Chapter 25

Batcave; September 27th, 06:01 EST

Diana exited the showers in the Batcave changing area, towel drying her long raven hair. She paused to toss her damp towel into the laundry bin, knowing that sleep would not be coming to her any time soon. She'd gotten next to no sleep since Tim had been taken three days ago.

None of them had gotten any real sleep and it was beginning to show through. Everyone was on edge even more so than they already had been. Tensions were running high, everyone growing more desperate as feelings of hopelessness intensified. It was becoming unbearable to say the least.

Jason and Bruce basically avoided each other—Bruce not wanting to spark a fight and Jason still furious with his father for not killing Joker a long time ago. There was a small part of her that understood Jason's frustration and resentment, but she also appreciated and respected Bruce's absolute refusal to take a life.

It was a moral dilemma that she herself struggled with at times especially in situations such as this, her training that had been ingrained in her on Themyscira warring with the high value she too placed on all life. It was Bruce's rigid belief in the importance of life that had first attracted her to him in the beginning, earning her admiration and respect.

Diana knew that she needed to see what she could do to help Jason resolve this resentment and rage that he seemed intent on holding on to and help bridge the rift between him and Bruce. Unfortunately, playing peacemaker was a role that she was growing accustomed to around here lately.

She'd become the calming force among the family since Tim's capture, a role that she didn't shirk or shy away from, but one that made it impossible to let her own emotions run rampant. She wanted nothing more than to scream and yell, to lose her temper and beat someone to a pulp, tear into everything and everyone without thought or care, but she couldn't.

While losing her temper was something that she still struggled with at times, it wasn't in her nature to allow herself to completely lose control like that. Then again, no one had ever kidnapped her son to torture and do Hera knew what to in order to break not only her son but her husband also.

Her whole family was suffering because of Tim's capture and her little ones weren't exempt from that loneliness. They asked daily for their brother, grudgingly accepting the fact that Tim was gone much like their father had been on a "special mission" not that long ago.

Diana had a feeling that Nicholas and Kaia knew that something terrible had happened but were still too young to truly understand it all. Both had been having nightmares, afraid that Tim wouldn't be returning home just like they had feared for their father. They'd also been acting out, throwing temper tantrums that tested everyone's patience at times.

Too much had happened in such a very short amount of time. Nicholas and Kaia had yet to fully trust that Bruce wasn't going to leave and never come back. She feared that her son and daughter would never know true peace again, never be able to fully trust their family. It made her question their decision to pursue this path in their lives. It left her feeling torn between her family and the world as well as the city that so desperately needed them.

This family meant absolutely everything to her. They were her life, but was she doing the right thing by forcing them to compete with the world…with the other families who might not see their loved ones return home if not for their efforts every single day? Was it fair to be so selfish as to put her children first before the safety of others?

She sighed wearily, knowing that was a dilemma for another time, another day. Right now, she needed to find Bruce. He hadn't been handling any of this very well though he tried his best to hide it. He put up a stoic façade for all of them, but Tim's kidnapping and Jason's belligerent attitude were weighing heavily on him. She knew that he was taking the full weight of the blame for all of it squarely on his shoulders though he didn't deserve to carry the burdensome load.

She spotted him on top of the platform still dressed in his uniform, sans cowl and gauntlets. He was just standing there staring at a map of Gotham displayed on one of the computer screens. He seemed completely lost in thought as she silently approached, knowing she would never get the drop on him at any other time if it weren't for the dire situation that they found themselves in.

"Bruce?" she called out to him.

He didn't flinch, didn't turn around to face her. He stood as still and tall as a mighty redwood. She came to stand behind him, not saying a word. She hoped that he was all right but didn't want to disrupt him if he had thought of something that could help them locate their son.

She slowly reached out to touch him, Bruce speaking before her hand could find his back. "I need to find a way to get a message to Joker," he suddenly said, taking her by surprise. "Do you think Oracle can do that for me?"

She quickly retracted her hand in confusion, unsure where exactly he was going with this. "What kind of message?"

"Me for Tim," he calmly stated, his voice confident and sure.

"Bruce, you can't be serious about this."

"I am serious, Diana," he firmly said. "I need to get a message to Joker letting him know I'm taking Tim's place. It's me that he wants, not Tim. He's only using him to get to me. I'm the one he really wants so that's what I'm giving him."

