Gordon unbuttons the top button on his shirt and loosens his shoulders with a twist of his neck. He glances out the window at Gotham's dark, raining night, still cold and damp as ever.
His colleagues prepare to leave work. One of them speaks to Gordon, "Hey, buddy, you shouldn't have taken on that tricky case. Dozens of people missing? You'll probably be digging through files all night again."
Gordon smiles helplessly and replies, "You said it, dozens of people missing, I have to take it seriously."
After his colleagues have all left, Gordon makes himself a cup of strong coffee. He plans to stay up tonight.
The disappearances in the Morrison District are baffling. In previous missing persons cases, even if they were well-hidden, some of the deceased victims' bodies would still be found. But among the 46 people missing in Morrison Street, not a single body has appeared on Gotham's streets, which is highly unusual.
Gotham is never a city abides by the law, with gangs as numerous as ants. Skilled gang members won't waste time and effort disposing of bodies. They usually just throw the bodies off a high rise, even though they know the police couldn't be fooled. But in Gotham, the police are weak.
Among the dozens of the missing in Morrison Street, there are individuals from all walks of life. They have almost nothing in common except that they are residents of Morrison Street.
At this time, Gordon is still young, just a lowly cop at the police station, far from the position of commissioner. Driven by a strong sense of justice,He ends up taking on this case that nobody else wants, this hot potato. Although he know it is likely to be a futile effort, he plans to give it his all and seek justice for the victims.
As he stays up late organizing the files, extremely tired, he suddenly senses someone behind him. He turns around and is overshadowed by a giant figure. Gordon immediately reaches for his hip, but his gun is not there.
The person in front of him is in a black, tight-fitting suit, with two pointed ears on their head and a black cape draped over his shoulders. The figure almost blocks out all the lights from above. Gordon cautiously asks, "Who are you? And why are you here at the police station?"
"You can think of me as a vigilante. I'm investigating the disappearances in the Morrison District, and I noticed you went there today, and yesterday as well. You seem to be the detective in charge of this case, and I hope to obtain the files on these missing people."
Gordon is about to refuse the person in front of him when they speak again, "Of course, I also have some leads that I can exchange with you. Or rather, I can help you solve this case together."
A vigilante? Gordon thinks, this is absurd. There can't possibly be such a person in Gotham City, otherwise it wouldn't be known as the city rife with corruption and crime.
The first encounter between Gordon and Batman is not pleasant; they face off for a long time at the police station. Obviously, the fledgling Batman hasn't yet grasped the essence of leaving without finishing a conversation. They argue for a long time, until Batman finally grows impatient.
Batman realizes that he is really unlucky. There are countless negligent police officers in Gotham City, but he happens to encounter the most conscientious one. Gordon even wants to protect those files with his life, and Batman doesn't want to harm him, so they reach a stalemate.
After clearing out the Ditch Gang, Batman is deeply vacillated by the beggar. In the end, he saves the beggar. But evidently, he reflects on himself and starts to be more down-to-earth, starting from the simplest tasks.
The starting point of his superhero journey, the Morrison District, is not peaceful apart from the Ditch Gang. The number of missing persons there has reached a dangerous level. The district has only a few hundred permanent residents, yet more than forty people have gone missing. Batman decides to take this case as his starting point.
And of course, there is someone that can be suspected.
A professor who stayed up late at night and secretly sneaks into the streets where the Gotham mob is located. He appears without any reason and disappears without any reason. Could there be anyone more suspicious than him?
Batman has thought about confronting Schiller directly. But he knows he will have a hard time outwitting the professor in terms of words. He believes that he needs substantial evidence before bringing Schiller to justice.
On this day, Batman returns to the Morrison District. Since he can't get the files on the missing list from Gordon, he sneaks into the house of one of the missing one, hoping to find some other clues inside.
Just as he jumps out of the window, he notices Schiller's figure again. Under a streetlight not far from the building, Schiller holds a black umbrella and looks at the opposite wall. Batman marks him.
He realizes that Schiller is fixated on the spot where the beggar used to sit. But there is no longer a beggar there. Batman has sent that beggar to Gotham's best hospital and covers all his medical expenses. Although the beggar lost his legs, he survives.
