Doors

[The explosion was heard nearly a mile away, a fiery ball of destruction followed by pillows of smoke, and it wasn't long before the house nearby caught as well, flames licking at the skyline. It took hours for the fire departments to bring the inferno under control, and when a statement is finally made with the house still smoldering in the background, there is grim news. Two bodies were found in the vehicle, and while there is no official statement regarding the identities of the bodies, there are whispers that they are of Alexander and Chloe Murphy, the former having been wanted on charges relating to the crash that injured Clementine Murphy and the latter having been arrested that evening with a charge of attempted murder in the stabbing of Neil Donovan and then escaped after a collision. Alexander was also wanted as a suspect in the collision in which his sister, Chloe, escaped police custody and two officers were injured. Authorities attempt to squash the rumors about the identities of the bodies, but given that neither of the siblings have been located since the crash, it's hard to do so.

Further information will be released pending an autopsy of the two bodies. The house and car, both belonging to Alexander Murphy, have been declared a total loss.]

[Mid-afternoon on Wednesday, UMC is shut down for several hours after a switchboard operator reports receiving an anonymous phone call about a bomb located on the premises. After a thorough search by the LVPD Bomb Squad, no bomb is found, and the hospital lockdown is lifted by the evening. The police urge anyone with information regarding the "tip" to contact the LVPD.]

[The afternoon following this, the unconscious form of Ashleigh Donovan could be found outside the DC Door. There's clear trauma to both her face and both wrists, and though the wounds have obviously been treated through the door, things are not all well and good here.]

[While normalcy has been restored to Gotham, clean-up is still occurring throughout the city. Police coordinating security, repairing damages done during the escapades of sirens, and corralling those that are having the biggest problems transitioning back into the real Gotham. Despite the immediate danger gone, it'll be days until everything is restored to perfection. Among the bats and birds flying through the night, there has been one notable absence: Batgirl, who has always had a hands-on approach during city disasters. But, she's been nowhere for days, and whispers start to fill the city of something bad happening to the blonde bat the citizens have grown to know (and dare they say love?).

There is a new face on the scene though. A woman in slick black kevlar and bulky utility belts everywhere and a purple shroud. Spoiler she goes by, and she's been seen a lot around the city the past week. On the night that the Bat, Red Hood, and Wonder Girl storm the New Arkham proverbial castle, Spoiler is seen downtown with the Riddler, who's gotten a new look of his own. People are starting to gossip about the new vigilante in town, and news outlets are starting to talk about the girl in purple and black. Curious about who was out there protecting Gotham now.]

[Normalcy has once returned to Gotham City, or as normal as the city ever gets. In an official statement released by city officials, Jonathan Crane, also known as the Scarecrow, is once again in custody after an apparent attack on the city through a contaminated water supply. City officials assure the public that the problem has been taken care and the water is safe for consumption. Citizens who believe themselves to still be affected by the contaminated water are urged to seek medical assistance at Gotham General. New Arkham Asylum is now under the management of a temporary director, and Crane will remain in custody in an undisclosed location.

Unofficially, after this, Batman, Red Hood, and Wonder Girl intercept Huntress' attack upon Jonathan Crane. Crane was taken into custody by the group and delivered into the hands of the authorities to receive medical attention due to the wounds he received at Huntress' hands. As soon as his condition was stabilized, Crane was taken into custody and held at an undisclosed location. A temporary director has been assigned to oversee New Arkham Asylum, in the wake of Dr. Leland's death.]

[Before sunrise on Saturday, traffic on Las Vegas Blvd. is stopped for hours due to a collision between a Hummer and a local cab. The cab driver reports that he was dragged out of the cab by an unknown man, who then returned to his vehicle and rammed the cab repeatedly. The cab's passenger, who is identified as Clementine Murphy, was declared DOA by police, but was later revived by paramedics on the scene. She remains unconscious and in critical condition at UMC hospital. The driver of the Hummer is still at large, and police release composite images and grainy cellphone videos of the Hummer slamming into the cab repeatedly, and they ask anyone with information to come forward. Media reports also state that Clementine had, in her possession at the time of the accident, a weapon that is a possible match for the knife used in the Neil Donovan attempted murder, but police refuse to comment further.]

