hypnosis and was one of the many possible candidates of doctors alongside Hugo Strange to help reopen Arkham Asylum. Alice couldn't help but feel that the name Angus Bumby sounded familiar. "Are you sure this Angus Bumby is the only one that can take people's memories away?" asked Alice. "It says here he's an accomplishing and well respected doctor." Barbara shrugged her shoulders and replied, "I'm sorry. This Angus Bumby seems to be the only person in Gotham, or possibly the only one in the world, with the knowledge to do so." Alice held her head in defeat as Barbara held her shoulder. "Don't worry, I'll try again until I make sure we find who you're looking for." That made Alice feel better. "C'mon, how about we go out for a coffee," offered Barbara. Alice smiled gently as she replied, "I would love to have coffee with you, Barbara. Really I do, but I have things to do, places to be." Barbara understood as she smiled, "How about tomorrow morning?" Alice nodded. Alice left the station and went back to Leslie's apartment. She went back to bed and transported herself back to Wonderland. Meanwhile, Batman pieced together what happened at the crime scene from Lacey Towers. Someone named "the Joker" was stalking Roman Sionis' girlfriend, Tiffany Ambrose. She had some criminal ties herself, such as drug trafficking. The Joker attacked her from behind and hung her on the chandelier on the ceiling. Black Mask sent a decoy of himself to confront the Joker, but the Joker shot him. The real Black Mask came in to attack the Joker, but Black Mask lost. Joker didn't mind shooting the decoy, but needed Sionis alive to access the Gotham Merchants Bank. The Joker set a fire to cover up the crime. The fire roared underneath Tiffany, who was frightened. Then Joker dragged Sionis on the floor and made him shoot Tiffany. Now Batman knows where Joker is going to strike next: Gotham Merchants Bank. Back in Wonderland, Alice scoured to find her lost memories. She did find some, but the memories only showed her some events in her childhood. Some of her childhood memories include the time when accidentally floated in the air because of a new air freshener during the summertime. Eventually she came across a memory that had both her father and a young man. The young man was one of her father's college graduates. Alice took a good look at the young man and her eyes widened with surprise. The young man looked like Dr. Angus Bumby! She then found another memory, but this one involved Bumby's clumsy flirting with Lizzie. Lizzie rejected his advances every time. Alice then found another memory during her stay at Blackgate. That day Dr. Quinzel called in sick, so the warden sent a substitute. Alice looked at this memory in confusion. She didn't remember that day. Then she realized something. The reason why Alice couldn't remember that day because the one who was Dr. Quinzel's substitute was Bumby! It all made sense now. Bumby was the one who caused the fire and the deaths of her parents and Lizzie. Somehow Bumby got mad enough to kill her family because Lizzie always teased him and rejected his love for her. Bumby was trying to make sure no one finds out if anyone started asking questions. They would go to Alice first. The case would eventually get colder and soon the case will be dropped for future generations. Alice snarled as her nails dug into her palms. The Cheshire Cat appeared as he smiled. "Did you find what you were looking for?" asked the Cat. "Yes," responded Alice. "I did. I'm going to kill him, and I don't care who or what gets my way. There's going to be blood tonight." Alice summoned herself back to Leslie's apartment with a look of anger. "Bumby," muttered Alice to herself. "You're a dead man." She got out of the apartment with a rush of anger. She got an anonymous tip that Black Mask was going to have a meeting with a group of assasins at the Royal Hotel. Alice didn't care if Roman Sionis is a powerful crime lord or not, he's going to help her if it kills him.