GCPD (New Age)/Issue 1

The first issue of GCPD written by GazzaB9.
==Synopsis of "Face Off"==
When a woman is found murdered in a particularly brutal fashion, rookie detectives Ethan Bennett and Ellen Yin are put on the case.
==Plot of "Face Off"==
A pair of men stand outside of an apartment door. One of them bangs on the door to get the attention of the person inside.
*Man #1: Miss Ryan? Rent's due.
He bangs on the door again, more intensely.
*Man #2: Actually, rent's been due. We didn't want to do this, but we might need to consider evicting you if you can't pay.
The first man hammers his fist into the door. After a while, he sighs and shakes his head. He pulls down on the door handle, the door luckily being unlocked. However, he's stopped by a chain holding the door closed.
*Man #1: Son of a bitch...
He reaches in and fiddles with the chain for a bit before finally managing to get it undo, pushing the door open.
*Man #1: Miss Ryan?
The pair stand at the door for a moment. They look at each other, noticing the deafening silence. The second man, clearly worried, steps inside and begins looking around while the first watches on. He eventually steps inside and walks to the kitchen, opening the fridge and noticing that all of the food has gone bad. He coughs from the sheer smell and closes it quickly.
*Man #1: ...Something isn't right here.
*Man #2: Yeah, tell me about...
The second man notices a hand from behind a nearby couch. He cautiously approaches, peering over the edge. Immediately, he screams and recoils, leaning against a nearby wall for support.
*Man #1: What? What is it?!
*Man #2: It's... her! She's... oh god...!
The first man attempts to approach but is stopped.
*Man #2: Don't go look!
*Man #1: What?
*Man #2: Her face! It's been cut off!
Elsewhere, a pair of detectives, Ellen Yin and her partner Ethan Bennett sit in a car together, both in the front seat as Bennett drives. Bennett's excitement is barely contained on his face while Yin sits beside him, resting her head on her palm with a pair of headphones on. Her eyes are closed and it is obvious to anyone except Bennett that she isn't listening.
*Ethan Bennett: Man... The Major Crimes Unit! I still can't believe it, I don't think anybody's fast-tracked this hard!
*Ellen Yin: Uh huh.
*Ethan Bennett: I mean, remember when we were still beat cops? Walking the streets, turning corners, and reporting everything to the real cops? Now we're those real cops that everybody else is gonna be reporting to!
*Ellen Yin: Yeah.
Ethan finally notices Ellen's disinterest and turns to her with a sarcastic look.
*Ethan Bennett: What're you listening to that's more important than this?
*Ellen Yin: What? Oh, sorry.
Ellen pauses her audio on her phone.
*Ellen Yin: It's an audiobook of the Major Crime Unit's operations. I asked for it from the captain, thought it'd be good to refresh myself on it before our first day.
*Ethan Bennett: Again? Don't you have it memorized by now?
*Ellen Yin: Not all of it.
*Ethan Bennett: Wait, are you trying to memorize it?
*Ellen Yin: Of course. You should, too.
*Ethan Bennett: Uh... Yeah, I'll consider it.
Ethan pulls into a parking lot outside of the Gotham City Police Department's station. The pair clock in and enter their new department room, which is loaded full of people, all of whom are doing their own jobs and speed walking to various other tasks. Ellen starts walking through the room to find her new desk, Ethan following closely behind with a raised eyebrow as he looks around.
*Ethan Bennett: ...Is it bad I'm underwhelmed?
*Ellen Yin: Well, what were you expecting? They're just a task force at the end of the day, they're not going to have fairies and unicorns doing paperwork for them, or... something else that's whimsical...
*Ethan Bennett: I know, I just expected a little more I guess. This... kinda just looks like everywhere else.
An older woman approaches behind the two, a coffee mug in her hand.
*Sarah Essen: It looks like everywhere else, but you know what they say about books and covers.
She laughs a little at her own joke and offers the two a handshake.
*Sarah Essen: Morning, Sarah Essen, Captain at the GCPD and head of the Major Crimes Unit.
Both shake her hands independently.
*Ethan Bennett: Ethan Bennett, detective, recently promoted.
*Ellen Yin: Ellen Yin, detective, also recently promoted. We spoke over phone once.
*Sarah Essen: We did? Sorry, I have a lot on my plate.
*Ellen Yin: No, it's fine. So, where are our new desks?
*Sarah Essen: Right over there.
Sarah gestures with her coffee mug.
*Sarah Essen: Take your time to get to know everybody first, though. Or at least the "need to knows".
*Ellen Yin: Which are?
Sarah turns to another woman, who is typing something on a computer.
*Sarah Essen: Montoya!
*Renee Montoya: Yeah, cap?
*Sarah Essen: Can that wait?
*Renee Montoya: Sure, I'm basically done anyway.
*Sarah Essen: We got a couple of rookies. Show them around.
*Renee Montoya: You got it.
Montoya gets up, hands in her jacket pockets as she approaches Ellen and Eathen, both shaking her hand.
*Renee Montoya: Hi, I'm Detective Renee Montoya.
*Sarah Essen: These are Ethan Bennett and Ellen Yin. Take care of them.
Sarah holds up her mug as if in a toast and smiles before leaving. Montoya starts leading the two, a small but friendly smile on her face.
*Renee Montoya: So, what made you two decide to join the Major Crimes Unit?
*Ellen Yin: Every other department was just a glorified switch pulling unit. All they did was handle petty thefts and wait for night so they could turn on that damn signal... I wanted to join the MCU to prove that we don't just need to rely on Batman for everything.
