Chapter 9 - Let The Search Beginn

Bruce P.O.V.

He knew it was wrong to go behind Elena's back, but he couldn't help it. Harvey might be under the impression that they could trap the Joker, but Bruce knew better.

Of course he knew better. After all, he was the one who fought these guys every night. The answer was obvious. Batman. But he was aware that Elena would prefer Harvey Dent to take care of it.

Not because she didn't trust him, but because she was afraid and Bruce knew that. She didn't want Batman to interfere because she feared for her sister's life and Bruce was just as scared.

He had only known Aria for a week, but he had already grown fond of the girl. They shared a similar fate and Bruce felt more than just guilty that this had happened to her. Although he wasn't yet sure that the break-in and the kidnapping were connected, Bruce was a thousand percent sure that it wasn't just a coincidence.

Joker knew that he wouldn't be home. He didn't take anything with him either ... Only her. He just couldn't explain it. No matter how hard he tried to find a connection, everything always fell apart. There was no trace that the Joker had any connection to Aria. So why did he kidnap her?
Bruce has been sitting in the Batcave for hours, scouring one database after another. Little to his surprise, there was almost nothing to be found about the Joker and as far as Aria was concerned, an article popped up that piqued Bruce's interest.

*Tragic car accident on Wickery Bridge - Only one survivor*

On March 28, 2007, a tragedy occurred when the driver of a Dodge Charger lost control of his vehicle at approximately 10:47 p.m. and it fell off the Wickery Brindge into the water. Eyewitnesses arrived after the accident. The driver and passenger, David and Sophia Brooks, were killed instantly, according to police. Their youngest daughter, Aria Brooks, was immediately transported to the nearest hospital with injuries and is receiving medical care.

He was there when the call came from the hospital and he remembered all too well how Elena broke down. She was screaming and crying hysterically, but what Bruce didn't understand was why his girlfriend kept on blaming her little sister for the death of their parents.

Even after asking her about it, he never got to hear the whole story, the only information he had was that the two sisters didn't exactly have the best relationship with their parents.

Did Aria have something to do with the accident?

Bruce couldn't imagine that. In the short time he got to know Aria, she seemed like a nice, innocent girl who just went through far too much and longed for a new beginning, which her sister tried with all her might to deny her.
Was it all just an act? Was there more to this accident? Doubts began to gnaw at Bruce. If only Alfred were with him and could give him some of his wise advice. No, he would figure it all out for himself.

But first he would have to take a closer look at Aria's life and if he couldn't get any information from his girlfriend, well then Bruce would have to get it anotherway.

Rachel's P.O.V.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Harvey's voice snapped her out of her thoughts. Rachel couldn't think about anything else except Alfred and Aria. She had only met her once, but she had grown fond of the girl and she was nothing like her sister.

Of course Rachel understood why Elena was so cold towards her, she and Bruce had tried it once, even if they both agreed that their current partners didn't need to know about it. It was only four months after all and Rachel had ended it because she was just too afraid of losing Bruce. As a friend. But she also knew that as long as the city needed Batman, it could never work between them anyway. A short time later he had met Elena and she had met Harvey and as hard as it may sound, she was overjoyed to have him by her side.

"I just had to think about Alfred again. And Aria. I can hardly imagine what that girl must be going through right now."

"Well, if this madman really does have his sick and twisted way with her, there certainly won't be any mention of Arkham, that's for sure."
"Harvey!" It horrified her how he could say something like that without emotion. The poor thing wasn't even a full year old yet and even if she was, nobody deserved that.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart. Hey, come here," he said gently and hugged her to him. Rachel couldn't quite explain it, even though Bruce was Batman and had saved her many times, she just felt at home in Harvey's arms. "You know I don't mean it like that. I'm worried too, but we have to think of something. Whatever the outcome, we have to catch the Joker and make sure he gets to BlackGate."

"The Joker has been terrorizing this city for months. No one knows who he is or where he came from and the worst thing is that no one has managed to stop him yet. So how could they do that?

"Rachel." She lifted her gaze to him. His beautiful face and that adorable chin. "I have an idea how we might be able to lure out the Joker." She knew what that look on his face meant. He wanted to bet out of luck again.

"Harvey, what are you up to?" But before she could finish the sentence, he was already on his way. "I have to call someone. Call Bruce and Elena and meet me at the GCPD!"

"Harvey wait!" but he was already out of the door and left her wondering. What on earth was this stubborn man up to now?

Third P.O.V.

"So now that we're all gathered here, can someone please explain to me what it all means"
"I'd like to know that too Jim," Elena agreed. "Why did you call us, Harvey?" Everyone was visibly puzzled as to why they should all gather in the GCPD.
"Oh, and how?" Bruce announced. He hadn't heard Harvey's plan yet, but he was already sure that he wouldn't like it.

"Okay. But please finish listening to me." He turned away from them for a moment. "Vickie." The door opened and Vickie Vale entered the room.

