Chapter 7: Vampyra's Offer
The roof of the police station was completely deserted. It was unlike Commissioner Gordon or any other person to leave the Bat-signal after turning it on. Silently, he switched off the light and looked around.
"Commissioner Gordon?" Batman asked the growing darkness with a low tone.
"BATMAN!" was the cry that came from a voice that Batman would have never expected.
Batman turned to see the Joker run out towards him. He raised a masked brow and stared at the panicked clown.
"Batman!" the Joker grabbed at Batman's shoulders tripping over a pipe in the roof. "Yah gotta help me," he glanced around, eyes wide. "She's gonna get me! I know it! She's got all the others, even Harley! And now she's comin' for me!"
The Joker backed away, his gloved fingertips in his yellow teeth, biting his nails. The sight gave Batman the impression of a white lab rat cornered by a cat.
"Wait," Batman's brow furrowed in confusion. This had to be bad if the Joker was asking him for help. "She took Quinn?"
"Right out from under my nose!" The Joker yelled, throwing his arms up for emphasis. "She was right there, in the kitchen, and the next thing I know, she's gone!"
Batman was still trying to comprehend all this, feeling awkward about the Joker telling him his problems. "Was there any struggle?" He did not know what else to say.
"No!" The Joker was nearing hysterics, but it was hard to tell, even for Batman. "Just an open window and one of her blasted cards!" He stomped his foot in frustration.
"A card?" Batman's mind went back to the list of inmates and tarot cards. "What was it?"
Joker reached into his pocket and handed over the card.
Queen of Wands, she had captured the only other Rogue except the Joker, now Vampyra was after him. "Where is she?"
Joker looked shocked. "Do you really think I would go looking for that lunatic?"
Batman raised another brow, ironic that he would refer to Vampyra as a "lunatic". "Come on…"
"What?"
Batman looked at his archenemies. "She's after you. The only way I can find her is if you stay with me…"
"Oh," Joker gave a confused smirk. "Right… Don't think I'm getting sane, Bats!"
Batman and Joker descended from the rooftop to find the Batmobile idling in the alleyway.
The Joker let out a long whistle. "Snazzy…"
"Don't get any ideas…" Batman said in a dark tone as the cover slid back to reveal the driver and passenger seat.
Both Batman and Joker jumped into the Batmobile. The roof slid closed with a snap.
"What did you touch?" Batman looked at the Joker.
"Nothing! I swear it!" Joker raised his hands.
Batman went to push the gas pedal only to find the Batmobile did not respond. He pushed a few buttons and switched with no avail.
"It's her!" Joker looked at the switches and began to pound on the roof. "Let me out of this thing!"
The screen on the center consul flipped on with a mind of its own. The screen showed a grinning picture of Vampyra. The Joker let out a scream, clawing at the side trying to get as far away from the picture as possible.
"Hello, Batman," Vampyra began. "I suppose you already know that I have already taken the liberty of borrowing many of your Arkham Rogues… But theirs still one more I require, and right now he is probably right next to you…"
Batman glanced at the Joker who was staring at the screen, panic turned to an angered annoyance in one of his many mood swings. "You not going to get this Rogue, Blackie!"
"Now you're probably wondering why I have even bothered kidnapping every super-villain in Gotham." The camera moved wider to show Vampyra walking past frozen figures of The Riddler, Two- Face, Poison Ivy and all the other missing Rogues. She stopped at the cringing figure of Harley Quinn, in full costume, and leaned against her. "The truth is… I was never fond of competition…"
The Joker gasped in horror at the figure of Harley's shocked face. "Why you little!"
"I am actually doing you a favor, really," Victoria went on with a smile. " Taking all these dangerous criminals off the streets for good… But then, I know you would even fight for these poor souls…" She strolled away from Harley. "So I have gathered another living collection…"
Vampyra stopped next to the paralyzed body of Commissioner Gordon and kissed his cheek. The camera proceeded to pan down a line of human statues. Mayor Hamilton Hill, Detective Harvey Bullock, Judge Maria Vargas, Veronica Vreeland and Lucius Fox were all lined one after the other. Many of Gotham's most influential leaders were all lifeless under Vampyra's spell.
"I think my offer is more than generous," Vampyra walked in between the row of villains and leaders showing off her work. "The leaders of Gotham City, for the clown. And I would not try any tricks, or let us just say it is the luck of the draw." She pulled out a card from her deck and showed it to the camera, Death. "You have one hour, Batman."
The consul went black and Batman looked at the Joker.
"Yeah, right!" Joker was laughing. "You wouldn't turn me over. Right, Bats?" He looked at Batman and his face immediately dropped. "Batman?"
Batman pulled a knockout canister from his belt, and sprayed the Joker in the face before he could protest.