Metropolis
Superman arrives in the a place where lays a warehouse. After his arrival, he is seen by many people of army, though the Man of Steel ignores them, focusing on bargaining with wondering what's happening in the nuclear facility for the reason caused on Superman intending to close his distance with Sam Lane.
"What happened?", Superman asked, looking at Sam Lane.
Sam Lane gestures the world's greatest champion to look at the warehouse, knowing the Man of Steel has the ability to utilise his x-ray vision.
Superman activates his x-ray vision, observing what's happening inside the warehouse. He sees a couple of people held hostage by one man wielding a gun, wandering around the area, whilst his men dig out crates for weapons.
"So far, all I can say is they've entered a restricted area loaded with power-packed guns, and held a number of people at hostage, preventing us from coming inside", Sam Lane explained.
"I'll resolve the problem at hand", Superman vows, subsequent to flying up.
Superman moves upwards until he reached at the point on second floor. He sanctions his x-ray vision, clearly grasping in sight on the figures. He sees some of the criminals laid in positions on endeavouring to fire at the force Superman sides with. Superman couldn't just enter inside the warehouse, he needed a plan. If he barges inside and assaults all of them, a chance would put the risk of causing people a one-way ticket to death. His eyes beamed at every possible route that will likely provide Superman a shot on at least causing no harm on the people. His body in that same natural state he's felt when donning the blue suit with red cape. He continues to prolong on sorting out the problem with the hostages. His sturdy, steeled hands clench, steering themselves towards smashing the side of a warehouse. His red cape flows backwards by the low degree levels in wind. After another few seconds, Superman holds no time to delay, finally planned out how he'll save the hostages and defeat the criminals. He flies straight towards the warehouse in an attempt to precipitously enter in the warehouse.
Inside the warehouse...
The criminals begin packing up an array of weapons out of every contained crater. They are very known of people they've kept captive, knowing any hero or vigilante who stands in their way would have their paces forced to slow down. They are disturbed by something breaking inside the warehouse. In their bare eyes catch the sight of a blue and red blur sweeping in. A sound of whooshing phasing past them. One by one, each of them are swiftly taken away, much to the other one's shock.
One of the criminals notices, and quickly, realises the blur. "It's Superman!", he addresses to everyone. He orders his men to fire using the weapons they acquired.
Superman snatches two more criminals, subsequently tossing them to hit on the first floor, which was already filled a pile following Superman's streak-blow grasping, which ended up throwing them to one targeted spot. He ensues his process of putting criminals down by speedily catching in three criminals, and shortly thrown to a stack of unconscious bodies.
After the bodies are down, motionless and unable to wake up, Superman lands down on the first floor in his casual stand, wondering if anymore are about to appear in presence. His eyesight can't catch on where anymore of them are residing, neither does his x-ray vision while that enhanced state permitted him to draw upon seeing a lot of people outside of the warehouse readied to strike should Superman fail and the hostages are somehow killed. Superman knows none of that is happened, he can predict it easily. His tongue wouldn't give any tremendous way of figuring out where anymore are hiding. Not even his nose is picking up close whereabouts of criminals, considering they aren't smelly. Superman stands like a statue, relying on his super-hearing, detecting any thumps made close by. After opening his ears to access this near sound, he hears footsteps coming from behind him, prompting Superman to rotate a little to his right, albeit he is still looking at the front. This is due to Superman's comprehension of civilians happening to be behind him. He then hears a gun cocked, almost as though this exceptional feeling Superman is has is that the gun is pointed at him, rendering a smile to pop up on his face. "When are you people going to stop relying on these guns? I'm bulletproof, remember?", he regarded, immediately turning around.
"You gods are just a tip in the melted iceberg, always hot-headed and all about being watchful protectors, warming up to sinless, over-sentimental maniacs who just love it when they are assured the planet is safely protected. 'We live in a society where good men are the real provision of hope, compassion, justice and happiness', a quote I shouldn't be too astounded, considering those poor senile jackasses only think their only protection is the Justice League over the everything. I almost feel like I'm gonna puke", this stranger spoke almost with a fast-talk, owning a masculine voice.
