CHAPTER IX- JOKER: BRIGHT DYSTOPIA
Joker paced back and forth in front of Alfred and Lorna who were tied up on the floor. Harley stood in the corner propped up on her comically oversized mallet. “Bruce Wayne is Batman, eh?” Joker said to himself, “He was one of my suspects, but he was low on the list! A rich boy snob like him cleaning up the streets of Gotham? That’s funny!” He kneeled down next to Alfred and looked deeply into his eyes. “And you must be one of those loyal butler types.” He said, “How many times have you had to wash his tights? EH HA HA HA HA HA HEE HA HE HA HA HA!”
“So what now, Mr. J?” Harley asked. Joker picked himself up off the floor. “Well, as amusing as this is, it changes the plan entirely. Batman must be humiliated in front of the people he swore to protect just before they all go up in flames. Before, it was enough to make him watch his city crumble somewhere in a gutter alone, but now, we need to bring him to us…” He looked down at Lorna menacingly and grabbed her by the arm. “We’ll need a damsel in distress. Get Jeeves, we’ve got places to be! Chop chop!” The two clowns dragged Alfred and Lorna out of Wayne manor and tossed them in the back of their car and drove off into the panicked streets of Gotham.
Riddler burst through the door with two large men following him. He dragged his right leg behind and propped himself up with his cane. He looked left and right at the men standing attentive in the hall. Blood dripped down rhe back of his green sut where he had yanked out the batarang. “Is Batman dead?” he asked one of the men trailing behind him. “We just dropped a line to the boys in the tunnel, he’s gone.”
Riddler punched against the wall and strands of sweat drenched brown hair. “Dammit!” he shouted. He limped down the hall and opened a door at the end of the way. One of thugs stepped forward. “So what do we do?” he asked. Riddler turned to him. “If the bat’s on the prowl, cover all the entrances. If he gets in through a window, you go out through one.” He replied and slammed the door.
The dark office was empty and void besides a desk and a few chairs. Riddler sat in a chair and looked down at his right leg. It felt like his shin was broken. He sat back in his seat and exhaled slowly then looked down at his watch. 11:33 P.M. Batman didn’t have much time until Joker executed the last of the hostages and Batman. Of course, Joker had informed no one else of the bombs scattered across town. Knowing Batman, he had made every stop to rescue the hostages. He was tired, he was slow, he was weak. Batman had finally been overwhelmed and Riddler was the nail holding up the barn. He felt proud, but in his moment of hubris, he realized he should call Joker and worn him about Batman.
He hoisted himself up and walked to the other side of the room where there was a phone attached to the wall. He picked it up and dialed quickly and waited for him to pick up. “Joker? Yeah, it’s me. Batman’s clear of the trap and he’s headed your way… I don’t know if he knows where you are. Have you arrived at the destination? Joker? Joker?!” A shadowy figure leaned up against the desk at the opposite side of the room and pressed the button on a small device, His white eyes stood out in the darkness. “Disconnected.” He whispered.
Riddler spun around to see Batman sitting so casually at the other end of the room. “How did you--?” “The fun of a domino chain isn’t in watching it set up, is it?” Batman answered, “It’s about watching it fall.” “What are you talking about?” Riddler asked, confused by Batman’s sudden role reversal. “Joker doesn’t want what you and the other inmates do. He’ll never have enough. He’s going to destroy Gotham. All of it.” Riddler stepped toward Batman, struggling to get the words out of his mouth. “That’s impossible, he has the city at his mercy! He has you running around like a rat in a maze!” “Joker wants more than control. He wants more then any of us can understand. And as reward for your services, he’s going to kill you and everyone else.” Batman said in his calm and collected voice, covering multiple lacerations beneath his dark cloak.
“Why should I listen to you?! ” Riddler growled. “Because I am your intellectual equal, Nigma. I’m the only one who ever passed your tests time and again. The only fun of making a riddle is watching someone solve it.” Riddler shifted beneath his domino mask. He was accepting the truth, the betrayal. He bowed his head. “What do you want from me?” he asked. Batman’s cold eyes went narrow, “Where’s the Joker?” he snarled. Riddler sighed and gave in. “He’s at the police station, he has two hostages with him.”
