Chapter 3

I couldn't help but start feeling frustrated. Everything I kept looking for had no records of anything like the Joker had described to me. It was obvious there was a new player in town. It didn't help that for the couple of days the Joker has been here healing were always a challenge not to completely lose my temper with him. It didn't help I felt nervous with Alfred even entering the Bat cave. Luckily the Joker was healing quicker than a regular person. I assumed it was because of the chemicals that changed him. Despite the case it was aggravating having him here at all. Even more so that there hadn't been any more news on this metal owl as the madman had called him. I felt bad having to lie to Gordon about the Joker but he didn't need to know that I had the clown in a cell in my cave.

"Bruce how long are we going to keep him here?" I heard Tim come down the stairs into the cave. I really didn't feel comfortable with Tim anywhere near that mad man and I had forbidden him from entering the cave as long I wasn't here. I looked at the young boy and sighed.

"Just into he fully recovers and I can take him back to Arkham." I stated clearly.

"Why are we even helping that mad man after all he has done?" he looked at the cell then back at me.

"I don't trust sending him back to Arkham in the condition he is in. It would be a death wish for him. Plus I'm still trying to get more info on this new person who attacked him."

The young Robin looked at me in shock and slight anger.

"Why would you care if he lives or dies? What about all the people he has hurt!"

I stood up then and looked down at my young ward. Truth be told I hadn't forgotten anything this mad man has done. How could I? He killed Jason. It didn't even matter if Jason was brought back to life. He was now a murder in his own view of Justice. I had lost him. All I can blame is myself though.

"I'm not going to let anyone die if I can prevent it Tim. Not even him. Not even if he deserves it." I spoke sternly.

He looked down and went silent. I could see he was angry. I couldn't blame him. What the Joker has done to so many people's lives I couldn't blame his anger at this.

It took several minutes of silence before he looked back up at me.

"Have you found anything on this person who attacked him?"

I shook my head. I felt so frustrated there were no fingerprints on that owlarang. It was so similar to my batarang that it bothered me terribly. It also bugged me how easily this person could take down the clown prince of crime. As Joker had described it he had known all of Jokers tricks. It was also bothering me even more that I may actually need the clowns help with finding this man whoever he was.

"Not yet. There are no records of anyone fitting that description that the Joker has given me. No fingerprints either on the weapon he left in Joker."

"He could be lying. He has been known to do that." Tim spoke up. As he headed to grab his Robin suit and started to change. I turned away giving the boy his privacy.

"I doubt it. The Joker is a pathological liar but the evidence of his injuries show that this couldn't be lie."

"I suppose your right." He walked back to me after he had finished changing. I turned my attention back on him.

"So what are we goin-"He was cut off as we both heard yelling towards the stairs.

"Master Jason please." I could hear Alfred's voice sounding frantic.

Tim and I both looked towards the stairs to see Jason descending down them quickly. Sudden quilt filled me.

He was dressed in his red hood outfit. His helmet in his arms but his eye mask still on.

"I have to talk to him Alfred." I heard him say as he finally fully gotten down the stairs and walked up right towards me only stopping a few feet away from me. Alfred following right behind. I could see the nervousness in Alfred's eyes. Jason's blue eyes fully looking intently into mine. In the corner of my vision I noticed Tim's posture becoming uneasy. He didn't trust Jason after he had tried to kill him.

"Bruce I need to talk to you now." He said sternly.

I looked down at him a frown on my face.

"What is it?"

"There was a break in." He started to speak with urgency in his voice. Also some irritation. After I had refused to avenge Jason's death by killing the Harlequin of Hate things hadn't been so well between me and my old ward.

I stayed silent waiting for him to finish.

"It was at Gotham's city of records. The only files that had been hacked and open were on you and your parents."

I felt my heart skip a beat.

"What?" I couldn't believe it. Who would be looking into that? What would be the point into looking in on only me?

"I'm still not sure who would be looking in on you but I figured I might as well better tell you." He said the words bitterly.

"Thank you for telling me. I will look into it." I said simply.

The sound of the intercom from the cell went on. Oh no. Damn it! Oh all times that mad man had to bother me.

"Darling Batsy? You there Bats? I know you can hear me. You really should come visit me sweetheart. You're breaking my heart. Hahahheeehoohahahaha."

All of us went silent and tense for several minutes. Tim, Alfred and myself all looking at Jason.

The anger flashed through his eyes as his body language showed his rage.

"You son of a bitch! Why the hell is he here!" Jason got closer to me. Yelling loudly his face close to mine. He was glaring darkly at me.

