11:21 PM
Gotham Industrial District

A trio of thugs stood around a fire pit made out of an old oil drum. They didn't have any distinguishable gang attire on them at the moment which was common for the thugs that were either off the clock or unemployed.

"So you heard about the Bat?" one of them asked.

"Yeah, heard the cops are after him." The second said.

"About freakin' time. Maybe he'll turn on the cops for once." The third added.

"By the way, you hear about what Joker's up to?" the second asked.

"No, what?" the first asked.

"Joker's lookin' for some new goons or somethin'." The second replied.

"What happened to the old ones?" The third asked.

"Still there. I hear he's lookin' to grow the gang." The second replied.

"Yeah? Where do I sign up?" the third replied. The second merely smiled.

"I'll tell ya but it'll cost ya fifty bucks apiece." The second said. The other two merely glared at each other.

"Or I just back away and let you try and shake down this guy." The first said, backing away. The second and third looked confused before both were tackled by Batman and Robin. The first smirked as he slipped into the shadows, reemerging seconds later as Nightwing, a masterfully crafted rubber mask in hand. Robin had knocked out the third goon while Batman had the second by the collar, pinning him near the open end of the fire pit.

"Where's the Joker! Talk!" Batman ordered, threatening to throw the goon into the fire. The goon crumbled instantly.

"Warehouse! He's at the warehouse where they store the old sets for that old kiddie show, you know the one with all the clowns?! Kosmo Krank's Circus?!" the thug cried before getting yanked away from the fire drum and then getting a knee to the face, knocking him out. Blackbat then emerged from the shadows to join them.

"I could probably have done it faster." Nightwing commented.

"Psh, yeah but you can't get them to wet their pants like he can." Robin said, motioning to the unconscious goon's pants and the distinct darker splotch near the top.

"Good point." Nightwing replied as Batman glared at them, silencing the brothers.

"The warehouse he's referring to is only three blocks away." Batman said, the Batclan grappling away, Batman taking the lead. Within a few minutes, the clan had touched down on the roof of a darkened warehouse. On the ground outside, there were only a couple of goons, both armed with assault rifles, patrolling the exterior doors.

"Is this the place?" Robin asked.

"We're about to find out." Batman said, approaching a skylight and opening it. Inside he could see what appeared to be the Joker, seated in a chair in the middle of the room, carving up an apple with a pocket knife. Batman scowled and used detective vision to look through the walls but all he could see were a bunch of clown themed facades all swept over to the sides of the warehouse. He gave the all clear and the clan immediately dropped down into the room, Batman landing directly in front of the Joker who let out a startled yelp, falling back in his chair. Batman grabbed him by the collar with one hand and reared back his fist with the other but froze. The Joker's face was a mere cardboard cutout that was strapped to his face.

"You're not the Joker! Where is he?!" Batman roared.

"You want the Joker, well the Joker want's you, Batsy!" a familiar voice called out from the darkness. Suddenly the lights of the warehouse came on, briefly blinding the four. When their vision cleared they saw a bunch of clown masked thugs surrounding them, roughly forty of them, all having emerged from behind the facades and all either unarmed or brandishing some form of melee weapon. The Batclan immediately dropped into a fighting stance but the thugs suddenly parted on one side, revealing the decaying façade of an old sitcom kitchen set. Standing in front of the façade however was the Clown Prince of Crime himself. The fake Joker scurried into the rest of the group of goons as the real Joker approached.

"I've been waiting for you, Bats. And here I thought you'd never show up. It was a bit short notice but I think this is still a good surprise party!" Joker said, pulling out a brightly colored party hat, putting it on while the other thugs did the same, putting on party hats.

"What is happening?" Robin asked as he and the rest of the batclan maintained their fighting stances.

"Now, Boy Wonder, you haven't been listening to Uncle Joker! I just said it was a surprise party! Sheesh! Okay boys, a one and a two!" Joker called, raising his arms like a musical director, the thugs immediately starting to sing out of tune…

"For he's a jolly dark fellow! For he's a jolly dark fellow! For he's a jolly dark fel~lo!"

"You've finally lost your mind!" The Joker finished before belting out laughing, a large banner dropping down over the kitchen set, the banner reading "Welcome to Insanity!" Batman merely scowled at the Joker's antics. The gang of thugs were applauding and cheering the Batman although it was clear that this was semi-forced cheering.

"Enough, Joker!" Batman threatened.

"Sheesh, I thought you enjoyed a good party! I mean we even made you a cake which is-…where's the cake?! Harley! Willy! Where's the cake?!" Joker yelled into the warehouse.

"Almost there Mista' J!" Harley could be heard replying as she and Wild Card rolled a three-layer cake into the room on a cart. The cake was clearly a stolen wedding cake just looking at the frosting and decorations but on the top was a candle shaped like a number one and written down on the cake's layers was "Happy First Murder!" in red frosting.

