Calling Cardinal

A Witch Hunt

The mysterious man releases a blinding light.

"Grab onto me."

I do as he says and wrap my arms around his metal-covered shoulders. Once I'm secure, he lifts us into the air and flies to Gotham Central Hospital. I only take one peek down at the town below, and that's enough for me. I cling to his neck even tighter and squeeze my eyes shut.

"Who are you?" I ask. "I know you're Kent, but— what's your alter ego here?"

"Doctor Fate," he says. "I am a Servant of Order and Order calls for your protection for now."

"Huh. How about that? You don't act much like Kent."

"When Kent wears the helm, I, Nabu release my power into his form. It's a mutualism symbiotic relationship, Mrs. Gordon."

"Nabu," I think aloud, "like the Mesopotamian god?"

"Precisely."

Suddenly, I feel the need to lose my lunch. What could I have done to warrant the protection of a god? Do I even believe in such a thing? Perhaps resurrection has really secured an open mind. I just wonder if Oswald is as open as I am.

"So what kinds of things can you do?"

"Many kinds of things."

"Not much of a talker, are you?"

He shakes his head. "No."

We arrive at the hospital as night falls over the horizon. Harvey Bullock informs Fate and me Jim is alive, thanks to Lee. I also learn Sofia is in a coma. Rage boils under my skin. That's not good enough.

I walk into the fallen queen's room to see her lying in a hospital bed. A machine keeps her fragile lungs pumping. I take her thumb and remove the choker from my neck. It feels so nice to breathe again. My voice is no longer suppressed, and neither is my strength. Once I pocket the device, I carefully open the first-floor window.

I rip out her IV, tubes, and whatever else might be holding Sofia to the hospital. I break her handcuffs and slide the body through the window. I carry her down to the bank of the river. Fate remains quiet behind me.

With no amount of grace or gentleness, I prop her body against an abandoned car. She slumps over, almost a corpse. But she's not. There's still a chance that she could live to ruin my life again.

That's a chance I'm not going to take.

"Once you do this, there's no going back," Jim says from behind me.

My fists curl into tight balls. "Walk away, Jim. I don't want to hurt you."

He slips his free hand in his pocket and carefully approaches me. "I don't want you to do that, either. I'm not here to stop you, Sera."

"Then what are you doing? I've killed people before. This isn't new."

"So did I, then I dragged Theo Galavan to this same bank and shot him. That changed me."

I hesitate. "I know what I'm doing. You might want to take a few steps backward."

He does as I ask. When he's a safe distance, I release a powerful scream. Gotham hears my voice once more. It will never be used against me again. I'm sure of that.

After we disband, Fate and I return to the mansion.

Loren answers the door. She wraps me in a tight hug. "I thought you were dead!"

"I'm not so easy to kill anymore."

"Sofia took everything," Oswald says from inside. "We have no power, no money, nothing."