Part Four
EXTRACT: The Word Of “Alice”
The good Doctor Thompkins offered me a chair in what I
felt was a disappointingly drab office and I dropped
onto it with a playful bump. I tugged tightly at my
dress, keeping the wrinkles out and making sure my
presentation wasn't in any way slacking. After all, this
was a special visit and as an envoy for Yourself, I had
to present myself perfectly and be on my very best
behavior. It would be awful if I showed up with a
crinkled dress. I know You like pink; I wore this dress
especially for You.
The other two came in. The Alien and the Cripple. While
the Doctor had treated me with the utter most
politeness, I could see neither of the two new entrants
in the room felt the same. I wasn't stupid of course; I
knew that Doctor Thompkins simply didn't believe I was
capable of killing those lowlifes of Gotham. The Cripple
was clearly more suspicious and convinced her Alien
friend the same thing. That didn't surprise me as I
could see just by looking at the Alien that she was
weak, weak in the mind. She had no belief system. She
didn't believe in You, she didn't believe in anything
really. I despise that lack of foresight.
I held the warm cup of tea that the Doctor gave me
tightly. The office was very chilly (and I'm not just
talking about the reception I was getting from some of
the occupants), but I knew as Jesus did at Gethsemane to
trust in Your wisdom. The Doctor remained standing and
the Alien stood by the door. The Cripple drew herself
closer.
"My good friend here doesn't believe you are capable of
killing those people and despite the information that
your friend Billy gave us, I'm not certain either." The
Cripple's cold blue eyes told me she knew the truth but
lacked the character to believe in her convictions.
As You asked of me, I will give. I told them the truth.
"It was me. I used nanotechnology I borrowed from my
friend's father to instigate a mass poisoning of the
destitute populace of Gotham."
"But you are only fifteen!" protested the Doctor, with
whom I'd had the good fortune to chat a little earlier.
I like her, even if she doesn't understand.
"I am a messenger," I replied. "I am a tool of His Word.
I am the light in Gotham's dark."
"Are you talking about a god?" the Cripple asked. "You
killed people because your god told you to?"
"Our 'god'", " I replied tersely, "bestowed me with the
gifts I needed to carry out my tasks. He doesn't control
me; I work on my own volition. He bestowed me with the
intellect far beyond my years when I was born; He
bestowed me with the companionship that would lead me to
the technology I required to carry out His will. He told
me to come to you. He is all."
"So why did your god tell you to kill a few homeless
people?" The Alien spoke for the first time. She didn't
like me, I could tell.
"Because of the Chain Of Being." I could see that
confused her. The good Doctor was a little more
educated.
"Historically, the Chain Of Being was a deeply held
social perception in the middle ages. The idea that life
is linked together in a rigid chain of social class with
God at the top down through the social hierarchy, King,
aristocracy and so on, until we stop at the rocks
beneath our feet." The good Doctor was correct.
"However, I fail to see what this has to do a relatively
small amount of Gotham's homeless."
"Gotham is a cesspool and He feels it needs to be closer
to Him."
"I don't get it,” said the Alien, but I could see the
Cripple and the Doctor did. They were bright and I could
see the Doctor's warm attitude slowly beginning to die.
It was inevitable I suppose. The cripple explained.
"Imagine the chain like a stairway to God. Each step is
a social class, each class getting socially more
important until you reach God at the top. Alice here
thinks that for God to have a stronger influence on
Gotham, Gotham has to be closer to his influence."
"However," continued the Doctor, "you can't change the
order in the chain. No class can rise above the other
without anarchy descending. That was the belief system
which kept the social classes from trying to overthrow
the King in the past."
"But," interrupted the Cripple with predictable
rudeness, "if you removed an entire class, you aren't
altering the chain. The chain remains in order of
importance, you just remove a link." She was a clever
one. "You intended to remove the destitute from the
chain and by doing so bring God once step closer in the
chain to Gotham."
"The plan is far more reaching," I said with clear
disdain for the cripple. "Other social classes are next.
This is just the first. Gotham will be brought closer to
God's will. It's falling from grace you see, it's
spiralling into down into a nest of filth, corruption
and chaos."
I knew they wouldn't understand, but I do as You
command.
"You're a loon!" spat the Alien. "Anyway, it stops.
We've defeated your nanobot"
"Why come here, Alice?" the Doctor asked gently. Such
courtesy and manners.
"Because He told me too. He wanted you to see the face
of His righteous messenger. He wanted you to see the
face of absolute love. It's your chance to repent before
He is close enough to Gotham to judge you." Inwardly I
couldn't help feel that pious warm glow. I'm sure it
must have shown as the cripple shifted uncomfortably.
