“I do believe in... killing the messenger. Know why? It sends a message.”
( @chaosent )
“ is that why you did that to him? to send us a message? ”
Words are spat out from her lips through the telephone line, fingers cling to the artifact enough for her knuckles to pale – and despite it, her hand trembles slightly, and she absolutely hates it. She knows it’s not because of fear, but because of anger – human detachment is something Chloe has never understood or justified, something the GCPD has tried to build within her, nevertheless. it’s necessary, they say, if you care too much, it’ll eat you alive. But if you don’t care at all, she reasons, then she will be just like – just like them. Just like him.
The Joker is no criminal to underestimate, the fact that he figured out about detective Stevens being undercover so easily and disposed of him so quickly and so gruesomely is enough proof. And she knows perfectly that, if he’s calling the department, he’s reaching out specifically to her – not because of hierarchy, but because she’s seen as the weakest part of the chain, and she is aware of this. Youth means lack of experience – women are often underestimated in her line of work, it’s nothing new. She isn’t shocked to assume the infamous Joker of Gotham follows that same train of thought.
She tries to keep her voice calm, follow her superiors’ words on emotional detachment. don’t let him get to you. And yet, the way he speaks is enough to send a chill down her back, much more because she feels as if she’s the protagonist of a slasher flick, that he will jump out of a cabinet wielding two firearms. And she reaches for the holster containing her gun, now resting on her desk, and she wonders, for a moment, unnerving and chilling, if he can actually see her.
“ next time, you should consider simply sending a text. ” she hopes that, in showing nonchalance and determination through her voice, her uneasiness will not show – but then he cackles, and it seems to her like it echoes within the entire floor.
it’s the last straw to crack on her nerves – she’s just returned from her colleague’s funeral, she is not in the mood for sick, twisted little games from a grade A psycho.
“ you know, i think you got it all wrong : i’m not the messenger in this equation – i’m the detective that’s gonna put your sorry ass back into Arkham. ” tightening of her grip on the phone, voice is raised an octave, an almost venomous hiss – and yet, she’s still glancing around every corner of the office, just to make sure she’s actually alone when the lights above her begin to flicker, “ you wanted to send a message to us? here’s a message to you – i’m not scared of you. i’m not playing into your fucking games. and you can be sure that next time we meet, it’s gonna be the last time you walk free. ”