*Chapter 3: No Way Out*

After Oracle disabled the countermeasure system of the Batmobile, both Batman and Mia rush to the gates as the security guards are patrolling in the guard towers above them. They made it outside the Intensive Treatment building where the Batmobile is still parked. Mia's car is seen parked on the other side. Batman and Mia see Joker's thugs giving damage to Batman's car, hitting it with pipes and baseball bats. Mia was told to wait while Batman charges at the men and gave them each a beating. Mia watched her hero punching each of the thugs. After they were taken care of, Mia walked over to her car and couldn't believe her eyes.

"Are you kidding me?!" She cried out, kneeling down to see her tires flat. "They slashed my tires!"

"Joker thinks you are going to leave the island." Batman said, taking something out of the trunk of his Batmobile. The explosive gel. "Don't worry, Mia. You and Dr. Raymond will leave once we find Gordan." He turned to see Mia running down to the closed gates. "Mia!" He followed her. Mia's arm went through the other side of the gate and lift up the padlock. Whoever was the last one leaving the asylum didn't want Batman or Mia to leave. They are trapped.

"Dammit! How do we get out of here when this is all over?" Mia asked, turning away from the gate. "What is Joker planning?" Batman held her shoulders to calm her like he always does. Mia looked up at him.

"There's always a way out." He told her. "Trust me on this. Just stay with me. Do what I tell you whenever there is trouble. This island is gonna be dangerous. We have to find Commissioner Gordan." Mia took a deep breath and nodded. There are more problems around this island than trying to find a way out of here. She will be back home.
They walked back to the Batmobile that had some dents. Batman uses his detective mode to find any trace of Jim. Mia picked up the unconscious thug's pocket knife. She made a glare as she thought of him stabbing the tires of her car. She took the knife and put it in her pocket. She has to defend herself at some point. Batman picked up a pipe. It was Jim's pipe. He would never leave it.

"You think he's alive?" Mia asked. Batman found a trail of tobacco. Wild Country.

"He left me a trail. He's smarter than he looks." Batman said, handing the pipe over to Mia to hold for him. "Stay close to me."

"Always." Mia said with a small smile.

"Oracle. I found a pipe. It has your father's initials carved on it." Batman said.

"It was a birthday gift I gave him last year. There's no way he'd leave it." Oracle's voice said. Mia hears her voice through her earbud.

"Exactly. He's left me a trail to follow. He's alive, Barbara!"

"We'll find him, Barb." Mia said.

"Mia?"

"I have my reasons to help Batman. We'll give you an update if anything happens." Mia said.

"Well you be careful. You really don't have experience." Oracle said. Batman and Mia were about to follow the trail as they hear Joker's voice throughout the asylum. They will be hearing him all night.

"Anyone seen the big bad Bat? I warn you. He may look like an idiot and talk like an idiot, but don't let that fool you. He really is an idiot." Joker laughed through the announcements. Batman ignored the comments as always while Mia rolls her eyes. Joker isn't trying to be funny, or at least he is trying to. Insulting Batman won't do any good. The duo continued to follow the trail.

XX

They reached the Medical building as the trail lead the duo to the doors. Jim had to be inside. Joker's men are guarding the outside. Batman threw a batarang at one of them and fought each one. But Mia was spotted by one who wraps an arm around her neck. Mia struggled and got the knife out to stab his thigh. The man let out a yell and release the nurse. Mia was then smacked by the other man, making her fall to the ground. Batman sees this and broke the man's arm and knock him out as he did the same with the other. Mia rubbed her cheek with a groan. Batman helped her up, looking at her face. Her cheek is red.

"Are you okay?" He asked. At least Mia isn't badly injured. Still he couldn't help but to worry about her.

"Yes, but geez. That man smacks hard." Mia said. "Thank you."

"Mia, if there is any safe place-"

"No. I'm fine. I can handle it. The sooner we find Jim and my boss, the better. We'll be leaving this island." Mia said. She took the pocket knife out of the man's thigh and followed Batman inside the Medical building.