*Ethan Bennett: And I follow whatever she does.
*Renee Montoya: Heh. Yeah, I think everybody has a guy like that in their lives. Over there you'll see my own personal follower.
Renee gestures towards a round man, who is smoking while doing paperwork.
*Renee Montoya: How's it going, Bullock?
*Harvey Bullock: Fuck off.
*Renee Montoya: Ooo, someone's in a good mood today!
*Ellen Yin: Bullock? Harvey Bullock, from the Birthday Boy Killings?
*Harvey Bullock: Bingo.
*Ethan Bennett: Huh, I always pictured him a little different.
*Harvey Bullock: You mean you didn't picture me being fat...
*Ethan Bennett: I... did not say that.
*Harvey Bullock: You thought it. It's okay, I understand.
*Ethan Bennett: Uh...
*Renee Montoya: Don't let him get to you, he's always like that. I would know. Anyway, I think down in the lab you'll find the next fella on our list...
Renee leads Ethan and Ellen into the lab, where a man in glasses is sitting on a table and watching as another man stabs into a life sized plastic doll. Renee and the others watch on while this happens, as if waiting for it to finish. The bespectacled man notices them and makes a hand gesture that indicates they can continue.
* Renee Montoya: Ethan, Ellen, meet Jason Bard and Michael Lane. Speaking of, Mike, how the hell did he talk you into this one?
* Michael Lane: He wouldn't leave me alone.
* Jason Bard: I'm training myself to recognize what kind of knife was being used as a weapon based on the stab marks alone.
* Ellen Yin: That's infamously difficult.
* Jason Bard: Which is why I need training in it.
* Ellen Yin: ...Uh huh.
* Ethan Bennett: Can't argue with that logic, I guess.
* Renee Montoya: Jason here is a bit of an acquired taste, but you'll be getting along with him real soon. Try not to fight it, everybody does, they never win.
* Ellen Yin: I'm confused, are you even a detective?
* Jason Bard: I'm a consulting detective.
* Ellen Yin: What's the difference?
* Jason Bard: I'm like a detective, but I can't... arrest people...
Ellen squints in confusion.
* Ethan Bennett: What about tall, dark, and brooding there?
Michael glances up at Ethan but doesn't respond to him. Ethan notices the cross around Michael's neck and gestures towards it.
* Ethan Bennett: Man of God? What made you decide to become a cop?
* Michael Lane: If God wanted crime to exist, he wouldn't have created me.
Ethan's eyes widen at Michael's remark.
* Ethan Bennett: Holy shit...
Another man leans against the door frame behind the others.
* Crispus Allen: Intense, isn't he?
* Renee Montoya: Cris! Ellen, Ethan, meet Cirspus Allen, one of the best damn cops in this whole city.
* Crispus Allen: Oh, come on, you're setting them up for disappointment.
* Jason Bard: You need anything from the lab, Cris?
* Crispus Allen: Actually, I'm here for these two.
Crispus gestures at Ethan and Ellen.
* Crispus Allen: You two are lucky. You've already got your first case.
Later, Crispus is driving the two to the crime scene, them riding in the back of the car as he explains the details of the case to them.
* Crispus Allen: Victim's name was Marie Ryan. Single, in her 30s, lived alone. Be warned, the scene's not pretty.
* Ellen Yin: We've seen a lot working in this city, don't worry.
* Crispus Allen: You haven't seen anything like this...
In the apartment, Ellen and Ethan stand over the body. Crispus is at the door frame. Both Ethan and Ellen look horrified by what they're seeing, Ethan turning back to look at Crispus as if to confirm it's even real. Crispus just nods. Ellen sighs and crouches down next to the body of Marie Ryan, using a pen to lift up parts of her and move her clothing.
* Ellen Yin: Most obvious thing is the victim was stabbed six times in the chest and stomach.
* Ethan Bennett: I'm sorry, that's the most obvious thing?
* Ellen Yin: I don't... ugh... I don't want to talk about it...
* Crispus Allen: I get it. I really do. I was the same when I first joined. But you're going to need to look at her eventually.
Yin pauses for a moment in thought. Then she slowly raises her head to look at Marie Ryan's, revealing the entire skin around her head has been flayed off. Ellen stares at the body, needing a moment to even process what she's looking at. Ethan, though obviously just as shaken up, attempts to break the tension by speaking up first.
* Ethan Bennett: You got anything else?
* Ellen Yin: ...The blood from the stabbings is older, the stains look more stale. So the killer broke in, stabbed her repeatedly, then flayed her head.
Ethan pats Ellen on the back in an attempt to comfort her. Ellen sighs, seeming to appreciate the gesture, as she rubs the side of her head with her fingers in a self-soothing action.
* Ellen Yin: She likely died from the stabbings before... before everything else.
* Crispus Allen: Actually...
Ellen freezes, already expecting the worst.
* Crispus Allen: The stab wounds are in non vital locations... People have survived days with wounds in those areas. Sure, she probably wouldn't have given how many there are, but that doesn't mean that it's impossible━
* Ellen Yin: It's possible she was alive when she was being skinned...
Ellen remains perfectly still upon realizing this, her eyes wide. Ethan slowly stands up and begins to walk away from the body, now needing a minute of his own. Ellen sits there, crouched down and in a shellshocked state, shaking her head to clear her thoughts again.
* Ellen Yin: Ethan, any sign of forced entry?
* Ethan Bennett: For fuck's sake, Ellen, you want me to start looking around immediately after that?
