The three looked over the mutated man, Batman scanning with his Detective Vision before shaking his head.

"He's dead. Whatever Joker did to him, his heart couldn't take the pressure and ruptured. Our fighting sped up the process, but he wouldn't have survived long anyway."

"How terrible..." Penny frowned. "What could have caused him to turn into that?"

A groan got the trio's attention and they turned to see a guard inside the locked security booth slowly standing up. As he got to his feet, he noticed them and made his way over to a large keypad.

"Quick! Get in here before more of them come!"

The electric gate shut off and the three went inside to check up on him. Penny scanned him to check for any injuries as he nursed his head.

"They came out of nowhere! I dragged Jerry in here, powered up the gate. Must have passed out."

"You saved your friend's life. That's the important thing." Ben said softly.

"Joker went through that door. What's on the other side?" Batman asked.

"We call it Extreme Isolation! Only way in is via the transport system."

"Could you open it for us?" Penny politely asked.

The guard nodded. "Not a problem. I'll just need to call another cell."

The guard walked over to a console and started to type away, only to immediately notice that something was wrong.

"Okay…something's wrong here. The main security loop is locked."

"Perhaps I can assist!" Penny suggested as she came over to the computer and her index finger flipped open, revealing a plug that she inserted into the console, only to scream as her eyes suddenly glitched out, static laughter echoing out of her body as she pulled away, Ben quickly catching her.

"Are you okay?!"

Batman's eyes widened in concern for Penny's well-being before turning and glaring at the TV monitor as Joker appeared on it.

"Having a little trouble up there?"

"Joker!" Batman growled.

"You were maybe expecting Two-Face?"

"There's no escape, Joker!"

"Silly Bat! I don't want to escape. I'm having way too much fun. I even have you and the kid here to keep a smile on my face."

"Not for long."

"Really? We'll see. And I see your cute little alien robot friend tried to hack in and spoil the surprise! Can't have that, can we?" Joker smirked. "Also, one more thing; just in case you were planning on following me, I've arranged a little insurance. Gordon is on his way to Harley as we speak."

The trio watched as the feed showed Officer Boles smack Gordon hard in the back of the head, knocking him out. Penny gasped in horror and Ben narrowed his eyes while Batman scowled in disgust.

"Officer Boles."

Joker laughed at the camera feed of Gordon being knocked out as if he saw a particularly hilarious scene from Looney Tunes before turning his attention back to his adversaries.

"If I see any of you trying to follow me, he dies. Harley is looking forward to it. Maybe I'll film it and post it on YouTube."

With the warning done the screen faded out as Joker laughed at the idea.

"I knew something was fishy about that guard," Ben growled. "He was particularly aggressive handling me when I was put here."

"I had my suspicions of Boles' corruption, but this confirms it," Batman said. "We're going to rescue Gordon."

Penny could only frown, Commissioner Gordon reminded her too much of her beloved father Pietro back home on Remnant. She could only imagine how he must be feeling with her missing.

"The transport system is down. Best I can do is open the door you came in. Sorry." The guard apologized.

"You did all you could," Batman said. "Stay here and keep your friend safe. We won't let Joker get away with this."

"So now what?" Ben asked.

"We have to go back to the Holding Cells. Boles isn't too smart, he'll obviously have left a trail."

Batman made his way back to the Holding Cells, Penny and Ben following after him. As they did Batman got a call from Oracle.

"Batman, what's happening?"

"Joker's escaped! He's sealed himself off. He's got your father!"

"Dad!"

"Don't worry. We're getting him back!"

"OK. I know...but..."

"Oracle, I'm getting him back! Joker will not win. I won't let him." Batman reassured firmly. "I'm starting where he was taken. A guard named Frank Boles attacked him. If I find Frank, I'll find your father!"

"Bruce, hurry! Please."

They turned left at the next splitting pathway before all the TVs along the path lit up with Joker's face once again.

"I bet you're wondering how I did it. Was it a clue the Great Detective missed?" The Clown Prince of Crime giggled. "Oh, me and Frankie go way back! I got him out of a spot of... bother a few years ago. So when I need security codes or an old man to be clubbed to the ground, I know just the man to ask."

The trio then saw a pair of thugs in front of them, mocking and kicking the corpse of a guard. Penny narrowed her eyes as she turned to Batman and Ben, the three silently nodding as they initiated a plan of attack.

The punks never saw it coming; Penny went low and did a sweeping kick to knock the left man to the ground, continuing with the momentum Penny spun around at the man's level and slammed her robotic fist into his face, knocking him out. The second barely had time to react to his partner being attacked when Batman caught the swinging arm by the wrist before he jabbed his elbow hard into the man's sternum. With the air knocked out of him the inmate didn't have time to counter Ben slammed and knocked him out like his partner.

