The Batman (Reader Insert)

Losing Face

You had gotten home around 11 PM obviously exhausted, but your nerves were too on edge after almost being shot tonight to sleep. A couple of hours later you realized you never did get your chocolate cake and you were very hungry. You turn on your TV for background noise and went to the kitchen to grab a snack, settling on sweet and salty popcorn you sat back down on the couch and started scrolling through your phone while you ate. You weren't paying attention to the TV until something ripped your attention away from your phone as you look up and turn up the volume in shock.

"... the city has been rocked by a second high-profile murder in as many nights. And this time the killer has come forward to claim credit online. His victim, longtime head of the Gotham City PD, Commissioner Pete Savage, was found dead earlier tonight inside the Police Athletic League facilities in the Tricorner area. The killer posted the followingmessage on social media. We have to warn you, the video is disturbing" The screen cuts to a hand-held video with a selfie view of the Olive Green Hooded Killer, a symbol on his chest that looks like a scrawled question mark within crosshairs.

"Hello, people of Gotham ... This ...is the Riddler speaking. OnHalloween night, I killed yourmayor, because he was not who hepretended to be. But I am notdone. Here ... is another ..." He swings the camera around to a bound man with a Cage-like box over his head. As the killer presses the camera further into the man's face you see for sure that is Commissioner Savage inside. His mouth was covered in duct tape with the words: "NO MORE LIES". You notice with horror the feral rats that circle his face. "... who will soon ... be losingface ... I will kill again andagain, until our Day ofJudgement ... when the Truth aboutour city will finally be Unmasked." The killer quickly leans into view "Good Byeee"

The video abruptly ends after we start to hear muffled shrieks. Almost immediately your phone starts to ring and you answer it without even looking at the caller ID, eyes still glued to the screen as the Newscasters continue.

"Y/N?" You hear Gordon as you bring the phone up to your ear.

"Yeah..."

"Have you heard yet... about Pete?"

"Yeah..."

"They're transporting his body to the morgue right now... I'll meet you there in an hour or so if you wanna go ahead and get a head start to look him over..."

"Yeah..."

"Ok see you then."

You hang up without a word and just sit there for a minute feeling absolutely numb. Another long night...

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You had a couple of hours to properly examine the body before Gordon arrived, with Batman as well. You pull Savage's body out and pull down the cover to reveal the grotesque damage done. Gordon has to look away while Batman coldly assesses alongside you.

"He waited for him. At the gym.Pete liked to work out late atnight when nobody was around." Gordon says catching us all up.

"There's a needle mark on his neck..." Batman states as you nod.

"Injected him with arsenic," You say grimly. Batman looks up at you, silent for just a second.

"Rat poison." He says still looking at you.

"Yeah, that seems to be his theme here." You say looking back at him. Gordon angrily steps away and you follow him as you show him the cage-like headbox on the evidence table that you had to detach from Savage's head. Inside is an elaborate network of channels.

"Look at this thing, It's a maze..." You say as Batman soon follows joining you and Gordon. He takes a UV flashlight and shines it on the creepy hinged box.