PROLOGUE: THE ROAD TO ARKHAM

—🦇—

GOTHAM CITY, NJ — EN ROUTE TO
ARKHAM ISLAND

It's raining heavily in Gotham City, as always, and our heroes are becoming quite frustrated driving over to Arkham Island. Batwoman is on her Batcycle and Batman is in his Batmobile with the Joker handcuffed in the passenger seat right next to him, chatting away.

"Are we there yet?" The Joker asks impatiently, like a child. The Dark Knight doesn't pay attention to the chatter from the Clown Prince of Crime and continues to look straight ahead at the road, deep in thought.

      There's hardly any traffic tonight, which is good. The faster we get to Arkham Island, the better. Harleen, Jason, and I have been hunting down The Joker for nearly three months. It was as if he had dropped off the face of the earth. But luckily, we were able to find Joker and capture him with help from my son Dick Grayson aka Nightwing. Barbara and Gotham will breathe easier tonight, knowing that Joker is behind a padded cell and in a straight jacket.

      "Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we—" The Joker had been cut off mid-sentence by Batman and was punched in the face. The clown had been knocked out for the time being.

      "Harls. Inform Commissioner Gordon, Captain Essen-Gordon, and Warden Sharp that we'll have The Joker at Arkham in fifteen minutes."

      "Already done, Brucie. Ya know this is the third big bad we've brought in this month. I wonder if Arkham still has any vacancies left." Harleen said in her thick New York accent.

      "There's always a room ready for the clown." Batman deadpanned, and his frown grew grimmer.

      "Ya don't sound happy. What's bothering you, Baby?"

      "All these arrests were the result of anonymous tips. What's the chance all three would pan out? It's... too clean."

      "Hmmm, you're right. It does sound strange. I think the tips came from the same source. Someone with deep ties ta the criminal underworld like Pengy, Harv, or Black Mask."

"Agreed. Someone is behind this and they want to clear the playing field."

      "Remember the first tip? Police found it in Dr. Sarah Cassidy's office after her abduction. It led ta The Old County Hospital."

"Yes, I remember. Victor Zsasz had taken the young doctor there for an unscheduled surgery."

—🦇—

OLD COUNTY HOSPITAL

      Victor Zsasz has Dr. Sarah Cassidy strapped to a medical bed and her mascara is running down her face. Two dead homeless male bodies are on the floor and Zsasz has finished cutting two tally marks on his skin.

      "Remember how you poked and prodded my brain at Arkham, Doc?" Zsasz said holding the bloody sharp scalpel in his right hand. Sarah struggles to break free and her screams are muffled by tape on her mouth. He inches closer to the young doctor and the bloody scalpel is inches from her forehead.

"I thought I'd return the favor," Zsasz said with a wicked smile. He is interrupted by Batman and Batwoman as they crash in through the ceiling roof. Zsasz is hit with a Batarang and drops the bloody scalpel. Batwoman then lunges forward and punches Zsasz while Batman frees the distressed doctor. Sarah wraps her arms around Batman and sobs while Batwoman handcuffs the escaped Arkham inmate.

      "It's okay, Dr. Cassidy. You're safe now." Batman said in a comforting voice.

—🦇—

GCPD BUILDING

      Commissioner Jim Gordon and his wife Captain Sarah Essen-Gordon have turned on the Bat Signal and are awaiting the arrival of the Batman and Batwoman. Jim takes out the pipe that his daughter Barbara gifted to him on his birthday and smokes. His wife grimaces and shakes her head.

      "Those things are gonna be the death of you, Love," Sarah said looking at her husband puffing out smoke.

      "I have no other ways to relieve my stresses, Dear."

      "You know... we could always have more unprotected sex," Sarah suggests. Jim coughs and looks at his wife taken aback. "Hey, it's better than you smoking that shit. Besides, I-I think I'm ready to have another kid again," she said and looked at him for a response.

He was silent for a few seconds trying to process what she just said. "I-I thought you wouldn't want another baby after what Joker did to Barbara,"  Jim said his voice shaking as the memories of that one bad day replayed in his mind.

      "For a few months after Barbara was diagnosed as a paraplegic, I didn't want anything to do with having another baby. I was so angry, upset, and hurt over it. I wanted to get revenge on not just Joker but Batman and his family—"

"—And you had every right to feel that way, Dear. I also was feeling those types of emotions towards them."

      "Remember when I found out Batman and Batwoman's secret identities?"

"Yes, you were planning on telling the rest of the police force but I stopped you just in time."

