CHAPTER 2

Jim Gordon has always been the calm type. He always took everything with a grain of salt until proven other wise. Even with a phsyco on the loose he seemed to have an unnatural calm, something that even I don't possess, but something was different tonight. He seemed rather nervous and I saw what I felt was a tear in his left eye. Being that I've never seen Jim cry, this is what surprised me.

"Don't worry," I said, "I'm used to staying up."

Jim didn't respond. It was almost as if he wasn't listening but I knew that he was. He then reached deep into his overcoat pocket and pulled something out. From this angle I couldn't see it but he held it high about his shoulder for me to see. It was something that took me by surprise. A lone poker card. A Joker.

Jim let out a small sigh and turned toward me for the first time. "We found this at the train derailing. As you probably already know 11 were killed and over 30 were injured."

I knew the train derailing all too well. It happened two nights ago around midnight. It was a nonstop commercial train from Gotham to New York. Left at 11:00 but didn't even make it a hundred miles. It mysteriously derailed for some reason. Of course I couldn't stop it. How could I? I wish I could read minds or have the uncanny ability to see the future but that's not my gift. My only gift is left me too late. I got there quick enough and hoped to find some survivors, but what I arrived to was a huge inferno in one of the cars that I didn't expect. Nobody could have survived in that. I went from car to car trying to pull out as many as I could but most were pinned under debre or had every bone in their body crushed and I dare not move them. It's so hard to know that you can't help. It bothers me everyday but I have to move on. I've lost people in the past and I never get used to it. Even when I loose a criminal it feels that I've failed but I'm only human.

After searching for several minutes, with no luck, Bullock showed up with a whole fleet of paramedics. It was probably the only time I was glad to see Harvey Bullock but nonetheless I had to split. He would have found some way to pin it on me.

"Yes." I said. Gordon makes eye contact with me. He evidently feels uncomfortable because he looks away again.

"It doesn't looks so mysterious anymore with us finding this card on the engineer."

I landed softly on the ground. I hate to leave Jim hanging like that but its something both he and I have come accustom too over the years. Plus I had heard enough to know what was ahead. My brain is already scanning through the possibilities but none seem definite enough to bank on. This is where my detective skills become useful and the fact that I own the most advanced computer on the eastern seaboard. Sometimes being rich does have its advantages.

I really needed that shower. It is one of the few things that help me unwind at night, especially when a lot is on my mind. And it would happen to be one of those times.

"Master Bruce. Would like a bite to eat before bed?" Alfred says.

"No thanks Alfred."

He gives a small nod and leaves the room. It's hard to believe how long he's been here. Sometimes it just amazes me how he hasn't given up on me. When he first disagreed with what I became, I knew it was just a matter of time before he was gone. But he is still here and willing to help anyway he can when asked upon. I would offer him a chance for retirement but I knew he wouldn't except it. I think he knows that loosing him would be just as bad to me as loosing my parents. Of course the pain wouldn't be great enough to force me to seek justice but it may be enough to make me stop.

My mind can't resist and it moves back to the thought of that card. Of course it is the calling card for the Joker but one thing doesn't add up. It's the fact that he's dead. I vowed I would never take a life but his life was lost years ago. He had already taken more lives than I could ever count and I knew there would be more to follow. It was something I had to do and oddly I have never regretted it to this day. But what if the unthinkable happened and he wasn't dead. Even he escaped death one time when he fell into that vat of chemicals. But he came out insane. What if he somehow came back several times worse? How could I face him again? It's something I don't want to think about but I have to force myself. Until the mystery is solved I have to force myself.

The room goes darker and darker as I feel the heaviness of my eyelids forcing them to close. Sleep is just around the corner and I'm dozing off into that space of ease and solitude wedged between the stress of daylight hours. I've never been a big fan of sleep but tomorrow is going to be different. Maybe the ease and solitude will do me good for once.