Chapter 34: Chaos

"Attention all citizens!" A loud voice spoke in-between the blaring sirens," This is not drill! There has been a prison break at Blackgate Penitentiary and multiple high profile inmates have escaped into the city!"

Albert froze, muscles locking up in conjunction as he just laid on the suddenly too hot bathroom floor. The loud thumping from his deadened ears suddenly paused.

"We have initiated Martial Law! And have officially authorized the usage of military grade weaponry by the Gotham Police Department until the end of this emergency! If you are not indoors, do so immediately! A city wide lock-down has been put in place! Anyone seen outside this time will be promptly held in custody!"

"I repeat! We are now in Martial Law! Get inside and stay there until we have handled the situation! May God have bless our brave policemen!"

He didn't know what to do. Blackgate break outs were a classic in the comics, games and movies. Fans enjoyed such things greatly as it allowed the collective cooperation of all of Batman's greatest foes. But it was an entirely different feeling to actually be in the moment!

To be nothing more than an average person in one of these nightmare scenarios…

"-bert!"

"Huh?"

His voiced sounded hollow and distance even to his own ears as he could suddenly hear Marceline's concerned voice on the other end.

"Are you somewhere safe?"

She asked, the sirens echoing from both ends of the call.

"Yeah," He croaked, throat suddenly feeling dry," I think so at least."

"Good." The medium sighed out in relief, voice jittering with nerves," Just stay indoors and everything will be fixed eventuall-"

"Huh?"

The teen was cut off as another person cut into the conversation.

"Are you close to a storm shelter?"

The voice was feminine in nature and had an authoritative tone to it.

"Who-?"

"I'm Angeline's mom," She said tersely," Listen up kid. A fuck up this bad could take a day, a week or more to solve. It'll be fine for now, but soon looting and rioting will begin. I don't know your situation but where ever you are, it won't be safe enough. Find a storm shelter nearby and ride all this out. Where are you?"

For a moment, Albert hesitated. While he somewhat knew Angeline, it honestly didn't extend to a large amount of trust to those outside his lacking inner circle. But if the situation was so dire that even slimy politician was telling him bad news upfront, then he would be a fool to ignore advice a third time.

"I'm at-" He told her the name of the motel he was staying at, subconsciously tossing this location as another to avoid in the future. While he was willing to trust this woman here, that didn't mean he was willing to put any stock in her future actions if his name got big enough. There was no debt to be paid if they never met again.

"Give me a moment," The woman paused for a few beats, the sirens still blaring obnoxiously," Okay. You picked a real shitty place but manageable. It's going to be trek, but there is a shelter relatively nearby. They won't start rolling out the tanks for another hour or so. Write this down somewhere."

"Go east for about ten to fifteen minutes, turn right of the naked statue and keep going until you see-"

Albert quickly scrambled and began to list down the woman's deluge of instructions. Noticing how quickly she was speaking, he decided to write down bullet points instead. He wasn't sure how long she spoke for but by the time she was done, he had filled an entire page.

Just looking at the complex instructions, he blanched.

'Who would've guessed,' He cursed, shuffling towards the door,' Gotham isn't modern friendly.'

He was sure if that was by design or not, but the fictional city of crime had always been described as a scrawling urban jungle. New and old architecture locked in eternal conflict. Maybe in the beginning before the population bloomed so heavily, the city planning was sustainable but decades of corruption had definitely left its scars.

Now there were plenty of dead-end alleyways, misshapen streets and completely abandoned buildings. All in all, it was an absolute nightmare to traverse anywhere new.

And from what he could see, it would take him at least half an hour if he sprinted and didn't face any opposition.

(A/N: Heh.)

"Did you get everything?"

She asked impatiently after finishing up, and hearing her callous voice Albert nearly wanted to let out of few tears of relief. His hand was killing him after all that.

"Yes I got everything, thank you."

He replied, already throwing his trench coat on. While he had paid for the room for an entire and day, money simply wasn't worth more than his own life.

"Good." The woman sighed audibly, her voice suddenly growing distant," Stop looking so glum, here take it back."

"..Hello?" Marceline hedged," Will you be fine to get there?"

"I think so," Albert replied, stuffing all of his essentials into a backpack," I'll try to stay out of sight and trouble. Hopefully I get most of the way there before the police patrols or looting starts."

"That's a reli-" She paused as a series of voices chorused from the background, and he could practically hear the eye roll in her voice," Lin, Michael and Steve says to stay safe."

"I will," He chuckled softly, eyeing the quickly thinning traffic through the window," Good luck and stay safe too. I'll call you when I get there."

"Good luck."

***********************************************************************************

'Okay.' Albert admitted, slipping into another rancid smelling alley,' Maybe I overestimated myself.'