      "Barbara found out and was rightfully upset at me. We then all sat down as a family and talked. She told us everything. From how she became Batman's partner to him even paying for her college as we didn't have enough money to send her there. After that talk, I was in constant fear for you and Barbara's safety. But I soon realized that I couldn't let Joker win again. He might have taken Barbara's use of her legs but he will not take away her hope or ours. So, yes, Jim. I'm ready to become a mother again." Sarah said smiling at her husband.

      Jim smiles back and kisses her softly. The taste of tobacco was present but she didn't mind it and laid her head on his chest. Jim holds his wife close.

      "I love you, Sarah."

"I love you too, Jim."

      Batman and Batwoman glide down to the roof of the GCPD building. They land in front of the older couple.

"Mr. And Mrs. Gordon," Batman states and nods his head.

      "Batman. Batwoman." Jim states back with a smile.

"What's the situation?" Batman asks not wasting any precious time.

      Sarah pulls two test tubes out of her suit jacket with a note attached to them and hands the vials to Batman and Batwoman.

"It arrived in the mail earlier in the morning," she said as Batman and Batwoman looked at the vials deep in thought.

      "Did anyone at the precinct open it?" Batwoman asks.

Sara and Jim shake their heads. "It specifically said not to open it. That it's a gift for Batman and Batwoman only." Jim said.

      "We'll look into it. Take care, Jim. Sarah." Batman said and put the vitals into one of the pockets of his utility belt. He then turns around and walks away with Batwoman. They glide down and disappear into the night.

BATCAVE

      Bruce sits in his chair at the desk of his Batcomputer with his cowl off. He's running a few tests on the vials while Harleen is doing gymnastics training a couple of feet away from him.

      "Brucie, I'm bored, play with me," Harleen said in a seductive voice.

"Not now, Harls. I'm busy." Bruce said as he waited for the results from the Batcomputer.

      She rolls her eyes. "You already know who the vials belong to, Baby. Why do you need to run tests?" Harleen asks slightly annoyed by his dismissive tone.

"You can't be too careful when it comes to Dr. Crane," Bruce said.

      "Fair enough. Our son called me via FaceTime earlier." Harleen said.

Bruce smiled. "How is he handling being part of the Young Justice?"

      "He feels a bit out of place but his new friends Roy and Kory are helping him get comfortable. He seems to enjoy being a part of a team that is around his age."

"That's good. I want Jason to open up more and have a better social life. For him to meet friends and just do more with his life. I don't want him to turn out like me when I was at the beginning of my crime-fighting career."

      "Well, you two are certainly similar. You both have unresolved pain and that drives the both of you. Also, you both can be loners sometimes but with Jason, the difference is that he has anger problems. He can easily lose his temper and become reckless. His fighting style has also become much more violent as of late."

"That's why I sent him to Mount Justice to be part of a team apart from ours and experience other things like peace and happiness. He's been through a lot in his eighteen years of living on this earth," Bruce sighs. "I just hope I did the right thing in sending him there, and I hope he didn't take that as me pushing him away or not wanting him anymore."

      "You did the right thing, Baby. Jason just needs time. He's at that age where he's trying to find himself like Dick did when he was growing up. I'm sure everything will turn out okay. Besides Barbara is aiding in that also." Harleen reassured Bruce and she was hanging upside down like a bat. Bruce smiled up at her. "Come here you," he said and they kissed passionately for a few minutes.

The Batcomputer then beeps, interrupting their make-out session. Bruce sits back down in his chair and looks at the Batcomputer's large screen, reading off the results.

      "This indeed is Scarecrow's fear toxin, but it's different."

Harleen stops her gymnastics training and lands on her feet. She walks towards her man and asks. "How so?"

      "Well, for one thing, the fear gas is colorless and odorless.  The second thing is that the chemicals used to create Crane's fear gas aren't the same as the original formula. This is a completely new type of fear toxin and I have to start working on an antidote immediately." Bruce said and got up out of his chair.

He then puts back on his cowl and goes to a nearby table. Harleen hands him his gas mask, and she puts on a gas mask as well. Bruce starts to open the vials on the table. The few molecules of the compound are so strong that they pass through their gas masks, and their fears start to play out in a heartbeat.

      Harleen is back in her parent's house and her abusive mother is towering over her tiny form. She looks at herself and is in her kid again. "N-No! This isn't real!" She yelled out scared. Her mother is holding a belt and starts to whip her.

Harleen screams in pain as the whip lashes peel off her skin and leave marks all over her body. "Dad! Dad! Please, help!" She calls out sobbing. Her mother then morphed into Joker and he laughs maniacally. He keeps beating her but instead of a belt, it's with his own bare hands. Soon all Harleen sees is red and she is beaten to death.

