Detective Barbara Gordon 3

"How did you find me?" Elise Davis narrowed her eyes at the unexpected visitors.

"I'm special agent Sterling. This is detective Gordon of the NYPD. We came to ask just a few questions."

"FBI..." Elise grinned. "That's why..." she pointed at Barbara. "You. That's police brutality."

"What is? This?" Barbara pointed at the bartender with a smug grin "This was just self-defense."

"I can testify to that if you're going to file a case. Although, that would invite investigators to come into this establishment. You wouldn't want this place searched now, would you?" The FBI agent made a faint smile.

But Elise was unbothered and just smiled back. "You won't find anything here. You should know because your agents are always monitoring us outside in their van."

"So, you're saying you'll go forward with the case against Ms. Gordon?"

Elise chuckled through her nose. "...No. There's no need." She gestured to the bartender with her head. "Clean yourself up. I'll handle our guests."

The bartender scowled at Barbara as he left towards the back while putting pressure on his nose.

"What do you want to talk about?" Elise leaned on the counter in front of Barbara and Sterling.

"Last night. What were you doing there?" Barbara didn't waste any more time and started questioning her.

"I was out on a stroll."

"Bullshit."

"Believe me or not, that's my statement."

"Then, why did you run away?"

"I didn't run away. I have a lot of more important things to do than to be questioned by a cop. Even now, I think I'm wasting my precious time just dealing with you."

"You arrogant bi-"

Agent Sterling held out his hand to calm Barbara. "Were you running an errand for Callaghan?"

Elise chuckled again as if to say this is pointless. "Do you think I'd answer that truthfully, Mr. Sterling?"

"Fine. Let me rephrase the question. Were you there on official business?"

Elise gave a playful smile. "...It was personal. Like I said, I was taking a stroll."

"Were you also there last friday night?"

"Why would you want to know that?"

"Because, Ms. Davis, we are currently investigating a series of murders. A serial killer is on the loose. Right now, you're the only lead we have. You might even be our number one suspect depending on your answer."

Elise took a deep breath and sighed before she reached for her back to stretch. "I was there last friday night."

Barbara widened her eyes.

"On official business?" Sterling asked.

"Yes."

"Did you see anyone else there?" Barbara asked, feeling hopeful that they may get to find the serial killer faster.

Elise smiled and said... "No." which dampened Barbara's mood.

Barbara clenched her fist on top of the table and held her head low in frustration.

"Hmmm..." Sterling stared at Elise for a while and pondered on his own. "Why are you lying?"

Barbara lifted her head once more and stared at Elise. She was smiling mischievously.

"Now, why would I lie?" Elise replied in a playful tone. "I'd kill the bastard myself for doing horrible things in this city."

Sterling let air pass through his nose. "Okay. That would be all, Ms. Davis. Thank you for your time."

"What?!" Barbara shot up. "You just said she was lying, didn't you?"

"Calm down, detective. We dug up what we can. Let's go." He said as he started walking towards the exit.

Barbara, frustrated, watched him leave. She glared at Elise before deciding to follow Sterling. "Tsk! Wait up!"

Elise watched them leave with a smile on her face.

"Boss..." A voice called out to her right after the guests left.

She turned her head and found the bartender all cleaned up.

"Why didn't you tell her what happened that night?" He asked her.

"Because I don't want to. I won't be satisfied by the way they handle things. I'll catch the killer myself." She said wearing an ominous expression that made the bartender nervous.

----

"What the hell happened back there?" Barbara asked Sterling after she caught up with him outside.

"She won't tell us even if she knew who the killer is." Sterling said as they continued to walk.

"Why?"

"Because she wants to catch the killer herself."

"What?"

"Did you notice what she did when I mentioned the serial killer?"

"She stretched?"

Sterling chuckled. "She was unconsciously reaching for something behind her back."

"?" Barbara tilted her head.

"She unconsciously reached for something behind her back and realized it midway so she just put it off like she was stretching."

"...What exactly was she reaching for?"

"It was probably a wound."

"A wound?" Barbara pondered by herself for a moment then reached a conclusion. "She-!!"

"She's supposed to be the killer's victim that night."

"How is she alive, then?"

