Chapter 1: Trap
"Welcome back James!" Barbara Gordon threw her arms around the 20-year-old boy.
"Haha thanks Barbara!" James Davis hugged back.
It had only been a couple of hours since James was cured of his Solarium issues. After the intense battle with Brainiac and Luthor, James had been falling ill for weeks because of complications with his Solarium. It all came to a head when he fell into a coma for three days. But with the help of Pamela Isley and Dr. Leslie Tompkins of S.T.A.R Labs, they were able to nurse him back to health. They were now meeting at James's apartment to celebrate his return.
"Well, it looks like things are finally settling down." Tim Drake said, happily. "Most of the criminals are pacified and now we can take a break!"
James sat down on his bed. "Finally, and not a day too soon. My vacation is winding down and I really don't want to miss anymore time."
Pamela Isley sat down next to him. "You're right, and I'm gonna start teaching soon at your college."
"Oh damn that's right!" His eyes widened. "You're gonna be one of my teachers!"
Barbara and Tim's eyes widened. "Seriously!? How are you gonna deal with that!?"
"We're going to have to keep our relationship a secret!" James replied. "If anyone were to find out about this, well it could be disastrous."
"It shouldn't be so bad. Just treat each other like normal student-to-teacher contact and you should be fine." Barbara said. "The thing I want to know is…how did you get your job back?"
"Well…the last biochemistry teacher resigned after apparently some recent incidents occurring at the college over the summer." Pam explained. "No one else ended up applying so I ended up being awarded the job."
James burst out laughing. "That's the only way you were gonna get hired!"
"Oh shut it." Pam nudged him in the ribs before Barbara interrupted.
"By the way, I've been doing a little research into our next semester, and there is an internship this fall!"
"Really?" James asked. "Do tell."
"The internship is to be able to work for a member of the city council, a state senator or a real Congressman and to be exposed to the politics of the system." She explained, taking out a brochure and handing it to him.
"Hmm…that sounds really in—wait, are you going for your doctorate in library studies?" He wondered, confused.
"I am. But have you noticed when we're out there fighting crime all the poor people on the street, and the unbalanced way our government has become?" She asked.
James stopped for a moment and thought back to all the fights he had and everything he had seen.
"She's right James…" Alcor said. "I'm guessing it's something that even Bruce himself had figured out before he became Batman. Think about it, long ago Bruce's father Thomas nearly bankrupted his company trying to help the poor."
"Wow, that's quite a dedicated man. Despite him having the chance to live the rich and luxurious life, he chose to live it helping the less fortunate. Not many people can say they've done anything similar." James replied.
"I have noticed. Really that's part of why I'm doing Political Science. I want to get involved in the system. I want to change it, because politics affects everyone."
She nodded. "So you're gonna take the internship?"
He studied the brochure for a moment.
"A paid internship, even better!" James grinned, excited. "Well I think this is a no-brainer! Let's do it!"
Barbara held her hand out, and he hi-fived her.
"Let's change the system!" She laughed.
"Oh boy…" James smiled back.
"Get that filthy degenerate out of here!" Warden Quincy Sharp ordered.
The Joker was placed on a stretcher and cuffed to it on his shoulders, waist, and legs. With Arkham security tightly guarding him, they started rolling the crazed clown through intensive treatment.
"Warden, something's not right." Batman said. "I'm going with him."
He gave him a curt nod. "Go on."
As he walked behind the security guards, he looked around and saw criminals being moved to cells at gunpoint.
"Is Commissioner Gordon here?" He asked one of them.
"Yes he is, he got here just before you did." One guard replied. "He's waiting for you up ahead."
"Hey Sharpie! You get my good side? Ah but they're all good aren't they?" Joker quipped.
"I want him completely secured away this time!" Warden Sharp ordered.
"Look at all this security…how is someone supposed to break out? Ha!" He grinned.
As the troupe moved forward, they soon started passing by multiple TV screens that showed Warden Sharp's intro video.
"Oooh it's my favorite show! 'I'm Warden Idiot, you'll never escape!" Joker laughed out loud.
"I don't like this one bit…" Batman thought. "It's like he wanted me to not only arrest him, but to have him thrown back into the asylum…why?"
He soon started to hear some of the inmates chanting Joker's name.
"Joker! Joker!" They chanted.
"Shut it!" one Arkham guard demanded.
They soon stopped at an elevator that was rising in front of them. Just then the doors opened and Killer Croc emerged in chains and a shock collar.
(A/N For the record, because my Thanksgiving special sort of made him harmless and an idiot, that'll change from here on because of where this story is going. Just think of him as the Arkham series' Killer Croc from here on.)