      The next fear hallucination commences. Harleen is in her Batwoman costume and she hears soft music from the circus and carnival playing in the background. Then she hears it... The Joker's maniacal laugh.

"Puh... Puddin?" Harleen said slowly reverting to her other personality. The evil clown walks into her view and smiles wickedly while holding a dagger.

      "Harley, Darling. Look at you. Such a big girl. Cosplaying as a superhero. LARPing in the Batcave. But you hear it, don't you?"

"Hear what, Mistah J?"

      "The real you, buried under the floorboards, scratch, scratch, scratching to get out. The one who'd cut their friend's throats and laugh about it."

The Joker is now behind Harley Quinn and he holds her body close to him as he touches her private parts. "Oh, Mistah J!" Harley moaned in pleasure.

      "That's what Daddy likes to hear," Joker whispers into Harley's ear. He hands her his dagger and then the Bat-Family appears in front of her as they are seated and tied up to electric chairs. Batgirl, Nightwing, Robin, and Batman struggle to break free from the chains. Harley is in her old jester costume and walks towards the Bat Family with Joker's knife.

"Hahaha! That's my girl! Kill them!" Joker yelled in encouragement as Harley raised her knife ready to stab them to death but she hesitated as she saw her son's green eyes fill up with tears.

      "M-Mom... Don't kill me, please. I don't wanna die." Jason said frightened.

Harley's blue eyes widened in horror and shock at what she was going to do to her son. Harley disappears and Harleen takes back control.

      "N-No," she said in a shaky voice and lowered her knife.

Joker shakes his head. "Oh, Harley. You will always be such a disappointment. Why do I even bother?" Joker said and took out his gun pointing it at Harleen's head. He is about to pull the trigger when Harleen slaps the gun away and stabs Joker in the neck. The Clown's blood trickles down his neck like a faucet and bleeds to death with a nice big smile.

      Harleen wakes up in a different part of the Batcave. She clutches her head and shakes the cobwebs. "Ugh, instant hangover." Harleen then runs back to where she and Bruce were earlier.

"Bruce! Brucie! Where are ya?" she called out worried. Harleen then sees Bruce getting back up to his feet. She runs into his arms and hugs her man tightly. Bruce hugs her back tightly too and they both don't let go of one another as they are still shaken up by the hallucinations from the fear toxin.

GOTHAM DOCKS

      Scarecrow and his henchmen are in a warehouse and have kidnapped his state-sponsored psychologist.

      "Why are you doing this, Dr. Crane? I'm only trying to help you." the man asks as his hands are handcuffed to a steel pole.

"I hate it when other people psychoanalyze me," Scarecrow said. "I told you what would happen if you continued and now you are going to pay the consequences."

      Scarecrow then uses his right claw and injects his state-sponsored psychologist with his new fear toxin. It only takes a few seconds before the victim loses control of his sanity and sees his worst fears play out.

      "Ah! Spiders! Get them off of me!" he said in a panic and took off his clothes but still saw them crawling all over his body and into his mouth.

Scarecrow laughs evilly. "You have Arachnophobia. Fear of spiders. It's a very common fear. It's a shame you'll die in about a few minutes before you can see my new mask. Oh, well, Life's a bitch."

      The Batmobile is driving towards Gotham Docks at top speed. Next, Batman presses a button on the car and they both get ejected out of the car and glide towards the warehouse. The pair do a dive bomb and crash through the ceiling window. They then see the victim in a bad state and Batwoman runs towards the psychiatrist with the antidote.

"You better hurry, Batwoman. He only has a few seconds to live  before fear consumes him entirely." Scarecrow taunts as they watch the victim going into cardiac arrest.

      Batwoman kneels and administers the antidote to the psychologist quickly. After a few seconds, she checks his pulse. "His heart rate is back to normal. He'll be okay." Batwoman said letting out a sigh of relief.

"Get them!" Scarecrow orders and his henchmen comply.

      Batman and Batwoman easily beat down Scarecrow's henchmen without breaking a sweat. "It's over, Crane," Batman said and took out his handcuffs.

"It ain't over till the fat lady sings," Scarecrow said and threw gas bombs filled with his fear toxin.

      The pair of bat-themed heroes quickly put on newly designed gas masks made by Lucius Fox. "It's the old batch of fear toxin," Batman said looking at the red gas.

      "That means he hasn't finished production on his new fear toxin," Batwoman said.

      "It also means we can stop him," Batman said and walked up towards Scarecrow menacingly.

      Scarecrow went to attack him with his right claw that had the new fear toxin but Batman was able to counter and disarm him. He then uppercut Scarecrow and fell to the ground. Batwoman then hands her partner handcuffs.

