Gotham: After Dark - The King Slayer

by Dustin Brubaker

  “But the owner of a jewelry store isn’t?” Tony then inquired.

  “Big difference.” Falcone said, “This jewelry owner was corrupt. He was one of the biggest fences for smuggled diamonds in the state if not the entire country. He was not a small target; he was one of the biggest. So was Grisham for that matter. They’re rich, corrupt and greedy as hell; that’s what all three of these kings have in common. The king of spade will be no different. He’ll be powerful, grossly rich and since he’s the last one even more so to make the final king a big splash in the media. This one will be huge. If the spade does represent guns, we’re not talking about a lord of war. This card is likely going to be given to some dude who owns or is a big part our nation’s military contracts. Who’s company profits from war and is rolling in the money. We find out who the biggest war profiteer is here in Gotham, we find our king of spades.”

  “Do you have any idea how many people like that live in our city?” Tony asked. “We’d have an easier time figuring out the guy who got the Jack of Spades before we find out about the king.”

  “Hold it right there,” Falcone said as he held up a hand. “Someone got the Jack of Spades?”

  “Yeah, security guard.” Tony said as he ate a piece of his pie. The detectives at the time thought it was a copy cat.”

  “Why is that?” Falcone asked.

  “Different M.O.” Tony answered, “The perp used a gun instead of a knife for the first time. And he left a jack instead of a king. So at the time Loeb and Dix don’t think it’s our guy.”

  “Well he used a gun when he tried to take out my boss.” Falcone said as he couldn’t believe what he just heard. “That’s his M.O. now.”

  “I guess so.” Tony agreed.

  “Where did this guard work?” Falcone inquired.

  “The Gazzette.” Tony asked.

  “Well, that’s a coincidence.” Falcone said as he folded his arms. “That’s some set of monkeys you have working at the station, Mr. Gordon. This is the clue we’ve been looking for. The Jack is a soldier, someone who serves the king. This is a very important clue.”

  “Why is that?” Tony asked.

  Falcone sighed. “This means the king of spades has to be this guard’s boss. If we find out who owns the Gazzette, we find our king.”

  “That’s a good question.” Tony said as he paused for a moment. “We need to find that out as soon as possible.”

  “Find out what, hun?” the waitress asked as began to pour Tony a refill.

  “We need to know who owns the Gotham Gazzette.” Falcone asked.

  “I actually know the answer to that.” The waitress replied, “I remember a story about it when the Gazzette was bought out two years ago.”

  “Who bought them out?” Tony asked.

  “Wayne Enterprises.” The waitress answered.

  Tony looked back at Falcone. “That’s one of the biggest military contractors in the country!”

  “There’s your king of spades.” Falcone replied. “That’s his next target.”

  “We have to call the police!” Tony said, panicking.

  “No time.” Falcone said as he stood up. “I’ll drive.”

  As they were leaving the diner in a rush, Falcone handed a hundred dollar bill to the waitress. “Keep the change, sweetie. You earned it.”

  Just like he had earlier in the day, Falcone didn’t hesitate to put the pedal to the metal and burned rubber as he bolted through the streets on their way to Wayne Manor. He passed several cars despite the dangerous turns on the two lane roads, to the point where Tony was holding on for dear life and wondered if they were going to get to their destination in one piece.

  “Relax, Gordon,” Falcone said as he passed another car with ease. “I’ve driven up here a million times. I know this road and we’ll get there in good time. Hopefully the Waynes are still alive.”

  “What do you care about them?” Tony asked. It was a good question.

  “Honestly, I don’t.” Falcone confessed, “But I got a bone to pick with this turd and there is nothing more I’d love to do than to foil his plans and introduce him to his maker.”

  “No, we take him in alive!” Tony called back to him.

  Falcone paused for a moment. “All right, but I can’t guarantee he’ll be in one piece.”

  “As long as he stands trial, you can do whatever you want.” Tony replied, “Let’s just make sure the Wayne family is safe first.”

  “Deal.” Falcone said as he put his heavy foot down again and accelerated to top speed. Tony had no idea a car was capable of going this fast as Falcone hit each turn like a seasoned pro.

  “How far out are we?” Tony asked.

  “Less than a minute.” Falcone said as he nodded to the right side. “It’s just up over that kill, by the lake.”

  “How do you know this?” Tony asked.

  “It’s not like that.” Falcone said, “I have a safe house, a cabin, just a few more miles up the road. I pass by Wayne Manor all the time.”

  Falcone turn a sharp turn off the road and in the distance there was a gate with the letter W on it. Instead of slowing down, Falcone floored the pedal again never slowing down as they approached the gate.

