UPDATED CHAPTER! UPDATED CHAPTER!

UPDATE 2013: This chapter has been edited after my long hiatus. After re-familiarizing myself with the plot, new ideas popped into the mind and decided to explore. The essence of the story is THE SAME, but scenes have been re-imaged and dialogue improved to make this a more cohesive story. Hope you like the changes.

Author's note. Here is another chapter of the story for your entertainment. It's difficult to follow a plot...when originally there was no plot...but am working on it. Hope you friends like what I have in store. For those that had so kindly asked about PATH OF THE JESTER...I have not forgotten. It's just that I'm on sabbatical with Harley...Let me explain...

She came to me...(as all characters do when I write them) and told me that the way I was writing was not her. I had to stop and think and make some adjustments and research and she is showing me how she should be acting. I really want to do her honor...so bear with me. There is gonna be a posting soon.

Now to the credits and please leave some Feedback

Disclaimer1: BATMAN and related characters belong to DC COMICS

Disclaimer2: There is going to be some MATURE LANGUAGE AND SITUATIONS

This chapter had a Beta once: LADY EVIL.

CHAPTER 4: I PROTEST

Mayor Stratton was reading his speech rather loudly on the makeshift dressing room which was prepared on the City Hall lobby. He had always been a man of the people and the people demanded him to be strong in this moment of turmoil. The press had been rough in criticizing his management of the criminal population in Gotham which charged with being too soft on criminals who have demonstrated cannot be rehabilitated.

The reporters instead had asked for blood and started a debate that was catching steam in all forums. The dispute turned nasty when one reported suggested that criminals like the Joker, with proven failures on their intended rehabilitation were no more than rabid animals that preyed on Gotham's innocent and should be put to death like the beasts they were, instead of wasting the citizen's money on preserving their lives in a lunatic asylum that does not seem to be able to keep them for long.

That was a tough argument, so tough that he couldn't find an argument to defend the Joker at all, especially after his latest criminal spree. How could he argue the fact that criminals should be offered every chance of rehabilitation when the psychopath had attacked a summer camp full of children kidnapping a dozen of those, burned the camp to a crisp, and on top of that killed all the troop leaders of the camp?

There was no excuse to what Joker had done. And God only knows what the Clown wanted to do with the children. It didn't take a lot of effort to answer that question; no one lived long with Joker. How could he not agree with the press that some criminals are beyond rehabilitation and that deserve to die for the greater good? The people demanded that he make a statement on the recent events, and Stratton couldn't disappoint his people, especially with elections closing in rapidly for the city. It was not that he did not care for the people of Gotham, but he needed some more time to make changes in the city to turn this dark city into the new dream he had in mind.

"Mayor Stratton," said Police Commissioner James Gordon approaching him in the lobby.

"Is security all set in place, Commissioner? This is a very special speech." The City leader inquired as he sifted through papers nervously.

"Yes, but I insist it would have been better if we would have held the meeting under closed doors, in a safer place." The commissioner added.

"And prove that I'm afraid of the criminal element of this city? Sorry Commissioner. Can't do." The major said with obvious indignation in his voice.

"These criminals don't play around, Mr. Mayor. There's reason to be concerned, and the Joker is still on the loose."

"That is where your police department comes in, Gordon. My people want me to talk to them face to face and I'm going to do just that. No criminal is going to scare me of doing my job. Not even the Joker." Stratton said strongly.

Gordon shook his head softly; a swift hand brushed over his moustache. He didn't know if these were the words of a very brave or very crazy man. He had to put on a smile even while Gotham City festers from a plague at breakneck speed. Still, would it help that the city needed a code red at the moment? He was the city's leader and he had to follow his orders. "Allright. We have guards posted in every corner, within the crowd and at the podium. We have police choppers doing surveillance of an area of about two miles around City Hall, and patrol cars are stationed all around the building. That is not counting all the electronic surveillance we have in use. I'm hoping that would be enough to deter anyone from trying to do something."

"And we have the Caped Crusader."

"Yes. He is probably watching from somewhere." Gordon sighed. He remembered he had opted to say anything about the Detective's disappearance and the Joker probable involvement with it. If it leaked that the Batman was out of commission, the city will turn into a real chaos.