Batman stood menacingly over Riddler. “It’s a big town, Edward.” He said with a growing rumble in his voice, “Which police station?” Riddler raised one shaking hand and pointed behind him, out the window. Batman turned around to see the bat signal redrawn to look like a smile. “I think it’s a safe bet which one.” He answered. Batman turned around and swung open the window, turning back to Riddler as he stood at the window. “Good night, Edward.” He whispered then jumped out the window and flew off into the night. Riddler sunk down into his seat and bowed his head.
As Batman glided over the streets, rooftops whisking just below him, he couldn’t help but wonder if Alfred and Lorna were alright, if Joker had taken them with him or burned Wayne Manor to the ground. He couldn’t let these thoughts trouble him. He tried to chase them out of his head before the remnants of Scarecrow’s gas turned them into reality. As he burst through a column of black smoke, he saw that he was nearing the police station. He could hear Joker’s maniacal laughter amongst the chaotic uproar in the streets. He coasted on the wind and suddenly turned upright, tucking in his wings and landed on the roof. Harley and Joker spun around to see the Dark Knight standing there. Alfred and Lorna knelt at their feet. It was now 11:51. “Batman…” Joker sighed in his sly, despicable voice, “You’re just in time to see the fireworks! Wait… is it Batman or… Bruce?” Batman’s eyes went wide and he stepped toward the Joker. Joker quickly whipped out his revolver and pointed it at Lorna’s head, clicking the hammer back. “Uh, uh, uh, Brucey!” he chuckled, “Now which one do you love more, eh?” he asked, moving the gun between Alfred’s head and Lorna’s head, “The loyal butler who changed your diapers… or the cocktail floozy you met last night?” “If you’re going to kill everyone in Gotham, Joker, why kill hostages as well?” Batman asked. “Insurance, batsy! That, and before we’re all burnt to crisps, I want you to watch the two people left on this earth you really care about die… and know that you failed to stop them. Roll on snare drum, hold for applause, curtains!” Harley looked confused and inched up behind Joker, holding his shoulder. “Um… you mean before they are all burnt to a crisp, right Mr. J?” she asked. “Sure, right, they.” Joker replied.
“Don’t you want to tell them, Joker?” Batman whispered, “Don’t you want to humiliate Batman in front of the millions of worms he swore to protect before you burn them alive?” Joker smiled wide, “Why, Batman,” he said, “It’s like you read my mind!” He turned to Harley. “Harley!” he barked. “Yes Mr. J?” she replied frantically. “Microphone, darling!” he ordered and Harley tossed him a microphone and he stepped over to the ledge. “Hello, sheeple of Gotham!” he announced, “I come here to distract you from your meaningless debauchery, which I’m quite proud of, by the way, to unmask Batman and finally put a bullet in his Bat-brain! AH HA HA HA HA!” Batman walked to the Joker. Lorna reached out to him. “Bruce, don’t do this!” she whispered. “I’m sorry, Lorna. While they’re distracted, run.” He walked up behind Joker and kept his hands at his sides and his head bowed. “And now, ladies and gentlemen of Gotham City! I give you B—“ with an electric crackle, the microphone stopped. He struck the mic with the palm of his hand. “What the hell’s wrong with this…” he turned around to see, at Batman’s feet, was the unplugged mic cable. He looked up at Batman and was met with a fist. He fell over and spat blood. He looked down at the blood and wiped some from his lips. “Impressive.” He whispered, then quickly whipped out one of his butterfly knives, twirling it around and revealing the blade, “But I have a few tricks of my own.” He lunged at Batman who took hold of both his wrists and threw him to one side, next to Alfred and Lorna.
