Under the watchful eyes of his parents' portrait Bruce Wayne sits, legs crossed, arms loosely to his side and eyes closed, the standard pose for meditation. One needs look no further than his anguish laden face to realize that Bruce Wayne is far removed from inner peace. Instead he grits his teeth and breathes in long, hard gasps as his own thoughts betray him. There is only one creed he lives by now, that of vengeance for the events that continue to haunt his nights. His parents were at the forefront of this crusade, the single defining event of his life, but now there is another. Burned fresh, and like a raw scar it festers in his mind. An event even Gotham itself cannot comprehend for its depth in depravity and sheer insane scope. An event he relives each time he tries to rest, to re-energize himself for the oncoming storm. Nothing less, nothing more, it is...
The Bridge
It's only ten more minutes until class ends for the day in East Gotham Middle School. Each student is no longer concentrating on the lessons being taught but on the world outside and the freedom within their grasp. Tick, tock, tick, tock.
On the first floor, just inside the main entrance, Principal Addeis is checking his watch and frowning. 'Where are they?' As if in answer to his question three odd men step into the school's first floor with one wheeling a large gas cylinder. 'Propane no doubt,' thinks Addeis. The principal appears a little confused as he greets the workers, "Thanks for coming so quickly. Uhm, where's Gus? He's our usual plumber and said he'd be here. I need his signature otherwise the board won't reimburse us."
Plumber one, a short bald man who is rounder than most soccer balls chirps up, "Have no fear!"
Plumber two, an exact double of plumber one, continues, "He is here!"
Plumber one: "In the van!"
Plumber two: "Go see him man!"
"Please wait for me here," the principal answers. It's been a long day and the sooner he gets this business over with the better. He steps outside in the balmy winter air and walks to the parked van. No one is inside the driver's seat and the rear doors are open so the principal makes his way to the back of the van. He looks inside and sees the van is empty. "What the?" The principal feels powerful arms shove him inside and the doors slam shut behind him. He screams, but no one answers. 'The third plumber must have done this, the lumbering giant with a fine scar across his throat. He must have followed me outside without my noticing,' the principal wonders. He tries again, "Help!" A small panel slides open from the front of the van and a voice calls into the principal's cell with a malicious calm, "Do be quiet. No one can hear you, except me, and I'd prefer some peace and quiet. It's hard enough trying to make out what these voices in my head are saying without you're whimpering."
The van starts up. "Who are you?" the principal asks. "Me? I'm the maddest of them all! I'm Lewis Carroll!" The panel closes and the principal is immersed in darkness. He could feel the van move while a grotesque laugh faintly passes through the wall.
...
Inside the school the three bizarre men have made it outside room 319 and pause. The large, muscular one removes a mask from his pocket, places it over his face and proudly displays his two large tusks. The two small gentlemen remove handguns from their pockets and smirk.
"Shall we, Mr. Deefrum?"
"After you Mr. Dumfree."
...
The van halts and its rear doors fly open. The sudden influx of light temporarily blinds Addeis. Disoriented, he is dragged out and sees boxes stacked upon one another as far as the eye can see. "Welcome dear principal, welcome!"
Addeis can now see his captor. A man dressed in purple from head to toe. Chalk white skin, green hair and ruby red lips. As seen on TV, the man who has killed more people than anyone suspects, the Joker! Addeis gasps, "Oh God."
"Close, but no cigar," Joker smirks. His left arm holds a small gun pointed directly to Addeis' head and the other cups around his mouth as he yells, "Hatter!"
"Ah! My dear Cheshire cat! You have done well! Your addition to my Wonderland was indeed a master stroke!" Into the light steps a short man in a green coat, collars upturned, wearing a large green top hat with a playing card numbered 10/6 in the hatband. Beside him is another man, tall and lanky like the principal, wearing a black double-breasted suit. His head is bald and appears to shimmer like glass under the light, but is flesh colored nonetheless. It's like a thin layer of plastic was covering him.
"Dear Hatter," Joker replies sincerely, "I couldn't do it on my own. The Walrus performed perfectly. My, how well you have him trained! How do you do it?"
"He obeys for the same reason we are all drawn together, dear friend, our hatred for the interfering Batman," Hatter answers, arms outstretched warmly. "I see," Joker replies quietly, eyes averting for a moment. In the next instant he wheels the gun and fires a single shot through the Mad Hatter's skull, killing him instantly! The suited man doesn't even flinch, "Idiot! We needed him!"
Joker only laughs. "See Mr. Lincoln over there, teach? He thinks that the Joker actually needs someone! What for? He told me enough. Mr. Lincoln on the other hand, definitely needs my help. I procured a device from the police he desperately requires to gain some sense of normalcy in his life. Mr. Lincoln, you see, is no honest Abe. Seems he's lost all he's loved and thinks the best way to regain his humanity is by covering himself in plastic. Yeah, that makes sense," Joker pauses and twirls a finger about the side of his skull and rolls his eyes, "like me having a room full of people and not killing them. Still, I'm a decent enough guy to help out my fellow man...for a price."
Roy Lincoln only stares at Joker, taking his abuse because he knows he has to. He needs that machine in working order, and only the Joker knows where it is. 'It's my only hope,' he thinks. 'I've lost everything because of this curse. My father; my wife; my friends; everyone. And now I've made a deal with the devil to get my life back, all because of one stupid mistake! Whatever it takes.'
"My kids?" the principal stammers. Joker crouches down and meets him face to face. He frowns as best he can, "You should be more worried about yourself at the moment." Another gunshot and Addeis falls on his back, his chest soaked with blood. "You have what you need," Joker addresses as he grabs Addeis by the hair and lifts his head for Roy to see, "now get to work! And remember, I'll be watching..."
