17-year-old Emily Sterling loses her parents in a fatal car crash. She then moves with her aunt Matilda, who works as a clown with Haly's Circus. There, she meets the handsome and mysterious Jerome Valeska, and unexpectedly, falls in love with him u...
I arrive at the GCPD. As I stumble upon the scene, I see officers on the floor, dead. The last person I saw dead was Lila. Blood was everywhere, desks were turned over, and bodies were sprawled over the police department. I see Jim and Harvey in the captain's office. I run towards them but I was stopped by a tall Hispanic man. "Miss, you can't be here. You need to step away." I huff and say, "I need to see Jim Gordon or Harvey Bullock right now. Please let me through!" The man then stepped away and I ran to Jim. "Emily, what are you doing here?" I wrapped my arms around Jim and said, "I heard there was a shooting and I had to rush down here. I needed to see if you and Harvey were alright." Jim sighed and said, "I was attacked by Barbara and some goon. We lost our captain and several good officers." My breath was shaking. "I can't believe that Jerome would do that. Please Jim, please don't hurt him when you find him." Jim nodded and says, "I need to go. Head on home. Protect your baby." Jim walked away and so did I. I was tempted to look for Edward but I had to leave. As I was leaving, I had a feeling to go visit someone. I had to see Mr. Cicero.
An Hour Later Mr. Cicero had relocated to a small apartment in Gotham after what had happened to Jerome and Lila. I knew I was close. I went through the door and walked up the stairs to see if he was there. The door was left slightly ajar. He was there but he was tied up and he had company. In the small crevice of the door, I could see Jerome and another person there. I covered my mouth and watched in horror what was about to unfold. "So, how you doing?" Jerome asked. Mr. Cicero said nothing. "Ah, silent treatment, eh? Here, I'll tell you a story." Jerome says. "Ah. You remember Kansas City, Dad?" Mr. Cicero was gagged and was unable to respond. I silently stay still to listen to Jerome. As I look at Jerome, I couldn't help but feel my heart racing as I did when I first fell in love with him. "The circus went through town every spring, right around my birthday. There was this guy. Him and my mom used to drink and fornicate and beat the crap out of me and beat the crap out of me." I never heard of this side of how Lila was. "They would make a whole night out of it. And I remember one time. It was my ninth birthday. Him and my mom had just finished round one of boozing, boning, and beating up Jerome, and were deciding to take a little break. Anyway, hmm, I was outside the trailer and you were there." I could see Jerome picking up a knife. I wanted to step in but I was too frightened. "And you said, "Why are you crying, Jerome?" Jerome replied by speaking in a young boy's voice and said, "It's my birthday, and my mom and the snake guy are beating me." I could hear clattering from inside but was unable to see what it was. Jerome continued to speak. "And you said, "This world doesn't care about you or anyone else, Jerome. Better to realize that now. And that was it." He turned to look at Mr. Cicero and smiled. Walking up to Mr. Cicero, he then tells him, "Well, you see, there's this guy Dad. He believes in me. He thinks I'm going to be a star. And tonight, all of Gotham will see that, too." Jerome began to take the gag out of Mr. Cicero's mouth and then said, "Except for you, 'cause you'll be, you know, dead." Mr. Cicero then says, "Jerome-" "Oh, is this the part where you say how sorry you are? Hmm? How you should have believed in me? How it's not too late to start again? News flash, Dad, it's too late." My heart sank. I knew it wasn't too late for him to be redeemed again. Mr. Cicero gasped and said, in a begging tone of voice, "You don't have to do this." Jerome began to think and said, "No. I'm pretty sure I do." Mr. Cicero tried to redeem himself by saying, "I was a bad father. But I did love you. To kill me for that-" Jerome begins to laugh hysterically. "That's not why I'm gonna kill you." Jerome picks up a large blueprint and tosses it onto the floor. "Plans to Arkham Asylum". Jerome gathers a clump of letters and says, "And look at these." Forgetting that his father is blind, Jerome walks up to him and says, "Letters between you and your troubled son. Innocent at first glance, but Detective Gordon-You remember him, right? He'll feel little bumps, a secret message written in braille between you and your son discussing my escape." Jerome smiles and throws the letters up in the air and as they fall down towards the floor, I try to get that exact letter but Jerome speaks with causes me to jump. "Finally, the knockout gas used to disable the orderlies. 'Cause you see, Dad, this guy I was telling you about, he's the one who broke me out of Arkham. He doesn't want anyone to know about that, obviously. So, the police will find these letters. Hmm. They'll think," Jerome sighs. "The blind old fool really loved his son. What a wonderful father." Jerome begins to mockingly sob. "There won't be a dry eye in the house." Mr. Cicero then says, "They'll never believe it." Jerome quickly says, "Ah, sure they will. Cops are dumb." The girl that was there says abruptly, "There's nothing to eat in this dump. Finish up and let's go." Jerome turns to Mr. Cicero and says, "Sorry you're gonna miss my big night, Dad. But, hey, you're psychic, so tell me, do I kill?" Mr. Cicero lets out a prophecy that sent shivers down my spine. "You will be a curse upon Gotham. Children will wake from sleep screaming at the thought of you. Your legacy will be death and madness." Jerome gets in Mr. Cicero's face and laughs
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"Well, say hi to Mom for me." I hear Jerome say. The door is closed and I can't see anything else. Suddenly, I hear running footsteps and I hide behind another staircase. I see that it's Gordon and Bullock. They knock on the door and Gordon says, "G.C.P.D". I wanted to interject but I was too scared. "G.CP.D. Mr. Cicero, it's Detective Gordon. We need to speak to you about your son." There was no response. "Mr. Cicero?" I hear a grunt and I close my eyes; knowing it was Mr. Cicero struggling for his life and I didn't do anything. Harvey and Gordon kick the door down and I hear a gasp. I can't take it anymore. I run towards them and say, "Stop!" Harvey and Gordon turn to see me. Gordon looks at me and pulls me in the door. "What do you know about this?" Gordon asks me. "I saw Jerome and some other woman. I-I-I-I was too scared to help him." Gordon looks towards the window and sees that it's open while Harvey checks on Mr. Cicero. He had a knife stuck in his left eye. I see Harvey look at someone that Mr. Cicero was holding onto. "Harvey, don't!" I yell but it was too late. Smoke was let out of a can and Harvey was already getting dizzy. I cover my mouth and nose, while Gordon and I try to drag Harvey out. The smoke has overtaken me and Gordon. I start coughing along with Gordon. I fall against the wall, next to Gordon. He tries to cover me but the smoke has overcome us. I start to go in and out of consciousness. I can only hold onto Jim's hand. I look at him as we start to breathe heavily. I then hear whistling and a deep, yet raspy voice saying, "Detective Gordon, old pal."
