It's Time.
The Joker has been planning to take out his competition in Gotham, gathering them all in one place under the assumption of a team up- instead, he plans to murder them all. But Harley Quinn has had her own agenda. Red Hood and Catwoman have known for days, and suspicions are high between brothers and between lovers.
None of that matters now. It ends tonight. The Joker's plan- and Harley's too- will be executed tonight. With the team held together by threads and Dick attempting to remain calm as his world hangs in the balance, Batman and his sons will have to work together to stop the Joker.
A nurse rushed towards them as Dick and Barbara walked down the hallway. "You can't be in here, it's well past visiting hours-" She was silenced when Dick wordlessly held up his badge. Her face fell. "You're Dick. You're his partner. Right this way, Officer Grayson…" the nurse said quietly, turning and leading them down the hall. She seemed unsettled; Dick could read the uneasiness in her words and her walk.
"You didn't have to come," Dick said under his breath. Barbara glanced at him.
"Bruce would kill me if I let you out of my sight. Then he'd kill you. Besides, I know him too," she whispered, her hand tightening on Dick's arm. Outside the windows, the trees bent dangerously in the violent wind. It wasn't even midnight, but Gotham was darker than Dick had seen it in months. The nurse turned and led them down another hallway where Commissioner Gordon stood outside of Will's closed door. Relief washed over his face when he saw them coming.
"Thank God you're here, Grayson. He won't talk to anyone but you." The Commissioner sighed, his eyes glancing over Barbara's arm wound around Dick's. He took his glasses off and wiped the lenses with his tie.
"Go on in," the nurse whispered, and then hurried away as if she couldn't stand to be near the room. Dick opened the door and Barbara stopped her father.
"Let's wait out here, Dad, there's someth-" her words were cut off as Dick closed the door behind him. The latch fell into place with a deafening click in the silent room. He shoved his hands into his pockets and walked slowly to the bed.
"How are you holding up, Collins?" Dick asked. The only light in the room was a sickly artificial blueish glow from the lamp beside the bed.
"Dick, is that you?" Will turned his head toward him. Clean white bandages were taped over each eye.
"Yeah, it's me, man. How are you?" he repeated, pulling the chair to the bedside and sitting down.
"I'm going to be honest. I've been better," Will joked, then winced as his smile hurt. Dick bit his lip and looked down.
"I'm sorry. This is all my fault."
"Dick this isn't your fault," Will reprimanded. "If Nightwing hadn't saved me the first time, I wouldn't be sitting here today to get hurt. I can take trials as long as I'm still here." Will pushed himself up into a sitting position.
Dick nodded slowly, and then ran a hand through his hair. "I suppose you're right. Thank you, for not saying anything, I mean. It takes a lot of guts to stand up to the Joker. I would know. So thank you. What did he want?"
"I knew you would have done the same for me." Will cleared his throat. "I think you did something to piss him off. He wanted to know why you saved me at the station, and if I could tell him anything about you that could lead him to you. I pretended I knew nothing, so hopefully that's the end of him wanting me." Will shrugged.
"Hopefully," Dick agreed. "You're going to be under police protection either way. Was there anything he said that sticks out to you? Anything at all."
"Not really. He seemed more into torturing me than actually getting me to say anything." Will's fingers played with the hem of his blanket.
"Jesus Christ… how did you get out of there alive?" Dick rubbed his face, taking a deep breath.
"He was just going to kill me, but…" Will trailed off. "Harley," he whispered quietly. Dick stiffened.
"What about her?"
"I mean, at first, I thought she just wanted me to suffer more," he admitted, sounding ashamed, "but as soon as the Joker left, she was a mess. I think she cried more than I did." Will shook his head a little.
Dick closed his eyes slowly. "She let you out, didn't she."
"She told the Joker something about how keeping me alive would be a bigger statement or something instead of letting him kill me. I think she would just have taken me to you or Batman or something, but she told me if she did that, the Joker would get suspicious; she had to take me somewhere public. So she took me a block from the station, pointed me in the right direction, and I just hoped you would find me."
I'm so sorry, Harley. I'm sorry I doubted you. "Good. You're safe now, Will, I promise." Dick sighed, slumping back in the chair tiredly. God, I attacked her for no reason…
"I'm supposed to give you a message," Will told him quietly. Dick cocked his head, frowning slightly.
"Let's hear it." He sat up again, his elbows on his knees as he leaned forward.
