Chapter Seven
The Javelin landed at Wayne Aerospace's private fields. The Shuttle's cargo ramp opened and Vigilante wheeled his motorcycle down it. With him were Wildcat, Mr. Terrific, and the Shining Knight. The Shining Knight was complaining.
"T'would have been better if I'd been able to bring Winged Victory with me."
"No, pard'ner;" Vigilante replied, "It wouldn't have been better. It woulda been crowded."
"I don't understand." The Knight protested, "I cannot bring my horse, which can fly, and yet you can bring this exhaust spewing machine?"
"Listen," Vigilante's patience was wearing thin from the ongoing argument, "Ah didn't have t'bring my sidecar. If you want to walk, that's fine by me."
"No." Sir Justin sighed, "I will ride with you."
"Good." Vigilante declared, "Now shut up `bout the horse."
"But…" the Shining Knight began.
Vigilante bit him off, "Shut it! Ah mean it!"
The Knight sulked in silence. Wildcat shook his head, "You should have thought of that twenty minutes ago."
Vigilante shrugged, "Ah did. Ah was tryin' t'be nice."
Batman and Nightwing watched all of this in silence. Mr. Terrific shook hands with Batman, "Good to see you again. It's been awhile."
"Just a few months." Batman replied.
"It seemed longer." Mr. Terrific smirked and then he greeted Nightwing, "And how are you?"
"The usual." Nightwing nodded in Batman's direction.
"Man's got a lot on his mind." Terrific replied, "I can't say I blame him."
"He's always got something on his mind." Nightwing grumbled.
"Like I said, I can't say I blame him." Mr. Terrific confessed, "When my wife and kids were killed I needed to find a reason for living. Becoming a superhero became my way of doing that. I don't know much about Batman but I'd say he had a similar experience."
Nightwing grinned, "There's a reason why you're the 3rd smartest person on the planet."
"Maybe there is." Mr. Terrific grinned.
"Batman." Wildcat said by way of greeting, "It's good to see you again."
"The pleasure is mine." Batman extended a hand. Wildcat firmly gripped it and gave it a shake.
"Want a ride?" Batman gestured towards the Batmobile.
"Sure." Wildcat said and then he went over and got in. Batman hopped into the driver's seat, sealed the cockpit and drove off. Vigilante and the Shining Knight followed.
"And we're off." Nightwing said as he tossed a helmet to Terrific. Mr. Terrific put it on and then swung himself onto Nightwing's motorcycle. They then zoomed off to Police Headquarters.
"So, what's going on Bruce?" Wildcat asked, "You haven't specifically asked for my help since you were a teenager wanting to learn how to box. It must be bad."
"I tracked a bunch of the Penguin's goons down." Batman explained, "The Scarecrow was manufacturing a new hallucinogenic compound at Axis chemicals. I went there only to find that they'd resumed their production of fertilizers."
"How did he gain access to Axis in the first place?" Wildcat wondered.
"Axis was bought two years ago by a shell company that represents a partnership between Oswald Cobblepot and Lex Luthor." Batman explained.
Wildcat's expression was a grim one, "So the Penguin and Luthor are business partners. I'm surprised there hasn't been trouble before this."
"There has been at different locations." Batman revealed, "That Axis planet you looked at in November was manufacturing weapon's grade explosive compounds. Another was shipping out stores of VX gas."
"So what does this compound do?" Wildcat asked.
"Unfortunately for the Scarecrow, there was a residue of it on some lab equipment." Batman explained, "I was able to analyze it and synthesize an antidote. The Police have Wayne Pharmaceuticals replicating it by the gallon."
"That still doesn't explain what it does." Wildcat chided his former student.
"It creates a hallucinatory state couple with extreme anxiety and aggressive responses." Batman described its results, "It's flight or fight taken to a new level."
"Wonderful. It looks like we're in for treat." Wildcat groused, "How is this antidote delivered?"
