Chapter 10
The bank of computers in the middle of the Clocktower was the command center for all the Bird's operations. It was where Barbara, as Oracle, guided her proteges and provided them with information through her Delphi System. Up till now, though, neither Delphi, nor the all-knowing Oracle could find any shred of evidence on the Joker's whereabouts.
She had uncovered some information on the prison he was being held at. A high-maximum security prison, it housed the worst of America's criminals. Hacking into the federal prison system's computer base, Barbara had discovered that a riot had occurred and for the past two weeks it had been under the prisoners' control. The National Guard was just now taking the prison back and no one had yet to take a head count of the prisoners. Barbara had no way of knowing if the Joker was still in custody, dead, or, as she feared, free and back in New Gotham. She continued her search and was having Delphi check passenger lists of buses and trains coming into New Gotham for anything suspicious, when she fell asleep at her keyboard. She woke to the phone ringing.
"Hello." Barbara answered, glancing at the clock on her computer. The digital numbers read 6:00pm. She had researching the entire day.
"Hey Oracle." It was Reese. After their conversation at the hospital, Barbara had asked Reese if he could use his police connections to find out anything on the Joker. He had agreed, happy to help in anyway he could. When Helena had first become involved with the Detective, Barbara wasn't sure she trusted him, but Reese had proved time and time again that he was a trustworthy ally. He had become one of the team.
"Hey, Reese. Please tell me you have something."
"Actually, I do, but you're probably not going to be happy. I'm guessing you already know about the riot at the prison Joker currently calls home."
"Yes, the guards were able to take it back, but they haven't assessed the prisoner situation yet. Were you able to come up with something?"
"Actually, I was able to get some information from a buddy of mine, a high ranking guy in the Department of Justice. They just finished counting all the prisoners and they came up three short."
Barbara frowned, "Don't tell me, the Joker was one of them."
"I told you, you wouldn't be happy. The other two were ex-mobsters, hit men actually. They worked as janitors in Joker's block, which coincidentally is the same prison block where the riot started."
"I don't believe in coincidences, Detective. Sounds like the whole thing was a smoke screen so the Joker could escape."
"My thoughts exactly. I've informed the commissioner of the escape along with my strong hunch that the Joker will be heading here if he isn't here already. We have every cop in the city on alert. I promise you, Oracle, I will find him before he does any more damage."
"Thanks, Reese. You've been a big help; I don't know what we'd do without you."
"No problem, I'm happy to help," Reese paused, "have you talked to Helene. I haven't seen her since she left me at the crime scene."
Barbara sighed, "She's at the hospital with Dinah. To tell you the truth, I'm worried about her. She isn't taking this well."
"I figured as much. My shift ends in a couple of hours, I figured I'd run by the hospital and see how Dinah's doing. I'll talk to Helena. She started opening up to me earlier. Maybe I can get her to talk to me."
"I would really appreciate it. She tries to be so strong in front of me that I can't get through to her. Maybe you can."
Barbara thanked Reese once again and said good-bye. She hung up the phone and stared at her computers. She didn't want to believe it, but it was true.the Joker was back in New Gotham. Barbara looked down at her legs, the dead weight she had carried around for seven years. He had put her in this chair, this prison, in his sick attempt at revenge. Now he was back and she, like Helena, feared that the nightmare was starting all over again. She wished she could have spared Dinah and Helena from his wrath, but it was too late. All three of them had been touched by his evil.
Barbara only hoped they could stop him, before he did anymore damage. She had already seen the look of fear and rage in Helena's eyes earlier and she prayed that the Joker would not change Helena the way he had her father. Barbara had watched Bruce, the all-powerful Batman, change from a powerful, confident superhero to the broken man she had seen standing in the corner of her hospital room the day before he left town. He had apologized over and over again for her condition and for not being able to stop the Joker when he had the chance. He had blamed himself and he had left New Gotham a changed man, a broken man. Barbara did not want Helena to suffer the same fate.
Barbara sighed and looked up at her computer screen. Worrying about the past and the future would not help them. They needed to regroup and come up with a plan to take down the Joker before he could tear New Gotham apart. Barbara stiffened; she had to be strong. She was the leader of the group; she had to be in control.
Barbara made up her mind. She would shower off and head straight for the hospital and then all three of them could decide their next step.together.as a team.