"Harley, she wanted me to know that I'd be safe. Since I didn't have any information, the Joker should leave me alone."
'You're foolish for retaliating.' Harley's words stung. The Joker would know Will was connected because he'd stupidly attacked him. Will had been out of danger and he'd stupidly charged in blind.
"She wanted me to tell you that she won't be able to convince the Joker not to kill next time," Will swallowed hard. "He would get suspicious of her since she stuck her neck out for me, so she needed to be careful now. She wanted you to know that you needed to watch out, and she wanted you to stay away. She would be unable to not hurt you anymore."
Dick sighed slowly, dropping his head in his hands. "Well, shit. Okay, Will, thank you. Is there-" he was cut off as Barbara opened the door a crack.
"Dick, we've got to go."
"I'm a little busy, Babs-"
"-no, we have to go." She insisted, looking at him pointedly. Dick nodded and stood. "Will, get better, okay? Thank you." He patted his shoulder gently.
"Dick, be careful out there," Will begged. "I don't know what you've all gotten yourselves into."
"Don't worry. We're going to take care of this." Dick nodded solemnly. "Get some sleep." As he walked out the door, Dick knew that that would be impossibly painful. The nightmares were worse than the pain when one encountered the Joker. He looked at Commissioner Gordon. "There's going to be 24-hour watch on this door."
"Of course," Gordon agreed.
"Dick-" Barbara insisted, tugging on his arm.
"Where are you going?" Gordon demanded. "Don't go after the Joker. We're working on it, Grayson, I know you can be rash sometimes."
"I'm taking him straight home, dad," Barbara insisted, dragging him down the hallway. As soon as they were out of earshot, she broke into a run. Dick fell into step beside her. "Bruce wants us at the cave immediately."
Red Robin raced his motorcycle through the streets. He was hoping Bruce wouldn't mind if he made a quick trip back to the Titans; he wanted to check on them and missed Cassie. He swerved around a slow moving BMW. Bruce would tell him now wasn't the right time to go if he asked, but there was always something going on. Besides he was the leader of the Titans; he couldn't just abandon them.
"Hey Tower, this is Red Robin calling in," Robin commed.
"Robin!" Kid Flash yelled immediately into the comm. "How's Gotham?"
"It's good. I'm thinking I'm going to come back to-" The glass window of a internet cafe he was driving past exploded out, projecting shards at him. Red Robin swerved, the glass projectiles ricocheting off his helmet and uniform. "Crap!" He braked hard, his motorcycle spinning until it skidded to a stop.
"What was that?!" Kid Flash cried out.
"I don't know," Red Robin panted. He pulled off his helmet, his brow furrowed under his cowl as he examined the wreckage. The interior of the cafe was completely obscured by plants. "Poison Ivy," he muttered.
"Dude what is going on?" Kid Flash demanded.
"I have a situation here," Red Robin replied, running toward the side of the cafe. "Poison Ivy is up to something."
"Red Robin be careful."
"Don't worry." Red Robin stopped by the side door of the cafe. "I think she's inside."
"Don't bet on it," Ivy said. Red Robin spun around to see her standing casually, hip cocked, watching him with a sarcastic grin.
"Poison Ivy," he hissed, reaching for his bo staff.
"Relax," Ivy told him archly, swaying one step toward him. "I just needed to get your attention."
"Stay back," Red Robin warned before holding his breath. Ivy watched amused.
"Sorry," she smirked. He put his staff between them to try and keep her at bay, but she grabbed it with one hand, sliding it along as she got closer to him. "Don't be afraid," she breathed, leaning her head close to him, her lips parted. "I'm just the messenger." She flipped up her wrist up with an envelope in hand as she stared expectantly into his eyes. Red Robin blinked, his hands fumbling for the envelope. Ivy arched her back away, standing up straight, and sauntered away.
Red Robin glanced down at the envelope in his hands. It was plain white with neat black writing.
Urgent. Please open immediately. Red Robin frowned at it, tearing open the back. He pulled out the deep red stationery with the same black ink scrawl.
Red Robin,
Make sure everyone gathers at the Batcave.
- H.Q.
Dick didn't see the need for subtlety. Bruce already knew that he was out patrolling as Nightwing, so when he and Barbara rode into the Batcave on his brand-new motorcycle, he didn't care that it wasn't the most discreet way he could have arrived. Batgirl unwrapped her arms from his waist and got off the back as Nightwing killed the engine and got off. They walked to the computer banks where Batman, Robin, Red Hood, Red Robin, and Catwoman had all gathered.