"The original compound is an aerosol agent." Batman resumed his explanation, "The antidote has to be injected. I have hypospray guns being distributed to every emergency responder and hospital in the city. I'm told there should be enough antitoxin to cover every man, woman, and child by eight p.m.."
"That's only an hour and a half away." Wildcat was somewhat relieved.
"But we don't know when the Legionnaires are going to strike." Batman dourly informed him.
Robin was already waiting for them atop Police HQ near the Bat Signal. He was relieved to see Batman, "You wouldn't believe what's been going on!"
"Calm down and explain yourself." Batman ordered.
"There's been these suspicious trucks unloading newspaper racks on every street corner." Robin reported, "And I mean every street corner. I did an eight block sweep and they were everywhere. Anyway it was weird because the trucks were…"
"Registered to Axis Chemicals." Batman said for him.
"Yeah." Robin wasn't sure how Batman knew that but he pressed on, "And I had Batgirl look it up and the company's owned by…"
"The Penguin and Luthor." Batman did it again.
"Why do I bother?" Robin complained.
"I didn't know about the gas dispensers." Batman admitted, "Good job with that."
"A compliment?" Robin joked, "Did I hear a compliment? I think I might faint."
Robin sobered up and then asked, "What did you say about gas dispensers?"
"The Scarecrow's new compound is an aerosol." Batman relayed. Robin had been busy with a school project and had missed Batman's investigation thus far, "A gas is the easiest way of distributing it."
"Then let's get down there and diffuse these suckers!" Robin yelped.
"Too late." Vigilante said as he peered at the streets below with a pair of binoculars, "They're already sprayin' out into the streets."
"Get your men to put on their gas masks!" Batman said to Commissioner Gordon. Gordon got on the radio and the word went out. They exchanged a baleful look. The serum was still half an hour away.
The Joker cackled behind his gas mask as Lar drove the parade float into downtown. Mo and Curl were also along for the ride. Harley was in the Rosebud with that wretched Poison Ivy. She was probably filling poor Harl's head full of anti-Joker sentiments even as he was basking in his triumph.
A nearby laugh alerted Joker to the presence of his other passenger. The Scarecrow was literally having the time of his life. Poor demented Jonathan Crane inflicted terror for the sheer joy of frightening people. The Joker did it to achieve anarchy.
Life was a sad, sick, ironic joke that no one got but him. Batman came close to understanding it. He knew the violence inherent in the world, the demands of the strongest and cleverest to terrorize the weaker. He just hadn't become intimate with it.
Even poor Harley Quinn hadn't fully embraced this truth. Oh, she knew his true calling, that of a prophet. But she didn't understand the full ramifications of his message. The world was weak and deserved to die laughing at a joke they couldn't comprehend.
But Batman, he obsessed, Batman was so near the fullness of it that it made him quiver inside. Maybe tonight he would finally be enlightened. The city would tear itself apart and Batman would have to choice but to beat down the so-called "innocent" masses in order to restore the illusion that was called "order." Maybe he would finally embrace his inner darkness and release it in all of its glory!
"The gas will dissipate in a few minutes." The Scarecrow gleefully informed the Joker, "But its effects will last for at least four hours."
"Ooo-hoo! Plenty of time for this town to tear itself apart." The Joker was exultant.
The Joker's wrist comm buzzed and he answered it, "Hello, you've reached the Clown Prince of Crime."
The Clock King spoke, "Joker, you have four hours sixteen minutes and thirty-four seconds before the gas wears off. However, Wayne Pharmaceuticals mobilized the antidote sooner than expected. They should have achieved widespread distribution in four minutes. But more pressing is the fact that Batman should be making an appearance inside of one minute."
"You, the Penguin, and the Mad Hatter keep monitoring the emergency frequencies and keep me posted." The Joker ordered.
"Very well." The Clock King signed off.
"Joker!" Mo pointed to the sky. There, swinging in on grappling lines were Batman, Nightwing, and Robin.
The Joker checked the wrist comm's watch and then shook his head, "How does he do that?"
