Batman's Bad Day: Zero

Abandoned Warehouse

"Quick, this way!"

"Wait up will ya?

Two bank robbers were on the run through an abandoned warehouse trying to outrun the heroes of Gotham City. When the lead robber arrived at a dead end, he frantically began searching for an alternate escape route.

"Damn! We gotta find a way out! See any place we could slip through buddy? …Buddy?" the lead robber says as he turns around to see that both Batman and Robin had already beaten up his partner. Now they were on their way to trash him as well.

"Oh no! It's the Dynamic D-mmmrrph!" the robber yells out, before getting smacked in the face by Robin's fist, knocking him out cold upon impact.

Minutes later, the Gotham City Police arrive at the scene, and take the robbers into custody.

As usual, Batman and Robin were nowhere to be seen whenever the authorities arrive.

Joker's Hideout - 11:01 pm

Joker and Harley Quinn were sitting together watching TV when the local evening news came on.

"Tonight on Gotham News at 11: Two dangerous bank robbers were arrested and taken in by police earlier this evening. Commissioner Gordon has stated that '...the robbers were nearly unconscious, and tried up with rope...'. He then continues to say that 'Batman has once again helped the police serve justice within our city'. Now for the weather…"

SMASH!

Joker flung his remote control into his TV, breaking it on impact after watching the news report of yet another one of Batman and Robin's heroic escapades around Gotham City.

"Curse that problematic Bat-Brain and his stupid sidekick! Every night its always 'Batman saved this', 'Batman caught that'…BAH!" Joker yells out frustration. "For years he's been getting on my nerves! There's got to be a way to take those two down for good!"

"But Mr. J, it doesn't seem like we will ever get the chance to one-up them. I mean, every time we or any other villain get close to succeeding, they end up foiling our plans in the end," Harley says with a sigh.

"True…true…" Joker growls as he got up off of the couch and began pacing about the room.

"It would so convenient if we could just sneak into their compound and poison them or something, you know Mr. J?" Harley says.

"It could work…knowing them, they'd probably have the whole place booby-trapped…unless…" Joker thinks out loud.

He then came up with the perfect plan.

"…Unless we get the other villains around Gotham City to take the brunt of Batman's security system while we waltz in and finish them personally," Joker says, a wide smile spreading across his face.

"That sounds brilliant Mr. J! Shall I contact the other baddies?" Harley offers.

"Yes…for we begin tonight! This will be the end of Batman and Robin's days of successful heroism," Joker says, before breaking out into his evil maniacal laughter.

Wayne Manor - 12:14 am

It was quiet outside Bruce Wayne's mansion. The lights were out around the vicinity, and there seemed to be nobody around for miles. However, that silence didn't last long.

Hiding within some thick shrubbery were Joker, Harley Quinn, Scarecrow, Clay Face, Riddler, K. Croc, Bane, Poison Ivy, Two-Face, Mr. Freeze, and Penguin.

"Yahaha, so what's the plan, Joker, since we're all here now?" the Penguin asks.

"Yeah, are we really going to take Batman and Robin down for good?" Poison Ivy inquires with skepticism in her voice.

"The chick's got a point. Every time we try to trash the Dynamic Duo, we're the ones who get our asses handed to us in the end!" Clay Face adds.

"Of course we're going to take him out for good! With my brilliant plan, Bat-Brain and his fruity sidekick will pay dearly for years of humiliation," the Joker responds harshly. "Now, here's what I want everyone to do…"

The Joker proceeded to assign different tasks to all of the villains, each having a major part in the process of breaking inside and dealing with Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson.

Wayne Manor: Back Entrance - 12:24 am

The first task in breaking into Bruce Wayne's mansion involved Mr. Freeze, K. Croc, and Penguin. The three approach the back door and look at one another.

"Alright, here's the deal: I'll freeze the door, K. Croc will shatter it with his strength, and Penguin will shoot down any security alarms that may go off," Mr. Freeze explains.

The three men nod and immediately perform each of their jobs. Mr. Freeze pulled out his ice gun and sprayed the door completely until it was frozen solid. K Croc then gets a running start and charges straight into the frozen door, shattering it upon impact. Just as they suspected, the mansion alarm system started blaring. Penguin immediately took out his umbrella gun and ran down the hallway, shooting out the sensors until everything was silenced from within. All three men met in the middle of the hallway.

"Well that was simple…" K. Coc states, scratching his head.

"Yes…a bit too simple…" Mr. Freeze says.

"Who cares if it was simple or not? Let's go and report to Jo—" Penguin says.

His words were suddenly cut short when a trap door suddenly opens from beneath their feet. All three men yell as they fell to a prison cell deep below the mansion. The trap door then closes up.

Seconds later the second wave of villain's enter into the mansion.