The leader of the city council approached Stratton. "They're waiting, Mr. Mayor."

Stratton nodded. "Then, let's do it."

ooooooooooooooooooooo

From the roof of the Utilities building Tim had a clear view of the City Hall Plaza. He was surveying the entire crowd with his binoculars in search of anything abnormal. He didn't understand why the Major opted to do this speech out in the open, but he knew that without Batman around, the responsibility of aiding the Police Department with the security, rested solely on him and his team.

From another roof he could see Batgirl, pacing nervously from one end of the ledge to the other, anxious for action. He switched the binoculars from infrared to normal vision and ran another scan of the crowd. He could read all the signs and cartels many of them with heartfelt concerns for justice and safety in the streets. Others were just hateful.

KILL THE MONSTERS BEFORE THEY KILL US!

and

JOKER, MORE ANIMAL THAN MAN. EUTHANASIA NOW!

were a few of the messages that struck Tim the most. He knew that the Joker, like other criminals were a threat to the city's innocent population, and that the guy has proven more than once that he was beyond rehabilitation, but that statement was just medieval, no matter how much the Clown deserved it. Robin sighed in relief when he read one of the cartels in the crowd like

BETTER SECURITY AT THE ASYLUM EQUALS SAFER STREETS.

At least a few of them understood where the real problem laid. The city might not be able to do much more than cage the criminally insane according to the law, but at least they should guarantee that once caged, they will not get out.

"Alfred?"

"Yes, Master Tim?" answered a soothing voice through the speaker in Robin's ear.

"Any signs from Batman?"

"I'm afraid not, sir, but keeping a close eye on the monitors. Is everything safe at the Major's speech?"

"So far, nothing strikes me. I hope it stays this quiet. To tell you the truth, after reading some of those signs, I'm concerned more about the crowd than by any attack from Joker or Two Face."

"That bad, sir?" The butler responded.

"Let's just say that it's enough to explode violently in a very short time. I feel like I'm sitting on gunpowder."

"Hopefully, Mayor Stratton can appeal to the best in Gotham's people. He's always been a pacifist."

"Let's hope so. Talk to you later, Alfred. Robin out."

Ooooooooooooooooooooooooo

The Mayor reached the podium specially prepared for the occasion. He stood behind the microphone and tapped it several times. The speakers reproduced the sound nice and clear. Stratton left his notes down over the podium and looked at the crowd. Everybody was attentive to him, but he couldn't get his attention off the many cartels and signs that people carried around. Some good, some bad, other just plain mean were not good news. He would do his best to keep the peace.

"My fellow citizens," Stratton said allowing a moment for the crowd to get in synch with him. "I've come to you today because your concerns about a safer Gotham City have reached my ears, and I want you to know that I share your worries. I want Gotham to be a dream everybody wants to dream about…a dream of progress, growing economy and safer streets."

The Mayor made another pause to survey the audience. He could hear the mumbling, some booing and could see others silently shaking their signs. "Like you, I want to have a city where my family can rest assure that everything they have tried so hard to achieve is not threatened, where I can sleep knowing that my children are safe. I want a city that is not measured by high murder records that get broken year after year, or how many points unemployment had risen this quarter. I want a new Gotham, one that is measured by the value of its citizens, and what we can do together.

"But we can't work towards this new Gotham, if we are stuck, fighting each other over the issues at hand. So I am asking you to put the differences away and meet together in a more peaceful forum, discussing the problems that affect this city and coming up with solutions. You and me, together, because the Mayor of this city is not only a politician, but he's also a citizen and your concerns are my concerns as well."

The Mayor was interrupted by a round of applause. His call for peace was getting through. "There are criminal elements out there that are threatening our city. You know their names. Joker, Two-face, Poison Ivy, and Mr. Freeze, and we will not allow them to take control of our city or our lives. NEVER! We are not afraid of them…I am not afraid of them, but we have to face these criminals together, because together, we are more powerful than all of them combined and we are going to show them what a united city can do. And we will do it peacefully, to show them that we don't need to be as violent as they are, because we are better than they are."