Superman didn't understand what this guy is talking about. To him, this guy seemed very familiar in the way he speaks.
"Once upon a time, a gallant knight, George, fought a dragon. Next century, religious conflicts. The next century, a civil war. So on so forth, there was bound to be chaos lurking in the depths of our lives. Not even you would realise it, since you're just a kicked-off deceased who can't accept he's fated to die as always anyone would do. Mankind has lived its name for generations, and so will the force for good. They will all die as he will strike this planet with an iron fist like he did to his own world", the unknown person chattering.
"He?", Superman wondered. "Who is-?". Superman stopped his question when he heard a gunshot from that man, in which it wasn't aimed at the hostages, who have been squirming, mumbling and shaking. The gunshot was put on the own man's head, much to the Man of Steel's shock.
After the supposed standoff or whatever came between Superman and the man who committed suicide ended, Superman super-sped to check on the people, untying them of their restraints.
Soon after Superman untied the innocent people, soldiers stormed inside the warehouse, briefly inspecting the big area inside, quickly lowering their weapons down as they see that Superman took care of them.
With the criminals down, the civilians short to come out of the warehouse, and the soldiers placing the weapons the criminals were attempting to steal to be placed in their respective crates, Superman finally takes the time to check on the corpse, who wears a mask. His hand is touched on the mask, pulling it out of the guy's head. The outward blows of chaos and laughs merged together to create a destructive shockwave as if thunder in the skies has lost control to level itself at a certain limit. To Superman's shock, to his disbelief, he perceives what appears to be a mixed sculpture of the faces of a man scarred at one half, and the other side showing a white-coloured skin with green hair and red blood lips chalked up on that half of his mouth. Superman gasped, disturbed by this awful appearance. It was like two corpses were stitched together with remnants of a devilish creature also tied there to create something so horrible anyone in the world would view this a nightmare. Superman is most certainly aware of who these two faces belong to. Those two halves belong to the scarred side of Two-Face and the Joker. Superman is glad none of his sons paired up to perceive the appearance of a horror circus clown that is an advanced extremist.
Arkham Asylum, Gotham City
After noting the identity of the enemy he briefly encountered, Superman travels to Gotham City without alerting the the city's protectors. He enters the asylum, requiring the guard's help in taking him to the upcoming cells Superman intended to see. They are currently walking along the corridor.
The guard, at a fearless composure, walks on and on. Foot to foot, he passes along the cells that label the names referencing of Professor Pyg, the Riddler, Penguin, Jazzman, Hugo Strange, Catman, members of the Terrible Trio, Nostromos, Mojo, Maxie Zeus, Grant Walker, Carlton Duquesne, Calendar Girl, Clock King, Red Claw and Enrique El Gancho, the latter's cell whom Superman and the guard had last passed.
Superman is very surprised Arkham Asylum has gone silent. He remembered Arkham Asylum is a place filled with so much noise and craziness. In his eyes, even without the prisoners being aware of the Man of Steel in sight, everyone is quiet. He continued walking past the cells' doors, following the guard.
"This is actually the first time inmates in Arkham Asylum have finally been silent. Usually, they'd go around wrecking everything, being prodigiously insane", Superman remarked, indicating he has been to Arkham Asylum on some occasions, regarding his team-ups with the Batman, his trusted ally and closest friend Batman considers, as did Superman. He views his x-ray vision, easily grasping sight of the inmates he passed to be at some kind of a catatonic state.
"Yeah. The inmates had lost their tongue", the guard answered, subsequently shocking Superman since his face moulded facially to show he is shocked. The guard for a short time glanced at Superman. "Well not literally, as I'm referring to what caused them to tremble in fear. People like Roland Dagget, Rupert Throne, Emile Dorian, Montague Kane, Farmer Brown, Josiah Wormwood, Sewer King, Mad Bomber and the Mad Hatter were all killed after receiving countless tortures and torments. Scarecrow received the worst of the worst after his failed attempt to unleash his gas on the city. A repeating loop that finally convinced the inmates that made it out from from their massive, lengthy agony to commit suicide. More or less, not anyone had made it out alive regardless if some of them had survived or endured the pain".
