Freedom

Part 39: In the Cage

Steel bars. Danica wrapped her fingers around the cold metal. Not the first time behind bars. She peered out through them to see what was left of the GCPD bustling around, seeking their fellow dogs on the floor. She counted nine officers whom were wheeled out on a slab. Twenty-nine, she thought deliciously as she tallied her body count since she had been broken out of Gotham. Oh, wait, thirty, she added in her head, remembering that cocksucker politician.

The paramedics had arrived. A few officers who were wounded were carried out on a gurney. Every other cop glanced her way with fury and fear into her cage.

She was still dressed in the police woman's uniform, obviously stripped and searched for any contraband-her array of knives were sitting on former Commissioner Essen's desk, along with her shotgun and camera.

After Gordon made an encouraging speech, he approached her cell. Danica tapped her fingers on the bars.

"Je suis désolé," Danica whispered softly. "Don't beat yourself up about that pretty black woman. She couldn't have done anything if she wanted to." Danica made a dark, low snicker, "Her hands were tied."

Gordon reached through the bars and seized her neck; Danica's wrapped her hand around his wrist.

"Oh," Danica gasped, "Jim." She smiled through his clutch. "Darling. Now. Don't act... rashly."

"Yeah? I don't know French, but I definitely know a fake 'sorry' when I hear one," Gordon rasped in a low voice. "Essen was a good woman. You stood by and let your nutty boyfriend kill her; so why would I not return the favor?"

Danica opened her mouth and uttered a strained laugh. Gordon released her. She gasped, rubbing her throat. "We both know that you're not capable of that kind of fun. Unless you want to take me through the service door. Give you five minutes," she added, licking her teeth. "Eh?"

"You're in no place to bargain."

"It wasn't a bargain, Darling," Danica shrugged, hand on hip. "I like cops. They do a lot of damage. Besides you already have the cuffs."

"You're sick." Gordon remarked.

"Maybe so, but not the point." Danica said gently. "Why am I not back in Arkham? Trying to keep me around a little bit longer? I don't mind the company. Ever been locked up in solitary confinement?"

"Stop talking," Gordon said as he started to walk away.

"Isn't that what you want, sweetie?" Danica raised her arms to clutch the bars above her head. "Make me talk? Tell you where Jerome is? Roll over on my boyfriend, ha, so to speak? Or, no. Maybe you don't care about what Jerome's play is, or even mine. Maybe you want to know who broke us out of Arkham."

Gordon turned.
"Give me a name."

"Not how our little game works," Danica chuckled.

"This isn't a game." Gordon said.

"Mm, for me, yes; but I understand why you don't think so ."

"You're wasting my time." Gordon said irritably. "You will remain in this cage until Captain Barnes deems it necessary to detain you back to Arkham."

"He won't send me back." Danica told him. "For it to be impenetrable, lots of people are just walking out of there like a doctor's office."

"Maybe so, but you're still staying in there. No one is going to let you loose."

"It's not me everybody wants to target ."

"Yeah, because you know what you are," Gordon stepped toward her, anger rising. "You're Jerome's lapdog. That's why you stayed because he asked you to. So you'd take the fall. If he loves you so much, he'd have stayed and you'd have gone. You're a sidekick."