"What's the problem?" Nightwing asked, stopping beside Batgirl and looking around the circle of heroes. Batman glared at him as Red Robin walked over to them.
"Poison Ivy gave me this," he told Nightwing, refusing to meet his eyes as he held out an envelope. Nightwing took it and skimmed the message inside. He handed it to Batgirl to examine.
"Alright, another message from Harley Quinn. What's it mean?" Nightwing looked directly at Batman, to show him that he wasn't going to cower in fear of his mentor's anger.
"The more important question is should we listen to her," Batman snapped. "I don't think all of us should be gathered here."
"She can be trusted," Nightwing assured him seriously.
"The rest of us are not as prepared to follow her so blindly," Bruce growled.
"So what are we waiting for?" Nightwing ignored him.
"Master Wayne," Alfred called, stepping out of the elevator. "I'm afraid that same young woman brought you another letter."
Batman took the letter from Alfred and examined it. It was larger and thicker than the other envelopes they had received.
"Another Harley Quinn message," Robin said, his eyes narrowing.
"Open when there is no one left to fight," Batman read aloud in disgust. "This makes no sense."
"Yes it does," Red Hood spoke up, crossing his arms over his chest. "Tonights the night. Every villain in Gotham will be off the streets tonight because the Joker has called them together for his 'Injustice League'."
"How do you know this?" Red Robin glanced at him.
"I'm the Red Hood. Of course I got an invitation," Red Hood retorted. Bruce cast a sidelong glance at Catwoman.
"Did you know about this?" She stretched lazily.
"Yes, Sweetie," she yawned. Batman's jaw tightened angrily.
"When did you two get your… 'invitations'?" he growled.
"Don't get upset," she sighed. "We knew you'd get brought in the loop."
"When." Batman said dangerously, turning to look at her.
"That depends." she glared at him, matching his tone. "When did I join in on the plan, or when did I know about this ridiculous Injustice League?"
"What. Plan!?" Batman insisted, grabbing her arm. "You have five minutes to explain everything, before I throw you out."
"Don't be so melodramatic." Catwoman rolled her eyes. "I got my instructions and so will you. Just open the envelope."
Batman held her gaze furiously for a moment and then reluctantly released her. He ran a finger under the flap, tearing it open and dumping the contents into his hand. Four letters fell out. Batman looked at who each was addressed to. Robin snatched the one with his name on it.
"Nightwing; Batgirl," Batman offered up the other two and kept the last one.
Robin looked at his envelope and frowned. Robin. Like you would listen if I said not to open it. Robin scoffed as he tore it open he pulled the stationery out.
Protect him.
- H.Q.
Robin glanced up at the rest of them, and then leveled heavy eyes on Nightwing. Batgirl examined her envelope distastefully. Batgirl. Open. She slipped the paper out.
Stay out of my way.
There was no signature. Batgirl scoffed. "Not exactly reassuring," she muttered. Nightwing glanced at her as he slipped his envelope in his glove pocket.
"It just said 'open at the right moment'," Nightwing shrugged in answer to Batgirl's questioning look. "I don't think that's now."
Batman frowned down at his envelope. Batman. Open only if you will follow what it says. He hesitated before tearing it open.
Don't reveal yourself. Wait until the herd is thinned.
- H.Q.
Batman's hand clenched around the paper, wrinkling it slightly.
"My instructions are to take you all to the meeting tonight," Catwoman told them once they were finished.
"What no letter?" Robin sneered.
"No, we got ours in person." Catwoman shrugged.
"Where is it?" Batman growled.
"Where this whole mess began," Catwoman cocked her head, looking at Batman. "The ruined part of Arkham."
"Who's ready!?" Red Hood asked. Robin frowned distastefully at him.
"And what were your instructions?"
"No way," Jason held up his hands, "I am not spoiling the fun. Although I'm a little worried it isn't going to be much fun," he considered with a wince.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Batman demanded of Catwoman, ignoring the others.
"Because a friend asked me, and to keep a lot of people from dying." She assured him, stroking his strong jaw in his cowl. He caught her hand, but he couldn't disagree. Batman reluctantly released her wrist. "I'm sorry I lied to you," she whispered. "I would have told you if I could."
"We have work to do," he snapped, ignoring her apology. His cape whipped around his ankles as he walked to the Batmobile, Robin at his heels.