* Ellen Yin: Look, I'd like to take five too, but this is our job. We asked for this.
Ethan looks over to Ellen with a narrowed brow but ends up sighing and doing what she asked, looking around the apartment for signs of forced entry. He looks in the kitchen, bedroom, and even a broom closet but finds nothing of note. After searching, he comes back to Ellen, who is now wearing rubber gloves and going through the victim's drawers and cabinets.
* Ethan Bennett: No sign of forced entry. Which means Marie likely let the killer inside.
* Ellen Yin: Great, another thing to add to the list of the terrible things I've learned today...
* Ethan Bennett: You found anything?
* Ellen Yin: Just some extra details about the victim to add to the files. She's a registered nurse, she takes NyQuil... Stuff like that. You?
* Ethan Bennett: Couldn't find the... The, um...
Ethan gestures at the body weakly.
* Ethan Bennett: The face... 
Ellen looks back at the body, clearly still shaken up.
* Ellen Yin: Did... they maybe dump it down the garbage chute?
* Crispus Allen: Unlikely.
* Ellen Yin: How do you know?
Crispus gestures down at the blood.
* Crispus Allen: The chute's out in the hall. All the blood is in here. Even if the killer hid the face in a coat or something, it's bound to have left a blood trail.
* Ellen Yin: Blood trail...
That seeming to have made Ellen realize something, she walks back over to the body. Her eyes linger on it for a moment, slowly making their way across the room, revealing there's a subtle trail of blood leading towards a window. Crispus and Ethan seem to already know what she's thinking, Ethan approaching the window and opening it up, revealing blood stains on the metal balcony outside.
* Ethan Bennett: The killer... stole a face?
* Crispus Allen: Trophy. And there's only one kind of killer that takes trophies...
* Ellen Yin: This isn't just a demented guy with some... fucked up violent streak... This is a serial killer.
Back at the station, Ethan strikes his own desk in a fit of passion, looking overwhelmed while complaining to Ellen, who has her head slumped back on her chair and is staring at the ceiling.
* Ethan Bennett: I knew it! I knew it was a serial killer! The moment we walked in there, I knew it! Nobody's that twisted on their first kill, you need to work to get that messed up!
* Ellen Yin: Not necessarily...
* Ethan Bennett: What?
* Ellen Yin: What...?
* Ethan Bennett: What do you mean?
* Ellen Yin: Well, some killers start off pretty... bad...
Ellen turns away and goes back to looking at the ceiling.
* Ethan Bennett: ...You okay?
Ellen sighs.
* Ellen Yin: Not really, if I'm being honest...
* Ethan Bennett: Yeah, I hear you. I'm still thinking about the crime scene, too.
* Ellen Yin: No, it's not just that, it's... Are we cut out for this?
* Ethan Bennett: What do you mean?
* Ellen Yin: I mean... It's still our first day and you saw how shaken up we got back there. Before Major Crimes, sure, we had to see dead bodies, but it was... hit and run victims, people shot during robberies that went wrong, it was never... Well, this.
* Ethan Bennett: ...I get what you mean.
Ethan slowly sits down in front of Ellen, looking at the ground in thought.
* Ethan Bennett: Should we ask for a transfer?
* Ellen Yin: Maybe... Let's solve this case first and see if we're feeling the same by the end.
Ethan nods his head. Montoya approaches behind the pair, gesturing towards a door.
* Renee Montoya: Yin, Bennett, we got the witnesses rounded up downstairs for testimony.
* Ellen Yin: Thanks, Montoya.
Ethan, deciding to try to lighten the mood, fires a pair of finger guns at Montoya.
* Ethan Bennett: You are a hell of a cop, and a hell of a woman, Montoya. Anybody ever tell you that?
* Renee Montoya: Heh... Thanks Bennett but you're not exactly my type.
* Ethan Bennett: Can't blame a guy for taking his shot.
Ethan shrugs and gets up, Ellen following behind him. Meanwhile, Captain Sarah Essen sits in her office, doing paperwork. She finishes up a stack when her door swings open, Crispus Allen walking in. Sarah smiles upon seeing him.
* Sarah Essen: Detective Allen, always a pleasure. Anything important?
* Crispus Allen: What the hell do you think you're doing, Essen?
* Sarah Essen: Excuse me?
* Crispus Allen: It is those poor kids' first day... You know the type of things you're forced to see when you're part of the unit. And you couldn't ease them into it? They are traumatized! I wouldn't be surprised if they requested a transfer.
* Sarah Essen: Cris, please calm down.
* Crispus Allen: I'm not angry, I'm confused. Ever since I transferred here, I have considered you a good captain. So I can't... possibly begin to understand what went through your head when you let those two go out to a scene that barbaric!
* Sarah Essen: Let's not use words like that.
* Crispus Allen: The woman didn't have a face, Sarah!
* Sarah Essen: I know, but one of the last things they teach you is don't dehumanize the criminals... It just makes them seem more mythical than they are. And I understand where you're coming from... But Cris... this is me easing them into it. We don't deal with petty thefts here. And we've seen worse bodies than that. When it comes to Major Crimes, there's no case that won't leave you shaken. You have to understand.
* Crispus Allen: You couldn't have offered someone to prep them first? To train them?
* Sarah Essen: That's what you and the others are for.
Crispus doesn't respond.
* Sarah Essen: ...30% of Major Crimes members leave by the end of their first week. 20% by the end of their first month. If Bennett and Yin are part of that statistic, I'll compensate them thoroughly and issue a personal apology. Is that good enough?