"Croc old boy! Is that you?" Joker called excitedly.
Croc sniffed the air, then locked eyes on Batman.
"I have your scent, Batman." He declared. "I will hunt you down!"
At that moment, the electric collar went off, causing him to yell out in pain.
"A toy collar will not be enough to stop me!" He yelled. "I will tear you apart!"
Croc then forced himself to walk to another hallway and out of sight.
They soon went into the elevator with the doors shutting behind them. As the elevator lurched downward, Joker was still ranting.
"Weee! A perfect night for a party!" He announced.
"Not where you're going." Batman replied sternly.
"Haha, the night is young Bats. I still have a trick or two up my sleeve!" He grinned. "I mean isn't it odd, that a fire at Blackgate caused hundreds of my crew to be moved here? Hehe…"
"I thought I told you to stay quiet!" Frank Boles yelled out.
"Tell me something, you never let me catch you this easily. What are you really after?" Batman asked.
"Oh nothing much! Just have hundreds of people meeting the ends of their meaningless lives. All thanks to you and a book of matches. Was that the answer you wanted?"
Suddenly, the lights in the elevator started flickering. Then the lights went out completely, enabling Joker to laugh maniacally.
"What's going on!?" One guard yelled.
"Someone get a light on him!" Another one shouted.
Acting fast, Batman grabbed the Joker's throat just as the lights came on again.
"You're not going anywhere!" He said, angrily.
"What's…wrong?" the clown coughed. "Don't…trust me?"
Soon the elevator stopped and the doors opened. The entourage moved out of it and near the cells.
Batman saw Commissioner Gordon near a desk holding a clipboard when he caught sight of the Dark Knight.
"Long night Jim?"
"Ha. Joker invades city hall and holds the Mayor hostage. Leaving me to juggle the swat teams, the media, and you. Yeah it's been a long night."
Suddenly, the moment Joker and his caretaker passed the forcefield; he spun around, kicked him to the ground and wrung his neck all the while unlocking his handcuffs.
"!" Batman quickly started smashing the glass leading to the containment area.
"Bahahaha! Bat in a trap, as always." Joker grinned, and ran off. "Harley, do you have the system ready?"
In the control room, Harley Quinn was sitting on a chair with her legs up on the control panel.
"It's ready sweetie! Come on in!" She pushed a button, and the other forcefield deactivated.
Batman quickly smashed through the glass and landed in the middle of the containment area surrounded by prisoners. In a flurry of movement, he had kicked the prisoner in front of him then did a tornado kick to the two prisoners behind him. Next he grabbed one of the prisoners and threw him into the remaining prisoner standing, knocking them all out.
"Aww, need a little help there Bats'?" Joker's voice sounded. "Well come and find me!"
The forcefield ahead of him was deactivated. Batman quickly bolted through the containment facility in search for the mad clown.
"This isn't a simple escape attempt…" He thought. "Joker's been planning this."
Suddenly, James's Ari1 started beeping. He took it out and looked at the headline:
MASS TAKEOVER AT ARKHAM ASYLUM
"What the hell!?" Barbara quickly switched on the TV.
"This is Jack Ryder reporting high above Arkham Asylum!" The man with glasses said. "We just learned that the Joker has escaped custody and his goons have now taken over the prison!"
Just then, Barbara's cellphone started ringing. She quickly picked it up and excused herself outside.
"Bruce! We heard everything! Is it true? Did the Joker break out?"
"Unfortunately he has." Batman responded. "Listen, I need your help. I—"
"I'll be right over." Barbara responded quickly. "I'm going to—"
"No. I don't need your help here." He interrupted. "I need you to run a cross check of a Doctor Penelope Young. With what I've found here she seems to have some sort of connection with the Joker."
She nodded. "Be careful Bruce."
The young girl hung up her phone and bolted back inside.
"Guys I gotta go." Barbara said. "I'm going to be on my computer helping him out."
James nodded. "I'm going to the asylum to help—"
"James wait." Alcor spoke so everyone could hear.
"Gah!" Tim jerked back, surprised. "Who was that?"
"Sorry that was Alcor." He answered. "Go ahead what's wrong?"
"I've been searching the news reports about the recent incidents at Gotham University, and there have been strange incidents involving experiments with medications." Alcor explained. "Students have been falling sick from them. I think Batman can handle himself. I highly suggest we investigate these incidents."
James nodded. "Alright then. Since I'm heading back to the campus to start classes, it'll be a perfect opportunity to start looking for clues."
"Nightwing and I can handle the heat here in Gotham if need be." Tim nodded.
"Good god." Pam shook her head. "This is gonna be one hell of a week."