  “What the hell are you doing?” Tony called out.

  “Hang on!” Falcone called back as he never slowed down.

  The muscle car had a solid body, one that was no match for the steel gate as the car pounded through it like a battering ram. Falcone was able to keep control of the car after the impact and rolled up to the front door and slammed the car into park. As the both got out of the car, the main doors opens and the butler was standing there with a jaw gapped.

  “What is the meaning of this?” he called out to the to men in the car.

  “I’m Tony Gordon and I work for the district attorney.” Tony called out as he waved around a card that proved he was a member of the DA office.

  “What can I do for you, Mr. Gordon?” the old man asked.

  “We believe the Wayne family is in danger.” Falcone said as he shot straight to the point. “We need to speak with them, now.”

  “Of course.” The butler said as he stepped aside. “Follow me.”

  As the three men walked up the main staircase, Falcone who was behind the butler quietly pulled out his gun and kept it behind his back, ready to fire at a moments notice if he spotted anyone wearing a mask. As they all walked into the room, Falcone pushed the butler aside. He noticed a look on Mr. Wayne’s face and it was one of fear, which told him the suspect was already in the room. He stormed into the room looking for the suspect, with gun drawn, trying to find where the masked man was hiding. Before he could spot him, the masked man pistol whipped Falcone from behind and then pointed his gun at the Butler and Tony. “Over there, now.”

  Tony and the Butler both did as they were told. They shuffled over to the desk where Mr. Wayne was standing.

  “You don’t have to do this.” Tony called out. “The police are on their way. Get out now while you can.”

  “Never.” The masked man replied, “I’m here to do a job and I intend to finish it. The Wayne family will pay for their sins.”

  “Why the whole family?” Mr. Wayne called out. “Thomas is only ten years old. What did he do that warrants your wrath?”

  “It doesn’t matter!” The masked man called back. “They’re all going to pay for your sins and hopefully everyone will learn that if you do bad things… people will punish you for them!”

  Tony looks behind the masked man and noticed that Falcone was regaining consciousness. He was behind the masked man and could surprise him if he had enough time to clear the cobwebs and get back to his feet. Tony stepped up and stood in front of Mr. Wayne.

  “This isn’t the way.” Tony said as he defiantly stood up the Kingslayer. “If you think Mr. Wayne or anyone else has sinned, give me your proof and I’ll happily prosecute. There’s nothing I’d enjoy more than making these spoiled fat cats do the handcuff shuffle to Gotham
Central. Give me what you got and I’ll make sure they’re all prosecuted.”

  “What good will that do?” the masked man asked.

  “All the good in the world.” Tony answered, “Killing them is too easy and too quick. Let them rot in a six by six cell, scared that their room mate is going to have their way with him or someone else might in the shower. Eating gross food that we wouldn’t feed to life stock everyday in the once place where his money wouldn’t do shit to help him out. That’s a real punishment fit for whatever sins they committed. Killing is easy, let’s make them suffer.”

  The masked man paused and even lowered his gun again. “I never really thought of it that way…”

  Before he could say anything else, Falcone was already back on his feet and he tackled the gunman and began to struggle with him for control of the weapon. Everyone ducked for cover except for Tony who ran up and attempted to help Falcone overpower the Kingslayer. During their struggle, Falcone noticed something that he hadn’t seen before. Attached to one of Gordon’s legs was a knife, a rather decent one that was strapped to his belt. Falcone didn’t hesitate to grab the knife, unsheathe it and then stab the masked man’s exposed stomach with it a few times to take the wind out of him. As the gunman loosened his grip on both men, Falcone used his immense power to heave the Kingslayer into the air and toss him out of the large window the over looked the lake. Falcone thought the suspect would just fall two floors to the lawn but he didn’t realize what side of the house they were on as the Kingslayer fell all the way down to the shore of the lake, which was several hundred feet down. He screamed loudly as he fell to his death.

  “I said I wanted him alive!” Tony screamed at Falcone as he stood there, shocked at what just happened.

  “It was self defense!” Mr. Wayne called out as he stood in front of Falcone. “My butler and I will testify to that.”

  “Is that so?” Tony said as he couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

  “This man just saved all of our lives.” Wayne replied, “I think he deserves a little slack rather than your righteous indignation.”

  Tony held up his hands as he was unwilling to argue. “All right.”

  Mr. Wayne turned to his butler. “Contact the police, make sure they are sending people up here to clean up this mess.”

  “Yes, Sir.” The butler said before leaving the den.

  “If you’ll excuse me,” Mr. Wayne said as he looked back at both men. “I’m going to check on my family.”

