Alice
Me, Bruce and my Grandfather sat in what could be called the temporary batcave.
The man who had tried to kill me last night face was illuminated on all the screens.
The Joker.
Even his name made me feel sick to my stomach.
This man was unlike anything I've ever seen before. He was a raging lunatic but... I can't describe it.
There was no crazy in his eyes; he wasn't like Crane or any other patients in Arkham asylum, he knew full well what he was doing and he enjoyed it.
He wasn't abrupt- no that's the wrong word! He was completely abrupt; he was psychotic and manic, but he planned. He bided his time, he wanted to punish the world for something that had happened to him.
He wasn't just a simple criminal. Wanting and lusting after money... No he sought chaos; he just wanted to see the city destroyed.
We continued staring at the computer screens in solemn silence, before Bruce spoke up
"Targeting me won't get them their money back, I knew the mob wouldn't go down without a fight; but this is different. They've crossed the line."
"You crossed the line first Bruce. You squeezed them, you hammered them to the point of desperation, and in that desperation they turned to a man they didn't fully understand." I pointed out
"Criminals aren't complicated Alice, we just need to figure out what he's after" He
"With respect Master Wayne, maybe this is a man you don't fully understand either." My Grandpa spoke up supporting me "A long time ago while I was in Burma, my friends and I were working for the government. They were trying to buy the loyalty of tribal leaders by bribing them with precious stones."
"But their caravans were being raided in a forest north of Rangoon by a bandit, So we went looking for the stones. But in six months, we never met anyone who traded with him. One day I saw a child playing with a ruby the size of a tangerine. The bandit had being throwing them away."
"Why steal them in the first place?" Bruce asked curiously
"Because he thought it was good sport, because some men aren't looking for anything logical, like money. They can't be bought, bullied or negotiated with: Some men just wanna watch the world burn."
I stood staring at the video in curiosity after my grandpa left. I felt Bruce come and stand beside me, and join our hands.
"This is bad isn't it?" I asked
"I'm worried, because this is just the beginning." He confided to me
"How much worse could it get?"
"you know. You practically just set every force in the world against us saying that." He told me
…
…
I sat in the cave trying to find something on the Joker.
A name, an address, maybe even a dental record but even with his thumb print which Lucius and Bruce had graciously presented before me. I was coming up with a big fat nothing.
"There's nothing there. I've searched him on the police data base, searched orphanage records, hell I even 'Googled' the guy. There's nothing on him."
"How does someone do that?" Bruce muttered from behind me "Totally disappear of the grid... Anyway it doesn't matter right now. We've got to make sure he doesn't make good on his threat"
Bruce said pulling on a jumper "I've checked all the databases, there are four possible cross Reference the addresses."
I followed him to the motor biking equipment, thanking God I'd chosen jeans, leather jacket and boots today.
"Where are you going?" Bruce asked turning around.
"I'm coming with you."
"Alice it's too dangerous."
"Then why are you going?"
"Because it's my job."
"Fine I'll make it my job to help you then. So I'm coming. End of."
I walked into the garage and grabbed a helmet and put on one of the special riding jackets, hanging up my own leather jacket.
Bruce was ready to go, he wheeled out the bike and I followed.
He called to my grandfather "look for parkside, overlooking the parade."
"Got one! Melvin White, 1502 Randolph Apartments."
Bruce picked up my helmet from where I'd placed it on the back of the bike, he placed it carefully on my head, my hair fell out the back, I reached forward and pulled up the visor.
"Damn I am gonna' have majorly bad hat hair"
He pulled on his helmet chuckling and threw his leg over the bar sitting at the front, he then signalled for me to do the same,so I copied his movement and straddled the seat clutching my arms tightly around his stomach for fear of falling.
My head rested on his back and as we took of at a stunning speed, my hair blew out behind me as we weaved between traffic.
Very soon I found myself outside a block of apartments, I pulled off my helmet and tucked my hair behind my ear, I kept hold of the helmet as we walked up the stairs and came to a stop outside 1502.
As Bruce opened the door I checked behind us. We came into a plain house or flat. One that hadn't been decorated or lived in.
When we got to the lounge, we found nearly six men tied together and blindfolded.
Bruce moved forward and removed the tape from one of the mans mouth
"Who's that?" He asked
"What happened?"
"They took our guns and uniforms"
I stood up and moved towards the telescope and placed my eye on the lens.
All of a sudden a ding went off from the timer, and the blind rose, and police shot at the window in fear.
Bruce ran and tackled me to the floor, to stop the bullets from piercing my body.
I looked at Bruce and we both knew it was time to leave.
So with a quick call to the police from a public phone; we were on our way back to the 'cave'.