...
It may be winter outside, but inside Dan Stojod's heart it feels like spring. The new school year has been going well for the 12 year old. His grades are up, his parents are fighting less, and he's noticed just how lovely Jenny is. He now spends the last few minutes of each day in Mrs. Thagose's class staring at her lovely, near white blonde hair and deep blue eyes. 'She's perfect.'
Unfortunately he hasn't had the courage to ask her out yet. Heck, he hasn't even asked to walk her home, and they live on the same block! 'Maybe,' he thinks, 'maybe tonight is the night.' Suddenly three men crash through the classroom door; two with guns and one who looks like no gun on earth could hurt him. Mrs. Thagose screams.
...
Roy Lincoln has finally made it to the centre of Gotham Bay Bridge. A vital lifeline linking the centre of the city to the rest of the world, it has stood here for almost half a century. 'A marvel of engineering in its day,' figures Roy as he removes the gun from his pocket. Cars whiz by in either direction as he raises the gun to his disguised face and pulls the hammer back. A brave soul notices the well-dressed man standing in the middle of the busy thoroughfare and stops his car, with every other driver behind him forced to follow suit. The Samaritan is met with screaming profanities as he opens his car door. He ignores his fellow motorists and turns to Roy. "Friend, why would you want to throw your life away?" the Samaritan asks.
"My name is Addeis. I am the principal of East Gotham Middle School and I have to do this, otherwise the Joker will kill a classroom full of kids!"
...
Batman has just begun his evening patrol. Winter means the sun sets earlier, and it also means that Gotham's monsters have much more time to crawl out of the abyss to claim her good and decent souls. Tonight is no different. He swings from one building to the next, scanning the city below for trouble when the bulletin reaches his cowl radio. Batman knows his enemies well, and of those at large no one would be so cruel. No one, that is, except the Joker. 'Gordon will be at the school,' thinks Batman, 'as he should be. He could probably use some help.'
"Nighwing," he calls in his radio.
"I heard," Nightwing answers into the tiny radio lining his mask.
"I need you at the school. Try to act as support to the police for as long as possible, otherwise put an end to it."
"Alright," Nightwing responds, "we'll be there in a few minutes."
"We?" Batman asks. Nightwing turns and looks at the lovely figure outlined in the moonlight. Her cowl has pointed ears like Batman's and a similar cape, but that's where the similarities end. 'Thank goodness,' thinks Nightwing.
"Yeah, Batgirl's with me," Nightwing answers his mentor and adopted father. Batman understands that Batgirl and Nightwing are close. They rarely leave each other's side these days, not since Barbara... That doesn't mean he likes it, or that he understands how they could afford to keep on this dangerous path. He can't say anything though; he respects both of them too much.
"Are you headed for the bridge?" Nightwing asks.
"No. Joker's out there controlling everything. I'm going to find him."
"Good luck," Nightwing ends his transmission. He grits his teeth and begins his flight across Gotham's rooftops towards the school, with Batgirl in close pursuit. As he runs his thoughts drift. He wishes he were going after the Joker. He wishes he was the one who was going to wrap his hands around the clown's neck and...
"You did not tell him," Cassandra Cain, Batgirl, remarks slyly.
"Now's not the time Bar...Cass," Nightwing responds as he stops running.
"What is it?" she asks, grabbing his arm. He pulls her close and gives her a long, deep kiss on the lips. "What?" she asks after regaining her composure.
"You know," Dick starts slowly, "I never got to tell her...before she..."
"I know." The young lovers continue their run.
...
"Robin?"
"Yes sir," Batman's cowl radio crackles in response.
"I need you at the bridge. I want a voice check on the principal."
"Right," Robin replies eagerly, "you think he's a fake?"
"With Joker involved, you suspect everyone and everything. Be careful, son."
"I will, Robin out." Robin removes his grappling gun and begins swinging across Gotham towards the Bay Bridge. The city seems so vibrant, so alive down below. A million sensations penetrate the young crime fighter's senses as he travels.
"Hey Boy Blunder," a strong female voice coos from behind. He turns and sees the Huntress in her purple and black costume swinging closely behind him, her black cape billowing behind her. She keeps popping up on cases recently, more so than before, much to Batman's dismay. "Mind if I tag along," she asks, winking slyly at the boy.
'She must be Dick's age,' thinks Robin, 'so why does she keep tagging up with me?' Maybe it's because he knows she only wants to help, and that her heart's in the right place. And maybe it's because he knows what it's like to make mistakes under Batman's watch. "I don't mind," Robin answers as they head to the bridge together.
...
"Why look Mr. Dumfree," Tweedledee addresses his partner. The entire classroom is lined up against the wall, their desks used as a barricade to block entrance from the hallway. The window curtains are drawn to prevent police snipers from catching sight and the phone is off the hook. Nearby stands the Walrus next to his gas cylinder. All 20 students are sitting on the ground, scared. Tweedledee grabs one of them from the group and points at her, "Hair so nice!"
Deefrum: "Without a hint of lice!"
Dumfree: "A charming face!"
Deefrum: "Like a warm embrace!"
Dumfree: "And eyes so blue!"
Deefrum: "My goodness! What a hue!"
Dumfree: "She could only be?"
Deefrum: "Ah yes, now I see!"
Together: "Alice!"
"But my name's not Alice, it's Jenny," the young girl answers, quivering.
Dumfree: "That cannot be."
Deefrum: "It's Alice we see!"