"What in the hell is reporter doing here?" Jim Gordon was now more confused than before. A reporter who was mainly known for gossip was Harvey's brilliant idea?

"My plan is this. Vicki will report on the Joker. We all know that he enjoys it when people talk about him. That's the only thing we for sure know about him. We report on him and also that Carmine Falcone is back in town. A reliable source told me, that a member of the Maroni clan has met with the Joker. I originally thought we had really put everyone away, but Salvatore is still at large, even if he's keeping a low profile at the moment. So if we claim that Carmine is back to take back the power, we might be able to lure them both out at the same time. After all, the Joker has stolen more than enough money from the Maroni family. The motive is more than clear. It's at least worth a try, isn't it?"
Everyone looked at him in horror. It seems as if Harvey had completely forgotten that he was still holding Aria captive. They were in no position now where they could risk irritating the clown any further. Aria's life depended on it, after all, and with Joker, any little thing could mean Aria's last day.

"Are you serious? This is your oh-so-genius plan. To give the madman another reason to kill my sister. Or do you want her to suffer even more than she probably already does?" Elena hadn't said a word the whole time and Bruce realized that she was struggling to control herself and he fully understood his girlfriend's reaction. Harvey's plan hadn't been thought through. Of course the Joker would see Vicki's report, but nobody knew what would happen afterwards. Joker would certainly not present himself in such a way that the GCPD could easily arrest him.

No, Bruce knew exactly what Harvey was after. He wanted to provoke the Joker at a time when it was the most dangerous thing he could do. Maybe he really cared about Elena's sister, but his first priority was to finally fulfill his mission and send the criminals to BlackGate, and what better way to achieve his goal than with Joker. But what he was about to do was pure suicide. Not for him, but he was endangering Aria and therefore Elena, Vicki the whole GCPD and even Rachel and this was something that Bruce surley would not allow.

"No. Now listen to me. Vicki is going to shoot the report today and we'll broadcast it today. As soon as he sees it, he'll want to pounce on her. Jim, that's where we need your men. A patrol car will then take her home and guard her apartment the whole time and as soon as Joker even comes anywhere near, we'll have him and therefot we can also finally rescue Aria."

"And you're prepared to put your life on the line just like that, because?" Gordon asks skeptically. He has never trusted this woman. Whenever she aired her reports, there was always more trouble than anything else and it was always up to Jim to remove that trouble from the public eye.

But Vicki just grinned smugly. "Oh, Jim. Suspicious as ever. I just want to help the poor innocent Anna to return unharmed."

"Aria," Elena spits contemptuously.

"Aria." Vicki corrects herself, but when she realizes that no one is buying it, she drops her mask. "All right," she sighs, annoyed. "If Harvey's plan really works, I'll be the one Gotham needs to thank for locking not only the mob bosses away but also this psycho clown. I'll be Gotham's heroine." Vicki daydreams to herself, which makes Bruce all the more worried. Harvey may be over his head right now, but at least Bruce knows that his heart is in the right place. But Vicki, she is just naive if she really thinks it would be so easy.

"Elena, Bruce?" Rachel's voice is full of caution. She could imagine all too well what she was going through, and Bruce too. After all, she had known him since the two children were born and she knew that he blamed himself not only for what happend to Aria but also Alfred. She was there when his parents died. No one knew better how much Alfered meant to Bruce then her.
"What do you think?"

"What I think doesn't really seem to interest anyone here and since everyone does whatever they want anyway, I'm going to leave now." With that, she tore open the door and disappeared from the room.
"I'll go with her and try to calm her down a bit. But Harvey," Bruce turns around in the doorway once more. "Your plan is too dangerous and won't work, and since you summoned us all here, I know you feel the same way. So please, leave it." And with that Bruce disappeared.

After much deliberation, Harvey sighs deeply. "Even though I hate to admit it, Wayne's right. We'll come up with a better plan. Vicki, thank you for your time and cooperation, but it's off."

"WHAT?!" she exclaimed in horror. Surely he couldn't be serious? The plan was just too perfect and besides, she didn't understand what this whole tullmult was about anyway. A man dressed up as a clown and the whole town trembling with fear. As far as Vicki was concerned, he was nothing more than a crazed lunatic, nothing more.
"You heard Mr. Dent, now get out of my office Miss Vale." Enraged, she storms out of the room and slams the door behind her. "You made the right choice."

"I hope so. Well, Rachel and I are going to leave now, but Jim, please come to my office tomorrow. I'll call Bruce too and then we'll take our time to figure out how to proceed." Gordon just nodded visibly relieved.

"Now that's what I call a good plan, Dent."

Vicki's P.O.V.

"Who the hell does this cocky bastard think he is? First he calls me and begs, yes begs me to help him out of this mess and now he thinks he can just back out like that, because this BITCH Elena always has something to complain about? Oh No! Not with Vicki Vale... Brian turn on the camera.It's show time!"