Crispus thinks it over and puts his hands in his pockets.
* Crispus Allen: If they are part of it, then you and I are going to have issues from now on, Sarah.
Sarah stares at Crispus for a moment before smiling again.
* Sarah Essen: You're a good cop, Crispus Allen.
* Crispus Allen: I try.
Inside one of the station's many conference rooms, Yin and Bennett stand in front of a man, Yin holding up a notebook to jot down notes.
*Ethan Bennett: Just for the record, you're aware of what happened, right?
*Witness #1: I know somebody died.
*Ethan Bennett: Did you see anybody go into the victim's apartment?
Later, Ethan is interrogating another witness who he has presumably asked the same question to.
*Witness #2: I saw a fella I didn't recognize. He passed me in the halls.
*Ethan Bennett: And he went to the victim's apartment?
*Witness #2: He did.
Once again, another witness gives their own testimony.
*Witness #3: I dunno what he wanted, but the girl inside seemed like she knew him. They didn't look related, so probably a work friend or something.
*Ethan Bennett: How did he look?
All three witnesses answer the following:
*Witness #1: He was about... I wanna say 5'8─
*Witness #2: ─He was blond and a little round. His eyes were─
*Witness #3: ─Blue and he had a beard.
Outside of the office, Ellen finishes writing down her notes and nods approvingly.
*Ellen Yin: Alright. We've got a description. Not much to go on, though.
*Ethan Bennett: We could get a sketch artist to talk to the witnesses, see if anything comes from that.
Another man waves at the pair from the door frame.
*Tall Man: Excuse me, are you the detectives on the Marie Ryan case?
*Ethan Bennett: That's us. How'd you know?
*Tall Man: I heard about it from one of the landlords who found her. I'm a cashier from a shop close to Marie's apartment, the people there talk to me sometimes. I... think you should drop the case.
*Ethan Bennett: How come?
*Tall Man: Because she's not dead.
The two go quiet, seeming confused as they look at each other. Later, Jason Bard sits in a chair in an odd position, Ethan and Ellen behind him as he watches camera footage of Marie Ryan in a shop, casually walking around and looking at items.
*Jason Bard: Yup, that's her. Camera footage dated earlier today.
*Ellen Yin: I hate this case...
*Jason Bard: Maybe the killer's a shapeshifter?
*Ellen Yin: What...?
*Jason Bard: They exist. Metas. People with superpowers.
*Ethan Bennett: I doubt it, there can't be that many shapeshifters in Gotham.
*Jason Bard: It is a pretty interesting case, though. Kinda wish that I got it. I mean, what kind of killer takes faces as trophies and apparently can resurrect the dead?
*Ethan Bennett: That's... a really good point.
*Ellen Yin: Idea?
*Ethan Bennett: The killer's got a pretty specific M.O. If, by a slim chance, we already have a file on someone that fits it, we'd have our main suspect.
*Ellen Yin: Pretty simple.
*Jason Bard: But effective.
*Ethan Bennett: Let's go see if we can get permission to go through some files.
Not long after, Ethan and Ellen are with Crispus again, who turns a laptop around to show them a criminal file, which depicts a woman that seems to lack skin.
*Crispus Allen: The Tricorner Ripper. Known for her unique method of murder which involves the complete flaying of a person's skin and transforming said skin into a wearable suit. She'd stalk her victims, get to know them, and then impersonate them to the best of her abilities. Completely enthralled by her own delusion of being them, she was deemed not guilty by reason of insanity and sentenced to stay at Arkham Asylum.
*Ethan Bennett: What the hell is wrong with her?
*Crispus Allen: Her methods are disturbing, I know.
*Ethan Bennett: No, I mean literally. What the hell is wrong with her?
*Crispus Allen: Unknown. As far as we can tell, that's just how she looks.
*Ellen Yin: How well made are the suits?
*Crispus Allen: Don't know. I wasn't on her case.
*Ellen Yin: If they're well made, that could explain why... Oh my god...
*Ethan Bennett: What?
*Ellen Yin: The guy the witnesses described, it... could have been her in a suit...
There's a brief moment of silence among them all. Ethan speaks up first, changing the subject.
*Ethan Bennett: Why'd she only take the face this time if every other time she took... everything?
*Crispus Allen: Could have been interrupted.
*Ellen Yin: And if that woman we saw in the security footage was her wearing Marie's face as a mask, then she's somehow gotten her hands on the rest of the skin to complete the suit. So that means since she got loose, she's killed at least three people. Marie, an unidentified male, and someone else who's probably skinned from the neck down...
*Crispus Allen: I'll send some detectives to search for the Marie Ryan imposter.
*Ellen Yin: We'll head to Arkham Asylum.
*Ethan Bennett: We will?
*Ellen Yin: We have to confirm that the suspect escaped. And, once we do, figure out how.
In Arkham Asylum, Ethan and Ellen sit in front of Dr. Hugo Strange, showing off a picture of the Tricorner Ripper to him. Strange adjusts his glasses to get a better look and leans forward in his chair.
*Hugo Strange: Ah, yes. I recognize her now, the skinless woman who slew a handful of Gothamites before her inevitably capture. She rejected all blood tests and she obviously has no finger prints or hair to test, so we never figured out her true identity. Marked down as a Jane Doe.
*Ellen Yin: This woman is suspected of at least one murder, with the possibility of others.
*Hugo Strange: Nonsense, she's in her cell.
*Ellen Yin: Would it be okay if we searched that cell?
*Hugo Strange: We generally don't allow patients to see outsiders...
