Chapter 2: Clues
Vicki sat up in bed and looked over to see Bruce gone. She looked at the clock. 1:45 in the morning. Where was Bruce? What had woken her up? Vicki grabbed her robe and headed downstairs to find Bruce. The house was dark and the only sounds that could be heard were the various clocks ticking up and down the halls. Alfred had made sure they all ticked in time, so it sounded like one large clock in the house. Vicki wandered between the East and West wings. The manor staff was asleep, the lights were off, and she couldn't find a soul anywhere. She wound up in the small kitchen, brewing a cup of coffee. She grabbed a cup and sat down, curling a leg underneath her as she turned on the small TV in the room. The local news was on, and she saw her friend Tony Allen, sitting at the news desk. It had been years since she had sat at that desk, having moved on to National News networks, but she still kept in touch.
"…getting word that there has been an explosion at Arkham Asylum. We do not know if anyone has been injured, but preliminary reports indicate that Gotham City police were moving the last inmate of Arkham: The Joker. As you remember, The Joker was the only inmate left after Edward Nygma, a.k.a. The Riddler, was put in a private facility. There had been calls for the closing of Arkham, but it was delayed until a new facility could be completed that could hold The…we are just getting this in. There has been a multiple-car pileup on the Arkham Bridge, possibly related to the explosion at Arkham Asylum. Reports are coming in of the Batman being spotted near the accident that involved a military-grade police truck. Stay tuned as we get more information…"
Vicki dropped her mug of coffee, and grabbed her phone. She had to call her producer. "Dave, who do you have working this Arkham story?"
Dave's voice was tired, like he had been woken up early and had been up for hours. "Oh, you heard about that, huh? Well, we got Chris working it right now, but you know, it can be yours if you want it."
"Of course I want it. I'll be there in an hour." She hung up and ran into the shower. She didn't have time to worry about where Bruce had run off to right now. She had to get to work and get going on research and get on the air. She had to show her face to Gotham and the world, give them the facts of what was happening.
Beneath the West wing of the Manor, Batman sat in the cave, attempting to cover up the cuts on his chest and arms. His mask was back and the armored chest plate was off. He sat topless in front of a bank of computer screens. One was flipping through various public cameras throughout Gotham City. Another showed a search being run. Still another was a camera feed from Wayne Manor itself. He saw his wife, Vicky, running down to her car and speeding off to the local office for her national news job. He had wondered when she would be called. It seemed the news was faster at responding to these things than the police. His phone soon vibrated to life. Vicky's face stared at him from the screen, the phone asking to answer or ignore the call. He hesitated, getting his story straight.
"Hey, hon. How are you doing? Sorry for slipping out like that, but I had an emergency at work."
"Really? Anything I'm going to be hearing about in the business hour soon?"
"Nah, just a few signatures and a meeting with India. What are you doing up this late?"
"You haven't heard?"
"Heard what?"
"Wow, you really are isolated there at Wayne Enterprises, aren't you? That's one of the things I love about you, Bruce. You don't get distracted, and you stay out of politics."
"What's going on?"
"There was an explosion at Arkham Asylum and a crash on the Arkham bridge. I'm going into work to get more information and get on the air."
"God, was anyone hurt?"
"Don't know yet. Still getting information." Vicky was scrolling through messages on her phone while talking with Bruce and attempting to navigate Gotham traffic.
"Well, be careful. I'll see you when you get home."
"You take it easy too, Bruce. If I'm not home tonight, don't worry. I might spend some time at the office so I don't miss anything."
"Ok. If you need me to send anyone by with anything, let me know."
"I will. I love you, Bruce."
"I love you too, Vic." They both hung up and Vicky sped towards her news office. Batman returned to his injuries, cleaning wounds and applying bandages. It would have been easier if Alfred were here, but Batman didn't want to wake him. Alfred was getting older, much like himself. There was more grey at his temples, more wrinkles around the eyes, and sagging despite the effort of exercise.
He applied the last bandage, and turned to the computer screen that was conducting a search. Batman looked at the screen and sighed. The computer had been searching for anything on recent shipments into Gotham and had found nothing. He looked back up at the cameras flashing through on the other monitors. It was too early in the case to be able to move on anything. He would have to wait for the police to finish with the crime scene before he could make his own investigation. He stripped off the rest of the suit of armor that was the Batman, wincing at old and new pains, put it into storage, and headed up to the manor-proper to get some sleep and hopefully a new perspective on the case.