Dumfree: "You stayed while we did tell..."
Deefrum: "...a story so wonderfully well!"
Dumfree: "And after you did run away..."
Deefrum: "...leaving us alone to play..."
Dumfree: "...a game of what we would do..."
Deefrum: "...if ever we met anew."
The two diminutive and demented men grab Jenny by the arms and legs and begin to swing her back and forth, each swing bringing her perilously closer to the one open window in the classroom. "Stop it!" Dan yells as he stands brandishing clenched fists. The Walrus stirs slightly and Dan resumes his seat.
Dumfree: "Fear not our little friend,"
Deefrum: "We do not wish to see her end."
Dumfree: "For as you shall soon see..."
Deefrum: "...this is actually an act of mercy!" The two men then release the frightened girl and she flies out the window, her scream piercing the night air. The crowd of police gasp in unison at the sight as a black and blue figure swings across the front of the school on a silken cord. Timing it perfectly Nightwing catches the hysterical girl in midair and they land safely on the ground in front of a police cruiser.
"Take care of her," he requests as a nearby officer takes the girl from Nightwing's arms. His teeth clenched, Nightwing turns and fires his grapple at the school and rises up towards the open window. Just behind him is Batgirl, swinging down on her own silken cord. Viewing this from the window Tweedledum yells "Damn and blas..." only to feel the sting of Batgirl's batarang.
Deefrum: "Walrus! The gas!" Tweedledee feels Nightwing's boot cut across his face, and is followed by a devastating uppercut sending him to sleep. The Walrus rips off the cylinder's seal and a green gas fills the room. Nightwing and Batgirl try to attack the Walrus simultaneously with batarangs, only find his chiseled physique is harder than stone as the weapons bounce off harmlessly. The classroom is small, with little room to manoeuvre in. Both Nightwing and Batgirl want to isolate the students as much as possible and they realize that this battle will involve close quarters combat, the kind that's always messy. As one they strike at the Walrus with kicks and punches that would almost cripple any normal man. He feels none of their blows and continues to bar their access to the deadly cylinder. Nightwing tries a desperate gamble as the sound of children gagging and coughing and laughing fills his mind, "Batman told me about you, Walrus. Batman..." The name of his hated enemy enrages the Walrus and he lunges at Nightwing, catching the young daredevil off guard. They smash up against the wall and the Walrus delivers devastating blow after blow. 'Hurry Batgirl,' Nightwing prays, 'hurry.'
Batgirl dons her rebreather and gingerly steps towards the gas cylinder. The valve is broken and the gas is flowing out with such force she can't reseal it. The cylinder has to be gotten rid of! At this point the Walrus realizes the female of the pair looks a lot like Batman and he turns, tossing Nightwing at her like a rag doll. She instinctively dodges, only to see her lover crash into the wall. As she turns the Walrus delivers several devastating punches that send her reeling. He pounces on her and continues the assault.
Nightwing stirs and shakes his head. He's been inhaling the gas and his mind feels muddled and cloudy. 'It's hard to breathe,' he thinks. The children are frenzied now, the gas affecting their minds as well. Nightwing hears their cries and manages to lift the heavy cylinder with his aching muscles and nearly broken body. He makes his way to the window, only to have his knees buckle slightly as he nears the edge.
Dan is gagging. He can't handle the thoughts crowding his brain, telling him of the many funny things he's done, could do, can be, won't be...and he decides it would be funny if he shoved someone out the window, just like Jenny. Grinning from ear to ear he jumps up and gives Nightwing a strong shove from behind, and he, Nightwing and the gas cylinder hurtle to the earth below.
Batgirl is still being beaten upon, her left eye swollen and sore, her body aching. The Walrus is relentless, but so is she. She kicks him in the one spot men everywhere yield to, only to find it has no effect. She ducks a punch and slips behind the Walrus. Grabbing a cord she wraps it around his throat and pulls it tight. The Walrus remembers this. He remembers the lack of air, the helplessness, and how he would do anything to get away. He runs backwards, taking both Batgirl and himself through another window. Amidst the falling glass Batgirl manages to twist midair and the Walrus takes the brunt of the impact. He feels nothing and swats Batgirl away with his broken arm. Rising quickly he is met with Gotham's police department. Commissioner Gordon, teeth gritted in anger, eyes blazing, takes his gun and fires. Soon every officer is following suit and the Walrus falls in a cold numbness, never to rise again. Gordon runs towards the valiant Batgirl and she soon feels his gentle arms grab her shoulders as he helps her up. Her head is throbbing and her body is on fire, but she hasn't forgotten about Nightwing.
Already two EMTs are working on him. He also turned in midair, but in the opposite direction to save Dan, taking the force of the fall. The cylinder is nearby as well, empty and impotent now; with the children above crying as the gas finally disperses. With Gordon's arm around her shoulder Batgirl hobbles towards her fallen lover, ready to cry. Gordon just looks at the mess that was Nightwing and remembers his daughter's still face on that horrible day.
"He fell on the canister," one of the EMTs mumbles, "Smacked his head."
...
"Officer?"
Police Lieutenant Doby turns and sees two brightly clad figures standing next to him. He recognizes the young boy in red and green immediately, but the identity of the woman in purple and black is unknown to him. "Robin, me lad! Who's the lady? Your girlfriend?" Huntress grits her teeth and clenches her left hand into a powerful fist, her right hand grips her crossbow even tighter. Realizing his mistake Doby changes the subject, "What brings you here? Batman around?"