With the thugs taken care of, the three entered the Holding Cells and ducked into Boles' office. Batman once again put his hand to his cowl to contact Oracle.

"Oracle, I'm at the holding cells. I'm setting up a crime scene."

"So what's the plan? Isolate something in that room unique to Boles?"

Batman gave a small smile. "Exactly!"

As Batman used his Detective Vision to scan the area for anything he could use to trace back to Boles, Penny decided to ask Ben something.

"Friend Ben, I am most curious about something; where and how did you gain your amazing abilities?"

"Amazing? These abilities have caused me nothing but trouble ever since I got 'em." The young man scowled, looking at his hands.

"I see...do you wish to talk about it?" Penny asked.

"No..." Ben sadly said, looking away from the android's gaze. "I'd rather not right now..."

"Alright. I shall not press the issue any further."

"I've got a lead," Batman called the two over. "We can follow traces of Frank's bourbon in the atmosphere."

"Figures. That guy reeked of bad booze every time I was near him." Ben huffed.

After Batman made a quick contact with Oracle, the trio followed the trail with Batman taking the lead point. They passed through the heavy door once again and stepped over the incapacitated inmates. Batman led one, following the trail down the long hallway till they entered a processing lobby with a large desk, computer, and files.

They soon walked past a security door towards the elevators. Only one guard was visible, trying to work the control panel and call the elevator down.

"What's wrong with this thing?"

"Do you need help, sir?" Penny asked.

The guard turned to them. "How did Joker get free?"

"Be quiet." Batman said, holding out his hand.

"What's going on?"

Batman scanned the area for traces of alcohol where the elevator would be and then stopped. Suddenly, Harley Quinn leaped down, in person.

"Uh-uh-uh, B-man! Mr. J doesn't want ya following us just yet!" She said, before pulling out a detonator and pressing the button.

Suddenly, the elevator above them exploded and came down at them at high speeds as the counterweight Harley had rested on flew upwards, the villainess laughing and cheering as if she was on a fun ride at the carnival.

"GET DOWN!" Batman cried as he pushed the guard out of the way to safety.

Ben acted quickly, thrusting out his hands as purple gravitational energy emitted from them, stopping the elevator's descent and allowing him to make sure it stopped safely down. Penny was impressed at such a display of skill as Batman let his shoulders relax.

"That was impressive. I haven't seen reaction time like that since..." The Caped Crusader stopped himself, frowning slightly as he knew he couldn't say too much.

"Oww, what the hell happened?" The guard asked as he got up.

"That was a real fancy trick, sweetie!" Harley teased Ben. "Still, there's no way you're following us now. You, B-Man, and the cute little robot gal are stuck down there 'til me and Mr. J are ready for ya."

"That fiendish woman is in for quite the surprise." Penny said, about to use her jet boots before Batman stopped her.

"We shouldn't rush in so hurriedly. Joker doesn't know all your tricks yet and it's often best to keep them to yourself."

Penny nodded. "I see, so that we may surprise him later!"

"Exactly."

"So what do we do now?" Ben asked.

Batman looked upward. "Gordon was taken up to the surface in the elevator. We'll need to do this the old-fashioned way if we're too follow them."

Looking around, the three of them were able to find a series of platforms allowing them to slowly but surely climb up to where Harley had gone. They were about 75% of the way to the top when suddenly, Joker decided to throw a little gasoline on the fire.

"Hey, Bats. I know you can hear me. I've got a little something for you and your new sidekicks to listen to. Harley and Frank are nearly out of the building with the old man. How are they gonna get past all those guards? Let's have a listen, shall we?"

"Hey! Frank. Where you been?" One of the guards asked over the PA.

"Joker's got more men on the way. They're coming around the front of the Asylum. Gotta stop 'em from getting in! Quick! Get over there!"

"Dammit! C'mon, everyone! Cover the main entrance!"

"How many are there, Boles? Wait, how the hell do you know what-?" Another guard was about to ask before a gunshot rang out.

"Boles! Frank, what are you doing?! No! Put it down-!" Another guard said before also being silenced with a bullet.

"Frank! What the hell-?!" The last guard said before a final gunshot rang out.

"Scum..." Ben scowled.

"That's just terrible..." Penny frowned.

"Quinn. It's clear! Get your ass in here." Boles shouted.

"You're some piece of work, Frankie. A girl could fall for someone like you." Harley swooned.

"Stop flirting with the hired help, Harley!" Joker snapped.