      "What are you going to do, Batman?" Crane taunted, ignoring the fact that he was being handcuffed. "Send me back to my cell in Arkham? Will that make everything nice and calm again, Little Bat?" Scarecrow taunts some more. "Or maybe this is only a prelude to utter chaos." Batman had enough of his chatter and knocked out Dr. Crane.

—🦇—

"I still wonder who could have gotten close enough to Scarecrow to get a sample of his fear gas," Batman wondered out loud to Batwoman as he was still driving towards Arkham Island.

      "Who knows? Ya know I thought it was starting to look like a pattern cuz Zsasz and Crane went after their doctors," Batwoman said.

      "Yes, I thought that as well, except Joker broke that pattern as he didn't go after his doctor but Mayor March and his family," Batman said.

      "And that leaves us with the third tip. The GCPD received a 911 call only seconds before Joker's assault." Batwoman said.

GOTHAM CITY HALL

      "And now, Ladies and Gentlemen, if anyone wishes to address me or the council on city business—" Mayor Lincoln March began before he was rudely interrupted by The Joker and his henchmen who were holding assault rifles.

      "Oh, I do! I do!" Joker said excitedly. Fellow Gotham City citizens gasp in fear and shock.

"G-Good heavens! It's you!" Lincoln said in terror.

      "Yes, it's me. The Clown Prince of Crime." Joker said with an evil grin and bowed.

"Now it's come to my attention, Mr. Mayor, that there's a paucity of parking spots designated for clown cars. I tried to park in handicapped, but they said I wasn't sick enough. Can you imagine?"

      "Someone call the police! Get this freak back over to Arkham now!" Lincoln orders. The Joker frowns as guards surround him and his henchmen.

"Why, Mr. Mayor, I expected you to have some manners. It's a shame. Guess I have to teach you a lesson." Joker said and then his men pushed forward a pregnant woman with a sack on her head. Joker removes the sack on the woman's head and it's Mayor March's wife Vicki Vale.

      "Vicki!" he exclaimed fear of losing his wife and unborn child.

"Lincoln!" she exclaimed back in tears and tried to break free from the clown's grasp.

      The guards backed away as they didn't wanna hurt Mrs. March or her unborn baby in a crossfire.

"How did you know where we live?" Lincoln asks.

      "It wasn't hard. You just have to know the right people." Joker grins at Lincoln March's secretary.

"I'm so sorry, Mayor March. He was going to go after my family if I didn't tell him. It was either mine or yours." Mayor March's secretary explains in tears, and he has a betrayed hurt expression.

      "What do you want clown?" March then said with pure hatred.

"Oh, not much really. Just a dead bat and all of Gotham burning to a crisp." Joker laughs along with his henchmen.

      The clown then pulled out two vests from a bag, it was grey with black straps. In the middle were three chemical cartridges: one containing green chemicals, the other containing purple chemicals, and the last one containing yellowish-orange chemicals.

Mayor March looked at Joker in horror. "Why, Mr. Mayor, you look like you're about to explode." Joker jokes and motions for his henchmen to kidnap him as well.

      Later on, on the roof of Gotham City Hall are Joker and his henchmen. They have wrapped the mayor and his wife around a satellite antenna. A sack was over their heads and the vests Joker had earlier are strapped to their chests.

      "Hahaha! Just think. One push of this button and all those chemicals will mix to create one big, bodacious burst of patriotism! You, your lovely wife, and your unborn child will light up the sky!" Joker said and cackled, holding the detonator in his hands. The Clown Prince of Crime then looks at his watch and around him for any sign of The Dark Knight.

      "Damn it to hell! I was hoping he'd be here by now. Oh, well. Guess he's not the patriotic type." Joker said and was about to push the button when suddenly a Batarang was sent flying into the detonator, destroying it.

      "The fuck!" Joker yelped, surprised by the sudden motion.

      The vests were then cut off by Batman and Batwoman. It began falling towards the punks and one of them was quick to react.

"Boss, it's them! The Bats!" he yelled and the Joker looked up.

      "Don't just stand there like a fucking idiot! Shoot the flying rodents!" Joker orders angrily.

      Then Robin and Nightwing appear behind  Joker and his henchmen. They threw pellets onto the ground and thick smoke surrounded the punks. They shoot bullet after bullet blindly into the air at where they thought Batman and Batwoman were.

      Instead, the bullets hit the vests and the canisters break mixing the deadly chemicals. Batman and Batwoman glide the mayor with his wife away to safety just in time. An enormous explosion erupts and it knocks some of Joker's henchmen off their feet by the intensity of the explosion.

Batman and Batwoman cover the mayor and his wife from the blast using their capes. Nightwing and Robin fight the rest of Joker's Henchmen who are still standing.

