Chapter 1: Escape

Bruce Wayne stood in the cool dampness of the cave for what must have been the millionth time. Even though he wore the skin-tight clothing that was supposed to keep him warm, he still felt the chill, or was it just age creeping into his bones? He stared at the case, looking at the suit that he knew better than his own life. There had been changes over the years, better armor, better equipment, but it was more about the mask than anything else. When he put on the cape and cowl, he stopped being Bruce Wayne and became him: BATMAN.

For decades, Batman had protected Gotham City. Bruce was driven to become this alternate identity, to fight crime in his beloved city. He had to protect the people, to protect those that couldn't protect themselves, like his parents. He was only six when his parents were gunned down in an alley in front of him. That single event drove his alternate life. When he was old enough, Bruce traveled the world, living with criminals to better understand them. He learned to steal, plan heists. He lived with terrorist organizations, freedom fighters, pickpockets, and murderers. He learned what drove them, how they thought, why they did what they did. While he learned, he fought not to become them. He refused to use a gun, refused to kill.

It was after almost a decade abroad that Bruce returned and became Batman. While as Bruce Wayne, he took care of his father's business that he had inherited. However, Bruce Wayne's true life was at night, prowling the streets of Gotham, hunting those that preyed on the weak and innocent. More and more time was devoted to Batman, making life more and more difficult. He had forsaken everything, love, friends, a life, to devote himself to being Batman. Until recently.

It had never taken Bruce this long to adopt his identity. He just stared at the mask behind the glass, willing himself to open it and don the guise, but his body was not willing. Bruce shifted, feeling aches and pains that never went away. His back never felt the same since Bane had broken it several years ago, the numerous broken ribs, cracked bones never healed one hundred percent, and it seemed that his body was almost constantly covered with bruises. His shoulders sagged at the thought of donning the guise and fighting criminals another night. He could feel the presence approach from behind.

"Taking a bit longer tonight, isn't sir?" Alfred stopped behind Bruce, waiting for a reply. Bruce just sighed. Alfred was Bruce Wayne's butler, and the manager of the Wayne Manor staff. He was also the only one in his personal life that knew Bruce Wayne was Batman. Alfred had arrived at Wayne Manor after being discharged from the British military due to an injury incurred in the Falklands. Alfred had almost become Bruce's protector and soul, making sure that he never crossed the line and became the thing he fought against.

"It's been getting harder every night, Alfred. It just seems more so tonight."

"Sir, I have seen you take on all challenges. You have overcome seemingly insurmountable odds, and have won. You have risen above any and all challengers, and have excelled. You have never compromised, and have won the hearts and minds of the entire city, much to the police department's chagrin. But you seem to be running away from your own life."

"What are you getting at?"

"You are a great detective, but you can't figure out your own life. Your parents' killer has been dead for several decades. Most of your foes have either died, or are incapacitated in one way or another, yet you still go out every night to fight crimes the police can handle. She is waiting upstairs for you right now, in your bedroom. She doesn't ask for much, just to be loved."

"You think I don't love her, Alfred?"

"Do you? Have you told her recently? You seem to be running away from her; trying to keep your distance as much as possible."

"I am not running away from that woman."

"She isn't just a woman. That is your wife. Start treating her like one." Alfred walked away, going back upstairs into Wayne Manor to oversee the staff as they closed up for the night.

Perhaps Alfred was right. Bruce didn't have to go on patrol tonight. He could take one night off. It had been a while since he had spent any time with his wife. Perhaps tonight was the night to make changes. Maybe it was time to cut back on Batman and start enjoying life. Bruce took one more look at the mask, then turned and walked upstairs to join his wife.

Selena Kyle rolled over, and noticed the bed was empty. God, B always did this, getting up in the middle of the night to head off somewhere. "B, where are you, hon?" Selena climbed out of bed, the air chill on her bare legs and breasts and the floor cool under her feet. She shivered and walked out into the hallway, looking for her love. She saw a light on in the kitchen and headed towards it. Ah, a midnight snack. Selena entered the kitchen and saw her love in front of the fridge, the light highlighting lean back and buttock muscles. Selena slid up from behind, wrapped her arms around a trim waist and kissed their neck. "Mmmm, come back to bed, B."

"I'll be there in a bit, just grabbing something to drink." Brooke said.

Brooke felt Selena press up against her back and her hands cupped her breasts. "If you come back now, we can help each other go to sleep."

"Now how can a girl resist that?" Brooke turned around and gave Selena a long, slow passionate kiss. Selena took her by the hand and led her back to the bedroom, where they collapsed on each other, embracing, kissing, making love.

Hours later, it was Selena who couldn't sleep. She sat up in bed, watching TV, keeping the volume down so as not to disturb Brooke.

