A/N: This really my first batman fanfiction so please bare with me!
Disclaimer: I do not own Batman or any of it's characters!
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"That concludes our meeting." Lucius Fox told everyone who sat around the large black table. The men all stood up, shook hands and turned to leave the room. Meanwhile, Bruce journeyed over to the large windows and looked out them, waiting for everyone to leave. "I'm surprised." The older man stepped towards him with a soft chuckle. "You stayed up this time. Most of the time, you fall asleep at some point."
"Guess I slept enough last night." Bruce said with a deep sigh. He placed one of his hands in his pocket while the other rested on the glass window.
"No more all-nighters then?" Lucius asked. He was smiling. The man must have been amused at how much Bruce was annoyed that he slept enough.
"My work was cut short." The billionaire stated. He turned his head to see a man had been waiting for the two to stop talking. "Yes?" Bruce's voice sounded slightly irritated.
"I would like to speak to Mr. Wayne." His voice was shaky as he held the briefcase in his hands close to his chest. "Alone." The man faced Lucius.
Bruce and Lucius stared at each other, skeptical of the man in front of them. A few moments later, Lucius merely nodded and walked towards the door. Before exiting, he glanced back. Now that he had thought about it, Lucius had never seen the man before. He wondered who he was and who he worked with. The man hadn't spoke throughout the whole meeting. What was his purpose for speaking with Bruce? He just sighed and hoped that the man was not up to anything as he closed the door behind him.
"Now, what is it that you wanted to speak to me about?" Bruce placed his other hand in his pocket as his dark eyes looked up at him. He took a few seconds to analyze the man. He was short and looked to be in his mid forties. His faded brown hair had been slicked back. Though, the suit he wore seemed a little too bit for him. As he reached his hand out to shake Bruce's hand, the sleeve slid down past his hand. He quickly pulled it back up and chuckled nervously.
"My name is James Barkley and I would like to speak to your about contributing to a foundation that is beginning to fall, being the famous philanthropist that you are." He laughed again as Bruce shook his hand stiffly.
"Sure, I'd like to hear about it." He kindly smiled, leading the man back by the table they had just been sitting at. Bruce growled in his head. This man did not look like the kind of guy who would run a foundation of any sort. He must have been subbing in for his absent boss.
The man placed his briefcase on the table. "We've been trying to raise money for scholarships for less fortunate children who are trying to get into college." He told Bruce. Bruce had to hold in an annoyed look. This guy could not be serious. "But, we are having problems finding contributors." The man continued speaking. "If you would help us, we would greatly appreciate it."
Bruce at this point would do anything to get this man out of his sight. "I'd love to. Let me just-" He was interrupted by a soft buzz. Leaning over the table, Bruce pushed the intercom button. "One moment, please." He told the man. "Yes, Jessica?"
"There is a man who would like to see you." Bruce took notice to the slight shakiness of her voice.
"Does he have an appointment?"
"No."
"He's going to have to come back another time."
There was a small squeak from the woman. "Please, sir. Can you just quickly see him?"
"Jessica, what's wrong?"
The woman then let out a loud cry. "Please, Mr. Wayne!"
"Send him in." Bruce felt nervous. Was there someone who was that desperate to see him?
He turned to face the other man. "Let me sign what you need signed. As you heard, I am going to be seeing someone else." The older man nodded and turned his briefcase. With two loud clicks, he opened the black case. He grabbed the stack of papers and placed them in front of Bruce.
As Bruce went to sign the paper, he noticed that the man had given him a blank piece of paper. He went through all the pages, holding his pen tightly. Every single piece of paper was just a sheet of blank computer printer paper.
Bruce turned his head as the door clicked and was pushed open slowly. This was a set up. A trap. The only thing left to see was the mastermind of it all, who Bruce was sure was on the other side of the door. He felt the other man back away from him as the door was completely opened.
A man in a purple suit stood there holding Jessica hostage. His arm was holding her close to him by her neck, the other held a knife that was also pointed her jugular artery. The young secretary was crying softly under his arms, giving Bruce begging looks of help.
