I love Nolan and his work. So it's only natural that this would be next.
This is an Inception/Dark Knight Crossover. A what happened to the Joker type of thing. I have no idea what the new movie will be like or how the Joker's absence will be explained away. So I'm going to explain it here.
You might have a better time with this if you read "Mistress of the Maze" first. It's important. I think you might like it.
Pls enjoy and review.
The Joker's Labyrinth
~ "Cobb, I don't want to hear it." Arthur fumed as the he went about securing the PASIV in it's silver metal case.
"Just listen." Cobb stammered.
"No."
"Arthur please."
"No!" Arthur shouted.
A silence pervaded the empty warehouse. The Point Man's sudden outburst echoed through the still evening. Arthur looked embarrassed.
"Cobb, Ariadne is fine. She came back from the dream fine. She's not the Red Queen. This whole thing is insane." Arthur said shaking his head.
"She was humming that tune. The same one the Red Queen was always humming." Cobb said.
"So?" Arthur shrugged. "The Red Queen was apart of Ariadne. For all we know it was a song her grandmother used to sing to her. It was still in her head from the dream."
Cobb shook his head.
"Listen, Cobb." Arthur said shrugging on his blazer. He had grown tired of all of this. "If Ariadne was possessed by the devil, I would have been the first to notice it."
Cobb said nothing to this. Arthur had essentially taken the Architect home with him from the hospital. They had been living together for her entire recovery, and beyond.
"She has not done or said anything to make me think something was wrong." Arthur told him calmly. "I don't want to hear anymore about your paranoia." The Point Man told him curtly.
The two men stood in silence.
The ding of the freight elevator drew them back to the passage of time. Of Ariadne, Eames and Miles stepping into their workplace.
Arthur stood straighter at seeing the Architect. Trying to act normal. Cobb looking away but kept a watchful eye on her.
It had been a few days since he had heard her hum that disquieting tune. His idea that the Red Queen really had taken control of Ariadne was infecting his mind, like a virus.
Arthur had been right though, she had not done anything since to make him think that the Red Queen was lurking inside her. She had been the same Ariadne. Only a little shaken and cautious since the horrible car accident that almost killed her.
"So, now were all here." Eames was saying. "What's this all about?"
Miles, ever patient and with all the time in the world casually took a set and removed his glasses before beginning.
"You recall a few months ago there was a man who was terrorizing a city in America? Robbed a few banks, killed a Judge, the Police Commissioner, and eventually escalated into blowing up an entire hospital?" Miles said seriously.
"That thing in Gotham?" Ariadne said softly. Her eyes wide.
"Yes, that thing in Gotham." Miles nodded. His own face sad and reproachful.
"I read about that." Cobb said folding his arms across his chest.
A deep scowl setting across his brow, marring his handsome face.
"It had the entire city on edge. Evacuations and everything. The authorities said it was all linked to some deranged mad man who was killed by that... thing of Gotham." The Extractor added.
"The Batman." Arthur grumbled. Not amused by the stupidity of such a creature.
"Yeah, is he real or did the papers make that up?" Eames laughed.
"Not important, what is important is that the terrorist who was responsible for all of this was not killed by the Batman of Gotham." Miles said.
The Team looked at the Teacher. Their faces confused.
"He was captured alive. He's called the Joker. He has been held at Arkham in a privet cell since the whole thing ended." Miles told them.
"Why tell everyone he was dead?" Ariadne asked. Her face bewildered. An urban legend come to life. A real bogyman.
"Because of the media circus that would entail." Miles told her wisely. "Can you imagine a trial of such a man? The outrage over what he has done? The authorities had buried him. Hidden him in Arkham under another name. No one knows who his really is. And that is just the problem."
"How do you mean?" Cobb asked.
"No one knows exactly who he is. Where he came from. It's as if he dropped from the sky. No finger prints or DNA match. No matching descriptions of anyone living or dead. Authorities can not find once clue or lead in this man's true identity." Miles told them.
"So they want us to go into his dreams and find out who he is." Arthur started. Completing what the teacher was going to say next.
"Exactly." Miles said. "My Cousin Alfred lives in Gotham. His employer, Mr. Wayne has offered to accommodate all of you while you make the extraction on this Joker person."
"The Billionaire?" Cobb asked. "How is he involved."
"Seems the Joker crashed a party of his and roughed up a few guests." Miles said with a grin.
"Going into the mind of a manic?" Eames laughed. "Count me out."
The memory of what the Red Queen had subjected him to still fresh in his mind.
"The people there are desperate for answers as to who this man is." Miles said ignoring the Forger. They have offered to pay handsomely." The Teacher gave them a number. "That would be for each of you."
"Now, see I was only joking when I said count me out before. You know that." Eames said with a mischievous smile. "Love to do this. Excited to do this. When can we start?"