The large bat signal was projected over the skies of Gotham when Adriana left Bruce's penthouse. He had vanished very quickly after relaying the message about the Joker having escaped from Arkham that evening. The air felt a bit warm and muggy for October and there was barely any wind, but the fog was thick and brightened up the dark sky. Going to the police precinct seemed like an automatic decision as Adriana made her way there on foot. When she arrived a few minutes later she could sense the distress going on inside from blocks away.

"Navarro," Adriana was greeted immediately. "Good evening," Officer Page said.

"Hi, Officer Page," she said.

"I assume you were told what happened," he said. "Less than twenty minutes ago."

"It's not on the news yet?" she asked.

"No," Page answered. "Soon. Within the next half hour for sure."

"Is Gordon here?" Adriana asked. "Did he go to Arkham?"

"No, he's here," Page replied. "Not for long though, I assume. He may be on the roof."

When Adriana got to the stairwell to the roof, two armed guards let her pass. So far she had never been on the roof with Gordon but he had given them permission to allow her roof access.

"Navarro," Gordon said when she opened the door.

"Hello, Commissioner," Adriana said and walked over to him, the air feeling even warmer on the roof.

"He's not coming here is he?" Gordon asked and looked up at the sky. "He's after the Joker."

"I assume so," Adriana answered. "He vanished as soon as he learned what happened."

"Well," Gordon said and turned off the signal, making the sky dark again. "In that case. I was going to let him know about the escape before it hit the news. But I assume he has other connections."

"I'm sure he'll find him soon," Adriana said. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

"I am afraid not," Commissioner Gordon said, clearly frustrated. "He escaped on his own. There's no one I can think of to put you with to get information from."

"How did it happen?" she asked.

"Somehow he was able to set off the fire alarms for the entire asylum. The buildings had to be evacuated. While outside, he got a firearm from one of the guards and took him hostage. He was able to back away into a vehicle. We found the guard had been pushed out of the vehicle along the side of the road a quarter mile away and the vehicle abandoned two miles away. The guard is in the hospital now for bumps and bruises but he doesn't seem to know anything."

"Okay," she said. "I really wish there was something I could do."

"You should do what we will advise everyone to do," Gordon said. "Be careful. Keep your eyes open. Stay at home and lock your doors. Pay attention to the news updates. He could be anywhere."

"Will do," she said. "If you need anything, please let me know."

"Thank you," Gordon said genuinely.

"So...the signal," Adriana said. "That wasn't really to get him to come here."

Gordon looked at Adriana. She was in his thoughts. Gordon knew that the Batman would likely know about the escape before most of the police force did. He didn't need to be told.

"You want the people of the city to get used to seeing it again," she said. "Since they've turned on him for killing Dent...but seeing the Bat signal now that the Joker's escaped...it may help them to accept him again."

"He's wanted for the murder," Gordon said. "And has no reason to believe he won't be arrested if he shows up. Gotham hates him now but tonight...when the news breaks...they will understand."

Adriana nodded.

"He saved my son," Gordon said. "Seeing him hated for what he did for me...it is difficult to accept."

"I know," Adriana agreed.

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.

.

"Adriana," Damien said as he passed Adriana on the way out of the precinct. She was hoping she wouldn't run into him and that he would be with the team over at Arkham but no such luck.

"Officer Ricard," she nodded impersonally and brushed past him, leaving the precinct.

"Wait-" he said and followed her onto the street.

"Can I help you?" she asked, sounding disinterested.

"How have you been?" he asked.

"Just fine," she said.

"That's great," he responded. "Great." His voice sounded a bit disappointed.

"Well, I have to go," said and kept walking.

"Wait..Your eyes look different?" he said/

"What?" she said and pulled a small mirror from her purse. He was right. Her eyes looked a bit darker. They had gone from a very pale color to a deeper shade of a more normal looking blue. "Yeah. Looks fine to me. Some people's eyes change colors."

"True," he said.

"Gotta go."

.

.

"So when are your arriving to Chicago?" Harri asked Adriana. She was on speaker phone while Adriana moved dishes into boxes.