"See? The cake is no lie! We didn't even lace it with hemlock or Smile-X! Willy, a slice for the guest of honor!" Joker called, Wild Card grinning and reaching under the table, pulling out a chainsaw, revving it up. Joker however face palmed.

"No-no-NO! I meant a slice of the cake! Not the other thing! Save that for the party games!" Joker called, Wild Card shrugging and casually tossing the chainsaw away, the machine still running, causing several goons to scurry out of the way. Joker then turned towards Batman, producing more party hats.

"Good kid, just slow on the uptake. Oh, here! I got these just for you and the kids!" Joker said, moving to put one on Batman but the Dark Knight suddenly grabbed him by the collar.

"Enough with the jokes! Why'd you kill that man?!" Batman asked, earning a chuckle from the Joker.

"Oh Bats, you're not still on that whole election thing are you?" Joker asked but Batman scowled.

"The Batarang used in the murder last night, it was lost during an encounter with you! You're trying to frame me somehow!" Batman threatened. The Joker's grin merely widened.

"Wow you must really be slipping if you think I had something to do with that one!" Joker giggled.

"I'm not joking, Joker. What game are you playing?!" Batman asked but Joker's grin seemed to slowly vanish.

"You mean…you mean you didn't kill the guy? You mean you haven't snapped and gone looney-birds?!" Joker asked, shaking loose from Batman with a look as if he were heartbroken.

"Mista J? You alright puddin'?" Harley asked as she hurried to Joker's side.

"Fine?! Do I look fine?! The whole party's ruined! Batman's still sane!" Joker yelled, angrily, ripping off his party hat and stomping it under foot.

"Then you're denying it was you?" Batman asked as Joker's fury quickly faded away, being replaced by a dark giggling.

"So you really think that I'm involved in some elaborate frame up, is that it, Batsy? Oh come on, Bats! In all the times we've gone head-to-pointy-eared-head, I've always looked forward to the possibility of seeing you really snap! To actually drop your pants and slide on the ice! To finally give in and snap this old clown's neck! Besides, I'd never kill anyone in such a garish fashion. There's no panache! No flare! No punchline! Seriously, would I kill someone and not leave some clue behind that didn't scream JOKER WUZ HERE?! Tell me!" Joker yelled with a grin. Batman merely scowled for a moment.

"No…you wouldn't." Batman replied, reluctantly. Joker immediately threw his hands up into the air triumphantly.

"Thank you! But at least I've got a little bit of a consolation prize! It just means we're back to the way things were! I mean you're still sane so that means I've still got something to look forward to! I'm a bit relieved actually. Here I thought you had gone and went stark-raving-bonkers without me being there to see it! I was actually hoping you'd pants the Commissioner or even plant a kiss on Harley and then laugh when she slugs you! Well okay, I'd laugh." Joker chuckled.

"You wouldn't be the only one, Uncle Joker." Wild Card sniggered, Harley scowling at her.

"Someone clearly wants to clean the hyena cages again." Harley mumbled.

"Oh but there's one other consolation prize! I get to go out and slaughter all those wannabe Bat-freaks that are just chomping at the bit to clear your name!" Joker said with a grin. Batman took a step forward.

"They've done nothing to you. Leave them alone." Batman said but the Joker merely shot him a dark grin.

"Oh Batsy-Batsy-Batsy. You know full well I can't very easily ignore something like this! A whole army of Batmen, all gathering for one purpose! I can't have a whole army of you running around! At least, not without an army of Jokers to go with it." Joker said, motioning to his gang with a dark laugh, the rest of the goons chuckling and voicing their agreement as they started cracking their knuckles menacingly or brandishing their weapons. Harley and Wild Card then joined the Joker with their unique weapons, tossing Joker his crowbar, still stained with the blood of the Second Robin.

"So then boys, whoever knocks out the bat gets a special prize! Let the games begin!" Joker declared, letting out a cackle as the Joker's goons started rushing the Batclan. The clan immediately went into action, proceeding to start laying into the nearly forty goons with frightening skill. Harley and Wild Card were about to rush into the fight but Joker blocked them.

"Kids! Let's leave the Bats to play with the boys! We've got recruitin' to do!" Joker said as he motioned for them to follow, his moll and pseudo-adoptive niece slipping out towards the back of the warehouse. The Batclan was getting mobbed. It was ten to one odds but the Batclan had quickly whittled that down to six to one in a matter of minutes. Finally, they were stood back to back in a cluster, the goons having took a step back to regroup.

