C3- The End

"I'm telling you, I have rights!"

"You were caught rampaging through the city in I giant illegal piece of equipment." Officer Marisa Parks retorted calmly, almost tiredly, tossing a folder on the desk in front of her and letting her eyelids droop slightly to show her unamusment. "That's charges of battery, property damage, possible assault, vandalism. Those are just the things we picked you up on, there's no telling what a low life like you has gotten away with. I'd say your rights are pretty limited right now."

The criminal on the other side of the table, Dean Jordans, clenched his jaw, and averts his gaze to his fiddling hands that were cuffed together on the desk. As he squirmed under the harsh light of the interrogation room, Terry finally got a good look at the trouble maker. He looked about middle aged, but well taken care of health wise. The mans arms were thick with muscles and he was at least six feet tall. He had a square, tanned face etched with a scar going from his left temple, across his cheek to his upper lip. And now shed of his powered body armor Terri could note another jagged scar of his left arm and Dean had a robotic leg from his left knee down.

Based on his close cropped haircut and all the other factors, Terry took a guess and theorized their criminal was probably once part of the US military. Some sort of ground fighter based on his wounds. Marines possibly, or armed forces. There was no way of knowing if the man refused to speak.

The Batman stepped out of the shadowed corner and into the light, giving a menacing glare at the criminal and stating gruffly, "It would be in you best intentions to corporate, the more you help the cops now the more they help your sentence. Get the picture?"

"Yeah, like I believe that." Jordans snapped, "The government is all the same, especially here in Gotham: Dirty liars."

Officer Marisa's eyes narrowed, her coal black eyes piercing the big man with a terrifying glint. She said nothing, but there was something about her silence that was worse than anything she could speak aloud.

Terry went on cutting the edgy quiet, "or...I could just take you outside and settle this hero to villain. Punching that glass wasn't very hard, I wonder how your face might do under that kind of pressure..."

"You can't do that." Jordans said quickly with a twitchy smirk. "Cops won't let ya."

Marisa shrugged, "He's a public servant who's identity we don't know. He brings in the bad guys, and we don't complain if they're missing a few parts."

Jordans looked from the stone faced Officer and the menacing eyes of the Batman, a bit of color draining from his face. Gritting his teeth, the scarred man relented, "fine. What do you need me to say?"

"Oh, I don't know," Officer Marisa rolled her eyes, "how about we start off with why you decided it was a good idea to destroy the city zoo?"

Jordans dropped his head, playing with his fingers nervously.

"Okay, forget that." Marisa grabbed one of the chairs from the start wall sitting down and putting an elbow on the table. "Tell me about yourself, Dean."

The man gave her a wary look, and even Terry had to suppress a confused expression.

"Oh come on," she went on, "everyone has a story they want to tell. How'd you end up here?"

Jordan hesitated, but nodded slowly with a reply, "I...was in the army. A...a sniper."

Terry tried not to smile. Bruce has taught him well.

"I, uh...Did a few things I don't really want to talk about. But it's how I got this," he kicked his fake leg. "Anyway, when I got back to the States I had some trouble...recovering. Doctors said I had some sort of mental issue."

Wouldn't take a doctor to figure that out... Terry mentally commented.

"I had trouble getting a job, you know how it is for a retired military man, no one wants you. I don't have any family...except for me son. But he's not one due to my blasted ex wife. She won't let me near him."

"Must have made you awfully mad..." Marisa prodded.

"Well yeah, but I didn't do it to get back at my wife."

Officer Marisa asked casually, "So why did you do it?"

Jordans wet his lips and opened his mouth to speak, Terry was impressed with the young cop's skills. Marisa's round almond eyes could change from cold to empathetic in seconds.

"I got a deal." Said Jordans, "if I could do a job I could legally get my son back."

"And what was the job?"

The bulky man swallowed and glanced at Terry, pointing a finger at him. Officer Marisa followed the gaze, "Batman? The job was batman?"

Jordans lowered his hand and his eyes staring at the table.

"What was the goal with Batman?" Marisa questioned.

"I-I don't... I can't remember what."

"What?"

"I had a mission, but I can't remember why. I don't know what they did but I don't remember being in control in that suit."

"So what do you remember?" Marisa asked, now Terry was getting interested.

"I-I don't know. I know I was moving somehow, but my head...felt funny, y'all know. Like my insides had gone all cold, and I couldn't stop laughing. Everything...was a joke..." Jordans blinked, his whole face crumbling.

He truly looked like a broken man.

Officer Marisa continued for answers, "But why batman?"

There was no answer.

"Okay," she went on, "than who hired you?"

Again, Jordans said nothing. Terry had learned to tell when a person was done talking, and by the pursed lips on Jordans' face, he knew the conversation was well over. The Batman pulled his shoulders back and cleared his throat, nodding at the two before going to the door. It was disappointing, he had hoped he'd get more from the man, but still, this was better than nothing.

He clicked the button in his ear as he pushed through the police station, most of the cops hurrying to step out of his way as he strode thought.

"Terry?" Bruce answered in his ear.

"Hi, the interview here is over."

"What'd you get?"

Terry sighed, "not much unfortunately. Ex Sniper. He apparently did it for his kid. Got the suit from some company, with orders to do something with me."

"Any chance you got a name for the company?"

"Sorry, he held back that bit of info." Terry stepped outside, hurrying towards the side of the station to get to the Batmobile but mostly ignoring the surprised looks of passerbys.

"Fantastic," Bruce muttered sarcastically.

"I know."

"Lucky for you, I have a lead."

"Yeah?" Terry perked up.

"Yes, that picture of the camera you sent me. I was able to trace the type to a company called Shellron."

"Okay..."

"Shellron frequently does business with  Dashcorp."

Terry blinked, "Your kidding."

"Why are you surprised?"

"Guess not." Terry climbed into the slick black car, easing into the seat and pulling the hood back over.

Everything was so much better in the Batmobile.

"I'll have to do more digging, but with any luck we'll be able to link them to the criminal if he continues not to talk."

"Good plan." Agreed Terry.

There was a pause.

"Oh, and, uh, one more thing..." Terry remembered.

"What?"

"I, uh, think this guy was on some kind of drug when he was rampaging. He described not remembering things and laughing for no reason. Not to mention, they guy almost has all his screws intact now, when he certainly didn't at the sight."

"That's interesting." Bruce spoke after a moment.

And so the gears began ticking.

"Another unsolved mystery, huh?" Terry said after a moment, but by then Bruce had already hung up.

Yep. Just another unsolved mystery to the list.

Terry sighed heavily for the sixtieth time that day- he still had to call his mom back.

*****************************************************

Oooooooo more buildup mystery!
So, what are your thoughts on it? What's Dashcorp up to? Why do they need Batman? And what's with that drug?
Lemme know your theories in the comments!
Until next time