Finally, the showdown with the Joker… it will be two posts long, this obviously being the first. So, here it is… you've all waited long enough… ENJOY!

-Part 14-

You Can Keep The Cowl

The loud screeching of breaks echoed inside the condemned building. Alfred peered out the window through a slit in the dirty curtains, his hands still uselessly bound to a chair. He caught sight of something, just a blur of black glinting in the moonlight.

"Batman." He breathed silently, not wanting to cause an uproar of excitement among the remaining hostages. Alfred began shifting nervously, fear for his young charge getting the better of him. His thoughts and movements soon came to an abrupt end, however, as the Joker crashed through the door. A giddy smiled danced on his lips as he skipped over to the silk bag. He jammed his hand into it and pulled out another random number.

"Number four… oh, what's this? A two for one special… price check…please!" Alfred cringed, it was one of the twins. The Joker leapt at the child, who did his best not to cry; his brother looked on in silence, too scared to speak. As the clown pulled out a pocket knife, Alfred mustered his courage. He would not let this maniac harm an innocent child. Everyone else had looked away in fearful acceptance, but someone needed to stop this senseless act.

The Joker moved to slit the boy's small throat, but the scream never came.

"Wait," Alfred's small but firm voice shattered the silence, not one ounce of regret could be seen in his eyes for speaking out. Gunfire erupted outside the door where the hostage were kept, Batman had finally arrived, and it was Batman that would now have to save him. "Take me instead." Alfred offered the bait, and the clown hungrily took it. The Joker released the boy with a shove and turned on the old man. Alfred resisted a shudder as one of the Joker's gloved hands wrapped itself around his throat, the other bore a knife that softly bit into the skin under his chin.

Suddenly, the door slammed open, causing everyone but the Joker to jump. The clown was too busy laughing as Batman strode out of the darkness. Bruce froze as he took in the sight of Alfred, who's very life now rested precariously in the hands of a mad man.

"Drop the knife and let him go, Joker." Batman roared, voice full of venom and fists shaking with rage. It took all his self control not to simply lunge at the Joker. The scene itself made him want to wrap his hands around that scrawny neck and squeeze until he felt the clown's neck snap, but he didn't. He knew that if he even moved, Alfred wouldn't stand a chance.

"So many demands, Bats… and you just got here. I'll… 'humor'… you. If I do let these poor souls go…Batman, what's in it for me?" He smiled charmingly, his words were smooth.

"They are like… like precious gems…barter for them, trade for them, save them… if you can!" The Joker ran a small blade along Alfred's chin and Bruce tightened with both fear and frustration. He knew what had to be done, and he knew it was the right thing to do. He would be the dark knight for these people, for Alfred. He would have to do the deed that, to him, seemed darker then any shadow that he had ever faced before. As dark as any nightmare he had ever been made to endure.

"Let them go, and… you can have…you can have me. I won't fight you, I'll give myself up freely. Just let them go." He growled in defiance. Bruce knew his body wouldn't be able to survive another severe beating, but if it was going to end here, at least it would be for the right reason, he would be saving lives. The room of hostages looked on in silence as the Batman bartered for their lives with his own. The Joker's smile grew wider, and Batman resisted slapping the grin right of the painted face.

"Oh playing the martyr, are you Batman? Aren't you valiant, they might as well just start calling you Christ… I can see it all now, Saint Batman. They will havet-shirts, holy cards, the real deal!" He paused for a good laugh until he was forced to grip his sides in pain. After sobering up enough, he continued. "You are willing to giveup you own life, your dignity, for a bunch of common bottom feeders. They do nothing but create problems for us. Well, for you… for me they will simply go back to ensuring that chaos will indefinitely run rampant." He licked his lips, it was a nervous twitch that had begun to get on Batman's last nerve.

"You see, it's all part of the plan… not my plan, I don't have one. The plan of… of the world. I could always use a few more fish in the sea to help spread mayhem. Its out of my hands really, I just do… kind of like you." The Joker reasoned in a sing song voice. Pleasure… he got pure unadulterated pleasure from this whole ordeal. It made Bruce sick.

"Don't compare us, Joker. We are two very different souls." He quipped, but the Joker only chuckled harder.

"So you say now, but give it time… you'll see. I'll show ya!" His gaze seemed distant and he suddenly pulled out another knife, tossing it to a blond haired man who was sitting alone in the corner. "Cut their bonds and let them go."

The man began walking over to Alfred, who the Joker was still standing next to, but the clown slapped the man's hands away.

"Not this one… them. I like this one… he's got… spunk." The Joker patted Alfred's head. Batman growled.

"All of them, Joker…"

"Fine, I'll just kill him and we will let the rest go…" He let the knife carve a little deeper into Alfred's neck, any deeper and…

"No… it's fine. Let him live." It didn't matter, help would be there soon… at least he hoped it would. He would just have to play by the rules, no matter how truly twisted they all seemed. After all the hostages, but one, were released and had fled, the Joker spoke.

"This wont do! You'll be… untouchable if you keep that on." The clown brandished his hand up and down in Batman's direction.

"There's an office at the end of the hallway. Take off your armor, Bats…" The clown smiled as the Batman stiffened, so he simply tightened his grip on Alfred, who did his best not to cringe. He failed horribly. Bruce dropped his head in defeat, but the Joker quickly responded, knowing what the Batman was thinking.

"You can keep your mask, and your secrets, Bats. I don't want to see your ugly mug just yet. Ha ha ha!" Bruce resisted decking the Joker, and with a final glance at his old friend, he reluctantly stormed off with a heavy heart, heading down the hallway to grant the Joker's request.

INTENSE!! Well, next post the mayhem really begins… and it will be a lot more violent, but until then, my lips are sealed! Hope you liked it… if you did let me know… If you didn't, let me know anyway :) leave a review!

Oh, and one more thing... if you do happen upon any mistakes in this chapter or a previous one… please don't hesitate to point them out stating what is wrong and where it is located! I want to fix all errors for future readers :)