Gotham City Police Department, Special Holding Cells - 9 PM

“My stomach,” Brute Nelson said, leaning over the bars of his cell, his right hand clawing out and his left clutching his stomach. “Can somebody help me, please?”

Two officers stopped by his cell, one young, one old. The young one was murmuring something to the older one and was about to open up Brute’s cell when the older one stopped him.

“Please,” Brute murmured, falling to the floor.

“C’mon Steve,” the younger officer said. “Poor bastard looks like he’s in pain.”

Steve scoffed. “Damn, Alex you can be really naïve sometimes. These bastards tend to fake it sometimes. Hell, I’m pretty sure he has a shiv.”

“Officer, please,” Brute said, tears down his eyes. “It hurts.”

Steve chuckled. “Oh yeah, I’m sure it does. I’m sure it hurts as much as those folks’ families. You know the one’s you pushed to suicide. Hell, I’m sure it hurts as much as your wife.”

Steve kneeled down and stared at Brute’s bloodshot eyes. “She had three of her teeth missing, Brute. Three. Don’t talk to me about shit hurting, Nelson. Specially after all the hurt you caused.”

Steve slammed his hands against the bars of Brute Nelson’s cell before walking off. Alex stared at Brute, kneeling over his face green. Stared at him with pity.

“C’mon Alex,” Steve said, calling after him. “We gotta check out that clown. Commissioner’s orders.”

Alex left Brute Nelson behind as he threw up all over his cell.

…

Gotham City Police Department, Interrogation Room- 10 PM

The Joker was calm.

For a man behind bars there was no panic, no fear or regret in his face. Just ice-cold calmness. He was dressed in the bright orange waistcoat of a prison outfit. The make-up was washed out of his but it didn’t make much of a difference. His face was just as pale as the powder he used and littered with blisters, his mouth was stretched out in a permanent grin and try as they might they couldn’t remove the green dye in his hair.

“What did you find?” Batman asked as Commissioner Gordon entered the room holding plastic bags.

“A lot, actually,” Gordon said. “The boys couldn’t track the tailor of the suit, turns out it’s homemade. The gun is custom made too. Guy burned out his finger prints so no definitive proof he is who you say he is. Blood tests come out blank.”

Commissioner Gordon pulled out a cigarette. “Guy’s a ghost. Nothing points to him being Napier. Nothing at all.”

“No,” Batman said. “That can’t be true. Only Jack would have both the motive to go after the known victims. It doesn’t make any sense for him to be anyone else. Even Two-Face kills for a reason.”

Gordon shrugged. “Beats me. Maybe this guy doesn’t want to be identified. Maybe he just wants to kill for no reason. This is Gotham we’re talking about.”

The Batman was silent.

Time passed, police officers coming in and out of the special cell the Joker was put in. Drinking coffee, taunting the bastard. Police officers came and went but the Batman remained.

At 11 P.M, Robin came in with Commissioner Gordon.

“You’re still here?” Robin asked. “Don’t you have better things to do?”

Throughout the hour, the Joker remained still. Not talking. But at 11 P.M the Joker broke his self-imposed silence.

“There’s a bomb in this building.”

…

West Street 7:30 P.M

“Please pick up,” Peter mumbled to himself as the phone dialled Aunt May’s number. “Please, please pick up.”

“Peter?” Aunt May’s voice said at the other side. Peter let out a relieved sigh.

“Hey Aunt May,” Peter said. “Are you alright? Did anything happen?”

“I’m fine Peter,” Aunt May said. “But where are you? Aren’t you running late for the curfew?”

“I’m on my…”

Peter’s sentence was interrupted when he was walking by an electronic store and he saw a news bulletin about the Joker being captured.

“I’m at Bruce Wayne’s house. For a… for a sleepover.”

“Peter Parker you…”

Peter closed his eyes feeling guilty he had to lie. “Yeah, yeah I know. But the Waynes aren’t as bad as you think they are. Besides Mr. Wayne upped security so I’ll be fine.”

“If anything happens…”

“I’ll be fine May,” Peter said. “I’m fifteen, I can take care of myself.”

There was a pause on the other end of the line before Aunt May sighed. “Be sure to brush your teeth, Peter.”

