___

I swung down from a lower building with my grappling bracers, just in time to see the chaotic scene. In the burned, blackened news station, violent flames roared and hissed from every opening and exposed surface. A few people were coughing on the sidewalk, and from the sounds of it, their experience of being trapped in the fire was painful. I crashed down onto the asphalt beside the fire truck, landing on my right knee to absorb the impact. I jerked my head towards three men, quickly unwinding the fire truck’s hose.

“Are there any survivors?”

I walked up and asked them.

“We don’t know yet! So far it’s only the ones who made it out right after the blast!”

One of the firemen replied, looking disheveled.

“We have two men in there already searching but they haven’t been able to make it in too far! It’s too dangerous!”

I looked up at the flames, spreading wildly and soaring to the top of the building. I watched as a beam collapsed onto the ground, scaring the victims on the sidewalk. With how bad that fire is, I might not even be able to go in there without heavy-duty protection.

Unless I could phase, I thought.

I could hold myself in a non-solidified form. If I could activate that ability, I would be safe from the flames. I couldn’t carry anyone out, to my knowledge, but I could point firemen in the right direction so they don’t waste valuable time. The only downside to this plan was it was not easy to stay phased. I’ve only used it as a defense mechanism, briefly changing to avoid hits or bullets because it takes every ounce of focus I have. Debating with myself, I realized I had no choice. Lives were at stake.

I began running towards the fire, determined to help.

“Wait, don’t! It’s too-”

“I’ll be fine, just try and stop this fire!”

I cut him off, not stopping in my tracks.

When I reached the shattered glass doors, melting in the heat, I phased before running into the flames.

My body began crying out in agony, and my mind felt like it was ripping apart. It was taking every ounce of my mental will and strength to stay like this, to protect myself from the raging fire. Keeping myself in an untouchable, shadowed form was almost excruciating. However, I couldn’t give in now. I needed to keep pushing forward. I breathed heavily, pressing on as fast as I could.

Once I passed through the open lobby, I made it past another door to enter a vast, open room, filled with broken, obliterated computers. This looked like your average, new-age news station. Only with walls and ceilings caving and cracking, burning from the flames.

This must have been some sort of editing room, I thought. I scanned through the collapsing room, searching for any signs of life. So far, nothing. No bodies in this room, either.

I trudged on through isles of broken computers, the smell of burning cords and plastic swirling in my nostrils. I couldn’t help but limp through the computer room, making it past the door that resided on the far right side. The pain in my head began pulsating as if my brain were beating against my skull.

The door was already broken down, and from the threshold, I could hear voices. Two of them, from the sounds of it. One male and one female. Peeking through the hacked-down door, I looked around to see what looked to be a lounge room or a prep room. A broken TV dangled from an array of cords, with couches and chairs burnt to a crisp. The vending machines were shattered and singed, the corners beginning to bend. My gaze made it down the elongated room, and that’s when I could see the two firefighters trying to break their way through another door at the end. I grunted in pain, feeling the muscles in my body tighten and ache.

I need to hurry, I thought. Being phased this long hurts like hell, and I don’t know if I can hold on for much longer.

“You guys need to get out of here!”

I called out to the two and watched as they spun around to see who spoke. The woman firefighter gasped after seeing me, almost jumping in her place.

“W-What are you?”

The other firefighter spoke up, unsure of what to make of me.

“That’s not important right now. Right now I need you guys to get to safety! I’ll go on ahead to check for survivors, so that way we can save time. Go now!”

I yelled sternly at them.

I was a little surprised at how demanding I was. Usually, I’ve always had a problem being the assertive type. Not today, however. Not when time is of the essence. The two firefighters both looked at each other before nodding and running back to where they came from. I winced at a sudden, sharp pain in my head. It was like my skull and my bones were being crushed slowly, as the sharp stabs in my body spread to every muscle.

Come on, just a little further, I thought.

I cried out, as every step began to fill me with agony, but I didn’t stop. Pressing on, I kept trying to soldier the pain. I held my hand up, walking through the metal door labeled ‘Broadcasting.’ I slowly limped past a small wall, with a camera just in front of it, blocking my view from the large, circular table the news anchors normally sat at.

