"I feel like we need our own catchpharses," spoke up Joker, as he and Batman entered the Clocktower. "You know, since we're basically detective buddies like in a TV show. So when you find a clue, you could say something like, 'Well, that's the Bat's pajamas.' Like how people used to say things were the cat's pajamas. And if you were about to get into a fight, you could say, 'Batter up.' And I could say something like, 'Jokerrific.' Or 'Joke's on us,' I guess. Or 'Joke's on them,' depending on the context…"

"I can't concentrate when you're babbling," interrupted Batman. "I know you don't have any interest in saving Oracle, but you'd think you'd want to see your son again. So shut up and help me search for clues so we can find them."

"Ok," said Joker, looking around. He pointed at the clock. "What about that?"

"What about it?" asked Batman.

"Could be a clue," said Joker.

"I don't see how," retorted Batman. "The clock's always been there."

"Or has it?" asked Joker.

"Yes, it has," said Batman. "That's why it's called the Clocktower. Maybe just shut up, and leave the detective work to me," he muttered, kneeling down by Oracle's wheelchair, which had fallen over in the abduction.

He searched around it, hoping Harley had dropped something. "Why the bust of Shakespeare?" asked Joker, examining it. "Is it because you have a loyal fool of your own who speaks in jokes but is actually the wisest character in the play, King Lear?"

"That was actually Alfred's idea," retorted Batman. "I thought hiding the button to activate the Bat-stuff in a bust would be a good idea, but Alfred decided on the figure. Shakespeare is popular enough for people to just think it's a coincidence if they somehow noticed that Barbara and I had the same sculpture."

"Or they might think you two are romantically involved, and you gave each other identical presents so you'll think of each other when you're apart," said Joker. "Especially since you've written a love poem on this one."

"What?" demanded Batman, standing up and heading over to the bust. There was indeed writing scribbled on it:

He's always near

Not far away

I'll always love

My Mr. J.

"Aw, Harley wrote that for me!" sighed Joker. "She's a sweet kid. If only she knew how near I actually was!" he chuckled. Batman continued reading:

A man you love

More than a friend

Is about to meet

A shocking end.

Little Bruce Wayne

The orphan kid

Will be orphaned again

From the other end.

"What do you think that means?" asked Joker. "Orphaned again from the other end? That doesn't even make sense. And you don't have any male lovers, do you? I never thought you swung that way, but you never know what madness DC will concoct with our characters next…"

"No, I don't," interrupted Batman. "And I don't have that many friends, let alone people who are more than friends. I guess Dick and Tim count as my family, or Alfred…"

He activated the communicator on his gauntlet. "Alfred, are you there?"

"Yes, sir," said Alfred.

"Can you double check the security protocols in the Batcave?" asked Batman. "There's someone working with Scarecrow, and he's pretty good with technology. I want to make sure you're safe and sound in there."

"Of course, sir," said Alfred. "But I'm all locked down here. I doubt anyone will be able to breach the Batcave – it would take someone of uncommon genius."

"Well, that's my boy!" chuckled Joker.

"Ok, just…keep your guard up," said Batman, tapping the communicator again. "Tim? Where are you?"

"At GCPD," said Robin. "It's chaos here. We've managed to lock down the building, but that won't hold off Riddler's robots for long."

"Where's Dick?" demanded Batman.

"He snuck out – he's trying to figure out some way to shut the robots down," said Robin. "Or find Riddler and make him stop them. He must have some sort of killswitch."

"Yeah," agreed Batman. "Any idea where he's looking?"

"You could ask," said Robin, transferring Batman over.

"Hey, Bruce," said Nightwing, as his face popped up on screen. "What's up?"

"Are you ok?" asked Batman. "I've just found a threat saying that someone I care about is going to be harmed. Oracle is…safe, and so is Alfred, and Robin's just said he's in GCPD. So that leaves you."

"Aw, it's nice to know you care about me," said Nightwing, smiling at him. "I'm fine, Bruce. I've survived on my own in Blüdhaven for a long time – I don't need you to watch my back."

"Where are you?" asked Batman. "Tim said you were after Riddler?"

"Yeah, he's never been difficult to track down, and that's still the case," said Nightwing. "Never as smart as he thinks he is, Riddler. I tracked where the robots were coming from, and I think I've just found his hideout. It's the old Pinkney orphanage."

"The orphanage?" repeated Batman, instantly alarmed by the mention of anything related to orphans. "Dick, don't go in there without me," he said.

"Bruce, relax, I can handle it," retorted Nightwing. "I know your trust issues have been in overdrive ever since Jason Todd – Tim said you used to not let him out of your sight. But you have to trust me to take care of myself, ok? You trained me pretty well, after all."

"Dick, please, you don't understand. Riddler isn't working alone as usual - there's someone else controlling him," said Batman.

"Oh, c'mon, nobody could control Riddler!" laughed Nightwing. "His ego's just too big! Not even Joker could have done that! And Scarecrow definitely can't."

"It's not Scarecrow running the show," said Batman. "It's someone new. Please, Dick, just trust me…"

"No, Bruce, I'm stopping this now," said Nightwing. "Before anyone else gets hurt."

"Dick, don't!" shouted Batman. "Dick! Listen to me! Dick!"

There was no response. "Well, can't say you didn't warn him," sighed Joker. "So whatever happens to him definitely isn't your fault. You tried to tell him, and he didn't listen. That's because he doesn't respect you, Bats, and he never has. You never could get the hang of this leadership thing – a leader isn't chummy with the people he's training. A leader is harsh, firm, and disciplined – that's how he commands respect. But you always tried to be friendly with the kids you recruited – a pal who understood their trauma and helped them work through it. That doesn't inspire respect. It just makes them think you're as weak as they are, and nobody respects weakness."