He had been magnificent. Age hadn't slowed him one bit. Now that he was out from hiding, the rest of his mission could take place. The black-clad figure stood up and ran from his hiding place at Arkham Asylum and headed towards downtown Gotham City.
The thug opened the door and ran outside into the street. He was immediately cut down by a gun blast to his back. The Joker walked out, the barrel of his pistol smoking. He was still wearing the orange jumpsuit from Arkham Asylum, and his smile was turned into a sneer.
"You know, I am getting real tired of this." He turned around and walked back towards the abandoned house. "You were given simple instructions: set up a safe house, stock it with supplies, and get me a DAMN SUIT! How fucking hard is it to get a suit so I don't have to walk around in these fucking OVERALLS?" The remaining thugs stood, not sure what the Joker would do next.
Joker stormed towards the rest of the minions. "Anyone else have any bright ideas about getting me a suit?" Joker's gun was pointed strait at their heads.
"Y-y-y-y-yes sir, Joker. I can go get one," one of the thugs volunteered.
"Then what the fuck are you still doing here?" The thug ran to a stolen car and sped off towards downtown Gotham. "The rest of you, get inside. You…" Joker pointed at one of the remaining thugs, "get rid of that." He waved the gun towards the body on the street.
The rest of the thugs filed into the house where a few cots and a table were set up. The lights were kept low, and the broken out windows had been boarded up. The kitchen smelled and had stains, with empty cans scattered on the floor. Wallpaper was peeling off and the rug in the rest of the house was torn.
Joker flopped onto a couch, waggling the gun around the room. The others stood around and waited for their instructions.
"What the hell are all of you looking at?" Joker was still annoyed.
"Well, we were just waiting on what you want us to do, boss." This seemed to be the most intelligent of the thugs. He knew how to enunciate. He might be a threat. Joker contemplated killing him. No, better let him live just so he can have someone he can trust leading the minions. Besides, he could always kill him later.
"All right, you fucking morons. You," he pointed at one of them standing there, "go get me something to eat. The rest of you, leave me alone."
"We ain't goin' after the Batman?"
"Oh, we are. This will be the greatest achievement of my career. We aren't just going to take out the Batman. We will take out this whole goddamn town. We'll burn it all." The minions swallowed hard. "Now, where's Harley?"
Bruce woke up as the sun came through the windows. The usual aches and pains welcomed him, and a few new ones. Did two weeks off really do that much damage? Or was it just last night? He knew he was going to have to go to police headquarters and get going on the Joker case, but first, he was going to have to check with Vicki. She still hadn't come home. He figured she was still at the studio. He already had one of the maids put together a bag for her. Alfred came through the door with a tray of coffee and his phone.
"Here you go, sir. Thought you might want to call Mrs. Wayne this morning."
"Thank you, Alfred. You know, you could have had someone else bring this up. You didn't have to climb those stairs."
"For longer than I can remember, sir, I have been climbing those stairs every morning after a night of Bat related escapades to make sure you lived through the night. How are we this morning, sir?"
"Not the worse for wear, Alfred, thank you." Bruce took a sip of coffee and picked up his phone. He called Vicki and waited for her to pick up.
"Hey, hon." Her voice came across the line. "I'm busy, can we make it fast?"
"Hey, babe. I was just calling, seeing how you are doing."
"Doing ok, just real busy."
"Ok, I'll let you go. I'll have someone come by with a bag for you. Need anything special?"
"Just the essentials. Love you, hon."
"I love you, too." Bruce hung up and immediately started his morning routine. Push-ups, crunches, dips, etc. His morning workout and stretching helped to ease the pains and get his mind set for the day. He quickly showered and dressed and headed to Wayne Enterprises, the multi-billion dollar company Bruce inherited from his father, Dr. Thomas Wayne.
While Bruce worked, his mind raced. What was the Joker's plan? What was his next move? Who was feeding him supplies and information? Who helped break him out? Bruce took an early lunch and headed home. The rest of the day could be handled by the board of directors. He didn't have to be there all the time. A quick text told him Vicki was still at the studio so Bruce headed back to the manor and down to the cave underneath to power up the powerful computer kept there. He connected to the Gotham City Police Department's network and searched for files related to the Arkham incident, as the news was calling it.
