Walls can't hold those destined to Succeed

[Joker]

The Joker as many are awarehas been locked up in Arkham for some time up to this point but Arkham was a prisoned mental help facility for the seemingly deranged so it could be a perfect fit for Joker but they were just walls and walls can be broken. Walls... walls can be altered, they can be blimbed over, crawled under, and walked around. Joker was able to do just that. See, nothing about Arkham could contain him.... maybe physically but not mentally and the Joker always had a plan. He always had an inside man for everything. The vandalism on Cobblepot's campaign was just a start... just a... signal that there's more... lots more. Soon enough the full plan would come into fruition but Arkham wasn't ready to see Joker leave yet and he wasn't ready yet either. Not because he was 'ill' but because there was a... dark side to that young doctor.

There was a sinister side to her and she was holding back. She was holding back to the true way that she wanted to be. That was the ultimate key... unlocking the true potential of a future Harley Quinn. She had the mental skill and the looks to boot. She would be perfect but Joker's deed was not done until he got her there. And there was something about bringing up her childhood that nerved her. She had stayed away from Joker for a few days so he knew he had to get her attention again somehow. But it was time to skip a few steps. Vandalism didn't seem to hit very well, regardless of the fact it was for that fat sack of shit that people were kissing the ground he walked on after he walked on it because he was one of 'Gotham's Native Sons', Cobblepot...

But of course that wouldn't get attention except to a couple of moronic citizens and maybe piss off Cobblepot... but it was even more to Joker than to get Harley's attention... but the Bat. That FUCKING Bat... he put Joker here which a slight thanks were in order because Joker did get to meet that Harley... but the Bat... the bat was always on Jokers mind. The two were destined to go at it for as long as they both lived and it was about time to get that bat's attention again... So it was time to really take things up to another few pegs. Explosions... everybody likes explosions, right? OF COURSE THEY DO! So Joker was pacing around his cell as usual, muttering to himself, laughing at his own jokes and a man was caught in the corner of his eye... a security guard surveying the area and Joker managed to catch his attention.

Joker: Oh excuuuuuseee me mister occifer! I... I want you to give ol' Jer Jer a message for me... can you do that for me, officer? Can you relay a message for me? Go ahead and tell him... tell him that the Bat may want to come out of hiding because the Gazette is going to have one HELL of an explosion for it's headline tomorrow!

Well this didn't settle too well with the officer. He was just the security guard but just seeing the Joker pissed him off. And lets just say that his nightstick became good friends with the side of Joker's head. But his laughter... that sinister, sadistic, narcissistic laughter.

"HE-HEH-HEHEHE-HAH-HAHAHAHA"[/i][/color]

The guard was out of there faster than the flash locking up the cell. He had a message to deliver to Doctor Jeremiah Arkham and he had to deliver it quickly.

[Joker]

Joker told them... he told them 1 night. 1 night is all they had for the Bat to show up or else the Gazette would be getting an explosive headline. The bat never showed up at Arkham and he never showed. The damn bat never showed his face and who would have figured he would... he did murder Harvey Dent after-all... so who would he be to save a couple hundred lives of people working for the paper? The bat didn't care but it was time now... it was time to let the people know that walls can't contain the Joker. Nothing can contain the Joker. It's earlier in the day and Joker at his usual antics in his cell when there's a knock on the glass and it was good old Commissioner Jim Gordon himself with a couple of officers behind him. Joker with a sick, sadistic smile and a laughter looked up at him.

Joker: : So Commish did you decide to come and play? You know it gets awfully lonely in here when there's nobody to laugh at my jokes... ah hell! Who am I kidding?! I love my jokes!HA HA HA HA So tell me Gordie... what brings you here? Did Jer Jer call you? he-he-he-he-hahahaha

Joker laughed and he had a big smile but there was nothing from the commissioner. No fun and games, just answers.

Gordon: Enough of the damn games, Joker! We've got lives to save so how about you cut the crap and you tell us exactly where those bombs or when they're going off so we can all get on with our day!

Joker: Are you sure you can stay a while Gordie? Maybe we can have ourselves a little... tea party. Wouldn't that just be wonderful! Oh! And Doctor Quinzel and Jer Jer can join us! Ooooh it'll be so much fun! Just a cup of tea... (He rushed up to the glass, startling the officers, but Gordon didn't budge.) GIVE ME SOME DAMN TEA! Pah-leeeassseeeHE-HE-HE-HE-HAHAHAHA! Well you're no fun. So I tell you what, how about we make a deal... you scratch my back and I scratch yours. So what'll it be... Gordie? I'll tell you where the bombs are... and... and... and I got it! You let me out of here![/color]

Gordon: Not happening Joker! Now tell us where the damn bombs are!

Joker: HA HA HA HA HA! Then NO... DEAL! And... if you don't mind me asking... what time is it Gordie?

Gordon: About 8:30...

Joker: Well then I'd say you have about fifteen minutes to get there and evacuate! HE-HE-HEH-HE-HAHAHAHAHA!

Gordon: Shit... LET'S MOVE! GET GOING! Get every available officer to the Gazette and start evacuating! Get the bomb squad in there ASAP! We've got fifteen minutes!

They ran through the halls, Gordon on the phone, every officer communicating and there was just an echo of the sadistic laughter echoing through the halls.

Fast Forward ten minutes...

