The Batman Delusion

Chapter 5

The traffic on the bridge was at a complete standstill, so they simply left the stolen Studebaker sitting in traffic and walked the rest of the way across the river into downtown Gotham. Along the way, they were treated to a magnificent view of the smoke cloud billowing over Arkham Asylum. Every once in a while they would also hear muffled whumpf sounds that could only have been muffled explosions from deep inside the island.

"We ought to be cops," Cobb said with an eye on the cordon of vehicles blocking the bridge over to Arkham Island. Flashing red and blue lights from the barricades reflected of of the low clouds and thick plumes of smoke. "That'll be the only way we get over there."

"You got it, Boss," Arthur replied with just a hint of sarcasm. He turned sharply off of the street, down a narrow alley that led down to the riverfront. They arrived at an old, wooden warehouse so decrepit that Alfred could literally see the opposing side of the river through the holes in the walls. "Well, what do you know?" Arthur announced as he swung the door open to reveal a pristine black-and-white police cruiser parked in the shadows. "Just our luck!"

Eames crossed the room to a row of rusty lockers across the far wall. The first one he opened contained a firmly-pressed Gotham PD uniform complete with shiny badge and gun. "Alfred, this one's yours," Eames said, holding out the clothes hangar.

Alfred crossed the room and took the uniform. The shining badge even said 'A. Pennyworth,' and the starched shirt was just the right size. "How did you know this was here?" he asked Arthur.

The others all smirked. "We made it appear here," Cobb explained. "It's a dream. When we need something, we can make an insertion into Bruce's world here, because we're aware of the true reality."

"Well," Arthur cautioned as he began to disrobe and put on his own uniform. "Only something within reason. The most important part is ensuring that Bruce doesn't realize that this is a dream. If you manifest something that breaks the rules of this world or is just too outrageous to be believable, it could jar him out of the dream before our work is complete. We'll have to start all over."

"But something like this," Cobb gestured to the police car just waiting for them to get in, "won't attract an unreasonable notice, and it gets us straight through to the asylum. Trust us, Alfred: you're not our first customer. Now come on." Alfred still hadn't begun putting on the uniform, while the others were already straightening their new badges and testing the sites of their six-chambered revolvers. "Do you want to find Bruce or not? It's only a matter of time before Dr. Krane administers the kick."

"Right. Of course." Alfred began getting dressed still marveling at how perfectly the clothes fit him. Once he was finished, they climbed into the cruiser and took off toward the Asylum with sirens blaring. Alfred could only marvel at how different this Gotham was. Though the skyscrapers and neighborhoods were roughly the same size and shape, all of the details were different. Every third building was foreclosed with plywood nailed over windows, and they were all made of soot-stained brick. The streets were littered with piles of wet newspapers and cigarette butts, neither of which were a common sight in the modern metropolis of Gotham that Alfred knew. Even the streetlights (those that worked anyway) cast a gloomy orange pall instead of a cheery yellow.

They arrived at the entrance to the bridge, blockaded by a string of twenty police cars. Officers milled through the chaos with guns drawn, knowing that there were dangerous characters on the loose but not knowing what exactly they should be doing about it. Others took cover behind the cars and pointed their guns down the empty bridge, as if some villain might materialize out of thin air in front of them. And, as Alfred thought about it more, that might be a realistic possibility here in Bruce's dream world.

"What are you doing here?" A voice shouted at them. A mountain of a man approached the car and put two ham-sized hands on the open window. A lit cigar poked through his silvery mustache, and he had broad shoulders that screamed 'retired linebacker.' Alfred could make out the name "Gordon" on his badge. "I ordered all available cars over to Gotham National Bank! Batman's got the situation under control over here, but he can't handle this and the Penguin simultaneously!" "Penguin?" Eames scoffed from the back seat, eliciting a glare from this Gordon fellow.

"You, officer. What is your name and badge number?" He flipped the cigar over to the other side of his mouth and swept the car with his eyes. "Oh of course they send me all the rookies."

"We're under orders, sir," Arthur replied from the passenger seat. "The Mayor himself told us to go secure the other end of the bridge over there while you all provide cover."

Gordon looked him in the eyes, then looked at Cobb. "Figures," he finally burst out. "Politicians always trying to tell me how to station my cops! I gave strict orders to let Batman handle this situation! What does the Mayor know? You boys wait here until I get on the horn with him and get this straightened out."

"Sir, are you aware that there seems to be an enormous crocodile there in the river?" Cobb stretched an arm out the window past Gordon and over the side of the bridge, where a bulge of greenish scales floated above the water. It was close enough that they could even see yellowish eyes searching for prey along the banks. Gordon whirled around and spotted the reptile in the water right away. "Oh, for Christ's sake!" he growled through the cigar. Then he snatched a radio off of his belt and jammed down the button to transmit. "Where is my river patrol, damn it? I told them that Croc would get loose!"

While he was distracted, Cobb slowly pulled away and headed across the bridge. Other officers, having seen them talking to Gordon, assumed it was OK and made no effort to stop them.

"One question," Alfred asked after they made it a safe distance from the barricade. "Why did you imagine a crocodile? Isn't that a little... I don't know... a bit too outlandish? Couldn't that wake Bruce up?"

Silence filled the car for a moment, then Cobb finally spoke. "That... actually wasn't me. Whatever that thing was, it was already here."