"Don't worry, sweetie. I only have eyes for you."

"Even I know they are really bad for each other." Ben muttered.

Batman nodded. "No doubt about that."

"Did you hear that Bats? Blondie? Sounds like Frankie is working out just fine! Another valuable employee for the organization." Joker said before signing off.

The three continued on their way, soon reaching the top and making a turn before seeing something strange; A large slab of stone was sticking out of the wall, giving the appearance of possibly a grave or tomb marker. In the center was a carving of a stone scarab sticking out with a ring of writing around it, in some kind of unknown language.

"What's this?" Penny questioned.

Ben didn't know why, but he felt transfixed by the slab before suddenly crying out in pain, clutching his head as if he was having a migraine. Penny and Batman quickly moved to support him as he heard a ghostly voice speak in his head.

"I am the sprit of Amadeus Arkham. Through my actions, I have saved this cursed city, through my own curse is forever remain in the shadows. My story is carved into the very soul of Arkham and will only be revealed to those dedicated enough to discover it."

"Are you okay?" Batman asked.

"Y-Yeah, I'm fine..." Ben said, taking a moment to recompose himself. "I just...had a bad headache, that's all."

The trio resumed their trek. Fortunately, the end of the elevator shaft was just around the corner with a large open space for where the elevator would have sat. they however could hear someone say from the open space of the waiting room on the other side.

"These guards didn't put up much of a fight."

Penny blinked before she realized that up ahead wasn't the Arkham guards. She and Ben turned to Batman who placed a finger to his lip to silence them. After that, he pulled his Grapnel Gun and pulled himself across without making any noise, Penny and Ben silently following him. They grabbed onto the ledge and peeked over into the lobby. The body of several guards were on the floor and standing over one in a circle were five inmates, talking to each other.

"Joker was right! This is easy!"

Batman gave Penny and Ben the go-ahead to take care of them. Springing into action, the two took the inmates by surprise, Ben turning his fists into pure metal as he clobbered one thug over the head while Penny used her Floating Array swords to disorient and then tangle up the thugs in the cables before slamming them together.

The last thug was taken out by Ben discombobulating him before stomping his foot and creating a rock fist from the ground that punched him in the face, sending him flying on his back. Batman climbed up and nodded his head in approval.

"Not bad. I was a little worried about those swords, but you managed to use them in a way that didn't inflict life-threatening injuries."

Penny saluted. "I know when to hold back against those without an Aura."

Batman and Ben both looked confused as Penny blushed in embarrassment, realizing they probably didn't know what she meant.

"Sorry, it's something on my home world."

As Penny moved to tear off a grate that led them to where they needed to go, Batman contacted Oracle.

"Oracle, did you get that?"

"Yeah, wherever that Penny girl comes from, she's got skills."

"And Ben?"

"He knows his way around a fistfight, but then again, he can use his powers to help him out."

"He could use some proper training and control. When this is over, I'll try and see if I can get the parole board to support his case."

"Understood. Bruce...those powers of his...they're kind of similar to Static but, well...with all the elements involved, even some more abstract ones like Gravity."

Batman nodded. "Yes. From what I can gather, he must have been one of the victims of the same mutagen that gave Virgil his powers."

"He looks like he's the same age as Virgil too. Maybe they know each other?"

"I'll have to ask him later. Right now, we need to rescue your father first."

Batman followed Penny and Ben into the vent, the three turned a corner and followed the vent until they passed another corner. As they did so they could hear the sound of gunshots and a scream. Someone pleading to someone, no doubt the shooter.

"Please, I have a kid! You don't have to…"

The guard's pleas were in vain as he was gunned down in cold blood just like that.

"You're right. I don't have to. I just want to!" The thug around the corner sneered.

Ben felt tears run down his face before his sorrow quickly turned to anger. Since he was in front, he tore off the gate blocking the way and got in front of the scumbag who shot the defenseless guard, shocking him.

"What the hell?!"

Ben said nothing, a look of fury in his eyes as he punched the thug who shot the guard in the face hard, breaking his nose. The other thugs all aimed their guns at him but he held his hand out and the guns suddenly flew out of their hands disassembling down into their base components and falling uselessly to the floor.

"What kind of shit is this?!" One of the thugs cried. "Is this kid the baby of Dr. Polaris or something?!"

Ben didn't give a response as he sent out blasts of electricity at the thugs, electrocuting all of them violently as they screamed in agony before collapsing in smoking, barely alive heaps. He then picked up the shotgun and approached the thug who shot the defenseless guard, aiming it at his head as he looked up in fear.

"Oh god...what the fuck is wrong with you?!"

