Chapter Eleven

I can't believe it. It doesn't even make sense. Groaning, I sink back to the ground. My shoulder feels broken and so does by heart. I've failed. The Joker has escaped. I failed to save Huntress. What will he do now? I failed to enact my vengeance against the Joker. What will he do to Huntress? To my city? I have failed. Batman's voice comes to me over the communicator. No, the sound isn't coming from my gauntlet, but from behind me, over me. The Batman is here. With his help, I regain my feet, crying out in pain as he touches my shoulder. Few can stand the Dark Knight's dark gaze. I am one of the few. But right now, I can't bear to look at him. Can't bear to see the look of anger, of disappointment. What am I thinking? It's as if I am Robin again. But I'm not. I am Nightwing and the Batman is not my father. My father was murdered. Both my parents were; the Batman only took me in. The Joker's words echo in my head. "Oh, that's right, your daddy's dead. The bat just took you in to use you and turn you into one of his own." I had told him he was lying. Was he?

Without a word, Nightwing stepped past Batman, walking back the way he had come, defeat heavy upon his shoulders. The Dark Knight was only a step behind him.

"What are you doing?" he growled.

Nightwing glanced back at him; his eyes hollow and said not a word.

Batman made a sound in his throat as if he were disgusted. "You've given up."

"What choice do I have?"

"The choice you've always had. To battle on even when you're beaten and bloody."

"I'm tired. I'm tired of being defeated, of being so close to victory and having it snatched away. I'm tired of the Joker always winning."

"That block must have hit you in the head. You say you're tired of Joker winning? So what, you're going to let him?"

Anger replaced apathy, like the restless calm being driven out by the raging storm. "How can you be so blind? He's beaten us! Thwarted me at every turn! Ever since I was a kid, he's always won! You might beat him for a little while, but he would always come back stronger than before. He's left me with scars. And not just scars across my body. My mind and soul are tired of always fighting, always struggling, never finding peace. I just want to be done with him, one way or the other."

Silence stretched between them for a few moments before Batman replied. "Fine. You want to leave Gotham to that madman, leave Huntress to his evil clutches? Fine. If it will give you peace then take off that mask right now. Take off your mask and walk away. I'll never ask you to come back. You're done."

I turn away, anger coursing through my veins. My head feels like it's going to explode. I'm angry, tired, unable to give up, so desperate to give in. Will it give me peace? I know it won't. I know that the only way I'll find peace is if I do what I said. I have to be done with the Joker one way or the other. One of us has to die, which means I'll win or die trying. I have to return to the fray once more. Only once more. It's time for the final battle. It's either Joker or me now. One of us will die. I turn back to the Dark Knight and we stare each other down.

Finally, Nightwing spoke. "Joker's long gone by now. Did you find Gordon?"

"Yes. He got away."

"Good. Then we should return to the cave. We have some planning to do."

"Beautiful insanity," Joker murmured, grinning as he stepped behind the sentry and slit his throat, long and slow, savoring the scream before it was cut off. Another guard came running and one of the Joker's men shot him, the man collapsing to the ground. Stepping over the corpses, Joker led the way through the gate into Arkham Asylum. They crossed the yard unopposed and Joker skipped the last few steps to the door where he knocked loudly before leaning against the wall. The door opened and Joker stuck his gun around the corner and pulled the trigger. The gunshot echoed down the hallway and the madman pushed the wounded security guard out of his way as he walked past, the man falling to the floor. A gunshot behind him caused him to smile through the perpetually grinning mask of his face. That man wouldn't rise again.

"Well, come on out, nothing to fear, my friend." Joker made a wide gesture, holding the door to the cell open. Scarecrow stepped into the hallway and Joker held out a mask like a burlap sack with eyeholes and a stitched mouth. "I picked this up on the way here. I hope you like it."

Scarecrow pulled his mask over his face. "I admit, I was beginning to wonder if you would ever show up."

Joker wore a look of mock indignation. "Me? Not show up to my own party? This is a rather fantastic place, isn't it? I like it. It's so… me. Besides," he said, throwing his arm around Scarecrow's shoulder, "I never leave a friend behind. Apparently not stupid allies either since you're no friend."

Laughing, Joker pushed Scarecrow out of his way, prancing down the hallway before turning back to him, still walking backwards. "My men are even now taking this place over. This isn't a rescue; this is a change of authority. This place is now mine, mine and all mine."

"Good," Scarecrow replied, his thin, clear voice in drastic comparison with the Joker's wild one. "Are they releasing my men as well?"

"Naturally. Together, our forces are doubled. What with that and our new hideout, as well as some extra special leverage, I don't see what our batty enemies plan to do. Whatever they decide, what fun it will be."

"Where would he have gone?"

Bruce laughed. "Where wouldn't he have gone? The Joker seems to find refuge in ever inch of this city."

