ARKHAM ASYLUM

The pretty attendant smiled sweetly at Bruce Wayne as he approached her desk. She had a lollipop in her mouth and a word search in her hand. He observed that the ID card on her dress read H. Quinzell.

She had a Brooklyn accent as she spoke. "Good morning, Mr. Wayne."

Bruce removed his sunglasses and smiled, trying to regain his public disposition when dealing with civilians. "Good morning, Ms. Quinzell. I see you're aware of who I am."

H. Quinzell smiled sheepishly, "The only reason I know who you are is because the boss is expecting you. He said to keep an eye out for an old guy with a thick bushy moustache named Bruce Wayne. You fit the bill, sir."

Bruce was confused. "I didn't make an appointment so how would your boss know to be looking for me?"

H. Quinzell looked around the lobby before leaning forward and whispered, "Mr. S knows everything. After a while we learn to stop asking how he knows what he knows and just take for granted that he knows whatever needs to be known."

Bruce chuckled and couldn't help but find the young attendant somewhat adorable. "Could you point me in the direction of this...Mr. S, is it?"

Quinzell nodded. "Right behind you, Mr. Wayne. I buzzed him just as soon as I saw you come in."

Bruce turned around and standing right behind him was a bald man with a shiny white coat, a well groomed beard, and circular glasses. The man extended his hand. "Thank you for coming, Mr. Wayne. My name is Hugo Strange."

Bruce took the offered hand, "Apparently you were expecting me?"

Hugo nodded. "Most assuredly. I presumed you wouldn't be too far behind once you learned of your former ward's rehabilitation."

Bruce stared at him coldly. "Rehabilitation, You say? He thinks he's the Joker."

Quinzell excitedly spoke up behind them. "Oh, Mr. J! I adore that man! How is he?"

Bruce looked at her as if she were crazy and then turned back to Hugo.

Hugo smiled. "Please, Mr. Wayne. Follow me to my office so that we might talk about your ward in a more private setting."

Once inside the office, Bruce was no longer putting on the facade of being jovial. "What the hell happened to Jason?"

Hugo smiled innocently. "For starters, he is no longer Jason Todd. He is for all intents and purposes now the Joker."

Bruce shoved Hugo roughly against the wall. "And you released him to the public when he thinks he's the Joker?! You do realize that the Joker killed people, right? Lots of people."

Hugo smiled maniacally. "Be careful, Mr. Wayne. You wouldn't want somebody to see your true side, would you?"

Bruce gave him a questioning look before letting him go. "What the hell are you talking about?"

Hugo straightened the wrinkles from his white coat. "I think you know, Bruce...or should I say...Batman?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Hugo sighed. "Yes you do, Bruce. The boy once known as Jason Todd knew every deep dark secret of the vigilante known as Batman. Do you really think that I wouldn't have gotten any details from him after all the years he's been in Arkham?"

Bruce clenched his fists and was strongly considering splitting Dr. Strange's skull open. "Jason was in a catatonic state when I left him here fifteen years ago. He wasn't saying anything."

Hugo nodded as he walked behind his desk and took a seat. "Right, you are. He was a broken young man when he first came to me. Jason Todd was essentially a dead person. He could breathe, walk, and eat but aside from that their was nobody home inside his mind. The mind just so happens to be my specialty, Mr. Wayne." He smiled at Bruce smugly, "I'd very much like to unravel the layers of your mind."

"You might not like what you'd unravel, Strange." Bruce coldly stated. "How do I fix Jason? How did you brainwash him into thinking he is The Joker?"

"The Joker was always there," Hugo answered. "He was just tucked tightly away inside Jason's mind. There is nothing to fix, I assure you. The boy once known as Jason Todd is right where he needs to be. He is carrying on his father's legacy...and I don't mean you when I use the term father."

"What are you saying?"

Hugo handed him a file. "How ironic is it that you'd adopt a boy that just so happened to be the son of your greatest nemesis. The same nemesis that created you in the first place."

Bruce opened the file and saw a picture of Jason before he had the bleached white skin and beside him was a picture of a man he had tried to forget a long time ago. His eyes widened in complete dismay.

Hugo laughed. "Thats right, Bruce. Jason's father is none other than Jack Napier himself."

"No," Bruce quietly said. It was all he could stomach to say.

"Yes," Hugo sneered. "The Joker has returned and we both know that there's only one man who can stop him."

"What do you want, Strange?" Bruce asked.

"I already told you what I want, Mr. Wayne." Hugo explained. "I want to study your mind. I want to see just how far your Batman persona goes. To discover which identity is the stronger of the two. Bruce Wayne or Batman."

Bruce smirked at him. "You're just as demented as your patients, Strange. Batman is gone and isn't coming back. I will fix this as Bruce Wayne, not Batman. I'm going to reveal your unethical practices to the medical board."

"You could do that," Hugo said, "of course though, I could in turn reveal your secret to the whole world. How many criminals are still out there that'd love nothing more than to kill the Batman? Knowing Batman's secret identity would make their task considerably simpler."

