FREAKS || Jerome Valeska¹

27 || Bitter Sweet

Jim held his jaw awkwardly, "Yeah, thanks, I guess."

Oswald leaned down. "No, really -" He half smiled. The sudden moves caused Jim to become puzzled and annoyed. "what are friends for?" The detective stared Oswald up and down, visibly uncomfortable. I raised an eyebrow at how 'subtle' Penguin was; he wanted something. "You got beat pretty bad. That Galavan is a pistol, isn't he?"

"Huh, pistol is a light way of putting it," I muttered bitterly, scoffing, thinking back to my escape from the Gala. I still could not believe he fooled everyone with his amateur acting and even more that he was mayor.

Gordon glanced around the room, at the frosted windows, still wary, "Yeah, he is."

I scoffed, "I told you he was a fucking monster." I smacked the sofa angrily and sat back, contemplating my mistake of not ending him. "You should've let me kill him."

Jim rolled his eyes, "You weren't exactly believable."

"Yeah, and look at us now."

The detective's eyes flashed with annoyance as he stood up from the bed, staggering off toward the kitchen.

"You're free to go, of course, Jim." Oswald chuckled while he followed right behind. It made the latter pause. "Desperate fugitive from the law, though you'd be." Jim's jaw slightly clenched when he turned to face Penguin, possibly wanting to punch him then and there. "But I beg of you, sit and consider. You, Reese, and I share a bond in Theo Galavan - A passion if you will." The blonde man cocked his head, gaze cold as he tried to understand what was said. "If there was ever a time for us to work together, now is that time."

The room stood in deafening silence for a couple of seconds. I could almost see the gears turning inside Jim Gordon's head. It was beginning to feel like it would go downhill... but then he spoke. My eyes widened in disbelief.

I never thought Jim Gordon would help us get revenge on that monster, but here we are.

-- ° --

Leslie Thompkins was shocked at the scene she had walked into — Oswald and I, along with other criminals, our weapons getting prepped for use. Then there was Jim, who was willingly staying. He had explained that he wanted to remove her from the city with Oswald's help because it would be chaotic. That he wanted to keep her safe.

Leslie was having none of it.

"You keep trying to kill yourself." She argued, staring him down with disappointment. "Have I got you all wrong? Are you just crazy?"

"Of course not," Jim stated, squinting.

"You're on the run from the law. You want to attack the mayor with the help of two depraved sociopaths." She retorted. My lips pursed, glancing down at my feet at her distasteful comment, "That's not crazy?"

Oswald's jaw dropped, offended. "We can hear you."

"Shh! Don't speak." Lee snapped, making his face fall, and he blinked slowly as if unable to process. It took all of me not to cackle at his expression. It was hilarious. "Jim, don't do this. Let's get out of town together. I don't care what you've done already or what you have to leave undone. Let's just go."

"I can't."

"Jim, please."

Truthfully, I was beginning to feel terrible about separating Jim and Leslie. Perhaps it's not that important that he come along. The desperation in her voice made me feel like there was more to the story than she was letting on. If she didn't want him to go, maybe it's because there is much more for him to lose if he does this. I could feel the awkwardness and the hesitation between them.