The journey through the city was easy at first. Everyone he passed by hadn't even given him a second look as they tried to scramble to safety and had easily slipped through the thinning stream of people without much trouble. Sure some harsh bumps from frantic people would definitely leave some bruises in the morning but nothing too bad.

He had felt somewhat good about the time he was making and thought his previous estimations of half an hour was being to hard on his current self.

The sound of a rock shattering window, quickly dispelled his previous doubt. And like that was the signal, all hell broke lose.

People wearing a variety of things to cover their faces saw the suddenly undefended stores as an opportunity and took it. Some followed the trend and used large stones or crowbars to break window. They swarmed into storefronts and ransacked everything. It didn't matter what, they just took it. Acting more like locus than humans in that moment.

Greed.

A deep feeling that filled every single human from the point of their birth. Even beyond that, to the time they spent in the womb. At first it was for basic necessities like food, drink and sleep. Then that want expands to needing attention. The need to take up any and all time of their caregivers. Being held, played with and generally being perceived. While not being fully conscious, this greed was still there.

But as humans grow up, the need takes different shape. Toys, comic books, games, books, sex, drugs, money and other objects of luxury. In one's greed wasn't properly tempered, it would overtake them in their entirety. Consuming their every waking moment as that endless hole inside them took in more and more.

Greed is an elusive beast and can take up any form that it needs. But for human's, it's most common form is always Curiosity. The need to figure something out. The need to peel back secrets of the universe itself. The need to know 'why'.

Or in this case, the need to know who will stop them from taking the livelihood of others. While not everyone, all it took was seeing a single person doing exactly that before greed alighted in their hearts.

As for the person who would stop these opportunistic people?

'Sure as hell isn't going to be me.'

Albert inwardly said while tucking his metaphorical tail between his legs and getting the hell out of there. Hoping that no one would single him out for anything, what could he actually offer? Everything not tied down was up for grabs! At least until the city got back into a rough semblance of order.

Keeping his head down, he couldn't help but notice the looting. It hadn't even been ten minutes and people had already lost their minds. He guessed it was blessing that at least no fights had broken out just yet. But judging from how quickly general order had fallen into shambles, he wouldn't be holding his breathe.

As he passed storefronts, he could see store owners giving him weary but determined looks as they seem to be clutching at a variety of different weapons. Brooms, pots, pans and some of the older people even had shotguns at the ready. Their cold eyes told him they wouldn't hesitate to use them. Feeling a shiver run up his spine under their weight gaze, he picked up his pace.

Those owners would not be looted without a fight, it might even result in death. Sure, it'll scare away the less determined looters but at first. If the city couldn't solve this within a day or two, people would start getting desperate. A desperate people was capable of cruel things.

Desperation would strip away that thin veneer of civility and make even the mildest of person act like a beast. Ravaging, killing and stealing to their hearts' content. Sure they would feel some semblance of guilt after everything goes back to normal, but that's only reserved for those who weren't born 'wrong'.

Those born with something missing within them, would find this new freedom quite enjoyable. A place in which they no longer needed to hide their desires and wants? Frankly, this times of anarchy would be like a breathe of fresh air. Want to get revenge against a terrible manager? Done. Kill the neighbor's annoying dog? Simple enough. Get payback on a past lover? Whose going to stop you?

They would lap up this time of chaos like wild hounds, and rip through lives without remorse. 'Survivor Groups', Gangs, would form through this an upcoming tyrants would strike their claim to territory. Committing mass atrocities against their fellow man. Theft. Battery. Robbery. Kidnapping. Torture. Murder. Sexual Assault.

Nothing would be off the table.

And after the constrains of civil society comes back into play? They would slip on their humans masks and go on about theirs lives. Their darkest desires truly sated for the first time in their lives. They would not care for the lives they cut short, the scars they've left behind, both mental and physical.

All these vile actions would be quickly shunted under the rug as there either wouldn't be any evidence linking them or their actions would be excused due to the emergency.

And if any of their surviving victims tried to confront them? They would hide behind the leg of the law and be at ease with their apparent physical immunity.

'Maybe I'm being way too pessimistic?' Albert mused to himself, looking down at the list of instructions,' While I'm sure there will be some truly awful people who come out this, the opposite will be true too.'

Where there is dark, light mustn't be too far behind. In times of great turmoil, individuals will rise up. Becoming either guardians or pillars of their communities. Their hidden charisma unfurling under the pressure and transforming into grand existences.

Heroes.

Albert knew that this event would spark a lot of heroic spirits aflame for years to come. Inspire new and positive change. Becoming the focal point for people to kick themselves into high gear and actually try to fix this accursed city.