"I don't know yet, Harri," Adriana said and looked for tape. "I'm still trying to get everything packed up here to donate or sell or whatever. I think it would be good to rent out my house since I won't be here."

"Okay," Harri said. "So how is everything going with Bruce Wayne?"

"Well," Adriana said. "I haven't seen him in a few days. I'm sure he's quite busy with..a project."

"Have you at least heard from him?" Harri asked.

"Nope," Adriana said. "His project is..pretty serious. An emergency I'd say."

"Did you sleep with him?" Harri wanted to know.

"Harri..you're always in my business," Adriana told her.

"You don't have any business. So did you sleep with him?"

"No," Adriana answered.

"See? No business," Harri responded.

"Whatever," Adriana said while taping the cardboard box shut.

"So nothing's happened yet?" Harri asked.

"Well..we kissed a bit. But then there was an emergency. He's been busy with it since."

"What's the damned emergency?" Harri asked.

"He runs many businesses," Adriana said. "He has a lot of responsibilities. There was a crisis."

"So?" Harri asked. "He could at least call."

"I'm sure he's just focused on the task at hand," Adriana said. Finding the Joker was extremely important, but Adriana couldn't tell Harri about that.

"Yeah, well," Harri said. "There's so many hot guys in Chicago, I can't wait for you meet a few of them."

"Why do you care so much about me seeing someone. Maybe being single is what I need."

"You were single for years before Damien," Harri said. "And from what you told me he was pretty useless."

"Yeah, well," Adriana sighed. "I don't mind being single. It's fine."

"Maybe," Harri said. "Well maybe you're telling the truth because you haven't had any truly passionate relationships yet. All the dudes you've been with have been stale and useless."

"Maybe," Adriana agreed. "I like Bruce. He doesn't seem stale or useless at all."

"So go get him then," Harri said. "Or someone else. Or at least get a dog."

.

.

.

"He's been out for about twenty minutes," Lucius said. Bruce was dead asleep in a board room chair. "I'll wake him, if you need to speak to him."

"No, no," Adriana said. "He is tired."

Adriana had just arrived at Wayne Tower, actually taking Harri's advice to reach out to Bruce.

"He's very passionate about what needs to be done now," Lucius said. "He's up all night looking for leads. But ever since the Joker left Arkham..nothing. He's moving very quietly, at least for now. It's actually quite frustrating..not knowing what he's planning. We fear that whatever he does next will be something big."

"I wish I could do something," Adriana said.

"Well, at this point any and all ideas are welcome," Lucius told her.

"So there are no leads whatsoever?" Adriana asked.

"We think the governor may be on his hit list. He's got security around his home at all times right now," Lucius told her. "He's been alerted that he may be target."

"Why would he want to kill the governor?" Adriana asked.

"It could be the governor's statements that he made on national TV. He's been very vocal about the sentencing he thinks the joker should be given," Lucius explained. "The death penalty. He also knows Judge Ambers very well."

"That's it?" Adriana asked. "Wow..."

"There may be more to it that we don't know," Lucius told her.

"You know..Maybe Gordon and I could stop by and speak with his security. I can make sure no one's being paid off...or threatened by the Joker," Adriana said. "The Joker has a way of getting to the people he wants to hurt. If I go and...check out what his guards are thinking, I can make sure no one's a plant from the Joker."

"Brilliant idea," he said. "You'll let us know if there's anything?"

"Of course," she said.

.

.

..the Joker has escaped from the Arkham Asylum at around 8:20 this evening. The Gotham Department of Corrections and Police Department are searching for the escapee who was able to flee the facility by setting off a serious of fire alarms to gain outside access. One employee of Arkham Asylum is being hospitalized and is reported to be in stable condition. Anyone with information about the whereabouts-

"Madness," a voice said beside Adriana. She decided to visit the gym that evening and was watching a bit of the news while on the elliptical.

"Yeah," Adriana said and turned to the right on her elliptical machine to see a familiar face beside her.