Come on, I thought. We have to keep-

“Oh my god…”

I interrupted my thoughts, whispering out as a terrorizing sight befell me Once I passed the wall and camera that obscured my view.

In front of me was a blazing inferno, laced with carnage, blood, and slaughter. Bodies were strewn about messily, some of them not all whole. A body was dangling over a light beam configured to the ceiling, hanging atop it from cables and cords. Many more parts were scattered against walls, or on the floors. The gore I was witnessing was truly gut-wrenching, as the injuries these corpses sustained correlated with a bomb detonating. From the looks of it, the blast annihilated those in close range, with it being so powerful it sent someone in the air, to be stuck on the light fixture above.

Stumbling back from the horrific sight, I lost focus and phased back to normal, choking back a scream. I became overwhelmed with the feeling I was going to be sick, and my hands began to shake in my skin. Despite it all, I forced myself to look at the carnage.

I needed to focus, I thought. There could be survivors in this room, and I needed to scour it.

My body pressed on, panting heavily, working past the fear I was stricken with. Looking for anything, any sign of life. I pleaded with myself, saying there had to be someone still alive. As I walked over body after body, I realized that wasn’t the case. This was the last room, and no one here could be alive in the conditions they were in. My hope was about to be lost before I spotted something.

On the circular table, two news anchors drooped across the smooth surface. From the looks of it, they weren’t in a terrible condition, unlike the others. Hope reignited in me again, as I quickly limped over to them, desperate to find someone still alive in all of this despair.

Please be alive, I begged.

I moved too fast for my own feet, however, accidentally stumbling over myself before I reached them. A man and a woman in ash-covered attire, from what I could see. I leaned down towards the woman, with my right ear right by her mouth. I waited to hear any signs of breathing from her, but my heart quickly sank. Only deafening silence from her, indicating she drew her last breath before I got here.

I sighed heavily, slowly turning to see the victim’s face. When I did, I shrieked out loud, not able to hold it back after what I saw.

“No!”

I phased back, unable to keep my focus. Quickly falling backward onto the ground full of broken glass and debris, my body hitting the floor and cutting myself on the sharp pieces. I would have cried out from the pain of the shard of glass slicing my leg, but that wasn’t my concern. Adrenaline coursed through me as I stared into the news anchor’s terrifying face. Her eyes were wide open, with unnaturally dark circles sagging down under her bottom eyelids. Wrinkled crow's feet stretched across the end corners of her eyes, in a bizarre, violent way.

The most terrifying part - was her smile.

Her teeth were clenched together, pulling upward in a cartoonish, unsettling grin. All while her eyes were void of life. The way she smiled, there was something so wrong with it. It was unnatural, and haunting. The image burning in my mind, seeping into my subconscious.

After sitting there in shock, staring at the body of this news anchor, I finally got myself up. My hands shook violently, my breath increased rapidly. I felt panic set in, as I quickly ran over to the other news anchor. I carefully used my hand to turn him over, only to jump back. The same, exaggerated smile plagued his face, with his eyes opened wide.

Both of them were dead, but why and how did they die smiling like that?

Disturbed and panicked, I looked around the room, looking and some of the bodies just a little bit closer. Each one had their own hellish smile. Before I could investigate more, the smoke of the raging fire was finally getting to me, as I began coughing violently. I collected myself, realizing I didn’t have time to process any of this.

The flames raged on, and I knew there were no more survivors in the building. I took a deep breath, trying to compose myself. I had to get out of here. Without another thought, I willed myself to change again, phasing into my shadow. Black clouds of smoke surrounded me once again, as I limped out of that horrendous inferno, pressing on through the pain. All I could think about were those deadly smiles.

What kind of hellish nightmare have I walked into?

___

Once I was outside, I collapsed on the pavement, weakened and aching from keeping in that form for too long. The male firefighter I saw inside came running up to me, coming to my aid.

“Jesus, you alright girl?”

“I-I’m fine… I just… Needed to get out of there.”

I managed to say. My cut leg bled onto the pavement, like red ink spilling in a gentle stream into the cracks.

“You don’t look alright. What happened there? Are there any survivors?”

He looked at me desperately, kneeling down beside me.