      "Well, that's my cue to leave," Joker said and jumped off the Gotham City Hall building.

"He's getting away!" Robin yelled.

      "Not on our watch!" Batwoman said.

The clown pulls the straps and a parachute opens. He laughs maniacally while lowering down to the streets but Batman and Batwoman are on his tail and glide down landing on the parachute squishing him.

      "Oof," Joker said getting the wind knocked out of him.

"It's over, Joker," Batman said.

      "You're despicable," Joker said and passed out in the meantime.

      Detective Renee Montoya, Sergeant Ellen Yin, Lieutenant Harvey Bullock, and a couple of police officers arrive on the scene.

      "Where's the Mayor and his wife?" Harvey asks getting in their faces.

He was angry that they arrived on the scene first and did their jobs for them. He also wasn't a fan of vigilantes running around in Gotham. If it wasn't for Commissioner Gordon and his wife Captain Sarah Essen-Gordon being in charge he would have hunted down Batman and his other pals and sent them to the slammer years ago. Nightwing and Robin then grapple down safely with the Mayor and his wife.

      "Thank you for saving us, Bat-Family. We owe you our lives." Vicki said, touching her small baby bump.

"Indeed. If you ever need anything from me, Batman. Whether that includes favors or just working to improve your image to the public. Well, I'm just a phone call away." Mayor March said sincerely and kissed Vicki's head. The paramedics take the couple to the hospital to check for any injuries sustained during the Joker's assault.

      "You see no harm was done to the mayor, his wife, or unborn child. They did an excellent job." Sergeant Yin said with a smile.

"We are the police, Ellen. This is our job, not theirs. Have you forgotten that he used to kill!" Harvey said pointing at Batman.

      The Chinese woman shakes her head. "No, I haven't. But this is not the time or place to argue. You may outrank me but if you keep this up I'm gonna have to tell the captain."  Ellen said and Harvey left to cool off mumbling stuff under his breath.

"I'm sorry for his outburst, Batman. Batwoman. It was unprofessional." Ellen said.

      "It's alright, Sergeant Yin. We understand." Batwoman said.

"Where's Commissioner Gordon?" Batman asks.

      "Already at the Asylum awaiting the arrival of the clown," Renee answered.

"We'll escort Joker back to Arkham then," Batman said.

      "And I'll be tagging along, Bats. I don't want you or your girlfriend to fuck shit up." Harvey said.

      Renee rolls her eyes. "He's the fucking Batman, Bullock. He doesn't mess shit up," she said annoyed.

      "I need a break from you, Bullock," Ellen sighed tiredly and went to her car.

Nightwing and Robin watch them interact from afar. "I still find it baffling that Bullock doesn't trust my mom or dad. They have saved Gotham countless times. Shouldn't he be grateful? Without us, he'll just be another dead cop that Joker axed," Robin whispers with anger in his voice.

      Nightwing puts a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Bullock and others on the police force are old schooled. They follow everything by the book and believe in the law, even if sometimes it's corrupt. That also means that they hate vigilantes running around in Gotham. I understand your frustrations, as I was also feeling the same thing at your age. But I believe through time Bullock and others who are still feeling negative towards vigilantes will realize that having us as protectors over Gotham is necessary and a good thing."

The police radio goes off in Ellen Yin's car and alerts her of a situation. "Lieutenant Bullock! We got a problem!" she said running towards him.

      "What is it, Yin?" Harvey asks. "Blackgate is on fire, Bullock!" Ellen answers.

"What!? How is that possible?"

      "I don't know. But it's burning down the prison fast."

      Joker with his hands behind his back and handcuffed watched with a malicious grin. His plan was coming along perfectly now all he needed was for Punchy to prepare for his glorious arrival.

      "Shit! Has the fire station been called in yet?"

"Yes, they're on their way," Ellen said.

      "Okay, tell every available officer to move their asses and get over to Blackgate now. We could have escapees." Harvey orders.

Ellen nods and uses her walkie-talkie. "All available officers converge at Blackgate. We have a situation," she calls in. "I repeat we have a situation."

      "What about the clown?" Renee asks.

"You and Ellen will go to Arkham Island instead," Harvey said, getting into his car.

      "That place gives me the creeps," Renee said as her body shivered.

"And Robin and I will head over to Blackgate with Bullock. You and Batwoman go escort the Joker back to Arkham." Nightwing said to Batman. The pair nod in agreement and grab Joker, taking him to the Batmobile.

      "Don't burn yourselves, Little Birdies. Remember to stop, drop, and roll. You know how your father gets when it comes to a death in the family." Joker said and laughed maniacally.

