Chapter Text
Today was the day. It had been six months since their escape and the Batman had first arrived and Oswald and Edward had nearly been captured many times since then, but today was the time he was going down.
It took Oswald a while to be on top of the underworld, apparently the new criminals didn't understand why he was dangerous, so it was only polite for him to teach the youth how things work with him around, by giving them a warning shot to the face.
Meanwhile, Edward had been more focused on the Bat, having tried to defeat him time and time again only to be bested by the knight in leather. He'd started becoming obsessed, going without eating, sleeping or showering for days if allowed. Oswald didn't allow it to happen anymore, he forced Ed to move in with him, and now he took care of him. He even restructured the attic to be a big office for Ed to make his traps. All and all, it had been nice, even if they weren't ruling Gotham, the two of them were together and that mattered the most to the Penguin.
Still, getting Batman's head as a trophy would be nice, and that was what they intend on doing today.
Today they had something they hadn't had in the past.
They had allies.
Scarecrow and the Mad Hatter were apparently Edward's friends now, Oswald didn't know specifics, but apparently they met in the GCPD after a failed attempt to defeat the bat from all parties. Then there was Victor Fries who had finally agreed to work with Oswald again despite their last encounter and a few new mercenaries that were apparently really powerful, one by the name of Deathstroke and one called Deadshot.
The plan was simple in theory, they were going to break Joker out of Arkham and keep him in a boat. Batman would track him down and, once he stepped inside, unable to leave, the entire thing would go up in place.
Currently Oswald, Edward and Tetch were all waiting in a van as the support team. Deathstroke and Deadshot were distracting Batman on the other side of town and the rest who were inside Arkham executing the first plan of the work. Tetch seemed pretty tranquil, but Edward was pacing back and forth. "This is simple. Too simple. There is no way he is falling for something like that."
"You don't know that, Edward, maybe that's what will manage to finally defeat someone as complex as him."
"But it can't!" He said desperately, "if it does, what does it mean about me?!" He leaned a little too close to Oswald's comfort. Of course Edward would be the one person in the world to be bothered by a plan going right.
Oswald took his hand and gave it a squeeze, "it means that you worry too much."
Suddenly, the radio blasted, "we have a problem." Fries said.
Edward jumped, "I knew it! He is here!"
Oswald rolled his eyes and picked it up, "what?"
"There is a mole, Gordon was waiting for us. We gotta go."
Dammit, were there no more trustworthy criminals in Gotham?! "Fine, we are coming in."
Tetch licked his lips. "Ah, so they brought in the cops! That is bound to make some sobs."
"I don't suppose you have anything to do with this? Maybe get a little revenge on a certain someone?"
"I would never betray mister Crane! I'd never be that vain. For him, I'd open a vein!"
"Yeah, yeah, got it, let's just go."
They made their way inside, guns ablaze, each wore a mask so they wouldn't be affected by Crane's fear gas that covered the corridors in a cold orange mist. As they walked in, screaming and begging surrounded them from the inmates and workers affected by the poison. There was something awfully cathartic about it.
They found Crane and Freeze near Valeska's cell behind a wall of ice that Fries was trying to maintain with his freeze gun despite all the bullets. Like Freeze mentioned, there were cops there in masks, but he didn't mention which. James Gordon, Harvey Bullock and a few others, some now lying dead on the cold floor. Freeze and Crane were surrounded, they could easily escape without Jeremiah, problem was, if they did they wouldn't have an opportunity like this again. He was glad they got back in time.
"What's the situation?" Oswald asked.
"Not good. I'm out of gas," Crane held the injury on his shoulder, "and Freeze is running out of ice. We were not expecting combat. You said we wouldn't have to fight, Cobblepot!"
"Yes, well, I didn't expect a mole! But it's ok, this is still doable! There are only four other people still standing there and they are using up most of their bullets to take down the wall."
"Yeah? Can you take on four people at once with your gun? One of them being Gordon? They are wearing protection against Hatter's spell too."
"Well-" Oswald loomed up at the men. They were wearing helmets and bulletproof vests, killing them in one clean move would be impossible. "No. But, we are dealing with mister Nice Guy here. Ed," Oswald looked at him, "grab one of the workers, we are taking hostages."
Edward, who had been pacing until being addressed, stopped and smiled, "that's a good idea." He grabbed a doctor and Oswald took a nurse, both affected by the gas. Crane and Tetch seemed to get the idea as they did so too.
"Ok, Fries, let them take that wall down and make a new one between me and all of you. At my signal or if they shoot me, all of you kill your hostages one at a time, Ed first, Crane last."
"Oswald, wait, what if they kill you?!" Edward swallowed.
"They won't. It's Jim Gordon we are talking about. Just trust me in this, ok? It is going to be fine." He was lying. He had no idea if it was going to be fine.
Edward hesitated, but nodded.
Ok. Showtime. Oswald was separated from the others and the bullets finally pierced through the first layer of ice. Meanwhile, Oswald was there, pointing a gun to the woman's head, "ok, Jim! I want to talk, so let's talk! You like talking, right?"
"Tell your friends to put the weapons down and surrender, that way no one else needs to get hurt!"
"Yeah, that ain't happening, Jim! We are getting out of here alive, with Valeska!"
Jim finally decided to stand up, leaving the little protection made out of a tumbled closet. "Why do you even want him? Last time I checked, you and Valeska weren't exactly friendly!"
"That's exactly why! We are doing what you and Batman won't! Killing him! Seriously, your anti killing policies are very cute and all, Commissioner, and I applaud them, but not with him. Valeska is not someone who can be helped. He can't be fixed. He was born evil and he will die evil too, all he cares about is bringing as many people down with him as possible!" Jim still had his gun up, but he wasn't shooting, which Oswald considered a good sign. He took a step forward, "you know me, Jim! We fought side by side! I'm as much of an advocate for peace as you are!" Well, maybe not THAT much, but still, he wasn't lying completely, "let us free Gotham of him!"
Bullock licked his lips,"I have him, partner! Just say the word and he will be dealt with!"
Silence.
"Partner?" Bullock looked up at Jim. The commissioner was gripping his chest and gagging, his eyes wide and unfocused. Before he could give anyone a reply, the golden knight of Gotham fell. "Partner!" Bullock dropped his gun and ran to his side.
Oswald blinked, "Jim?" He asked as the cops all surrounded the man now convulsing there.
"Now is our chance!" Crane barked, but Oswald ignored him to step closer to his old rival. Their eyes met one last time, blue on blue before his old nemesis just stopped.
"Jim?" He asked softly. Was he scared? Happy? Worried? He didn't know. This wasn't what he had planned.
"Shit, his heart stopped! C'mon, buddy, don't leave us now!" Bullock demanded, desperately trying to bring him back to life.
It was no use.
James Gordon was gone and Oswald had no idea how to feel about it.