Chapter 4

The bowery of Gotham was one of the less elegant parts of the city. Except for the Gotham Museum, the Gotham Bank and the Iceberg Lounge, the bowery was a place of filth and decay. It was here that most of Gotham's underworld would generally gather though, sometimes they would migrate to some of the more lavish parts of the city.

It was not often a place one would find Gotham's wealthier citizens such as Bruce Wayne, unless they were attending an event for the museum, or a gala at the Iceberg Lounge. It was however, one place where many of Gotham's citizens and criminals would find the city's dark knight detective, the Batman.

Perched on a gargoyle, Batman scanned the streets with his detective vision. An hour earlier he had received a message from Oracle, alias Barbra Gordon the daughter of police commissioner James Gordon and at one time the former Batgirl that the Joker's old gang were committing crimes all over Gotham. He had promptly left his office at Wayne Enterprises, phoned Alfred, then after a quick change into his "evening clothes" he raced to the bowery district where he knew some of Joker's thugs frequented the Iceberg Lounge usually to kick back, get a drink, or in some cases attempt to join up with Penguin's gang.

Batman had been for nearly twenty minutes; he pressed two fingers against the side of his cowl zooming in the sight on his detective vision focusing on the Iceberg Lounge. Though, he felt a pang of regret at missing dinner with Raya he knew that if the Joker's gang was really committing crimes all over Gotham then that was something far more important to him than missing dinner with his daughter and something that required his immediate attention.

Zooming in the sight of his detective vision a little more, the dark knight kept his gaze focused on the Iceberg Lounge.

"Are you sure he's there?" A voice chirped over the radio receiver imbedded in Batman's cowl. It was the voice of Oracle. "If he caught wind of the gang's activities then maybe, maybe he holed himself up somewhere else. Somewhere he thinks is safe. Somewhere the gang or the Joker if he's actually still alive, wouldn't be able to find him."

"He's there." Batman replied, gruffly. "Selkirk is a creäture of habit, Oracle. The Iceberg Lounge is one of his favorite haunts." The caped crusader had heard her comment about the Joker possibly still being alive, but had chosen to ignore it for now.

"That makes sense." Oracle said. "Do you really think he knows anything about why the Joker's gang is suddenly pulling random crimes for no clear reason?"

"Yes," Batman said the tone of his voice sounding certain, "He still keeps in contact with certain members of the Joker's gang. If there's something going on he'll know what it is. I'm sure of it."

"Bruce…" she spoke slowly, her words trailing off a bit. "Bruce, do you think…" There was another pause, her voice soft as her words trailed off again, "Do you think that the Joker is really still alive?" she asked, putting emphasis on the word "really" giving the sign that she wasn't sure if she believed it or not.

The question lingered in Batman's ear as he continued to watch the Iceberg Lounge.

"Bruce?" she asked again, sounding a tad concerned as the question hung in the air.

"I don't know Oracle." Batman replied, his tone sounding rather grim as he considered the possibility. He lowered his voice a little more, saying, "But I am going to find out."

Keeping his gaze on the Iceberg Lounge, Batman saw the door open and a stocky figure standing about five feet ten inches with dark brown greasy hair wearing a tattered beige suit, white rumpled dress shirt and a pair of dirty brown loafers stepped out on the street. Orson Selkirk ran a hand through his greasy hair, adjusted his beige jacket then reached into the inside pocket of his jacket and pulled out a pack of cigarettes.

He stuck one of the cigarettes in his mouth and lit it, taking in a lung full of smoke than exhaling it out through his nostrils. Slipping his hands in the front pockets of his trousers he began walking down the street.

Still using his detective vision, Batman watched the form of Orson Selkirk walk down the street the cowl's readout displaying his figure in a bright orange.

Selkirk let out a small sigh, a cloud of thick smoke escaping his mouth. He hated walking this city at night. This is the time when all the freaks came out. Stopping for a moment, he took a long drag on his cigarette then resumed walking. Batman continued to watch him making sure he didn't lose sight of his quarry.

"I've found Selkirk." he said removing a smoke pellet from one of the compartments of his utility belt. "I'll contact you as soon as I learn what Selkirk knows." He shifted the pellet into his right hand.

"Good luck!" Oracle said ending the transmission. Batman tapped the side of his cowl switching off his detective vision. Selkirk moved continued walking moving underneath the gargoyle. He took another drag on his cigarette then tossed it to the pavement. Raising his arm Batman tossed the smoke pellet, leapt from the gargoyle and dropped silently to the ground. With a hiss a cloud of gas burst from the pellet.

"What the hell?" Selkirk coughed trying to wave the gas away with his hand. Staying low and moving quickly, but silently, Batman crept up behind Selkirk who was still disoriented by the gas and locked him in a chokehold. The dark knight felt Selkirk struggle in his grip attempting to free himself.

As he continued to struggle Selkirk heard a voice from behind him speak into his ear. "Orson Selkirk," the voice snarled. A gasp escaped Selkirk's mouth and his eyes went wide with panic as he recognized the voice that was speaking to him. It was the voice of the Batman. "We need to talk." Batman said, pulling out his grappling gun. The caped crusader tightened his grip on Selkirk and fired a line from his grapple attaching it to the edge of a nearby rooftop. Keeping a firm grip on Selkirk, the two men were suddenly lifted off the ground as the line went taut hoisting them higher and higher pulling them to the roof.

Selkirk screamed as struggled in Batman's grip the street below him getting smaller and smaller. Upon reaching the roof the dark knight released Selkirk from the chokehold, grabbed him by the ankle and dangled him over the edge of the roof high above the street. Terrified, Selkirk flailed his arms, looking at Batman.

"Please! Let me go!" he pleaded.

Batman's eyes narrowed behind his cowl. "Here's how this works, scum. I have questions and you better have answers."

"W-what do you want?" Selkirk asked his voice full of terror.

"What do you know about Joker's gang committing a series of crimes all over Gotham?" he asked.

"What? I don't know n-nothing." he said.

"Wrong answer," Batman said in a threatening tone. He feigned dropping Selkirk from the roof, but kept a firm grip on his ankle. Selkirk let out a scram and looked back at Batman. "I'm waiting!" he said.

"Okay…okay! All I know is that-that some of my buddies in Joker's gang have b-b-braggd about how the Joker is alive and how he plans on hitting the Gotham Museum…"

"Why?" Batman asked.

"I…I don't know!"

"You're lying to me!" the dark knight growled a slight hint of irritation could be heard in his voice.

"I-I'm not!" he pleaded. "I swear!"

Batman's grip on Selkirk's ankle began to slowly loosen. "Last chance," his grip loosened a little more as he watched the man struggle, "Talk!" he demanded.

Selkirk let out a scream as he felt Batman's grip loosening.

"All I know is that the Joker plans on hitting the museum…I don't know why. I heard he's been hiding out at the Steel Mill again…that's all I know! Please, man!"

Batman pulled Selkirk up and tossed him aside. Selkirk rolled across the roof and propped himself up on his elbows, cowering as the dark knight approached him. The caped crusader grabbed Selkirk by his neck and lifted him off the ground.

"If you're lying to me Selkirk, I'll be back. Got it?"

Selkirk gave a nod.

"Yeah, I got it." he said.

"Good." Batman replied then he slammed his fist into Selkirk's face knocking him out. He tossed Selkirk's unconscious body aside and tapped two fingers against the side of his cowl activating his radio receiver.

"Oracle?" he said, waiting on for her to reply.

"I'm here." she replied. "What did you find out?"

There was a pause.

"Bruce?" she asked sounding concerned. "What did you find out?"

"He's alive…"