  Both Falcone and Gordon stood there and looked at one another after Mr. Wayne left the room. Falcone was breathing deeply and still had the bloody knife in his hand. “It’s a nice knife.”

  Falcone reached out and offered it back to its owner. Tony stood there for a moment and then waved him off.

  “Keep it.” Gordon said as he breathed deeply. “I have a few others.”

  “What makes you think I need it?” Falcone asked.

  “Your profession would suggest you do.” Tony replied, “A word of advice Falcone; a knife is a good friend when you have no others.”

  “I think you’re right.” Falcone said as he grabbed a handkerchief from the Kingslayer’s blood from it. “Maybe I should get out of here before your boss and Gotham’s finest see us together one too many times.”

  Tony laughed. “Your car is outside. What am I going to say, you just happened to come by when I was hitching my way to Wayne Manor?”

  The two men laughed and it lightened the mood as sirens filled the background to tell them the whole force was on their way.

  The body was fetched from the lake shore the next morning at first light. After taking prints and putting it into the system, they came back as a match for a petty crook named Franklin Napier. He used to be a small time thug for Big Lou Maroni’s crew, but the mobster was very quick to deny any involvement in the Kingslayer murders. The people were pleased to see that justice had been served and that the serial killer’s reign had come to an end. The papers, especially the Gazzette published the Kingslayer’s words, made him seem larger than life and posted the details of his now infamous death by falling out the window of Wayne Manor to the hard, unforgiving rocks of the lakeshore. Falcone did his best to keep his name out of the papers and even allowed Tony Gordon to take all the credit for saving the Wayne family and even solving the clues to do so. He didn’t want any press and was going to get all the praise he needed, that being the gratitude of a mob boss who would have been dead if it were not for his efforts.

  Everyone had thought the Kingslayer killings were over.

  They were wrong.

  The show had been over a few minutes but that didn’t stop them from taking their time to get back to the car. They had watched a film together, the first time they did something as a family and it was a good time for everyone. The couple might have been overdressed as Dad was wearing a suit and mom had a fur coat on, but they didn’t get out at often and took advantage of the moment. There was still popcorn left over from the show and Dad couldn’t help but steal a little from his son as they were walking down the alley. It was in this alley were fate would catch up with them. The father of this family turned around to realize two men had been following them. He didn’t recognize them but they looked to be up to no good. They stood there in silence but it was clear to the two parents that the taller man was holding a gun, a big one in his right hand. They stood there in silence looking at one another.

  Without saying anything, the shorter man reached out and grabbed at the mother’s neck, tearing off a pearl necklace. Without thinking, Dad reach over and tried to stop the man from stealing the necklace which was a terrible mistake. It was all the excuse the taller man need as he lifted his gun and fired, hitting the father in the chest. As the woman began to scream to the top of her lungs, the taller masked man turned his gun on her and silenced her with a shot to her chest as well and watched as she dropped to the ground with a large thud. The small boy stood there, with both parents lying around him and bleeding to death and with tears streaming down your face.

  “Holy shit!” the shorter called out. “Why did you do that?”

  “Shut up,” the tall man snapped back at his partner as he pointed the gun as the small ten year old boy, the barrel of the gun less than a few inches from his forehead. “What’s your name, kid?”

  The boy looked up at his attacker. “It’s Bruce.”

  “Well, Bruce.” The crook said with a wide smile spread his lips. “I have a question for you.”

  “What is it?” Bruce replied as he stood there bravely.

  The man who murdered his parents dug his other hand into his pocket while keeping the other and its gun trained on him. “Tell me kid… have you ever danced with the devil by the pale of the moonlight?”

  Bruce stood there silently and didn’t answer the question. All the kid could see what the wide smile that was on the man’s face as he continued to point the gun at the boy’s head. It was almost as if he enjoyed the act he had just committed. He would never get that smile out of his mind.

  “Come on, let’s go!” The other guy called out as he started to back away.

  Bruce never said a word. He was in the state of shock and he was unsure what answer would save him or infuriate the man further than he already was. He just stood there in silence, looking up at the man as he continued to grin at the little boy.

  “Let’s go Jack!” The other guy screamed as he ran down the alley.

  Jack didn’t listen to his friend as he instead pulled out a card from his pocket and handed it over to the young kid. After handing the card to Bruce, Jack finally lowered the weapon. “See ya around, kid.”

  As both men ran away, Bruce sat down between the two bodies as they continued to bleed out. He had no idea what to do, how to save them. He just watched as the life drained out of both of his parents. He then looked down at the card that the man had handed him. It was the king of spades.

  baker, Gotham: After Dark - The King Slayer