***THIS STORY HAS BEEN EDITED AS OF AUG.4/2016***

Also check out Youtube for a new JUSTICE LEAGUE ABRIDGED Series that is appearing on the JUSTICE LABRIDGED channel. I am unable to link the actual site in this chapter; but there is a link to EPISODE #1 in my profile. Thank you again for reading :)

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Chapter 4:

Police sirens wailed away as Gordon's' and six other squad cars pulled up to where all of the Jokers men lay unconscious on the ground. The cars all came to a halt in strategically placed spots to make certain no one could get in or out. Gordon ordered his thirteen men out of their cars and shouted, "Bag 'em and tag 'em boys." The officer's moved quickly, handcuffing the thugs one by one before they started to load them into the squad cars.

Gordon began to examine the scene; as moved to the entrance to the abandoned warehouse he heard a thud in the shadows. Gordon pulled out his revolver and took cover behind the corner of the building. Gordon took a deep breath as he felt his blood begin to pump through his body. "This is the police! Come out with your hands up!" Gordon shouted around the corner. Several of the officers heard Gordon shout, and they too readied their weapons and took cover; awaiting Gordon's orders.

Suddenly Gordon heard gunshots as bullets began to fly past his face as someone shot at the corner of the building he was taking cover behind. Gordon examined the brick wall he was up against; thanking his lucky stars Gordon motioned four of his officers to move around to the back of the warehouse to flank the attackers. Suddenly Gordon heard a break in the gunfire; he quickly peaked around the corner and saw the Batman fighting two thugs as two others ran down the alley trying to escape. Batman made quick work of the thugs, and as the other two were about to cut around the corner, Gordon heard one of his officers' shout "Freeze!" The two thugs turned around, one raised a pistol and a gunshot was fired as an officer shot the thug in the shoulder from out of site; before the thug fell to ground he fired a single shot. At the sight of his friend being shot, the other thug quickened his pace and ran as fast as he could away from the battle.

Gordon holstered his pistol and ran past Batman to find out if his officer had been harmed. Gordon ran around the back corner of the building to find officer Montoya nursing a minor wound to her left arm. "Montoya! Are you okay?" Gordon knelt beside Montoya, her hat had been knocked off when she fell and her long brown hair was hanging over his left shoulder in a ponytail.

"I'm fine Commissioner; nothing a first aid kit won't fix." A feeling of great relief went through Gordon.

"Good. Drake, go get Montoya the first aid kit, and tell Shepard to get these three." Officer Drake ran off immediately as Gordon walked back down the alley, Batman was nowhere to be seen.

"I know you're still here. It's easier to talk to you when I can see you." Gordon could feel him before he saw him. He turned around and standing not five feet away in the shadows was the dark silhouette of the Batman. "Thanks for the help. I figured you'd still be around."

"I had to pick up the stranglers who thought they could wait me out. That and I have something to tell you." Gordon crossed his arms and looked down at his watch.

"Try and make it quick, I'm going to be up for another two hours getting these dirt bags processed in the system." Batman stayed in shadows, silently thinking as the pondered how to best present this to Gordon.

"I didn't want to say this over the radio in case someone was listening." Gordon suddenly became very attentive to what Batman said. "But I think someone in your communications department might be working with the Joker." A look of utter distaste came over Gordon's face.

"What make's you think that Batman?"

"Listen to the call that came in giving you the info about the Joker tonight. Any cop would recognize that it was him, I'm thinking the call was a signal to get you out of the headquarters so Joker could get at you."

Gordon's eyes never wavered off of Batman. "You're sure?"

"It's a hunch. Listen to the call." Gordon took a long deep breath and rubbed his nose where his glasses would rest.

"Thanks I guess…" Gordon looked again into the shadows but Batman was gone.