"Shut up, Joker," Batwoman said and shoved him forward roughly.

      "Geez, tough crowd."

—🦇—

ARKHAM ASYLUM

      Warden Quincy Sharp is standing in front of the Arkham Guards as they are lined up. He begins his speech. "I need not remind you of my frustration when you allowed the Joker to escape last time. I will not tolerate such incompetence. Not under my watch. We have a reputation to restore. We straighten out Arkham today, we straighten out Gotham City tomorrow."

      "Sounds like Warden Sharp is running for office soon." Officer Aaron Cash said.

"Heh. No kidding." Jim said stirring his piping hot cup of Joe.

      "So how are the wife and kids, Ronnie?" the commissioner asks making small talk.

"Same as always, Jim. Happy, healthy, and safe. Also, Isabella and Anthony are doing well in 9th grade and Penny is making progress in her research."

Jim smiles and sips his cup of coffee. "I'm glad to hear that. What is your wife researching again?

"Ways to treat, heal, and cure the patients of Arkham Asylum of their illnesses. Both physically and mentally." Aaron said.

Jim nodded in understanding and spoke. "What people don't realize is that not all the patients of Arkham are like the Joker or Victor Zsasz. For example, some have clinical depression, anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, etc. Your wife is intelligent and ambitious and I hope that she finds a way to help those with mental health issues. So good luck to her." He said and smiled.

At Arkham Mansion on the east side of Arkham Island is Doctor Penelope Young and she's in her office looking over the files of her patients and also listening to the tapes that she records during their sessions. A knock on the door then interrupts her and she looks up to see her best friend Sarah Cassidy.

Penelope smiles. "Hey, Sally."

She smiles back. "Hey, Penny. Did you hear the good news?"

     "You mean about the warden finally giving you and your team new medical equipment and supplies?"

"No, not that. Though I am excited about that also as for many years we had to deal with old and rusty medical tools to operate on the patients."

"I don't think it was out of the kindness of his heart, Sally. He just did it to improve his image to the citizens of Gotham. That old fart wants to become the Mayor of Gotham badly."

"Yeah, I can believe that. Anyway, the good news is that Joker is finally caught. Batman and Batwoman are bringing him back to Arkham as we speak."

Penelope looked shocked to hear this as she was conflicted about what to feel. She is happy and relieved that the clown lunatic isn't out on the streets causing havoc anymore yet scared that her family's safety is in jeopardy and worried as she will now see him regularly as The Joker is one of her patients.

"Are you okay, Penny? You look a
little pale."

"I'm fine, Sally. Just exhausted from staying up at these crazy hours. I hate the night shift."

"Same girl. I hope after tonight we can get a few days off."

Penelope then gets a text message from her husband Aaron.

Come to the Intensive Treatment, Babe. The warden wants you to greet The Joker, Batman, and his partner Batwoman as they enter.

"I gotta go, Sally. Ronnie says the warden needs me."

"Okay, no worries. I gotta head back to the Medical Facility anyway. Blackgate burned down and now I gotta treat the inmates that are wounded."

"What caused the fire?"

"I don't know. The fire department hasn't found out what caused the fire yet."

      Penelope nods and quickly texts back her husband that she is on her way to the Intensive Treatment. She and Sarah walk out of her office and outside as they each hold an umbrella as it is raining cats and dogs. They then part ways as the Intensive Treatment is on the north side of Arkham Island and The Medical Facility is on the west side of Arkham Island. Penelope then passes the Arkham cemetery and gets a glimpse of Amadeus Arkham's gravestone.

Penelope feels a shiver run down her spine every time she passes by the cemetery.

For those that don't know Amadeus Arkham was the founder of Arkham Asylum and the Arkham Mansion used to belong to him also as he would use that place to conduct his studies on his patients. A few years ago when Penelope first started to work here at Arkham Asylum her future husband Aaron would tell her stories about the life of Amadeus Arkham. What she learned was that he was a well-respected psychiatrist like her. He also had a rough life as his father died of an illness and then later he had to euthanize his mother Elizabeth as a treatment for her dementia. He wanted to rehabilitate Gotham City criminals so he built Arkham Asylum from the ground up and his first patient was a serial killer named Martin "Mad Dog" Hawkins.

      After many sessions, he was unsuccessful in curing him as Martin would later kill his wife and daughter and as revenge, Amadeus would later kill him with electroshock therapy. He descended into madness was admitted into his institution and later died in a cell as a Mad Dog. Aaron would go on by saying that The Spirit of Amadeus Arkham has risen from his grave and that it was wandering the halls of the Asylum looking to possess a staff member and kill their patients. She hoped to God that it wasn't true.