"We stopped the nanobots. With the help of a friend
we've blocked the carrier signal and that information
was transmitted to any bots we had not found. They've
been deactivated, Alice. It's over." She knew now it was
not. As I said, she was smart.
"They were the prototypes. I've been working on a more
complex nanobot, one that the Lord told me to create.
One that quantifies specific chemical signatures of
those who spend time in the constant wilderness, those
exposed to bacteria and other elements which separate
themselves out from the other higher social human
classes. It was a complicated task, but the prototype
nanobots sent back the relevant information for myself
to locate the consistent chemical attributes to the
destitute class in Gotham."
Now the Cripple was frantic. "Leslie, get John on the
phone now. Kara, check her for any devices or triggers!"
She could see the Word of the Lord and she cowered in
Your glory.
"Don't worry," I consoled. "Only the destitute in Gotham
will be affected. The nanobots were ranged in their
contagion. They will only do His bidding in an area
localised to Gotham city." I looked at the age-old clock
on the wall. It was time.
The screams were loud. I could hear them from inside the
Doctor's office. So could they. All three wore faces
painted in the horror of their own ignorance. I bathed
in Your righteousness as the screams bellowed in fanfare
to your coming to Gotham.
***
EXTRACT: Journal Of Doctor Leslie Thompkins
Life never felt so horrific as it did at that moment. I
grew up with the ideals of honoring the sanctity of
life, no matter who or what they were. Here I had met my
antithesis that did precisely the opposite behind the
misguided belief she was doing it for a higher reason.
I recall rushing over to the window with horror as the
screams continued to pierce my frail walls. My office
and surgery sat deep in the centre of Gotham's less
fortunate populace and as such was in the epicentre of
the mass murder. I could see figures toppling out of the
night's shadows and into the street. I ran from the
room, leaving my two colleagues speechless alone with
this awful child.
Swinging open the front door I ran into the street. In
the middle of the road twitching in utter agony was Old
Man Kelly. He was a man who to mem represented the
homeless population I put myself on call for every day
and night of my life. I'd known him for over four years.
The man died in my arms, wrought with so much pain that
I don't think he recognized me.
I cried that night. I cried for a long time.
EXTRACT: Diary Of Barbara Gordon
Had we been overconfident? I can't help wondering
whether we should have foreseen the chance of a second
batch of nanobots. A more contagious and highly advanced
kind. Should I have made allowances? What would Bruce
have done?
Leslie fled from the room and the mad girl, Alice, just
sat there, as if on drugs, wrapped in ecstasy. She
believed what she told us, she really did and even now I
still fear that righteousness.
Kara just stood there unmoving as the screams from
outside bombarded our consciences. The phone was on the
floor, knocked down by Leslie. I couldn't reach it; I
couldn't make a call to Bruce or to John. I was
helpless. Even if I could call anyone, there was nothing
that could be done, but that didn't make me feel better
then, and it doesn't now.
Kara's stance was unnatural. I guess she was suddenly
involved in something beyond what she had even imagined.
This wasn't some villain trying to take over the world,
this wasn't an invasion from another planet, or an alien
race dominated by evil tyrants. This was just plain
simple human cruelty. Suddenly, I guess, she saw her
role no longer as part of an exciting game, but an
intolerable burden, and it was one she didn't know how
to cope with. I guess, while I always give the
impression I am bright and happy go lucky, my roots in
life are deeply entrenched in the suffering and pain it
can bring. I've seen what it does to people. Seen what
it did to dad. Kara hasn't had that. I guess this was
her first taste.
"Feel it," whispered Alice. "We're - I'm - closer to
God."
That was when Kara snapped.
"You want to be closer?" I remember her yelling, "I'll
bring you closer to your god!"
I remember the one-second, ill look of horror on the
kid's face as Kara's body shot across the room and out
the window. She grasped Alice on the way and pulled her
out too as she sky rocketed out and upward into the
heavens.
This wasn't right, I looked desperately around for my
headset; I guessed Kara still had her earpiece. I
couldn't even think where I left it. Once again, I felt
utterly helpless.
***
I wasn't expecting such a reaction. I failed You. I
should not fear death - and I believed I didn't - but
being hoisted from my seat by the Alien scared me. Truly
it did. I shouldn't feel such fear I know, for You will
always protect me, but my faith lost me at that point.
My rapture was broken and I felt myself being launched
into the sky by this angry Alien. I can see why you
distrust Aliens, my Lord; they are uncouth and
unpredictable creatures.
The air started to get colder and I realised I was far
above Gotham and climbing. I could just see the Alien
mouthing the same words. "I'll bring you closer." She
was probably screaming that sentence, but with the
speed, cold and fear I could hear nothing.
My body started to convulse and my lips began to freeze.
