YIN AND YANG

CHAPTER 5:

UNCOVERING SECRETS

To see things through the eyes of Luna Lovegood could be called an interesting experience, in the curse sense of the word interesting. People, however, made the mistake of thinking her insane, of her seeing things that weren't there. This wasn't true, at least most of the time. She tended to see too much, and put her own spin on it, rather than seeing things that weren't there. After all, if something wasn't visible, it didn't mean it wasn't there. Thestrals, people under Invisibility Cloaks, air, non-visible EM radiation, Wrackspurts, to list a few.

She also had a sense of the gadfly about her, the troll, the girl who liked to say provocative things just to see the eyes being rolled, hear the exasperated groans. In a way, she was like the Joker, and like her cousin, Harleen Quinzel, in that she did this to provoke a reaction. But unlike them, Luna Lovegood's grasp on sanity, while odd, was nonetheless far from tenuous.

She observed many things. And one thing she observed was Frank Boles. She did it in a way that he couldn't tell she was looking at him, not that he could see her face behind her helmet. And she realised he had shown no surprise when the Joker broke free. Well, the Joker did make a habit of breaking free from Arkham Asylum, but you'd think there would be anger, fury, fear, or at the very least some sort of weary resignation. Instead…there was something anticipatory in the man's expression. No smile or anything, but even so…he looked like someone impatient for his reward. And that disturbed her, given that he was known to be one of the dodgiest guards in Arkham.

Discreetly, she decided to use Legilimency on him. And what she found there shocked her…

Gordon looked at the security control panel as Batman fought against the thugs. "Damn! Joker's locked us out!"

"You mean his accomplice," Harry said. He had to admit, watching Batman fight was a revelation. It was a perfect mixture of grace and pragmatism. In an all-out physical fight, he'd certainly lose against him, as would Luna. Not unless he used his magic, anyway, and he wouldn't put it past the infamous paranoid and prepared Batman to have countermeasures, just in case. "That sounded like Harley over the PA, didn't it?"

"Yeah. Crazy bitch must've infiltrated this place. Which means Batman was right, this was a setup. I had that feeling something was up too. I must be getting as paranoid as he is."

Suddenly, they heard Luna snarl, "Petrificus Totalus." An undignified yelp, cut off, heralded Boles collapsing to the floor as they whirled around.

"Yin?!" Harry asked.

He couldn't see her face with that helmet on, but Harry knew his wife, lover, and partner in, if not crime, then vigilantism well enough to know that she was pissed. "He was the Joker's inside man," she hissed.

"How do you know? Wait, Batman said you two could read minds, right?"

"With a special spell, yes," Luna said. "I thought there was something odd about him, like he was waiting for something. He didn't seem scared that the Joker was loose. This bastard has let him out of his cell before in exchange for money and favours. He was going to take you to Harley after a certain period so that you could act as a hostage, Commissioner. And there's something else. Yang, get these two to safety. Batman!"

Batman, who had just finished beating up the goons, looked up. "What is it, Yin?"

Luna levitated Boles out of the window, and manoeuvred him into one of the cells, and then summoned a ward. "Boles was Joker's inside man. He'll be safer in there than he deserves. Batman, he also knew about something secret, something that has little to do with tonight. I need you to trust me on this."

After a moment, Batman nodded, reluctantly. "Very well. Yin, you find that secret, but I want to hear everything afterwards. Yang, get Gordon to safety, along with everyone else you can find. Notify them that the Joker is on the loose, and that Boles was their inside man." He indicated the passageway that Joker fled through, the electric field now disabled, an open invitation. "I'm going after the Joker."

"You know it's a trap," Gordon said. It wasn't a question. "Joker's in full control of the security systems."

"I know. Contact the Warden and let him know what's happened. I'll be back."

Joker's voice came over the PA system. "Don't make promises you can't keep, Bats. I'm in control of Arkham now. You're not going anywhere I don't want you to. And I'm sure even Yin and Yang will find it hard to go around with impunity."

"If you think I'll let you run…" Batman began, before he was cut off by the Joker.

"Blah, blah, blah, always with the tedious heroic speech. I'm liking Yang more than you already, at least he can snark and do references. I'm getting bored of you already. Come and find me, Bats. Oh, and Yin? If you really have figured out Boles' little secret, I suggest you get moving. 'Cause an old friend of Batman here, charming fellow by the name of Slade, is dealing with it as we speak."

"Ram it, clown," Luna said. And with that, she Apparated.

"Like I haven't heard that one before. Still, she's interesting, I'll give you that much. Anyway…won't you walk into my parlour, said the spider to the fly?" With a cackle, the Joker went off the air.

"Does Yin know anything about Slade Wilson?" Batman asked.