Harley was sitting behind the locked door, humming to herself. She turned her head to see Batman and Mia walk through the hall and stood in front of the blocked entrance. Batman glared at her.

"Hey! Scram, Bats! This is my me time." Harley said.

"Where's Gordon?" Batman demanded.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Harley asked, twirling one of her pigtails.

"Over here!" Jim's voice called from one side.

"Shut up!" Harley shouted, throwing a coffee mug at the captured commissioner.

"Ah, you crazy bitch!" Jim grunted. Mia tried to peek to see him, but couldn't due to the blocked entry. A tv screen came on and revealed Joker.

"Harley!" He called. Harley gasped and walked over to the screen. "What's he doing here? It's too early!"

"Too early for what?" Mia wondered. "To rescue a friend?"

"I'm sorry puddin'! Don't be angry with me!" Harley said, giving a screen a kiss. Mia scoffed, turning away from the scene.

"You little minx. I can never stay mad at you." Joker chuckled before the tv went off. Harley turned back to Batman and Mia.

"Sorry B-man and Harlow! You'll have to find another way. Bye-bye now!" Harley made a backflip and disappeared to the right corner. Mia couldn't find another way to get inside.

"This way's blocked. Better search outside for another way in." Batman said. He turned to Mia. "I'll come back for you. Wait here." Mia nodded and watch him leave the building. Mia held a pocket knife. She prayed no patient or anyone would barge in to attack her.

"You okay, Jim?" Mia called.

"Been through worse." Jim replied. "Thought you'd be out of here."

"Well, my tires are flat and I still need to find Dr. Raymond. He's somewhere on this island. Once he's found, we're going back home." Mia said. "I won't be coming back here ever again after this is over." She heard Jim laugh.

"Gotta give you credit, you've got guts for coming here every once in a while whenever that doc needs help." Jim said. "But, sometimes extra money ain't worth it. Arkham ain't safe for anyone." Mia couldn't help but to smile. She remembered coming here two years and first met the Joker. Honestly, coming to this island to learn more about the criminals Batman fought over the years made her prepared. In case she ever does run into the ones she never met yet, she will be ready. But most of them left the island since Joker took over.
Suddenly, Jim's voice turns into yelling as Joker's men walked in and took him away. Mia watched helplessly as she stood on the other side of the entrance. She had to get inside and find him.

"Commissioner?" Batman's voice called.

"Batman! Let me in!" Mia said as she sees the Dark Knight walk over to the panel. He needs a code to unlock the door. Mia told him what code to put in since she has been mostly put in the Medical building whenever she comes to Arkham Asylum to treat patients. After it is unlocked, Mia walked over to Batman. "They already took him. We have to hurry." She said.

"I want all the doctors rounded up. Search every inch of the Medical building." Joker's voice said through the building. "I mean it. Search every room, every office, and every trash can. If another doctor tries to run and gets out of the building, then you won't! I'll just flood the rooms with happy gas and leave you to die. Hell, I may do that anyway. Sounds fun."

"Now he wants the doctors?" Mia wondered. She and Batman ran through the halls and found the locked doors that lead to the Sanatorium. Batman grappled up to one of the vents. Mia knows the drill and had to wait. This is not how she wanted to spend her whole night after her work is done. She could rest at home all week.

XX

"Hello? Is there a doctor in the house? No? Pity. I seem to have a pile of wounded henchmen that need medical attention." Joker's voice said after Batman took out some of the armed men. Batman took the pipe out from the door handles and let Mia inside the Sanatorium.

"You're safe now." Batman told the doctors. Mia walked over to the doctor with red hair in a bun.

"Nurse Harlow? What're you doing here?" She asked.

"Long story. But, have you seen Dr. Raymond?" Mia asked.

"No. I haven't." The doctor said. "I don't know what happened. One minute we were doing our evening rounds, and the next, armed thugs burst into the room and took us hostage."

"Did they have anyone with them?" Batman asked her.

"They took someone into the elevator. I couldn't tell who it was." The doctor replied.