"She's not your typical brawler. I assume you already know. Judging by both of your personalities and the way you greeted each other earlier, you probably fought with her and lost when you met and she refused to answer your questions. Another question is why are both of them still alive after that encounter. Either one of them stepped away for some reason, or one of them managed to get away from the other."

"Yeah..." Barbara scratched the back of her head that got bumped last night when she hit the tree. "By the way, I didn't lose. I just wasn't ready." Barbara furrowed her brows.

"Let me warn you, Detective." Sterling stopped walking and turned to face her. "You are exceptional from what I've read in your file, but you are letting your emotions cloud your judgement right now. Back there, I bet you could have deduced everything that I have deduced if you weren't so emotional."

Barbara was surprised about the sudden assessment, but when she finished reflecting on what he said, she looked down at the floor in dejection. "I'm sorry..."

"Just don't let it happen again or I'll have to request another detective to work with me on this case." Sterling said before opening the car door.

Thud. Thud.

"Now, recall everything that happened earlier in the bar and tell me what else you noticed." Sterling said when both of them got in the car.

Barbara closed her eyes and tried to remember everything that happened. "She was lying when she said that she didn't see anyone just like you said..." Barbara opened her eyes as if she had just awoken. "But she didn't lie about killing the killer herself. She called the killer a bastard. The killer is a male."

Sterling grinned. "Good." Then, he started to drive off. "We need to catch the killer before her or else they'd end up in a ditch leaving all these murder cases unsolved."

"Agent Sterling....I think I'm actually glad that you're doing this investigation with me. I guess I was just emotional because of personal reasons." Barbara said with a regretful smile.

"Pride... That's what makes us good in our jobs. Don't worry about it. I'm glad you're with me too. The thing you did with the bartender. I think I learned something new." Sterling laughed through his nose.

Barbara chuckled. "It's something I got from home."

"Gotham must be rough, huh?"

"Depends on where and when in Gotham you are."

"Does your father tell you stories from his job?"

"No. He likes to keep us in the dark. I have my ways of knowing, though."

"Oh? I guess you won't tell me how?"

"It's not that big of a secret. I'm just close with people that he works with."

"Hmmm..."

"Hey, aren't we going back to the station?" Barbara said when they took a turn.

"Calm down. We'll get lunch first."

----

"Yo~" Barbara greeted as she entered the hospital room.

"Hey." Tanner welcomed her with a warm smile.

"I brought you your favorite sandwich." Barbara shook waved around a bag in her hand as she walked towards the bed.

"Thanks." Tanner said. "Aren't you on duty?"

"I'm doing some fieldwork and decided to drop by."

"Oh. How much progress have you made?"

"Pretty close~"

"Yeah? What do you know so far?"

"That the killer could be male."

"Pfft. That's it?" Tanner chuckled. "Who's the guy by the door?" He pointed with his chin.

"That's Special Agent Sterling helping us with the case."

"FBI, huh?"

"Yup."

"Is he a pain in the ass?"

"You know... I thought he would be, at first."

Both of them chuckled.

"When are you getting discharged?" Barbara asked him.

"Later this afternoon."

"That's good. Get some rest, bud. Fast. I need your help on this one."

"You can always count on me, Barbs."

----

"You two look close." Agent Sterling said as him and Barbara were walking in the hospital's halls.

"He's my only real friend in the office."

"Only? Just one? You don't seem to have a bad personality. Why is that?"

"Well, I tend to push people away...."

"Care to clarify on that?"

"Nope."

"I get it..." Sterling stopped in front of a coffee vending machine. "When it comes to this kind of work, friends and family are just distractions."

Rattle. Rattle. Tururururu....

"I'm guessing you don't have a family of your own."

"It's not a priority right now. No." Sterling grabbed the cup with hot coffee out of the vending machine and pushed it towards Barbara. "But someday, maybe."

"Thanks." Barbara accepted the cup of coffee while Sterling grabbed his own cup.

Riiing. Riiiing.

Sterling pulled out his phone from his pocket and put it beside his ear. "What is it?" Then, he widened his eyes.

"What happened?" Barbara asked.

"A body was found."

"Female?"

"Yeah."

Both of them threw their coffee in the trash and started running outside towards the car.