Back again, from a long hiatus!

This is chapter 9 of the Arkham Files story. In this chapter, Doctor Jeremiah Arkham slowly recovers from his toxic infatuation from Poison Ivy, however it seems as though he will not get a moment of peace yet, as The Joker's plane is attacked by the Batwing. Whilst The Doctor slowly tries to mock and talk down some of the rogues from helping the Joker, the situation looks bleaker as The Joker reveals his true colours…

Sorry it has been so long, I have been incredibly lately and I think it will continue until around Christmas at the latest unfortunately. I'm going to try to finish this story before then and bring everything to a nice finish, though I might be delayed in the chapters so please bear with me in terms of time in order to write this story. Reviews and feedback are what motivate me into continuing the story, so feel free to leave some feedback for this latest instalment!

Taped Journal entry 2, date unknown and place is still a freight plane owned by the Joker. Subject; whether I will actually survive Joker's latest antics. I've recovered from Ms. Ivy's poisonous spores, and I'm no longer under the witch's spell, thanks to the Boy Wonder. However, he didn't need to hit me so hard over the head, it looked as though there was blood pouring out slightly whilst I was asleep. Fortunately, it seemed to have stopped and now my mind is clear, though Robin still looks gravely injured as he hasn't moved at all since I was knocked out. As I slowly arose from the bottom of the birdcage, Harley Quinn and the Riddler entered the room as if on cue, or if they knew somehow that I had awoken. Riddler was waving his cane around and looked very pleased with himself, just like his usual smug self, whilst Harley Quinn was performing backflips as she came towards the cage. Nigma lowered the rope and the two criminals began to taunt me even more of what was happening;

"Patient Interview 1, subject's name is Jeremiah Arkham, also known as Schizo Jerry by Warden Joker. In the room is myself, DR. Harleen Quinzel, and fellow psychologist DR. Edward Nigma, as well as fellow patient, The Boy Blunder. Jerry, Warden Joker has informed me that you have been giving threats to the other doctors, again…Is there a reason to your delusional exploits?"

"They do seem very pretentious…Very unnecessary and slightly pitiful…Are they simply a cry for help Jerry?"

I couldn't believe that these two fools were masquerading as doctors; Nigma didn't care for anyone but himself and Harley had become what she always tried to save. They were just lost causes, well, aside from possibly Harley. Apart of me felt sorry for her, as she was clearly just doing all of this to win The Joker's attention, whilst Nigma was just doing this because he was likely bored with the other villains. Robin had fully awoken and began to slowly move towards the edge of the cage, towards where Harley and Nigma were sitting. I suppose now was the best chance to talk them out of working with the Joker, and perhaps saving myself, as well as Robin.

"Edward, how much is Joker paying you? Whatever he is paying you, I can double it!"

"Oh please, patient Arkham, do not group me with the lower class of criminals whom just want profit over strength and knowledge. What Joker offers me is so much more than anything someone like you, could even dare to bribe me with…"

"Now, now Jerry, you can't attempt to escape by bribing the doctor! Let's continue on with Doctor Nigma's previous diagnosis…Why do you do what you do? You know as much as we do that we will never change the way that we are, we were born this way. Why do you isolate the part of yourself that despises the civilised society you live in, and force yourself to obey the rules of old fools whom place their trust in a man who dresses like a bat?"

"Harleen…Why are you doing this? I knew you when you were a respected fellow doctor at the asylum…You were bright and you were dying to cure the inmates; you were driven at the job. Now you've let yourself degenerate to their levels, you had a greater life but now you pursue mayhem and chaos just to win the affection of a crazed clown. Does he even…Return the love? How do you know that he actually…Loves you?"

"Don't you dare judge me! You don't even know what Mr J is really like! What we have is…Special…And once we get rid of Bat-Brain and Poobin, we can fly off into the sunset!"

"And do what? Sit in rocking chairs whilst watching your children run off with acid guns, then bake cookies for them and grow old with that maniac? He will never be cured Harley…He lives just to pass on pain onto anyone around him, whether they know it or not. And you are one of those people Harley…Ask yourself, why are you sitting here in the cold with us instead of being with Joker?"

For a moment, I thought I got to her, she was very quiet for a while and she sat wondering whether what I had told her was true. Robin looked pleased behind me however Nigma was now standing, agitated as to whether or not to trust Harley anymore, and he began waving his cane around again. Whilst Harley sat on the floor whispering to herself, Robin gathered up his strength and was slowly trying to open up the door with one of the devices on his belt, however our lucky ran out as he entered the room.

"Knock knock! Who's there? Batsy! Batsy? Oh crap! Batman's here! Riddler, be a pal and find the rocket launcher for me won't you? *Sigh* Air travel these days, they never are relaxing are they? The terrible food, the lack of space and above all, the slight chance that you might be blown sky high by a deranged lunatic who just looks like a dashing clown!"

"Puddin', what do you want me to do?"

"Er, um…Sit and look pretty! I've got a feeling that-"

Before the madman could even finish his taunts and manipulation on the poor woman, the plane was rocked and turned very sharply, as another plane had hit us…Finally, the Joker was about to be caught, and we were about to be saved. The birdcage rocked even more and the rope keeping it hanging in the air almost snapped, but my attention was drawn to the crooks, as Joker had grabbed Harley and used her to soften his landing as everyone was tossed around the plane. It stopped rocking and the sounds of a jet were very loud, and Nigma had returned to the storage area, with Dent and Croc. Dent had a large rocket launcher that he wanted to keep to himself, or themselves, and smashed open one of the plane windows with the end of the launcher. The idiot, he didn't realise that he caused decompression in the plane, but somehow Joker and Dent were still standing whilst everyone else had fallen onto the ground. Joker was looking out of the other window at something and kept on shouting taunts towards pretty much everyone in the room, until Dent had the rocket launcher ready;

"I thought I saw a Batman!"