Batman ignored him, racing toward the Batmobile and screeching off toward Miagani Island. He saw the blinking light over the orphanage shining Riddler's question mark symbol out for everyone to see – it was obvious he wanted to be found. It was obviously a trap.

Batman kicked open the door to the orphanage – creepy, sickly green lights feebly illuminated the interior. "Dick?" shouted Batman. "Nygma? Where is he?"

"In here," called Riddler's voice, but it lacked his usual haughty tone. Batman followed the voice deeper into the shadows, but stopped suddenly as he felt himself teetering on the edge of an abyss.

"Good for you for sensing that drop – the boy just fell in," said Riddler, as bright lights flicked on above Batman. He looked down to see a pit below him, a pit whose floor was made up entirely of what looked to be electrical panels. Fortunately they weren't yet turned on, and he saw Nightwing looking around for a way out of the pit. He tried shooting his grappling hook out into the darkness, but couldn't find anything to catch it on.

"Here, take my hand," said Batman, kneeling down and reaching out to him.

"I wouldn't, Dark Knight," said Riddler. "If you touch him, I turn the power on, and you both fry."

"Where are you, Nygma?" demanded Batman, looking around. "And what do you want?"

"It's not what I want, Dark Knight," murmured Riddler. "Not anymore. I…I don't have a choice. This isn't what I want, not any of it - this isn't the way I would do anything, but he…you don't understand what he's like. You can't refuse him. You didn't see what he did to Penguin…"

"The Arkham Night?" guessed Batman. "I've met him."

"But you don't know what he's capable of," replied Riddler. "My way of doing things would be a battle of wits, a battle of riddles…but he thinks there's a better, more direct way to break you. I'm not going to argue with him."

"Good, I hate people who talk back to me," said a familiar filtered voice, which seemed to come from a speaker system surrounding them. "Obedience, that's important in subordinates, but it's something you've failed to instill in yours, Batman. That's shoddy leadership."

"See? I told you," said Joker, nodding next to Batman.

"But I did have Harley indulge the riddle thing, Eddie," continued the Arkham Night. "She sent Batman here with a poem, which contained some of your fancy wordplay you're so fond of. Little Bruce Wayne/The orphan kid/Will be orphaned again/From the other end."

"Nonsense poems are more the Mad Hatter's style," retorted Riddler. "And he hasn't been seen since Arkham City. There was some rumor he built a hat that could control his own mind, and that he deliberately broke his own brain so he would never have to face reality again, just live in a Wonderland of his own making forever. It's a shame – a mind is a terrible thing to waste."

"I agree," said the Arkham Night. "But as long as he's happy, who cares if he lives in reality or not? Anyway, it's not nonsense – to be an orphan from the other end means the child and parent switch places. So rather than the child witnessing the death of the parent, the parent witnesses the death of the child. Like so," he added, as the electrical panels suddenly started fizzling to life.

"No!" shouted Batman, reaching out to try to grab Nightwing. "Nygma, stop this now!"

"I…I can't," stammered Riddler, his voice frightened and shaking. "I've…lost control…it's not responding to my commands! And the electric floor is turning on in here!"

"Yeah, sorry about that, Eddie," said the Arkham Night's voice. "But not really that sorry. You were useful in getting Nightwing here, and in making the robot army. But I've taken control of the robots now, so you've served your purpose, and you're no longer of any use to me."

"No, no, you can't!" exclaimed Riddler. "Please…I don't deserve to die like this! Fried like a bug in a bug zapper…"

"Which is all you ever were, Eddie!" chuckled the Arkham Night. "I admit it's not as poetically just as Dick Grayson the orphan dying in an orphanage while his adopted father and fellow orphan Bruce Wayne watches on in horror, unable to stop another member of his family from dying tragically…but frankly, it doesn't have to be poetically just for you, Eddie. As long as I don't have to suffer your annoying voice anymore, I don't even need your death to be perfect. I just want it to be over quickly so I don't have to deal with you anymore. I know that's not traditional supervillain behavior, but hey, I'm not your traditional supervillain, as Batman is finding out. I don't waste time with elaborate traps or holding his little family hostage – I just instantly kill them. It's so much more fun that way."

"Dick, no!" shouted Batman, as he watched Nightwing slowly being electrocuted. "Take my hand!"

"You'll die too!" hissed Nightwing.

"That doesn't matter – just let me save you!" cried Batman.

"Not this time, Bruce," said Nightwing, with a wry smile that ended in a hiss. "Just…save Gotham."

"Dick, no!" shouted Batman. "No!"

He tried to jump in after him, but electrified bars instantly came together over the pit. "That death isn't for you, Dark Knight," said the Arkham Night. "We've got lots more games left to play."

Batman couldn't tear his eyes away as Nightwing slowly stopped twitching. He heard Riddler's death screams grow fainter and fainter from wherever he was trapped in the orphanage, but Batman knew he wouldn't be able to save him either. The Arkham Night was right – he was a different caliber of supervillain. Much more direct, efficient, and cruel. His games were instantly deadly, which made him absolutely terrifying.

"Ok, don't judge me, but I'm kinda in the mood for barbeque," commented Joker, as the power to the floor turned off at last, and deathly silence reigned in the orphanage. "What about you, big guy? Feeling peckish?"

"Dick," whispered Batman, staring at Nightwing's body. "I'm so sorry. I failed you…"

"No, you're not going to take responsibility for this, remember?" snapped Joker. "He brought it on himself by not listening to you. And as for Riddler, who the hell cares that he's dead? Nobody, that's who."

"I have to find the Arkham Night," growled Batman, his grief suddenly turning to fury. "Now. Before anyone else dies."

"Oh, you will find me, Dark Knight," whispered the Arkham Night. "When I want you to. But it won't be before anyone else dies, I promise you that."