"Yes, he wants you, Bruce, but he wants to break you by hurting the ones closest to you," she attempted to explain to him, her hand finding his shoulder and forcing him to turn to face her. "Our best plan of action is to find Tim and get him away from Joker."

"But we can't find him, Diana!" he yelled as his fury bubbled to the surface. "He's going through God knows what right now all because of me. I can't take it any longer. It should be me…not him. Never our children. If Joker wants me, then that's what I'll give him."

"Bruce, we don't even know if Joker will accept the trade," Diana attempted to reason with him.

While incredibly proud of his desire to take Tim's place, she didn't feel it was the best option. It was so Bruce in every way to want to sacrifice himself and take another's place, but Joker needed to be stopped before he could hurt anymore people including Bruce.

"That's why I want Oracle to send out a message all over Gotham…get the word out to everyone," Bruce insisted. "Batman is taking Red Robin's place. It's the only way to save him."

Diana took Bruce's face in her hands as tears began to blur her vision. "I refuse to sacrifice my husband or my son," she angrily bit out with a ferocity that stunned him. "Joker wants me too, Bruce. I will offer myself to take Tim's place. I can handle whatever the Joker does to me, and I will stop him."

Bruce's hands came to rest on either side of her neck, his emotions simmering right there beneath the surface for her to feel the raw bite of as he stared into her eyes. "And I will not sacrifice my wife," he growled, the intensity of it causing a shiver to race up her spine.

Diana's chin fell, her forehead coming to rest against his cheekbone. "What are we going to do, Bruce?" she asked with a shuddering gasp.

"We'll have Oracle send out a message across Gotham telling Joker that I'm taking Red Robin's place," he told her, running his fingers through her hair. "When we make the exchange, you and the others can take out Joker and Harley Quinn."

She released a huff of frustration as she finally lifted her head to look into his eyes. The sheer burn of determination she saw there was enough to steal her breath. "Fine," she reluctantly agreed, resolve alight in her own eyes. "But I am not letting you out of my sight, Bruce Wayne. Do you hear me? I lost you once. I'm not losing you again."

Gazing into her impossible blue eyes, Bruce knew with every fiber of his being his feelings for this woman was real. He may not remember his life, how he got here or how he had ever become fortunate enough to earn the heart of this incredible woman, but one thing he knew with absolute certainty—he loved her.

Without hesitation, he lowered his mouth to hers, capturing her lips in a slow, sensual kiss that completely took her by surprise. Diana responded in kind, allowing her love for this amazing man to show through as her arms slipped around his body to drew him closer to her.

Her hands slipped up his back, her fingers threading through his jet-black hair as she held him. She parted her lips, inviting him to taste and to explore at will. He didn't hesitate in accepting her offer as he deepened the kiss, tongues tangling as he gripped her shoulders as if clinging to her like the anchor that she had become for him.

Kissing her was so warm and inviting…like coming home, creating familiar sparks deep inside of him that he knew only she could create as he sought solace from the one person that he knew could calm the raging storm inside of him. She had quickly become his everything and more.

Drawing back, he pressed his forehead against hers as he struggled to regain control once more. "We'll do whatever it takes to get him back—together," he swore to her.

She closed her eyes as she nodded her head, accepting this was the only way they were going to be able to find Tim. She knew it was incredibly risky, but she also knew they were rapidly running out of options. "Together," she agreed, her heart feeling unexpectedly lighter than it had since this had all began as they just held one another.

XXX

Cassie wondered around Tim's bedroom just like the countless other times since she'd showed up here three days ago. It made her feel a little better being with Tim's family, being around his things and in his bedroom. She was so grateful that they hadn't forced her to leave. Instead, they had welcomed her in and allowed her to help in the search for him.

It had brought her a small measure of comfort knowing that she was doing something to help find him even though there was no sign of him anywhere. She didn't feel quite so helpless being here. Doing something helped to take her mind off all the terrifying things that she was sure Joker was doing to him right now.

She momentarily closed her eyes, fighting back the horrible scenarios that abruptly assaulted her mind. She would not allow Joker to win. She walked to his dresser, picking up the picture frame that sat there. It was a picture of Tim with Nicholas and Kaia. She couldn't help but smile back at the three of them laughing about something or other. She knew how much he loved his little brother and sister; how very proud he was to be their big brother.

Tim's absence was deeply felt by all, but none more so than by Nicholas and Kaia. They asked about him frequently, wanting to know where he was and when he was coming home. It was taking everything all of them had to keep them occupied during their brother's absence, trying to keep their own worry from surfacing.