"Masks." Batman said, the clan quickly pulling gas masks from their utility belts just as Batman threw down a fist full of black pellets which released a noxious gas into the air. The goons started wheezing on the gas, staggering around and allowing the unhindered Batclan to lay into them once again, the gas causing the goons to get dizzy and get blurry vision. Those that didn't fall over on their own encountered the receiving end of the Batman's fist, Blackbat's boot, one of Nightwing's escrima sticks, or Robin's bo-staff. The entire fight was over in about four minutes of intense hand to hand combat, leaving forty moaning and groaning men mewling on the floor and four weary vigilantes.

"I think I got roughly twelve." Robin commented, earning a chuckle form Nightwing.

"Thirteen, Gimli." Nightwing replied.

"Hitting two goons at once with the sticks only counts as one." Robin chuckled.

"Enough!" Batman ordered, the two falling silent. Blackbat just shook her head at the two with a roll of her eyes.

"So what's the plan now?" Nightwing asked.

"The Joker's gotten away for now. We'll need to regroup. Everyone back to Wonder Tower. We'll need to plan out our next move." Batman said as they turned and started to leave the warehouse.


December 4th
12:02 AM
Gotham Skyline

The Batclan had taken different routes towards Wonder Tower. Batman and Nightwing were in the Batmobile, Blackbat was in the Batwing overhead, and Robin was on the R-Cycle, all converging on Wonder Tower. As he raced along, using backroads and the R-Cycle's stealth mode to avoid detection by the police, his radio came on.

"Robin, what's your status?" Oracle asked.

"Just passing through Amusement Mile. Why what's up?" Robin asked.

"I just intercepted a dispatch on the Police Scanner. There's been an attempted robbery at 1992 Dixon Lyle Boulevard." Oracle reported, Robin instantly recognizing the address.

"That's Stephanie Brown's foster parents' house. Is she alright?" Robin asked.

"Unknown. Police apprehended the intruder at the scene. According to a witness, he 'fell' and 'hit his head' on the stairs." Oracle reported, Robin smirking under his R-Cycle Helmet.

"Sounds like Spoiler. Thanks for the alert, Oracle. I'm going to investigate. Cover for me will you?" Robin asked.

"Sure thing. Hope Steph's alright." Oracle said as Robin veered a hard right.

"You and me both." Robin mumbled as the R-Cycle raced through the streets.


12:13 AM
1992 Dixon Lane Blvd.
The Home of Chuck and Lily Rayford

Stephanie Brown, alias Spoiler, was stood on the front porch of her foster parents' home, giving a statement to the GCPD Officers who'd arrived to arrest the would-be robber. The robber had to be taken away in an ambulance after having suffered a concussion and several injuries which also included a dislocated shoulder.

"And you're saying that he just fell down the stairs?" the officer asked, not fully believing her story.

"That's exactly what happened officer. I mean I wasn't there to see it but I heard the noise. Came out of my room, saw him sprawled on the ground, assumed he'd fell." Stephanie replied with a straight face. In her mind she was smirking. She had totally beaten the stuffing out of the thief using what vigilante skills she had picked up from Alvin Draper, the alias used by Robin. The Officer flipped his notebook closed with a somewhat unconvinced look.

"Alright. I guess we have all we need from you. Don't leave town." The officer said, confusing Stephanie.

"Why would I?" she asked.

"What, a cop can't enjoy cliché cop phrases?" the Officer asked as Stephanie rolled her eyes with a smile, the officer moving on to interview her foster parents. Her phone then started beeping. She pulled her phone from her pocket and saw she had a simple text message which read: "Side yard" and was from "R-AD" which was an acronym for "Robin - Alvin Draper." She quietly looked at the officer before pocketing her phone, heading inside the house, making her way to the back door and then out into the back yard before walking around to the side yard but saw no one there. She didn't have to guess where Robin was and turned to see him standing behind her.

"Oracle heard the report. You okay?" he asked.

"I'm fine. Got out without a scratch. Guy didn't even see what hit him." Stephanie replied.

"Good. I was worried." Robin replied as Stephanie smiled at him, hands on her hips.

"So now I know what it takes to get you to come over for a visit." She commented.

"Yeah well things are a little…crazy right now." Robin replied, Stephanie giving an understanding nod.

"I've heard. I tried signing up with those Batmen to lend a hand but they turned me away. Some bull about being too young." Stephanie grumbled.

"Well for what it's worth, I'm glad they did. Batman doesn't like the notion of these Batmen. He'd prefer people leave the criminals to us and the police." Robin said as Stephanie looked at him with concern on her face.

"Yeah well when the police think you're one of those criminals, it's not exactly what I'd call fair." Stephanie said.

"We're working on that. We know it's a frame up. Just gotta figure out the who and the why. We thought it was Joker but he denies it." Robin replied, Stephanie looking surprised at the revelation.

"Really? A murder the Joker didn't commit? I find that hard to believe." She said as Robin gave a shrug.