Due to the beggar often leaning against that wall, a dark stain has left. Rainwater has collected in a small puddle where he used to sit, reflecting the dim light from the streetlamp. Schiller stands across the street, staring at the puddle, lost in ponder.
The young Batman can't resist. He jumps down and appears in front of Schiller.
"Good evening, Batman, I remember that's how you introduced yourself last time, so I'll address you as such."
Batman's eyes under the mask locks onto him, and he says, "Don't beat around the bush. You know why I'm here."
"You are here to play the savior, I know. Like how you saved that poor beggar."
"Did you have anything to do with the disappearances in the Morrison District?" Batman questions.
Schiller shakes his head, and Batman argues, "You're the only one with a suspicion, and you have no motive for being here."
Schiller begins, "Clearly, you already have an answer in your heart, so why bother asking me? You're always good at turning something you're already certain of into a question to ask others."
"If you get an answer that satisfies you, you'll be content, but if you don't get the answer you want, you'll become indignant."
"If I say I'm not the killer, you will feel angry, but your anger doesn't come from your sense of justice, it only arises because I didn't give you the answer you wanted."
"You consider yourself a mastermind, don't you?" Schiller asks.
"I told you, don't beat around the bush. You're the only one with a suspicion..."
Before Schiller says,he realizes a Bat dart flies past his neck. He seems to have underestimated him. Whether it is the present Batman or the future one, although they don't kill, they often beat up criminals and don't shy away from breaking their legs and then sending them to the hospital.
But evidently, this young Batman is missing a step.
Schiller doesn't say a word and another Bat dart flies past, grazing his neck. This time, Schiller doesn't use his spider sense to duck, but silently stares at Batman.
The Bat dart leaves a gash on his neck, with blood trickling down his shoulder, wetting his shirt.
When a hurried footstep comes from the end of alley, somebody shouts, "Stop it!"
Batman turns his head to the corner. At the street lamp, Gordon raises his gun and aims at them.
"Good night, Detective Gordon."
Raising his gun, Gordon inches closer, orders, "Lay down weapons. Don't move!"
Schiller shrugs, implying he is weaponless, while Batman takes back the bat dart in his hand.
When Gordon gets closer, he finds Schiller's neck is bleeding, which flows down his shoulders, even incarnadines his shirt.
Schiller states, "Batman, you've made a mistake. You said I'm the only one with a suspicion, but this detective obviously doesn't think so."
"No one here has a motive to be here, except for me and you,"
"I am here to investigate the missing population case," Batman justifies.
"So am I," Schiller continues, "But obviously, you are no more noble than I am, because neither of us is a police officer. I think only Detective Gordon has the authority to do so now."
"I will find evidence," Batman says.
"If you also need evidence, then what differentiates you from the police?" Schiller suddenly questions.
Batman is momentarily speechless. He has expected Schiller to ask for evidence. Batman also knows that, despite Schiller being in a place where he shouldn't be, it couldn't be used as evidence to prove his guilt. So Batman makes up his mind to find evidence to prove that Schiller is the murderer.
But Schiller's question hits the point. Batman thinks that he has always considered the police to be useless because they always require evidence for everything. Even if a murder happens right in front of their eyes and they haven't seen the killer, they won't arrest the most suspicious person.
That is how it is when his parents died. Not a single police officer gives the explanation they should have, and no one is brought to justice. His parents died, but no one paid the price.
He thinks, if he also needs evidence, why doesn't he become a police at the Gotham Police Department?
But if he doesn't need evidence and arrests people based on his own judgment, then what differentiates him from the criminals?
Regrets rise in his mind, he shouldn't have approached and talked with Schiller. Every conversation with him vacillates him and causes psychological and conscious turmoil.
After each encounter with Schiller, Batman always spends at least two to three days contemplating the question he raised, finding his own answer, and reaffirming his confidence before resuming his activities.
He feels it is no different from attending classes at university. The teacher poses a question, the students think for themselves, and then write an essay. When they meet again, besides checking the assignments, new questions are waiting for them. One question after another, as if there was no end.
While Schiller also complains in his mind. This Jonathan is really audacious. Despite stealing most of the fear toxin, it doesn't slow down his research speed. Instead, he becomes more crazed, kidnapping experimental subjects, bothering Schiller having a sweet dream at night and pushing him to deal with the mess.