“I will.”

“And don’t take anything Bruce Wayne offers you,” Aunt May said. “You know how those millionaires are.”

“I won’t.”

“Goodbye Peter,” Aunt May said. “Be sure to call.”

“Sure, sure,” Peter said. “Love you Aunt May.”

Peter put his phone back and hoped one web shooter was enough to take care of the Joker.

…

The Parker Apartment- 7:35 P.M

Just to make sure he was there safely, Aunt May decided to call the Wayne Manor. She found their number in the phonebook just fine and dialled.

It was a few minutes before the person on the other end of the line picked up.

“Mr. Wayne isn’t available at this time to answer your call,” said a smooth British voice. “Please call again later.”

“I’m not here for Mr. Wayne,” May said. “I’m here to ask about my nephew, Peter.”

“Peter Parker?” asked the voice.

“Yes,” May said. “He’s at the manor on a sleepover. I’m wondering if I can check up on him.”

There was a pause that made Aunt May’ stomach churn. What if Peter wasn’t there? What if Peter lied to him about going to that billionaire’s manor and was instead busy picking fights on the streets?

“I’m afraid Master Parker can’t answer right now,” Alfred said. “Him and Master Richard are engaged in an intense match of Town Fighter and I’m afraid Master Richard does not want any disturbances. I can tell him you called though.”

“Please do,” Aunt May said. “And tell him to brush his teeth.”

“I will Mrs. Parker,” Alfred said. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to clean up after Master Wayne. If I don’t, who will?”

May laughed at that. “Tell me about it. Thank you, Mr…”

“Pennysworth,” Alfred said. “But you can call me Alfred.”

…

Outside the Gotham City Police Department- 8:10 P.M

The sirens of the GCPD police fleet following the Batmobile screeched to a halt as the Batmobile.

The door to the Batmobile opened and the Joker was yanked out of it by Batman. His hands and legs tightly cuffed. The lights danced across the brick walls of the GCPD Precinct.

“This isn’t my first time in a police precinct,” Joker said. “My oh my how things never change.”

“Shut up,” Batman said.

“I wonder how much of this is built on bribes,” Joker said, turning to a police officer. “Do you pay with your wife’s clothes with bribes?”

“My wife’s dead asshole,” the officer said. “You killed her, bastard.”

“Oh wow,” Joker said. “Small world, isn’t it?”

The officer yelled before Gordon placed a hand on his shoulder. “At ease officer.”

As they were about to enter the GCPD building there was a thud as Spider-Man perched on top of the walls.

“Hey everyone,” Spider-Man said, waving at the police who all pointed their guns at him.

Spider-Man sighed. “Again, with the guns. What do I have to do to make y’all trust me? Should my ears be pointy?”

“Give us one good reason we shouldn’t shoot?” said one of the officers.

“Hello,” Spider-Man said. “I’ve been doing your jobs for you. How many losers do I gotta web up before you realise, I’m on your side?”

The Spider-Man put up his index fingers and placed them by his ears. “Are my ears pointy enough? Can you trust me now?”

Batman was annoyed by the whole interaction. “He’s with me.”

“You sure, boss?” said one of the officers.

“Yes.”

“Aww shucks, Bats,” Spider-Man said. “You hear that boys.” Spider-Man said, landing between the officers who still had their guns pointed at him. “I’m with him.”

“The name’s Spider-Man,” Spider-Man said. “Don’t forget the hyphen.”

“You sure about this?” Robin asked.

Batman nodded. “I want him to see what this job is about. That it’s not all a joke.”

“Who’s this tool?” Joker asked.

“Shut up,” Batman said. “Start walking.”

The Joker sighed. “Fine. Just loosen the grip will ya?”

…

Gotham City Police Department Interrogation Room- 11:00 PM

Robin and Gordon stirred as Batman sat across the Joker in the interrogation room.

“Tell me one good reason I should believe you,” Batman said.

“Cause if you don’t a lotta of innocent people will be innocent chunks of meat,” the Joker said.

“You could be lying.”