"Evidence fits. Joker's innocent in this case but we caught wind that he's building his own army to counter the Batmen. You see why I'm relieved the Batmen turned you away now." Robin said as Stephanie smiled warmly at him.

"Yeah. Thanks for checking up on me though. I really appre-." "You there, GCPD! Freeze!" a voice yelled, Robin and Stephanie turning to see the cop from earlier with his gun drawn.

"Uh-oh." Robin muttered, the officer holding his gun on the Boy Wonder.

"I said freeze! Hands in the air where I can see them!" he said, Robin shrugging and doing just that but with something clutched in his right hand, tossing it towards the officer, the object being a smoke pellet, causing the Officer to stagger back, wheezing from the smoke cloud. Stephanie was covering her mouth too when she suddenly felt Robin grab her from behind.

"Hold on." He whispered into her ear, grappling into a second story window, which happened to be Stephanie's room.

"Huh. Not as girly as I was expecting." Robin commented as Stephanie lifted up the top mattress on her bed, revealing her Spoiler costume laid out underneath.

"Draw off the 5-0! I'll change!" Stephanie said, Robin smiling before diving out the window, tackling the officer to the ground and then vaulting off.

"Sorry Officer, nothing personal." Robin said, the Officer climbing to his feet, drawing his pistol again but Robin popped open his bullet shield just as the Officer took a couple of shots, the bullets impacting harmlessly against the shield. The Officer put a hand to his radio.

"All units! I've got a sighting on Robin! Repeat, I'm engaging the-GAK!" the officer yelped as Robin leapt forward, kicking the feet out from under him before hitting him in the throat.

"I'll pay for the hospital visit, don't worry. Like I said, nothing personal. Still pro-police B-T-Dubs." Robin said before knocking the officer out with a punch to the head. He then looked up at the window.

"Coast is clear!" he called up as Stephanie Brown, now wearing the black face mask and purple hood of Spoiler appeared at the window. She proceeded to leap out the window, landing on her feet.

"Come on! My bike is this way!" Robin said as he and Spoiler ran to the hidden R-Cycle, Robin hopping on, Spoiler on the back.

"Hey wait a minute. Won't your foster parents get suspicious?" Robin asked as he revved the R-Cycle.

"Remember that note you left the last time we went crusading together, you know while the big guy was out of town?" Spoiler asked.

"You mean the one that said I'd borrowed you for your own protection and that your old man was back in town?" he asked.

"I might have made a few printouts and left one on the bed. I run off all the time. They won't suspect a thing." Spoiler replied as Robin chuckled, the R-Cycle rolling off down the street but their escape didn't go unnoticed by a pair of approaching GCPD Squad Cars who immediately hit the lights upon seeing Robin.

"Oh crap!" Robin yelped, revving the bike to high speed.

"Hold on Steph!" he said as they tore into the streets of Gotham, the police in hot pursuit.

"Oracle! I've got a situation here!" Robin said into his helmet radio.

"I know." A very different voice answered back, causing Robin to blink in mild alarm. He then heard a familiar engine roar behind him and checked the mirror in time to see the Batmobile power slide around a corner behind them, moving in between the R-Cycle and the squad cars. Batman pressed a button on the dash, activating an AR display to appear on the windshield, showing the rearview. A pair of targeting reticles appeared on the squad cars, turning blue upon locking on. He then tapped a button on the dash a couple of times, firing two sticky blue globs from a small cannon on the back, the globs sticking to the hoods of the cruisers before suddenly letting out a crackle of electricity, effectively hitting the cruisers with a short range EMP, disabling them.

"So how big a trouble are we in right now?" Spoiler asked as Robin glanced over in time to see the Batmobile pulling up alongside. He saw Batman's stern gaze fixed on him while Nightwing sat smirking coyly in the front passenger seat.

"Pretty whoppin' big." He replied, Spoiler letting out a whimper as they drove away towards Wonder Tower, the Police having been left eating dust.


End Chapter 4

As with many of the existing DC Universe characters, I like to reference a specific look for whenever they appear in my stories. The Joker and Harley Quinn both use their Arkhamverse looks. Joker uses his Arkham Asylum look though and Harley uses Arkham City. Her Arkham Knight look works too. Stephanie Brown/Spoiler uses the attire drawn up by the Deviant Artist Phil-Cho.

Wild Card is my sole original character to the Batman universe (or at least the only one with any longevity) and is inspired partly by the Margot Robbie Harley Quinn but wears an outfit reminiscent of the LEGO Suicide Squad Harley Quinn minifigure. I.E. predominantly vivid red and blue colors over red and black. (I recommend using Brickipedia, the LEGO wiki, for the reference since there are some counterfeit custom minifigs of the Suicide Squad Harley out there). Wild Card's backstory is featured in my first Batman Fanfiction story: Slender.