      Penelope finally makes it to the Intensive Treatment and walks through the front entrance. She smiles at the Arkham guards politely. "Have they arrived here yet?" she asks.

      "No, Mrs. Cash. The clown and the bat-freaks haven't arrived yet." An Arkham guard spoke up.

      "I wonder what's taking them so long," Another Arkham guard said.

      Aaron walks up to his wife smiling. "Hello, Beautiful." He said wrapping his strong arms around her small waist.

Penelope smiles back and wraps her slender arms around his neck. "Hello, Handsome."

The interracial couple kissed each other passionately as they hadn't seen each other for a few hours. The Arkham guards and staff whistle and holla at them with smirks on their faces. The pair then detached from one another and Penelope blushed looking down at her high-heeled feet embarrassed.

      "Mind your fucking business people. Nothing to see here." Aaron said and the Arkham guards and staff scattered.

      Penelope then took a glance at his hook hand and held it. "So how does it feel now that it's been a few weeks since surgery?" Penelope asked her husband.

      "Well, It's some getting used to, Babe. It gets kinda itchy and since I'm right-handed I have to train my left hand to be the dominant one now." Aaron answered while also looking at his hook hand.

      "I wish we could have transferred Killer Croc back to Belle Reve but the warden insists on keeping him here. Even after he bit off your hand. That asshole." Penelope said voice shaking as she tried her best not to cry in front of him and make a scene.

She felt very guilty and responsible for Aaron losing his right hand as The Joker ordered Killer Croc to bite off her husband's hand to send a message to her and continue working on Project Titan after she had abandoned it.

     Aaron holds her close to his chest and rubs her lower back with his left hand. "It's okay, Babe. It's my fault as I wasn't paying attention to where I was looking when I was feeding Croc. I just gotta be more careful next time."

Aaron does know the real truth as to why his right hand got mauled off by Croc and he didn't blame her for it. Penelope told Aaron right away what she learned about who was funding her research and that it was Joker. He had funded her research under the false alias Jack Napier so he could get an army of monsters and wreak havoc on Gotham City. Penelope wasn't going to let that happen and transferred the money back to Joker and abandoned Project Titan. She is still the head of Arkham Asylum's research department though.

      "I'm just grateful he didn't bite off more than just your hand, Honey."

      The warden then sees the interracial couple and coughs to get their attention. The couple look at him slightly annoyed for breaking up their intimate moment.

      "What do you want, Sharpie?" Penelope asks her voice slightly raised.

      "It's Mr. Sharp to you women and watch your tone. You're lucky that I need you or I would have fired you for that. Anyway, I just wanted to say thank you for coming on time. I don't like it when my staff is tardy. As for when The Joker arrives I want him ready for another session with you." Quincy spoke.

The warden didn't want to waste any more precious time. The quicker he can cure the Joker the more people of Gotham will paint him in a brighter light and then mayoral status.

      "Wait but sir I can't do that!"

      "And why the hell not?"

      "Because The Joker threatened the lives of my family and mine as well. I am not gonna risk their safety or mine by being in the same room with him again." Penelope said determined to get her way.

He grumbled and sighed annoyed. "Very well. I'll let Hugo Strange have a crack at the degenerate clown then," Quincy said and walked away from the couple in the meantime.

"It's not like I don't need another one of my staff kidnapped again by these lunatics anyway," Quincy mutters under his breath.

Now deep in the lower corridors of the medical facility "Patient X" as Dr. Young called him is strung up by heavy chains as tubes are also attached to his weakened proned body. The man in question being chained like a dog is none other than Diego Dorrance aka Bane.

Diego looked drastically different as he no longer had the muscular physique that rivaled Batman's own and also made Poison Ivy wet with sexual arousal. Instead, he now looked frail, sickly, and skinny as a rail and the reason for this drastic change was Dr. Young. She had been doing experiments on Bane for a couple of months now and had drained him of all his venom. Then a silhouette of a slender and tall woman appears as she is standing at the doorway of the experimental chamber.

"W-Who is there?" Bane asked weakly.

"We haven't officially met yet. Hi, I'm Joker's main squeeze, Punchline." She spoke and revealed herself smiling with glee.

Punchline is a Japanese-American woman in her early 20s and is currently wearing a revealing nurse outfit in The Joker's color scheme. Her clown makeup is reminiscent of Harley Quinn's with a few minor changes and her long black hair is tied in a ponytail.

"R-Realease me... The "Bruja" and the "Brujo" must pay for what they have done to me." Bane pleaded his voice strained.

Punchline's high-heeled boots click against the marble floor as she walks toward the Spanish brute and speaks.

