grace under pressure • jerome valeska

CHAP.39: Maze Of Mirrors

  The screams of the circus filled me with adrenaline and a sense of rush I enjoyed so much I couldn't help the smile widen on my face. I ran from most of the GCPD that ran after me but some I managed to bring down, either knocking them down in a rush or just killing them quick with my gun. At the moment I was battling one of the men to the ground.

  As I knocked him out and was about to stab him I heard familiar voice call out to me. 

  "Stop!" I hear someone yell and my head snaps up to see none other than goody too shoes Jim Gordon. I smile and narrow my eyes, my body crunched over the guy below me and my knife hovering over his throat. Jim had his gun on me and I raise a brow. My smile widens. 

  "What are you gonna do Jimbo? Kill me. Because I know that you wouldn't let that happen with your pretty boy police act." I tell him, inching the knife closer to the man who was frozen in place with  fear, waking up from my hit. Jim clicks his gun. 

  "Your right, I'm not going to kill you. I'm just going to get you just enough to let the man go." He tells me. I don't move.

  "Is that right?" I say. I then shift a bit, grabbing onto the mans bullet proof jacket tighter in my hand. 

  "Come on then. Take your best shot." I hiss. He stands there, face blank and jaw clenched. He was still. He wasn't doing shit. I chuckle then slice the man's throat below me, him gurgling up blood immediately.

  "NO!" Jim yelled then shot at me. I got of the way but it grazed my side and I hissed. I glare up at him then smile. 

  "Nice shot. My turn." I say. I reach into my pocket like lightening and grabbed my gun, standing up quickly and then shot at him. I nicked his shoulder and he grunted. I then laugh wickedly and I then start to run behind a tent. I hear him yell after me and I laugh more in return, high and maniac.

  I run into the tent then come to the entrance, peeking from behind the curtain. I see Jim walking around, a gun in one hand and another on his wound. I smile. 

  "Grace. You need to give up now! We have this place surrounded! You and Jerome are outnumbered. Your followers are running. We are going to find you and we are going to send you both back to Arkham!" He calls out. I bring out my gun to shoot him but he sees and just as I was about to shoot, he runs out of the way and to the other side of the tent. 

  I growl then see him enter from the other side, his gun on me. I raise my gun to him as well, licking my dry lips. I narrow my eyes at him. We both stilled, neither of us moving, our guns pointed at each other's heads.

  "Look's like we're at a crossfire." I say quietly. 

  "You need to give up, Grace. Just put down your gun and I'll make sure you get the treatment you need. You are sick. You have been damaged from an abusive childhood and-

  "You think I don't know that!" I snap, my head jerking and my face curled up in a snarl. He stopped. 

  "I know I'm sick Jim! That doesn't pass me by! But what you don't seem to understand is that I have excepted my sickness! I embrace it! You people just don't understand! You all live by the rules and guidelines that have stopped you from opening your eyes! You have been brainwashed! Don't you see! But me! Me, I have opened my eyes!" 

  "Grace!" He yells and I glare at him. "You need medical help. You have not opened your eyes you have closed them. All this chaos you think that this is better? These people that worship your killings, they are the brainwashed people. You need to lower your gun and come with me."

  I pause and shake my head, a dry chuckle escaping me. 

  "Why do you get to tell me what to do huh? Cause' your free?" I whisper and his eyes widen. I laugh, unamused.

  "You think your free? I'm free! You don't know what freedom is! I'm free! I've been freed and you and all your little friends are gonna choke on your average mediocre life!" I start to scream, tears coming to my eyes. He doesn't speak and I shake my head once more. 

  "You'll never understand. Never... So why am I even trying." I say quietly then I raise my gun a little higher and shoot at Jim. He saw what I was I going to do so he got of the way. I curse before turning around and running fast out of the tent, my knees pumping up. I look behind me to see Jim push open the curtain and raising his gun to shoot at me. 

  I laugh and turn a corner quickly, pushing past people and shoving them to the ground as I try to run from Jim. As I do as I suddenly see Jim's bearded partner run in front of me. He raises his gun but I continue to run. 

  "Alright you psycho, stop right th-

  I cut him off by just full on running in on him, knocking him down before I got up again and kept running. 

  "Oh come on!" I hear him yell behind me. 

  I needed to find Jerome. Luckily he had killed Bruce by now and we could haul ass out of here. I searched around to try and stop any signs of red hair but I found none. Getting angry I screamed out as I ran. I then stopped, circling around to try get a clearer view about where I was. 

  I saw the pole and stage and I realize I had run in a circle

  "Damn it." I mutter. I hold the gun tightly in my hand, trying desperately to spot Jerome. I start to panic. What if these people did something to him? I had to find him. I decided to go back to the maze of mirrors. 

  I run and soon find my away around. I turn a corner and find the Maze Of Mirrors. I run forward, going in the entrance. I slowed down, holding my gun up and narrowing my eyes. I growl and descend further into the maze, making sure to somewhat feel my way around so I wouldn't crash into the many mirrors around me. 

  My reflection followed me as I walked, the light glinting on my gun. I roll my jaw and look for any sign of movement. I didn't hear any noise at first but then I heard the small sound of padding footsteps. I turn around and see five mirrors reflecting Bruce. I shoot at the mirror then see the reflection show him running away. 

  "You can't hide forever Brucey boy!" I scream and then laugh. I start to run after his reflection. Soon though, I lost track of him after awhile. I growled. I then heard a laughter coming up from ahead of me. It was Jerome's. I smile and rush forward. I then hear grunting and smashing.

  "What kind of hero tackles someone from behind!" I hear Jerome shout. I start to run faster, weaving in and out of corners. 

  "Put em' up." I hear Jerome laugh. I knew they were fighting. I knew Jerome could handle himself but I felt like I needed to be there to help him out. I hear grunts from both teams and I growl. I then hear a thud, a lot of laughter, and some more grunting. 

  I then hear whispering and then I hear Bruce scream in anger. I stop, freezing. I listen. Silence for a moment. I then hear a very soft laughter with gurgling noises and the sound of footsteps. That is when I turn a corner and gasp at the sight of Jerome on the ground, dropping my gun. His face was all beat up and yellow, blood all around him. I run forward and crouch down next to him. 

  "Oh my god. What did that little fuck do to you!" I yell, unsure how to help. He grunted then suddenly sat up. He held his almost torn face up with one hand then looked at a piece of broken glass and then took it. He had a murderous look in his eye and we both stood, walking towards the entrance of the maze. I take my knife while Jerome clutches the piece of glass.

  Once we were out of the maze we spot Bruce hugging his butler. I growl. Jerome starts forward, limping a bit. I was about to help him when Jim suddenly came out of nowhere and punched Jerome straight in the jaw. His head swiveled to the side, his face almost all the way off. Then he tries to swing at Jim who's eyes were wide in shock. Jim punches him again and Jerome's face comes clean off. He stumbles for a second before falling down into a puddle.

  I cry out, running towards him and making sure he was alright. It was pretty narly to see him like this but I didn't care. He was breathing but lowly and I glare at Jim. I was about to lunge at him but I then suddenly feel cool metal touch the back of my head. 

  "I caught up to ya sweet cheeks." I hear a voice say that belonged to Jim's partner. I growl and glance behind me briefly before looking at Jim once more with a scowl. He holds out a pair of handcuffs.

  "Miss Sky." He says. "You are under arrest."