I shook my head silently, pushing myself up onto one knee. My muscles still hurt, and my head felt like it was splitting, but I managed to look at the firefighter. By my expression, I think he could tell what the answer was.

“God damn…”

He whispered, looking down.

“... You’re sure?”

“Yes, sir. No one’s alive in there.”

I said. My voice was slightly hoarse, and rapsy, due to the smoke inhalation I encountered when I lost focus.

“Was it the blast, or the fire that killed them?”

“The blast for most of them, but…”

I stopped, and I looked at him. He seemed very puzzled.

“But…?”

I couldn’t explain what I saw to him. Instead, I closed my eyes and lightly winced at the pictures of the smiling dead that flashed in my head. After a moment, I sighed.

“Excuse me. I need to talk to some people. Get an idea of what happened first. I’ll come and talk with you and your crew shortly once you get the fire under control. To get some questions answered.”

Without another word, I got up slowly, walking over to the group of those who escaped the fire, now being treated and seen by paramedics. I walked up to one young man, who wasn’t in complete hysterics as he sat at the back of an ambulance getting his vitals checked.

“Sir, if I could just have a moment of your time-”

I began to ask, but was cut off shortly after speaking.

“Woah - You’re one of them aren’t you?”

The young man looked up to see me and stared up in amusement and confusion. The EMT looked at me, giving me the nod of approval to talk to him. She told me his vitals were normal, and no major injuries or trauma were present on him.

Lucky guy, I thought. In better condition than some of the others, at least. I felt empathy for him, knowing he most likely lost some of his coworkers in the fire.

I tilted my head slightly at him, not sure of what he meant.

“One of who? The police?”

“No no no, the vigilantes. Batman’s bunch. I’m such a huge fan personally. You’re like- Batgirl. But there’s talk on the street about Batgirl having some powers, so instead they call you something else. Something like the… The Great Entity or something. That you?”

Batman? That’s a name I’ve heard before out here in the streets, but never got an answer as to who he is. Just an ominous name thrown out on certain nights of crime-fighting.

“Yeah, that’s me. Just Entity, though.”

“Well, I’ll be damned… Is it true that you're a demon of some kind?”

I shrugged off the question, not wanting to talk about my abilities. The abilities that had caused so much carnage. Before I could open my mouth to speak, he spoke again.

“-Were you there when Batman died? Did you see what happened?”

“I… uh. I don’t know what or who you’re talking about. I’m sorry.”

I told him, confused at what he meant.

The Batman, dead? I wasn’t liking the sound of that.

“Wait - You dunno who Batman is?”

“No, I hadn’t heard his name until you said it. He died, you said?”

“Damn… Sorry, I just assumed you knew- was going to pick your brain about it... But yeah, he died. Ended up blowing himself up.”

“God… Why would he do that?”

My eyes widened upon hearing this. According to a lot of the people on the streets, there was another vigilante I didn't know about. Now I was learning that he had died. By his own hand, nonetheless.

“I dunno really… Some guy named Scarecrow a few years back managed to overtake the city-”

“Scarecrow? How in the hell did he manage that?”

Angry at hearing that man’s name again, I crossed my hands and looked down for a brief moment in an attempt to cover my concern and agitation.

“Well, reports said he hired some army. Like… black ops type of shit. Operating in Venezuela. Not much is known other than that. But they took over the city for like, a whole night. Like… I remember having to get me and my mom on a bus to evacuate. Shit was intense…”

My eyes widened in shock. A whole army? I thought Scarecrow’s toxin was bad, but Scarecrow hiring an entire army to take over Gotham? How did anyone, let alone him, manage that?

“I-It sounds intense. When did this happen?”

“Man, you didn’t know about all of this?”

I looked down, trying to think of a lie to tell him. Though, part of me wondered why I didn’t know about this. Did the take-over not happen around Alpena? It seemed unlikely. Maybe they didn't care enough about us to evacuate.

“I- uh, wasn’t around. I guess.”

“Well, anyway. Batman literally takes on everyone. Even the GCPD couldn’t handle it, but he could. Batman saved Gotham and got Scarecrow back in the loony bin, but at what cost, ya know?”

“That seems… Incredible. Taking on an entire army like that. But, did something happen to him? To make him want to… you know?”

