Prologue

The scene takes place five years after the events at Wayne Manor. Weary nurses scurry down the corridors of a foreign hospital off the cost of the Netherlands. Several doctors exchange notes and place clipboards along a counter outside of room 1128 where a young "Jane Doe" has just regained consciousness but sleeps soundly.

Inside the room, a man sits with his arms on his lap. He had been hunched over for a while, waiting almost forever for the doctor to return with her blood test. He is joined by one other man who never seems to tire of the waiting game and is positive of her identity. His name is Clark Kent, a reporter for a Metropolis newspaper, with quite a knack for finding people. His confidence gleamed as he stood facing the window.

"Are you sure it's really her?" The man asked.

"Nicolas. How much did your colleague tell you?" Mr. Kent asked.

Nicolas Gage sat up in his chair and let out a heavy sigh. The truth was, he was only here for Barbara, his fiancé. Somehow, she got word that the woman in this room is actually her late friend Stephanie Brown. But, he didn't know what to believe. Apparently, the police commissioner sent him on this mission as a request from Batman, who never really spoke directly to anyone.

"Absolutely nothing. I was given a plane ticket and told to bring her back to Gotham. There was only a brief mention that you, whom I know little about, would meet me here," Nicolas said.

"Very well, how much do you remember from that night five years ago?"

"I remember being pistol whipped and thrown into a dumpster a block from Barbara's house. I woke up in a hospital surrounded by police officers and a pissed off father. Why? Were you there?"

Clark turned toward Nicolas who was eagerly awaiting a reply.

"In some ways, yes. I was doing a piece on a wealthy business man who had attended Wayne's party. Unfortunately, as you know, the party was a mess by the time I arrived. Gotham City Police had already made a parameter around the place so I couldn't get in."

Nicolas nodded in agreement.

"But, why the sudden interest five years later?"

"Well, Barbara has always been a friend of mine and she knew that I am good at what I do," Clark stated.

"And what is it that you do?" Nicolas asked.

"I help people," Kent smirked.

Nicolas narrowed his eyes on Clark as the doctor finally walked in. He carried a clip board with a number of attached papers that he casually thumbed through as he approached.

"So, 'Jane Doe' has finally been given a name I see. Erm—Stephanie. Yes?" The doctor's accent was heavy and confusing but he stammered along regardless.

Clark nodded to the doctor to let him finish briefing the two of them on her current health condition.

The doctor let out a heavy sigh and leaned against the edge of the woman's bed, who still lay sleeping. The story was not easy to tell but he kept it as simple as he could.

"Well, there was significant damage to the rib cage, due to blunt force. She has recovered from countless bone fractures, all of them severe, and multiple gashes all found near her stomach and lower abdomen. She was in rough shape when she arrived and went through several surgeries."

"Did she ever wake up until today?"

"Yes, actually. Two years ago she was assigned rehabilitation with one of our American interns. But it seems she suffered from dementia and flung herself from a two story window. She suffered a major blow to the head along with minor cuts but she managed to hang in there long enough for our surgeons to put her back together again."

"Did you catch the name of the intern assigned to her?" Clark asked with his eyes narrowed at Nicolas.

The doctor fumbled through the papers and came up with a name, "Harleen Quin-"

"THAT BITCH!" Nicolas yelled.

The doctor jumped at his outburst and the documents went flying into oblivion. And that's when Clark saw it, there, plain as day—the Joker's calling card. A red playing card lay face down on the cold tile of the hospital. Clark bent down to pick it up and as he did he noticed the blood test next to it showed a DNA match with Gage's sample. This was no isolated incident. The Joker sent Stephanie here to die, but why? What was so special about this girl?

"I think it's time we bring Miss Brown back to Gotham, Nicolas."

Look for chapters soon to follow this brief introduction. -kmblackwell