Two months and two weeks later…

I've been sitting here in my dark lounge room for the past half hour. I wonder why the city has been so quiet the past couple of months. It's all too curious; something has to be going on underneath the surface of this crooked city. Just as I began to lose myself in my thoughts, the bat signal shines high in the cloudy sky, over the Wayne Mansion. Quickly, I get up and press one of my desk's secret switches, causing the European rug on the floor to open. I jump down into the darkness, landing on an elevator taking me deep into the caves. Before I could realize it, I'm back on the streets of Gotham in the Bat mobile.

Stealthily, I get up on the roof of the locked up building where the signal is kept. However, looking around, Gordon is mysteriously missing. Suddenly, I hear a subtle but reflexive type noise and grab a weapon off my belt ready to fight, "Whose there?"

"Put down your weapon," says a stern female voice, "I'm not here to fight you."

Looking over to the far side of my left, I can see a dark figure in the shadows. All I can make out of the woman is very long dark hair, tall, deep voice, and a tight outfit on. Still skeptical, I lower my weapon, but leave it in hand, "What do you want?"

"There's a very big threat heading your way," she says, tossing a small object straight at me. Instinctively, I catch the object with my free hand, and study it. It's a playing card, with a purple joker printed onto it.

"'The Joker', as he has trained many to call him by, has recently arrived in Gotham. He was one of the biggest mayhem maniacs in New York City, but he suddenly decided to come here. From what I understand he's been here for about a month, planning something big I presume."

"Does he have any connections with the past big crime lords here?" I say gruffly, watching as the woman moves slowly back and forth on the edge of the building.

"Yes; he's got connections with mainly the ones you've already taken care of. So, if I were you, I'd watch your back. He's probably got a bone to pick with you about your meddling in the city's affairs."

Extremely curious at this point, I find myself asking, "What about you? Why are you telling me all of this?"

Stopping in her tracks, the woman again faces me, saying defensively, "I'm just laying the cards down on the table; you're the one who needs to play them."

Enough of her chatter, I grip my metal bat boomerang and slowly step closer, "And how do I know I can trust you?"

"You of all people should know," she says, aware of my approach, "There isn't trust in the underworld of Gotham; there hasn't been for a very long time. Don't take my heads up lightly."

Just then, I throw the weapon. It flies at her; however, the woman jumps up into a flip and backwards off the side of the building. The bat boomerang returns to me in seconds and I run to the ledge to see where she fell. But she was gone.

Afterward, the building door swings open, and Commissioner Gordon comes out with a gun in hand yelling, "Alright, you punks better scram! This place is off limits to civilians…Batman! Wha- what's going on?"

"Just got a tip on a new threat," I say, throwing the card at him, and then jump off the roof heading back to the Bat mobile.

"The Joker," I say to myself, "It's an underworld indeed."

The next morning, work at Wayne Enterprise is busier than ever. Pulling up at the front of the building, Alfred puts the Rolls Royce in park, then turns to say, "Good luck today at work Master Bruce, I'm sure it'll be a very hectic day by the looks of things."

"I'll keep that in mind," I say getting out. He is right; it will be a long day.

Just as things began winding down hours upon hours later, I think of the night before, and what the inexplicable woman had said. Pressing a button for my secretary, I say, "Janice, could you get someone in the department to print out files on the crimes committed in Gotham this past month?"

"Sure thing Mr. Wayne." She says helpfully.

Not but ten minutes later, Janice comes into the room with all the files. Ecstatic, I stand up and take them from her saying, "That was extremely fast Janice, thanks. I'm really impressed with your efficiency."

"As much as I'd like to take the credit Mr. Wayne, I didn't go through these files. One of my assistants did it for me. She's very good."

Pushing it aside, too anxious on the files, I wave her away saying, "Well send her my gratitude and that I'm deeply grate…" I trail off, interested in the files I'm reading.

"I'm sure you are." The secretary mutters under her breath, leaving the room.

Spending the next hour looking over the files, I become very aggravated with the lack of information on this 'Joker' character. But just as the work seemed too extreme, the Bat signal lights up the sky. Sighing, I get up and mutter to myself, "Finally, I'm getting no where with this crap!"