The summer night's heat was unbearable as it was in the downtown area. Sweat dripped from the face of the would be robber as he stood next to a body of a similarly black dressed form that was now laying unconscious upon the ground. "Yeah! You heard what I said, freak!" Bravely yelled the gun-wielding man atop the roof. It took all he had to say it, but he said it. The skylight was smashed; pieces metal and shards of glass lay strewn about the roof and great hall down below. There was no finesse to the break in. The heavy cloth bag was dropped at the first glimpse of the shadowed form along the skyline.
There was smugness to the thief. He didn't care that he'd been caught, or who had caught him. He had heard about the shadowed form throughout his teenage life, like an urban legend that thieves told others to ward them off from their high-price takes. But this was no legend, not anymore. And he was standing toe to toe with Gotham City's Dark Knight. The night breeze brushed across the solid form of Batman, moving only the cape to the side revealing the emblem that so many criminals despised and feared. The criminal held the gun steady, pointed towards the chest of the Bat.
Batman made no motions, no movement that was seen. His mind was already going through the dozens of ways he could end this conflict. Each time, factoring in the possible chance of failing and the death of either of the young couple behind him that planed a romantic rooftop dinner.
"You going to stand there all night freak?" demanded the robber. "Too scared to move?" The dark brow narrowed of the cowl slightly. Too many options, too many things that could go wrong, and that would mean one life lost due to a wrong calculation. The crook finally took the initiative and took a step back. He didn't care about his partner; there was a moment of hesitation though when the crook looked to his right to find the edge of the rooftop. That was the moment the Dark Knight was waiting for. A motion that was so smooth, the criminal eye turned back in time to see a flying bat lunging towards him.
The gunman yelled at the top of his lungs as he pulled the trigger twice. The bullets flew into the chest of Batman, sending the hero to the ground. Gun still in hand, and fear now gripping him, he turned and found the fire escape. The couple had covered themselves at the sounds of the shots and were laying close to the ground, only silent sobs could be heard.
Batman heaved in a breath. The light-weave armor had protected his body from damage, but the force of a close shot had knocked the wind out of him briefly. He pulled himself up, trying to push breath back into his lungs as he looked over the edge. The criminal was now prey as he was running down the escape ladders. Batman pulled his grappling hook from the back of his belt and then jumped down. The wind grabbed his cape, giving him some control over his impending meeting with the ground. Just as he was coming to the last set of rungs, the thug was pulled violently from the escape by the descending detective.
He started to scream as he was about to meet the ground hard only to be jerked back with the same violent motion that removed him from the escape. Batman had tethered the crook to the roof of the 6 story building. The yelling vagrant now yelled violently at The Batman who had landed like a feather upon the ground; The Batman's cape draping down over his shoulders. The dark cowl revealing only the scowl as he looked up at his captured prey. He turned his back towards the crook, and walked deeper into the alley to fight again.
Before the police arrived, there was a cackle heard in the alley way. "So, I see Bats-for-Brains busted you. And here you promised me a pretty trinket!" Called a sinister voice from a concealing shadow. "I do suppose that you said something incredibly brave as guano-boy dangled you from your fishing line?"
There was terror in the hanging's man voice as he tried to escape the detainment that Batman had placed him in. "Sir, I swear, it was going perfect! Just the way you planned it!" The motions became frantic now, as the dark purple suit became noticeable in the street lamp that headed the alleyway.
"Oh, I'm sure you were on your way out. He always catches them on the way out!" The white pasted jaw looked up from under the wide brimmed purple hat. "Just the way I told you he would! He's always ruining my fun!" Pouted the deep red lips that were in a permanent grin. "However, since you were caught, I don't think you're the right kind of guy for my gang, dear boy. I hope you like Blackgate!"
With that, the purple suit turned and began to whistle hideously out of tune. The crook's bravado returned as he shouted out something in to the darkness. And then the whistling stopped, and the footsteps began coming towards him once again. From the darkness, something shinny flew out, catching the fiber wire that held the brave thief, which after a moment, came crashing to earth against the concrete. The former gunman pulled himself up quickly, coughing harshly at the crash. His body was sore from the impact. He turned quickly to see where the suit had gone, only to be greeted face to face with the wide, vile, red grin.
There was a puff of green smoke that escaped a delicate flower upon the lapel placed upon the purple suit. The man inhaled sharply and fell backwards. The suited form just watched, his laughter growing from an easy chuckle as the man began to panic and breath faster. The laughter was in full force as the man was grasping his throat and beginning to laugh himself. The sound of the two hideous laughs soon became only one again, which echoed viciously in the alley. The suited form turned and began walking back into the alley. "I'll be sure to put your last words on your tombstone, kid. No one tells the Joker 'bite me'!"