“I’m a man of my word, Batman,” Joker said. “You saw what happened to poor old Claridge and Wilde. Oh, speaking of Claridge and Wilde. There’s not only one bomb but two, for the both of them.”

The Batman grabbed Joker by his collars, yanking him across the table. “Tell me where they are,” he growled.

The Joker laughed. “All this violence, maybe you should just relax.”

Batman threw him across the room. “I bet you’ll be really relaxed when I break every single bone in your body.”

The Joker raised his hand in surrender. “Ok, ok but start with the hands first. I’m going to need my legs when this place goes up in flames.”

Batman stepped on Joker’s legs. There was a sickening snap but the Joker just laughed.

“Oh, come on,” Joker said. “Live long enough with the pain and you get used to it. You should know, you dress up as a Bat.”

Batman punched Joker across the face. Joker spat out a tooth but still remained unfazed. Blood poured down his mouth but the Joker laughed.

“You won’t be getting anything out of me,” Joker said. “With all the blood in my mouth I’ll be choking on my own words.”

Batman backed off. “Gordon search the precinct for the bombs, make sure nobody knows there is one. We can’t afford a panic. Robin get Spider-Man, his abilities might prove useful.”

“What about you?” Robin asked.

Batman cracked his knuckles. “I’ll be here. Some one on one time will do nicely.”

The Joker coughed out blood and grinned. “Couldn’t have it any other way.”

…

Gotham City Police Department- 11:15 PM

No one heard the beeping. No one heard the clock count down.

In the bowels of the GCPD building a clock counted down 45 minutes.

…

Gotham City Police Department Offices- 11:20 PM

“Hey tights,” Robin said. “I could really use your help.”

Robin grabbed Spider-Man’s shoulder and dragged him in the bathrooms.

“Hey hands off the goods,” Spider-Man said. “This suit cost me a fortune you know?”

“Look tights this isn’t a game,” Robin said. “Joker told us there’s two bombs and we can’t afford to play around.”

“You trust that clown?”

“No,” Robin said. “But after years of dealing with maniacs like Two-Face and the Penguin you realise that it’s better to be safe than sorry.”

“Alright Batboy,” Spider-Man said. “You have me convinced, where do you think we should start?”

“The offices,” Robin said. “Work ourselves down from there. Gordon’s busy checking the bottom floors. Just don’t say anything about the bomb out loud. We can’t afford to cause a panic.”

Spider-Man nodded. “Okay boss.”

They left the bathroom into the crowded GCPD building.

“You know what would be great?” Spider-Man said.

“What?”

“If Batgirl was here,” Spider-Man said. “She’s really hot.”

“Focus, tights,” Robin said.

“Where is she anyway?” Spider-Man said.

“She couldn’t make it tights.”

“Why not?”

“It’s a long story.”

…

Underneath the Wayne Manor- 5:00 PM

“You’re off this mission.”

“What?” Barbara said. “You’re joking, Bruce.”

“No, I’m not,” Bruce said. “The Joker has a tendency to manipulate and you’re a prime target.”

“So, you’re saying I’m stupid, is that it?”

Bruce shook his head. “I’m saying that if the Joker pulls at the right strings, he’ll make you act irrationally.”

“Long story short, you’re saying I’m stupid.”

Dick stepped by Bruce’s side. “Bruce is right Babs, just sit this one out.”

“Not you too,” Barbara muttered underneath her breath.

“The Joker is dangerous,” Dick said.

“So is Two-Face,” Batgirl said. “So is Penguin yet I don’t remember you guys benching me.”

“The Joker is a different kind of dangerous…”

“You can say that about any other crook in Got…”

“You know how many people that clown kill…”

“So, what, I can handle myself Dick. Bruce trained me, he trained you…”

“Training doesn’t…”

“Shut up,” Bruce said and the both shut up. He turned to Barbara.

“Why do you want to come?”

“We’ve been over this Bruce,” Barbara said. “Those officers they were like family to me and now that we almost got the bastard, I want to see him…” Barbara stopped. “See him…”

“See him what Barbara?” Bruce asked.

She clenched her fist. “I… I don’t know. That still doesn’t mean…”

“The Joker knows his enemies more than they know him,” Bruce said. “Once he goes in your head there’s no way out. And I can’t have you near him. It’s too risky. Do you understand?”