Gordon walked back to the squad cars, they were all filled with three thugs each, not a bad catch. Gordon could see Montoya fixing herself up on the trunk of her squad car as several other officers either secured the area or read the thugs that had regained consciousness their rights. Gordon moved about the crime scene, examining the countless empty gun shells and spotting several of Batman's batarangs that had been left behind. Gordon came to a large metal container near the dock that had several shotgun shell casings littered about. Gordon looked to the ground and thought of blood bath that would have occurred if Batman hadn't come to his rescue.

Gordon suddenly noticed what looked to be little metal pebbles on the ground by his feet. Gordon knelt down to get a better look and saw that they weren't pebbles, but shotgun pellets. Gordon reached for a latex glove from a small pouch on his belt and put it on his left hand. He picked up the bullet and saw that the pellets looked like they had been crushed upon impacting with whatever they hit. Gordon began to count the number of pellets; there were enough to fill a full shell. Gordon's mind raced as he tried to wrap his mind around what could have been not feet away from him that could take a shotgun at nearly point blank and do this to the ammo…

S

Inside of the abandoned "Wayne House" Kal paced frantically. What am I going to do now? He thought to himself as he replaced his tattered shirt with a fresh black t-shirt with a red shoulder and neck. Kals mind flashed back the docks as the Batman's word echoed in his head. "This isn't the job for you." "Go Home."

Kals mind flickered back to the farm house, his mother looking at him as if he were some kind of monster…some kind of freak. Tears began to swell in Kals eyes as he remained trapped in that memory, unable to forget the blood that stained his plaid shirt as his father lay there…and he was responsible… "I can't go back." Kal said to himself as he stopped pacing and sat down on a weathered old bench.

Kal then lay down on the bench, letting his left leg hang over the side touching the ground. He took a deep breath and tried desperately not to think about his past. He had to focus on the now, on what he would do next. He contemplated leaving Gotham, but everywhere he went things never worked out and he always had to leave; Star City, Quebec, Brazil, Mexico, and even Miami…now he was going to leave Gotham before he had even had a chance?" No." He thought, 'I won't give up."

Kal picked himself up off of the bench and knelt down and pulled out several boxes that were stuffed with newspapers concerning the Batman and everything Kal had found that he thought might be connected to him. Kal sat down and started pulling out the different papers; one read 'Dent Family Tragedy! District Attorney Harvey Dent is Sole Survivor!' Kal looked at the picture of the former DA and his whole family, all smiling towards the camera. Kal picked up another, 'Crime Rate Down 25% in Last Three Months! Could 'The Batman' be More Than Myth?' Kal skimmed through several more papers and stopped on one that had a headline that read 'Bruce Wayne funds White Dwarf Research. Lead Scientist Ray Palmer Speaks!" Kal opened up the paper and began speed reading until he found the article he was looking for. Kal began to read it over and over, memorizing every word:

Since the terrorist known only as 'The Joker' was apprehended by Lieutenant James Gordon (who was selected as replacement for Commissioner Loeb after Loeb's arrest by Detective Bullock for crooked dealings), what everyone thought would be a simple trial turned into an insanity plea, which lead to 'The Joker' being sent to Arkham Asylum. (which most of you probably already know). Well it seems now that the self proclaimed 'Clown Prince of Crime' apparently attacked one of his cell mates. The incident is being kept under wraps, but you will be kept up to date on what's happening with the clown.

Written by Perry White

Kal put the paper down and grabbed the second box he had pulled out. The box was full of news articles about what the Joker had done during his first rampage through Gotham. Kal shook as he thought of the devastation and chaos that would ensue from this maniacs second rampage.

Just then a thought came to Kal. What better way to show Batman I'm up for this than by taking this psychopath down? Kal leapt to his feet, if he wanted to find this clown, he was going to have to start now. He packed up his papers into the boxes and pushed them sloppily under the bench before speeding out of the safe house and into the streets of Gotham.

