ORACLE DD Ch 7

Aria Falcone is surrounded by priceless artwork in her bedroom, which is the size of a small house. Marble and gilding gleam while colorful, exotic fish swim in a tank that would be at home in the old Gotham Aquarium. She sees none of her riches, only the TV, as Barbara Gordon wheels across the stage on Gotham Insider. Aria doesn’t care about the way that Summer Gleeson looks at the mayor, or about the way the phone in her hand won’t stop going off with notifications.

“Madame Mayor. Welcome to the show,” Summer says graciously.

“Thanks for having me.”

“It’s a little irregular, but you know me,” Summer says with a little smile for the camera. “When Gotham’s mayor says she has something to say, you really think I’m gonna tell her to go do it on someone else’s show?”

“I still appreciate you making it easy. I apologize to Dr. Leslie Thompkins, who was scheduled to appear tonight. I also apologize because she isn’t going to like what I have to say.” Barbara positions her chair so that she can more easily address the camera. “This an announcement that would usually be handled with a press conference, but I’m speaking to all of Gotham, not just journalists. I’ll take questions later. As of an hour ago, an operation spearheaded by Gotham Police Chief Ellen Green has begun moving on the Falcone crime family across the city. Chief Green and other GCPD personnel with extensive knowledge of this criminal organization are already serving warrants and making arrests as we speak. They’re seizing **** and weapons, and I expect before the night’s over, freeing survivors of trafficking. This is expected to continue through the night and very likely for the next couple of days.” Barbara waves a hand. “Then for months and probably years, once it all gets to court. But twenty-four hours from now, I don’t expect there to be much left of this organization on the streets.”

The phone slips from Aria’s fingers, and her jaw drops.

Summer wears a similar expression, but she rallies quickly and clears her throat. “Madame Mayor, never mind this unorthodox way of making the announcement, what brought this on?”

“Compelling evidence to suggest that Aria Falcone is behind the bomb at the Thompkins building. That bombing happened less than 24 hours after Aria came to me in my office and demanded that I start doing her favors. So, I am doing her a favor: helping her with early retirement.”

Summer struggles to organize her thoughts, and her smile in a little ****. Sweat appears on her forehead. “Is this targeted retaliation?”

“It’s what should have happened a long time ago, and it shouldn’t have taken a bombing to get our attention.”

“Speaking of attention—am I hearing you correctly that all your attention is on the Falcone organization? What about the other mobs?” Summer asks, finding her groove.

“The others aren’t blowing up buildings. Gotham has to show Aria Falcone and anyone who wants to behave like she does that we aren’t going to be bullied. You don’t get to attack someone like Leslie Thompkins and get away with it.”

“Not in your city,” Summer says.

“The city belongs to its people, Summer. I just live here.”

“You said this wasn’t an attack on Dr. Thompkins. It was an attack on you because you wouldn’t play ball.”

“If the people of Gotham would prefer that I just take the bribes and look the other way in the future, they’re welcome to let me know,” Barbara replies. “This operation is large and I don’t expect it to be pretty. But I’m ready to take responsibility for whatever happens, because what’s the alternative? We just let things stay the same? We’re in rough shape, Summer. And corruption has done a lot of the lifting. Gothamites made it clear that they wanted something new when they elected me, so something new is what we’re doing. We are not accepting organized crime as a necessary evil—at least not to the degree that Aria Falcone is allowed to treat the city like her personal playset.”

“Is the Batman a part of this operation?”

“No. This is the GCPD and federal partners. The Batman and his people are going to stay out of it. This operation has a lot of moving parts, and masked vigilantes getting involved will not make it go more smoothly. Anyone interfering with this operation will be obstructing justice, and they won’t get a pass for it. Anyone in a cape had better steer clear of GCPD for the next few nights.”

“And is there a warrant for Aria Falcone’s arrest?”

“As of twenty minutes ago, no. But we have strong enough cases against enough of her cabinet that they’ll flip, and we’ll have her. We won’t get her for the bombing, but she’ll be looking at serious prison time for a thousand other things. I expect her to flee the country as soon as GCPD starts locking up her bodyguards. I’m not her only enemy, Summer.”

ORACLE: DEAL WITH THE DEVIL

It’s quiet in Zatanna’s bedroom. Sheets whisper and the sounds of the city are distant so high up. Zatanna gazes up into Stephanie’s red, panting face. Stephanie’s breath on her skin is hot, and they wear matching expressions of agony. Zatanna’s bare toes push along the silk sheets as Stephanie’s nude body becomes rigid. Stephanie lets out an explosive breath, her fingers clutching Zatanna’s dark, silky hair.

Then she sighs, and her weight becomes soft and limp on top of her.

Zatanna exhales with a smile, her legs spreading a little wider. She puts her hands on Stephanie’s face and looks into her eyes. She parts her lips, but Stephanie buries her face in Zatanna’s neck and grunts, letting out even more inside.

“Oh my god,” Zatanna gasps. “Oh. Oh my god.” Her hands are on Stephanie’s back, and she hugs her tight.

“Mmm.” Stephanie mumbles.

They stay like that for a while, until Stephanie senses that it might be making it hard for Zatanna to breathe. She reluctantly rolls off, turning her head to watch Zatanna’s bare chest rise and fall.

Her phone goes off again.

“It’s getting late,” Zatanna says, gazing at the ceiling. “Maybe you should get that. Maybe it’s hero stuff.”

“Maybe I want to stay in bed with you.” That’s what Stephanie says, but reluctantly gets to her feet. Zatanna lifts her head to watch Stephanie’s pale form cross the room. She looks at the situation between her legs, which leaks copiously and stains the sheets. “On ssem,” she whispers, and everything is clean, although she’s still covered in sweat and burning up. She fans her face with a hand.

Stephanie picks up her phone, and the screen lights up her face. “Oh man.”

“What’s going on?”

“Babs—er, Mayor Gordon just declared war on the Falcones and they’re arresting literally everybody.”

ORACLE: DEAL WITH THE DEVIL

Water drips in the shadowy depths of the Cave, and leathery wings flutter.

Alfred is bathed in the green light from the Computer’s main screen, and his expression is troubled. One screen has Barbara’s interview with Summer paused, while another displays GCPD movement throughout the city. All the things that the Computer tracks to identify trouble are going off the charts: calls to emergency services, ER numbers, and traffic camera hits. All hell is breaking loose in Gotham as the GCPD and others raid dozens of locations.

He looks over his shoulder.

Bruce stands on the platform that bears the Car, wearing his costume but not his cowl. His back is to Alfred as he gazes into the abyss.

“Master Bruce? Will you be going out?”

They both heard what Barbara said.

It isn’t just the raids. The other organized crime outfits have jumped on this opportunity, and Aria does not have total or instantaneous control of her organization. Her people are under attack from all sides, and they’re hitting back. The GCPD offensive is going well, but gangsters are slaughtering each other out there. Those people are labeled cheap hoods by law-abiding citizens, but they’re human beings with names and families.

Alfred touches his earpiece. “It appears Mr. Cobblepot has offered sanctuary to Aria Falcone and her officers at the Iceberg Lounge.”

“It’s a trap,” Bruce says at once.

“Yes. Cobblepot just made two transfers in eight figures.”

That means heavy hitters. Shiva. Bane. Maybe Freeze. Cobblepot either wants to take over or he’s throwing in with someone else. The city’s a mess, and the Iceberg Lounge is about to be a bloodbath.

Should the Batman intervene?

Or sit this out, as requested by Barbara?