Barbara sighed. “Fine.”

Bruce put on his cowl and entered the Batmobile. Dick put a hand on her shoulder and smiled. God, she hated that damn smile.

“We’ll make sure that clown gets what’s coming to him,” Dick said. “You don’t have to worry.”

Barbara smiled. “I’m not worried.”

“Course you aren’t.”

“It seems to me you were doing the worrying,” Barbara said. “’He’s too dangerous Barbara’ and did I just hear you say ‘Bruce is right.’”

“Okay, now you’re stretching it.”

“Bruce is right,” Barbara said. “Ladies and gentleman Richard Grayson just admitted Bruce is right.”

Dick sighed. “I’m never going to hear the end of that one.”

The Batmobile left. When Barbara was sure they had disappeared, she took out her keys and hopped on her motorcycle. There was no way she was letting Bruce keep her on the side-lines for this case. Especially this case.

She started the engine. The engine revved for a few seconds and then died out. She started the engine again and it let out coughed out a sound and then died out again.

What the hell was going on? She had just repaired her bike. There was no way in hell it wasn’t working now.

She opened up the engine and was greeted by a cloud of smoke that made her erupt in a fit of coughing. She closed up the engine. Just then Alfred walked into the garage.

“Ms. Gordon,” Alfred said, holding a tray in one hand. “I brought in some tea and a chessboard.”

“Thanks Alfred but I’m about to be leaving soon.”

“On the motorcycle?” Alfred asked. “I regret to inform you abut Master Bruce made some ‘adjustments’ so to speak. Your motorcycle won’t be ready until after a few days.”

Barbara slammed her fist against the side of the bike. “Damn you, Bruce.”

“I also bought in some chocolate cake as a side,” Alfred said. “Hope you don’t mind.”

…

Gotham City Police Department Offices- 11:30 PM

He had searched the building from top to bottom. Northing. He’d gone through the basement, the evidence room, the lockers and still he hadn’t found any sign of the bomb.

He was getting nervous. Batman hadn’t called him and the kid didn’t mention finding anything and if the Joker’s previous murders were anything to go by, he had 30 more minutes before the bomb exploded and there was no way in hell he was going to let that happen. Not after seeing the faces of those families he had to visit after the Wilde incident.

Which was funny. His wife and him, whenever they had an argument (when Barbara was sleeping of course but even the Commissioner knew that girl was too smart for either of them to keep up) she’d always cry about just how worried she was. How scared she was of seeing him in a body bag and yeah, she was right to worry. Harvey had come dangerously close to offing them both and Gordon was on the hitlists of many of Gotham’s most criminally insane. He spent long hours in the office drinking or smoking, burying himself in his work. His wife was right to worry.

But when he was reassigned in this shitty city. When he was about as hopeless as any miserable asshole who lived here that this city had another chance, that this city had any hope of improving. And then he came in and Gordon realised that this city had hope. And no matter the cost, Gordon would fight to preserve it.

For some reason or another, Gordon found himself in his office. The Commissioner’s Office. And on his table, he found a package wrapped in brown paper, a package the size of a box.

He didn’t remember getting any packages. He didn’t remember ordering anything.

“I found the bomb,” Gordon said into his headset.

…

Interrogation Room- 11:35 PM

“Where’s the other bomb?”

“You’re friends with Gordon, aren’t you?” Joker asked. “Why?”

“My friendships are none of your concern,” Batman said. “What you should be concerned about is yourself if you don’t tell me where the bomb is?”

“Jimbo by the book Gordon,” Joker said. “So very very different from the rule breaker Batman.”

“The bomb,” Batman said, pulling the Joker up by his hair. “Where is it?”

The Joker smiled, staring directly at Batman’s eyes. “What happened to you? What did they take away from you?”

Gun smoke. Tears in his mouth. Pearls clattering on the floor. Blood on his hands.

“None of your business,” Batman said, pushing Joker aside. Trying to block the memory from his head and focus on the task at hand.

“Oh, it is,” Joker said. “You see aside from the rules, I think me and you are not so different.”

