Detective Barbara Gordon 11

"I think I know who the serial killer is too..." Callaghan said to Elise after Barbara left. "I mean, the main suspect, at least."

"How can you be sure?"

"Being in my position, you always need to be multiple steps ahead of anyone. I'm sure you know that, since I made you the boss in Brooklyn. Small things make me paranoid."

"Okay?"

"Think about it. How did Richie Murphy die?

"He was stabbed from the back?"

"Right, and what was he doing before he got stabbed?"

"He was holding his gun."

"He was POINTING his gun at someone. There were two people there. The one he confronted wasn't necessarily your target because he didn't know who it was but he suspected it to be him. And why would he confront your target when he knows you'd be angry at him? So why?"

"Because..." Elise pondered for a moment. "Because he already knew he was working with the killer..."

"Exactly. And how would they know how to contact each other if they haven't before?"

"Because they have?"

"What would that mean?"

"They work... with each other?"

"Exactly!"

"So, who is it?"

"This is still just speculation. The detective might be pissed if we're quick to judge...."

-----

'Investigate where he lives and break in to find evidence....'

Elise was remembering what Callaghan told her.

She's worried that it might break Barbara's heart but it's also for her safety so, she is willing to do it.

Standing in front of an apartment door, she crouched down and started picking the locks.

After a minute or two, she finally opened the door and entered the apartment.

She needed to make the search quick so she scanned the place for the best hiding spots to keep something.

Elise started searching with every drawer and cabinet. Then, the shelves. Then, anything that can hide something in it. Flasks, containers.

She took hours but in the end, she couldn't find anything. She put back everything in its original place and made sure not to leave any evidence that someone's been there.

Before leaving the place, she took one last glance before shutting off the lights.

"Looks like Mr. Callaghan was wrong." She shrugged as she went through the doorway.

Right as she was about to close the door, she realized something and rushed back in.

She turned on the lights again and looked at the round ceiling light in the middle of the living room.

It wasn't turning on.

The place was still well lit and a person that doesn't live there wouldn't care enough to notice that one light wasn't on.

Elise went back inside the apartment once more and grabbed the stool to boost her up.

She reached out at the light and it moved with Elise barely touching it.

Elise pushed the ceiling light and it opened a hole. She reached around inside the hole and took out a beanie hat and a pair of glasses. She reached inside again and pulled out a partially burnt document.

She went down from the stool to get a good look at the document. "He really was the killer." She clutched the document in her hand as she was reminded of that night that she got attacked.

But she took deep breaths and calmed herself down.

She's already decided to give up the killer to Barbara so that the deceased can also get their justice.

After she finally calmed down, she took out her phone and called Barbara immediately.

"Barbara, I have something to tell you."

-What is it? I'm currently in the middle of something.

"I know who the killer is."

-Who?-Urgh!! Aagh... beeeeep

"Barbara?!!"

----

"Put your hands up!" Barbara ordered the man.

"Gordon..."

"I never thought you'd be involved with organized crime... Detective Sergeant Russo."

The sergeant scoffed. "You're the one to talk, detective. Who would have thought the the number one detective in the station is actually working for Callaghan. And a trained assassin at that... you really played that fear of discharging your gun well."

"I'm not...!!" Barbara sighed. "Whatever. I'm not here to talk about this with you."

"Then, what do you want?"

"I need you to tell me who the serial killer is and help call off the war with the Callaghans."

"Serial killer?"

"Don't play dumb with me, Sarge!" She nudged her gun in the air.

"Hey! Take it easy! I don't know what you're talking about! What serial killer?! The one that you were helping the FBI with before? I really don't know who it is!"

"You goddman liar. You and the serial killer even set us up by baiting us with a decoy and starting a war with the Callaghans!" Barbara moved her gun closer to Russo.

"I-I really don't know! I promise you!"

Riiing riiing

Her phone suddenly rang.

"Dammit." She pulled out her phone with her other hand while still pointing the gun at Detective Sergeant Russo. "What is it?" She said.

-Barbara, I have something to tell you.

"What is it? I'm currently in the middle of something."

-I know who the killer is.

"Who?-Urgh!!" Barbara felt a sharp pain at her side. She looked at her side and saw a knife sticking into her. "Aagh..." She groaned in pain and dropped her phone.

Barbara turned her head to see it was and frowned upon seeing the man that stabbed her.

Russo quickly moved in on her and grabbed her gun from her. "Hahahaha! You got here right on time... Manning."

"Give me her gun." Detective Tanner Manning held out his hand to him.

"Here." Russo as he gave the gun to Tanner and turned around to find the gun he dropped. "It's a good thing you got her on time or I would be-"

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Thud.