Another round of applause started when a tomato thrown from the crowd hit the mayor on the chest. There was a soft laugh from the crowd. Gordon started to move his effectives on the podium, trying to find who had thrown the vegetable and apprehend them. "This is the violence I was afraid of, Gotham. This is what I was trying to avert."

Another tomato hit the Mayor's speech on the podium and three more hit the council members on the stage. Gordon was now screaming instructions to his men on the podium and on his transmitter. One large tomato hit the Mayor on the face producing a small puff of green smoke.

"Gotham…please," pleaded Stratton cleaning his face. "There is no need….(ha, ha, ha)...there is no need for…(hee hee)…violence" The Mayor looked at Gordon without being able to control his laughter. A rain of tomatoes fell over the people at the podium producing the same green puff and some even fell into the crowd. Stratton tried to hold onto the podium doing everything he could to stop laughing. Even Gordon had started to giggle. Someone in a dark suit and wide brimmed hat jumped into the stage and walked over to Stratton, aiding him to get away the podium. The man in the dark suit spoke softly to the microphone.

"My fellow Americans, it is with great pleasure that I bring this boring speech to an end. I've taken the liberty to make some minor changes to your regularly scheduled programming, a little bit of comedy for a change." The man lifted his face, white as a ghost with a large smile that parted his pasty face like an open wound. The man started to laugh as he pulled a gun and put it against the laughing Major's head.

"Nobody moves or the Mayor ends with an open mind, open to the elements, that is. And that goes also to the little birdies I know are watching this. If I see any of your little capes around, I'm snuffing Stratton and then I'll take it on the Big Bad Bat." Joker smiled sinisterly.

More tomatoes kept being thrown from everywhere, now falling into the crowd as much as into the stage creating a dense green cloud. Gordon and the council as well as half the crowd on the first few rows, were now laughing hysterically.

"Today, I come to you in peace. Just to let you know how disappointed I am that you have not understood what I have tried to do to this city. Humor with death is not an easy business, but behold! I've made the local police the laughing stock! A gathering of dead law enforcers are laughing themselves to their last breath thanks to me. That's what I do and I have not lost the touch." The Jester motioned along with the giggling Mayor to the officers and council members that now were laughing themselves hysterically. Some of them had tumbled to the floor where they had continued to laugh until tears had started to fall.

"I don't have much time so I'll be brief. You have hurt me by your mean, inconsiderate comments about my work. You've even gone to the absurd limits of reason to call me an animal. I am not an animal, Gotham. I'm a man. I'm a man with an addiction, yes to make you laugh at any cost, even if I have to kill you all in the process. I'm a comedian, a genius in the middle of a creative spark.

"And I protest the rude treatment of my persona every time you put me back in the hospital…and now the way the press is treating my image. It's not fair! I'm a sensitive man, and I'm starting to think you don't like me. For your own good, I hope that's not true…because if you don't like me, I'll have to kill you all very painfully and get me a new audience who will appreciate me a little more. And believe me, that is a lot of work I'd rather avoid."

There was a loud explosion in mid air and one of the patrol helicopters came down in flames at the end of the street. From the top of one of the buildings, the Jester saw a blurred figure swinging down to ground level. It was time to do a hasty exit.

"This is my only warning, Gotham. I will not be treated like filth by the likes of you, because I am more than you are. More than you ever hope to be. Not even you, united under this moronic Mayor and dragging an army can stand against an upset clown so measure your words in the future, Gotham. Then I might grant you another beautiful sunrise…another day you can breathe the polluted air of the city and say…WHEW! I survived the night. Someone was smiling over me…" Joker sighed. "I am the one smiling on you, Gotham. You just need to understand the Joke. Now, if you'll excuse me…it's time for me to leave."

"You're not going anywhere, Joker!" Robin said standing on top of one of the patrol cars closest to the stage.

"Was wondering when you were going to show up, Tinker boy." Joker said holding tight to Stratton who was now trying to catch his breath while he laughed hysterically.

"Let the Mayor go and surrender now." The Boy Wonder demanded.