Setting it down, she picked up the other frame beside it, laughing at the family picture. She knew it was his favorite picture. Donna had clicked the remote on her camera, taking the picture when no one was aware. None of them had been remotely ready to be captured like that.

Bruce and Diana were talking intently, each with smiles on their faces as they held Nicholas and Kaia on their laps. The rest of the family was captured around them in various forms of picking on each other and pretty much creating mayhem and chaos. It was his family at their most genuine selves and Tim loved it…loved his family fiercely.

She replaced the picture frame, turning her attention to the stuffed purple teddy bear. It was so unlike a male college student to have a large purple teddy bear in his bedroom, but she had won it at the fair a few months ago and had given it to him. Instead of hiding it in his room, he'd proudly displayed it for all to see.

They had spent the entire afternoon and evening together at the fair, riding almost every ride and eating fair food until she thought she was going to be sick. She picked up the framed picture of her and Tim that rested on his bedside table, her lips curling into a smile.

They had taken the selfie on top of the Ferris wheel, the sun setting over Gotham creating the perfect backdrop to the moment. That was the day that she knew that she had truly fallen in love with Timothy Drake. She had a feeling that he had felt the same way too about that memorable day.

She placed the picture back where it belonged as she sat down on edge of his bed. She looked around the room, feeling the full weight of loneliness and grief threatening to overwhelm her all over again. She laid down the bed, pulling one of his pillows into her arms to hug close to her body.

She inhaled deeply, smelling him on the sheets. It brought a faint smile to her face as she attempted to fall asleep. Unfortunately, sleep wasn't something that she'd been able to do much of since she found out that Joker had taken Tim. She just prayed that tonight would be the night that they found him because she didn't think she could handle going through another day without him being safe at home where he belonged.

XXX

Dick sank down on his side of the bed with a weary groan, stretching his neck in an effort to ease the kinks that he had settled there. It had been another long night of desperate searching and not finding, frustration as well as overt fear building to near unbearable levels as they scoured the streets of Gotham and once again coming up with nothing.

He felt as though he was failing his brother, letting him down. He'd tried everything that he could think of, checked every place that he thought Joker might be and still they couldn't find him anywhere. He felt completely helpless, frustration and fear like a knot in his gut.

"Hey." A gentle voice came through the darkness as a hand was laid on his back. "Were you able to find him?"

Dick's shoulders sank along with his heart as he hung his head in utter defeat. "No," he replied. "Not a trace of him anywhere."

"You'll find him, Dick," Donna reassured him. "I have faith in all of you."

"I don't know what to do, Don," he admitted, his voice wavering ever so slightly. "We've looked everywhere. I have no idea where Joker is holding him. I don't know where else to turn. I'm out of options."

Donna shifted in the bed to sit on the edge of it next to him, her hand moving to stroke his hair on the nape of his neck. "Let me come out with you tonight. I can help look too."

His entire body instantly stiffened as he adamantly shook his head. "No way…not going to happen, Don. It's too dangerous. I'm already on the verge of losing it as it is with Tim missing without something happening to you and our twins."

Donna's free hand fell to her growing abdomen with the mention of their children. "I would never let anything happen to our babies," she heatedly stated, resentment coloring her voice.

"No…no, I know that," he quickly amended, turning to face her. "It's not you…it's everyone else out there that wants to take us out that has me scared senseless. I can't guarantee your safety and that terrifies me. Gotham isn't like any other city…not even Blüdhaven."

"Fine," she relented though clearly none too happy. In her heart, she knew he was right, but she was loathe to admit it. It wasn't in her nature to give in or to sit back when help was needed especially when it was family. "What can I do?"

"You've already been doing so much by keeping Nick and Kaia occupied and helping take care of Damian," he replied with a wry chuckle. "I'm sure dealing with Damian hasn't exactly been a picnic."

"You know he really isn't that bad once you get past his snarky attitude," she confessed. "Once I got past wanting to smash his face in, I realized that there's a soft heart underneath all that cocky attitude. You just have to look for it. It must be what Diana had to do with Bruce."

"Wow," he murmured. "Never thought I'd hear anyone say that about Damian, but maybe you're right. I guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree."

"I think he was just brainwashed by Talia and Ra's for too long," she surmised. "I bet the more time he spends with a normal family the easier he'll be to get along with."

"Normal family, Don?" he asked her, an eyebrow cocked in question. "What about this family is even remotely normal?"