"Gugh!..." Barbara shuddered as she saw Russo drop dead after being shot multiple times by Tanner.

"He really didn't know." Tanner scoffed. He showed Barbara's gun to her and waved it around. "This is your gun with your fingerprints on it, by the way." He said as he was waved the gun around to show that he was also wearing gloves.

"Tanner..." Barbara clutched her wounded side.

"If you're still wondering why," Tanner scratched the back of his head. "I'm the killer you were looking for..."

"Why-" Barbara trudged and was about to fall down.

"Oh, hey..." But Tanner caught her. "You should be careful... here..." He sat her down on the ground with her back laid on the wall.

Tanner sighed as he found a crate to sit on in front of Barbara. "Why? Well, if you had read my file from my therapist, you would have found out that I was raped. I was raped by a girl from my class in high school. I was a weak little boy back then, you see, and we had a crush on the same boy. She overpowered me and tied me to a chair." He furrowed his brows as he pulled back one of his sleeves, revealing a bunch of hair ties. "She didn't plan on raping me at first but she said it was to make me straight and for her to practice... I passed out midway and the last thing I could remember was her ponytail bouncing as she rode me with her back facing me. I woke up untied and naked on the floor."

He scoffed. "After graduating college, I went back to my old hometown. Then, I saw her again at a reunion. With my body more developed, I wished I could just turn back time and kill her at the time she raped me. She wouldn't be able to overpower me now, right? But she still did, Barbs. She still did. I was so traumatized that I couldn't even face her. I thought I was already over it but I was still afraid of her until then. Right there, I thought about my future as a police officer. How could I stand up to anyone if I couldn't face my fears. So, I decided to confront her."

Barbara reached for her phone that was on the ground but Tanner kicked it away.

"I mustered up the courage and went to her home, right? She invited me in, she was being nice, I got comfortable and thought maybe this will cure me. Until she showed me her bedroom and pushed me onto her bed. I think she got the wrong idea for my visit." He chuckled. "She mounted me and said 'I guess you craved for more after that night, huh?', there and then, I felt helpless and weak again. Whispering in my ear 'You look better now than you did back then, too'. That's when I decided to overcome it. To overcome her. I pushed her but she still didn't got off of me. I reached towards her side table and so happened to find a switch blade." He smiled menacingly.

"Haaa..... Haaa... Haaa..." Barbara couldn't do anything but sit there and fight to stay alive as he talked about his past.

"I killed her. I panicked because even though I was the one being assaulted, I knew no one would believe me, she even had her top off already. So, I left. I left town without telling anyone. I was about to go to the academy that day anyway so I have my alibi just in case. That was the first time I killed. I was scared but it felt so satisfying and freeing! I hadn't planned on doing that again, but... I still regret the fact that I couldn't do that before I was raped. It would have been more satisfying if she could have at least worn a ponytail again when I killed her." Tanner sighed. "So, everytime I see a girl wearing ponytails, I turn back time and kill my rapist."

"That night... with Elise..." Barbara managed to ask while struggling to breathe.

"Elise? Oh yeah. The gangster. She was wearing a ponytail, then." Tanner shook his head as he chuckled. "She almost killed me. Luckily, another girl passed by and startled her. Making her leave. Sadly, she had to wear a ponytail too. I killed her out of frustration and ran to get a cab."

"Russo... did he know?"

"That piece of trash? He'd never know. The only reason he got to be a sergeant was for bagging criminals under Callaghan. I guess they found out and sent out that girl to kill him. The only reason he helped me was because he thought I was working for the Franzeses too." He cackled. "He thought I helped him when Elise was chasing him. Russo even visited me at the hospital to thank me personally. That's how I got in contact with him. I played along and waited for the right time to kill him." Tanner showed a devilish grin and pointed his gun at her. "And now it's your turn. I'll play it off like I found out you two were working for rival gangs and I had to kill you after you killed the sergeant."

"If you kill me.... the Callaghans will still find you and kill you... You won't be safe."

"Hmmm..." Tanner raised his brow as he pondered for a while.

"Urrrgh!" Barbara struggled as she was standing up.

"Hey! Don't try anything!" Tanner warned her.

"I thought we were friends... you were the only one I got close to at the station...."

"Yeah..." He scoffed. "Some friend... You forced me down at the toilet. It made me sick and remember how it was to be powerless. It's a miracle that I didn't think of killing you, then."

"So... kill me now..."

"Hahahaha! You're really something Barbara. I bet you're hiding something from me. Will I be caught if I kill you?" He narrowed his eyes.

"Why don't you find out?"

"..." Tanner studied her for a moment. He scanned her from her head to her feet. Then, he grinned. "Nah... you're just bluffing." He pointed the gun again at her.

Bang!