Callous and evil was the Alien. She knew what speed to
move to maximise my discomfort. She wanted me to die
painfully in fear for my love of You.
I should have known You'd look after me, my Lord. I
should have known to trust You. I follow You. I do Your
bidding. I should have been prepared for death as Jesus
was at Gethsemane. I made it to the garden. I confronted
the sinners, but I wasn't ready for the next step, that
I like Jesus may need to be sacrificed for their sins.
However, our work is undone. While they now incarcerate
me, I know you are preparing our next stage. Another
social class will go at your bidding and I'll be your
instrument once more.
I saw Your glory as You told the Alien to return me to
earth. I saw her face change and she brought me back to
Gotham and to Your hands. I trust in You now as You
trust in me.
We will be closer.
***
EXTRACT: Diary Of Barbara Gordon
Dad says that Mad Alice has been taken for psychiatric
testing and due to her "mental instability" and age will
not be taken to Arkham or tried in a formal court of
law. He says that the doctors think she is a really
weird case. They say that she doesn't exhibit common
schizophrenic symptoms. She doesn't talk to anyone
invisible, she doesn't say she hears voices. She says
she just knows what “He” wants when “He” wants it. Aside
from that she offers no other information.
Dad's men found all kinds of highly advanced chemistry
equipment and technology in her house. Some stuff she
couldn't have got from Billy's dad but bought herself.
Equipment so expensive she must have obtained it through
some highly dubious connections. A search of her
computer found some a variety of home built hacking
equipment. Experts guess she'd been planning this for
years, yet all evidence from her friend says that she
acquired the specific SEAMLESS technology mere months
ago. She was building her resources up for something,
was it just chance this technology just fell on her lap?
Her parents are strong upright Catholics. Good people
according to Dad. Not extreme, not Bible thumping types,
nice spiritual people. They are in for counseling. They
had no idea what was going on. That somehow makes it
worse, no one really to blame. Honestly, I would like
her parents to have been messed up, evil, sacrificing
goat types. It would have been a great place to transfer
the anger that still boils in me. After all, who wants
to believe a fifteen-year-old girl could be responsible
for the deaths of 90% of Gotham's homeless population.
A small 10% survived this cull. A meagre 10% managed not
to have contracted the nanobots. I'm sure the homeless
population will rise once more; it always does, but such
death. It's been a terrible, terrible month.
The media seems uncertain how to pursue this story. The
Catholic Church understandably refuses to comment and
distances itself from this child's actions. The parents
too, their lives ruined, refuse to comment. The
politicians deplore such tragedy but deep down I bet
they are quite glad to get the issue of homelessness off
their agenda. I imagine many of the middle class feel
the same. I heard one guy at the local diner saying how
he was glad it hadn't killed any "real" people.
Time heals. It has to. I'm glad I managed to convince
Kara to not kill Alice. I couldn't find the headset but
I realised with Kara's hearing I didn't need to. I just
had to trust in Kara's conscience, that she would hear
my shouting voice. I guess she did as she brought the
kid back alive and handed her over to the authorities.
I've never seen Kara so out of control and I hope not to
again. She's agreed to take some therapy on this. Bruce
has some discreet contacts in that area.
As for Bruce, I've not been able to contact him. The
League have been off world again so maybe he's with
them. I don't know, and really, he's the last thing
that's on my mind at the moment.
Wow, that's a lie. I can't help it, but he's all I think
about. Not in a crush like way, you know, more as a
mentor. I failed Gotham and through Gotham I feel I
failed him. We were caught off guard. I guess if she
were a thirty-year-old man who had turned up professing
the will of God on our doorstep we wouldn't have called
Kara back. She may have found the machine that sent the
timed signal to active the nanobots. All these ifs...
Biggest if. Was it God? Every instinct in my body says
it wasn't. I'm not that religious, but I can't believe
any God that humanity believes in would rationalise like
Alice believed. I refuse to believe that, not for my own
aetheism, but for those who follow a Christian god. It
would mean that the god they follow is a god who cares
little about the man and more about the Word. I refuse
to believe that all those with faith in such a being are
wrong and this little girl was right.
Yet there must be something more. Too many mysteries.
Her extraordinary intelligence, getting the equipment so
easily for her task from Project SEAMLESS, her ability
to find us as well as knowing who we are. Maybe it
wasn't THE God helping her, maybe something else beyond
our understanding. Something worse by far. With all
these beyond Earth threats the Justice League has been
dealing with, believing in a threat so invisible isn't
so hard.
No, I don't believe it's God. It's something else. That
something else and Alice have a long-term plan for
Gotham city and next time we will be ready, otherwise
those thousands of innocents died for nothing and that's
something I refuse to let happen.
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