"I did! I did, I did, I did! I saw a Batman!"

"Not for long, he's going to have his wings clipped!"

Joker was as usual making fun out of the situation as in secret, he was worried about The Batman's intervention in his scheme, until Dent and Two Face intervened and fired onto Batman. Did it work? Was the Batman…Hurt?

"Oh…I don't see a Batman anymore…Hahahahahahaha!"

"BATMAN!"

An explosion rang out, and the only noise that was louder was Robin screaming out for his mentor. My hope ran out upon hearing the explosion, and it became clear that if I was going to get out of the situation, I was going to have to do it myself. Robin was now on his feet though he wrapped his right arm around his left ribcage, and Joker began skipping towards us whilst ensuring that he was the only person in control.

"Eddie, Harl', we're done here, you two should keep an eye on ol' crockers! I pray that he hasn't opened up another crate of alcohol! Haha!"

"What about us Joker?"

"In time Harv', in time…So how does it feel Bat Jr.? That everything you've grown up to understand and love will soon be destroyed by the actions of dear old me! I hope that you're ready little tike, what I've got in store for you is going to be crazy! I don't know what I'd have more fun doing; that or just giving you a wedgie from those terrible tights! Though, you won't be needing them soon…"

"Screw you, you maniac! You won't have killed Batman, and when he gets here, you'll pay…You'll pay…"

Robin was grinding his teeth with anger and had both of his hands shaking the birdcage, whilst Joker simply grinned at the innocent boy, and his golden yellow teeth sent shivers down my spine, He truly had constructed a lengthy and complicated plan that will no doubt destroy many lives across Gotham, possibly Ethiopia and who knows where else. But despite everything, his attention mainly fixated on Robin, that was until he looked across the room and saw Jervis making more mind control hats. Before he could walk over and take one for him to use, Dent and Two Face began speaking to the sadistic clown;

"What are you doing, you fool? We gotta make sure that the Bat is dead! Send Croc out into the ocean to check for the wreckage, or land this damn plane so we can go back into hiding! The Bat wasn't involved in our plan…What's going on Joker?"

"Harvey, Harvey, Harvey…You worry too much, seriously it's getting to you. I mean, just look at the mirror; the anger has ripped apart of your face off! Oh wait…That's just your 'inner beauty' now isn't it! Hahahahahooohahaha!"

"You ignorant maniac!"

After the heated insults, Two Face brought out two pistols and aimed them at Joker, who was clearly taken by surprise and held his hands firmly in the air as he walked slowly backwards. Two Face unleashed a grin that made its way through both of their faces, and he forced Joker to walk right to the back of the storage area.

"It was always going to end like this…We always wanted to make you pay clown!"

"Come on Harvey, old pal, sure there were bad times between us but there were also good times! Remember the night where I turned up to your court hearing with Falcone and helped give him the acid? It opened up your true self! And what about that spot of bother with the Calendar Man? I definitely helped you with real estate! Oh, and what about that night back at the asylum, where I looked you in the showers with Zsasz, and left the water running all night long? He had more then just a rubber duck! Hahahahahahah!"

At this point, Joker couldn't walk anymore as he was pushed up onto Tetch's table, and he nearly fell onto the mind control hats. As Two Face aimed the pistol in his left hand at Joker's face, Joker kicked Two Face with his right leg, forcing the gun out of Dent's hands and into the air, then the Joker placed his left hand onto the good side of Dent's face, which was a brutal action as Joker unleashed his joy buzzer onto Dent's face. By now, Two Face was defeated and on the floor, screaming in pain at the burning on his face, whilst Joker giggled and grabbed one of the hats, then placed it on Two Face's head. He stopped screaming, and quickly stood up on both of his feet whilst staring blankly at the Joker, without any expression in his face. Joker couldn't stop laughing as his fellow criminal turned adversary was forced to bear the pain, and follow the every command of the Joker. Joker grabbed a smaller hat from the table, and made sure that it was the right hat for him to command Dent with, as he laughed and turned back to me and Robin.

Two Face picked up the dropped pistol and walked forward towards the cage with Joker, whom was walking towards the cage in his usual crazy manner, and returned to the taunts and threats;

"Well well Doctor, it seems that a talent truly lies underneath all of the psychotic madness in the Hatter's brain! Just think, the lives of hundreds, no thousands, no millions! The lives of millions of people around the globe, all under the mind control of little ol' me! It…It…It draws a tear to me eye!"

"You won't get away with this! Batman will find you! And he'll-"

"Oh birdboy please! Batsy couldn't even beat me when he was alive! You talk too much…I'll remember that later when we land, which will be very soon! Now if you will excuse your captain…I think the others want to join the same fate as Toothy over there! Say your prayers doc, everything you believe in will soon be destroyed by the push of a button! The endless possibilities, the everlasting chaos and the eternal destruction all styled and controlled by the Clown Prince of Crime…It's a beautiful thought! Hahahahahahahahahahhehehehah ahahhahahahahaha!"

With that promise, he ran out of the room with a dozen of hats as Dent loaded his pistols, and the sounds of the other inmates screaming could be heard; obviously Joker had initiated the next part of his plan…Robin was very agitated after all of this, and he was rattling the cage as fast as possible, but it was pointless; the Joker had a large array of mind control at his disposal, a small army of supervillains all oblivious to his plans and the Batman…Possibly dead…