[Police begin questioning the Alexanders and Donovans almost immediately in relation to the Murphy shootings. The media frenzy from months earlier is rekindled, with all the Alexander/Donovan/Murphy documentaries and tabloid fodder being re-aired. The press follows all three families around, and pictures are snapped and put online almost within minutes of being taken. The rumors about sexual triangles begin again in earnest, and they only intensify when the police department makes a statement about the persons of interest in the case. There is no official statement regarding alibis, but the information leaks and spreads quickly in the chaos. Joey Alexander, who has a history of violent crime and manslaughter, is the prime suspect. His sister, Iris Morgenstern, is once again in the spotlight as a possible conspirator with Joey, since she has no viable alibi. Statements are made regarding her mental state and instability, which seem to make her a viable accomplice in this crime. Also, whispers begin circulating that Ashleigh Donovan, who sources claim is pregnant with Alexander Murphy's child, is missing. All members of the Donovan and Alexander family are asked to remain in the area for questioning, and search warrants are drawn up for the homes of Joey and Iris.]

[A mid-afternoon report breaks with the story of four non-lethal shootings happening within hours of each other across the city, with a member of the controversial Murphy family the suspected target of each. The police give few details, citing the investigation as ongoing, but an anonymous source confirmed that the shootings appeared to be warnings, all without the intent to kill. Jude Murphy, son of UK government officials Kenneth and Mariah Murphy, and Clementine Murphy, Kenneth's daughter by another woman, were both out and about when the shootings happened, with bullets striking within inches of each. Chloe Murphy, ex-cult member turned author, however, was not so lucky. There is no consensus on where the exonerated, so-called 'Debutante Dealer' was hit, only that there was blood at the scene and witness statements were being taken. The fourth shot, one officials suspect was intended for Alexander Murphy, struck a window at his workplace, the Murphy-owned Aria hotel. The deviation, though still unexplained, is suspected to be the result of increased police activity in the area from the three prior shootings.]

[The news breaks on Thursday morning in the case of the 'Debutante Dealer' that Chloe Murphy has been cleared of all charges. There are pictures of her and her lawyer leaving the courthouse that afternoon, though no comments are formally made. All requests for comment from Ms. Murphy or her lawyers have gone unanswered.

The prosecuting attorney, on the other hand, is not as tight-lipped about the outcome. Surveillance footage, statements from both the hotel's security and Ms. Murphy's own private security, are all mentioned in how the woman was cleared. He expresses his own doubt, however, and that is enough to keep the press speculating about what really happened and whether or not Ms. Murphy was truly innocent.

The internet is awash late Thursday morning with speculation and gossip, and it appears that even though the charges have been dropped, people are not quite done with this juicy story and all the families involved.]

[Sunday morning, the residents of Gotham City may notice that the water tastes a little different. Not bad, not in the slightest, and in fact, there are some that say that the water is the best water that they've ever had! Cheer starts to spread over Gotham, and even though winter hasn't quite left the city behind, there's promise and hope in the air. People are smiling, helping one another out, and for the first day in a long while, the police force finds themselves with very few calls to attend to.

A different day, a different time, and there may have been questions as to why things were feeling so different, but no one quite cares enough to question the good feelings sweeping over the city.

Nearby, at New Arkham Asylum, news issues forth about the good doctor Jonathan Crane and the improvements in the patients at the asylum. No questions about where Dr. Leland disappeared to, and those that are questioned seem to think that Dr. Crane has been watching over New Arkham for some time.

It's a good day to be in Gotham City, and the good that's already come forth is only a taste of what's to come.]

[It begins early in the week, the rumblings of discontent among Gotham's elite, and continues throughout the week. Those who previously remained silent on the subject of Blackgate City begin to speak out, the rich and the powerful spearheading the protest and putting the pressure on those in charge to act. Finally, early Thursday morning, it's announced that Blackgate will officially close sometime next week as prisoners are currently being transferred elsewhere.]

