Being a private investigator is a sleazy job. Being a PI in Sin City is even worse. I think I swim through more shit than a sewage worker. The jobs can get pretty dangerous and the clients are always shady. In fact, it's usually the case that, the shadier the client, the more dangerous the job. This was proven when I had the strangest, shadiest client show up at my own apartment with the most dangerous case I've had to date.

I had just gotten back from Shelly's that night. I was feeling like a jerk, crying over Ava leaving me. For a while, Shelly made me forget everything but I knew I couldn't get too involved. I ended up leaving her place without her knowing. Made me feel like even more of a jerk. I couldn't let the monster out like that again. It was a rare, cold night in Sin City. It was snowing so I let my hair grow back slightly for a little extra warmth. It was only a little but considering the way I had treated Shelly, I changed my mind and decided to have a good shave. It was a good reminder for me to keep myself in check. When I finished, I looked up in my bathroom mirror and that's when I saw his reflection. The goddamn Batman. "Dwight McCarthy," was all he said. I pulled the colt 1911 from my back pocket and shoved it in his face as I wheeled around. Point blank. I had him dead to rights, or so I thought. The guy didn't even blink. Seemed more annoyed than anything but that didn't concern me at the moment. A million questions were going through my mind and at the top of the list was: what the hell is he doing here?

"I didn't come here for a confrontation, Mr. McCarthy," he explained in a calm, but somehow aggressive tone, "I suggest putting the gun away."

I thought about it for a moment and then did what he asked, "What do you want from me?"

"Information."

"I'm not the most reliable guy in town for that. There's a lot of people out there that know I lot more than I do, whatever it is."

He continued, "Have you heard any rumors concerning criminals from Gotham City showing up here in Basin City?"

"I might've heard a few things," I really didn't want to get involved in this so I played the fool a little, "Can't always believe rumors."

"Do you know the Joker?"

"Mass-murderer that looks like a clown? Yeah, I watch the news. Always kind of wondered why you haven't snapped the bastard's neck yet."

That last statement obviously didn't sit well with him, going by the tone in his voice, "He's here in Basin City among other psychos that are almost as dangerous. I need your help finding them."

"Why not take it to the cops?," obviously, I knew the answer to that question but I wanted to get rid of this guy and fast.

"I have a good idea as to how this city works," he told me, "I've gathered information and learned that you are good at getting the sort of answers I need. You know this city, you know who to ask and you know how to do it quickly. I've heard you have a reputation of helping people."

"Don't start thinking I'm some kind of saint. I only ..."

Then he dropped five hundred bucks on my sink. I thought about checking to see if it wasn't counterfeit but Batman isn't gonna be into money laundry. Makes me wonder what he does on his days off, though. "I'll give you the other half when you gather some information," he explained. I shrugged and agreed to help him out. Hey, every man has his price and I needed to make rent.

He only wanted information, so I went looking while he left to do whatever it is that he does. He gave me some kind of tracking device before he split, though. I was supposed to contact him once I had a few leads. My first step was going back to Kadie's. I saw Marv there earlier that night and I decided it might be good to have some sort of backup. When I returned, Kadie said he had just left and wasn't in very high spirits. Probably had something to do with that old guy Nancy had run off with earlier that night. I was flying solo but all I had to do was get information, so I decided to wing it. I wasn't as careful as I should've been. I did find Weevel, though. The only thing he knew was that it was a good idea to stay away from the Pits at the time. The Pits was usually the place to dump evidence or bodies. It was an abandoned dinosaur-themed amusement park that went belly up. All that remained were some stupid statues and a whole lot of tar. Teenagers went there to make out at times but some haven't been coming back. Since then, people have been staying away. In Sin City, these kind of occurrences happen too often but I figured it might've been something Bats would be interested in. I decided to be an idiot and investigate.