"Your name was Adriana right?" Michael, the son of the manager of Savannah's said to her. She wasn't a stripper but she knew that was how he would see her.

"Right, and I was told you're Michael?" she said as he stepped onto the treadmill beside her.

"That's me," he said. "Haven't seen you return to Savannah's to work. That was disappointing."

"Oh," she laughed a bit. "It was fun auditioning but I don't know if it's for me."

"So you won't be working at Savannah's?"

"No, I don't think so," she said. "It's a great place though, but I won't be working there."

"Good," he said with a smile. He had a great smile, hair and voice, Adriana thought to herself.

"Good?" she asked.

"Yes," he replied. "Now I can ask you out without it being workplace harassment."

"Oh," she smiled. "Wow." She knew what Harri would say if she were there. He's gorgeous, tall, has a deep voice and is fit. Definitely worth going on a date with at least.

"So, what do you say?" he smiled back.

"I would love to..I just.." she started to say. She didn't feel ready to date. But she wanted Bruce, however this guy also seemed great. Then again she did meet him in a strip club and he already had seen her basically naked. How would he treat her?

"It's just, we met at Savannah's," he guessed.

"Yeah," she shrugged with a little embarrassment. "Part of it."

"Well, I'd like to give you my number in case you change your mind," he offered.

She put his number into her phone before stepping off of the machine.

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.

.

After a long shower at home Adriana considered calling him but instead texted Gordon with her idea of checking out the governor's security team. He responded immediately, saying that the plan would be executed the following day.

The bed was so warm and inviting as she crawled in and flopped her face against the pillow. She let out a long sigh and let her hands glide across the sheets and then let out a relaxed moan. Sleep was calling her but she couldn't relax. Her thoughts kept returning to Bruce and the sensation of his lips on hers. His sleek and lustrous hair gliding through her fingertips. Her fingertips touched the spots on her abdomen where he had kissed her and her eyes squeezed shut tightly as she recalled the sensation of him sucking on her flesh. If she wasn't feeling so silly and shy, she would call him right now. If things weren't so crazy with the Joker having escaped she would call him right now. It wasn't the right time. He needed to focus. If she was as bold as Harri maybe she would get in her car and drive over to his penthouse.

She imagined knocking on his door as her fingertips moved downwards. Her free hand squeezed the pillow behind her tightly as her mind remembered his heavy swollen sign of arousal pressed against her. Another soft moan came out as she remembered how he smelled. Incredible.

When she opened her eyes her heart nearly stopped when she saw Damien in her doorway watching her.

"Shit!" she screamed and looked around for something to throw. She reached over to her bedside table and quickly pulled out the knife she kept hidden there.

"Adriana, calm down. It's me," he said, his voice amused and lustful.

"I know it's you!" she said holding the blade tightly by it's handle. "What are you doing here?"

"My Rolex is here.." he said. "I need it."

"What? Right now? You didn't even fucking knock-" she said. She had not seen him coming.

"Yeah, sorry about that. It's in that drawer," he said.

She turned and rummaged through the drawer in the dark for a few seconds until she saw a flash of gold. The watch was in her hands for only a moment before she tossed it at him.

"There, now go," she said. "Leave!"

"Okay," he said, not moving.

"You're still here," she replied. "Go!"

"Wait.." he said and walked over to the bed slowly. "It's just.."

"I'm going to call the police," she threatened.

"Baby... I am the police," he said.

"Get out or I will scream loud enough for my neighbors to hear me, and they will call," she said.

"Alright," he said with a bit of shock, surprised that she would say such a thing. "I just wanted to say..you look beautiful there."

She sighed and rolled her eyes.

"You sounded beautiful too," he said and came closer.

"I will call 9-1-1 if you don't leave now," she said firmly.

"Sure," he said, not sounding afraid at all. "I'll go."

"And don't come here again."

"My mistake," he said and backed away to the door. "Lucky mistake."

"GO!" she shouted as he left.

Once she was sure he was gone she called a locksmith and waited for them to arrive to change the locks on her door.