Gotham.
On the rooftop of Wayne Tower, the Bat-Signal burned through the night sky. The massive bat symbol stretched across the clouds, cutting through the thick haze that always clung to the city.
From a nearby rooftop, Commissioner James Gordon of the Gotham City Police Department stood in the shadows, watching the signal he had just activated. Wayne Tower loomed across from him, its presence barely visible through the darkness.
Gordon was the one who had turned the Bat-Signal on.
Gotham had become something he no longer recognized.
Crime had been suppressed. The underworld was terrified. In any other city, this would have been considered victory. Yet instead of relief, Gordon felt an uneasy pressure in his chest.
He lit a cigarette.
"This city is too quiet," he muttered. "So quiet it doesn't feel real anymore. This kind of peace… it's wrong. It makes people who understand Gotham feel afraid."
He took a drag, then exhaled slowly.
Almost immediately, his body reacted badly. His breath tightened. He coughed violently, bending forward as the pain spread through his chest.
"Cough… cough cough…"
His lungs burned, and the pain shot up his spine and into his head like a wave of iron spikes. He dropped to one knee, struggling to breathe.
After several minutes, the coughing finally eased, leaving him weakened against the wall.
He slowly stood again, rubbing his chest until his breathing steadied.
He had activated the Bat-Signal for one reason, to find Batman.
No one had seen him in a long time.
Gordon knew the risk. The Gendarmerie, Homelander's military force, could trace the signal and come for him. But he had no other option left.
Time was running out.
"Commissioner Gordon. You don't look well."
A voice came from behind him.
Gordon turned sharply.
Superman was there, floating just above the rooftop edge, alongside a teenage girl.
"Superman?" Gordon said, surprised.
He hadn't expected Clark Kent to appear in response to the signal.
"Good to meet you, Commissioner Gordon," Clark said as he and Amy descended onto the rooftop.
"But you might want to prepare yourself. The Gendarmerie will probably be here soon. They're not fans of people standing on rooftops at night 'intimidating the public.'"
He said it lightly, almost joking.
"So that's it," Gordon replied, lighting another cigarette. "Because I interfered with Homelander's perfect little world, I get arrested."
Clark watched him carefully.
"I'm not here to arrest you."
"Good," Gordon said. "That saves me some trouble."
He extended his hand.
"James Gordon, Commissioner of the Gotham City Police Department. Ally of Batman."
Clark shook his hand.
Amy followed, slightly hesitant but polite.
"Amy," she said. "I'm… Superman's friend."
She glanced at Clark, clearly still adjusting to the attention his identity brought.
Clark's reason for coming to Gotham was simple. Gordon had deep knowledge of the city and its underground structure, and he could help coordinate resistance efforts. More importantly, he needed to be warned. The Bat-Signal had already drawn attention from Homelander's forces.
Gordon was putting himself in danger.
As Amy shook Gordon's hand, something inside her activated again.
Her vision broke.
A lighthouse.
Rain.
A broken window howling with wind.
Gordon was tied to a chair, blood running down his face. His wrists and legs were bound tightly with wire. A strip of black tape held his head in place.
A tall, thin man stood over him. Bald. Eyeless brows. Expressionless face.
He held a rusted fish filleting knife.
"Let me go," Gordon whispered weakly. "I don't have what you want."
The man said nothing meaningful in return.
Then the blade moved.
It drove into Gordon's left eye.
Gordon screamed.
The knife was pulled out slowly, deliberately.
Then the man paused, almost admiring his work.
Gordon's remaining eye suddenly widened.
"Batman…"
The second strike came immediately.
But before it landed, something slammed into the attacker.
A blur of motion.
Batman.
The punch sent the man crashing back. The knife dropped.
Batman grabbed him, slammed him into the wall, and broke his arm with a brutal twist.
A second strike ended the fight completely.
"Batman… it really is you," Gordon gasped.
"You're injured," Batman said immediately. "We need a hospital."
"No," Gordon replied weakly. "Not yet."
His hand trembled as he reached into his pocket.
A cigarette pack.
Batman hesitated but handed it over.
Gordon lit one with shaking fingers.
"This city waited for you," he said, exhaling smoke. "Don't disappoint it."
Batman stayed silent.
"You're carrying too much alone," Gordon continued. "Homelander… the resistance… everything."
"Stop talking," Batman said.
"It's too late for me," Gordon whispered. "Lung cancer… stage four. I held on long enough."
His hand slipped. The cigarette fell.
Batman caught him before he collapsed fully.
Rain poured outside. Lightning flashed across the sky, briefly illuminating Batman's mask.
Amy gasped sharply, snapping back to reality. She pulled her hand away quickly, breathing unevenly.
Gordon noticed her reaction but said nothing.
After a moment, Amy leaned toward Clark.
"Check his lungs," she whispered.
Clark didn't question it.
He focused.
His expression changed immediately.
"Commissioner Gordon," Clark said seriously, "your lungs are heavily compromised. There are large shadow formations. You need immediate treatment. The cancer has likely spread significantly."