The bank of computers in the middle of the Clocktower was the command center for all the Bird's operations. It was where Barbara, as Oracle, guided her proteges and provided them with information through her Delphi System. Up till now, though, neither Delphi, nor the all-knowing Oracle could find any shred of evidence on the Joker's whereabouts.
She had uncovered some information on the prison he was being held at. A high-maximum security prison, it housed the worst of America's criminals. Hacking into the federal prison system's computer base, Barbara had discovered that a riot had occurred and for the past two weeks it had been under the prisoners' control. The National Guard was just now taking the prison back and no one had yet to take a head count of the prisoners. Barbara had no way of knowing if the Joker was still in custody, dead, or, as she feared, free and back in New Gotham. She continued her search and was having Delphi check passenger lists of buses and trains coming into New Gotham for anything suspicious, when she fell asleep at her keyboard. She woke to the phone ringing.
"Hello." Barbara answered, glancing at the clock on her computer. The digital numbers read 6:00pm. She had researching the entire day.
"Hey Oracle." It was Reese. After their conversation at the hospital, Barbara had asked Reese if he could use his police connections to find out anything on the Joker. He had agreed, happy to help in anyway he could. When Helena had first become involved with the Detective, Barbara wasn't sure she trusted him, but Reese had proved time and time again that he was a trustworthy ally. He had become one of the team.
"Hey, Reese. Please tell me you have something."
"Actually, I do, but you're probably not going to be happy. I'm guessing you already know about the riot at the prison Joker currently calls home."
"Yes, the guards were able to take it back, but they haven't assessed the prisoner situation yet. Were you able to come up with something?"
"Actually, I was able to get some information from a buddy of mine, a high ranking guy in the Department of Justice. They just finished counting all the prisoners and they came up three short."
Barbara frowned, "Don't tell me, the Joker was one of them."
"I told you, you wouldn't be happy. The other two were ex-mobsters, hit men actually. They worked as janitors in Joker's block, which coincidentally is the same prison block where the riot started."
"I don't believe in coincidences, Detective. Sounds like the whole thing was a smoke screen so the Joker could escape."
"My thoughts exactly. I've informed the commissioner of the escape along with my strong hunch that the Joker will be heading here if he isn't here already. We have every cop in the city on alert. I promise you, Oracle, I will find him before he does any more damage."
"Thanks, Reese. You've been a big help; I don't know what we'd do without you."
"No problem, I'm happy to help," Reese paused, "have you talked to Helene. I haven't seen her since she left me at the crime scene."
Barbara sighed, "She's at the hospital with Dinah. To tell you the truth, I'm worried about her. She isn't taking this well."
"I figured as much. My shift ends in a couple of hours, I figured I'd run by the hospital and see how Dinah's doing. I'll talk to Helena. She started opening up to me earlier. Maybe I can get her to talk to me."
"I would really appreciate it. She tries to be so strong in front of me that I can't get through to her. Maybe you can."
Barbara thanked Reese once again and said good-bye. She hung up the phone and stared at her computers. She didn't want to believe it, but it was true.the Joker was back in New Gotham. Barbara looked down at her legs, the dead weight she had carried around for seven years. He had put her in this chair, this prison, in his sick attempt at revenge. Now he was back and she, like Helena, feared that the nightmare was starting all over again. She wished she could have spared Dinah and Helena from his wrath, but it was too late. All three of them had been touched by his evil.
Barbara only hoped they could stop him, before he did anymore damage. She had already seen the look of fear and rage in Helena's eyes earlier and she prayed that the Joker would not change Helena the way he had her father. Barbara had watched Bruce, the all-powerful Batman, change from a powerful, confident superhero to the broken man she had seen standing in the corner of her hospital room the day before he left town. He had apologized over and over again for her condition and for not being able to stop the Joker when he had the chance. He had blamed himself and he had left New Gotham a changed man, a broken man. Barbara did not want Helena to suffer the same fate.
Barbara sighed and looked up at her computer screen. Worrying about the past and the future would not help them. They needed to regroup and come up with a plan to take down the Joker before he could tear New Gotham apart. Barbara stiffened; she had to be strong. She was the leader of the group; she had to be in control.
Barbara made up her mind. She would shower off and head straight for the hospital and then all three of them could decide their next step.together.as a team.