"Ohh, trying to be the man now that your daddy is gone, eh kid? I don't know, but you don't sound too intimidating, maybe when you change your voice…"

The second Police helicopter made a turn around the postal building at the northern end of the street and came fast towards the stage opening fire over Robin, who, cussing under his breath, leaped off the car and rolled on the street.

"Joker (ha, ha, ha…) you're (heh, heh)not…" The Mayor sputtered between gasps.

"Shut up, Stratton, and die with the rest of your boring city. Then they'll see who's really in charge." The Clown Prince pushed the Major off the stage and ran rapidly to the right end where he jumped off with what seemed supernatural agility, landing safely backstage where there was people running aimlessly all over, or laughing uncontrollably on the floor without noticing him. The Jester pushed around his way, jumping over dead bodies and giggling citizens until he found a man on a motorcycle. He jumped on the back of the bike, patted the man over the shoulder, and left the scene at full speed.

Joker laughed at his delight, this had been one of his most daring plans and he had gotten away in one piece. Not that he doubted he could outsmart the cops or the dynamic duo, but there was always some margin for error, and some errors could end up with his arrest on the best of days or his death on the worst. Just the thought of losing his life for sake of making fun of this city gave him a rush. He felt light headed and thrilled; the heart pounding hard against in his chest, this was better than being on any drug.

"Think we got company, sir." The biker said looking through the rear-view mirror. Joker turned around and saw a single headlight closing on them. On top of that bike a black figure, was leaning over the handles. Behind the bike, he saw the blinking lights of patrol cars.

"It's that darned Bat-lady! The little bird's girlfriend, lose her, Herman!" Yelled the Clown

"I'm trying, but she's fast," protested the driver.

Joker pulled a small walkie talkie from his jacket. "Lou, I need pick up… fast!"

"Coming in, sir." A voice responded at the other end of the speaker.

"Maybe you can even target practice with my tail? It's getting long."

The Police helicopter turned around the City Hall and quickly caught up with the patrol cars in Joker's pursuit. The pilot opened fire with the helicopter's machine gun, causing some of the patrol cars to lose control and crash to one another. A big ball of fire from an exploding patrol car, smashed against the parked vehicles on the curb. The Helicopter opened fire on the Bat-girl's bike, forcing her to maneuver dangerously on the street. Joker was smiling complacently, enjoying the destruction caused in his escape.

A ladder dropped from the police helicopter as it started to approach the Joker's bike. When it was within reach, the Clown extended a hand and latched to one of the rungs, while with the other hand he pulled his .38 and fired at the driver in the back of his helmet. The helicopter increased its altitude with the Joker holding tight to its ladder while the bike that had served as a transport for the escape went over the sidewalk and crashed into a department store. The dead driver rolled on the floor a few feet before coming to a full stop.

Joker replaced the gun in his jacket and started to climb up the stairs while the helicopter had started to fly away from the highway. In the middle of his climb, the Jester searched for something on his shoulder and then pulled out a metallic yellow band. He tossed the band towards Batgirl's bike which was trying to keep up hopelessly with the chopper. They made a quick getaway disappeared with his transport behind some buildings

ooooooooooooooooooooooooo

In the ground Batgirl slowed down the bike until she came to a complete stop by the band Joker had thrown from the ladder. She removed her helmet and getting off the bike took a closer look to the band. She immediately recognized it for what it was…Batman's utility belt. The fall had dented some of the compartments and exposed some of the silvery metal under the paint, and attached to the buckle, was a large tag with a handwritten note on it.

"Cass, status report?" Robin asked through the speaker on her cowl.

"I lost the Joker." Batgirl said softly, embarrassment covering every word. "He had a solid escape route when he used that chopper. At least we can now be sure that he was involved with Batman's disappearance." Cassandra picked up the belt.

"What? How do you know?"

"Before he left the scene, he tossed Batman's utility belt. I have it in my hands now."

There was a short silence.

"Keep it safe, Cass, we'll analyze it for leads later. Right now I need help getting the antidote to all the people exposed to the Joker's toxin. Please hurry. I'm starting to lose some of them."

"Coming…" The masked vigilante said, going back into her bike and turning around in direction of City Hall. This was going to be one of the most difficult things to do, return with the knowledge that she was not good enough to bring the Joker down. What will Robin think of her?