Bruce Wayne - or rather, in this case, Batman - frantically looked around. He had to save the doctor that Riddler had kidnapped, and while the puzzle seemed simple enough (compared to what he knew Riddler was capable of), he had to solve it quickly - rescuing The Joker was, strangely, his top priority underneath saving an innocent life. Or was it tied? Batman was never sure anymore.

"Help me! Oh, God, please help me!" screamed the doctor on the platform above Batman.

Using his "Detective View" to his advantage, Batman used his Batarang to hit Riddler's switches to turn off specific panels of the electrified floor, and was able to quickly solve the puzzle. He leaped off of the raising platform and glided over to the dangling platform that the doctor was on.

"Don't be too proud of yourself, Batman." echoed Riddler's voice from nowhere and everywhere. "That was one of the easy ones."

Batman scoffed under his breath and started to untie the nervous doctor's restraints.

"... Bats?"

Batman froze. His head jolted up to better hear. How on Earth was he hearing Joker in Riddler's transmission?

"Hey, Riddle-face - are you talking to Batman?"

"Be quiet, clown."

Batman narrowed his eyes. Did this mean that Riddler had Joker now, instead of Mad Hatter? He was a tad confused, he had to admit.

"Oh, yes. I've heard from the clown that he expects a rescue from you, is that right, Batman? Knowing you, I don't doubt it."

"Knowing him? You don't know him at all. I know everything about Bats."

"I don't doubt that, either."

"You'd better not. Hey, Nigma, come on - I thought we were pals!" Joker giggled.

"Be quiet!" Riddler snapped. "You're hogging all of Batman's attention, Na-..." He trailed off there. For once, Joker had no counter-argument; he seemed stunned speechless by whatever it was that Riddler was going to say.

"... What was that?"

"What was what?"

"Finish that sentence, pretty boy. What were you going to say? Nay, what?"

"You're pitiful, clown. I almost feel sorry for you."

"What was it you were going to say?! TELL ME!" Joker roared.

Batman and the scared-shitless doctor who was still tied to the chair heard the sound of Riddler leaving the room, making Joker's half-angry, half-desperate demands muffled underneath Riddler's speech.

"Well, Batman, back to the matter at hand. Just know that you will not be able to save any of my other hostages." He said this uncharacteristically fast and cut the transmission as Joker's yelling got louder in the background.

"Wh-what was that all about?" The doctor asked shakily when Batman finally untied him from the chair.

"Personal business. It doesn't concern you." was Batman's blunt answer.

Edward Nigma put the microphone down on the table and returned into the room where he had Joker tied to a chair. He'd managed to subdue The Mad Hatter and make off with his 'Alice,' much to Joker's pleasure, as he was said 'Alice.'
"You really don't know what I was going to say?" He asked.

Joker slowly raised his lowered head and spoke hoarsely, "Nope." While his voice hinted at depression, he spoke with his typical smile, over-exaggerated by his scars and red makeup. "But I do seem to be getting around tonight, don't I? Ha ha ha!"

Riddler only blinked with a disapproving look on his face. "At least you still remember that. Do you remember who had you?"

"That Alice In Wonderland nut. I'm not that stupid."

"I'm not calling you stupid, clown. I'm just pointing out how easily you forget things."

"Do I? Do I have a short-term memory, Riddle-lips? Please, do tell of how many holes are in my memory. Because you know me so well! Hee hee hee ha ha hoo ha HA!"

"Stop with that obnoxious laughter before I gag you."

"Haven't you ever heard of the healing power of laughter? Ha h-" Joker cut himself off by bursting into another coughing fit.

"Well, that seems rather ironic, doesn't it?" Riddler muttered, making Joker giggle. Riddler turned away and sighed. "I hate to see you like this, N-..."

"Ah! There we go again! You lead me on and turn me off. You shouldn't bait me like this, Nigma. You shouldn't tease the shark with blood and not expect to lose a limb or two."

"Sorry. I just keep forgetting who I'm speaking with."

"Just tell me!"

"You won't like it."

"Hmm. You know, it was hard to tell you were trying to please me with how you tied me to a goddamned chair. But than again, you never cease to amuse me. Spit it out, Nashton."

Riddler, with a slow exhale, walked closer to Joker. He knelt down so he was face to face with the clown prince of crime, his right hand on Joker's left shoulder and his cane - in his left hand - pressed against the floor beside the chair.

Joker's bloodshot green eyes locked with his own blue eyes. The lack of hostility in Joker's gaze was either a side-effect of his illness or, most likely, a show of his respect for Riddler; while they often bickered, the two of them were still rather close 'friends.'

"Your memory is more faulty than you think, ... Napier."

Joker's smirk slowly transformed into a deep frown. His left eye twitched a bit, his left lid staying up, and his head gradually dropped back down.

Riddler sighed again and stood up straight in front of Joker. "I can only assume you remember now."

Joker soon started to laugh, though it wasn't the same as usual.

These were Joker's sobs.

He'd long since forgotten how to cry, so he simply did what he did best: laugh. Riddler was probably the only person who had ever heard Joker's sob-laugh, dismissing the existence of Harley Quinn. The only ways in which it could be considered different were by the tone... and then, of course, there was the dark makeup that was beginning to streak down Joker's cheeks.

"I'll leave you be for a moment." Riddler mumbled. He hesitantly left the room, and the last thing he heard from Joker before he closed the door was his confused, piteous weeping.

"My face... My face..."