Chapter 8

While everyone remained silent, Dio observed Jim Gordon, a man in a trench coat with a thick beard and glasses.

"Sorry about the door, sir, but I don't trust the police much, so I had to take precautions."

Dio said.

Jim just turned to Batman and asked, "Another one of your students?"

"No,"

Batman answered briefly.

"As I started explaining to Mr. Batman, I came to report several crimes, and due to the nature of these crimes, I needed a certain level of confidentiality."

"I don't have time for games, kid. I'll call Child Protective Services."

Jim said that and headed for the door.

"I can put the biggest drug supplier on Crime Alley into your hands!"

Dio spoke with the most confidence in himself, but there was a clear tone of fear in his voice.

This made him pause on his way to the door, and he turned toward me with curiosity.

"What do you know?"

Batman asked.

"I know everything. The time, the place, the amount, and most importantly, who."

"You've got two minutes, kid; spit it out."

Jim said.

Dio has their attention now.

All he had to do was tell the story as best he could to the Commissioner, not Batman, who would find out if he was telling the truth or not.

"The drug supplier on Crime Alley is none other than the kindly lady Faye Gunn, better known as Ma Gunn."

Dio said.

"The same one known as the Saint of Crime Alley, heading the shelter for troubled boys, Ma Gunn?"

Batman asked.

"Yes, the very same."

"This kid is clearly one of the troublemakers, and he is playing with us."

Jim said, glancing in his direction and perhaps considering arresting him.

"I've already told you, commissioner, I have evidence. If I didn't, I wouldn't be here."

Dio replied and pulled a sheet of paper from his pocket and handed it to Batman as he moved away from the Commissioner.

Batman opened the paper immediately and read it quickly while thinking about the information.

"These dates match the dates of drug appearances on the streets, and the amounts are correct as well. The last entry is dated today; when is this delivery going to happen?"

Batman asked Dio and handed the paper to the commissioner, who began reading it.

"In three hours, if I'm not mistaken,"

Dio replied.

"Since you didn't specify the time or location of today's delivery, you must want something in return; what exactly?"

Batman asked.

"Ma Gunn has something that belongs to me—a necklace that my mother gave me—the only thing of hers that I own. If she goes to prison, the necklace will remain in the system because I have no proof that it belongs to me, and I won't be able to get it back legally. So, when you two go after her, please retrieve my necklace and give it back to me."

"Are you setting conditions for me?"

When Batman asked, he leaned in and put his face close to mine.

Dio won't lie; his heart stopped for a few seconds, but despite that, he replied as calmly as he could.

"I'm not setting conditions; I'm merely making a request. I want to get out of the life she dragged me into and save other kids. But a part of me can't just give up the only thing my mom left, even though I don't have any attachments to her."

Batman seemed to accept that answer, then turned away from me and returned to the Commissioner.

"Where are the original documents from which you copied this list?"

Batman asked.

"In the shelter, in a safe hidden on the floor."

"We need to secure an arrest; no Gotham judge will sign a search warrant without evidence."

Jim said.

"Tell us the location, and I promise that if your necklace is there, I'll return it to you."

Batman added.

Dio trusted the Batman's word, so he gave them the exact location in the port where the deal was going to happen.

The next problem came up before they could step aside.

"I'll call Child Protective Services about the boy."

Jim said.

"You can't,"

Batman interrupted.

"Why?"

"The Child Welfare Board oversees institutions like shelters, including the one he lives in, and it's quite likely that Ma Gunn has connections there."

"So, what are we supposed to do with him then?"

Jim asked again, but Dio responded.

"Let me go back there."

"Have you lost your mind, kid? They probably already know you've escaped."

"No, if they had known I escaped, they would've reported it by now. Ma Gunn uses some police officers to track down escapees, but she calls it 'using the law.'"

"Why do you want to go back?"

The commissioner asked and looked puzzled.

"Not that I don't trust you, but if something goes wrong and Ma Gunn escapes, she'll realize I'm somehow involved if I don't return. You can try to protect me, but in the end, I'll end up in the hands of Child Protective Services."

"He's right, Gordon; it's better to send him back."

Batman agreed with my arguments.

Jim walked over to the Bat-Signal and turned it off, causing the image of the bat in the sky to disappear.

Then he turned to him, sighed, and said, "All right, I'll take him back. He'll have to find a way inside on his own, but I'll leave two trusted officers to keep an eye on him from a distance."

They exchanged glances to see if Batman objected, but he had vanished just as silently as he had appeared, without making a sound.

"I hate it when he does that!"

Commissioner Gordon exclaimed loudly.

"It was kind of cool,"

Dio said.

The ride back to the shelter was much calmer and faster than the taxi.

...

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