…

Gordon’s Office- 11:45 PM

“Batman,” Gordon said. The packaging was torn on the floor, a mess of tape and paper scattered around his officer. “Are you there?”

It was a present. Shaped exactly like a giftbox, red bow tie and purple wrapping. If it wasn’t for the feint beeping countdown, Gordon would have laughed.

“Did you find the bomb?” Batman asked.

“Yeah, gift wrapped,” Gordon said.

“Open it.”

Gordon opened it and was greeted by a black block with multicoloured wires snaking through it and fifteen minutes counting down. Gordon saw some characters on the wires, upon closer inspection it said cut me. The words cut me were written on all the wires.

“Ask the bastard which one I have to cut.”

…

Holding Cells- 11:30 PM

It started buzzing.

The criminals called at them, jeering and sneering. Spider-Man thought it was just that, it was going off at the danger that was all around him.

But the deeper he went through the cells, the more the buzzing.

“Robin, wait up.”

15

“What’s up?” Robin asked.

“I uh, I have this sense hat warns me when there’s danger nearby.”

“We are surrounded by a bunch of criminals.”

Spider-Man nodded. “Yeah I know and there was dull buzz.”

“Buzz?”

“Yeah,” Spider-Man said. “But now it’s getting louder.”

“So, what are you saying?”

“I think the bomb’s here.”

…

Interrogation Room- 11:46 PM

14

“We’re not the same.”

“Oh, don’t be in denial,” Joker said. “It’s unhealthy. The world made us what we are, Batman. Something happened that spiralled your life way out of control that you dress up as a bat to regain some sense of control.”

“So, this is what it’s about,” Batman said. “Control?”

The Joker laughed. “Quite the opposite in fact. It’s about chaos.”

…

Gordon’s Office- 11:47 PM

13

“Which wire is it?” Gordon asked, almost spitting into the microphone.

The clock counted down, making Gordon’s heart leap out of his chest. He grabbed a cigarette and had a morbid thought.

Maybe tonight will be the night his wife sees him in a body bag.

…

Holding Cells- 11:48 PM

12

“Look we don’t have time to rely on your sixth sense,” Dick said. “So, we’ve got to make sure about this.”

“It’s going off,” Spider-Man said. “It’s really wild.”

“No, we’ve just got to look around,” Spider-Man said. “It should be here somewhere.”

11

And then they heard it.

“Guys,” Brute Nelson said, his clothes stained with vomit. “You’ve gotta… You’ve gotta help me out.”

…

Interrogation Room- 11:50 PM

10

“I realised a long time ago that the world doesn’t make sense,” Joker said. “That they are no rules. Everything is random. Nothing happens for a reason. There’s nothing you can control.”

“Which wire is it?”

The Joker scowled. “Can I have my moment?” Joker sighed. “The yellow one.”

9

“It’s the yellow one,” Batman said. “If I find out you’re lying to me you’ll be…”

“Dead,” Joker laughed. “That’s where I’m getting at. Everybody knows you don’t kill, even my uncle and he has dementia. And we know why you do it. Control.”

…

Gordon’s Office- 11:52 PM

8

Gordon’s hands were shaking as he cut the wire.

The scissor snipped and the beeping stopped.

Gordon let out a relieved sigh. He was about to leave the office when the beeping started again.

7

And this time he only had 10 seconds.

…

Interrogation Room- 11:53 PM

“Where’s the second bomb?”

The Joker smiled. “I want to know if you’re just like the rest. That when the chips are down. That when the opportunity arises, you’ll let me die and you’ll think to yourself maybe I wasn’t in control at that moment. That after all the song and dance about not killing, you’ll let scum like me die.”

Batman stepped on the Joker’s second leg with the force of a sledgehammer yet the Joker still laughed.

6

“You know what I think?” Batman asked, kneeling down and staring him in the eyes.

“What?”

“All this talk about control, about losing control,” Batman said. “All of this talk is just because of your wife’s death. You couldn’t control that. Could you, Napier? The world stopped making sense after Jeannie died.”

The Joker looked confused. And then he smiled.

And then he started laughing.

…

Holding Cells- 11:55 PM

5

“You can’t be serious?” Spider-Man said, he’s voice shaking. “A- A human bomb.”

