Chapter 3: A Foe in Need

Victor Zsasz sat in a quiet corner of Gotham, stabbing his knife into a tree stump near him. He imagined he was digging it into Batman's flesh. One stab at a time. He imagined it pouring with crimson blood and him lying on the floor, gasping for life. That's when he would deliver the final blow. Stab, stab, stab.

"Hello Zsasz." came a voice from behind him. Before Zsasz could turn to face it, he felt something penetrate the back of his neck and then he everything went black, his knife tucked carefully into the trench coat pocket of his attacker.

The Messenger picked up the unconscious psychopath and slunk back into the night.

-B-

"Is this really necessary?" crowed the Penguin from the chair. Him, Joker and Two-Face were all tied up and blindfolded in the Batcave.

"Come on, Batsy. Don't you trust us with your toys?" the Joker grinned, trying to undo his blindfold with his tongue.

"I have an itch. In a bad place." grumbled Two-Face.

"Quiet!" Batman snapped, as he stared at the Batcomputer. He had been searching for an hour for any trace of the Messenger through Gotham and had found nothing useful.

The door to the Batcave opened and Tim Drake came in. He jumped slightly when he saw the villains tied up.

"Is Arkham getting full?" he joked, jabbing a finger in their direction.

"Piss off, little birdie." Two-Face growled.

"Hey!" whined Penguin, attempting to kick Two-Face but missing and toppling over, his legs wiggling uselessly on the floor.

"Little help? Anyone? Wankers."

Tim Drake stifled a giggle and made his way over to where his Robin costume stood proudly on a mannequin.

"Well, if I'm gonna be around these guys all the time, I'd better put my costume on in case the blindfolds slip." He took it out and began to change.

"Oh! And here was me thinking you just wore them all the time! I owe Harley a nickel." said the Joker, attempting to fiddle with the ropes on the chair.

"You bastards going to help me up anytime soon?" squawked the Penguin from the floor.

"Shut up." Two-Face kicked the Penguin right in the bottom and he cried out in pain.

Robin walked over to where Batman sat and stood behind him.

"Anything yet?"

"Nothing. Wait..." Batman selected an article on the screen and expanded it.

"PRIEST GONE WILD" Batman read aloud.

"Sounds like a weird reality show." mumbled the Joker, trying to stand up from his chair.

"Reverend Hector Sightley has been involved in a crime spree lasting a fortnight across the town of Blackbourne, Tennessee. He robbed several establishments and has severely injured several people. The police force cornered him in the steel mill two days ago, where officers reported, "His face was severely burnt from contact with a white-hot iron pipe." Hector then fled from the town and has not been sighted since."

"That must be why he wears the mask. Now we know something about him."

"Burnt face? You have something in common, Harvey!" The Joker laughed hysterically.

"I'll kill you for that, clown!" roared Two-Face, desperately tugging at his bonds.

"Quiet! All of you!" Robin yelled and then turned to Batman. "How is this useful to us?"

"Everyone has a weakness, Robin. We can use this to find his."

Suddenly, the Batcomputer began to emit a ringing sound and the words "INCOMING CALL: UNKNOWN" flashed up on the screen.

"Oh! Is Nightwing calling his old friend? How lovely of him!" smiled the Joker?

Batman gave an odd look to Robin and then accepted the call. The metal mask of the Messenger filled the screen. He stood upright, the background merely a black screen.

"Hello, Batman. Ah. And this must be the Boy Wonder himself. A pleasure." The Messenger gave a slight bow to Robin, which he returned with a glare.

"Oh, hello! Is that Mr. Tried-To-Blow-Me-Up? I don't believe we've been properly acquainted!" the Joker giggled.

"What do you want, Hector?" asked Batman.

Hector paused for a second at the mention of his name.

"Ah, so it seems you know my name. But I know yours...Batman. Although, I must admit I don't know Robin's current persona, so he regains some form of mystery. Although, I wouldn't dare utter your name in front of your guests."

"If this is how he treats his guests, I'd hate to see how he treats his prisoners." grumbled the Penguin, still on the floor.

"Get to the point, Messenger." said Robin.

"Of course. You claim, Batman, that you believe everyone desires a second chance in life. Even this raging lunatic."

The camera zoomed out and showed Victor Zsasz tied to a chair. He stared at the camera with a look of rage and stayed silent.

"Zsasz!" Robin was taken aback to see the raging psychopath so humbled.

"Zsasz? We're not rescuing him, are we? He's tried to kill me about 5 times." said Two-Face.

"I will offer you this opportunity, Batman. Come here and risk your life for this man who will most likely attempt to gut you the moment he is free from his bonds or stay in the safety of your Batcave, knowing that now more pain will come from this man towards Gotham. He has one hour. Do as you will, Dark Knight."

The connection cut off and Batman leapt up from his chair and ran towards the Batmobile. He untied Two-Face and Joker and threw them in the car. Robin did the same with Penguin. They hopped in the front and started the engine, as the Joker stared through the back window.

"Could use a floral motif." he commented on the Batcave, as the Batmobile roared into the night.

-B-

Ash stood on top of an apartment block, gazing at Gotham. He knew he was here. He had tracked him from Blackbourne to New York, to Metropolis and finally here. He guessed he would come to Gotham. The city infamous for its crime. And for its caped crusaders.

He dived off the building and hit the ground with a crack. He felt his life ebbing away from him, his muscles fading. He took his last breath and died.

And then he sat up again as life returned to him and sprinted off into the Gotham night.