I do not own Batman or any of the Batman franchise, all characters belong to DC.

Author's Note: This story is a bit of a "remix" or "new take" of the world presented in The Dark Night.

It has been nearly 2 years since Bruce Wayne first put on his mask and become The Dark Knight of Gotham City. Generous millionaire by day, and masked vigilante by night, he was bringing a new light of hope to Gotham. With his relationship with Rachel Dawes getting serious, Bruce Wayne was finally beggining to feel satisfied with his life. Unfortunately for him, some men in the world can't stand for symbols of peace-some men just want to watch the world burn. Somewhere in the dark alleys of Gotham, in an abondened apartment, a man was planning to bring an end to Gotham's hero.

Mobsters were gathered around a table when the man walked before them with makeup that made him look like a clown.

Tony, a new mobster in town stood up and slammed his big arm on the wooden table.

"You best not be wasting my time!," exclaimed Tony with rage.

"You some sort of a joker?," asked Johnny, Tony's right hand man in his crime organization.

"Well well well, funny that you should say that!," said the mysterious man with a proud grin on his face.

"They don't call me the Joker for nothing," the man said this with a low but heavy tone that left the room feeling eerie.

The Joker let out a maniacal laugh, "So any of you fine gentlemen up for a game of cards? Go ahead, pick a card, any card!," he exclaimed, bursting with excitement as he held out a deck of playing cards.

"Enough games clown!," Johnny yelled as he grabbed the Joker by the collar of his purple suit and held him against a wall.

"Hold on Johnny...pick a card," said Tony out of curiousity.

"You heard the man old Johnny boy!," said the Joker with laughter.

"Uh...alright boss...," Johnny slowly reached out for the card, slightly trembling with fear.

"Now put it back." said the Joker with a sinister grin on his face.

Johnny shook with fear as he put the card back into the deck.

The Joker quickly shuffled the cards and placed a card on the table.

"Go ahead Johnny boy, flip it," said the Joker while laughing.

"Hold on, something doesn't seem right here...," said Johnny in a voice full of fear.

"Damn it Johnny! Just flip it!" yelled Tony with anger.

Johnny reached out and put his hand on the card. As soon as he flipped it he held it up near his face to see what was on the card. At that same moment, the card exploded in a controled range, and managed to leave Johnny's face blown right off. Johnny fell to the floor dead.

The other few mobster thugs in the room quickly reached for their guns as the Joker let out his maniacal laughter again.

"Boys hold your fire. No normal man would have the guts to kill one of my close men...I like this guy." said Tony with a small grin.

"Sit down clown, let's talk business," let out Tony with a bit of laughter.

"I'm glad we see eye to eye now, I didn't want to BLOW this deal!" exclaimed the Joker as he sat down and let his laughter fill the room.