Bruce sat in his luxury penthouse, bored out of his skull. Yawning long and loud, he grabbed the remote and settled back to watch the television. The morning news was running and he gazed at the screen, trying to fit the facts into his sleep-deprived mind.

He hadn't come home last night after the joker crashed his party. He'd spent the whole night hidden outside Rachel's house, waiting, watching for the joker. The joker hadn't showed up and when the lights in the house came on and his watch showed 7am, he had driven off, content that the joker hadn't come for her.

Now, three hours later, he was finally thinking about getting some sleep when the screen flickered and changed.

"Good morning Gotham! Do I have news for you." The jokers voice purred from the television

Bruce sat up quickly, all thoughts of sleep forgotten

Suddenly the screen showed footage of Rachel. She was strapped to a chair in a room he didn't recognise. She was dripping wet and her hands had deep welts in them.

"This is a message for Harvey Dent and The Batman" The voice hardened slightly

"You have one week to bring the others' head to me at oh, um, the hotel harmandez, 52nd street, room 56. I'd be quick though. Every twenty four hours that you do nothing, dear Rachel here looses a finger."

The camera's view flickered upwards and a woman screamed, not quite drowning out the maniacal laughs coming from the man holding the camera.

The channel changed abruptly back to the news, but Bruce was already out of the door. There was a distant hum of a motorbike being started, then a roar as it gunned down the street outside. The door swung shut in the breeze from the open window as the reporters on screen discussed the new disturbing developements.

Half an hour later, Albert wandered in absent mindedly with a blanket, hoping to find his young master finally getting some rest. His eyes flitted around the room, taking in the complete and utter lack of Bruce Wayne. He sighed and lay down on the couch instead, spreading the blanket over himself.

"Waste not want not." he muttered, knowing this was probably the only peace he'd get in a while...