This Gray Weather Will Fade

The alarming and disturbing sound of the blue and red sirens filled the air like bursts of continuous thunder. Nora glanced around her as she made her way to the scene of blazing fire the blast had triggered, seeing only the mayhem and chaos that surrounded her. Police cars and firetrucks, along with several ambulances were already on sight assisting those in need who had been injured from the sudden attack, while others tried to calm the building in flames.

Nora’s hair whipped across her face from the forceful heat of the blazing wind. She searched for something in particular, her detective wit suddenly overwhelming her with instinct. All of a sudden, out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of a citizen who was holding himself against a building down a distant alley with one arm, and the other clenched tightly across his stomach.

Nora quirked an eyebrow, immediately intrigued as to why the man would run away instead of seeking out medical help. She paced herself getting over the man, and grabbed his arm as she eased him down to the paved ground next to a dumpster for support, and leaned over him to look at the wound covered by his hand. The man wrenched in pain, and Nora saw his white shirt quickly absorbing the blood which glowed as a dark crimson puddle.

Her voice was relatively calm, showing no fear or worry since she really had none, just suspicion. “You need to apply pressure.” Eyeing the man, she ripped a thick piece of the bottom edge of her shirt and used it to push on his wound. Nora flicked her head up, once again searching through the crowd until she came across Commissioner Gordon talking to another police officer while running his hand through his hair in exasperation.

She looked back at the man, who she realized wasn’t paying attention to what was going on, only that he wanted to get out of there as quickly as possible. Just then, Nora eyed something on the side of the man’s face. It was a red streak just off the corner of his chin.

Nora placed a hand on the side of his face and rubbed the streak with her thumb and mumbled, “That’s not blood.”

The man’s eyes went wide, and his whole body went completely still, frozen on the spot until he made his one last final ditch effort to get away. He tried to leap up, but Nora quickly pulled on his collar and pushed him harshly back down on the pavement giving him a bemused expression.

Without hesitation, Nora handcuffed the man to the dumpster beside him and pointed a slender finger at him, “Stay.” She said sternly, eyeing the man once more before taking off into the now scattering crowd.

“I need all units covering the perimeter, it was a close-range activated bomb, suspects could be located!” Commissioner Gordon nodded towards his men, aiming to give off a calm and steady expression so that they might feel less anxious. They all knew as well as he, it was not working.

“Gordon!” A mellow voice shouted out behind him and he turned around to answer. Gordon saw Nora, calm as ever, but with a subtle excited hint in her eye.

“Ms. Gray, where have you-” He started to say, still holding the ongoing talk of the walkie talkie in his hands.

Nora ignored his oncoming question with a wave of her hand, “I’ve got something you might want to see.” She nodded with confidence, and Gordon tilted his head as he quickly followed her to what would give them some type of lead on what had taken place just a mere hour ago.

-

“Here at the scene which has the whole of Gotham City on it’s heels. Today, an attack from what is to believed to be the Joker, has sent an uncomfortable frenzy through these streets and who’s to blame them? Hundreds of citizens, including mere bystanders were either injured or killed during this attack, and police say they have just taken into custody a man who was trying to, suspiciously, leave the scene while injured. Perhaps, this time, this terrorist’s plans will be stopped before they get any worse.”

The sudden ‘click’ of the television being shut off instantly made the handful of men sitting on the couch tilt their heads to the left of the source and were dead silent. He was smiling in the darkness, tapping his fingers together all the while attempting to control his immense giggles.

One of the men spoke up with a reasonable question, “Boss, we don’t understand..you wanted Mark to get caught?”

The Joker popped his lips together and nodded in hysterics. “We, uh, have to let them have an idea of what’s about to happen.” He smacked his lips for the last time before standing up and heading towards the stairs.

Another jumped up, “Why?”

“You will just have to wait and see won’t you?” The Joker clapped, finally letting his amusement take height and burst aloud with laughter.

-

“Commissioner, we’ve found the mask he was wearing.” An officer handed Gordon the mask, staring at it with hatred obvious to Nora who was standing beside him with arms crossed. Gordon then looked up through the one-way glass in front of them, shooting daggers into the man on the other side. Nora didn’t take her eyes of Gordon, anticipating his next command.

“Nora, I need you to go in there and question him.” He told her, pushing his glasses up that were beginning to slide down his face. Nora didn’t say a word, but merely nodded and walked into the hallway and over to the door to let herself in, casually closing it behind her. More officers walked over next to Gordon, their curiosity about the girl getting the best of them.

“Can she handle this?” One of them asked, all eyes turned to Gordon.

He nodded his head, watching the scene unlay before him, “More than I can.”

-

Nora had her back up against the door, watching the wounded man carefully, reading his movements and drawing out the plan in her mind. Quietly, she leaned on the back of the chair across from him with the palms of her hands, causing him to look up at her, looking guilty.

“Name?” She said, really not concerned with who this guy was, it was only what she was supposed to ask.

The man sat for a moment, then answered. “Mark Gellar.” He tried to sit up straight, but the handcuffs behind his back were making things difficult for him. Nora walked over nonchalantly and took them off, dropping them loudly onto the table. She stood next to him, crossing her arms and looking down at her feet.

“Okay Mark, here’s the deal. I don’t give a damn who you are or what your record is. All I want from you is what he’s planning.” Nora said this in a monotone, yet harsh voice. She leaned into him closer, just to make him turn his head and look up at her with unexpecting eyes. “And you’re going to tell me, or I’m going to hurt you more than he ever could.”

-

“Can she do that?” An officer asked, clearly offended by how this stranger was questioning him.

Gordon smiled, “No.”

“Then shouldn’t we do something?” The same officer asked again.

Gordon smiled again, “No.”

-

“Alright.” Mark whispered, clearly frightened by how this beautiful woman could be so intimidating. His mind was screaming at him to tell Nora what she wanted to know, or she was going to hurt him, not matter what any other person tried to do about it.

He looked straight ahead at the door, trying to avoid her gaze. “All I know is this is what he planned.”

“What is?” She asked, stepping back and leaning onto the wall behind her with arms crossed, patiently waiting for him to continue.

Mark looked at her with tired eyes, “Me getting caught.”

“Why?”

Mark shook his head and looked away, “I honestly don’t know. Maybe for this reason, so I could tell you what’s going on.”

“Why would he do that?” Nora asked, puzzled.

Mark laughed with tears in his eyes, leaning his head back and looking at the ceiling while he shook his head, he was shaking. “You’re new around here aren’t you?”

“A little.” She answered truthfully.

Mark focused his eyes on her once again, “Then he’s after you.”