Crazy for You - Valeska Brothers x Female OC (Gotham)

34. The Circus Part 5

Bruce's P.O.V

Jerome hands Sam over to one of his followers, and then lifts the hefty cannonball he's given toward the cannon.

"All right," he heaves, raising it to the cannon end, and letting it roll to the bottom, "what's next?" Someone passes him a bucket full to the brim with knifes. "Death by a thousand cuts, very poetic. I like that." He throws them in, only to be handed a bucket of nails that he promptly chucks in too, "Nailed it."

I struggle against the handcuffs, and then remember the things in my wrist. Staples. If I get them out, maybe I can pick the lock.

I'm going to hate this.

"Alright folks, this is very important," Jerome raises his finger as he were talking to children. "Whatever you do, please definitely try this at home. Preferably on a family member."

The pain in my wrist as I struggle to get the staple out makes me hold back a scream, knowing full well that it'll only entertain the ginger.

The staple finally comes out, letting me breathe a sigh of relief.

I try to ignore Jerome. He jumps onto the cannon, as if riding it rodeo style.

"Giddyup!" He shouts in a bad accent. "Woo, doggie!" He waves his hat around with one hand. "Yee-haw! You ready, partner?"

A loud shot diverts everyone's attention.

It's Jim Gordon.

"Detective Gordon!" Jerome doesn't even seem remotely worried at the arrival of the GCPD. "You're just in time for the big finish!"

----

Sam's P.O.V

"Nobody move!" A brutish voice calls out, and a large group of armed police officers step forward.

The goon who Jerome passed me to drops me, grabbing a gun from underneath his waistcoat and firing at the GCPD.

My attention turns to Jerome, who's still by the cannon. He ducks just in time for a bullet to knock his hat off.

He pulls out a matchstick, and before I can do anything, he lights the cannon fuse.

"No!" I yell, instantly running towards Bruce, but Jerome spots my attempt.

He rushes up to me, his arms wrapping around my waist and holding me away from Bruce.

"Let go of me! Help!" I scream, struggling and trying to elbow Jerome in his ribs.

He tuts in my ear, not fazed in the slightest by my outburst. "Say 'bye-bye' to Bruce! We won't be seeing him for a while!"

I continue to scream and try to fight Jerome off, only to be dragged behind the stage curtain. He holds me and peeks out, either checking where the GCPD are or watching Bruce struggle.

"Okay, we're gonna be playing a little game of hide and seek with Gordon. And while we're hiding, we get to have the front row seat of the prince of Gotham's death! Pretty entertaining, don't you think?"

"Help-!" I scream at the top of my lungs, in which Jerome holds a hand over my mouth, frowning slightly.

"If you didn't want to see the show, you could've just said. Rude much."

He pops his head out of the curtain again, then turns back to me, his frown completely removed from his lips.

"No need to worry, Jimbo didn't hear ya' shouting," he looks out again. "Ooh, I love this part!"

I get a glimpse, looking past him. The cannon's about to go off. Bruce is still handcuffed up.

'No!' Is all I have time to think, when the cannon fires.

----

Bruce's P.O.V

A thousand curse words run through my brain when I drop the thing that was the key to me not being stabbed in a million places. Alfred would definitely not be happy with those words. The stapler falls out of my hand, dropping to the floor.

A quick glance at the cannon tells me all I need to know. If I don't hurry up, I'll die.

I instantly reach for another staple that's embedded in my wrist, wincing when it finally unlatches from my skin.

I push it into the lock on the final handcuff, moving as fast as I can.

Just before the cannon goes off, the handcuff unlatches, and I run, getting far enough before I hear the unmistakable sound of the cannon firing.

----

Sam's P.O.V

I almost sob, the thought of Bruce, an innocent kid, being murdered so horribly. But I hold it back when the smoke clears, showing that Bruce escaped.

Jerome let's out a sort of gag or scoff.

The police force is still in dismay.

Jerome tugs me away from the curtains, back towards the room I woke up in, removing his hand from my mouth to grab the gun from his pocket, but sending me a warning look.

"Don't bother screaming. No one will hear you."

Before I can protest, he pushes me inside the room, locking the door behind him with the key in his hand.

----

Jerome's P.O.V

After locking Sammy up, I make my way outside, looking for the rich boy.

"Oh Bruce!" I yell out, turning to look around for him, "Where are you, boy? Come on out, boy. I won't hurt ya'."

My focus turns over to the mirror maze, and I see a familiar blob of dark brown hair run inside.

"Bruce, darling," I use my free hand to cock my gun.

----

Bruce's P.O.V

"Oh Brucie..." He taunts out to me, stepping into the mirror maze.

I feel my heart sink when I see that Sam isn't with him. I mean, that either means she's safe with the GCPD, or she's been placed somewhere for him to get later.

"You ruined my show, Bruce. Hiding is only gonna make things worse."

I step out, the mirrors perfectly disguising where I really am, "I didn't come here to hide."

Jerome shoots one of the mirrors.

"I wanted you to follow me. You're going to pay for what you've done."