S

Johnny Frost ran as fast as he could through the alleyways and dark corridors of Gothams streets. Sweat ran down his face, stinging his eyes and running off of his nose. He stopped for breath beside a garbage can, leaning against the stone wall of a large apartment building. Johnny gasped as he could feel the pistol he had put in that back of his belt pushing against him. He pulled out the pistol and looked at it for a long moment, thinking of the havoc that had just ensued. "All of this for more guns? What's he planning?" Johnny sat down beside the garbage can, the smell of feces and rotten something filling his nostrils. He looked across from himself and thought he saw someone sitting in the shadows. Johnny froze; he began to examine the person he could barely make out, but he soon saw that the person was holding a gun. Johnny raised his just as the other person did, Johnny fired a shot and suddenly he heard something shatter, and what sounded like money hitting the ground. Johnny moved forward and saw that he had shot a mirror. He examined himself in the broken shards on the ground, his short brown hair had blood in it; his head was wounded, which he hadn't noticed until now. He reached up and felt at his head, it was just a minor wound, it had already stopped bleeding. As he felt at his wound he walked back over to the garbage and sat down a few feet away from it, but he could still smell it.

Johnny pulled out a pack of gum and began to chew frantically on it before he pulled himself up and began to walk his way through the deep labyrinth of the Gotham backstreets.

Corner after corner, alley after alley Johnny walked until he found it; an entrance leading into the lower parts of one of the tall buildings, Johnny wasn't exactly sure which one it was; there was a small sign on the railings leading into the underground hideout that read "All Are Welcome". Johnny laughed to himself as the thought of all of the homeless that had stumbled upon it only to be recruited into Joker's private army, or beaten to death by a group of angry psychotics. Johnny walked down the steps and knocked twice on the door.

"Whose there?" Johnny heard a muffled voice come from behind the door.

"Orange." Johnny replied laxly.

"Orange who?" the muffled voice replied.

"Orange you glad I'm not dressed like a rodent?" The door swung open and revealed several armed men who had their faces painted like an assortment of clowns. Johnny walked by them without talking to them, some of the crazier guys almost worshiped Joker, wanted to be just like him. Johnny shook at the idea of anyone else out there as bad as Joker was.

Johnny walked through a small corridor which had several sitting benches beside an elevator lift, which had a sign beside it that read "Attention! Do not be alarmed if the elevator lift begins acting strangely. Your worries will be short lived." Johnny pressed the button for the elevator and the door opened instantly. Johnny stepped into the elevator and pushed the button that had a smiley face painted over it; then waited as he listened to the music that he had become accustomed to hearing in elevators.

The door swung open and when Johnny looked up there was a gun pointed in his face. "What's the password?" Someone screamed at him, Johnny couldn't look past the gun.

"Uh…pass…what?" The gun was lowered to reveal the smiling painted face of the Joker.

"Congratulations Johnny Johhny! You just won your life! Hahaha…" Joker looked at the terrified expression on Johnny's face. "Oh take it easy, you know I'd never hurt a fly unless it crossed me. You did good tonight Johnny Johnny." Joker threw his arm around Johnny and pulled a wade of hundred dollar bills out of one his coat pockets. "You earned this." The Joker walked Johhny threw 'The Play Area' where most of Jokers men were practicing fist fighting, knife play, playing poker or working on their guns. There were several TV's that hung from the ceilings with different channels on them.

Joker continued to guide Johnny through the base; he led him into a corridor that had many doors on either side. They came close to the end of the corridor and entered the third door down from the end. Johnny looked around as he took in the long room that had several large water pipes running through it and several electrical boxes around. Joker quickly led Johnny to the end of the room and entered a door that was seemingly hidden between two power boxes. They entered into the Joker's throne room, which had a large bed tucked into a corner, as well as several tables which were littered with different guns and knives and explosives. The Joker moved over to a desk which was beside the bed and pulled out what looked like blueprints.

"Take these to Gotham Archives and switch them with the real ones." Johnny looked at the blueprints; they were for a simple house design and up in the corner was a house number designation.

"I don't get it boss." Joker was seemingly ignoring Johnny, admiring a picture of himself in straight jacket with a pretty blonde in a doctors' coat giving him a kiss on the cheek.