"In other news, it has been two weeks with no sign of The Batman. With crime rates on the rise, everyone is wondering, can the police handle Gotham City? Has the city relied too much on The Batman? Here to discuss are Fox News analysts Jim Angle and Chris Wallace. Jim, have the citizens of Gotham…"

"Mmm, turn it down, Selena," Brooke groaned from the bed.

"Sorry, hon." Brooke sat up and hugged Selena.

"Are you thinking about past lives?"

"No, just trying to fall asleep." Brooke kissed Selena on the neck and hugged her close.

"Turn it off and go back to sleep."

"Yes ma'am." Even as Selena fell back into Brooke's arms, thoughts of Batman, Bruce Wayne, Gotham City and Catwoman, her alter ego so many years ago, crept into her head, both good and bad memories.

Where was he? He always came by here on his patrols, always made sure to stop by Crime Alley. Well, if he isn't going to come here, he'll just have to go out and find him.

Vicky Vale got up and stretched in the luxurious bed. Sunlight was just beginning to stream through the windows. She looked over and saw that her husband was gone. Always an early riser, and never took a day off. She smiled to herself, slipped into a robe, and walked downstairs to get some coffee.

She loved the house. She loved being in the house. Sometimes, she still couldn't believe that she was here. It had been the celebrity wedding of the decade: Vicky Vale and Bruce Wayne! The billionaire bachelor was finally settling down and with the most famous reporter in all of Gotham. It couldn't have been with anyone else. The wedding had cost millions and all of Gotham City's elite had been there. The honeymoon was even more stupendous: a world tour, including California, the South of France, Mumbai, India, Jeju-do, South Korea, even Australia's Gold Coast and Brazil. It had been a magical month. But when they had returned, Bruce had seemed to get distant. He was always at work, late night meetings with overseas investors, he had to suddenly travel, and there was always something going on at Wayne Enterprises that seemed to need his attention. Wasn't that what the board and the people that worked for him were for? If she didn't know better, she would have thought that he was having an affair.

However, in the past two weeks, Bruce had been there for her more than in all the years of their marriage. He had been spending less time at the office, spending more at home, and even talking about a family. That was strange enough as it was, but she liked the new Bruce. Perhaps she could take the day off. Maybe she could meet her husband for lunch, and could spend the afternoon together.

She entered the smaller kitchen for daily use. Alfred was in there with a cup of coffee for her and toast. How did he always know? "Good morning, Mrs. Wayne."

"Please, Alfred, call me Vicki." He had never gotten used to using her first name. "Is Bruce already at the office?"

"No, he decided to take a personal day. He is out back with the dogs."

Really, a day off? Bruce seems to be getting stranger with every passing day. She took her coffee and toast out to the deck in the back of Wayne Manor and sat down on the comfortable furniture there to watch Bruce run and play with the two Irish Wolfhounds: Ace and Titus. He looked a lot happier than he had in a long time, with a smile free on his face. Vicki smiled at them and opened the paper. She could never get away from her job as a reporter, and she always had to read the news in the morning. Bruce jogged over with the hounds, bent over to kiss her, then settled into the chair next to her while the dogs ran off to chase each other.

"What's happening in the world, Vik?"

"World's getting better, U.S. is getting more paranoid, and Wayne Stock is just going up and up, Bruce."

"That's good to hear. Any plans for the day?"

"Not at this moment. Why?"

"Well, I was thinking, perhaps we could do a little shopping, spend the day together, have a nice lunch, etc. It's a beautiful day, why waste it?"

"Sure. Where were you thinking about going?"

"Well, I feel like Italian for lunch, so, Milan?"

It was well after midnight, and Bruce should have been in bed, after spending the day with Vicki, jetting across Europe, but sleep just wouldn't come. He was up, idly flipping through channels on the TV, trying to find something to make him tired. He heard Alfred's footsteps behind him.

"You can't sleep either, Alfred?"

"Well, I tried sir, but that kept distracting me." Bruce looked out the wall of windows facing South and saw what Alfred indicated glowing in the sky. It had been weeks since it was turned on. The commissioner was calling. He had turned on the signal. The shadow of a bat blocked the center of a floodlight and was reflecting off the clouds. Bruce rose from the couch, still staring at it. It had been two weeks since he had donned the mask and cowl.

"Will the Batman be responding tonight, sir?" Bruce crossed the house to the West wing, going to the secret panel in his office. It opened revealing a fingerprint scanner and a 3-D hand scanner. The computer accepted his input (it was only programmed for him and Alfred) and Bruce took the elevator down to the cave. There was no hesitation as he pulled on his other persona and became the Batman. The commissioner wouldn't be calling this late at night if it wasn't important. With all of his enemies either dead or locked up, there had been no need to call the Batman. Even the mob in the city had quieted down, thanks to the new head of the family.