"Then why didn't Batman or any of the team know about it?", Superman questioned, knowing a problem in Arkham would've been resolved, although the Man of Steel is known Bruce Wayne's Batman isn't in presence in Gotham up until now.
The guard stopped, spinning around, facing Superman with a feared expression. "Because they were never protecting Gotham. All of them left the city as soon as this whole Gotham City started going nuts", the guard said.
Superman understands the guard is scared of something, and he doesn't like what lurks beneath Gotham. Currently, he is held disbelief at the guard's word. "That's absurd. I would've known Gotham had no pr-", the hero was cut off by the guard now talking back.
"That's what they want you to believe, what they want the world to believe. Somewhere or something beneath this ground, I don't know how to explain it but it is coldly awful. It's like that horror movie I watched where the ghost has full control of the house, and started a rampage, and never stopped till it pledged to have what it desired. But in this scenario, Gotham City itself is possessed. No one in Gotham is allowed to leave or divulge any information; not through the media; no live broadcasts; nothing", the guard explained with a monotone voice, much to Superman's bombshell.
Superman took time to take in all that information, clearly shocked at what he was given. He then started remembering something that warned him of this event happening, which rendered the hero to be very serious. He quickly took the thought out, noticing the guard isn't that scared. "You are okay, aren't you?", Superman asked, concerned whether the man is possessed or mindless to be a robot.
"Okay?", the guard processes on. "I've always been okay. Months. Years. Never really mattered on time. I grew used to it, accepting my fate. And I've already managed to understand that we people of Gotham no longer need to ask for help".
"Are you suggesting my presence in Gotham isn't gonna stir anything to the good side because Gotham City has long been cleansed?", Superman asked.
"It always has. Killer Croc is dead in the sewers. Poison Ivy has long since been deceased. As far as Gothamites are aware, Gotham City is a paradise", the guard explained. After that, the guard gestures Superman to turn to the one door. "Free since the Joker is dead".
When Superman heard Joker's death being mentioned, it immediately made him remember his last war with the Batman. It was a global scale. An event many people feel deeply horrified.
"You can see Harley Quinzel, if you want?", the man offered.
Superman glances at the guard, perceiving his expression harmlessly assuring. He then moves to the door, opening it. After the door opens, Superman sees the lady in a straightjacket just gazing at the window, almost thoughtless. "Harley Quinzel?", the alien blue scout calls to her, short later moving to the mad clown's direction. As Superman got closer to Harley's side, his hand moves up, nearly reaching the her shoulder. For a little second next, Superman's hand is placed on her shoulder, then forcing Harley's body to turn around. Superman views the Harley's face is as frozen as the body that experiences the coldest area in the Universe for the longest period. It shocked him.
"Yeah. Long in a catatonic state, ain't that true?", the guard says, closing distance on Superman.
Superman briefly uses his x-ray vision, noticing something different about the Harley, though he quickly removes his composure of concern, and swiftly turns to confront the guard. "That will be all", he addresses, giving a reassuring smile, implying he isn't going to see anything else.
"If you're looking for Harvey Dent, then you'd be surprised about him. He's a changed man following his treatment, which was captivating and a greater success for someone like Harvey to finally have his two personalities split apart. Though if you want to see Big Bad Harv, I'm more than welcome to show you his room. He is currently in the same state every inmate is, whilst the good Harv finally resolved to live a happy life with Grace Dent".
Superman noted Harvey's status in life, knowing taking matters of comprehension on his requirement to not be in the asylum since he gathered information that the Joker and Two-Face, well in this Universe separately as Big Bad Harv and Harvey Dent, are not the same people Superman encountered with a mixed version of Joker and Two-Face. He walks out of the Joker's room, letting the latter isolated in his own forced terms.
A/N: The character 'Grace Dent' mentioned is actually Grace Lamont from the DCAU show, Batman: The Animated Series, a minor character in the series who was the fiancé of Harvey Dent prior to the latter's transformation as Two-Face. If you watched Batman: The Animated Series then you may have seen the episode 'Two-Face', which shows the character. I've made some references of the status of certain characters because I'm setting up a story that puts Batman as the central focus over what destroys these villains.