The drive to Arkham Asylum was a peaceful one, thought Dennis Novick. Lush pine trees were packed together on either side of the single stretch of road that connected the island to the city proper. He liked to roll the windows down and take in the fresh smell of clean air. Far away from the lights of the city, the moon lit the empty road. It was almost an ironic setting considering the many horror stories he's heard about what goes on inside the Asylum, what with the famous lunatics being kept there.
Dennis was one of the drivers for Blackgate Penitentiary. He drove an armored school bus that shuttled prisoners to and from the Asylum. And considering what was about to happen in the next few minutes, he wondered if he would find himself as a passenger on this very bus soon. Tonight, Dennis wasn't carrying Blackgate Prisoners or Arkham inmates. He was transporting a dozen armed men who were part of the Penguin's gang. One seat behind him was the Riddler, who was chuckling to himself with excitement. Dennis looked at the time. 11:57. It was Sunday night, so it would probably be Jacob Kells at the guard shack. Jacob was a good guy. Hopefully he'll just let the bus through so he doesn't get hurt. It was certainly going to be a surprise for him to see the bus coming in for an unscheduled visit.
The Riddler leaned forward behind Dennis's ear and spoke. "Just a reminder for what's at stake for you, my good Sir. Once we've secured our package, the transfer to the account you requested will go through."
"Got it," Dennis said. He wanted to punch that green ball of slime right in his pointy nose. Dennis had gotten himself into some bad gambling debt with Rupert Thorne, and had been dodging the crime boss's collectors for months. The Riddler somehow discovered this and approached him with an offer.
'Help me and my friends get into Arkham and I'll pay to have your debt with Thorne settled,' Riddler had said that night inside a smokey bar.
Dennis declined, but then Riddler played like he might give Thorne the home address of his son and daughter living with their mom in Bludhaven if he didn't go with it. What other choice did he have?
The van passed under a great black metal sign with the words Arkham Asylum displayed in twisted iron. The island was a spacious piece of land about the size of a University campus. It had a physical and mental intensive treatment facility, its own hospital, a holding cell section, a botanical garden, and a mansion filled with libraries. Dennis could see the lights of the guard shack just ahead.
"It's showtime, boys!" The Riddler shouted to the rest of the passangers on the bus and then ducked down under his seat. Dennis slowed to a stop at the guard shack.
"Hiya, Jacob," Dennis said.
Jacob Kells walked out of his shack and toward the bus. He pulled his cap off and scratched the top of his bald skull with its brim. "Dennis? We don't have you on the schedule, buddy. And it's the middle of the night. What brings you here?"
Dennis rolled his eyes. "Seriously?" he said. "No one called and told you?"
"No, I guess not."
"Blackgate's gotta kill the power in one corner of the prison for a few days for repairs. These guys are supposed to stay here for the week."
"Son of a bitch, this is the third time this week," Jacob said. "Those assholes upstairs can't pick up a phone and inform me about something like this? It's kind of a big deal that I know these things, right?"
"The communication around here is horrible these days," Dennis said.
"Damn right it is. Hold on, Dennis," Jacob said. "Let me call upstairs.
Jacob turned around back toward his shack. Dennis was surprised by two large pops from behind him. Jacob dropped to his knees, his back now bleeding. Another guard, a female, rushed out of the shack. Two more pops and she was shot twice in the chest. Dennis remembered her name; Abby Cliffers.
Dennis turned to the Riddler, whose arm was out of the window holding a pistol.
"Hey, man, what are you doing?" Dennis said.
"We're running out of time. Drive," Riddler said.
"I coulda' talked them–"
The Riddler pushed his pistol against Dennis's head. The barrel was still hot. "Drive!" The Riddler said again. His eyes were bulging. "It's almost midnight. We'll be late soon. Drive!"
Dennis hit the gas and the bus crashed through the entrance.
"Turn right!" Riddler said, pressing the gun harder against Dennis's head.
The bus crashed through a gate headed toward the west section of the island. Patients and doctors dove out of the path of the bus. It crashed through another gate by the holding cell section. The bus rammed a security guard checkpoint and took out half a dozen guards on impact. An orderly dove out of the way of the bus just before it crashed into a section of stone stairs leading to the cell block entrance.
The Riddler's loaned men poured out of the bus firing their automatic weapons at the security personnel. Arkham security was completely taken off guard. A pair of nurses hid in the bushes to escape the gunfire. The Riddler pulled the trigger of his pistol and Dennis slumped over the wheel. He houlstered the pistol and picked up his polished gold question mark shaped cane and leaped out of the bus. The Penguin's men led him through the entrance of the cell block area, taking out more security along the way. Waiting for him at the receptionist's desk was a large brown paper bag. A connection inside the Asylum made sure it was ready and waiting for him when he arrived.
Inside the main cell block, dozens of cells with steel bars and steel mesh covers lined the walls. Special high density plastic cells sat in the center of the room. This is where they kept the more violent and unhinged inmates that maybe couldn't be held by simple concrete and steel. From inside the many cells came shouts and howls from inmates cheering on the invaders.
The Riddler was prancing his way to the next corridor, swinging cane along as he went. He and his men reached an office which housed an array of monitors showing security camera feeds. Riddler could see through the cameras a riot squad was following behind him. From the large brown paper bag, Riddler pulled a red security clearance card with the word 'EMERGENCY' stamped on it and swiped it through a reader next to the bank of monitors. When he did, every cell in the main block opened simultaneously just as the riot squad burst through the entrance. They were quickly overwhelmed by deranged mad men ready to fight their captors.
Riddler tossed the card over his shoulder and pulled another one from the bag. This one read 'MAXIMUM CLEARANCE LEVEL' and he swiped in on another console and the next door opened to a small hallway. At the other end was an armored door. Above it read 'EXTREME INCARCERATION' with 'Liberate Me Ex Inferis' underneath it.
Another swipe of the card opened the next block. In this room the most dangerous patients were held. The recently re-admitted Jervis Tetch, a.k.a., the Mad Hatter, the Former Gotham City District Attorney Harvey Dent, a.k.a., Two-Face, Doctor Johnathan Crane, a.k.a., the Scarecrow, William Omaha McElroy, a.k.a., King Tut, and the man who's true name remains a mystery, the Joker.
All the inmate's faces were pressed against their 20-inch plastic cell windows, curious about the commotion in the cell block. They watched the Riddler strut into the room and walk directly to the Joker's cell. He stood face-to-face with the ghoulish clown. Riddler had only ever seen pictures of him on TV. He was much more unsettling in person, but Riddler didn't let his face show his morbid wonder of the creature. He twirled his cane under his arm and pulled his green suit jacket sleeve back and looked at his watch. 11:59:54…55…56…
"What do you call a riddle with no puzzle?" the Riddler said.
The Joker looked back at him with glee. His curling green hair was slicked back against his pale scalp. His red lips stretched across his face showing an eternal grin.
…58…59…12:00.
"A bad joke," Riddler said.
The Riddler swiped his maximum security card in the slot by the window. The Joker's yellowed and bloodshot eyes followed Riddlers hand. The plastic door slowly slid to the side, freeing the clown.
"I came to invite you to a party," the Riddler said. "The Batman will be there."
The Joker's grin intensified.
The Riddler held up the brown paper bag in front of the Joker. "I brought a change of clothes for you," Riddler said. "Something a bit more comfortable."