His eyes traveled up to the man's face. His long, dark brown hair was messy and pulled back behind his ears. His green eyes glittered with amusement and his grin was extended by the scars on each side of his face. Bruce almost did not recognize him without his white face makeup, black paint around his eyes and the red lipstick, covering his lips and the grotesque glasgow smile.
"Joker?" He asked.
The woman shouted in terror as he giggled. "So you know of me?" The Joker let go of Jessica and threw her down to the floor. "I didn't know I was that famous. I'm honored." Bruce held his glare at the man. "Or, are you just too shy to admit how familiar you are with me, Batsy?"
Bruce turned around, acting like he had no idea what the crazy clown was talking about. He went to the intercom, where he picked up the phone to find the wire cut. His eyes fell on the man with the briefcase, whistling innocently. He then looked down at the woman who was trying to push herself up with her hands tied together.
"What did you do?" Bruce held up the phone.
"Me?" The Joker looked around, as if he were talking to someone else. "I just got in here. How would I be able to get over there?" He pointed to where Bruce was. "I'd blame it on this guy here." The Joker then pointed to the man with the briefcase. "Speaking of which," He took strides towards the short man and patted him on the head. "Good boy. Now, run along like a good dog."
Bruce watched the man quickly run out of the room. His eyes fell on the Joker, who was slowly growing closer. "Now, it is just you and me." He smiled. With his smile, Bruce noticed how handsome the Joker was. He looked like he was about thirty without his makeup. It was surprising to see that the Joker actually looked human without his disguise.
"What did you do to her?"
"Why do you ask so many questions?" The Joker's shoulders fell as he complained. "It's so annoying. And she's just tied up. Don't worry." He smirked again. The Joker seemed to stop to think for a second. He then turned around and grabbed her. The Joker dragged the woman out of the room. Meanwhile, Bruce was trying to think of what he was supposed to do. He knew he couldn't do anything until he found out what the Joker was doing. Of course, by then, he could have killed tons of people.
The Clown Prince made his way back into the room, shutting the doors behind him. "Now, why don't we-" Before the Joker could block, Bruce threw a punch that landed square in the chest. He backed away, doubled over and laughing. "Now, now, Mr. Wayne. We're both professionals here. Why don't we act like it?"
Bruce scowled at the man. The only thing that the Joker had done to make himself more "professional" besides removing his makeup and hair dye was the fact that he had made his usual suit jacket about a foot shorter. This made it look less like a trench coat and more like a suit. "Why are you here?"
"I already told you, Brucey." The criminal said with a childish tone.
Actually, he hadn't. Or Bruce might have just missed it. He was unsure but it did not matter to him.
The Joker noticed the other man's confusion and grinned. "I guess it was more of a word than a sentence." He said. "Why aren't you happy to see me, Batsy?"
"What are you talking about?" Bruce questioned, shaking his head.
"I get it." He ran his fingers through his natural brown hair, never taking his eyes off the billionaire. "You are going to act like you don't know what I am talking about. That you are just a normal billionaire playboy that has nothing with a certain vigilante in Gotham. You're telling me you never got my note?"
Bruce knew that he was speaking of the one Alfred had given him the other morning. Yet, he still refused to respond. He couldn't let the Joker know he had found out his identity. He would have to find a way to escape out of the situation without a scratch and showing the Joker that he was wrong about the identity of the Caped Crusader.
Hearing footsteps echo off the walls, Bruce turned just in time to look the Joker in the eyes as he grabbed onto the man's neck. "Stop ignoring me." He snapped. "Don't act like I don't know what I am talking about. I saw who was under that mask. I know when I am right."
He kept a straight face even though the Joker's hand was slowly cutting off his oxygen supply. "Your mask, that makeup you wear around your eyes, that stupid voice you use. I saw through them all. I figured out that Bruce Wayne is Batman!"
The Joker giggled happily as he watched Bruce struggle beneath him. He heard grunting coming from the man and suddenly became quiet, trying to understand what he was saying. "What do you want? A medal?" He managed out. The Joker growled at him and threw him down to the floor with an easy bend of his elbow.