The computer searched for the most recent files in the GCPD network. Batman had already collected all of the police and hospital files on the Joker, and it was all kept on the hard drive of the computer. So far, the Police did not have anything new in the investigation, other than the names of the victims. Bruce collected those in case there was a pattern and closed the connection to the network. He then began a general internet search for anything recent that might have dealt with what the Joker was planning. He searched for all of the Joker's known aliases and any forums that might present any information. He found a few threads that might lead to something, but they did not unravel anything. He filed them away for future reference, taking notes and began an analysis of what he knew.
The Joker broke out of Arkham Asylum on the eve of his transfer to a new high-security mental hospital. He had communication to the outside world while he was in Arkham and arranged for explosives to be planted inside the asylum. He was also able to get a driver for the truck to help him escape and a pilot with a helicopter. The detonator was military in origin, as was the truck, but the truck had been arranged by the security team at Arkham. The helicopter was civilian with short range. The registration number had been painted over. It looked fresh so it might have been stolen recently. He re-connected to the police network, searching for any recent thefts or other incidents at airports. There were a few and he noted them to investigate. He would have to go now, during the day when the airports were open. He still had to return to the asylum and look into things there.
Bruce went back into the manor and headed for the garage. He needed to check out rates at other airports for his jet anyways, so he could use that as a cover for his visits. He took the Porsche to the airports, ostensibly to find a cheaper rental fee and a closer airport. He was able to work into the conversations with the airport managers crime rates and recent events. He was even able to talk about purchasing a helicopter and the fees to park it at the airport. He found at the South Gotham Regional airport a hanger for helicopters. While talking to the manager, he found out that a helicopter had been stolen the previous night. It was the same model as the one that had taken the Joker. Bruce looked at the files while the manager stepped out and found the registration number and owner of the stolen 'copter: Brad Collins. He was the owner of several restaurants in Gotham. Batman will have to talk with him later.
By the time Bruce was finished, the sun was starting to set and he headed back to the Manor. As he pulled in, he saw Vicki's car in the garage. A smile came to his mouth, thinking about his wife. He really did love her. He walked upstairs to the bedroom, and saw steam coming from the master bathroom. He walked in, slipping off his shoes and found Vicki in the shower.
"Is that you, Bruce? Where've you been all day?"
"I visited a few airports, to see if we could get a better rate for the Jet. I think I might have found one."
"I hope it wasn't that one where someone stole a helicopter."
"I heard about that. What did you hear?"
"Nothing much, just that one was stolen last night from South Regional."
"I talked with the guy there. He didn't offer much other than that it was stolen. No, I went with North Regional. They can cut us a discount, especially if we get a helicopter and park it there."
"Oh, are we getting a helicopter?" Bruce opened the shower curtain and stared at his wife as the water cascaded down her body. "What are you doing, Bruce?"
"It looked lonely in there so I thought I'd join you." Bruce had already stripped out of his clothes he stepped into the water with Vicki.
"Now that is something I could definitely enjoy." Vicki wrapped her arms around Bruce's strong neck and kissed him deeply.
After their shower, Vicki dressed quickly, getting ready to head back to the studio while Bruce lay on the bed, watching her move around the room. "I must say, I really like this change in you, Bruce."
"What change?"
"You've been more attentive, you've been around more, we're spending more time together. It's been wonderful. And the sex. It's always been amazing but now even more so."
"I'm glad I can keep you satisfied. You aren't heading back to the studio, are you?"
"Unfortunately I have to. I was just coming home to clean up and gather a few things. I have to head back. Although, this was a nice surprise. I'll be in a good mood for the news tonight."
"I look forward to watching it."
"I have to get going, hon."
"All right." Bruce got up and kissed her, her skin still warm and flush. Vicki quickly ran out and Bruce headed downstairs. There wasn't time to waste. He quickly ran to the West Wing of the manor, to the panel, and down into the cave. It was time again to become Batman.
The shopping mall was busy for a Friday night. People were moving in and out, some going to the movies, others grabbing a bite to eat. The parking lot was full, and inside, the stores were packed. Families moved back and forth, kids ran ahead of their parents, teens slumped against walls and store owners had their hands full with shoppers.
Four bombs exploded simultaneously at four ends of the mall. Shoppers were driven towards the center, away from the blasts. A few stayed behind to help the injured. Within minutes, police and rescue vehicles came into the parking lot. Police ran to the doors with paramedics and EMTs to care for the wounded. Five more bombs were detonated. Four were detonated at the entrances, killing the majority of the emergency personnel. The fifth, the largest blast, exploded in the middle of the mall where the surviving shoppers had ran. Everyone was frozen in fear, afraid to go anywhere else for fear of another explosion.