[With the final piece in place, it doesn't take long.

A call comes in to LVPD late on Wednesday night. The voice is nervous, skittish, and disguised with a voice modulator. The person says they were offered drugs by someone in Aria, and when they saw the paper - well, they just don't want anyone to think they did something wrong. It was such a nice building before that woman moved in, but they're getting ahead of themselves. They should start from the beginning.

When the call is over, things move swiftly. Considering the other case their new suspect is tied to, officers wake a judge in the middle of the night to get their search warrant signed.

A team arrives at Chloe Murphy's suite first thing Thursday morning, and they thoroughly search her home. They find a key to a bus locker taped under a table in the first hour. Chloe is promptly brought down to the precinct for questioning, and the charges come by the end of the day. Police will not immediately say what evidence led to her arrest, but Chloe Murphy is charged with felony possession with intent to sell in the case that has been popularly known as the 'Debutante Dealer'. Bail is set at $500,000, due to the amount and the class of the drugs in question.

To say the press have a field day is an understatement. Articles and blog posts fly, theorizing about why this former cult member and ex-lover of Neil Donovan was trying to deal to the wealthy in Vegas when she already has a fortune at her disposal. With her connections, she could have made a killing, though her motive is murky. Was she trying to break from her parents? To raise money under the table to send back to the cult she supposedly left? Collecting money in an overseas account to pay for the murder of her ex's current girlfriend? There is no way to know, and the sheer amount of speculation makes it a screaming front page headline.]

[Police hold a press conference Wednesday afternoon to provide updates in the Samantha Alexander case, which took a shocking turn during the morning hours, when a woman appeared at the station claiming to have information on the attempted murder. The woman, who remains unnamed, indicated that her friend (a blonde) went missing the previous day, after being contracted to kill Samantha Alexander late last week. The contract killing was arranged over the telephone, by a man with a Scottish accent and an overseas bank account. While the information does not exonerate Iris Morgenstern, it does cause the district attorney's office to reconsider the charges against her. Police turn their attention to the financial records of both Iris Morgenstern and Neil Donovan, who (it seems) recently took out a sizable life insurance policy on his live-in girlfriend. No new arrests are made, but the media has a field day with the news, and the speculation that Neil and Iris collaborated on this contract killing are rife. There is, unsurprisingly, no new gossip about the Murphys, as this new evidence seems to have removed them from the running as suspects, and even the police confirm they are no longer being looked at in regards to this crime. The press conference concludes with the difficult reality that this new evidence will make an arrest challenging in this case, unless the missing shooter can be located, which seems unlikely.]

[The whispers from New Arkham start Monday but really take life on Tuesday. Jonathan Crane has been readmitted to New Arkham on a voluntary basis. No official news comes from the asylum, but gossip leaks regardless that Crane felt at risk of falling back into old behaviour and wanted to receive further in-patient treatment to prevent that from happening. There are whispers, of course, that the straw man is up to no good, but evidence states otherwise.

Is there redemption for the Scarecrow? Only time will tell!]

[Monday morning, two witnesses in the shooting of Sam Alexander identify Iris Morgenstern as the shooter in a photo lineup. Police bring Morgenstern down to the station near the lunchtime hour, and they conduct a physical lineup, where the two witnesses both pick Iris Morgenstern out as the shooter. Morgenstern is arrested immediately on charges of attempted homicide, and warrants are obtained to enter her rooms at the mental facility in search of the murder weapon and clothing with gun residue present. The police conference indicates that the Morgenstern has been charged, and that the charges will be upgraded to homicide if Alexander does not survive. Medical personnel from UMC hospital state that Alexander survived surgery, and that doctors will attempt to reduce the medication maintaining the drug-induced coma and remove the ventilator in the coming days, to see if the patient responds favorably. Until that time, outcome is uncertain.]

