Thank you for the reviews!! Now I hope you guys like this new chapter and I hope the characters will keep you comin' back for more!
EV
Gordon, waited by his car, hoping that Batman would soon appear. In all his years of being in the force, he never really thought that a man dressed up in a bat suit would be saving the city from the corruption that it faced. Then again he never thought he would have to face a man named the Joker and have him be the true evil doer in this city.
"Commissioner." An officer came up to him. "What do you want us to do?"
"SWAT, has the area surrounded." Gordon shrugged. "What more can we do. There isn't any sign of the Joker inside, and there isn't any sign that he escaped."
"Should they move in?"
"Tell them to move in groups, nothing big, three to five people in the group." He nodded. "Then surround them once they find them, make sure they have no means of escape."
The officer consented and then radioed the SWAT team the plans for capture. Gordon waited for either a miracle that none of the teams would succumb to the Joker's tricks or that Batman would arrive soon and then maybe he could breathe a little easier.
"Sir." The officer came up to him again, offering him the radio. "They want to speak to you, apparently the door that the Joker is in is locked."
"Locked?" Gordon took the radio. "What's going on in there, gentlemen?"
"The door can't open sir," Came the reply.
"And why would that be?" He was annoyed, this Joker had been pulling 'pranks' on this city long enough, it had to be over.
"Sir." The response seemed a little nerve racked. "The handle is melted to the door and won't budge."
"Did you try kicking open the door?"
"We did sir, and nothing happened."
"Is there anyone in that room?"
"I hear only one voice, but I think there are two people in the room and they seem to be struggling."
"Alright boys." Gordon felt for a strange reason that he could relax a bit. "Stand by."
--
Joker laughed his hideous laugh as he was slammed up against the wall by his unfriendly neighborhood Batman.
"You know you would look lovely with some of those diamond baguettes." He reeled in laughter once more as the Batman threw him to the ground, having no reply he stood up, a bit wobbly, but stood up nonetheless. "Look, if this is about the girl, I'm really…"
He did not finish the rest of the statement or rather he couldn't, his throat was being constricted of air and forcing him to choke on his words, literally. His feet dangled from the ground, but yet he held no fear of the death that he could possibly face. However that death would not be tonight; he knew that this Batman would not kill, it was one of the weaknesses he had always considered in this Batman. Instead, the Joker felt his sagging body fly through the air once more hitting the wall before finally falling to the ground.
"Yep, I'm gonna feel that in the morning," he muttered as he stretched out from the ground. His eyes looked over this masked man before him. "There are better ways of going about this. We could have a conversation to clear up this whole mess, get to know each other." The Batman remained silent. "Don't be that way. Don't be the quiet brooding type, its going out of style. Actually I think that your whole outfit would not do in Paris. Maybe you need a little makeover."
The Joker threw a VOUGE magazine down, from his sleeve. Batman looked at it for a moment and heard a familiar pitch getting higher; he quickly kicked it out of the way and dove for some shelter behind the only desk that was in the room, just before a loud explosion. The room became a cloud of bricks and dust within seconds and when the blast was over, Batman stood and was quickly tackled by a huge force that could only be the Joker himself, caught unaware, Batman was knocked over.
"You just made my job so much easier!" The Joker laughed in his face. "I mean really, when is it every day when the infamous Batman helps the Joker to steal some goodies from Harry Winston by kicking the exploding magazine to the safe hiding all the sparkling diamonds?"
Finally freeing his hand, Batman punched Joker in the face, dazing him a bit. He successfully turned the Joker under him, drawing the painted face upward and then slamming it down, he heard the demented man laugh under him. Batman did it again, only to receive more laughter, and finally for a third time did he knock the man unconscious.
Getting up, Batman removed desk from the door, knowing that the SWAT team was just outside and made his way through the air vent, looking around for signs that any of the Joker's men would be waking up from their recent battle marks. Luckily they all remained still and breathing, a few cuts and bruises from the fight and the blast. The Joker lay unmoving in the corner, bleeding from his head, but the small movement in the chest assured Batman that he was still alive and would receive judgment from the city of Gotham.
--
"Master Wayne." Alfred walked into the underground safe room, watching Bruce look furiously through the security cameras and news reports. "You know, sir, I hate to be a nag, but perhaps it is best that you go upstairs and sleep."
"The man they call Two Face was not at the scene with the Joker." Bruce continued his search as if the man had said nothing.
"This obviously does not rest well with you."
"These two were becoming inseparable." He read the headlines carefully hoping to procure some kind of evidence of where this Two Face was. "Why would they separate now, for this crime? And why would the Joker let himself get caught?"
"I don't think that their plan would make the headlines."
"Maybe one of them let something slip."
"Their plan would be in their heads."
"Here's something." Bruce leaned forward a bit more, carefully reading the words. "A calling card was found at the scene from last night, a joker card with half of his face cut out. Nothing else was… The Joker had his whole face last time I checked, but Two Face didn't." He stood and turned.
"Sir?" Alfred hopelessly followed him.
"Two Face is becoming the new Joker in the city."
"You mean Harvey Dent is going to become the new criminal lord of the city?" He raised a brow. "The man that you wanted to save as a possible hope to the city's quest of getting rid of the 'bad guys'?"
"Two Face is not Harvey Dent." Bruce started to go back up to his penthouse. "Dent is dead, Two Face is alive."
--
"Well I just hope that this money brings a better understanding of the world to the city of Gotham." Bruce nodded as he shook hands with another professor of archeology. "I assume that you will be going on this dig."