Joker got back up and ran at Batman. Batman stood his ground, covered in his cloak. As Joker came within inches of him, Batman ducked to one side and Joker ran through his black cloak and over the ledge. Joker’s scream echoed down and down into the street, getting quieter. Harley fainted. Batman went to the ledge and looked down, his cape flustering in the breeze. “That’s what it would have sounded like if I’d fallen much farther.” Joker laughed. His purple clove tightly grasped the edge of the building. Batman looked down at him with rage and pity. All the things Joker had done to him, to Gotham, to the world, suddenly became as real as the day they happened. Batman lowered his hand to the Joker. Slowly, the Joker began to laugh. “After everything I’ve done, after I demolished Gotham Square, after I killed countless people, scarred Gotham forever and brought old Harvey over to the dark side…” said the Joker, “After I killed Robin. After all that, our merciful caped crusader still comes to rescue little ol’ me?” He took Batman’s hand. “You’re pathetic.” He snarled and slashed at Batman’s hand with his knife. His hand slipped and Joker fell.
Batman quickly pulled out his grappling gun and shot down at the Joker. The metal claw came short, failing to catch him. Joker laughed all the way and suddenly, PAK, he made contact with the pavement.
Batman looked down at his city. The Police held a perimeter around the station and they all looked down at the Joker’s twisted and bludgeoned body. His neck bent around and his face stood cemented, yellow eyes wide open, red lips peeled back in a repulsive, demonic smile. They all looked up to see Batman perched atop the building. He shot his grappling gun onto the roof of another building and glided into the shadow.
Below, he heard the police clamoring to each other. “Hostages clear! Move in!” and the wave of officers rushed into the building. Batman spent the rest of that night clearing the streets. With their leaders out of the way, most of the criminals either surrendered or retreated to some hideout. Gotham was finally fighting back. It looked like with the death of the Joker came a momentary peace in Gotham. Joker’s posthumous smile remained stapled to the backs of his eyelids. Joker was the embodiment of true evil. If anyone deserved to die, it was him. But as Joker fell to his death, he dragged the innocent man inside down with him. And because of that, Batman had failed.
Bruce sat in a chair on the cold tile floor of Wayne Manor the next morning. The sky was pale grey. Bruce heard Alfred’s shoes tap against the tile floor. “Master Bruce?” he asked. “Yes, Alfred?” Bruce answered. “Mrs. Shore here to see you.”
Bruce sat forward in his chair then stood up. “Let her in.” said Bruce. Alfred shuffled out of the room. “I already did.”
Lorna walked into the room. “Hey, Bruce.” She said. Bruce straightened his shirt. “Hey, how’ve you been?” Lorna combed back a strand of her red hair and looked at Bruce. “Good, I-I’ve been good.” Their eyes met and they both nervously averted their eyes to the floor. Instantaneously, they ran into each others arms and their lips met. Lorna pushed him away. “I… I came here to let you know this isn’t gonna work. I’m leaving Gotham.” Bruce could feel his heart sinking. “I know. I don’t blame you.” He said.
“I’m moving to Star City.” She said to him. “Good, I hope you’re happy there.” Said Bruce. Lorna walked up to him and planted a small kiss on his lips and whispered in his ear. “Goodbye, Batman.”
And with that, Lorna Shore walked out of Bruce’s life forever. He sunk back into his chair and put his head in his hands.
Batman and Gordon went through Arkham which was more active than usual with every inmate being returned to their cells. They came to a massive metal door and Gordon unlocked it and they stood there, looking at the cells stacked on top of one another going up nearly sixty feet to a filthy grey glass ceiling. “It’s gonna get a bit quieter without the Joker.” Batman looked around at the crowded cell block. “Not quiet enough.”
Gordon put his hands in the pockets of his trench coat. “Yeah, we’ve brought in the best doctors from Metropolis University. None of them have any clue how to cure them.” He pushed his glasses up his nose and turned to Batman. “No matter how many times we round ‘em up, they’ll get out again.”
“I know.” Said Batman and he turned and went down the cold dark hallway, “And I’ll be waiting.”
(BATMAN AND ALL RELATED CHARACTERS ARE OWNED BY DC COMICS AND WARNER BROS. ENTERTAINMENT. I IN NO WAY CLAIM RIGHTS OR OWNERSHIP)
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