While not always wearing spandex, some of these heroes might be fresh blood for the ever corrupt Police Department. Or maybe some of those corrupt cops will see the results of their actions and turn over a new leaf. Sure they might not live soon after but it's the thought that counts.

All in all, this lock-down would long lasting repercussions both good and ill for years to come. Permanently leaving a mark on Gotham in it's history.

"HEY!"

Albert snapped his eyes in the direction of the voice, shrinking further into himself as to avoid attracting the eye. Standing before a ruined store, two men stood facing off against each other. One man looked like the stereotypical gangster; bugling muscles, tattoos and permanent scowl plastered on his face. While the other man looked completely ordinary, seeming like the type of person that would normally just fade into the background.

Despite the gangster being both taller and more muscular than the man, he didn't seem wary in the slightest. In-fact, Albert could've sworn he seemed a bit self-assured.

"We were here first." The ordinary man said calmly," There's plenty to go around and no need to squabble over such petty things."

"What?!" The gangster looked a bit confused at his unusual way of speaking,"Are you lost or something? This is the Mud Dragon's territory! We own this entire fucking block!"

"If it's about money then don't worry about it." The man smiled slightly, waving for his companions to continue emptying the store," I can, for sure, pay."

"It's not about the money!" The gangster growled, looming over him," It's about respect! Nobody would take us seriously if we let some looters steal from us!"

"If it's about the damage, I can reim-"

He was interrupted by vicious blur of movement before he tumbled to the ground in a heap.

"I told you it wasn't about the money!"

The gangster snarled, kicking at the man in the ribs. Who in kind only groaned out in pain.

"Get away from him!"

From inside the shop, a harsh high pitch voice screeched out as a middle-aged woman came barreling out into the streets. Her eyes wild with both desperation and madness. And from the gangsters self-assured stance, he didn't see her as a threat whatsoever.

Then she crashed into the large man's side who, as quick as lightning, backhanded her and she followed her companion exact same predicament.

"You stupid bit-Huh?"

Looking down, he noticed the slowly spreading splotches of red across his blue shirt. With a confused look on his face, he gently prodded at the knife inserted up to the hilt in his side. As if that was a signal, he collapsed into a silent heap. A bloody pool inching out from around him.

Just like that, a life was snuffed out. One well or luckily placed knife to the side and possible decades of experiences just gone in a fit of passion.

"What did you do…?"

Another male came out, gawking at the dead gang member. Face paling by a few shades as he visibility shook in place.

"Are you okay Jeremy?" The woman completed ignored the shaken man, dragging herself through the blood and over to the ordinary looking man who was still clutching at his ribs. She dragged his head into her lap and gentle cupped at his swelling face.

"I'm fi-"

"Fuck this!" The gawking man dropped the rather expensive looking kitchen device and called out to the store front," Come on! We gotta go!"

And with that, he fled down the street. Leaving behind his two wounded compatriots to their fate. Following him, a stream of five other people came running out clutching appliances of all sorts who took look at the bloody scene and visibly blanching before fleeing with their leader.

'That didn't last long.'

Albert thought, deciding to follow their example to flee out of sight. Nothing good would come out of him being anywhere near a murdered gang member. Especially if they were already established before all of this.

If that was the case, then surprisingly enough the gangster was in the right. While he had resorted to violence first, the man didn't deserve to get skewered like a pig for defending his gang's territory.

It didn't matter anymore, there was literally nothing he could do about it. Having neglected the oh so important First Aid skill, and plus besides; if he were to put that strike in terms of Call of Cthulhu, it was at-least a critical hit to take down such a big man at once.

'But just in case…'

As quick as he could while speeding away, he snapped a photo of the seen being extra sure to get all three of their faces in the same frame. Whether or not he would directly involve himself in that murder case was up to debate.

At most, the woman would receive a couple years in prison as it obviously wasn't premeditated.

'Or if it was…'

Just thinking of that possibility put further fuel into his bellowing lungs, increasing his stride as much as possible.

First blood had been spilled during this emergency and so early too, things really weren't looking too good if everything devolved this quickly. These 'Mud Dragons' would obviously be combing the streets in search of that guy's killer(s), and that in itself would only further agitate the situation. People would fight back. And the asphalt will be painted red.

Just thinking of the future made Albert involuntarily shiver, resisting the urge break into a fully sprint less he attract the attention of looters. And while there really wasn't anything on his person of any real value, he still didn't relish the idea of someone taking the clothes off his back nor the instructions that he hugged close to his chest.

The mature voice's dire warning echoing endlessly inside his head, only further hardening his resolve.

'One hour,' Albert thought,' Then the police will start patrolling with tanks. If I thought it was chaotic now, things will only get worse after the first person tries to firebomb a mobile fortress..'