The bodies remained in the mall. The surviving police backed off of the entrances to wait for the bomb squad. The injured screamed in pain. The explosions caused fires and soon the entire mall was engulfed in flames.
"…you Commissioner for joining us tonight." An intern placed a piece of paper in front of Vicki Vale. "We are just getting reports of a series of explosions at the North Gotham Mall. Emergency crews are responding, but are waiting for the Gotham Police Bomb Squad to arrive. Apparently, a second series of explosions occurred while police and paramedics were entering the mall. Reports are slow to come in due to the distance crews must maintain, but we will keep you updated as they come in. Again, explosions have rocked the North Gotham Mall. Please stay tuned for updates as we…"
The Joker stared at the television. He couldn't believe it. What was she doing on TV? He hadn't seen her since she had disappointed him five years ago. She had taken out the gun, pointed it at her head...she was just joking, right? It was a funny prank, she made it look very real. Then she left for years, just to rub it in. It was hilarious. There she was, his Harley Quinn, on TV. She must have found something to do with him locked up in Arkham. But why hadn't she gotten him out? Oh well, it doesn't matter. If Harley was on TV she must not know that he was out. He'd have to get her. This will be fun, the whole gang back together. "Karl!" He needed the smart minion right now. "I got a job for you."
"What do you need boss?"
"Send a car around and go pick up Harley."
"Uh, sure." The minion was rather confused. When Harley had killed herself, it had been all over the papers, and Joker had gone to Arkham for a while. What was the Joker talking about now? "Where is she, boss?"
"Are you blind?! She's right there on TV!" The thug looked at Vicki Vale's image on the television.
"But boss, that isn't…"
"Proper for her to be there without permission? I know. I'll have to give her a good spanking when she gets here. But, right now, just go pick her up and get her here. She's probably just dying to get home!" The Joker's laugh echoed through the house.
Batman reviewed the feeds of the mall cameras. The crowds made it difficult to determine who had set the bombs. He hadn't been able to make out anything out of the ordinary yet, but there were several more cameras to look through. This couldn't be the Joker's plan, to just set off bombs in Gotham. There were still several hours to go before he would be able to get to the scene and gather his own clues. For now, he would just have to do as much prep work as possible. He made sure the information about the bomb at Arkham was ready to compare against and he made sure his utility belt was stocked and equipped for anything. He quickly headed out, back to the Arkham site to gather as much evidence as he could.
The "Batmobile" sped through the streets, heading towards Arkham. Batman quickly swerved through traffic, dodging slow cars and cutting others off. The bridge into Arkham was still closed, so Batman had to turn off the highway, park near the river, and fly the rest of the way. He could see the dark scar of what was left of Arkham Asylum against the lights of the city. Smoke still rose from the ruins as Batman landed amongst the yellow police tape. It was late enough that no one was around except one guard at the gate, and he was watching out, not in. Batman was alone and free to look for evidence.
He studied the explosion area, noting how the bombs were placed. He took pictures of the destruction, mentally calculating how large the explosives were. Almost the entire main entrance into the asylum had been collapsed, killing the chief of security, four of his guards and the doctor, if the blast hadn't done so already. He took a scraping from where a bomb had been planted to analyze for content, but he already had an idea of what had done this. It had to be military grade explosives, possibly PETN or even RDX. He would have to analyze it back at the cave.
Batman moved into the asylum itself. Most of the lobby was in shambles, but there was little there since most of it had been moved to the new secure facility. Virtually untouched were the cells. Now empty, the doors hung open, like empty dead mouths gaping in the last throes of death. Batman shone his light in all of them, checking for anything. They had all been cleaned and cleared out. Finally, he made his way to the maximum security wing, and to Joker's cell. The door hung open, inviting him in. He shone a light, looking at the walls and ceiling, looking for any clues. No one had cleaned out the cell yet, so it was still in the same shape it was when the Joker was moved out. The bed was a mess, the walls were stained, and as a final joke, the toilet was full of urine and feces.