Batman strode over to the current incarnation of the Batmobile: a black 1998 Pontiac. Since getting married, the expensive cars and other gadgets had to be put on hold. He couldn't explain the millions of dollars that just seemed to vanish to support his detective work and crime fighting. Batman had made modifications to the car and the engine was the best there was. But there was no more afterburner in the rear, producing incredible amounts of speed, no computer, no weapons. Very little Wayne Enterprises technology was actually in the car. It was the best running vehicle of its kind, but made to blend in with Gotham City's traffic, and made common enough and to look beat up enough to discourage theft.

Batman entered and started the engine, the large V-8 roaring to life. He sped out of the cave onto the old road that ran West of Wayne Manor and was soon on the interstate, heading to downtown Gotham. The darkly tinted windows gave no indication of who the driver was, and all that could be told was that it was another late '90s Pontiac, being driven way past its prime. Batman found a dark alley and parked the car there, then quickly made his way to the rooftops, gliding between buildings as he headed for police headquarters.

It felt good to be flying over the city again. He hadn't realized it, but he missed this: observing what was happening in the city, listening to the traffic and bustle of the city, even at night, perching on the skyscrapers, overlooking alleys and looking for crime. He had kept in shape during the past two weeks, but still, just being able to grapple between the buildings was almost a pleasure. He felt comfortable, gliding through familiar buildings. He knew these rooftops almost better than Wayne Manor. He came to Gotham City Police Department Headquarters, and quietly dropped onto the roof behind Police Commissioner Jonathan Cole. Jim Gordon had long retired and moved in with his daughter, Barbra. Batman sat there for a moment, watching Jon as he continuously glanced down at his watch before looking up to the skies.

Batman finally broke the silence. "What can I do for you, Jon?"

Jon Cole jumped, as he always did. He had been Commissioner for a few years, and had built a working relationship with Batman, after being handed off by Jim Gordon, but it still unnerved him, every time, when Batman dropped out of nowhere.

"Gah, Batman. You're gonna give me a heart attack. Why must you always just pop up like that?"

"It's been over a month since you turned that on. What's going on?"

"It's been weeks since we've seen you. Criminals are starting to push the boundries. Crime rates are starting to go up since they think Batman doesn't care anymore. I thought it would be a good idea to get you out and seen. Where have you been, anyways?"

"You wouldn't call just to get me to show the flag. There's something more."

He always had a way of avoiding Jon's questions. "Yeah, there is. We're moving him. Tomorrow night, to the new facility. Thought you would want to know, maybe even watch over in case he tries something."

Batman automatically knew who the commissioner was talking about. The Joker. "Are you sure it's safe, Jon? He's still too dangerous."

"He's the last one left, Batman. Besides the guards and doctors, he is the only one left in Arkham Asylum. The new facility is ready to go and we have to move him so we can finally shut that place down. If I had my way, I'd burn Arkham to the ground."

"I know, Jon. I'll be there."

Jon turned around to light a cigarette. "Thanks. It really means a lot to have your eyes…" Jon looked up and Batman was gone. Always the same way, never a sound, just left when he thought the conversation was over. Jon shook his head and turned off the signal, looking up to the sky and thinking about tomorrow night and all that could go wrong.

Batman winged his way back to the "Batmobile," his thoughts occupied by what Jon Cole had said. "He's the last one left…" Batman didn't think he was going to see the end of all of his foes, but he had watched the majority of them die. Some were painful to watch, like Pamely "Poison Ivy" Isley. Over several months, she slowly succumbed to the process that had made her closer to a plant. Her skin and organs had hardened and a rough brown marred her greenish skin into bark. Even her flame-red hair became dull brown and brittle. She wound up in a hospital, as the last of her organs finally stopped. She could not even move her mouth to scream in pain, just her eyes as she stared up at Batman, hoping in the end that there might be something to do. All of the Wayne Enterprise's technology and knowledge couldn't find a cure. They had honored her final wishes and buried her in Gotham Park, finally at one with the plants she loved so much.

More painful than Pamela was Victor Fries. He did find a cure for his wife, Nora, and was able to thaw and cure her. However, Fries was never able to find a cure for his condition. They tried to live together, but she couldn't be in the same room as him without winter gear. Eventually, Nora discovered Victor's past as Mr. Freeze, and she left him. That drove Victor to suicide. He stood outside her apartment on a 101 degree summer day, and removed his cryosuit. He was dead before he collapsed to the ground. His body was burned and the ashes scattered.

Too many of his foes had died with him watching. The Joker was the last. Should he be there tomorrow night? How many people would die if he was there? How many more would die if he wasn't? Could he take the risk? How could Bruce Wayne explain this to Vicki?

