"Sir, we do have confirmation that Officer Hanretty was the second officer found by the GCPD." Oswald Cobblepot's assistant told him as he sat at his desk with a book on historical expeditions.

"Dammit! This Joker has torn everything apart." Oswald said, slamming his desk and ripping the book in half as he stood up and stood by his window that overlooked southern Main Street.

Officer Hanretty had been paid by Cobblepot and was currently his only inside man for the Gotham police. The pictures hadn't been released but on his body only, the Joker had written in blue paint, WASN'T THAT COLD? He got the message. Somehow, the Joker was targeting his men without any leaked information. The Iceberg was currently under renovation due to the Joker's shootout and he was forced to move into a secure penthouse where no one could find him or his most valuable crew members. The Joker had become a force to be reckoned with and he showed no signs of stopping. This man was insane and had no fear. His goal was to tear down everything the Cobblepot's had built and make it his own. Well, Oswald wasn't going to go down without a fight.

"Alright. I want you to gather all the best muscle we have and all the important and big hardware we have. I'm going to blow that clown out of the sky and send him to the dogs. I've had enough. I own this city! Not something goddamn mime who thinks he'll own the town by blowing up a few venues! I swear on my last breath, we're taking the fight to this laughing stock and I'll personally cut his head off with this damn cane! Nobody and I mean nobody messes with the Penguin! We're bringing the fight to him. Bust up his warehouse, kill his men, and bring me him alive!" Oswald screamed, his face turning blood red as he knocked his expensive lamp off its table and watching it shatter against the wall.

His assistant simply nodded and walked out of the office as calm as she could be. As she entered the elevator, she let herself breath and dialed one of Oswald's main arms dealers.

"Hello, it's Coraline from Mr. Cobblepot's personal office. He has requested your very best weapons at the moment and no, money is not a question." she said as the elevator door shut and she went to set up the plan.

"What's the plan for today, sir?" Alfred said as he saw Bruce in the cave still, his unwashed hair unkempt and his eyes fixated on the screens in front of him.

Bruce didn't reply and kept scanning through the pictures of Joker' victims.

"Sir?" Alfred said, leaning his head over the chair and trying to get his attention.

Still, Bruce didn't respond.

Alfred sighed and cleared his throat loudly, spinning the chair around and breaking Bruce's connection to the Joker.

"What, Alfred? I'm busy." Bruce said, rolling his eyes at his butler.

"You need to get out of the house, Master Bruce. You can't live a double life by staying in the shadows in both. Please do something. Visit Julie or..." Alfred began, getting a look from Bruce as he finished his sentence.

"Fine. I guess it'll be good. I need to thank Lucius for the new suit anyway." Bruce grunted in a tired manner.

As the both of them headed up the stairs, Alfred looked at Bruce and could see the look of despair in his eyes. He looked ten years older and acted like he hadn't slept in a month. The Joker had broken him down. Alfred held Bruce's shoulder and gave him a small nod. Bruce understood. He did need to get out. He would end up going insane become no different than the enemy. He had to find an escape.

"How are you, today?" Bruce asked as he walked inside Julie's penthouse apartment and gave her a hug.

"Good. How are you?" she replied with a smile and giving him a kiss.

She held his hand as they walked to the living room. Bruce took off his jacket and slung it over the love seat as he sat on the couch and she held his hands passionately. After a minute of staring into each other's eyes, she put her head against his chest and sprawled out, nestling her head against him. He played with her hair for a moment before she lifted her head up.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah. I'm fine, now." Bruce said with a smile, surprising himself because it was real.

"Good. I tell you it was bad there. But the Batman came and stopped him." Julie said.

Bruce rolled his eyes and gave a scoff while laughing.

"What? I'm serious! He really did! He's real." Julie said, slapping Bruce on the chest lightly.

"Okay. If you really think that a man would dress up in a bat suit and fight crime." Bruce laughed.

Julie lifted an eyebrow at Bruce and shook her head.

"I'm just saying. You really saw him? The Batman?"

"Yes! Well, no. But a couple of the people there saw him."

"Okay, whatever you say." Bruce said with a smile.

"We're going to kill every last one of them. They betrayed us and now, they will see what happens when you fuck with the Penguin." Cobblepot said as he tossed one of his men a machine gun and sent the twenty-seven men out of his office.

Coraline just stood behind him with her Bluetooth in her ear and the leader of the men on the phone to give her updates. She had been by Cobblepot's side for over six years and she had learned to deal with his strange and sometimes, brutal ways. But all in all, he was a business , a man who wasn't afraid to get his hands dirty and show his enemies that he wasn't afraid. He sat back in his seat and watched the two vans leave the property with haste.

"I don't think we've ever dealt with someone like that clown. He wants a massacre. He'll get one." Oswald said as he cracked his knuckles and straightened his tie.

"Sir, may I ask a question?" Coraline asked in a hesitant tone.

Oswald turned around in his chair and gave her a puzzled look.

"Why do this in the daylight? It'll be harder for them to disappear." she continued.

"I don't know if you've paid attention but I have." Oswald said, standing up and looking out the window of his penthouse.

"The Batman only comes out at night. I highly doubt he'd change his rules. Anyways, we have too much firepower. If he would try anything, those weapons would blow him away. I can promise that. We'll deal with him eventually but we need too draw this freak out and make his pride get him killed." Oswald said.

"That's a smart plan, sir." Coraline replied.

"Thank you. Believe me, tonight... it's all coming to a head."

"But it is dusk out. he'll probably be out in an hour or two. What if he tries to-." Coraline began.

"If he tries anything, we'll take him out too. Two birds with one stone." Oswald said.

"I'm thinking about starting at a bank. What do you think?"