Oracle

Chapter 23

The head of Gotham's branch of the Center for Disease Control nervously bites at her lip behind Mayor Krol, who is equally upset as his fingers dig into the sides of the podium. He has not only lost the most recent election, but now has had to deal with this virus. At least he can justify what his friends have encouraged him to do since his election...

"It gives me no great pleasure to be here today as the death toll of the Clench virus continues to climb. The people of the city need results on both the CDC's part and the Gotham City Police Department. It has been several weeks since Gotham has been quarantined and still there has been no progress on finding those who are responsible for the design and systematic release of this virus. That is why I am stripping James Gordon of his duties as Commissioner and bestowing them on Mister Andrew Howe. Howe is-"

I quickly close the livestream news window on my screen and call my dad.

"Again? Really?" I shout into my Bluetooth earpiece.

My dad musters a chuckle, "Don't tell me you're surprised, Barb. We figured this might happen. Krol is relying solely on Batman to solve his problems... and since Batman hasn't been around much lately, I am his target."

"Daddy you know this isn't fair. The people of Gotham need you to turn to so they can feel safe."

He smiles, "Now why does this sound so familiar..."

I smile, remembering how his first removal from office led me to become Batgirl, "Because I need to drill it into that humble head of yours."

"This is different though Barbara... This virus... It's not like anything we've seen. It spreads so fast no one can get an accurate read on its origin because those who are infected die so quickly."

"You didn't have us before."

"Us?"

"Yeah..." I say as I look over my desk at Dinah, who is swinging away at the punching bag in the training area, "We don't have a name or anything yet, but we have a potential lead on the whereabouts of Clench's host and patient zero. I do need you or Sarah to look into something for me though."

"What is it?"

"There is potentially a second virus loose as well, called Venom."

The line goes silent. He must have heard of it at some point. "Yeah, I have heard rumors. Whispers of cases in the northeast precincts rising due to some tainted drug, but because of the area..."

"The cases are open and shut."

"I have been keeping an eye on it, but now that this has happened... I will see what I can dig up but it won't be easy."

"I never said it would be." I sigh.

"Barbara..." He starts as if to mention something but trails off.

"Dad, if this is about your pep talk a few days ago, don't worry about it... I needed it."

He smiles, "Good. Good, I'm glad to hear that. Even though it might not look like it right now, you are helping this city. Sometimes these things just take time."

My computer beeps with the second set of DNA tests I ran on the boy's blood. "Yeah... I know..."

"Now, don't go beating yourself up over the people who lost their lives to this thing. Take it as a lesson from your old man: you can't save everyone."

I smirk, "Did you just call yourself old?"

"I gotta go Sarah is calling me on the other line..."