Bruce's face turned red with fury and he spoke quietly. "This isn't over, Strange."

"I should hope not," Hugo simply said.

Bruce started to leave and then stopped. He looked back at the smiling doctor, "You say you're fascinated with the mind. Did you ever have a patient that just so happened to be the son of a very important government official?"

Hugo smiled knowingly. "You're referring to Harvey Dent, Jr., aren't you? Yes, he was a patient of mine. He was a very intriguing young man but ultimately he cured himself. I tried to make his bad identity the prominent one. He was one of my greatest failures."

"Very curious how that information could have gotten out to a thug crime boss like Carmine Falcone."

"Not curious at all actually," Hugo stated. "He paid me very handsomely for said information."

Bruce nodded. "Enjoy your days as Arkham Asylum's leading therapist, Strange. They're numbered."

With that, Bruce left the office and slammed the door shut. On his way to the exit, Quinzell waved. "Bye bye, Mr. W!"

Bruce stopped and looked back at her, "I'd quit this job if I were you and find a new boss to work for. Someone who isn't insane, preferably."

With that said, he turned back to the exit and stepped outside, nearly colliding into Vicki Vale.

"Vicki?!" Bruce exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to interview Dr. Hugo Strange," Vicki answered. "Harvey, Jr. was once a patient of his and I'm trying to get the full story. I want to try and clear up this whole mess."

Bruce nodded. "Noble but ultimately a waste of your time. Strange will not be of any help to you. Trust me on that."

"What do you mean?"

"Strange has a fascination with split personalities," Bruce said. He grabbed her by the arm and led her down the stairs. "Vicki, you can't go in there."

"Why the hell not, Bruce?"

"Because he's dangerous," Bruce explained. "He isn't helping his patients. He's brainwashing them somehow."

"Do you have any proof?" she asked.

Bruce nodded. "Yeah, I do. Jason Todd."

"What about Jason?"

"Strange brainwashed him into thinking he's The Joker."

Vicki put her hand to her mouth. "Oh, my God. Why would he do something like that?"

"I think he did it to try and provoke me into being Batman again."

"He knows you were Batman?" Vicki asked in bewilderment.

Bruce nodded. "Yes, he does. I've also learned that Jason's biological father is Jack Napier."

"Jesus!" Vicki exclaimed. "What are you going to do?"

Bruce shrugged, "I honestly don't know. What I do know though is that Hugo Strange will be of no help to you. Stay away from him."

Vicki looked to be on the verge of arguing but Bruce looked at her imploring. "Please, Vicki. For me."

Vicki sighed, "Okay, Bruce. I'll stay away...for you."

FALCONE ESTATE

Carmine Falcone's limousine pulled in front of his estate just as the sun had begun to set. He'd spent the entirety of the day campaigning for Mayor and he was exhausted. He was definitely feeling his age and wondered if all his efforts to become mayor were even worth it.

He stepped out of the limousine and entered his house. For once the place was actually quite. The campaign had been held at Gotham Plaza that day so all of his little henchmen and employees were not there.

He walked up the long flight of stairs and entered into his office. He had not anticipated seeing Killer Croc sitting in his chair with his feet propped up on the desk. He was smoking one of Falcone's cigars.

"Howdy, Mr. Mayor." Killer Croc said with a sardonic chuckle.

Falcone slammed his door shut. "Are you out of your goddamn mind! What if someone had seen you enter my home?"

Killer Croc sighed. "Relax, old man. Nobody saw me."

Falcone took off his coat and hung it on the rack. "So why are you here then? You've already received your generous sum for the Dent job."

"That's why I'm here actually," Killer Croc said. "It's not enough money."

"Are you trying to extort me, you ugly mutant!?" Falcone sneered.

Killer Croc turned very serious. "Careful, Falcone. Words do hurt sometimes and let's not forget that it was you who paid me to start up this Mutant Gang in the first place. I'm simply saying that the sum you gave me was for offing Harvey Dent and possibly his wife, if necessary. I had to waste a big ass bodyguard before I got to Harvey. That's an additional ten thousand."

Falcone poured himself a glass of scotch. "Thats not how this works, Croc. I set the amount for the task and you either accept or decline it. You don't come to me after it's done and tell me to give you more money."

Killer Croc sighed. "Come on, Falcone. Our Mutant Gang is getting bigger by the day. That's a lot of mouths to feed and if you want us to remain out there stirring shit up on the streets then you're gonna have to cough up a little more money."

Falcone stared at the menacing figure still sitting in his chair for several long moments more. Then he decided. "Five thousand, Croc. No more than that."

Killer Croc smiled, or rather his approximation of a smile. "Sold!"

Falcone walked to his safe, opened it, and tossed Killer Croc a bundle of cash. "Now do me a favor and get the hell out of my house."

Killer Croc stood up from the chair. "Nice doin' business with you, Falcone." He then stepped out of the open window by the desk.

Falcone approached the window and watched as the gargantuan creature climbed down the wall like a monkey. He shook his head and then closed the window.