The truck backed up to the doors. It was a military style truck, with large off-road run-flat tires and a bullet-proof box on the back, secured to the chassis. There was razor wire strung around the top and bottom of the box, and more of it was ready to be attached to the doors when they were closed. Inside was enough room for four guards with weapons and the prisoner. The rest of the vehicle was designed to survive and keep going through IED blasts and RPGs. It was as ready as it could be this night. It was one in the morning. Everything was on schedule.

The doors to Arkham Asylum opened, and eight heavily armed guards exited, four watching outside for threats, four waiting for the prisoner. Arkham Asylum was the most famous mental hospital and prison in Gotham City. Set in the center, all of the super criminals that had fought the Batman had interred here: Two-Face, the Riddler, the Penguin, Poison Ivy, Mr. Freeze. All of the rogues gallery had spent some time here. It was always a question, though, if Batman himself would ever wind up as a patient at Arkham. However, with the majority of those super criminals either dead or dying, there was only a skeleton crew and one patient left, and tonight was the night he would finally be moved.

All of the guards carried shotguns, pistols, and enough ammunition for an assault at Normandy Beach. Finally, a doctor exited the asylum with the head of security, looked at everything, then signaled back into the Asylum. A stretcher was brought out with a man strapped to it. He wore an orange jump suit and slip-on shoes. His white skin almost glowed in the darkness and his green hair was a stark contrast to it. The most disturbing of all was his smile, though. His bright red smile that was permanently affixed to his face. The Joker looked around and giggled. "Jesus, Doc. If I didn't know better, I would think that you didn't like me. What, you think I'm gonna try to escape, and miss all our fun?"

"Shut up, clown!" The security chief yelled at the Joker. It was a banter that had been continuous in the Asylum. The Joker has caused the most destruction in Gotham City over the years. Of all of the super criminals, the Joker was the most dangerous. He was the opposite of Batman. Where Batman was dark and brooding, Joker was bright and silly. Batman was methodical, studious, and logical. The Joker was insane, paranoid, and obsessed with Batman. Not with killing him, though. The deaths of innocents was just fun for the Joker. No, it was the contest against the Batman that drove the Joker. The endless back and forth between them, the constant battles, it was what the Joker lived for. It was his purpose in life, to give meaning to the Batman.

The Joker just laughed as he was rolled into the truck. He turned his head this way and that.

"Well, doc, I guess this is it. Ta-ta."

"No, I'll be continuing your diagnosis at the new facility," the doctor replied, a little confused.

"We'll see about that," the Joker growled.

"Everyone, on your toes. Keep an eye out." The security chief barked out orders, his hairs rising as he expected something. "You four, into the back with the prisoner. The rest, come with me. Grab your stuff and let's get ready to escort them out of here." The doctor, security chief, and four of the guards walked back into the asylum as the remaining four loaded the Joker into the back of the truck."

"Hey, Doc," the Joker called as he was rolled into the box before the doors shut.

"Yes?"

"It's been a blast." The shockwave hit them first, knocking everyone down and slamming the doors shut on the truck box. It was immediately followed by a fireball that shot out through the asylum doors and engulfed the doctor and guards. They suffocated within seconds. The Joker's laugh could be heard through the box as the truck sped off. The four guards inside were thrown to the ground as the Joker cut his bonds loose and jumped on them. He quickly grabbed a shotgun and started firing rounds in the box, tearing the guards to shreds, laughing the entire time.

Batman was on the Arkham grounds, waiting. There was nothing he could do about the doctor and security guards in the fire. They were dead already. He fired his grappling gun at the truck as it sped off, and was drug behind it. He was able to pull himself to the doors and work them open only to be met with a shotgun blast to the chest. His armor held and Joker pumped the weapon for another blast.

Batman couldn't stay for it and moved to the roof of the box to clear the blast, cutting himself on the razor wire. The bodies of the guards were thrown out the back as the truck swerved through traffic. Batman made his way to the cab to get control of the vehicle. He pulled the door off the driver's side and the driver fired from his pistol. Batman jumped to the side of the box, tangling in the razor wire. He freed himself as the driver jumped out of the cab into an oncoming bus and was pulled underneath. Batman was able to get behind the wheel and stop the truck, as a helicopter came overhead. A cable was quickly lowered that attached to the truck and lifted it, box, cab and all, into the air.

Batman climbed out of the cab to the box to grab the Joker, but Joker had other plans. He was already climbing the cable, looking down at Batman. The Joker climbed higher and pulled a detonator out of his pocket. He pressed the button and the hook separated from the cable, dropping the truck 60 feet into traffic. Batman jumped clear, but didn't have enough time to grapple to the helicopter. Batman rolled to dodge traffic as cars crashed into each other and the remains of the truck. Joker laughed and waved as he sped away, leaving Batman standing there on the side of the road amidst the Joker's latest carnage. He looked around and grappled off as sirens came within earshot, leaving the police to clean up while Batman looked for his last foe.