"Yes, sir." The man had glasses, which he seemed to shift constantly. "I have the pleasure of joining Dr. Kyle on the expedition."
"I heard that he has written many books on the ancient history of ancient studies." Bruce smirked. "I'm afraid I have not had the pleasure of reading any of them. Reading isn't exactly my forte. I suppose I should leave the studying and research to the people that do it the best, such as yourself."
"Thank you, sir." The Professor seemed a bit aghast at something he had said, deciding it was the lie on the lack of reading, Bruce bade the Professor a fun time and good luck on the dig.
Bruce walked over to the bar, and as he waited for his drink, he observed the room. They had decided to have the main part of the fundraiser in the main hall of the museum, although some of the decadently dressed people had wandered about the museum mostly not knowing what they were looking at when they looked at the ancient objects carefully. He had to admit the beauty of the place and admired the marble staircase that led to the other floors of the museum. Noticing that there were some ancient materials decorating the staircase's landing he cited a woman. Although her back was facing him, he studied her; a familiar feeling came over him. When she turned, he felt his jaw drop a bit.
The woman on the staircase was absolutely stunning. Her make-up was used sparingly, and her blonde hair was in an up do that was clean and done right. Her dress was a charcoal color, dropping in the back in a V-shape, as he first was attracted to. In the front it was the same but higher. The capped sleeves had a small amount of fur, for they were very short sleeves, and the bodice gave way to a ball gown, fit for the occasion. The bottom of the dress came out in layers. However the dress was not the reason that Bruce was attracted to her; she seemed familiar. He caught her eye and she stared brazenly at him, a small but effective smile came to her face when he raised his glass and tilted his head towards her. Taking that as an invitation, she made her way through the crowd to him and he slowly made his way to her to meet her halfway.
"Bruce Wayne." She cocked her head. She was considerably shorter than him, but the fire in her blue eyes made up for her lack of height to make her a bit intimidating, for she came just below his chin, even in the heels she wore.
"I'm sorry, do I know you?" He questioned.
"I sincerely had hoped that you changed from that brooding young man from, what is it, nine years I think?" Her browed furrowed in the thought she had made and in the jest she was making. " We went to school together, at Princeton. You probably don't remember me, but…"
"Selina Kyle." His smirk returned. "So are you now the first woman director of your history museum?"
"Actually I am." She smiled. "Of this one."
"Forgive me I…"
"You were always good at research, as I recall, Mr. Wayne."
"Bruce." He corrected her. "It seems that some things just slip away."
"I'm sure." She lifted a brow. "However I do remember you not being interested in museums or history for that matter, which is understandable why you never truly contributed to the museum in the first place."
"You caught me." His thoughts suddenly came out in a rushed sense. "Although I seem to be becoming more interested in this place. After all, I did give a fundraiser of your little dig."
"You mean you were going to drop us on others?" Selina gave a smug smile, he did not know what to say, he had not expected her to be so forward. "I would not truly recommend a tour of the museum now, considering it is completely full with people. The top attractions would be blocked and wouldn't be worth seeing right now."
"I think I'm looking at the top attraction."
"Really, Mr. Wanye?" She shook her head. "Do you have to resort to using…"
"Perhaps another time?" He suggested, feeling a strange pull towards this woman that he had not felt in a long time. "When would it be a suitable time to visit the museum?"
"Well I am going to be overseas the first part of the next week, but I will be back the following week. If you could possibly spare a few hours touring an institution which you seem to be in a disagreement with."
"I could spare more than a few hours." Bruce nodded, he pulled out his card. "When you come back from your dig call me on the second number, it should put you right through to my office."
"Will do." He held on to the card, for a moment, forcing her to look in his eyes again. He could sense the doubt that she had.
"I am really glad to see you again, Selina." His sincerity shocked her a bit, even though she had always known the compassionate side of this man when they attended Princeton together, she had not expected it from the playboy, billionaire everyone knew now.
"Me too, Bruce." She smiled, taking the card and putting it into her purse.
"Perhaps we should get you a drink?" He suggested.
"Are you sure your dates won't mind?" Glancing around, she looked for the models he had walked in with.
"I think they are actually preoccupied." Bruce quickly glanced around the room, happy to get rid of the two girls that he had brought with him to this event. They seemed more interested in taking off clothing than putting it on when he had picked them up at their hotel. Then something clicked in his head. "You wouldn't happen to be Dr. Kyle, would you?"
"Actually." She let out a little laugh. "That is exactly who I am."
--
"Good morning, Master Wayne." Alfred, seemed to enjoy waking him up extremely early and bringing the extremely bright sunlight into his room when Bruce least expected or did not want him to. However, this morning he had slept more than usual so was actually close to waking when he was woken.
"Morning Alfred." He got up without complaint.
"Where are you going, sir?" The older man, surprised that his charge was up and making pleasant conversation this early in the morning.
"To do some research."
"You have a meeting today."
"A meeting?"
"Yes sir." Alfred nodded. "You remember your family's empire that you have been placed with the responsibility of overseeing. You have a meeting today."
"Two meetings in a row?" Bruce's brow furrowed. "That's odd."
"This one is with Fox exclusively."
"Well that makes much more sense." He went to climb in the shower.
"Sir?"
"Yes Alfred?" The shout came from the bathroom.
"You may get some answers from reading today's paper."
Bruce quickly wrapped a robe around himself and ran out of the bathroom to look at the paper.
"My God."
