Multiverse Reborn: Batwoman

Chapter 16

Jacob Kane was sitting in the interrogation room of Arkham Asylum with Sophie as Jonathan Cartwright was led into the room.

"So, the great Commander Kane has finally come running to this little mouse for help." Mouse said.

"You knew I'd come here didn't you." Jacob said through gritted teeth.

"I knew that even the King of the Crows would come running when he finally was forced to face the truth that he failed and his daughter paid the price for it." Mouse said smugly as he watched Sophie have to restrain Jacob at those words.

"So you knew that Beth Kane was still alive and you never thought to tell anyone. Why not give that information to the Crows, maybe try to get your sentence shortened?" Sophie asked.

"Because Beth Kane is not really alive. Not anymore. She died the day she realized her dear old dad believed she had." Mouse said.

"If you know where my daughter is you better start talking before I tell them to turn the cameras off in here." Jacob said.

"Oh, but you've already seen her. In fact, I believe your guys are already looking for her." Mouse said.

"What are you talking about?" Jacob demanded.

"You already know, but you just don't want to admit it, because admitting would mean that you failed not only to protect your city, but even worse, your own family." Mouse said joyfully.

"Alice." Sophie realized.

"No, no, you're lying. Beth isn't a killer." Jacob said.

"You're right, Beth isn't a killer, but Alice is. Alice in Wonderland was always her favorite read. Honestly, it was her only read when my father held her captive because you gave up on her." Mouse said.

"Shut up." Jacob said.

"Oh, what's wrong, can't take the fact that gotham's newest problem is one that you created when you abandoned her?" Mouse asked smugly.

"Okay, if you know what's good for you, you'll shut up and only talk to answer our questions." Sophie said.

"What else could you possibly want to know?" Mouse asked.

"Where's your father? He evaded justice for too long." Sophie said.

"As far as I know, that abusive son of a bitch is dead. Died in an explosion. Before Alice or I could do anything to him." Mouse said.

"We're done here. Put him in solitary, zero contact with anyone outside his cell. Don't want him and Alice talking to each other when we put her in here." Jacob said and the guard nodded, none of them aware that the entire interrogation had been overheard.

"So, that went about as well as we expected." Luke said as he and Kate watched the interrogation.

"Not exactly." Kate said.

"What do you mean?" Luke asked.

"I mean, we assumed that Alice and Mouse killed Cartwright for everything he did to them, but Mouse confessing that neither of them touched him, seems a little suspicious to me." Kate said.

"What do you mean?" Luke asked.

"I mean, Cartwright had to know that he two psychopaths, both of whom he created, after him, it makes more sense to fake his death then keep looking over his shoulder all the time." Kate said.

"You think he's still alive." Luke said.

"We know that he's the one who taught Alice how to make those skin masks for Mouse, so yeah, there's a good chance of it. However, where to start looking for him, I don't know." Kate said.

"Why don't we do what we did with Beth? Start with Cartwright's last known location and then go from there." Luke said and Kate nodded.

"Sounds like a plan. But something tells me that'll be a lot harder to find." Kate said and Luke nodded.

"It will be, but we'll find him. But in the meantime, we should probably get to work on finding Alice." Luke said.

"And this time, I'm putting her in Arkham until I can figure out how to get Beth out." Kate said.

"You really think that you can get through to her?" Luke asked.

"Yeah I do. Despite how crazy she is, I think that Alice's actions are really that of someone who just wants acceptance. Specifically mine. Everything she did, I think in her own twisted way, Alice thinks that she's helping me. Hopefully once she's locked up, I can help her see that it's not the way to get my acceptance or my love. Right now, she's not my sister. She's a threat to my city and threats need to be dealt with accordingly." Kate said.

"I hope you're right. You remember what happened before?" Luke asked.

"Of course I do. That's why I'm going to put her in Arkham the first chance I get. Once she's there, then I let my concern for my sister show." Kate said and Luke nodded.