Prince of Darkness ~ Gotham

~ Chapter Twenty Two: The Plan ~

Jim's body ached as he tried to catch his breath, but the consistent pain from the gunshot wounds he sustained made it hard for him to think about anything else. But the one thing that kept him going throughout his pain was his will to live. Essen's words echoed in his head, reminding him of Barbara and Holly, and he did his best to stay awake. But as Montoya and Allen pulled into a building unfamiliar to Jim, he passed out from exhaustion. Allen turned in his seat as a tired breath escaped Jim's mouth, and he instantly feared the worst.

"Shit, we need to get him inside now!" Allen glanced to Montoya. "Come on, Jim. Don't give up now," Montoya pulled into the parking spot before rushing inside. She came back with a good friend who knew the ins and outs of medicine. Getting Jim onto the stretcher, the three of them walked inside the building, and all Montoya and Allen could do was sit and wait. A couple of hours later, Jim finally jolted awake, finding himself in a room containing cages upon cages filled with mice. Where am I? What are they... Before Jim could finish his thought, the clicking of heels filled the room, and he looked up to see a woman wearing a white medical coat approach the table he was lying on.

"Ah! You're back! How do you feel?" She asked, her voice rather chipper. "Terrible," Jim sighed. "Where am I? Who are you?" The woman slipped a stethoscope around her neck, introducing herself as one of Montoya and Allen's friends. "I just took two bullets out of you and sewed you up. Now, I'm checking to see how you're doing. So, who are you, what city are we in, and what day of the week is it?" The doctor shined a tiny light into Jim's eyes, making him squint.

"I'm James Gordon, we're in Gotham. It's Friday. Why are there rats?" Jim answered, grabbing her wrist. "It's the dissection lab at the university. I gather you're a fugitive from the mob. Can't go to the hospital, said Crispus. Very exciting, I must say," She explained. "How long have I been out?" Jim questioned. "Just a couple of hours or so. You're very lucky, no vital organs were..." Before the doctor could finish, Jim pulled himself up and tried to get off the table. But the doctor was quick to stop him. "Whoa, whoa, lie back down, okay? You are hurt. Just a week or so in bed..." She tried to persuade.

But Jim held firm, saying he needed to go. "James, you have lost a lot of blood. You have to do as I say and lie back down. If you don't, you could die," The doctor told him. "I have to stand. Can you help me?" Jim asked, but he didn't wait for a response as he continued to get up. Eventually, the doctor nodded and called out to Allen, saying Jim was leaving already. "I have to go now," Jim explained. Surprisingly, Allen didn't try to stop him, only suggesting that Jim put on proper clothes first.

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Later that night, Jim was back in Montoya and Allen's car, sitting in ominous silence as Allen went to get a certain someone Jim needed to speak to. With only Montoya to keep him company and the earlier events of that day causing tension between them, Montoya decided to put an end to it. "I owe you an apology. You were telling the truth, and I wouldn't believe you. Maybe my personal feelings towards Barbara got tangled up in there. And that was wrong," she glanced over at him. "Forget it," Jim replied, his gaze still locked outside the car window.

"Anyhow, I'm sorry for misjudging you, and I'm very glad that we're on the same side now," Montoya slightly smiled. "Yeah, me too," Jim nodded. "So, Barbara and Holly are safe though? You're sure they're safe?" Montoya questioned. "They are. Barbara left Gotham and Holly's with one of her friends and her family," Jim explained. "Do you mind taking me to see her after this?" "It's no problem at all," Montoya answered.