Roy Lincoln is still standing in the middle of the Bay Bridge, gun drawn, his mouth wrapped around the muzzle. 'Good,' he thinks, 'the police have cleared the bridge. The disguise fooled them. Wait, what's the kid doing here? Joker didn't say anything about kids. He wouldn't hurt children, would he? He just wanted a distraction to trap the Batman, didn't he?'
Robin removes a tiny recorder from his utility belt and waits. Doby yells into his megaphone, "Alright Addeis, why don't you think about this one more time. You're a respected man in the community, and you're in charge of young children. The Joker's nowhere near here, so why not just drop the gun?"
Roy removes his lips from the gun and answers with the same response he's used the past two hours, "Joker will kill my kids. He knows! I can't!"
"Very good," whispers a familiar voice into Roy's earpiece. The tiny little receiver continues to speak, "Robin's here, and the vixen. Excellent. Just wait there until Batman arrives."
Robin attaches the recorder to his belt radio and presses a button. A few miles away the Batmobile's computer receives the audio byte and replays it. Nearby is the Batman with Mr. Alloy, the grade 4 teacher at East Gotham Middle School. "No," responds Mr. Alloy to the recorded sounds, "that's not his voice."
"Thanks," Batman mutters as he leaps into the Batmobile and turns towards the Bay Bridge. "Robin. You heard what was said. Just keep pretending you don't know the truth until I arrive. Over."
Something about Robin's recording is bothering Batman. 'There was some distortion in the voice, probably due to interference being generated nearby, affecting Robin's radio signal. But what? I avoid using police bandwidths for just this reason. Unless someone else is using a similar frequency, like Joker trying to stay in contact with his agent! I can track this interference to its source! Got you!' thinks the dark knight. He leaves Robin's radio signal open and follows the static.
At the bridge Robin is sitting idle and Huntress can't stand it, "So this guy's a phony? And Batman wants us to play along until he gets here?"
Robin nods his head, "Huntress, I know this seems unfair. We could just take this guy and help out at the school, but Batman knows better. He sees the big picture."
"Right," Huntress says sarcastically, "he's perfect. I'll tell you what he knows," her voice changes into boiling venom, "he knows I'm here and can't stand it! He thinks I'm not good enough, that I'll get in the way and hurt myself and his... I'll show him! I'm not an invalid!"
Robin's stunned, "Huntress, what?"
She leaps in the air and falls in front of the police barricade. She quickly removes her crossbow and takes aim, firing a single bolt. It's expertly aimed and passes through Roy's right hand, severing the nerve. His hand spasms and releases the gun. As it falls the Huntress smiles.
"You fool! What have you done?" Roy yells, for the bolt has also severed the thin layer of film that covers his entire body, allowing air to seep in. The air then reacts with Roy Lincoln's unique body chemistry, building and charging a massive swell of energy that almost instantaneously erupts into an explosion of blinding fury! The shockwave rocks Gotham and registers on seismographs across the sea! Then, as quickly as it came, the blast subsides to reveal a moment of eerie calm. The Bay Bridge actually seems to have weathered the blow for a moment, allowing a nearby news helicopter to film the carnage of flesh melded with molten steel. Then they hear it, the snapping of steel struts and beams and the cracking of concrete as the bridge buckles and bends before finally collapsing into Gotham Harbour, taking all souls aboard to a watery grave. The TV helicopter struggles to stay in the air, its occupants badly shaken by the sight.
On top of the Gotham bluffs on the mainland, Joker laughs. "That was beautiful!" he exclaims in glee as he does a little dance. "Mr. Lincoln, the Human Bomb!" The mad clown laughs once more before turning away, only to see a grim Batman blocking his path. "But how could you...?" Joker stammers in disbelief.
"There..." Batman begins, punching Joker in the gut, "...WERE..." a knee to Joker's face while he's bent over, "...two..." an open palm to Joker's face shattering his nose, "...bridges!" Batman ends panting.
Joker clutches his sore jaw as he tries to speak, "Why so mad? Kids like fireworks; I could hear them laugh from here!" A kick to the groin and a hard uppercut end the Joker's day. Batman loads the unconscious clown into the Batmobile's trunk and heads straight for the empty space that the Bay Bridge once occupied.
"DAMN HIM!" he screams, smashing his fist into the window out of frustration. He presses down on the accelerator and flies at full speed into the water, its lapping waves claiming his soul as well...
...
Bruce's eyes open with a start and he feels beads of cool sweat pour down his face. He's returned to the manor's den, the portrait still staring down at him. It's always the same with his dreams now. Be it his parents' murder, the bridge, or his latest endeavor in madness, the endings are now fictional, emotional, and so very final. He's not dead, but it's what he wants, isn't it?
"Maybe tonight," he whispers, "with the reckoning."
TO BE CONTINUED...
FYI: And now for something completely different. So who the heck is Roy Lincoln? Well, our boy Roy originally appeared in Police Comics #1 way back in 1941, with that JLA stalwart Plastic Man. Roy's story is simple enough: one day while working in his father's lab, foreign agents came searching for a very secret and very explosive formula. Roy, determined that they don't get their hands on the precious concoction, decides the best thing to do isn't, say, tossing the explosive at the crooks, or out the window, or spilling its contents on the floor. No, not our Roy, he's too sly for that. Instead he drinks it! This man is a laboratory technician? Naturally, this being comics, he doesn't die and actually gains the ability to blow up anything he touches (the crooks were the first to go). Donning his costume (a plain bomb-blast suit, that's it, really) he fights crime as the Human Bomb! Unfortunately for Roy, when we meet up with him, his powers have become severely sensitive and only a coating of a special protective polymer, developed by his father before his untimely accident, prevents his exploding on contact with air. His unstable nature makes him a public menace, and Roy sets out as a fugitive searching for a cure à la the Incredible Hulk. As we've established, our Mr. Lincoln is no Bruce Banner in the brains department (or Woozy Winks for that matter) and finds no problem asking the Joker for help as he passes through Gotham. Yeesh.