“We’ve got to get everyone out of here,” Robin said.

“H-How?” Spider-Man asked. “How can someone be so…?”

“Look we’ve got no time to think about that asshole,” Robin said. “Right now, we’ve got to get everyone out of here.”

“But we can’t just let him…”

“Look Peter,” Robin said, hands on his shoulders. “We’ll find out how to disable it later. Right now, we’ve got to get these people out of here.”

“How do you…?”

“LATER,” Robin shouted. “Web up Nelson’s cell, maybe we can slow down the explosion. Can you do that for me, Peter?”

Peter nodded.

4

“Good,” Robin said. “Now let me get everyone out of here.”

Peter stared at Brute Nelson, at his pale face and drooping eyes. At his slouching body and skeletal cheeks. He looked like a zombie.

“Please,” he muttered weakly. “Please get me out of here… get me some… medicine.”

Brute Nelson collapsed. Peter had to fight a wave of nausea that threatened to overwhelm him as he webbed up Brute’s cell with his one functioning web shooter.

…

Interrogation Room- 11:57 PM.

3

“You… you honestly think I’m Jack Napier,” Joker laughed. He stopped laughing, then looked at Batman’s dead serious face and started laughing again. “Oh my, I haven’t laughed this hard in so damn long.”

“That’s the only way your murders make sense,” Batman said. “Only Napier would want, Claridge, Wilde and Nelson dead.

The Joker stopped laughing. “Oh Batsy, Batsy, Batsy. You and I should both know by now….”

2

“Nothing when it comes to me make sense.”

…

Gotham City Police Department- 11:59 PM

“I’ll let you on a little secret Bats,” Joker said. “Two little secrets.”

Gordon ran out of the room. Much to his surprise there was no explosion.

He opened his office door and there was a head bobbling. The face of a sneering clown bouncing up and down.

Up and down.

Up and down.

“The next victim is Judge Dredd, Herman Dredd,” Joker said. “You might know him as the asshole in a wig presiding over ‘Napier’s’ case…”

“But they’re still people,” Robin said. “We can’t just let them die.”

The iron gates closed in on the prison cells, an emergency lockdown siren wailed through the air. Screaming. Officer’s made their way out of the holding cells.

“I’m sorry kid,” the warden said. “It’s the only way we can contain that bomb you’re talking about.”

Robin sighed. His hand felt like lead as he lifted it up to his ear. “Peter, get out of there. They’re locking the place up.

He was only greeted by silence.

“And second,” Joker said. “Check the Crime Alley junkyard. Look for the old rotted out Mustang. I’m sure what you find there will be interesting to say the least.”

Peter ran and ran.

He could hear their cries as the red lights flashed. They were so desperate, so scared.

His spider-sense was going off like an explosion. It was buzzing so loud yet Peter could still hear their desperate pleas.

He ran past the hands, avoiding them like they were snakes. He had to fight, fight the urge to break open their cells and let them out. Oh god, he had to fight.

The last thing he heard before the iron gates closed was “Please I have a family,” As he leaped out of the iron hold, the guilt threatening to overwhelm him.

“As for the bomb,” Joker said. “It’s real close, Batsy. Very close. If you can stomach it.”

Peter was on his knees when he heard the explosion in the holding cells. Heard their screams and their cries.

Oh god, it’s all my fault, was what he could think. I could have saved them. I could have saved them all.

Robin knelt down, hand on Peter’s shoulder. “Hey Pete, you okay? Pete?”

1

Peter’s spider-sense started buzzing as the bomb shook the building.

Interrogation Room – 00:00 AM

“The bomb in Gordon’s office wasn’t a bomb.”

The Joker smiled. “This one is.”

The walls were reduced to rubble as the Batman was launched forward. The Joker let out a laugh as flames licked the edges of the Interrogation Room, threatening to consume it all. The Joker blew a kiss at Batman as he walked out of what remained of the room, laughing all the while.

Holding Cells- 00:01 PM

The iron gate lurched forward as Peter pushed Robin and ducked down. He heard the sprinklers go off, water trickling down on the both of them. Peter got up. Two GCPD officers had been knocked out by the sudden violent lurch of the gate but it wasn’t anything fatal. The rest of the officers had all ducked or found cover so they were all fine.