[Within minutes of this, Neil Donovan is contacted. We're sorry to inform you that... Where were you tonight? We'll need you to come down to make a statement.

The news outlets and tabloids pick the story up on the scene, where eyewitnesses at the public assistance clinic lose half their words to the censors. But the gist is clear; a blonde woman opened fire outside the clinic, shot Samantha Alexander, and ran. And from there, the rumors begin within minutes. Iris Morgenstern, some people say, is obviously guilty, and all the news about Ian Russell is dragged into the light again, with Iris' picture accompanying the story on every telling. They say Iris was obviously sleeping with Neil Donovan, and they flash pictures of her broken face as proof. And there's plenty of buzz about Donovan's newly impoverished state. Biopics about both the Alexander and Donovan families are dug up; illegal adoptions, drinking problems, and wealth beyond anyone's wildest dreams. Neil tells the officers that the Murphys need to be looked into, and a new wealthy family joins the rumor fest. Talk of Chloe, cults and romances gone sour twine in with the other tabloid mess, and it's just like having a soap opera in the middle of Las Vegas.

But the police statement, issued within a half hour, is much more somber than any of the gossip. The girl is in critical condition and has not regained consciousness from a gunshot wound to the head. They will be talking to friends, family and suspects in the coming days. They expect an arrest to be timely. They start planning their schedule for knocking on the doors of the Murphys, the Donovans and the Alexanders.]

[In the dead of night, thousands of Spider-Bots are released in New York City. They do not cause harm, though it's very obvious to even the casual robotics fan that their purpose is for surveillance. They crawl over every surface, creep up from sewers and hang in the corner of your favorite local coffee shop.]

[On Tuesday the press is leaked further developments on a story that had become buried and somewhat forgotten in the wake of the explosion. The 24 hour news cycle on that event is beginning to taper off, so press outlets jump at something escapist and juicy to spin out for a jumpy country.

Despite strict rules at LVPD to prevent further leaks, a small time blogger posts that the police have found a burner phone in a dumpster, and that it is believed to be the one that made the call from the big-time buyer in the 'Debutante Dealer' case, as it is being called. The kicker? The phone was found in a dumpster outside the absurdly wealthy Aria building.

Media speculation hums and buzzes. It seems to lend credence to the story the police were told, that the phone was found just yards from a luxury high rise. The police refuse to comment, stating only that they are following all leads.

By Wednesday morning, a major newspaper runs a spread on the building, highlighting its history of housing the super wealthy, and occasionally the extremely corrupt. No potential suspects are named, but the article does repeatedly mention the description of the woman in the surveillance video - Caucasian, dark haired. The piece ends with a quote from man who was passing by the building. "They'll have this chick in a week, tops."]

[The destruction starts in Gotham, but it doesn't stay there for long. Reports of a young girl are sporadic, but they come in throughout the morning. Heat rays take down buildings, and cars get thrown over with abandon. Gotham PD is targeted, and the main building goes down in rubble. The news describes it as a "super temper tantrum," but the girl is seen flying toward Metropolis before too much destruction is done, making her someone else's problem. The government makes statements about eradicating the threat, but the threat seems to eradicate itself, going quiet after taking down a few buildings in Metropolis and destroying the police station there.]

[The government press conference is aired on Thursday evening, and the subject is grim indeed. It points to a terrorist threat to Las Vegas earlier in the week. The speaker assures that the culprits have been apprehended, and clips flash on the screen of men being taken away in restraints. After much assurance that there is no current concern nor need to panic, the speaker goes on to explain that many fine men and women lost their lives in defense of their country on that day. Names scrolls across the bottom of the screen, as next-of-kin were notified immediately before the press conference. There's talk of medals, honors and a memorial service to be held in Las Vegas the following week. Among the names on the scroll are the following: Bo Davis, Jack Corvus, Julian Hadley, Chris Jackson, Maxine Main, Dylan McKendrick and Preston Rawlings. Faol Reece's name is not included, but he is among those declared dead in the incident.]