"I've only heard of him. He's that mercenary called Deathstroke, right?"

Batman nodded. "Call Oracle, tell her to tell Yin about Slade! I'm going after the Joker."

As he rushed down the corridor, Harry activated his privacy setting on his helmet, and called up Oracle, while Gordon tried to call up Sharp. "Barbara, are you there?"

"Yes. What's wrong? Is Joker on the loose?"

"Yeah. We called it, he was up to something, and Quinn's in charge of the security systems. Listen, I need you to tell Luna everything you can about Slade Wilson. Apparently she's going to be facing him."

"Deathstroke?! Damn. Bruce encountered him for the first time in his second year as Batman. Slade was one of the assassins hired to kill him. Originally, it was thought to be Black Mask, but the Joker hijacked Roman Sionis' identity. I'll send it to Luna. I'll let you know what I dug up about Young so far later. Is my father all right?"

"Yeah. Shaken, but all right. I'll get him to safety. I'm tasked with making sure the others are safe. But I'm going to investigate Young as well. Do you know where she is?"

"Gimme a sec," Barbara said. After a moment, she added, "She's heading to the Medical Facility. So's Cash. Problem is, a bunch of former Blackgate inmates are already on the loose and some are heading there. Quinn must've loosed them already. I can't hack into the security system proper, though, they've taken it off the grid. The best I can do is what security feeds that are automatically sent into the GCPD network."

"Shit. Any parts of the Asylum currently still secure?"

"Currently, the Botanical Gardens and Arkham Mansion. Intensive Treatment, the Penitentiary, and the Medical Facility are all being overrun as we speak, if the radio chatter from the guards are any indication. Damn, the network feed from Arkham's completely down now. And there's more. Joker's just released a threat to the media and the GCPD. He works fast. Or maybe he pre-recorded it. There's bomb threats all over Gotham. If anyone interferes with Arkham, he'll detonate them."

"Could be a bluff, but this is the Joker we're talking about. Even a distraction could be lethal. Okay, Harry out."

"Well?" Gordon asked as Harry turned to them. As far as Harry knew, Gordon didn't know his daughter was Oracle.

"The only secure places on the island at the moment are the Botanical Gardens and Arkham Mansion. But Doctor Young and Cash are heading to the Medical Facility. Ivy made allegations about Young when we transferred her, so once I get you two to safety, I'm investigating her. Did you contact Sharp?"

"No, he's not at any communications point. The guards seem to think he was snatched."

"I can help you there, guys," came the lilting, familiar voice of Harley Quinn, who had appeared on a TV screen. Harry had to do a double take. She was dressed in what could only be described as a fetishistic nurse outfit.

"Harley, you've got to stop bringing your bedroom fantasies with the Joker along with your work. Seriously, are you going to get a biker girl outfit next?" Harry snarked.

"Ooh, that's a great idea, Yangey boy(1)! So, Yin managed to figure out that Boles was our inside guy, huh? Not that it's gonna do you much good. Mister J and I, we're in charge now." She moved the camera to show Warden Sharp, bound and gagged to a rolling chair. "Old Sharpie's takin'…uh…stress-related leave. It can't be good for the old ticker."

"Neither's being taken hostage. I'd tell you to stop this, but we know you won't, even if I ask nicely."

"Yeah, well, this is Mister J's homecomin' party! B-man's the guest of honour, but I suppose we can accommodate a couple o' gatecrashers. Besides, B-man's busy with Victor Zsasz. Gotta go! Oh, and don't think you can keep Gordon safe for long."

"I don't need keeping safe, you crazy bitch," Gordon said.

"Ya gonna be eatin' those words soon, Gordon. Ciao!"

As she faded, Gordon turned to Harry, indicating the doctor, who was still in shock from his near-Joker experience. "Yang, take us to Arkham Mansion so we can leave this guy there. Then, we'll head to Medical. If Ivy is right, and that's a big if, then we'll have to check things out."

"You sure?"

"I'm not incompetent or an invalid, Yang. If the Batman trusts you to watch my back, then I'll trust his judgement. Besides, I want to be doing something."

"Okay, but Oracle told me that Joker's made an announcement to the GCPD and the media. There's bombs all around Gotham. If anyone interferes with Arkham…"

"He'll detonate them. Bastard."

"He might be bluffing, as the main action will be here, and he wants police to stay away from it, but I personally wouldn't be surprised if he did use real bombs. The Joker is unpredictable."

A couple of Apparitions later, and Harry and Gordon were inside the Medical Facility. Then, he heard Barbara, now using a voice disguising electronic device, over the public line. "Yang, it's me. Batman's on the line. Yin's listening, but she can't say much."