Anyone notice, "Addeis" "is deAd?" There's more.
The Bridge
It's only ten more minutes until class ends for the day in East Gotham Middle School. Each student is no longer concentrating on the lessons being taught but on the world outside and the freedom within their grasp. Tick, tock, tick, tock.
On the first floor, just inside the main entrance, Principal Addeis is checking his watch and frowning. 'Where are they?' As if in answer to his question three odd men step into the school's first floor with one wheeling a large gas cylinder. 'Propane no doubt,' thinks Addeis. The principal appears a little confused as he greets the workers, "Thanks for coming so quickly. Uhm, where's Gus? He's our usual plumber and said he'd be here. I need his signature otherwise the board won't reimburse us."
Plumber one, a short bald man who is rounder than most soccer balls chirps up, "Have no fear!"
Plumber two, an exact double of plumber one, continues, "He is here!"
Plumber one: "In the van!"
Plumber two: "Go see him man!"
"Please wait for me here," the principal answers. It's been a long day and the sooner he gets this business over with the better. He steps outside in the balmy winter air and walks to the parked van. No one is inside the driver's seat and the rear doors are open so the principal makes his way to the back of the van. He looks inside and sees the van is empty. "What the?" The principal feels powerful arms shove him inside and the doors slam shut behind him. He screams, but no one answers. 'The third plumber must have done this, the lumbering giant with a fine scar across his throat. He must have followed me outside without my noticing,' the principal wonders. He tries again, "Help!" A small panel slides open from the front of the van and a voice calls into the principal's cell with a malicious calm, "Do be quiet. No one can hear you, except me, and I'd prefer some peace and quiet. It's hard enough trying to make out what these voices in my head are saying without you're whimpering."
The van starts up. "Who are you?" the principal asks. "Me? I'm the maddest of them all! I'm Lewis Carroll!" The panel closes and the principal is immersed in darkness. He could feel the van move while a grotesque laugh faintly passes through the wall.
...
Inside the school the three bizarre men have made it outside room 319 and pause. The large, muscular one removes a mask from his pocket, places it over his face and proudly displays his two large tusks. The two small gentlemen remove handguns from their pockets and smirk.
"Shall we, Mr. Deefrum?"
"After you Mr. Dumfree."
...
The van halts and its rear doors fly open. The sudden influx of light temporarily blinds Addeis. Disoriented, he is dragged out and sees boxes stacked upon one another as far as the eye can see. "Welcome dear principal, welcome!"
Addeis can now see his captor. A man dressed in purple from head to toe. Chalk white skin, green hair and ruby red lips. As seen on TV, the man who has killed more people than anyone suspects, the Joker! Addeis gasps, "Oh God."
"Close, but no cigar," Joker smirks. His left arm holds a small gun pointed directly to Addeis' head and the other cups around his mouth as he yells, "Hatter!"
"Ah! My dear Cheshire cat! You have done well! Your addition to my Wonderland was indeed a master stroke!" Into the light steps a short man in a green coat, collars upturned, wearing a large green top hat with a playing card numbered 10/6 in the hatband. Beside him is another man, tall and lanky like the principal, wearing a black double-breasted suit. His head is bald and appears to shimmer like glass under the light, but is flesh colored nonetheless. It's like a thin layer of plastic was covering him.
"Dear Hatter," Joker replies sincerely, "I couldn't do it on my own. The Walrus performed perfectly. My, how well you have him trained! How do you do it?"
"He obeys for the same reason we are all drawn together, dear friend, our hatred for the interfering Batman," Hatter answers, arms outstretched warmly. "I see," Joker replies quietly, eyes averting for a moment. In the next instant he wheels the gun and fires a single shot through the Mad Hatter's skull, killing him instantly! The suited man doesn't even flinch, "Idiot! We needed him!"
Joker only laughs. "See Mr. Lincoln over there, teach? He thinks that the Joker actually needs someone! What for? He told me enough. Mr. Lincoln on the other hand, definitely needs my help. I procured a device from the police he desperately requires to gain some sense of normalcy in his life. Mr. Lincoln, you see, is no honest Abe. Seems he's lost all he's loved and thinks the best way to regain his humanity is by covering himself in plastic. Yeah, that makes sense," Joker pauses and twirls a finger about the side of his skull and rolls his eyes, "like me having a room full of people and not killing them. Still, I'm a decent enough guy to help out my fellow man...for a price."
Roy Lincoln only stares at Joker, taking his abuse because he knows he has to. He needs that machine in working order, and only the Joker knows where it is. 'It's my only hope,' he thinks. 'I've lost everything because of this curse. My father; my wife; my friends; everyone. And now I've made a deal with the devil to get my life back, all because of one stupid mistake! Whatever it takes.'
"My kids?" the principal stammers. Joker crouches down and meets him face to face. He frowns as best he can, "You should be more worried about yourself at the moment." Another gunshot and Addeis falls on his back, his chest soaked with blood. "You have what you need," Joker addresses as he grabs Addeis by the hair and lifts his head for Roy to see, "now get to work! And remember, I'll be watching..."
...
It may be winter outside, but inside Dan Stojod's heart it feels like spring. The new school year has been going well for the 12 year old. His grades are up, his parents are fighting less, and he's noticed just how lovely Jenny is. He now spends the last few minutes of each day in Mrs. Thagose's class staring at her lovely, near white blonde hair and deep blue eyes. 'She's perfect.'
