This Gray Weather Will Fade

The video screen shook violently as it came into focus on the man everyone had feared from the start. And yet, even though the message was what the people of Gotham were expecting, the panic still washed over every one of them. A bomb was nothing out of the ordinary, but the place where it was set definitely was a new turn for the Joker, and obviously not in the best of ways.

Nora stood leaning against her desk, with her arms crossed with one hand near her mouth, watching the news. Bruce stood next to her, hands in his pockets also listening intently. They both had the same serious expression on their face, no doubt thinking about what the Joker was planning to do next. Although, that wasn’t the only thing on Nora’s mind.

What was controlling her thoughts was how Bruce could play his role so perfectly without any suspicion. Not Batman, but the person whom he pretended to be. It was clear, the Batman was his true identity. He was full of compassion, mercy, and sacrifice. But Bruce, he was incompetent, arrogant, and egotistic. Why couldn’t he be the former at all times?

He’s more of a man than anyone I've ever met. She bit lightly on her knuckle, then instantly straightened herself out to rebuild the wall that surrounded her, and denied the thought had ever entered her mind.

“Is something wrong?” Bruce asked, clearly watching and taking notice of her change in attitude.

“Yes.” She said, pointing at the screen with her hand.

Bruce shrugged, turning his back on her and walking towards Mr. Fox’s office. Nora whipped around, not thinking about what she might say, but her anger over her thoughts and what was consuming this city got the best of her.

“How can you stand there and pretend like you don’t care? Does it get tiring after awhile?” She snapped, and Bruce quickly faced her.

“Excuse me?” He held the look of puzzlement on his features, but Nora read his eyes which held what she would imagine they would be, fear.

She shook her head, not wanting to go any further into what could be a blown cover. “Sorry,” She began, walking towards her brown leather jacket and slipping it on. “I have to go.”

As he watched her leave the small office in a rush, Bruce couldn’t help but smile out of the corner of his mouth. Her hard-head, yet passionate personality made him wonder if..

Bruce shook his head, getting rid of the thoughts that hadn’t captivated his mind since Rachel. He walked out of Nora’s office and pulled the all-too familiar book revealing an elevator.

-

“Gordon, what’s going on now?” Nora looked around, frantic police officers were scrummaging through files and running about the entire floor shouting with sheer panic in their eyes.

The Commissioner waved a hand, motioning Nora towards him and they both closed the door to his office once they were inside.

Gordon leaned over his desk on his knuckles which dug into an open file. Nora stood by the door with her arms crossed and a worried look on her face. He finally looked up at her and said, “He’s going to attack a school.”

“That’s new.” She said, standing up straight and leaning on the back of the chair placed in front of Gordon’s desk.

He nodded and turned the file her way so she could read, “Gotham Elementary? That’s manly of him.” She rolled her eyes and scoffed, this whole thing didn’t make any sense and it was really beginning to make Nora loose all interest in this guy.

“I want you to order a patrol around the building, get everyone out, and get the bomb squad in there immediately. I don’t know how much time we have.”

“He just gave this part of the tape to the police?” She asked, picking up the VCR tape in her hands.

Gordon nodded again and stood up straight, “Apparently so. You can take a look if you’d like.” Nora didn’t wait for his permission, and proceeded to slip the tape in her satchel ignoring his amused expression.

“Alright.” She said, looking back up at him. “Let’s get this done.”

-

“Is everyone out?” Gordon yelled over the walkie-talkie to Nora and her unit who were inside the school.

“Yes.” She said back, clicking the small button and scanning the rooms she passed by with haste. She doubled back after walking by a smaller room after something had caught her eye.

“Sir.” Nora told the man, a teacher by the looks of it, still gathering his things from his desk drawer. He looked up at her, with the slightest glint in his eye that immediately caught her suspicion. “Are you a teacher?” She asked, tilting her head with question.