"Sorry, Bane. But you're gonna have to stay put here for just a little while longer. Since the "Bruja" has quit on dear old Joker he will then have to come back home and finish the job himself with help from his perky nursing assistant of course."

Punchline mockingly laughs and twirls like a ballerina in front of the Spanish brute egging him on as Bane stares a hole right through her.

"You like my new outfit? Of course, you do. Who wouldn't? I look so damn sexy right now that once Joker gets here he won't be able to take his eyes off me for a second."

Punchline kept talking Bane's ear off. He had toned her out and was deep in thought now learning that The Joker and Punchline were in cahoots with the evil doctors. Bane wanted so badly wanted to get revenge on them for torturing him and tearing him away from his "Amor" Poison Ivy. The Spanish Brute had closed his eyes and tried his best not to show any emotion but it was too late as a single tear indeed had rolled down his cheek.

"Aw, why the long face, Bane?" Punchline asked in a mocking tone. "Is it the plant lady? Do you miss her? Aw, that's so romantic. Beauty and the Beast." Punchline teased him some more and chuckled.

Bane roared and lunged at her but was held back by the heavy metal chains wrapped around him.

"When I get out of here, you "Payasos" are going to die at my hands first," Bane said angrily.

Punchline smirked dangerously and spoke. "But why kill us? Yes, we may have funded Dr. Young's Titan Project, but she's the one who tortured and experimented on you. She also took you away from your "Amor" so kill the "Bruja" and not us, okay?"

Punchline pats Bane's cheek and then pulls out a syringe filled with some strange green liquid.

"Now Joker will be arriving here soon with guests. We want to make sure you stay nice and quiet so you don't spoil the surprise just yet."

Punchline then injects the sedative into his veins and Bane's aching muscles relax. He slowly drifts off to sleep and she pets him like a good dog smiling kindly.

"Sweet dreams, Bat Breaker," Punchline whispers and kisses his cheek.

Arkham security guard Frank Boles leaned on the doorframe as his eyes are fixated on Punchline's pretty ass.

"No fair. How come he gets some sugar and I don't, huh?"

"Because he's special and pivotal to Joker's plans."

"Oh, and I'm not?"

"Oh, Frankie. I didn't say that. You have always been very special to me."

The clown girl wiggles her ass for him and smirks egging him on as she plays the part that Joker wanted her to play. Being lovey-dovey with the man. She giggled to herself thinking of how they got here.

You see Frank was a horrible security guard. A few years ago, he had been drunk on the job and had fallen asleep. His neglect had allowed me and the Joker to escape from Arkham once again. After Batman had brought us back, an inquiry into the situation was conducted, during which the Joker and I had been questioned. To Frank's relief, we didn't implicate him. When Frank asked us why, the Joker just tapped his nose, grinned his iconic smile, and said, "A favor for a favor, eh, Frankie?"

      "If Joker were here right now. He would have cut off your balls and fed them to Killer Croc." Punchline said in a joking manner but in reality, that's what Joker does to anyone who touches looks, or talks to me in a flirtatious way.

      "Oh, but Joker and I have a deal. I do this favor for him and in return, I get you for the night as my reward." Frank said and grinned.

      "Heh, I wonder how your wife will feel when she hears this."

      "Oh, I doubt she'll ever know," Frank said and grabs her ass giving it a firm squeeze.

      "Hey, easy there, Frankie. Yes, we indeed made a deal but this property belongs to Joker only. You can look but you can't touch... at least not yet." Punchline said covering up her annoyance and anger towards him with a smile and giggle.

      "Understood, Punchy," Frank said and showed Alexis the key cards that she would use to unlock or lock any cell or room on Arkham Island.

      The clown girl reached for them and Frank pulled back his hand grinning.

      "Ah ah ah aren't you forgetting something?" Frank said gesturing for a kiss.

      Punchline rolled her eyes. Thankfully he'll outlive his usefulness and she won't have to deal with this sorry excuse of a man. She puts on the act and smiles.

      "Why you are right, Frankie. I am forgetting something." Punchline said and leaned in kissing him for a few seconds and grabbed the key cards. Yuck! This guy tastes like cheap beer and not the good kind of Alcohol like Rum or Whiskey. She wants to throw up but sucks it up for her Joker.

      "See you later, Frankie, Baby," Punchline said and left the experimental chamber. Frankie watches her walk away from him and grins. The Joker is a lucky man.

══════⊹⊱❖⊰⊹══════

A/N

And that's the prologue finished. Please comment your thoughts on this chapter and vote as it will be greatly appreciated. I have other books that I need to update and finish so I don't know when I'll update this. Stay safe and take care guys and gals.