*Ethan Bennett: Can we see security footage, at least...?
*Hugo Strange: Of?
*Ethan Bennett: Of... the cell...?
Strange doesn't respond for a moment, glancing behind him at a nurse, who looks down at him. Strange sighs and stands up, dusting off his uniform.
*Hugo Strange: Fine. Though I find this process thoroughly repugnant.
In the security room, the detectives watch footage of Jane Doe's cell which depicts it closed.
*Hugo Strange: We have live footage on the cells of all patients at Arkham.
*Ethan Bennett: How do guys keep breaking out, then?
*Hugo Strange: I sense some spite in your voice, do you perhaps have something against psychologists or mental institutions?
*Ethan Bennett: Oh no, I'm not letting you in my head...
Yin leans closer and watches the tape more thoroughly. At the corner of the footage, she spots something and points at it.
*Ellen Yin: What's that?
*Hugo Strange: Just some footage corruption. Nothing to worry about, so long as the rest of the camera is clear.
*Ellen Yin: That's a hand.
*Hugo Strange: ...So it is. I suppose someone must be standing out of frame.
*Ethan Bennett: No, no, that's the same motion over and over again... I think the footage is looping.
Strange doesn't respond and glances at his nurse again.
*Ellen Yin: Dr. Strange, we'd like to once again request permission to visit the cell.
Later, Strange leads the pair to the cell of Jane Doe, walking past various other cells along the way.
*Hugo Strange: In the event that Jane is still inside her cell, please refrain from revealing details about yourselves beyond the necessities. She's easily influenced, you see.
*Ellen Yin: What do you mean?
*Hugo Strange: She believes she has no identity, thus she steals others.
*Ethan Bennett: By cutting their faces off...
*Hugo Strange: To put it in a much cruder way, yes...
Strange stands in front of Jane's cell and scans his ID in order to unlock it. However, when he attempts to open the door, it doesn't budge.
*Hugo Strange: What...?
*Ethan Bennett: Trouble?
*Hugo Strange: Shut it.
Strange scans his ID again, the door swinging open and revealing, to everyone's horror, that the cell has a giant blood stain in the center of it. Later, other police have now shown up to the cell, which has been declared a crime scene. While Ethan helps the police look, Ellen is speaking to Strange and his nurse, jotting down what they say.
*Ellen Yin: So, you had absolutely no clue that Jane had escaped?
*Hugo Strange: Yes! How is that so hard to believe!?
*Ellen Yin: Who was Jane's assigned psychologist?
*Hugo Strange: That... That was myself, but that isn't proof of anything!
*Ellen Yin: Well, you understand that we are going to need to take you in for questioning.
*Hugo Strange: I am not a criminal!
*Ellen Yin: I didn't say you were, it's just we don't have anyone else who knows as much as you currently do.
Strange stares at her in a displeased fashion, crossing one of his legs over the other and making a sound that indicates he doesn't have an argument.
*Ethan Bennett: What's that smell?
*Ellen Yin: Smell?
*Ethan Bennett: There's, like, a smell in here from... somehwere.
Ethan's head darts around the cell in an attempt to find the source. After a while, he comes to the realization it's coming from the vent above. He looks up at it for a moment before lifting a nearby mop left in the hall, presumably by a janitor, and starts poking the vent trap with it. After a particularly hard poke, the trap opens up and the skinned body of a man drops down and dangles in front of everyone, who flinches and backs away upon seeing it. Back at the police station, Ethan and Ellen are now interrogating Hugo Strange, who is being kept in a holding cell. Ellen tosses a photograph in front of him.
*Ellen Yin: Lab confirmed that the body belonged to this guy, Harry Pasley, a security officer at Arkham who was tasked with guarding the cell of Jane Doe. Can you confirm you know him?
*Hugo Strange: I suppose...
*Ethan Bennett: That's not really good enough.
*Hugo Strange: Yes, I am aware of his existence and I am aware he was tasked with guarding Jane...
*Ethan Bennett: Bet what you're not aware of is that we have three witnesses describing someone that looks exactly like this guy walking into the victim's apartment before she died.
*Hugo Strange: Jane escaped, skinned him, and made him a suit, it's what she does. I don't see why I have to be here.
*Ellen Yin: How'd she get the equipment for that?
*Hugo Strange: We let Jane have sewing equipment in her cell! It keeps her calm.
*Ethan Bennett: I didn't spot any...
*Hugo Strange: We give it to her for some hours, then she gives it back. Why am I here? I did nothing wrong! All I did was attempt to help this struggling woman!
*Ethan Bennett: "Strange struggles with empathy and is known for his ruthlessness". That's a quote from your boss. Not to mention we dug up files all about how you've been dodging accusations─
*Hugo Strange: Of human experimentation, yes, I know. None of those charges ever went to court!
*Ethan Bennett: Yeah, but it is pretty convenient that the patient you were assigned to escaped. I'm not accusing you of anything here, Strange, but you gotta admit that you see where we're coming from here.
*Hugo Strange: Yes, I'm man enough to admit that, but I did not let loose a psychotic murderer!
*Ethan Bennett: No sign of forced entry, no sign of forced exit either. So somebody let her out of that cell.
*Hugo Strange: It was not me!
*Ellen Yin: Alright, Ethan, you're clearly getting a little worked up, go cool off.
Ethan glances between Ellen and Strange before stretching and walking out of the room. Behind the one-way mirror stands Sarah Essen and Harvey Bullock, the latter smoking a cigar.
*Ethan Bennett: How'd I do in there?