Batman looked closer checking all of the mortar for anything out of the ordinary. He pulled out an x-ray scanner to check the inside of the mattress and behind the walls and floors, to see if anything was there. He didn't find anything until he looked at the full bowl of the toilet. There was a metal object there. He reached into the cesspool and pulled out the object. It was a lead box. Batman checked it, but couldn't find any evidence of explosives, but had to be sure. He would take it back to the cave and open it there. However, his glove and now his belt smelled thanks to the Joker. He wouldn't be able to find anything more here and he quickly left and headed back to the cave to open the box and look for any other clues.
Vicki ran out of the studio. She only had a little time. She wanted to get home and shower quickly before she had to get back on the news. Hopefully Bruce would still be home and they could have another tryst before she had to leave again. Her body started tingling just thinking about it. She ran out into the cool night air and headed over to the garage. Her car was there waiting, as was a limousine. Did Bruce really send a car? That was too nice of him. She ran over and opened the door. She leaned in and asked "Is this for Vicki Vale?"
"It sure is."
He didn't sound like the usual driver, but maybe Bruce hired from a company. She climbed in, found a bottle of wine, and had a glass. She needed it after the day she had. She looked out the windows after a few minutes. This didn't seem the way back to the manor. "Excuse me, are you sure this is the right way?"
"Oh yeah, I'm definitely sure." The driver turned around and showed his painted face to Vicki. He smiled, his grin yellow around red lips. His hair was a sickly color of green and Vicki recognized him as one of Joker's henchmen. She screamed and tried to open the door. They were locked. She was trapped as the limo sped towards God only knew.
Batman sat in the cave, the metal box in a vacuum about to be opened. Alfred came down the steps, with a tray of coffee. He set it down and came over to Batman, leaning over the computer. He wrinkled his nose at the smell. "What is that God awful odor?"
"A present from The Joker. I'll need my gloves and belt washed. Actually, just the whole suit."
"Might I suggest you burn it? It would be easier and faster."
Batman smiled at that and went back to the box. He programmed the computer and hit enter. The air was sucked out of the vacuum and a robotic arm opened the box. A flame quickly flashed then died with no oxygen to fuel the fire. He quickly analyzed the air contents. It was small flash detonator. Inside the box was money, a few letters, plans, and one of his batarangs. How had The Joker gotten his hands on one of those? He let the contents cool so he could pull as much information as possible off of it.
"What do you think might be on it, sir?"
"Well, it was meant for me to find. The full toilet was just Joker's way of saying "Hello". There might be something I can pull, but I don't expect much. Anything I find will have to be taken with a grain of salt."
"Understood. Are you going to call Mrs. Wayne while you wait?"
"I probably should." He picked up his phone and dialed her number. It went to her voicemail. She might be busy. He tried her producer. "Hey, Dave. It's Bruce Wayne. How's Vicki doing?"
"Well, she went home a few hours ago. I figured she'd be home by now."
"No, she hasn't shown up yet. That's odd. She probably ran an errand on her way here. Well, if you hear anything, let me know."
"Will do."
Bruce hung up, and sat, wondering. What had happened to Vicki? He was sure if she had any time off she would have come back home. Where could she be?
Vicki couldn't see anything through her blindfold. She could hear mumbles, and where ever she was smelled God-awful. Her heels kept tripping in cuts and gaps in a carpet. She was finally pushed into a chair.
"Take it easy, boys. No need to be rough." Vicki had reported enough on him to recognize his voice. It was The Joker. She felt cold hands reach behind her head and remove the blindfold. There he was, his face inches from hers. He stepped back and sat on the edge of a desk, wearing a purple suit. He hadn't seemed to age a day. He still looked as young as the first time Batman put him in Arkham. "We have missed you so much, my dear."
"Wha-wha-what do you want? Why have you kidnapped me?"
"Kidnap?" The Joker sounded surprised. "We just brought you home. Aren't you glad to see me?"
"Why would I be glad to see you?"
"Oh, I don't know. The years we've spent together, me locked up, you on the outside, star crossed lovers. You know, the usual?"
What in the hell was he talking about? Vicki could only stare at him.
"Well, it has been a while, and I bet you could use a drink and a chance to get changed. Boys! Escort my Harley here up to her room where she can shower and put on some decent clothes."
He thought she was Harley Quinn? Oh my God, Vicki thought. What is going to happen to me?
The Joker leaned forward and kissed her on the lips. His mouth was cold and clammy, and he tried to stick his tongue in her mouth. "I've missed you. Go on up and change and then we'll talk in the morning." She stood up and turned to follow the goon up stairs. "Hey, honey." Vicki stopped and turned at the Joker's voice. "I love you."
