Chapter 6
In a large abandoned brick warehouse, in the Kubrick District of Gotham City, a van pulled into an entryway on the far side of the building. As its occupants stepped out, commotion ensued.
Two-Face, why'd we have to bring this old man along? He'll only get in the way," a heavily armed guard complained.
"Do your job, don't ask questions. Doesn't everyone agree?" Two-Face shouted impatiently to the other two guards as he put his pistol to the man's chin.
The guards whom encircled the two nodded promptly, agreeing that asking questions meant the ultimate sacrifice: death.
As the men walked towards an elevator they dragged Lucius Fox who was now standing on two feet, hands bound behind him.
As the men stepped out, onto the second floor of the massive complex, the Clown Prince of Crime, the one and only Joker greeted them.
"Glad your back gentleman. I was getting a bit worried," Joker said in a goofy voice.
"Ah Harvey old boy, tell me, did we get the money we need to set up our wonderful new operations?" the Joker said stepping out of a lone shadowy corner.
"Don't worry Joker it's here. And we got to keep the bait as well just like we agreed," Two-Face proudly reported.
"Ah Lucius, how ya' been old chum'. We haven't really had a chance to talk since your unfortunate kidnapping. It's been years. How's Bruce? Are you still his pigeon or has he promoted you yet?" the former District Attorney asked.
Lucius stood his ground, secretly fearing for his life. "Harvey, you tell these men to let me go huh? What do ya' say? You got your money, just let me go damn it."
"Patience my nervous friend," the Joker retorted. "We still have plenty to do with you."
Just then a goon came off the elevator. As he walked up to the Clown Prince of Crime, he quickly stated, "Joker Sir, we have a problem. There was something on the back of the van." The goon held out the small tracer that Batman had placed there.
"What does it mean Sir?" the goon questioned.
Two-Face examined it and shot a worried look at the Joker. "Damn it Clown, is that what I think it is? It's impossible. Batman wasn't there, it was Wayne and us. There was no sign of Batman."
"Well, regardless Harvey, you might have been set up," the Joker said, turning straight-faced.
"I brought the money, kept the bait and we got away. But what do ya' suppose tipped the Batman off?" inquired the half man, half monster
The Joker stood, deep in thought. "I know what happened, the Joker half screamed as if losing his mind. "Harvey, you wrote the ransom-note, and then we sent it to the cops. They probably tipped off the Batman before they showed it to Bruce Wayne."
"It makes sense Joker," Two-Face claimed. "If Batman's onto us it makes sense. Batman was also involved in that brawl with Clayface. The one that weakened him."
"Clayface!" the Joker yelped half mad. "Where is that delicious blob of pudding?"
At that moment, a thick brownish substance came dripping through the ceiling. As it hit the floor, it formed into a disproportioned anatomic shape.
"Speak of the Devil," Joker laughed, slapping his leg in amusement.
"Gentlemen," the shape spoke in a choppy whisper. "As I slept upstairs, I had a dream about Wayne Enterprises. After recovering from my battle with the Bat, I realized in the dream that I could infiltrate the Wayne foundation," he revealed.
"What are you talking about Clayface?" Two-Face asked with a sigh.
"The Wayne vault stores millions. I can become anyone and go anywhere," Clayface continued.
"It won't work puddin'," the Joker said rather cynically.
"Picture this, I go in as a security guard, get the security clearance, snatch the dough and get out without any detection," the mud monster heartily declared.
"You mean rob 'em blind?" Two-Face caught on to the idea.
Finally Lucius Fox broke, hearing enough. Marching into Joker's face, he began to shout, somewhat hysterical, "No damn it, I've worked too hard for anything to happen to Wayne Enterprises! Somehow you will all be stopped! A deficit of any sort could be trouble for all of Gotham. You don't know the importance that the Wayne Foundation is to the city..." he trailed off, his throat scratchy and sore.
"Ah, you see Lucius my boy," the Joker started as he shoved the businessman to the floor with a hard thud. "The three of us," he waved his arms in reference to his accomplices, "collaborated on the idea while rotting away in Arkham. Two-Face had been plotting his escape for months and it was my connections that involved the small-time gangster, Caesar Vanelli, in that chemical trade diversion. Once Harvey and ol' Vanelli had Batman and the police busy, Clayface started a riot during a routine prison transfer. After we had broken out, Vanelli was no longer needed, so Mister Two-Face here strangled the old sucker to death with a chain!" he cackled abrasively, eyes dazzling in lunacy. "We then took his money but it wasn't near enough; then thankfully… it happened," he sighed happily, smiling with a ridiculous sick grin. "What happened? Lucius asked.
