Bruce watched the video again.
It was dark, so dark that only a few outlines of nearby buildings were visible.
A figure appeared. Bruce knew this to be Nightwing.
He freeze-framed it and zoomed in. He slowly went forward on the tape as Nightwing turned.
Bullet holes, two of them, stained the young man's clothes; one in his right shoulder, and the other in his leg.
Bruce let the tape roll.
A small object, no larger than a golf ball, flew through the air. The screen erupted into smoke.
And when picture appeared again, Nightwing was gone.
Batman rewound the entire thing.
Just then, Alfred walked in. "Would you like more coffee, Master Bruce?"
"If I drink anymore I'll become a schizophrenic." He replied apathetically, watching the video again.
"But you must keep up your strength, sir," Alfred set the tray down.
"He needs his strength too, Alfred," obviously referring to Nightwing, "And I failed him. I also failed Jason."
"What happened to Jason does not correlate with what will happen to Master Dick," Alfred answered promptly. "This is not the first time he has had a run in with a gun."
"But because of that first time I relieved him of duty," Bruce sighed as the video ended again.
"This was the sort of thing I was trying to prevent."
"Master Bruce, listen to me," Alfred walked forward, standing directly in front of his master. "Master Dick is a very smart young man. You will either find him in time, or he will free himself. You must have faith."
Bruce sighed, swiveling back around in his chair. "What I must have is more coffee."
Alfred smiled wryly, pouring another cup.
Bruce awoke the next evening in a fog. He found himself still seated in the Bat Cave, his computers and lights still blinking and making noises.
He got up when he heard the doorbell ring.
Alfred led the unexpected visitor into the living room. Bruce Wayne met him there.
When he did, a familiar voice greeted him, "Didn't expect me, did you Bruce?"
It was Jason.
"What are you doing here," Bruce's voice was even.
"That's not much of a greeting," Jason smirked, his boots propped up on the finely polished coffee table.
Though he nodded his thanks as Alfred brought him a glass of water.
Bruce waited patiently.
After he drank, Jason looked up. "Have a seat," he offered as if the mansion was his.
Bruce complied, sensing his former apprentice knew something he didn't.
His patience paid off.
"I found this at the scene of the crime," Jason tossed a card onto the table. It landed face up. It depicted a joker.
Bruce looked up.
"Don't look so surprised Brucey. You responded so empathetically the last time he played you," he sneered, "You had to see it coming again."
Bruce gritted his teeth slightly, "Why are you here."
Something flickered in Jason's eyes and he suddenly tensed, leaning forward.
"Don't get any ideas; I'm not doing this for you." He lowered his voice, "I'm doing it for him." He leaned back again, speaking clearly and loudly once more.
"If he had enough sense to leave, he's worth saving."
Bruce's gaze remained steady. "Why do you need my help? Why don't you just rescue him yourself?" It was too impossible to hide the sarcastic bite this time.
Jason noticed, but didn't act on it. "Because I know you'll try. And it'll be easier if we work together."
Bruce raised an eyebrow. That was unlike Jason.
Jason realized what he'd said and became visibly cocky and pompous again. "But I want to lead this mission since it's my idea." He jabbed a thumb toward himself, "I'm the head detective here."
Bruce paused, but then agreed.
"It's a deal." He stood up, "Show me what you've got."
"The Joker was last seen in West Port, just 10 miles from here," Jason explained.
He and Bruce were in the Bat Cave by the computer screen. As agreed, Jason got to sit in Bruce's chair while Bruce looked over his shoulder.
Jason looked back with a curled lip, "But no one's seen the bastard since. So I say we start there."
He swiveled around in the chair so sharply that it nearly swirled off its hinges.
Jason took the hood out of his pocket, and slipped it on becoming Red Hood.
He looked back for Bruce, but he was already gone.
The Bat mobile's headlights suddenly blared to life. Red ran over.
"What are you doing?" He shouted, standing outside the driver's seat.
Batman rolled down the window. "What took you so long," he replied.
"My mission, therefore my car," Jason said.
"Your car is named after me," Batman stated simply.
Red clenched his fists but stormed around and got into the passenger's seat. He slammed the door shut.
"You know, this is why we never got along," he fumed.
But they sped off.
The two arrived at West Port less than 10 minutes later.
It was dark, damp and cool, but both men kept these observations to themselves.
The dark outlines of the boats and moors created almost a spooky feel to the water, as it shimmered and mocked the stars above.
It was quiet.