The man smiled slightly, zippering shut his book-bag. “A sub.” He said, getting up and walking towards her. When he reached Nora, he held out his hand, “Glen Harry.” Nora eyed his hand, still held out to her, and she hesitantly took it, not replying. He raised a friendly eyebrow, “And your name?”

“Mr. Harry-” She began.

“Glen.” He smiled.

“Mr. Harry.” She said flatly, “Get out of the building.” Nora stepped aside and held out her arm motioning him into the hallway. Glen put up his hands in a joking matter and walked past her, carrying his book-bag and making his way down the hall.

Nora was about to turn away when she decided to make sure he actually left, and as soon as he was a few feet away from the exit, Nora saw him tilt his head up at the camera in the corner of the ceiling.

Without hesitation, Nora brought the walkie-talkie up to her mouth, “James, there’s a man coming outside now, side exit. He’s carrying a book-bag and wearing a black jacket.”

“I see him.” James, a friendly officer in her unit, said on the other end. “What about him?”

“I don’t like him.”

A laugh was heard on the other end, “Gotcha.” Nora didn’t respond to his comment, but kept her eyes locked on the camera in the corner of the hall.

“Can someone get the camera feeds on the one in the northeast corner wall?” Nora said into the device, deciding to finally walk away and continue her look-out for kids who may have fallen behind in the evacuation.

“Give me ten minutes.” An officer responded.

Nora didn’t respond again, she was caught standing in the middle of the hallway somehow by herself on the second floor. And as she looked down the stranded hall, she saw the ceiling lights turn off one by one coming towards her.

Nora consciously held up her gun in that direction, cocking it silently and moving towards the lockers on the right side. It was surprisingly dark on this Tuesday afternoon, and Nora could just make out the silhouette of the doors down the hallway.

Suddenly, she felt a tug on her right shoulder and she was tossed into the classroom behind her, hearing the sound of the door closing. Nora rolled, facing the one responsible and pointing her gun at him aggressively, but then she lowered it, realizing who it was standing in the corner staring back at her.

“How did you get in here?” She quietly asked, putting her weapon away.

He answered in his growl, “Window.” He motioned behind her, making her turn around and nod her head like she was impressed. “It’s in here.” Nora noticed he held a small device which he had just switched on, and it immediately sent off a signal which filled the room.

“Radiation?” She asked knowingly, and he nodded. Nora took in her surroundings, noticing she was in the same room where she had excused the substitute teacher.

The Batman walked towards the desk, and Nora had placed herself next to him, glancing at the signal screen he held. As they both walked, they finally stopped at the teachers desk. Handing the device to Nora, Batman pushed the desk with ease out of the way, and Nora continued to walk to the very center of where the desk had been.

Finally, the device beeped wildly as Nora looked down at the tile underneath her feet. She noticed it was loose and she tossed the device back to Batman. Nora kneeled down and moved the large tile, revealing the clock of the bomb which was quickly ticking away.

But once again, something seemed off. Not just to Nora, but to Batman as well. They both looked at it in bewilderment, and they both said in unison, “It’s fake.”

Nora shook her head and stood back up, pacing the room slowly with her head in her hands. She stopped and turned to him, “Why would he plant a fake bomb? Just to mess with us?”

The Batman still stared at the ticking clock, and Nora stomped over and pulled the first wire that she felt with her fingers. It shut off, and he looked at her. “It was another test.”

“Test for what?” She asked, crossing her arms again.

“You.” He said simply.

“But he doesn’t even know who I-” Nora stopped herself, thinking back to the camera in the hallway. Just as she was about to turn, her radio went off.

“Gray, did you find it? Do you need the bomb squad?” Gordon frantically asked over to her.

Nora picked up her radio, “No. It was a fake.” She answered. “James, did you keep an eye on the sub?”

An overwhelmed, disappointing sigh came over the radio, “We had him, he’s gone now.”

Nora rubbed her forehead with her fingers. “Damn.” She whispered to herself, then glanced up at the Batman who was no longer there.

“I need the camera feed now.”