Unfortunately he hasn't had the courage to ask her out yet. Heck, he hasn't even asked to walk her home, and they live on the same block! 'Maybe,' he thinks, 'maybe tonight is the night.' Suddenly three men crash through the classroom door; two with guns and one who looks like no gun on earth could hurt him. Mrs. Thagose screams.
...
Roy Lincoln has finally made it to the centre of Gotham Bay Bridge. A vital lifeline linking the centre of the city to the rest of the world, it has stood here for almost half a century. 'A marvel of engineering in its day,' figures Roy as he removes the gun from his pocket. Cars whiz by in either direction as he raises the gun to his disguised face and pulls the hammer back. A brave soul notices the well-dressed man standing in the middle of the busy thoroughfare and stops his car, with every other driver behind him forced to follow suit. The Samaritan is met with screaming profanities as he opens his car door. He ignores his fellow motorists and turns to Roy. "Friend, why would you want to throw your life away?" the Samaritan asks.
"My name is Addeis. I am the principal of East Gotham Middle School and I have to do this, otherwise the Joker will kill a classroom full of kids!"
...
Batman has just begun his evening patrol. Winter means the sun sets earlier, and it also means that Gotham's monsters have much more time to crawl out of the abyss to claim her good and decent souls. Tonight is no different. He swings from one building to the next, scanning the city below for trouble when the bulletin reaches his cowl radio. Batman knows his enemies well, and of those at large no one would be so cruel. No one, that is, except the Joker. 'Gordon will be at the school,' thinks Batman, 'as he should be. He could probably use some help.'
"Nighwing," he calls in his radio.
"I heard," Nightwing answers into the tiny radio lining his mask.
"I need you at the school. Try to act as support to the police for as long as possible, otherwise put an end to it."
"Alright," Nightwing responds, "we'll be there in a few minutes."
"We?" Batman asks. Nightwing turns and looks at the lovely figure outlined in the moonlight. Her cowl has pointed ears like Batman's and a similar cape, but that's where the similarities end. 'Thank goodness,' thinks Nightwing.
"Yeah, Batgirl's with me," Nightwing answers his mentor and adopted father. Batman understands that Batgirl and Nightwing are close. They rarely leave each other's side these days, not since Barbara... That doesn't mean he likes it, or that he understands how they could afford to keep on this dangerous path. He can't say anything though; he respects both of them too much.
"Are you headed for the bridge?" Nightwing asks.
"No. Joker's out there controlling everything. I'm going to find him."
"Good luck," Nightwing ends his transmission. He grits his teeth and begins his flight across Gotham's rooftops towards the school, with Batgirl in close pursuit. As he runs his thoughts drift. He wishes he were going after the Joker. He wishes he was the one who was going to wrap his hands around the clown's neck and...
"You did not tell him," Cassandra Cain, Batgirl, remarks slyly.
"Now's not the time Bar...Cass," Nightwing responds as he stops running.
"What is it?" she asks, grabbing his arm. He pulls her close and gives her a long, deep kiss on the lips. "What?" she asks after regaining her composure.
"You know," Dick starts slowly, "I never got to tell her...before she..."
"I know." The young lovers continue their run.
...
"Robin?"
"Yes sir," Batman's cowl radio crackles in response.
"I need you at the bridge. I want a voice check on the principal."
"Right," Robin replies eagerly, "you think he's a fake?"
"With Joker involved, you suspect everyone and everything. Be careful, son."
"I will, Robin out." Robin removes his grappling gun and begins swinging across Gotham towards the Bay Bridge. The city seems so vibrant, so alive down below. A million sensations penetrate the young crime fighter's senses as he travels.
"Hey Boy Blunder," a strong female voice coos from behind. He turns and sees the Huntress in her purple and black costume swinging closely behind him, her black cape billowing behind her. She keeps popping up on cases recently, more so than before, much to Batman's dismay. "Mind if I tag along," she asks, winking slyly at the boy.
'She must be Dick's age,' thinks Robin, 'so why does she keep tagging up with me?' Maybe it's because he knows she only wants to help, and that her heart's in the right place. And maybe it's because he knows what it's like to make mistakes under Batman's watch. "I don't mind," Robin answers as they head to the bridge together.
...
"Why look Mr. Dumfree," Tweedledee addresses his partner. The entire classroom is lined up against the wall, their desks used as a barricade to block entrance from the hallway. The window curtains are drawn to prevent police snipers from catching sight and the phone is off the hook. Nearby stands the Walrus next to his gas cylinder. All 20 students are sitting on the ground, scared. Tweedledee grabs one of them from the group and points at her, "Hair so nice!"
Deefrum: "Without a hint of lice!"
Dumfree: "A charming face!"
Deefrum: "Like a warm embrace!"
Dumfree: "And eyes so blue!"
Deefrum: "My goodness! What a hue!"
Dumfree: "She could only be?"
Deefrum: "Ah yes, now I see!"
Together: "Alice!"
"But my name's not Alice, it's Jenny," the young girl answers, quivering.
Dumfree: "That cannot be."
Deefrum: "It's Alice we see!"
Dumfree: "You stayed while we did tell..."
Deefrum: "...a story so wonderfully well!"
Dumfree: "And after you did run away..."
Deefrum: "...leaving us alone to play..."
Dumfree: "...a game of what we would do..."
Deefrum: "...if ever we met anew."