Harry nodded, turning the comms channel to 'speakerphone', allowing Gordon to listen in, and even respond. "Okay, Oracle. Gordon's listening as well. Hit me. What's the go with Young?"

"I did some digging into her finances and emails. Dr Young was heading up a big project, with a lot of external funding. I'll send the files I found to Batman when he has access to the Batcave."

"That's a bit far away."

"I set an auxiliary one up in advance on Arkham Island," Batman said. "Once I secure some supplies from the Batmobile, I'll head there."

"Of course you did," Harry muttered, by now used to Batman's zealous preparations.

"Yang, when I caught up with the Joker, he set some hulking beast after me. It used to be an inmate, but he was twisted out of proportion. It looked almost like a Venom transformation, but far more grotesque. The inmate died after we fought, and the Joker remarked about needing better test subjects. He then took a freight container into a secure area. He's warned me not to follow. Once I've analysed these files, I'll come to you at Medical."

"There's more," Barbara said. "Most of the funding for this project came from one Jack White."

"That's one of the Joker's oldest aliases," Batman said.

"Yeah. Eventually, the payments halted. Or rather, they were refused. Young blocked them herself. She then sent a resignation email to Sharp a week ago. I think she was trying to get out."

"The Joker always reacts badly when his partners back out," Batman said.

"And it's been no different here. There's also a long series of emails between her and Jack White. She wants to stop the experiment, calling it too dangerous. He's not giving a damn. There's random threats against her family, bad jokes, a picture of a dead baby, and a more personal threat. He said 'I'm coming for you! And I want what I paid for!' And another joke, this time about wheelchairs." After an uncomfortable moment, she said, "Sorry, Commissioner."

Gordon nodded. He didn't know about Oracle and his daughter being the same. "It's the Joker who should be apologising, for that joke, and what he did to Barbara. Anything else?"

"Just a picture of what could be a donkey."

Then, Luna's voice came through. "Well, he is an ass. Sorry, guys, I was engaged in the Deathstroke. Well, with him, anyway. In battle. I've just bunged him into the closest and most secure cell I could find. Not before stripping him of his clothes and equipment first, though. He was good at dodging my spells, I have to say. He must lack Wrackspurts. Well, in most areas. But I got lucky. I'll still have to go now. I've found someone with a lot of Wrackspurts, and he may not want to talk to you yet, Batman. Maybe Oracle, once I've gotten him a little less infested."

"What do you mean, Yin?" Batman asked.

"I've confirmed that he's alive. But…I don't think he wants to speak to you yet. He was the second protégé. Yin out."

"…Second protégé?" Gordon asked.

Oracle gasped. "You don't think she means…"

"I thought I saw him die at the hands of the Joker. It seems I was wrong," Batman said, only the faintest hint of emotion in his voice betraying anger, fury…and relief, and happiness. "But Yin may be right. Now is not the time. That'll come later."

In a darkened room in an isolated part of Arkham Asylum, Luna was carefully casting healing spells. She and Harry had mastered their wandless magic quite well, but healing spells were still tricky, especially for someone tortured for as long as the young man in front of her was. The young man stared at her, an ugly brand of the letter 'J' on his face. "Who…are you?" he rasped. He had been about to escape before Luna came in.

"A friend. I hope. I don't have many friends," Luna said. "I found out where you were from Boles."

"You're…not with Batman?"

"Not exactly. I like to annoy him." After a moment, she said, "He thought you were dead, you know."

"Liar…he abandoned me! Replaced me!" But even as he struggled to his feet, he let out a cry of pain and sagged back. This was more to do with the healing spells than his injuries. If he wanted to, he could have overcome the pain of his injuries and fight, but the healing spells discouraged people from moving too much.

My cousin really did a number on you, didn't she? Apparently both she and Joker tortured you, mind, body, and soul, Luna thought. Out loud, she said, "You're in no condition to do anything. Don't worry, we're getting you out of here."

"How can you? Joker called to gloat, said he was sending Deathstroke here."

"Deathstroke's locked up. Look, can you remember who you are?"

"…Of course I can. I'm Jason Todd…the real Robin."

CHAPTER 5 ANNOTATIONS:

So, yeah. That just happened. Now, I haven't played Arkham Knight, so I'm taking what I can from the Arkham series' Wiki. Jason Todd won't be playing a big role in the events of Arkham Asylum, though. In the next chapter, when it comes out, Luna will be taking him home and having him sleep and heal, while she returns to fight the Joker's takeover. Todd will eventually reconcile with the Batfamily, but not yet. We'll wait until the end of Arkham Asylum for that.

And if you think Luna defeated Deathstroke too easily, well, she did point out that he was able to dodge most of her spells. She got lucky.

1. In this fic, at least, Harry gave Harley the idea of the biker girl outfit she wears in Arkham City.