*Sarah Essen: You make a pretty good bad cop.
*Harvey Bullock: "Good bad cop". Heh, funny phrase...
*Sarah Essen: You did good pushing his buttons. Now we just need to wait and see if Yin does just as good.
*Ethan Bennett: Any thoughts so far?
*Sarah Essen: He definitely did something illegal, but I don't know if it's anything to do with the case.
*Ethan Bennett: Oh, come on, you're kidding me... Have you seen the way the guy talks? He's definitely up to something!
*Sarah Essen: And if he is, we'll have him arrested for that if and when we have proof.
Ethan rolls his eyes and watches as Ellen begins her own interrogation of Strange, clasping her hands together and obviously attempting to look as least threatening as possible.
*Ellen Yin: Sorry about my partner. He usually doesn't act like that, I promise.
*Hugo Strange: Is that right...?
*Ellen Yin: It is. Here, as an apology.
Ellen pushes a plastic cup of water towards Strange. Strange, looking a lot less threatened now, takes the cup and drinks from it.
*Ellen Yin: So, can you tell me what you know about your patient?
*Hugo Strange: That information is confidential.
*Ellen Yin: Can I hear some of the not confidential parts, then?
*Hugo Strange: You already have, I'm afraid. Jane is an easily influenced woman who enjoys pretending to be others.
*Ellen Yin: And why did she choose to pretend to be a security guard?
*Hugo Strange: According to what you've told me, she murdered someone else not long after. It's possible she was simply using the guard disguise in order to do so. Who was the victim, by the way...?
*Ellen Yin: Marie Ryan.
*Hugo Strange: Marie Ryan...?
*Ellen Yin: You know her?
*Hugo Strange: I was training her as my successor.
Ellen and the police behind the glass look surprised by this revelation. The pieces finally clicking in Ellen's head, she leans forward, looking almost excited.
* Ellen Yin: To confirm, did you ever take Marie to see Jane during her training?
* Hugo Strange: No, we hadn't gotten to that part yet. Though she did interact with Jane outside of her training. She was Jane's personal nurse. She cleaned her cell, took her vitals... She was even the one trusted with giving and taking away Jane's sewing equipment.
Ethan fist pumps in the other room in triumph.
* Ethan Bennett: Yes! Break through! The victim knew and saw the killer often, and the killer murders and pretends to be the people who influence her! Plus the victim's apartment had no sign of forced entry. No wonder! The killer was pretending to be a security guard, one that the victim knew because she likely talked to him while taking care of Jane!
* Sarah Essen: Bennett, we know.
* Harvey Bullock: We kinda put the pieces together at the same time.
Ethan stops talking and rubs his neck nervously.
* Ethan Bennett: Right, sorry.
* Sarah Essen: No need to apologize. Everybody gets excited when they have a breakthrough.
Ellen scribbles down notes, clearly very pleased with the information Strange just gave them.
* Ellen Yin: So, that gives us a motivation for the killing and explains a lot more. But we still need to find out who actually let her go. Any ideas?
* Hugo Strange: ...I suppose I can think of someone.
The nurse who had been following Hugo Strange around is now sat in the interrogation room, both Ethan and Ellen standing above her.
* Ellen Yin: Diane Lavigne?
* Diane Lavigne: ...Yeah?
* Ellen Yin: Do you know why you're here?
* Diane Lavigne: The cop that picked me up said I... let a serial killer go...?
* Ethan Bennett: Allegedly.
* Diane Lavigne: What proof do you have?
* Ellen Yin: A person claimed that you had motive to open up the killer's cell down at Arkham Asylum.
* Diane Lavigne: Who?
* Ellen Yin: We can't tell you that.
* Ethan Bennett: If it makes you feel any more comfortable, they're also under heavy suspicion.
* Diane Lavigne: And you're believing them?
* Ethan Bennett: We don't know who to believe just yet.
* Diane Lavigne: Bullshit, you're pointing the finger at me.
* Ellen Yin: According to Dr. Strange, you were competing with one Marie Ryan for the position of his successor. And Strange picked Ryan over you...
* Diane Lavigne: That doesn't mean I killed her...
* Ethan Bennett: Out of curiosity, why weren't you picked?
* Diane Lavigne: I don't need to answer that...
* Ellen Yin: Do you have any connection to Jane Doe?
* Diane Lavigne: I don't need to answer that either.
* Ellen Yin: Doesn't matter, according to Arkham records we got our hands on, you were Jane's personal nurse and you made the request to swap with Marie Ryan. So we already know you've had contact with her, but don't you think it's a little suspicious that you requested to swap with the victim right before she was murdered?
* Diane Lavigne: No, not in the least...
* Ellen Yin: So what was it? Ryan spurrs you and you decide to swap days with her so Jane would get nice and attached, then you spring Jane and she does your business for you?
* Diane Lavigne: You sure do talk a lot...
Crispus opens up the door suddenly.
* Crispus Allen: Yin, Bennet, we got something we think you'd like to hear.
Behind the one-way mirror, Ethan, Ellen, and Crispus stand and speak.
* Ethan Bennett: Thank god for you, that woman is probably the most annoying person I've met...
* Ellen Yin: She won't confirm or deny anything.
* Crispus Allen: You get anything, at least?
* Ellen Yin: I have a theory but without proof, we can't do much.
* Crispus Allen: Well, you're gonna love this then. I just got a call from Michael. He says he thinks he found the killer's current hideout.
* Ellen Yin: Where is it?
