"There has to be an account," Bruce said to Lucius. "And we have to find it."

"Or perhaps he has someone on the outside who pays them in cash. Or perhaps it's an offshore account which could be based in any country on the planet," Lucius said with a sigh. "Perhaps he hides cash around the city and tells them where to collect it. We have no way of knowing how he paid the guards at that mental institution."

"Adriana may know," Bruce said. "She is skilled. I didn't want to pressure her for too many details the last time I saw her."

"Mr. Wayne," Lucius started in a serious tone. "Didn't you say you didn't want to involve her in this anymore? Have you changed your mind?"

"I have to figure out where his money is coming from," Bruce said. "If the Joker had the funds to pay these guards..he will escape again. And I can't have that. Arkham doesn't exactly have a great security track record. He needs to be moved to a maximum security prison."

"They're not going to send him to prison until everything is presented in court-"

Lucius stopped speaking when Bruce lifted the glass he was drinking from and flung it at the wall in the empty board room, shattering it.

"Right," Bruce went on, surprisingly calmly considering his outburst. "Court. We can waste time sending him to court again and again while the district attorney presents things that every single person in Gotham has seen at this point. We know he is guilty-"

"Yes, everyone knows he is guilty," Lucius said. "However, he is innocent until proven so in the eyes of the law. Due process-"

"Due process," Bruce interrupted and began laughing. "Due process..."

"Forgive me, Mr. Wayne," Lucius said, once Bruce stopped his tired laugh. "I know this isn't my place to say but.."

"Yes?" Bruce looked up.

"Perhaps you need to take some time," Lucius looked Bruce in his eyes. "To grieve. Rachel."

Bruce glanced away for a second and them met Lucius' eyes again.

"I have grieved," Bruce said struggling against the urge to clench his teeth. "I am grieving. That doesn't mean I need to let him run amuck."

"You are angry and vengeful," Lucius observed. "You haven't grieved. You've gone straight for revenge."

"There's been no revenge!" Bruce said, slamming his fist on the table. "Even if they send him to maximum security for life, it still won't be enough."

"And what would be enough for you, Mr. Wayne?" Lucius asked courteously.

"He needs to die," Bruce said plainly.

Lucius simply shook his head.

"In fact," Bruce continued, not seeming to notice Lucius' reaction. "Maybe his escape could be a good thing."

"Is that so?" Lucius said as Bruce stood and fixed his tie. "The Joker escapes. The Batman kills the Joker."

"Before the Joker kills again," Bruce said. "The city hates me for the death of Dent. I have a feeling they would be forgiving if the Joker was exterminated."

.

.

.

"You should have been there. He swung on him so hard that eye was swollen shut!" a voice said.

Adriana heard laughter coming the group of officers around Damien's desk at the downtown Gotham police precinct.

"Navarro!" and officer named Mark Hughes said and turned to Adriana. "Haven't seen you in a while! Here for a private investigation assignment?"

"No, actually," Adriana said and made eye contact with Damien. "Just here to bring Officer Ricard something to eat."

Once the officers dispersed Adriana walked over to him and he gave her a hug.

"Stromboli?" Damien asked hopefully.

"Of course," Adriana replied and handed him the paper bag.

She wanted to try to make their relationship work. Her phone call with Harri made her want to prove that she had chosen right. That she could change him into a decent and enjoyable man that she could be proud of.

"You are the best, you know that?" he said back and kissed her on the lips.

"So what were you all talking about?" Adriana asked as he sat at his desk and opened the bag. "Who got beat up?"

"Ah, that," he said and shrugged, knowing that she was asking a question she already knew the answer to. "I had to handle the Joker."

"Right," Adriana said and immediately entered his thoughts and memories for more detail, "So not only did you lie on the police report you wrote, you also lied in front of your peers and decided to pummel the Joker for no real reason? Do you how embarrassed I am right now? Is that why everyone ran off so quickly just now?"

"Lower your voice," he said. "I thought you knew."

Adriana reminded herself, she was trying to make the relationship work. She took a deep breath and spoke quietly. "No, I didn't know."

"Right," he said back. "The voodoo priestess you saw. Now you don't see every single thought I have."

"She's not a voodoo priestess," Adriana said.

"Adriana," he sighed. "What's done is done."

"Did you tell them all you lied? About me being attacked?" she said and looked around the office.

"I'm still not used to you asking so many questions," Damien laughed. "Usually you know everything-"

"Just answer my questions please."

"Look," Damien said. "I'm really busy here, I have a ton of paperwork to do-"

"I'm moving," Adriana said, thinking of the phone call she had with her sister suggesting she move to Chicago.

"What?"

"Yeah, to Chicago."

"What is this?" Damien said in annoyed voice. "All of a sudden, you sound like you're trying to break up with me. This a threat? Over something petty? One more rumor of a crime on a rap sheet ten miles long? I thought things were good again. We are working things out. I made a mistake, come on. Can you even afford to move to another city now? You haven't worked in months-"

"Yeah, I guess that's what's happening," she interrupted. She would never tell him about the money Bruce had paid her. "I'm breaking up with you, and my finances are my business."

Damien was silent and squinted at her.

"Look," he stood and walked over to her and placed his hands on her shoulders. "I promise I won't ever lie to you again. See my thoughts, see I am telling you the truth."

"So what if you don't lie TO me? You lied about me, and someone else-"

"I will be honest," he said. "I have seen the things that monster has done and the beating he took from me was nothing compared to what he deserves."

"I don't really care-"

"You should! He could have killed you!" Damien said then lowered his voice to a whisper, realizing he was drawing attention. "I love you. That's why I did it."

"Whatever," she said.

"You want to know something?" he said in a voice so quiet that she was sure no one else in the precinct around them would hear them. "You told me, you have a choice now. A choice not to hear thoughts."

"Yeah?" Adriana frowned. "And?"

"Maybe that's a good thing," he said. "Maybe you should stay out of my head and our relationship would go a lot better. Maybe we should try that. You are not a man, you can never understand me or anyone else you have been involved with and maybe that's why it never works out for you-"

"How dare you?" she almost laughed.

"You want me to be honest don't you?" he asked and she looked down. "Don't move. Don't leave us. Maybe we just need to try things this way. If you stayed out of my head you would be like a normal woman. Seeing me as a brave, valiant and loving man who defended you. "

"So you want me to stay with you and stay out of your thoughts."

"Yes. Something new right?" he asked. "You've never had a relationship this way."

"Please stop mentioning my past relationships, you're making me regret telling you about them."

"Fine. I'll never bring it up again. Just give me a chance. A real, normal chance without you in my head all the time. The human species would have been extinct a long time ago if all women were like you and knew the thoughts of men. Consider it, please?"

Adriana thought for a moment and pulled back from him. "Fine."