"What's not to get? She's a gal and I'm a fella. If you can't put two and two together by now Johnny Johnny I'm not sure you ever will." Johnny chuckled to himself before the Joker broke out into laughter. "You see Johnny Johnny, nothing to worry about. Get to the archives and take care of it. And take a few days off…when you get back we're going to pay a congratulatory stop by the new Commissioner's house…he left something with me that I can't wait to give back!" Joker then pulled a revolver out of his pocket that resembled the one that Gordon used; he then began to laugh hysterically to himself. Johnny left quietly, leaving the Joker to his thoughts, unsure about what Joker meant, but knowing that he was glad he wasn't a cop right now.

S

Alfred was asleep on a single bed in the small living quarters that he and Bruce had built to accommodate them. Suddenly his watch began to beep; Alfred shuffled in his bed for a moment, and then was woken by the constant beep. Alfred lifted himself up from the bed and removed the covers to see that he was still wearing his uniform. Alfred looked down at his watch and turned off the alarm, then looked at the time; 6:30 AM. "Perfect," Alfred thought, "starting the day off in a dirty uniform…Wonderful." Alfred lifted himself out of bed stretched out his back, which usually felt off after sleeping in the cave, and then made his way out of the living quarters and down a flight of stone steps that were carved into the rock until they ended at a wall that had a large metal door. Alfred pushed on the door and it swing open; Alfred could hear the hydraulic mechanisms at work to help swing the door open.

Alfred entered the large cave and found Bruce sitting at a chair, sitting back with one hand one his chin. Alfred approached him, "Master Bruce…how did you fare?" Bruce had removed his cowl, cape and gauntlets.

"I told him to go home…but you should have seen it Alfred." Bruce rose from his chair, with a look on his face that Alfred had never seen before; one of bewilderment, hope, and fear. "He took a shotgun to the chest at point blank, and then stopped two of Joker's goons from turning me into Swiss cheese. I watched them pull the trigger, I heard the gunshots. Then I closed my eyes…I was sure I was dead Alfred." Bruce looked straight into Alfred's eyes, the look on his face become more and more urgent. "He moves faster than a bullet, which can't kill him." There was a pause, Bruce was gathering his thoughts.

"Did you speak with him?" Alfred asked with great intrigue.

"Yes. He said he wanted to help. To fight crime at all it's levels." There was another pause.

"And?" Alfred said urgently.

"And I told him to go home…did I do the right thing Alfred?" Before Alfred could answer Bruce continued. "Someone who can do the things he can… he pretty much tried to enlist with me Alfred, and I just turned him away, sent him home to his parents…does that make me stupid?" A smile brimmed over Alfred's face; after all he had been through he still didn't realize what was obvious to Alfred every minute of every day.

"No Master Bruce. That makes you a good person." Bruce locked eyes with Alfred. "You told a confused young man to go home to the people who love him enough to keep looking for him two years after he's disappeared; instead of using him for your own gains…you did the right thing."

Alfred placed a comforting hand on Bruce's shoulder, and Bruce smiled. "Thanks Alfred, but if you don't mind I have work to do. Bruce patted Alfred on the shoulder, and then turned around and headed to his computer. Bruce pushed a button and all of the screens turned on, Bruce then sat down at the chair and began pouring through files on the Joker and his known accomplices. Alfred's smile never wavered as he headed back to the long, winding staircase that led back up to Wayne Manor.

"Oh, and when do you think you'll have fixed the elevator?" Alfred asked with a slightly annoyed voice.

Bruce looked over his shoulder to Alfred and murmured, "I'll get it as soon as I can." Bruce then turned back to his computer and continued his search for the Joker; while Alfred walked down the dark corridors of the cave, arriving at the stairs he stretched his legs and began his long and arduous walk back to the mansion he loved so much. After all, Alfred thought to himself, Master Bruce isn't the only one I take care of these days...