A scowl crossed Dick's face and he leaned against the wall, his arms folded. "True enough. So where do we go from here?"

Leaning back in his chair, Bruce pondered the question. "Gordon's fine, he wasn't given a dose of the gas so he has a few injuries to recover from but he'll be okay. Joker still has Huntress, which isn't good no matter which way you look at it. Not only that, but her mind is slowly slipping away, replaced by whatever madness is eating away at her. So whatever we do, it must be done quickly."

A spark of hope interrupted the dismal thought. "I overheard Joker and his men talking and Huntress seems to be putting up a good fight. Joker seemed to think that she should have gone insane by now, but she hasn't and that angered him which is why he unknowingly led me to her." Dick trailed off, thinking. He led me straight to her and I still couldn't save her.

Bruce stood and moved to the case that held his armor, the mask by far the most prominent feature.

"What are you doing?" Dick asked.

"I need to check on Gordon."

"You said he was fine."

Bruce turned to look at Dick over his shoulder. "Think. Gordon was held prisoner by the Joker. Not very long, but he might have some clues as to the Joker's next move."

Nodding, Dick grabbed his mask from the desk, never having removed his costume, his interest suddenly piqued. "I'll come with you."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, beats sitting around here waiting for you. I'm done with that and there aren't any other leads."

Bruce nodded and opened the bulletproof glass case and removed his armor. Within minutes they were ready to move out. "What do you think of the gauntlets?" Batman asked as they walked across the cave toward a dark silhouette.

"Considering I'm able to punch things even with jacked up thumbs, I'd say they're serving their purpose."

"What about the extra capabilities?"

An image flared across Nightwing's mind, a grappling hook wrapping around a man's throat. The sound of the body hitting the ground lingered in his ears. He shook himself, willing the memory to leave him. Shrugging, he said, "They work."

A light pierced the darkness and the Dark Knight scowled in confusion. "What's going on?" Nightwing asked, gazing up at the light they were swiftly moving towards, their vehicle a dark form drifting through the darkness.

"I don't know," Batman growled. "But I know what it means."

Nightwing knew all too well what it meant. There was trouble afoot. The form of a bat could be seen projected into the clouds, a halo of ghostly light surrounding it.

Police Commissioner Gordon stood on the rooftop, gazing up at the bat illuminated in the heavens. Turning, he jumped backwards, his heart racing. "I'll never get used to that," he muttered under his breath, annoyed.

"What's going on?" the Dark Knight asked, his cape billowing out behind him. "Why did you call us here?"

"Us?" Gordon asked, his eyebrows rising.

"Is it connected with the Joker?" inquired Nightwing, stepping out from behind Batman, the cloak having provided ample concealment. He had forgotten how fun that was.

Gordon's surprise turned into a darker mood as he gestured widely. "Of course it has to do with the Joker. What doesn't these days? But you're not going to believe what happened."

"Try me," Batman growled.

Gordon hesitated before pointing into the distance. "Joker has taken over Arkham Asylum. He's freed the inmates and turned it into a fortress."

Nightwing felt his head reel. Whatever he'd been expecting, it wasn't that. Even Batman was taken aback. Most people wouldn't notice the change in his mood, but Nightwing saw it.

"Well," Gordon asked, his tone rising, "what are we going to do?"

Nightwing was wondering the same thing. It was hard enough to get into Arkham Asylum without it being defended by perhaps ten times the number of guards, all of them the Joker's men. He couldn't imagine a worse situation.

"That's not all," Gordon continued. "Scarecrow and his men were locked away there as well. We have every reason to assume they've joined forces."

Nightwing threw up his hands in disbelief and stalked away, resting his hands on the low wall that surrounded the rooftop; he gazed at the lights below without really seeing anything. Batman and Gordon were talking, but he was only vaguely listening, his mind churning like the raging ocean. Suddenly he spun around, interrupting whatever they had been discussing. "Was everyone connected with Arkham there at the time?"

"Probably not," Gordon replied, still somewhat shocked at the sudden interruption.

"Nightwing, what are you thinking?" Batman asked.

"We need to find someone, a high ranking staff member or better yet, one of the people who designed the building."

"I don't…" Gordon began.

"What if there's a secret entrance?" Nightwing said, cutting him off. "It wouldn't surprise me with a place like Arkham Asylum."

Gordon appeared incredulous, but Batman was obviously following Nightwing's trail of thought.

"It wouldn't even have to be secret exactly," Nightwing continued. "Just something that Joker wouldn't know about. Or maybe even a sewer tunnel or maintenance hatch."

Turning to Gordon, Batman said, "Get your men to look into this, but only people you trust. Any word that leaks out could put the mission in danger. We'll be looking as well. You know how to contact us if you find anything."

Gordon nodded and pulled a switch, realizing for the first time that the spotlight was still on. By the time he turned around, the vigilantes were gone. "I hate it when they do that," he grumbled.