"Jason."

"No Bruce I don't want to hear it! How could you bring that bastard filth here of all places!"

The next thing I felt was a punch to the face. I could taste copper now. He had split my lip.

I held my ground ready to restrain him if needed to.

"Master Jason!" Alfred's voice was in complete shock.

Tim got in a defensive position ready to attack.

"Not now Alfred!"

He took a step towards me.

"Jason." I spoke more sternly.

"Let me explain."

He spat in my face.
"There is nothing you could say that would make this right! If you won't kill him I will right now!" He ran towards the cell. I took off after him.

"No Jason!"

It was too late he had opened the cell.

"Oh look who it is. Bird Boy number two." The clown giggled.

Jason grabbed the mad man and threw him hard into the wall.

"I will kill you!" He grabbed the green hair of the clown and slammed his head down.

The clown just laughed.

"Hehahaehe I like this game. I will say I liked our crowbar fun we had even more." Another slam to the clowns head to the ground as he spit out blood. His nose bleeding badly.

Tim got to the cell first and jumped on Jason's back.

"Stop it!" Tim tried to pull him off the ground. Jason quickly flipped Tim off of him and threw him across the room.

"Oh. No. Don't play with the Robin Jason. Robins are for me after all." The clown laughed only to have it cut off shortly by him being thrown across the room. He hit the wall hard with a crack. He giggled.

As Jason stood up to continue I quickly tackled him to the ground. He struggled, kicking me in the stomach I felt the air in my lungs leave me.

"Get off!" He yelled.

I was lucky just to be in my bat suit it reduced the blow. I grabbed his jacket. I hated having to fight him but I had to. I threw him out of the cell. I was happy Alfred was avoiding the scene.

Tim got up and blocked the cell door just in case Jason would make another attempt at the cell.

The clown was just laughing away. He stood up barley. His body was still weak from his last fight. I figured bones were broken again.

"Heehahaha what a rush." He laughed.

"Shut up!" Tim yelled at him.
Jason got up from the ground and ran at me. I quickly dogged one of his punches and delivered one to his ribs. He stumbled back and I quickly kicked his leg to make him fall to the ground. Once he landed I quickly got on top of him and pinned him down.

"Get off me now! He deserves to die!" He struggled to no success.

"Robin lock the cell quickly."

Tim did as I said and stayed by the cell door just in case.

"Master Jason please calm down!" Alfred spoke up through all the violence.

"No! Let me up Bruce! How could you keep that filth here after what he did to me! After what he did to so many people!" He struggled more under me but I kept him pinned.

"Jason! You need to let me explain! I will not let you up till you calm down!" I spat out at him in a ordering tone.

After long several minutes of non-stop struggling he finally gave in.

"Fine." He turned his head away from me in disgust.

I waited a few extra minutes before finally getting off of him.

He got up quickly and didn't even look at me as he dusted himself off.

"I found him in Crime Alley a few nights ago. He was almost dead. I would have taken him back to Arkham but I didn't trust the doctors there." I started to explain.

He scoffed at that.

"There was something strange though. Something was stabbed into his shoulder. It looks like the same technology as my batarangs."

Jason finally looked at me.

"So I needed answers. Once he healed up more I talked to him and he told me about how a man dressed up as he described as a metal owl attacked him. He seemed to know all of the Jokers tricks. The problem is there is no record of anyone even mentioning any person like that anywhere no matter how much I looked in the computer. I need his help in finding out who this man is before I can take him back to Arkham." It hit me what I had just said as the realization of saying I need the Jokers help sounded. It seemed to shock everyone as everyone went silent. They were all looking at me. It took several minutes before anyone spoke.

"Do you know how crazy that sounds? You need help with the likes of him!" Jason now was yelling again. I was ready for another outburst of violence by him if need be. It didn't come though.

"I see what company you keep Bruce. It all makes since now." He said with pure hate in his voice.

I felt my heart break but I didn't say anything as he turned and started walking towards the stairs only stopping to pick up his red hood helmet.

"I will find this owl and when I do. I will kill him and then that clown." He threatened as I just watched him walk away.

"Master Jason. Please try and understand." Alfred tried to talk to him and comfort him but Jason just shoved him away.

"Don't bother anymore Alfred." Jason said without looking at any of us as he left the cave.

The cave was silent for a long time.

I couldn't believe how much worse all this had become.

Was my decision even the right one with the Joker?

Now I had to deal with Jason, this mysterious Owl and with my own realization that I do need the Jokers help.