A/N- Thanks for the reviews! Now, including this chapter, there are only three chapters of this fic left! Now, I will have a sequel to this (this is, like, the fourth or fifth time I've typed this statement this week, guys--no joke!). It will be called, "Oh Father of Mine." Right now, though, please enjoy!
Chapter 11- Trail of…
It was very fortunate for Batman--and very unfortunate for the Joker--that every time the Clown Prince of Crime robbed a lab, it was usually a WayneTech lab. Batman strode through the familiar place as the police picked up and carried away the poor lab technicians that had been affected by the Joker. Batman couldn't tell if the Joker had made this mess in the lab, or if the techs had.
There was glass everywhere. Not to mention stray chemicals. It was hard to walk through, let alone find any clues to the Joker's whereabouts. And on top of all of this, Batman was sure he was running out of time, as far as Jo was concerned.
"Anything yet?" came the commissioner's voice from behind him.
"Not a thing, Jim. Not so much as a green hair," the Dark Knight replied.
"He's usually more careless than this. Batman, I'm concerned for Jo's well-being," Gordon said.
"Aren't we all?" Batman said sarcastically as he turned to face him.
Gordon held out a brown file with the name "Quinn, Harley" on the tab. Batman took it and raised an eyebrow.
"What's this?"
"Read what's on about page six."
The Dark Knight flipped open the folder and began to read. When he had finished the page, he glanced back at Gordon.
"Oh, God, Jim. How long have you known this?"
"Not too long. Dr. Rictim called just an hour or two ago. He said that he had something that I might need to see. As to why he chose now to divulge this, I have no clue. My guess is that he was watching T.V., saw that we hadn't found Jo yet, and felt guilty."
"Her mother…Harley killed Jo's mother. But why? And so long after the fact?"
"One can only guess," Gordon said, taking the folder back. "But I don't think Harley's the one that we have to worry about hurting Miss Ker. She's always wanted a child; I would suspect that she would be very nurturing toward her."
"We can only hope."
Batman turned his attention away and began to re-examine the floor for clues. In every piece of glass he saw his reflection. The black cowl, a stern and serious look on his face. However, in one of the pieces, this was not so. His face was elongated into a humorous vision that looked like someone had tried--and failed--to model him out of flesh colored putty. He stooped and picked up the glass, turning it over to peer on the reverse side--which of course was not mirrored.
"Got something?" the commissioner inquired.
Batman did not answer immediately. Instead, he made his way to one of the instruments on a table that had not been broken. It was like a microscope, only instead of a normal light bulb, it used a black light. He slipped the glass onto the stage and flicked on the black light.
"Just as I thought," he said, writing down something on a scrap piece of paper and removing the glass.
As he put the glass into a little plastic bag and slipped the paper inside of his glove, Gordon asked, "What? Do you know where she is?"
"Commissioner! Over here!" called one of the police officers on the scene.
"Just a minute!" Gordon said, turning toward him. When he turned back, Batman was gone.
Sighing before he turned to see what his officer wanted, Gordon whispered, "I hope you did, Batman. I hope you did."
End Notes: I hope everyone enjoyed that. It was a bit better than what I thought it was going to be. Sorry that it's so short. Anyhow, please R & R! Thanks!