The bomb squad was already in place. Traffic was cleared and they got there faster than hell but had to move quickly with only about five minutes to spare. Every single bomb specialist and unit was in the building to neutralize area quicker. It was a risk, a HUGE risk but it was a risk that all the men and women of the armed forces took every day they got out of bed. Gordon, and the other officers were outside helping to quickly evacuate the building of the frightful workers and securing them in safety.

Back at Arkham...

Guard: You're sick... you're fuckin' sick! But how... I don't get it... how the hell did you do it? How did you get outta here, plant those bombs... how did you do it without nobody seeing?!

Joker: Well there's ALWAYS going to be my own little secrets and I'll neeveerr tellll... and this one you CAN blame on the bat... Oh! It's almost time for the show! So exciting isn't it!? We're just about oh I'd say... five... four... three... two...

Back in front of the Gazette...

Gordon on his watch checking the time... the people are out and the bomb squad is inside still checking...

Gordon: One...

Joker: BOOM! HE-HE-HE-HAHAHAHA!

He waits a second, and watches the Gazette...



But it wasn't the gazette... instead the office building behind the officers, just across the street. It was a trick.. a ploy by the Joker. He had them all focus on one of the center businesses of Gotham all for it to be a dud and the upsetting part, the thing that got Gordon the most was that... the building wasn't empty. It was another local office building and it ran 24 hours... the men and the women, fathers, mothers, aunts, uncles, sons, daughters.... they were all gone and there was nothing he could have done about it. Joker was either getting out, or he had men on the outside and he was somehow communicating to them. No idea what Jeremiah Arkham was doing in the facility, not keeping an eye on joker... but something had to be done. Joker... that god damn joker...

[John Blake]

It was a hectic scene down at the Gotham Gazzette. Police cars, fire trucks, SWAT vans, and ambulances were EVERYWHERE! The parking lot of the Gazzette was a sea of humanity as teh GCPD had been evacuating the building. The bomb squad was inside trying to find and difuse Joker's bomb. Hell some of those guys knew they weren't coming back out, as did many of their comrades outside.

Gordon had called in everybody. So yeah, that meant John Blake was on the scene. He hadn't wanted to show up after finding out his old friend Warren McGinnis was murdered the night before. John had wanted to just spend the day thinking bouts ome things. That older fella had been like a father figure to John. But alas John was a good cop. He believed in serving and protecting the citizens of Gotham. So he showed. In fact John had been with Commishioner Gordon when he visited Joker in Arkham.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The whole damned front of the building across from the Gazzette suddenly exploded outward! People started screaming in terror and duckingf or cover. Blake was leading a group of people to an ambulance to be checked on, but the concussive forced sent him and them flying. John hit the ground and rolled over to his side looking back at the building in flames. His eyes went wide and John shook his head. Slowly he got up..

NOOOO!!!

He shouted out and started running towards the burning building. It hadn't been empty, at all. In fact the GCPD had put the building on lockdown....for their own safety. Now they were all dead or dying.

A firefighter intercepts Blake as he charged the building. There was nothing that could really be done now.

John looked and saw Gordon standing nearby in his trenchcoat. He looked as stunned as anybody. John stormed over to him and stood in front of his boss.

Commissioner!.....Commissioner!

Finally Gordon seemed to notice his young officer.

How could this happen sir?? Joker said the Gazzette...

I...I...

Stammered Gordon.

Dammit commissioner! Where was the Batman?! He's turned his back on us because you've turned your's on him! You have us chase down every wack-o lead on him. Now....Now THIS has happened! He could've stopped this maybe..

Blake just stopped and shook his head. He walked away to one of the swat vans. John sat on the back of it, head in his hands. Slowly he looked up and stared at one of the black swat uniforms hanging there...

[[The] Riddler]

With all the attention on the building's explosion, the least of their worries was anything else going wrong --- but that wasn't the case. As Officer Blake admired the SWAT Uniforms and Commissioner Gordon struggled with his sense of reality, a vehicle rolled up in the distance --- an older model pickup that seen better days. As the truck rolled forward, empty --- this instantly caught the attention of a random police officer standing near a group of citizens who had caught some of the debris."What- Look at this!"

Just as he approached the truck, he noticed a question mark in blood tagged onto the open driver side door and was taken back by it. When he jumped in, he noticed the truck had been hot-wired, this as on the dashboard was a sticky note..

"Blink, you miss me after that I'm gone forever... What am I?"

Arching his eyebrow at the question he read out-loud, he went to step out of it, not before the radio clicked to life.

".. No answer? Gotham is quite pathetic I must say."

"Heya.. Who's talking?!"

When the cop went to move the knob that controlled the volume, he clicked it to the left and once the click sounded- the vehicle erupted into flames as the metal scattered through the area. The truck had been armed with a bomb, a very lethal explosion as bits of the truck flew everywhere. Blake acted quickly and tackled a bunch of unsuspecting kids.



"GET DOWN! GET DOWN!"

The truck's bed was still on fire as a mini explosion ripped after the initial --- that was as over the ticker that was posted on the Gotham Gazette that broadcasted news --- the once red, now green font read...

"Blink, you miss me after that I'm gone forever... What am I? DEATH - Love The Riddler."

For those who thought the man known as "Riddler" was nothing more than a mere myth had been proven wrong. A simple crime like this --- and exploding truck would get people's attention, but something about this, it seemed like 'one uppity' to get above the explosion caused by Joker. Things were getting crazy in Gotham with all these lunatics running around --- where was The Batman? Blake couldn't do much, neither could Gordon. Someone would have to step up and do something before it was too late...