"They obviously didn't want to be followed." Batman said, looking at the elevator. "The elevator appears to have been powered down. You're going to be okay here."

"We're gonna be fine." The doctor said.

"What about the others?" The other doctor said. He is bald and has a gray beard. "We heard gunfire. They could be dead! We should go and help." Batman and Mia were told by the female doctor that Dr. Kellerman was in the Observation Room and Dr. Chen went to the Surgery Room. Dr. Young went to X-Ray. Batman will have to find them and bring them back to Sanatorium. Mia got two doctors free from the chairs and turn to Batman.

"Wait here. I'm going to find the doctors." He told her.

"Don't you want help?" Mia asked.

"I'll handle it. Stay here with the doctors." Batman said before walking away. Mia watched him walk down to get to the door that lead to the rooms of where the doctors were held. Mia checked her phone and see time is going by quick. Eleven-thirty. And no recent calls. She hoped that Jim and Dr. Raymond are alive. After the doctors are rescued, she and Batman will have to continue to follow Jim's trail.

"You alright, nurse?" The male doctor asked.

"Yeah. I'm fine. Just tired." Mia said. She walked away from the doctors to get to the rooms and found one at the end with a wheelchair against the wall. Mia frowned a bit as she stares at the wheelchair. Her adoptive father is in one. Paralyzed from the waist down since the marines. But he took care of Mia since he and his wife adopted her. What they don't know is that Bruce Wayne is Batman. No way they will ever find out.

Batman walked in the X-Ray section to rescue Dr. Young. He could hear her voice in the closed off walls. He figured the door is locked. Joker's thugs are inside with her, armed with guns. Batman uses the Explosion Gel on the walls as the thugs were speaking to the doctor. He hid behind the wall and press the button and the gels explode.

"No! Please, no!" Dr. Young's voice cried out as she shields herself. But Joker's men were knocked out. Batman came in, walking over the unconscious bodies. "What's going on? They were talking like they were in control. Is it true that Joker escaped?" Dr. Young asked.

"Unfortunately yes. But not for long." Batman replied.

"I'd been studying Joker's case for months when he broke out. The Warden was very specific he wanted Joker cured." Dr. Young said.

"Bad publicity will affect his campaign for Mayor."

"That'll be the least of his... God, I almost forgot. They said they were moving through the facility, hunting down the other doctors!"

"I know. I've got two more rooms to search and then all the staff will be safe." Batman told her. "You stay here." He turned away to exit the X-Ray. Little did he know, Dr. Young made a worried expression on her face. She can't stay here.

XX

"Boss, it's done. The room is full of gas and Captain Hook is stuck in there." A thug said, holding up a walkie talkie. Thing is, Razor didn't get out in time. He's stuck in there too!"

"Well, that will teach him not to dilly-dally. Don't let anyone out of there. Even Razor. He's failed me and I don't like failures." Joker replied from the talkie.

"Yeah, sure, boss. He was slowing us down anyway!" A thug replied.

"Don't cry, Cash." The second thug taunted. "You're right where we want you." Cash glared at the two behind the glass of the Observation Room. He hits the window with his fist.

"I'm gonna get out of here and you're gonna wish you were back in your cell." He said.

"Whatever, chump." The thug laughed. Then, Batman ran up from behind and slam their heads on the glass to knock them out cold. Cash smirked. Batman turned to him.

"Cash, what happened?" Batman asked.

"There was an alarm in Medical." Cash replied. "I heard someone shouting and found the-" Cash stopped when one thug got up. "Batman, behind you!" Just as Batman turned around, the thug was then hit hard in the head by a crowbar. He fell to the ground. Mia made a smirk, holding the crowbar. "Nurse Harlow." Cash said.

"What are you doing here?" Batman asked.

"Figured you could use my help. And I see Cash is trapped in there with the doctor." Mia said.

"We can't get out of here. There's gas out there." Cash told her.

"Ooh! Nurse Harlow joins the party after all!" Joker laughed. "Afraid she would miss everything out." Mia didn't speak to him as Batman grappled up to the vent.
Batman uses his batarangs to turn on the power fans to get rid of Joker's gas. Razor was hanging on the rope, but the batarang cuts the rope and the man fell into one room.