"Okay, poor choice of words," she ultimately agreed. "But you have to admit, this family is way more normal than the al Ghul's. He's much better off here with us than with his mother and grandfather."

"I guess you're right about that," he decided. "I'm just glad he's getting stronger every day."

"Speaking of which…you need to try to get some sleep," she told him as she rubbed his back.

"I can't lose my brother, Donna," he softly said. "Losing Jason was horrible. It nearly broke Bruce. This family can't go through that again…not with Tim."

"I know," she replied, resting her head on his shoulder. "We'll find him, Dick. Tim won't give up. He'll fight with everything that he has to come back to us."

"It's just that sometimes I think that Tim is the best of all of us…you know?"

"Not every Wayne," she corrected him with a sweet kiss. "I know a particular Wayne who is pretty amazing in his own right."

"You had better be talking about me because if you're talking about Jason, I'll kill him with my bare hands," he sternly told her.

"Only you, Mister Grayson," she reassured him.

"That's good because I'm head over heels in love with you, Donna Grayson," he murmured as his lips met hers once more.

She brushed her nose against his as she caressed his cheek. "Let's get some sleep, Boy Wonder. Tim needs you at your very best and you can't do that without sleep."

He watched her as she crawled back under the covers, a frown forming. "I don't want to sleep," he replied with a shake of his head. "Every time I fall asleep, I have nightmares about what could be happening to Tim."

"Come here," she told him, drawing the covers back and patting the empty space right beside her.

He reluctantly crawled in beside her, sighing with unexpected contentment as he sank into the mattress and pillows. Sliding up against him, Donna slipped her arm across his torso as her leg hooked over his, her head coming to rest on his chest. He readily pulled her closer, savoring the feel of her in his arms.

"Sleep," she encouraged him. "I'll be here to chase away the nightmares if they come back."

"I love you, Donna," he sleepily murmured, kissing the top of her head.

"I love you too," she replied as she tightened her hold on him so that he'd know she was there even in his sleep, ready to do battle on his behalf.

Gotham; September 27th, 23:50 EST

"Okay, gang," Oracle announced, her voice coming through loud and clear over all of their commlinks. "The announcement has been spread throughout Gotham all day that Batman wants to meet Joker and exchange himself for Red Robin. There is no way that he doesn't know the time or location to meet. We'll just have to wait now and see if he actually shows."

"He'll show," Red Hood confidently stated. "The offer is too tempting for him to pass up. If anything, he'll show up out of pure curiosity to see what Bats is really up to."

"I don't know," Dick replied, his unease clearly evident in his voice. "He might not show up at all. It's pretty risky. He has to know Batman will have backup waiting."

"I'm telling you he can't pass this offer up," Jason insisted. "Even if he thinks it's a trap, he'll want to see what we've got up our sleeve."

"We need to be ready for anything," Artemis said from her position in a nearby alley beside Jason. "Joker can't be trusted for one second."

"All of you watch your backs," Oracle interjected. "We can't afford anymore injuries or lost teammates tonight so keep your heads in the game. You know that Joker loves planning surprises that come out of nowhere to hit you when you least expect it."

"Thanks for the pep talk, O," Nightwing grumbled, crouching on top of a gargoyle on a nearby building.

Dick glanced at Wonder Girl standing beside him on the ledge of the roof, hoping that allowing her to come along on this mission was the right decision. They couldn't afford for her to go rogue or lose her head in the middle of this. She needed to stay focused on getting Tim away from Joker without giving away she was Wonder Girl.

"I know what you're thinking," Cassie said without meeting his stare, her arms crossed against her abdomen. "I would never do anything to screw this up or risk Tim's life."

"Are you psychic or something?"

Cassie chuckled softly, but it held little amusement as she finally met his questioning gaze. "No, but I know how fiercely protective all of you are of your secret identities."

"Just don't use your powers," Nightwing reminded her. "It's a dead giveaway."

"I know," she said with a huff of annoyance. "All of you have told me at least six times each. Why did you let me come along if you don't trust me to be here?"

Nightwing looked down at the street below, his mind still racing through various scenarios about how all of this was going to go down. "Diana vouched for you," he revealed. "She assured us that you knew what you were doing and would be a good asset to the team. Besides, she said you'd end up showing up regardless of what we told you to do so we really didn't have an option."

"How reassuring," she muttered under her breath. "I thought I'd more than proven myself with the Titans."

"You have," he confirmed, "but this isn't the Titans. This is Gotham and this is my brother."