Elsewhere in the city, Michael Lane stands in front of an out of business taxidermy factory. He stares up at the rundown sign and sighs, shaking his head.
* Michael Lane: I am not looking forward to this...
Michael walks into the building. For whatever reason, he has no backup with him. He shines a flashlight into the dark hallways, moving it around in an attempt to find something. When he doesn't, he moves ahead and turns a corner, finding a series of masks that have been fashioned from human skin, one of which is very clearly the skinned face of the deceased Harry Pasley. Michael, not realizing the significance, lingers his torch on an empty mask stand, which indicates one of the skin masks is currently being worn. While Michael is distracted, a woman stands at the door frame behind him, a robe covering her body.
* Jane Doe: Can I help you?
Michael shines the light on Jane, revealing she is currently wearing Marie Ryan's face. Michael stares at her in silence for a moment, clearly a little put off by the sight.
* Michael Lane: That's a... very convincing mask.
* Jane Doe: Mask? I'm sorry, I don't understand.
Michael goes quiet again, but this time he's thinking more than anything. After a moment of consideration, he decides to play along.
* Michael Lane: Could you state your name?
* Jane Doe: I'm Marie Ryan. I work as a nurse down at Arkham Asylum...
* Michael Lane: Are you aware you died this morning?
* Jane Doe: Heheh... What...? I'm sorry, this is some kind of mistake, I'm not dead, I'm standing right here in front of you.
* Michael Lane: And what are these meant to be?
Michael gestures at the skin masks.
* Jane Doe: Oh, those are Jane's work.
* Michael Lane: Jane?
* Jane Doe: Jane Doe, my patient. Well... that's not her real name, but she seems to have taken a liking to it.
* Michael Lane: Jane Doe being the Tricorner Ripper, right...?
* Jane Doe: That's what the news called her, yes.
* Michael Lane: And you're not her?
* Jane Doe: Heavens, no! How could you ever mistake me for her?
* Michael Lane: Ma'am, drop your robe.
* Jane Doe: No, I'm not decent.
* Michael Lane: I highly doubt that.
* Jane Doe: I swear to you that I am not...
Jane and Michael stare each other down for a moment, Michael's expression becoming more intense while Jane simply smiles at him. Sent over the edge by the smile, Michael grabs Jane, who struggles.
* Jane Doe: What!? What do you think you're doing!? Help, police!
Michael tears off the robes around Jane, who stumbles into a crack of moon light, revealing she isn't wearing the rest of her skin suit, meaning everything below her neck is raw muscle and meat. Upon realizing that she has been exposed, Jane slowly stands and stiffens herself, grabbing her own hair and pulling the mask off to reveal her true, skinless face. She smiles.
* Jane Doe: That was rude.
Jane runs towards Michael and the two start struggling. Michael, obviously bigger and stronger, attempts to use his size to his advantage and delivers several punches, all of which Jane steps out of the way of using her abnormally high speed. She tackles herself into Michael, which doesn't knock him over but closes the gap enough that she can reach behind him and try to grab a scalpel on the table. However, Michael raises both his fists in the air, clasping them together and delivering them down on to Jane's back, sending her to the ground. Jane attempts to get back up, but is distracted by the sound of the door opening again, turning to spot Yin and Bennett, who have just arrived and are aiming guns at her. Knowing when to quit, Jane gets up on to her knees and puts her hands behind her head as Ellen cuffs her.
* Ellen Yin: Jane Doe, you are under arrest for the murder of Marie Ryan and Harry Pasley...
* Michael Lane: Not to mention the people all those other masks belong to...
* Ellen Yin: Why didn't you just pull a gun? It would have been a lot easier.
* Michael Lane: I don't have a gun.
* Ethan Bennett: What...?
* Michael Lane: It's not my style... Hasn't been for a while.
* Ellen Yin: Good job, either way.
* Jane Doe: You're an interesting man, aren't you...?
* Michael Lane: ...Thanks.
* Ellen Yin: Don't take that as a compliment.
Back at the station, Jane is now being held in an interrogation room, her arms cuffed to the table and her having been outfitted with a jumpsuit. She is drawing a picture with a crayon, which vaguely resembles a face but is so bizarre looking that it's impossible to tell. Bennett and Yin enter and she looks over to them as they sit in front of her.
* Ellen Yin: Jane Doe?
* Jane Doe: Marie Ryan. I don't understand why people keep confusing the two of us...
* Ethan Bennett: Uuuh huh...
* Ellen Yin: ...Well, Jane Doe escaped.
* Jane Doe: Yes, I'm aware. Dreadful, really. Poor woman is sick, she doesn't need to be out there by her lonesome...
* Ellen Yin: We think a rival nurse of... "yours" might have intentionally let her go to get you killed.
* Jane Doe: What? ...You're referring to Diane, right? Diane's always had her troubles, but I highly doubt she'd send someone to kill me...
* Ethan Bennett: Troubles...?
* Jane Doe: Gambling. She often called me about it. She begged me to step down as Strange's successor so she could get the money to pay off her debts, but I told her it was out of my control. That once Strange set his sights on someone, he had to have his way...
Ethan and Ellen seem a little surprised by this. Ellen leans over and whispers to Ethan.
* Ellen Yin: She seems willing to cooperate while in her personas...
* Ethan Bennett: Guess so. She's the ultimate method actor...
* Ellen Yin: Um... Marie?
* Jane Doe: Yes, dear?
* Ellen Yin: Security footage of Jane's cell was found to have been looping. Do you know how that happened?
* Jane Doe: Oh, I'm afraid not.
