Arkham Asylum
It didn't take Batman long to maneuver his way into the asylum. He passed the many cells that crowded the small space until he found a room at the end of the hallway marked, "Unknown."
Batman peered inside the glass window in the door. There he was, inside a Plexiglas cell, the Joker. He was seated crossed legged on top of a single bench, staring into the abyss.
Batman heaved the heavy metal door open. He walked closer to the glass cell. When Joker noticed his presence, he looked up and smiled.
"I knew you couldn't stay away. This…thing we have…it's almost…magnetic," Joker hissed as he fused his hands together.
"What do you know about the Holiday murders," Batman said, getting right to the point.
"Murders?" Joker tilted his head in a questioning matter, "You think I know anything about what's going on on the outside?"
Joker stood up and looked over at the wall squinting as if able to see through it. He twirled around, "I don't get the news in here... no, all they give me are back issues of Cosmo," Joker said leaning his face close to the glass. "Now if you want to know how to keep the flame going in any relationship, there… I might be able to help you."
Batman slammed his hand on the opposite side of the glass in front of the Joker's face. The Joker flinches only for a second. Joker straightens the collar of his jacket.
"You know, you can't put your hands on me in here," Joker said knocking on the glass, "You can't have one of those unethical interrogations that we both enjoy so much."
"What do you know about the Holiday murders?" Batman said, raising his voice.
"You have to keep it down in here," Joker said smacking his lips, "you're a wanted man, now."
"Just answer the question," Batman said.
"You can see right through me can't you," smiled Joker. He throws his hands up in defeat. "Alright, I know who is behind it, you know … the murders… if that helps," Joker said nonchalantly.
"Dent is in the center of this you know," Batman said.
"Dent?! You think its Dent?!" Joker shakes his head, "No... It's not Dent. You're looking at this the wrong way. See it through the eyes of the killer."
"You're a killer."
"And I can see it. It's not Harvey… it's not his style. He has the…coin thing. The half morals, all that jazz. This guy he's not passionate about it… he's trying too hard, he's got a gimmick, which makes him predictable. He has been killing… in a pattern that means he has a goal," said Joker
"How do you know it's a man?" questioned Batman.
"Women... when they kill they do it out of pure … emotion. They don't try to prove anything to anybody they just do it …and they're done. Men...they try to prove that they can beat the system and that they're better than their competitors, and this murderer… he's definitely got something to prove," the Joker said.
"Slade and Cain Maroni had a lot to prove, and now one is dead. Want to tell me why Slade was visiting you so often?" asked Batman.
"The Italian? He just wanted the insight of a genius," he said smirking and pointing to himself, "something daddy couldn't give'em. But you're not here to talk about some two-bit criminal… no, you wanna talk about the big boys," said Joker.
"Is that all?" said Batman losing his patience
"All I can say is… know your killer, stop dancing around the outside, you gotta get right into the gooey caramel center of this whole mess. And you better do it quick, time is awastin," Joker said standing up to pick up a magazine from a small pile in the corner. "Now … if you will be so kind. I need to read up on the top five ways to be a better kisser. The lipstick doesn't do everything for you, ya know," Joker said shaking the magazine at Batman.
Batman turns with a grunt and walks out of the room.