XXX

"I don't like this," Batwoman murmured, her gaze locked straight ahead of her as she stood next to her husband awaiting Joker's arrival.

"I know, but it'll be okay…I promise," he swore to her, his fingers curling into fists beneath his cape only to uncurl a moment later. The movement created an almost imperceptible creaking sound that only Diana heard. "Don't worry about me, princess. Just get Red Robin away from Joker and out of here as quickly as possible."

"I will always worry about you," she stated with an unmistakable edge to her voice. "And don't even think for one moment that I won't stop Joker from taking you away from me."

"We'll all stop Joker before he can take you," Nightwing agreed.

"I'm more than prepared to stop Joker permanently," Red Hood muttered under his breath, the sound of a gun being cocked heard loud and clear over the commlinks.

"No," Batman angrily growled. "There will be no killing. If that's all you have in mind, you can leave now, Hood."

Red Hood opened his mouth to deliver a scathing retort only to be abruptly silenced by the almost bone-crushing grip that Artemis had on his hand at that moment. "Whatever," he grumbled under his breath, jerking his hand free and shaking it in an effort to regain the feeling in it.

"Behave yourself," she hissed with a threatening tone that spoke volumes.

Jason shot her a glare, but it was completely ineffective on the Amazon warrior partly because it was hidden beneath his mask and partly because she held no fear of him. Still, Artemis knew it was there, could picture it in her mind's eye. She rolled her eyes as she shook her head with annoyance.

"I'm serious, Hood," Batman ground out. "Leave now if you have nothing but murder in mind."

"You aren't my boss," Jason countered. "I don't have to take orders from you."

"Jason!" Nightwing yelled. "Stop it! This isn't about you so stop trying to make it. It's about getting Tim back and capturing Joker—nothing more."

"I don't have to listen to you either, Dick," Hood spat out.

"Focus, people!" Oracle exclaimed. "Hood, shut your face. I've got a black van approaching from the east."

"Stay back," Batman told Diana as he took a step forward.

"No way in Tartarus," she bit out as she took a step forward to stand shoulder to shoulder with him.

"Diana," he growled her name, his lips twisted into a sneer. "Stay back. Let me do this."

"You're not doing it alone, Bruce," she quietly said with a steely resolve that permeated the air around them. "I'm with you through this to the end whether you like it or not."

"Princess…I swear," he hissed, cursing angrily.

"Now is not the time to argue," she told him as the headlights of the black van began to come into view. "We can argue about it after we get Tim back."

Batman gritted his teeth, his jaw locking in anger. "You're so damn stubborn."

"So, you do remember some things about me," she lightly teased.

"There are definitely some things about you that I'm more than anxious to remember," he said, glancing at her out of the corner of his eye.

"Hey, you two can flirt later," Oracle interrupted their banter. "I've got three more black vans approaching—one from the west, south, and north."

"Crap…four vans," Nightwing muttered as he pulled his grappling gun. "I knew Joker wouldn't make any of this exchange easy. He always has to play some psychotic game."

"There's not going to be an exchange," Batwoman insisted. "Not while I'm still alive."

"You better not die," Batman snapped.

"Be on your toes," Oracle stated. "All four vans are headed straight towards you."

"Keep Kal and the others on standby," Diana added.

"Do not call them in unless absolutely necessary," Batman ordered. "We'll handle Joker ourselves."

Diana smiled to herself. Some things never changed even if he didn't have his memories. "I plan on handling Joker personally."

Batman and Batwoman watched as the first van coming from the east drew closer to their position. Everyone was on guard, the tension of the situation nearly suffocating at that moment. No one knew how this was going to play out, but everyone feared the worst as the first van slowed their approach.

The passenger door window lowered; a couple of grenade launchers being pointed directly at them. "Get down!" Batwoman yelled, shoving Batman aside.

The grenade launchers fired, the van suddenly taking off with tires squealing. The grenades skidded across the ground towards where Batman and Batwoman had been moments before, gray smoke pouring out of them. Sparks shot out of the fake grenades, but nothing more happened.

Coming out from behind a dumpster, Batman spotted one of the other vans closing in on them. It raced straight towards him and Diana, picking up speed as if prepared to run them over. Bruce and Diana dove out of the way, tucking and rolling before coming up on the balls of their feet in preparation for an attack.

"You two need to get out of there!" Nightwing yelled as the attempted to run them over. "They're going to kill you!"