The two diminutive and demented men grab Jenny by the arms and legs and begin to swing her back and forth, each swing bringing her perilously closer to the one open window in the classroom. "Stop it!" Dan yells as he stands brandishing clenched fists. The Walrus stirs slightly and Dan resumes his seat.
Dumfree: "Fear not our little friend,"
Deefrum: "We do not wish to see her end."
Dumfree: "For as you shall soon see..."
Deefrum: "...this is actually an act of mercy!" The two men then release the frightened girl and she flies out the window, her scream piercing the night air. The crowd of police gasp in unison at the sight as a black and blue figure swings across the front of the school on a silken cord. Timing it perfectly Nightwing catches the hysterical girl in midair and they land safely on the ground in front of a police cruiser.
"Take care of her," he requests as a nearby officer takes the girl from Nightwing's arms. His teeth clenched, Nightwing turns and fires his grapple at the school and rises up towards the open window. Just behind him is Batgirl, swinging down on her own silken cord. Viewing this from the window Tweedledum yells "Damn and blas..." only to feel the sting of Batgirl's batarang.
Deefrum: "Walrus! The gas!" Tweedledee feels Nightwing's boot cut across his face, and is followed by a devastating uppercut sending him to sleep. The Walrus rips off the cylinder's seal and a green gas fills the room. Nightwing and Batgirl try to attack the Walrus simultaneously with batarangs, only find his chiseled physique is harder than stone as the weapons bounce off harmlessly. The classroom is small, with little room to manoeuvre in. Both Nightwing and Batgirl want to isolate the students as much as possible and they realize that this battle will involve close quarters combat, the kind that's always messy. As one they strike at the Walrus with kicks and punches that would almost cripple any normal man. He feels none of their blows and continues to bar their access to the deadly cylinder. Nightwing tries a desperate gamble as the sound of children gagging and coughing and laughing fills his mind, "Batman told me about you, Walrus. Batman..." The name of his hated enemy enrages the Walrus and he lunges at Nightwing, catching the young daredevil off guard. They smash up against the wall and the Walrus delivers devastating blow after blow. 'Hurry Batgirl,' Nightwing prays, 'hurry.'
Batgirl dons her rebreather and gingerly steps towards the gas cylinder. The valve is broken and the gas is flowing out with such force she can't reseal it. The cylinder has to be gotten rid of! At this point the Walrus realizes the female of the pair looks a lot like Batman and he turns, tossing Nightwing at her like a rag doll. She instinctively dodges, only to see her lover crash into the wall. As she turns the Walrus delivers several devastating punches that send her reeling. He pounces on her and continues the assault.
Nightwing stirs and shakes his head. He's been inhaling the gas and his mind feels muddled and cloudy. 'It's hard to breathe,' he thinks. The children are frenzied now, the gas affecting their minds as well. Nightwing hears their cries and manages to lift the heavy cylinder with his aching muscles and nearly broken body. He makes his way to the window, only to have his knees buckle slightly as he nears the edge.
Dan is gagging. He can't handle the thoughts crowding his brain, telling him of the many funny things he's done, could do, can be, won't be...and he decides it would be funny if he shoved someone out the window, just like Jenny. Grinning from ear to ear he jumps up and gives Nightwing a strong shove from behind, and he, Nightwing and the gas cylinder hurtle to the earth below.
Batgirl is still being beaten upon, her left eye swollen and sore, her body aching. The Walrus is relentless, but so is she. She kicks him in the one spot men everywhere yield to, only to find it has no effect. She ducks a punch and slips behind the Walrus. Grabbing a cord she wraps it around his throat and pulls it tight. The Walrus remembers this. He remembers the lack of air, the helplessness, and how he would do anything to get away. He runs backwards, taking both Batgirl and himself through another window. Amidst the falling glass Batgirl manages to twist midair and the Walrus takes the brunt of the impact. He feels nothing and swats Batgirl away with his broken arm. Rising quickly he is met with Gotham's police department. Commissioner Gordon, teeth gritted in anger, eyes blazing, takes his gun and fires. Soon every officer is following suit and the Walrus falls in a cold numbness, never to rise again. Gordon runs towards the valiant Batgirl and she soon feels his gentle arms grab her shoulders as he helps her up. Her head is throbbing and her body is on fire, but she hasn't forgotten about Nightwing.
Already two EMTs are working on him. He also turned in midair, but in the opposite direction to save Dan, taking the force of the fall. The cylinder is nearby as well, empty and impotent now; with the children above crying as the gas finally disperses. With Gordon's arm around her shoulder Batgirl hobbles towards her fallen lover, ready to cry. Gordon just looks at the mess that was Nightwing and remembers his daughter's still face on that horrible day.
"He fell on the canister," one of the EMTs mumbles, "Smacked his head."
...
"Officer?"
Police Lieutenant Doby turns and sees two brightly clad figures standing next to him. He recognizes the young boy in red and green immediately, but the identity of the woman in purple and black is unknown to him. "Robin, me lad! Who's the lady? Your girlfriend?" Huntress grits her teeth and clenches her left hand into a powerful fist, her right hand grips her crossbow even tighter. Realizing his mistake Doby changes the subject, "What brings you here? Batman around?"
Roy Lincoln is still standing in the middle of the Bay Bridge, gun drawn, his mouth wrapped around the muzzle. 'Good,' he thinks, 'the police have cleared the bridge. The disguise fooled them. Wait, what's the kid doing here? Joker didn't say anything about kids. He wouldn't hurt children, would he? He just wanted a distraction to trap the Batman, didn't he?'
Robin removes a tiny recorder from his utility belt and waits. Doby yells into his megaphone, "Alright Addeis, why don't you think about this one more time. You're a respected man in the community, and you're in charge of young children. The Joker's nowhere near here, so why not just drop the gun?"