Peter turned around, hoping that maybe someone survived.

Only to see rubble everywhere.

Rubble and blood.

And bodies.

Blood was carried by the water from the sprinklers, trailing along like a river, stopping underneath Peter’s boots.

…

Gotham City Police Department Interrogation Room- 8:30 PM

“Hey pointy ears,” Spider-Man said, on the other side of the mirror the Joker was humming some tune. Spider-Man saw some of the Joker’s stuff lying on the table, his blazer, a fake flower and a revolver. For some reason there was a feint buzzing in his head. Spider-Man figured it was because he thought of Batman as a danger.

“Peter Parker,” Batman said.

“Maybe you shouldn’t use my full name when there’s a dangerous criminal in the other room,” Peter said.

“He can’t hear us.”

There was a silence. A very long one.

“Aren’t you going to ask what brings me here?” Peter asked.

Silence.

Peter sighed. “Fine, the silent treatment.” He stared up in frustration, tapping his foot against the floor before finally swallowing his pride. “I wanted to ask you a question.”

Silence.

“I wanted to know why you do what you do.”

Silence.

Peter groaned and crossed his arms. “I mean, you don’t kill and stuff. You have a freaking tank and airplane yet, you could take on an army and still have enough discipline to let psychopaths like Two-Face and Riddler free so I want to know, why? What makes you get out of that bat bed in the morning?”

Silence.

“Okay fine,” Peter said. “I’ll get out of here. Clearly you want to spend your free time glowering or whatever it is you’re doing here.”

“I don’t know.”

“What was that?”

Batman turned around to face him. “I don’t know. I used to know, before but now…”

Batman was silent for a while. “This city has this habit, of turning good people cruel. Harvey Dent, Frank Castle. They were good man but now you can no longer recognise them. This city I wanted to protect squeezes out whatever’s good in a person and turns them into monsters. I can only hope that it doesn’t happen to me.”

“And what if it does?”

“Then the only thing left for Gotham City is a prayer.”

…

Crime Alley Junkyard- 1:30 AM

Gordon and Robin had dug him out from the rubble. Just in time, as the fire had swallowed the place whole. Batman was led through the hallways, sprinklers raining down on them as they made it to what could only be described as a bloodbath.

Bodies were buried underneath the rubble; their blood being washed away by the sprinklers. What remained of the prisoners was nothing but limbs and mangled bodies. Nobody that was in the holding cells had survived.

Both the Joker and Spider-Man were nowhere to be seen.

Robin and a few GCPD officers survived with a few minor injuries, the same could not be said for the prisoners.

Batman left Robin to tend to the wounded and told Gordon to send people over to Judge Herbert Dredd’s house as he made his way over to a lead the Joker had given him.

It was raining by the time Batman made it to Crime Alley. Once a bustling area full of life called Park Row, after the death of the Waynes it was never the same.

He searched through the junk and mess of the people, shuffling through old computers and rotten stoves until he found what he was looking for.

Underneath an old mustang was a corpse. Batman pushed the car aside and saw what once remained of a man. A hollowed-out husk with flies buzzing around his eyes and maggots crawling out of what was once in his eyes. The man had his body spread like he was being crucified and in his left hand there was a gun.

Batman moved the corpse’s head to the right. There was a sickening lurch as his head was snapped clean off his body and maggots crawled out of his neck and mouth. Batman noticed a bullet hole on his left temple.

At the Batcave, he expected Barbara to scream at him, yell at him but she wasn’t anywhere to be seen. Dick tried talking to him but after realising he wasn’t being listened to, he left Bruce alone in the cave.

There were luckily some finger prints on the gun and Bruce had found some DNA samples on the corpse. He put it on the scanner and it took a while before the Batcomputer found a match and when it did Bruce slammed his fist against the desk.

He stormed past Alfred.

“Master Bruce what’s going on?” Alfred asked. He walked over to the computer and checked the scan results.

The name of the man who had committed suicide in the junkyard was Jack Napier.

To be continued…