* Ethan Bennett: ...Harry Pasley?
* Jane Doe: What's up?
* Ethan Bennett: Oh, thank god that worked... Uh... you're a security guard, right?
* Jane Doe: Yup. What's the deal?
* Ethan Bennett: Do you have any idea how the security footage of Jane's cell started looping?
* Jane Doe: Oh, yeah, that was me. Jane was planning to escape and I taped over the footage so nobody knew.
* Ellen Yin: I'm sorry, you taped over the footage?
* Jane Doe: No, Jane did.
* Ellen Yin: But you just said you did.
* Jane Doe: Jane did it as me.
* Ethan Bennett: This is the most confusing conversation I've ever had in my life...
* Ellen Yin: Uh... Marie and Harry, can you describe what happened?
Jane stares blankly at Ellen and glances around in confusion.
* Ellen Yin: Guess that's not how it works...
* Ethan Bennett: Worth a shot.
* Ellen Yin: Marie... Do you know how Jane got loose?
* Jane Doe: I do, yes. I knew the moment she unmasked herself in my apartment.
* Ellen Yin: Can you tell me?
* Jane Doe: I... I don't want to...
* Ellen Yin: Please?
* Jane Doe: No, I refuse.
Ellen pauses briefly. In the next room over, Diane Lavigne remains seated, staring off at nothing when the door opens up. Her eyes widen in horror as she realizes the two detectives have brought Jane Doe into the room. Diane falls out of her chair and crawls away, pressing her back against a nearby wall.
* Diane Lavigne: Oh my god, are you two insane!? That bitch is a murderer!
* Jane Doe: What? I didn't do anything...
* Ellen Yin: Marie, we are all but positive that this woman is responsible for letting Jane Doe loose at this point. We just need you to confirm it.
* Diane Lavigne: I didn't!
* Jane Doe: No! Why are you so desperate for me to turn on my friend!?
* Ellen Yin: ...What?
* Jane Doe: Diane is my friend! Strange trained us together, I was there for her when she was struggling with her debt, why are you so desperate for me to say something that could get her in trouble!?
Ellen doesn't respond for a moment.
* Ellen Yin: ...Because I'm a cop.
* Jane Doe: Huh?
* Ellen Yin: I'm a cop. And my dad was, too... He was back in Hong Kong, where I grew up. And he was one of the best damn cops in that entire country. But then we moved here... He got a job, and... suddenly it was a lot harder to be a cop. You know why?
Jane doesn't respond.
* Ellen Yin: Because of the vigilantes. Every single person in this town put on a mask and swore up and down that they were going to be the next Batman. And my dad hated it... He hated them. So he dedicated his life to catching them. And he got so caught up in it all that... he forgot he even had a family. And he died... not long after... So that's why I'm so desperate.
Ellen puts a hand on Jane's shoulder.
* Ellen Yin: That's why I need you to testify against her. Because my dad stood for something. The masked freaks in this city took that something and perverted it... and I need to prove to this city and myself that what my dad stood for is still alive. Do you understand?
Jane remains quiet for a moment before slowly starting to smile.
* Jane Doe: Of course. I'm a cop, after all.
* Ethan Bennett: What?
* Ellen Yin: And what do cops do?
* Jane Doe: They stand up for what's right. So... I'll testify.
Diane's eyes widen and she looks at the ground, seeming defeated. The next day, Ellen is at her desk, filing out the paperwork for the case when Ethan approaches her and tosses a newspaper down, the headline reading "Evil Nurse Releases Demented Killer, Gets 10 To Life".
* Ethan Bennett: "Hero cop swayed the killer using her cunning and tenacity into confessing the nurse let her loose to murder her rivals for her". That's how they described what happened.
* Ellen Yin: It was quite literally my first thought. I didn't even know it'd work.
* Ethan Bennett: I still don't know if it was the best idea...
* Ellen Yin: It probably wasn't. But Jane was our only witness to her own escape. And every other persona she had either didn't make sense to know anything or refused to testify.
* Ethan Bennett: So you put yourself in her head.
* Ellen Yin: I knew that I would have testified if I had the chance. So...
* Ethan Bennett: You know what this means though, right?
* Ellen Yin: It means if she ever gets loose again, she'll try to make me her new suit...
Sarah Essen, having overheard the conversation, pokes her head around to continue Ellen's thought.
* Sarah Essen: Unless... You request a transfer.
* Ellen Yin: What?
* Sarah Essen: I'll be honest with you both. You started off with... probably one of the most harrowing cases you've ever gotten.
* Ethan Bennett: You can say that again.
* Sarah Essen: But it's not going to get better. So, if you want a transfer, I'll understand. I'll compensate you for the mental damages and I'll even send you both to another city if you want me to. It wouldn't be the first time...
Ellen and Ethan don't reply for a while and glance at each other. Ellen sighs and shakes her head, smiling at Sarah.
* Ellen Yin: I guess I'll take the risk.
* Ethan Bennett: And I follow whatever she does.
Ethan laughs a little and Sarah nods approvingly and gives the two a thumbs up.
* Sarah Essen: Well... Welcome to Major Crimes.
* Ethan Bennett: The thumbs up might be a little over the top.
* Sarah Essen: Heh... Don't push my buttons, kid.
Sarah leaves the two to continue their paperwork, the pair surrounded by a series of other officers who are doing the same, eager to take on their next target.
End.
Next issue: GCPD (New Age)/Issue 2
Category:DC: New Age
Category:GazzaB9's Ideas
Category:Comics