Roy removes his lips from the gun and answers with the same response he's used the past two hours, "Joker will kill my kids. He knows! I can't!"
"Very good," whispers a familiar voice into Roy's earpiece. The tiny little receiver continues to speak, "Robin's here, and the vixen. Excellent. Just wait there until Batman arrives."
Robin attaches the recorder to his belt radio and presses a button. A few miles away the Batmobile's computer receives the audio byte and replays it. Nearby is the Batman with Mr. Alloy, the grade 4 teacher at East Gotham Middle School. "No," responds Mr. Alloy to the recorded sounds, "that's not his voice."
"Thanks," Batman mutters as he leaps into the Batmobile and turns towards the Bay Bridge. "Robin. You heard what was said. Just keep pretending you don't know the truth until I arrive. Over."
Something about Robin's recording is bothering Batman. 'There was some distortion in the voice, probably due to interference being generated nearby, affecting Robin's radio signal. But what? I avoid using police bandwidths for just this reason. Unless someone else is using a similar frequency, like Joker trying to stay in contact with his agent! I can track this interference to its source! Got you!' thinks the dark knight. He leaves Robin's radio signal open and follows the static.
At the bridge Robin is sitting idle and Huntress can't stand it, "So this guy's a phony? And Batman wants us to play along until he gets here?"
Robin nods his head, "Huntress, I know this seems unfair. We could just take this guy and help out at the school, but Batman knows better. He sees the big picture."
"Right," Huntress says sarcastically, "he's perfect. I'll tell you what he knows," her voice changes into boiling venom, "he knows I'm here and can't stand it! He thinks I'm not good enough, that I'll get in the way and hurt myself and his... I'll show him! I'm not an invalid!"
Robin's stunned, "Huntress, what?"
She leaps in the air and falls in front of the police barricade. She quickly removes her crossbow and takes aim, firing a single bolt. It's expertly aimed and passes through Roy's right hand, severing the nerve. His hand spasms and releases the gun. As it falls the Huntress smiles.
"You fool! What have you done?" Roy yells, for the bolt has also severed the thin layer of film that covers his entire body, allowing air to seep in. The air then reacts with Roy Lincoln's unique body chemistry, building and charging a massive swell of energy that almost instantaneously erupts into an explosion of blinding fury! The shockwave rocks Gotham and registers on seismographs across the sea! Then, as quickly as it came, the blast subsides to reveal a moment of eerie calm. The Bay Bridge actually seems to have weathered the blow for a moment, allowing a nearby news helicopter to film the carnage of flesh melded with molten steel. Then they hear it, the snapping of steel struts and beams and the cracking of concrete as the bridge buckles and bends before finally collapsing into Gotham Harbour, taking all souls aboard to a watery grave. The TV helicopter struggles to stay in the air, its occupants badly shaken by the sight.
On top of the Gotham bluffs on the mainland, Joker laughs. "That was beautiful!" he exclaims in glee as he does a little dance. "Mr. Lincoln, the Human Bomb!" The mad clown laughs once more before turning away, only to see a grim Batman blocking his path. "But how could you...?" Joker stammers in disbelief.
"There..." Batman begins, punching Joker in the gut, "...WERE..." a knee to Joker's face while he's bent over, "...two..." an open palm to Joker's face shattering his nose, "...bridges!" Batman ends panting.
Joker clutches his sore jaw as he tries to speak, "Why so mad? Kids like fireworks; I could hear them laugh from here!" A kick to the groin and a hard uppercut end the Joker's day. Batman loads the unconscious clown into the Batmobile's trunk and heads straight for the empty space that the Bay Bridge once occupied.
"DAMN HIM!" he screams, smashing his fist into the window out of frustration. He presses down on the accelerator and flies at full speed into the water, its lapping waves claiming his soul as well...
...
Bruce's eyes open with a start and he feels beads of cool sweat pour down his face. He's returned to the manor's den, the portrait still staring down at him. It's always the same with his dreams now. Be it his parents' murder, the bridge, or his latest endeavor in madness, the endings are now fictional, emotional, and so very final. He's not dead, but it's what he wants, isn't it?
"Maybe tonight," he whispers, "with the reckoning."
TO BE CONTINUED...
FYI: And now for something completely different. So who the heck is Roy Lincoln? Well, our boy Roy originally appeared in Police Comics #1 way back in 1941, with that JLA stalwart Plastic Man. Roy's story is simple enough: one day while working in his father's lab, foreign agents came searching for a very secret and very explosive formula. Roy, determined that they don't get their hands on the precious concoction, decides the best thing to do isn't, say, tossing the explosive at the crooks, or out the window, or spilling its contents on the floor. No, not our Roy, he's too sly for that. Instead he drinks it! This man is a laboratory technician? Naturally, this being comics, he doesn't die and actually gains the ability to blow up anything he touches (the crooks were the first to go). Donning his costume (a plain bomb-blast suit, that's it, really) he fights crime as the Human Bomb! Unfortunately for Roy, when we meet up with him, his powers have become severely sensitive and only a coating of a special protective polymer, developed by his father before his untimely accident, prevents his exploding on contact with air. His unstable nature makes him a public menace, and Roy sets out as a fugitive searching for a cure à la the Incredible Hulk. As we've established, our Mr. Lincoln is no Bruce Banner in the brains department (or Woozy Winks for that matter) and finds no problem asking the Joker for help as he passes through Gotham. Yeesh.
Anyone notice, "Addeis" "is deAd?" There's more.