Batman walked along the moor of the dock, letting The Red Hood lead the way.
Red was brisk and strode with fists clenched. He kicked down the doors to many boats.
After about 30 minutes they hadn't come up with anything.
"We should split up," Batman said.
"You know what-"Red turned.
But Batman was once again, already gone.
The silent and eerie night bore on as Batman hung among the shadows.
He knew there was something to find here, but Jason's preconceived jealousy and animosity were only getting in the way.
He paused, looking at the ripples in the water.
The moonlight cast dark shadows among the ship bows, creating crimson, bloody hues.
Batman found himself looking away as a memory surfaced.
It was a dark night, and one he didn't want to remember.
Batman had finished cuffing the drug bust associates. He spoke as he worked,
"Robin, I need you to-"
He looked up; suddenly realizing Boy Wonder wasn't there.
He sprang to his feet and jumped into the Batmobile. It sped off as a light rain began to fall.
Batman didn't remember much of the ride, only that Joker had been associated with the bust, and he was too busy fearing the worst about Dick.
He arrived just in time, screeching to a halt. He saw the two men, saw Robin reaching up to radio his partner who was unknowingly behind him. Too late Boy Wonder noticed Joker's gun.
It went off.
Batman watched as his young ward crumpled, and The Joker laughed.
He jumped out of the car, running to Robin though the distance seemed to get longer and longer. The Joker laughed even louder.
All he saw were his own bright headlights as he crouched to help his bleeding ward…
Batman came back to the present.
The brightly lit areas of the water seemed to call his attention.
And sure enough, there he noticed something queer.
It was something in the water, some irregularity that was small and slight and subtle and yet…still there.
He crouched, scanning the surface. It was a reflection of something.
Looking up, he analyzed the buildings around him. He squinted. There, in a window of an abandoned, algae-green boat shop.
He went for it.
The shop was directly on the waterfront.
It had been previously a rental store, offering specials on fishing rods, bait, and even small canoes. But now it lay dead, dark and deserted.
Batman broke in the door and walked silently forward.
In the store window he found the object he was looking for; a toy train, golden and sparkling as if it were just out of the box. Batman picked it up.
It was hard to see in the dark as the moon rays slipped off of it. But the dim light made it easy enough for The Dark Knight to depict the figurine which had been placed in the train.
It was a clown.
Batman walked back outside with his cape securely shut.
Just then, Red Hood came jogging up. "Thanks for ditching me again, partner," he bit sarcastically. "I've been looking for you for hours!"
Batman didn't say anything.
"Why yes, I did find something. Thanks for asking," Red snapped. He pulled something out of his pocket. "Look familiar?"
Batman saw that it was a watch-Nightwing's watch- and it was stopped at exactly 11:00 pm.
An entire hour after Nightwing had been abducted.
Batman withdrew the toy train then from his cloak.
Red's face grew perplexed.
"The subway station," Batman said.
Red looked up, "How do you know it's not the train?"
"Because The Joker would never take him somewhere we couldn't reach."
He stared intently into the watch The Red Hood held.
"…And no train departed at 11:00 that night."
It was evening the next day.
Batman paced the length of The Cave, waiting for The Red Hood to arrive.
While he waited, he paused at the glass encasing of the Robin suit.
He put his hand to the glass.
"Who is The Joker?" Dick asked.
It was years ago, right around the time the young boy became Robin. He was eating breakfast with him at the kitchen table.
Bruce remembered he had put down his spoon. "The Joker is a villain," he paused, thinking of a way to describe him. "Maybe the toughest I've ever faced."
Dick had found this interesting and perked up, "Do you think we will ever face him?"
"Hopefully not," Bruce concentrated on the condensation outside Dick's glass of orange juice. Then he looked past it.
"If we do I don't want you to fight him, understand? Call for help immediately," his eyes found Dick's eyes.
Dick swallowed a spoonful of Fruit Loops. "I will."
Bruce remembered how he'd felt nervous; maybe he shouldn't have told Dick in the first place about him. Or maybe it wasn't the right time yet.
But it seemed as if Dick knew him perfectly; even then.
He looked up and added in, "I promise Bruce."
Batman's remembrance vanished with the sound of the doorbell.
Minutes later he and Red were climbing into the Batmobile.
Batman put it into gear and checked the clock; it read 10:45.
He then checked for Nightwing's watch in the glove compartment; it was there.
"How long are we going to sit here?" Red complained, looking over.
Batman remained silent, but he started up the vehicle. Alfred stood by as they drove out.