Laying on the floor, coughing and attempting to regain the air he had lost, Bruce rolled onto his back. The Joker bent down over the man with a happy smirk. The way Bruce Wayne was laying, the sounds that escaped his mouth and the way some of his slicked back hair found it's way to hang in front of his eyes. It just made the man look so... fuckable.
By the time Bruce opened his eyes, the Joker had already began explore the body beneath him. He pulled back the collar to his black suit, looking at the skin beneath it. With a strong kick, Bruce managed to make the Joker go flying. The Joker landed on the marble table with a small grunt. Bruce leaned over the table so he could look the Joker in the eyes. "Leave. Now." He growled in a voice close to the one he used while he was in the Batman costume.
The Joker ignored the comment. Instead, he smiled and placed his hands on each side of Bruce's sides. "If you wanted to be on top, why didn't you just tell me?" He teased. Bruce punched him in the face before backing away.
"I'm calling the police. You need to be sent to Arkham." Bruce pulled out his cell phone. Just as he pressed a number, Bruce heard a metal 'clink'. He knew that it wasn't the sound of a gun. It was something much worse. Spinning on his heel, Bruce faced the clown again.
In his hand, the Joker held a metal detonator. The man smiled at the shocked look on Bruce's face. "That's right. I have explosives set up around the base of this building. If you don't do what I ask, I'll blow this place up. All the people on ground level, everyone on the higher floors and even the people in the streets will be killed. Thousands will die. Now, is being stubborn worth that many lives?"
Bruce placed the cell phone back in his pocket and raised his hands, showing that he was willing to negotiate. "What do you want?"
"There we go." The Joker laughed. "You finally care about what I want. That's all I need from you. To do what I want. If you do, then everything will be fine." He kept a firm grip on the detonator as he stuck it out for Bruce to see. "Don't call cops or reinforcements. I just want it to be me and you."
Bruce grimaced at the thought of whatever the Joker was speaking of. If he really wanted what he thought, there was no way Bruce was going to let him. He'd find a way out. Once again, Bruce was broken out of his thoughts by the sound of something ripping. He found the Joker pulling out a three foot piece of duct tape that he had apparently been keeping in his jacket, along with the detonator.
He took the piece of tape and taped the detonator to the palm of his hand. The Joker wrapped the tape around a few times and pushed it down, making sure it was secure. That was perfect. Now he could not take the detonator away. It pissed Bruce off even more.
"Also, if you think about, if you still refuse to listen to me and we somehow make it out alive after I detonate the bombs, I'll tell Gotham City that you are Batman! But that's highly unlikely. I don't think anyone could survive from this height." The Joker giggled happily. "Wouldn't it be so romantic? The two of dying together in a horrible tragedy?"
"Especially when you are the one who caused it." Bruce said under his breath so the Joker could not hear. He knew that if the Joker blew up the place, Wayne Enterprises would be forever lost. Tons of people would die and Gotham would return to it's former anarchy. Or, at least more of the anarchy it had not reached yet. It was all too much to risk. At least if Bruce agreed to the insane man's requests, he would be the only one to suffer and he could bare through it.
Bruce's knuckles were white. He had an angry look on his face but still said, "Fine. I'll do what you say." Hearing this, the Joker began laughing loudly with happiness. He began to walk around the billionaire, clapping his hands. "What is it that you want?"
He grew uncomfortable as the Joker's circles closed in around him. "Didn't I already tell you?" Bruce hated it when he said that. The Joker swung around and Bruce felt shivers travel down his spine as he felt the Joker's lips on his right ear. "You."
The Joker spun away, still laughing. Meanwhile, Bruce froze in place. He was filled with disgust, but also fear. He had decided to just sacrifice himself and he knew that he was going to be able to bare with whatever the Joker threw at him but Bruce did not know what would happen after that. It frightened him that he had just trusted the Joker when he knew he couldn't, no matter how much he claimed to be a 'man of his word'.
"No one is going to die?" Bruce had to make sure nothing would happen.
The Joker held up the hand with the detonator in it. With a flick of his thumb, he flipped the cover over the button. "No one. As long as you cooperate."
As reluctant as Bruce was, it was the only way that he would be able to successfully negotiate with the Joker. "Then I guess I will agree to the deal..."
TBC!