The second van came to a stop, nothing more happening as they watched it. "Get back!" Batwoman screamed, hearing the ticking of a bomb.

The black van suddenly exploded in a shower of twisted steel and plastic, fire shooting up into the sky. It was an orange ball of fire that burned like a beacon in the middle of the parking lot. Smoke poured out of the shattered windows, creating a frightening scene as everyone held their breath out of fear of who was inside.

"Are you two all right?" Artemis asked.

"Yah, we're good," Batman said as he stepped out from behind a nearby truck, releasing a sigh of relief as Diana made her way towards him.

"Tim had better not have been in there," Red Hood ground out.

"No, he wasn't," Oracle responded. "I didn't detect any heat signatures inside the van. It was remote controlled."

"Here comes the third van!" Artemis shouted, tightening her grip on the Bow of Ra.

"Get out of there!" Nightwing yelled again. "It's too dangerous."

"Joker's just toying with us," Batwoman replied. "He's not trying to kill us."

"Sure looks like it from here," Artemis groused.

The third van announced its arrival with a screech of its tires as it tore around the corner, nearly taking out a light pole. Batman and Batwoman remained cautious as it approached, trying to anticipate the unexpected and unknown while still holding out hope that they would be getting Tim back tonight.

The side of the van abruptly slid open revealing several rifles pointed directly at them. They were forced to take cover as Joker's men opened fire on them, riddling the entire area with bullets before taking off just as suddenly as it had arrived.

"This is pure chaos," Cassie said, finding it difficult to process what she was witnessing.

"It's Joker," Nightwing bit out. "I'm coming down there."

"No!" Batman yelled. "Everyone hold your position until I give the signal. If Joker had wanted us dead, we'd have been dead before now. He's just messing with us."

Batman and Batwoman moved to stand beside each other as the fourth van approached. They had no idea what to expect from this one, but then again, it was the Joker. Nothing he did ever made sense or was truly predictable. They just had to be ready for anything.

The fourth van drew near, coming to a stop several yards away from the couple. They tensed as the passenger window was lowered and a hand emerged with what looked like a megaphone. "Ah, the new dynamic duo! Don't you make quite the handsome couple?"

It was the Joker.

A chill raked up Diana's spine as his sadistic laughter filled the area, forcing her to fight against her every instinct that told her to crush that van and save her son. She stood rigid with fury, her breathing exerted and her heart thundering in her chest. This was finally it.

"I must say that your offer of a trade piqued my interest," Joker said. While he couldn't be seen in the van, his voice was unmistakable. "It seemed like a prime opportunity to meet up with your new girlfriend. I must say she's quite a stunner, Batsy you old dog."

"Where's Red Robin?" Batman snarled, taking a step towards the van.

"That's close enough there, Batsy," Joker told him. "I can see your patience hasn't grown any since hooking up with the female Bat there."

"Just give us Red Robin," Batwoman demanded.

"And I get you?"

"Yes, I'll go willingly with you if you let us have Red Robin," she agreed.

"Stop it," Batman hissed as he glared at Diana before turning his attention towards Joker. "It's me you want! I'll take his place!"

"Well, well, well," Joker crowed with a cackle. "Looks like I've got two Bats who want to take your place, RR."

Batman's heart leapt into his throat, realizing that Tim was in that van with Joker. They were so close to getting him back. He just needed to get Joker to take him and leave Tim and Diana here. He wasn't about to jeopardize any more lives when he was who Joker wanted most of all.

He lifted his arms out away from his body as he took another step closer. "Here I am," he offered himself up. "No tricks, no games. I'm here to go willingly with you."

"Ah, the sacrificial lamb willing to be slaughtered for his partner," Joker cooed with a mock sniffle. "How touching. Too bad I decided not to take you up on your offer."

"Fifth van closing in!" Oracle announced over their commlinks.

Before anyone could blink, a fifth black van seemingly appeared out of nowhere, barely slowing down as the side door slid open. A body was tossed from the van before taking off. They watched in horror as Red Robin skidded and rolled across the concrete, finally coming to rest lying face down in the middle of the parking lot.

"Consider it a gift," Joker said before taking off, his psychotic laughter piercing the air.

A/N: HOLY COW! Did you see that coming?

UP NEXT: My lips are sealed. Let's just say this isn't over by a long shot. :)

Thank you all for your faithful support and reviews! So sorry I haven't responded to reviews lately. RL is crazy right now. I'm so happy you're all enjoying this adventure. :)