"You have the audacity to be scared when you gunned down a man and took him away from his family?" Ben asked coldly. "When you go to Hell, tell the devil to keep my seat warm."

"NO!"

Batman moved as fast as lightning, pushing the shotgun out of the way just as Ben pulled the trigger and fired, missing the thug by a mile. Penny then rushed in and wrapped her arms around him as the Dark Knight turned to the thug and punched him hard in the face, knocking him unconscious.

Ben struggled briefly before relaxing in Penny's embrace as Batman stood up and glared at him sternly.

"I couldn't...He just..."

Batman's gaze softened when he saw the mixture of emotions on Ben's face. He could practically see a familiar shadow overlapping the young elemental, visages of the past. Dick, Jason, Tim, the boys he took under his wing, to be trained to also be defending of the Gotham. He could see the same look in Ben's eyes that he had seen in every one of them when they each first started as Robin.

The Dark Knight lifted his hands and gently set them on Ben's shoulders, a soft hold in a form of comfort. Ben could only gaze back at him helplessly as he sighed in understanding.

"It's not easy. It hurts when you see this, and realize you weren't fast enough, that you weren't good enough." He said gently. "But we can't stop. Because doing nothing hurts much, much worse than failing to do something."

Penny herself couldn't help but take inspiration in Batman's words, especially the burden she took in becoming the next Winter Maiden and helping her friends protect Mantle after Ironwood declared martial law. When she got back, she knew her friends would need her more than ever and she would keep pressing on alongside them, whatever it took.

"Well, that was quite the show! I suppose I should warn my boys that you're coming... Hey, maybe I won't! It'll be a nice surprise!" Joker said over the monitors. "And that boy of yours, Bats! He's got the eyes of a killer! Just let him loose, I'd love to see what he does!"

"Why wouldn't he let his men know?" Penny asked. "It would only make things harder for him wouldn't it."

"It's all a game to him," Batman replied evenly as he grabbed the nearby grate opening and easily ripped it off. "He knows his men will slow us down so he can do what he wants. We can't waste any more time."

The trio crawled through the vent and reached the end, Joker coming over the PA as Batman started silently pushing the grate off the end to avoid alerting the thug in front of it.

"Ding ding ding Dong. Arkham Asylum is under new management. Here's a quick update on what's going on. Attention: we have an escaped patient. Dresses like a bat. What an idiot! Should be considered costumed and dangerous. Personally, I think the best solution is to put him out of his misery! It's the only reliable cure!"

Penny quickly grabbed the thug as the trio got out of the vent, silently knocking him out as Batman grappled onto a walkway above them, yanking a thug off the walkway and alerting the final henchman, who ran down to inspect what happened to his fallen ally, allowing Ben to fire a blast of amber sap from his hands that crystalized and petrified the thug on impact.

"Did you all really think it was gonna be THAT easy? I've sent a few more of my boys down there. Let's see how you deal with these odds!" Joker laughed.

Batman, Penny, and Ben quickly made their way to a small building in the middle of the room. Batman then handed Ben a small device and gestured for him to put it in his ear.

"It's a communication device. I'm sure Penny can access it with her cybernetics?"

"Indeed! Just let me tune in to the frequency!" Penny beamed.

Batman grappled to a gargoyle and waited for one of the newly arriving thugs to walk underneath before performing an Inverted Takedown. Penny flew to another gargoyle and did her best to mimic what he did, only with the cables of her Floating Array while Ben remained on the building, waiting for the last couple of thugs to pass by before crashing down on top of them, then manipulating the glass shards to melt and form around the thugs until they were an airtight glass cage with some air holes for breathing.

"Oh, those were the easy ones. I'm just playing with ya. You'll see." Joker chuckled.

Batman and Penny had glided/flown from the gargoyles over to the main entrance while Ben casually jogged over and climbed the ladder.

"So, we getting close to the end of the trail?" Ben asked, before looking forward to see a grim sight. "Oh..."

It was Boles, dead. Pale as a ghost, a green smile painted on his face but his mouth hung open in an expression of agony. Whatever killed him was not pleasant.

Penny covered her mouth to avoid being sick at the gruesome sight. Boles was corrupt and evil to the core, but not even he deserved this.

"Guess Franky outlived his usefulness..." Ben muttered.

"Joker must have figured out how we were following him," Batman noted grimly.

"What do we do now?" Penny asked before suddenly feeling something messing with her servos. "Ah!"

"Penny, are you okay?" Ben asked before getting static in his earpiece and wincing as he put a finger to it.

Batman also took note of the static and put two fingers to his cowl, narrowing his eyes when a smug voice that was very familiar to him spoke up.

