Arkham City Stories-Chapter 2
From the personal log of Hugo Strange-
With Batman now incarcerated within Arkham City, Protocol 10 will soon commence. It will be a glorious moment, when I, Hugo Strange, will finally show the world how Batman has failed them. They will know what truly lies behind that mask.
I have no doubt that Mister Wayne will attempt to halt Protocol 10. I am counting on it…
-End of log-
Matt Ferris watched the Tyger choppers as they flew overhead, their spotlights keeping a vigil over the inmates. At the same time, they had cameras set up along the various walls. What was the point of it?
"The Steel Mill is locked up tight," said one of Joker's crew, of which Matt was a part.
Another one laughed. "There's no way the bat can get in there."
Word had spread around Arkham City that Batman had rescued Catwoman from Two-Face and humiliated him in the process. Then he had supposedly been blown up in the church's bell tower.
"That's assuming he's still alive," Matt said.
"Yeah, I hear Harley Quinn may have actually killed him."
Most of the other inmates scoffed. Then Matt spoke again. "It definitely wasn't her plan…it must have been Joker's."
Another inmate shrugged. "I hear Joker wants us in the Steel Mill. Harley just brought some doctor back. We need to go and see what's going down."
With that they filed back into the Mill, unaware of a shadow gliding just overhead.
"I promised you some entertainment, right boys?" said Harley Quinn from the manager's office of the Steel Mill, in full view of most of the Joker's crew.
"Please," said the doctor next to her, "I did my best."
"Well, you shoulda tried harder!" Harley exclaimed, and then knocked her down to the ground below. She screamed the whole way.
Matt watched from the side as most of the inmates moved in toward the doctor, chanting "kill" over and over again. He shouldered his rifle.
"Oh, I think we can do better than that," Harley said cheerfully. "Get in here, Mister Hammer!"
The Joker's one-armed Russian mercenary came forward, sledgehammer in hand. Matt watched as the doctor tried to avoid his hammer swings. Hammer had her against a wall and was about to finish her when Harley yelled, "Stop!" The inmates jeered.
"Take her to the smelting chamber," Harley added. "Mister J wants this one to suffer a little longer."
Matt looked down at the doctor and grabbed her by her coat, pushing her forward. "You're comin' with us, doc."
The rest of Joker's crew ran off out the main doors, on a search for Mister Freeze under Joker's orders that Harley had just relayed to them.
When they were in the smelting chamber, Matt gave the doctor to some of Joker's other men, and they promptly tied her to a chair. "Keep an eye on her," Matt said.
A few seconds later, they heard a crash of glass.
"What the hell?" said one of the inmates.
"He's here!" Matt yelled. "Don't let him get in!"
The man guarding the doctor looked at her fiercely. "Sounds like someone's come to save you, doc."
"Help me!" She yelled. "Please!"
"Shut it, doc!" the guard yelled. "You're my ticket outta here!"
There was an explosion of smoke and a smacking noise, followed by a scream. Then there was silence.
"Does anyone see him yet?" One of the inmates outside yelled. Matt tentatively walked out of the room.
After a few seconds, Matt yelled, "You okay over there?" There was no answer.
Matt was terrified. His gun was literally shaking in his hands as he thought that the shadows were going to come alive and swallow him whole.
"Leave me the hell alone, Batman!" Matt called to the room. "Please…"
There was a sharp force in his back. He turned to see Batman's cowled face for a split second, and then there was darkness.