"All three fans are green. We've got full power. Room should be empty anytime now." Cash said.

"Surprise, surprise. Batman arrives just in the nick of time. Next time, Cash, I'll just shoot you and be done with it." Joker spoke.
Cash kicked the doors open and the doctor rushed out, coughing. Mia walked in the room and check on Cash and the doctor as Batman approached them.

"You two okay?" Mia asked.

"Peachy." Cash smirked. "Glad you're alive and well yourself."

"Wait here. I have one more room to search for the last doctor." Batman told them. But Mia followed him. "It means you too."

"Batman, let me help you. Helping the doctors and finding Jim isn't gonna be easy for you. Let me help you, and you help me find Dr. Raymond." Mia said. Batman wanted to argue, but he knows how much Mia wanted to help him look for Jim and her boss, and the three will leave this island while Batman will take care of the rest. Mia can defend herself. She has a knife with her.

"Things could get worse." Batman told her. "You sure you can handle it until then?"

"How bad can it be?" Mia asked with a smirk as they exit out of the room. She picked up the crowbar. Batman didn't say anything. He's afraid it could get worse later on. Especially for Mia.

XX

They walked inside the Surgery Room and ahead of them is Dr. Chen, strapped on the chair. Batman approached him as Mia stood on the other side.

"Don't speak." Mia told him.

"But, it's a trap!" Dr. Chen said.

"I know. Just not for me." Batman said with a glare as he looked up at the tv screens as Joker appeared on them.

"It's true! You really are the world's greatest detective. How did you do that, Bats?" Joker asked, acting amazed. "Oh, what the hell? Get down there, boys! See if he can detect being punched in the face!" Joker's thugs jumped down. Batman fought them off while Mia tries to get Dr. Chen free from the chair. But she was grabbed by a man with tattoos. Mia grabbed a crowbar and hit him hard in the head. "Ouch! That's gotta leave a mark!" Joker laughed as he watched.

"Where are you, Joker?" Mia demanded.

"Aww, somebody misses me." Joker giggled.

"Come here!" One thug said, grabbing Mia arms and threw her down to the floor. Mia rolled and got the knife out, but the thug kicked it away from her hand. Before he could touch her, Mia kicked him between his legs, making him howl in pain. As his head is down, her knee was contacted, nearly breaking his nose. Batman turned and saw a man now holding his face, his nose is bleeding. He gave Mia a small smirk.

"Huh. It worked after all." Mia said, rubbing her knee. "Hurts, but it worked."

"Don't get too full of yourself, Bats." Joker spoke. "I'm just softenin' ya up! Think of this as a preview to the main event. You'll see!" Batman and Mia got Dr. Chen free from the chair. Now all three doctors are safe. Now back to find the trail of Jim.

"Did you find them? Are they okay?" A red head doctor asked as Batman and Mia walked back to the Sanatorium. Cash and Dr. Young walked behind them. Dr. Young told Batman she needs to get back to the mansion. She claims that she has research notes and Joker can't have them.

"What's in those notes?" Mia wondered.

"It's my life's work!" Dr. Young said, almost in a panic voice.

"It's not safe doctor. The island is a war zone. You won't stand a chance." Batman said.

"But, I have to get those notes. You don't have the authority to-"

"I'll get her there, Batman." Cash said. "If you ask me, it's about time for a little payback."

"I don't like it, but..." Batman paused when he and the others hear the sound of the elevator. "Who called the elevator?"

"Wasn't us. It's coming from a lower floor!" A red head doctor said.

"Cash, take Dr. Young! Get her notes and then find somewhere safe to hole up. Everyone else, go to the Observation Room. Barricade yourselves in!" Batman told them. Mia told Batman she will go with Cash and Dr. Young to the mansion. Batman grapples up to one of the gargoyles as the elevator doors open. Mia will be safe with Cash and she will look for her boss at the mansion if he was hiding there. After Batman deals with these thugs, he will look for Jim.