"…Can you hear me, Batman? I know you can."

Batman started to type away at his wrist computer to start a track on the transmission, all the while the man kept talking.

"Yes, it is I, Edward Nygma. The Riddler and more importantly your intellectual superior."

"Wow, I hate this guy already." Ben frowned.

"I'm sorry, who?" Penny genuinely questioned.

"My genius has allowed me to easily hack into your primitive communications." Riddler chuckled. "My goal is simple. You complete a series of amusingly taxing challenges and, well, you'll see."

Batman said nothing as he finished the command, seeing the program would need time to break through Riddler's encryption. He wasn't planning on responding to the man right away until Riddler's next words got his attention.

"And don't think I don't see those new sidekicks, Batman. Choosing your new Batgirl and Robin, perhaps?"

"What is even going on?" Penny asked, legitimately confused. "And how was he able to access my internal communication mainframe?"

"I'll admit, getting into it was quite the challenge, but it was ultimately no match for my genius!" Riddler smugly declared. "Now, how about a starting riddle for you two newcomers? I expect you to fail but I do believe I should give you the same treatment to your defeat."

Penny blinked at this, not sure what to take from that other than the man's attempt at insulting her.

"…I'm sorry?"

"Here's the first one. Don't CUT yourself on this SHARPLY observe portrait." Riddler asked her before adding. "And no helping Batman; you have to let other students try too."

"Help isn't really needed since the answer is the portrait of Warden Sharp," Penny replied. She noticed the portrait when they checked out the area after regrouping and made the connection easily.

"Ah, so you did it! Well done. I'd expect a child half your age to figure it out, so thank goodness you were able to." Riddler congratulated condescendingly.

"Well, to be fair you did make it less difficult and challenging yourself." Penny pointed out.

"…Excuse me?" he asked after a beat of silence, an angry edge to his tone.

Batman gained a small smirk as Penny innocently clarified for the man, which unknowingly made him angrier.

"You put too much zealous on the words 'Cut' and 'Sharply'. If you wish them to be more of a challenge, then you shouldn't do things like that."

"…How dare you imply my riddle wasn't any sort of challenging! That a man of my genius isn't capable of such a thing! Someone of your intellect can't comprehend my riddles! You wish for a challenge? Well, you'll see girl…you'll see."

As Riddler cut off communication, Ben turned to Batman.

"Is that the question mark guy you often fight?"

The Dark Knight nodded. "Edward Nashton Nygma AKA The Riddler. He pulls crimes with a series of elaborate traps and riddles. I usually have to solve them. He's obsessed with proving he's smarter than everyone else and has an obsessive compulsive need for attention."

"I see..." Penny frowned. "So he is mentally unwell."

"Yes, but he's too arrogant and self-assured of his own intelligence to admit it."

Suddenly, a door off to the side opened, and a guard came into the room.

"I'm over here, Batman!"

"Oh, thank goodness! A survivor!" Penny smiled.

"What happened?" Batman asked.

"It was a massacre! Boles came walking in telling everyone to cover the front entrance! Said something about Joker's army coming through the main gate! Two of my guys moved to the exit and Frank shot 'em dead. They never stood a chance." The guard, William North, said.

"We heard you on the PA earlier. Glad to see you made it out of that madness okay." Ben noted.

"Was Boles alone?" Batman asked.

"Thought he was, then I saw Harley Quinn. She was surrounded by Blackgate prisoners. They were just killing everyone in the room!" Officer North said. "I had no choice! I got in here, locked the door. I could see it on the security feed. They had someone with them, it looked like the Commissioner."

"Boles is dead. They carried on without him. Must have outlived his usefulness." Batman explained.

"Good! He was scum." North scowled.

North stayed behind the guard the area while the trio continued down the path, heading through another door and one final grate, before reaching what looked to be some form of a small cave with vegetation and greenery nearby. Batman used his Grapnel Gun to make it up a small ledge while Penny used her jet boots to fly up there and Ben followed with bursts of fire from his feet.

The three walked to the edge of the trail to the end of a cliff, able to survey the entire island. Despite how dark and slightly Gothic it was, the place actually looked rather beautiful.

"Gotta love the scenery of this place. Y'know, even if it's a prison for psychopaths and murderers." Ben noted.

"We must continue onward, friends! The Joker won't stop himself!" Penny declared.

Batman nodded. "Let's get moving."

A little bit of Ben's past has been hinted at. Apparently, he got his powers the same way Static Shock did and yes, I'm talking about the animated series version!

Also, just so we're all clear, FUCK THE RIDDLER. I'm sure all you Arkham fans agree with me on this.