Batgirl Begins

Chapter 11

Chapter 11

I awoke with a start. I yawn as I try to figure out why I'm up when there's a loud pounding on my door. I grumbly swing my legs out from under the blankets and open the door.

"Barbara! Quick! Turn on the news!" Dinah shouts as she jumps up and down. Oh crap! I was supposed to meet her for coffee! But why is she so excited? Must be something pretty big.

"Hang on, I need my glasses."

She pushes me inside, "Not for this story. We'll go get coffee in a second, but you have to see this." She flips the TV on.

"Mayor Hill! Mayor Hill!" A frenzy of reporters are shouting as the Mayor races past them towards his car.

"What do you have to say about the allegations against Commissioner Pauling?" One yells.

"Did you know he was working for Rupert Thorne?" Yells another.

"Are you in Thorne's pocket?"

"No comment." He snaps back at them as he slams the door to his limo.

Oh my God. He did it. The coverage switches back to the newsroom.

"Commissioner, I mean... uh, Mr. Gordon, let me just say, it's a pleasure to have you on our show again."

"Great to be here, Miss Vale."

"The evidence you've acquired here is astounding."

My dad laughs, "That's only the tip of the iceberg."

"I'm sure... we'll certainly see it as the trial begins, but let me ask you, how can we be sure this information is true?"

"Well, I would say first off that I believe first and foremost that the law is to be upheld, and if people do not believe me, so be it. But that shouldn't interfere with the fact that the evidence against Commissioner Pauling and Rupert Thorne is strong, and their actions when this came out earlier today certainly do not reflect those of innocent men."

"With these allegations, charges are soon to follow, are you at all worried about you and your family's safety?"

"Always, but I never let that deter me from doing my job properly."

"If the Commissioner spot were open once more, would you be willing to come back to GCPD?"

"I'm always willing to go back to GCPD. Our boys, and girls, in blue are like family to me... some actually are family. Any opportunity to be a part of their department in this great city is a privilege."

"One last question, there's a rumor that the attempt on Detective Bullock's life is somehow connected to all of this..."

"I'm not sure how to answer that..."

"If, if this proves to be true... how can faith be restored in Gotham's finest?"

"Vicki, these men put their lives on the line daily to protect others. They are loyal to the city, and when I was Commissioner, they were loyal to me. No cop on that force would want to kill one of their own. This is the kind of thing they are trying to prevent. If there is a connection, it certainly isn't any cop I know."

"Thank you for your time, Mr. Gordon. We'll be right back."

I hear my cellphone ringing in my bedroom. I race over to pick it up. It's Sarah.

"Are you watching this?"

"Yeah, Dinah just came over and woke me up to turn it on."

She laughs, "Sounds like someone had a late night."