"We consummated our fiendish union. We now have enough money to start the largest Criminal Organization that Gotham's ever known," he shouted, throwing his arms in the stale air with glee. Patting Lucius on the head, he continued, "Thanks to the money that Harvey received after his boys pawned that stupid egg. And this briefcase, Too bad we can't thank Brucie for this personally," he said as he clicked open the locks on the case. "Counterfeit!" the Joker exclaimed.
As Two-Face and Clayface looked at each other, Harvey wondered.
"What? Are you sure it ain't real dough?"
Clayface began to threaten. "If I ever get a hold of Bruce Wayne, he will be sorry that he ever breathed. Millionaire scum."
"He played us for fools Clown, now we're gonna have to take it out on Mr. Fox," Two-Face said half smiling.
"You're mad," Lucius said as he backed away in fright.
A henchman pointed his sub-machine pistol directly at him as Lucius froze in panic.
Not a moment too soon, the elevator gave a loud ding, as the large doors flew open. Out, charged the Batman. He was in top form as a stun grenade flew from his hands and hit the floor.
Suddenly a flash of blinding light compacted by a deafening boom filled the room. As the armed goons were now disoriented, Batman met each with brute force causing them to lose their semi-automatic weapons.
The guards immediately ran toward the elevator, as Lucius ran to a far corner in the vicinity and tried to stay out of sight. Batman grabbed one and gave an effective left hook. Just as the bloodied henchman hit the ground, the Joker pulled out his signature weapon, a silver Smith Wesson revolver. As he aimed it and fired, Batman dove, throwing a batarang. It missed as the Joker somersaulted and fired another shot. "I thought you had guards downstairs Harvey," the maniacal Joker croaked starting to get annoyed.
"Not anymore Gentlemen," Batman muttered, leaping behind a wooden crate as the Joker fired again.
Clayface shot his arms out towards the crate in which Batman sought shelter, slinging it effortlessly across the room. In a fury of sludge, his arms flew, aiming for the Dark Knight whom barreled over the huge protoplasm with an impressive leap. Clayface retaliated, striking again and this time he rendered the Bat unconscious. The Dark Knight hit the ground with an exhausting thud. Clayface turned him over with a heavy kick and proceeded to unmask his catch.
"Noooooo!" the Joker bellowed out, racing towards the heap of mud. "Leave the Bat's mask on," he continued with great authority.
"Clown, we've done it," argued Two-Face, "he'll be no more once we put a couple rounds in him," he declared, cocking his pistol.
"You leave that to me Harvey," the Joker exclaimed as a great grin bestowed over his ruby lips. The Joker proceeded to take his revolver and point it at Batman's head. As he began to pull the trigger, a loud shout boomed from behind.
"FREEZE!" came a loud, gruff voice at the other end of the large room.
As the three super-villains turned around, Detective Renee Montoya, Lieutenant Harvey Bullock and what appeared to be an entire squad of officers stood at the other side of the large room.
Without hesitation, Joker fired at the head of his mortal enemy anyway. The gun stalled as two clicks sounded the empty weapon. He pulled out an even larger gun and immediately Two-Face drew fire at the entire squad of officers. As he and Joker ran quickly to the right of the room and dove behind a large overturned table, still firing.
As they continued to fire at the police, Clayface moved closer as the police began firing at him. "HahaHa hahHa haHa," he laughed as bits of clay began flying from him. With a swift mighty stroke, he forced himself onto the unsuspecting crowd of police.
As Joker and Two-Face attempted to flee, Clayface covered half the police force with his protoplasm. Harvey Bullock aimed and fired a shot that hit Two Face in the thigh.
As the remainder of the police force began dousing Clayface with a chemical compound similar to the one Batman had used before, he began to succumb to their efforts. As Batman slowly regained consciousness, he noticed Bullock apprehending and arresting Harvey Dent alias Two-Face. He then looked over to Clayface as he stood on two feet. He noticed the mud-monster was on the verge of collapse. He quickly retrieved a liquid chemical from his belt that he had synthesized in the Batcave earlier that night. He handed it to Detective Montoya with instructions to pour generously over the monster, once he buckled from pressure. With that, Harvey Bullock rushed over to Batman.
"What good are you Bat's… asleep on the floor while we're doin' all the damn work."
Ignoring the arrogant cop and confident that the two super-foes would be dealt with properly by the GCPD, Batman raced to a large trap door across the room that he had seen the Joker exit from. As he opened it, he jumped into the cold darkness as the heavy door slammed behind him.