Wayne Manor: Interior - 12:40 am

Poison Ivy, Clay Face, and Scarecrow were next to enter into the fray. They creep through the dark hallways of the mansion as they try to locate the two hero's bedrooms.

"I wonder what happened to the first team…" Scarecrow asks.

"I don't know, but at least they cleared the way for us. Now, let's split up," says Poison Ivy. "I'll check down here on the first floor while you two check upstairs," she instructs to Clay Face and Scarecrow.

The three agree and go their separate ways.

Poison Ivy searches the bottom floor until she comes upon a door marked with a giant 'R' insignia.

"This 'R' on the door must stand for 'Robin'. Let's take a peek, shall we?" Poison Ivy says as she opens the door and flicks on the lights.

Much to her dismay, the 'R' on the door did not stand for 'Robin', but 'Rottweilers' instead, as she was now face to face with Bruce Wayne's pet Rottweilers. The dogs growled at Poison Ivy and began to advance upon her. Thinking quickly, she pulls out a vile of green liquid and tosses it on the ground, spewing green gas throughout the room. The Rottweilers immediately fall sleep upon whiffing the substance.

Poison Ivy turns to leave, but the door behind her suddenly shuts close, locking her from the inside. She would ultimately be stuck there until the Rottweilers woke up later on.

Scarecrow meanwhile went upstairs and proceeded to open the first door he saw.

CRASH!

Unfortunately, he had opened the broom closet, causing a ton of garden and house clearing equipment to spill out and fall on top of him, burying him under the mess.

Lastly, Clay Face, upstairs as well, eventually find both heroes' doors at the opposite end of the same hallway where Scarecrow searched.

"Heh, found their rooms. Now to report back to Joker—" Clay Face says with a grin, turning to leave…

WHACK…CRASH!

…when Dick Grayson slams open his door, smacking Clay Face straight through a window at the end of the hall. Dick yawned as he went to the bathroom, not even noticing that he ejected Clay Face out of the mansion.

Wayne Manor: Interior - 1:00 am

Two-Face, Riddler, and Bane were the next wave to infiltrate the mansion. Upon entering, they noticed that majority of the mansion had been searched through already.

"Looks like the others have already been through everything. Think they found Batman and Robin yet?" Two-Face asks.

"I doubt it. Let us make sure every nook and cranny has been swept," Riddler responds.

Bane simply grunts as he follows to others.

The three men head upstairs, and stop when they hear the toilet flush from inside the bathroom.

"Someone's inside. It must be one of the two!" Two-Face says.

"Hmm…should we take whoever's inside out ourselves or let the Joker handle it?" Riddler asks.

Bane growls and smacks his fists together, telling them that he wanted to smash whoever's within.

"Whatever you say," Two-Face says with satisfaction.

Bane turns toward the bathroom door. With a mighty heave, he punches through the door, and yanks out the person inside.

It was neither Batman's nor Robin, but in fact, Batman's butler: Alfred.

"Oh my…this isn't good…" Alfred says as Bane drops him to the ground.

"Hey, that's not Batman nor Robin! It's just some old prune!" Two-Face says with disappointment.

"I say, good sirs, you shouldn't underestimate your elders," Alfred says, getting up and brushing himself off.

"Oh yeah? Well let us show you how we treat old people like you!" Riddler responds, as he, Two-Face, and Bane prepared to assault Alfred.

Before the men could attack, Alfred whips out a rocket launcher from out of nowhere and fires it at the three villains.

KABLAM!

The blast knocks all three guys out the same window Clay Face was knocked out of earlier.

"Well, that certainly takes care of them for now. Now to report this break-in to Master Bruce…" Alfred says, turning around to head toward Bruce's bedroom, only to run into Joker and Harley.

PSSSSSS!

Joker sprays a sleeping gas compound on Alfred, knocking the butler out in mere seconds.

"Silly old man, you won't ruin Mr. J's plans tonight!" Harley says happily.

"Okay, Harley, take this spray to Robin's bedroom and administer the substance while I take care of Bat-Brain," Joker instructs her.

"You go it!" Harley says as she went to do as she was told.

Minutes later, Joker enters Bruce's bedroom. He walks along the side of his bed, and smiles evilly.

"This is the end of your successful crime-fighting spree. Once you inhale this special hallucinogenic substance, you'll become a pathetic loser and you will fall for every trap and gimmick we'll throw at you from now on!" Joker says as he sprays the substance near Bruce's nose.

Joker then tucks the bottle inside his pocket and began to exit the room.

"Time to get the other moron's out of here and get everything repaired before they wake. Oh how I can't wait to find out how the Dynamic Duo's day will go tomorrow!" Joker says before leaving the scene.

This was the beginning of the end for Batman and Robin, as their misfortunes would begin the next day.

Please review and proceed to the next chapter: Batman's Bad Day: Day One!