Chapter 9

The Batmobile turned into the long winding road that led to Arkham. As Batman reached the large gothic style gate, it opened and the Batmobile pulled in. He drove behind the hospital and pulled into an empty parking space.

As he exited the car, the Joker's psychiatrist, Doctor Samuel Griffin was watching from a window high above the parking lot. He sighed, as he knew why Batman had shown up. He didn't like the Batman because he thought he was the epitome of insane. He thought of Batman as a man driven to insanity by obsession.

He began to walk to his office. As he entered his office, he proceeded to open the window that was farthest to the wall, knowing that would serve as the Dark Knight's entrance.

Batman suddenly appeared with a stern, mean look on his face.

"Hello. I've been wondering when you would show up. Where have you been for the past 6 hours?" the doctor questioned.

"I've been on the trail of the Joker. That's why I'm here. I want to talk to you about him. You know him better than anyone else," Batman acknowledged.

"You say you've been on his trail. He called me from an unknown area about three hours ago. He told me he was out on a crime spree and for some reason asked me if I had heard from you."

"Did you trace his call or alert the police?" Batman asked.

"We tried to trace his call without success and yes we notified Gordon and a few of his detectives," the doctor bluntly stated.

"If he's out, the police should be able to find him. Did he say anything else?"

"No he didn't. Well are you going to give me the business Batman, or do you want to go find our man?"

"I've been looking and I was nearly caught in an explosion earlier. I have been searching for weeks with no leads. I will get back to you Doctor, You've been a lot of help" Batman gruffly stated in a sarcastic tone as he noticed the Bat-Signal waving outside the window.

He leapt out the window as the doctor watched him return to the Batmobile.

"Of course. You'll get back to me. You psychotic piece of shit! If it wasn't for you Arkham wouldn't have to exist. This city wouldn't be so bent," the doctor said to himself as he watched Batman drive away.

Commissioner Gordon waited alone, atop police headquarters for the Dark Knight as he finally leapt up behind the blinding light of the Bat-Signal.

"Batman! Have you heard? The Joker is out there on a crime spree. He has killed two people and he injured a busload of passengers near Grant Park in Gotham," the Commissioner began as soon as he noticed the Dark Knight's arrival.

"Not to mention me. I was researching one of his old hideouts earlier and barely made it out alive. A time bomb went off."

"Yeah well it looks like we might have got 'em for good this time friend," Gordon said proudly.

"Jim, there is no such thing as permanent capture in this city. That's why I'm here."

"Yeah well listen," the Commissioner said getting a bit irritated. He didn't want to believe that his city needed a vigilante hero. "We got one of our best, following a lead he picked up. It leads to the Joker's hideout. And it's no wonder we haven't found him yet. He's not even here," the Commissioner said surprisingly.

"Not here? Then how did he kill those people in Grant Park and how did he know to set that bomb? He questioned as he caught onto the Commissioner's meaning.

"It turns out he's been evading us all along, in Bludhaven. He knew that even you had your territorial limits. He figured as long as you couldn't find him, then neither could we. It seems that tonight, he has come back to Gotham, for whatever reason for a surprise attack."

Bludhaven exists as a much smaller city to the north of Gotham. A former whaling town, it is an economically troubled and crime ridden city.

"Bludhaven, that still doesn't explain how he knew to place that bomb," Batman said as he focused on Gordon. "It's funny Jim, we brought down Dent and Clayface. Why was it so hard to get the Joker? He had a plan of escape which means he no doubt also has a large group of henchmen at his disposal."

"The Joker is a master of theatrics. Much like you, the differences being you have a sense of justice and he has no sense at all."

"Jim, don't ever compare me to the Joker. He is a maniac. I am only the force that keeps him under control," Batman acknowledged impatiently.

"Batman, you're the counterbalance. I don't want to accept that my city is in need of a vigilante, but I will say that you are the reason along with the police and the practitioners at Arkham that our city hasn't fallen into chaos You help Gotham, and if it were any other way, we would have put you in the same place as the rest of the freaks," Gordon countered.

"Well then, the question remains do we continue looking for him in Bludhaven or do we just get him? Have you done your job?" Batman asked Commissioner Gordon in a condescending tone.

"We've still got to get a lock on his whereabouts. So yeah once we do, we can go after him, bring this nut down, then all go home. But I know it won't be that easy. We have to have men on him at all times. We're close and we're not gonna lose him this time," Gordon countered in a determined voice.

"We've got to be ready for anything Jim," Batman uttered in a sort of skeptical tone.

"I'll let you know when we get further news friend."

"I'll be waiting," Batman muttered just before he soared off the ledge and into the night.