“Well, Scarecrow got him in a tight spot I guess. Threatened to shoot his partner, Robin. Shit, he DID shoot him, from what we could see on the broadcast. Forced the Commissioner at the time to take off his mask. It was the end for him. Apparently, Batman was that billionaire Bruce Wayne. Took everyone by surprise. I guess that meant the jig was up, now that everyone knew who he was-”

I froze for a moment, uncrossing my arms slowly. The name he spoke rang some bells.

Bruce Wayne. As in, Wayne Enterprises? The company Lucius currently owns?

The name Bruce Wayne was familiar to me, as Lucius and Sydney had mentioned him before. To hear Robin was his partner was even more intriguing. Then, it suddenly clicked. The namesake of the company was also Batman. Considering how Lucius helps out other vigilantes on the street with his technology and support, it finally makes sense as to what, or who started it all.

It was all Bruce Wayne.

The man somberly spoke again.

“-I still don’t understand why he ended it though. We really could use his help. Especially after tonight. Identity be damned. We need people like you, and Batman would be a big help.”

“Yeah… That’s actually what I’m here to ask you. What happened here?”

Though my interest peaked on Batman, I needed to focus on figuring out what happened.

“Well. I work as an editor, so I wasn’t actually in the broadcasting room. But, I was watching the TV we had in there. Carla and Brett, our anchors, were doing the late-night broadcast when all of a sudden they just started laughing. I thought maybe one of the camera people did something funny and they’d explain it… But they didn’t say anything, really. They began laughing. Like… dying of laughter. Then you could hear it from everyone. Like everyone in that room was just laughing hysterically. No joke or nothin’. We could hear it even where we were in the building. Their faces, though… It looked painful. Like their mouths were stretched across their faces. Carla even looked like they were crying in pain while they laughed. It wasn’t natural… After that, the bomb went off. That’s when the camera cut and the fire started. It all happened so fast.”

“I’m so sorry… From the looks of it, you weren’t hurt too badly.”

“Physically, yeah. Mentally, though? I’m scarred after that shit. Those faces…”

I sighed and looked down. He was right. Sometimes physical injury wasn’t everything. Things like this can take a toll, and I knew that. Part of me felt some sympathy for him. I knew what it was like to wake up at night, haunted by the things you’ve seen. He would most likely encounter the same thing, seeing his coworkers like that.

“I’m sorry, sir. I hope you can find a way to cope. Thank you… for answering my questions.”

“Don’t mention it. Just do me a favor, and catch whoever did this, alright? We don’t need another Joker out on the streets.”

“Joker?”

Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

“Shit… You don’t even know him? Smiles were usually his signature trademark. He was one sick son of a bitch. I don’t get why they didn’t just shoot him into space-”

Smiles, I thought. If his trademark were smiles, then maybe this person would be a person of interest.

“What did he do? And who is he?”

I asked, accidentally cutting off the poor man.

“What didn’t he do? He was some psycho. Dressed up as some clown, committing full-on terrorism. When he was around, Gotham was in a dark time. My uncle used to be a cop, and he died when Joker’s crew of sickos shot him down after a robbery. Luckily though, there was always a sliver of hope - Through Batman.”

A clown? Like Candyman? Like the masks the men who attacked me the night of my transfer wore? Part of me wondered if this Joker worked for Candyman.

I nodded carefully, hearing his words. Intrigued, but also disturbed, I wanted to ask more.

“What happened to Joker? Where is he?”

“Dead... Where he belongs, if you ask me.”

There goes my suspect, I thought.

“I see… So, do you think this was a copycat? Someone taking over his operation?”

“Well, can’t be a dead man, can it? Who else? Plus I know that some crazies look up to him. Who knows.”

“Yeah, I guess you’re right. Well, thank you very much for your time.”

“Don’t mention it. Just do me a favor and catch the son of a bitch.”

“We will. There’s an active chase as we speak.”

“Good.”

He said his last word and gave me a sad smile.

His ashy blonde hair draped over his face as he looked down, indicating our conversation was over. I took a deep breath and walked back towards the fire truck. From the looks of it, they had put out most of the flames, with only small sputters of embers remaining. Ash settled over the area, like a gentle white snow. As I walked, I felt some pieces stick to my hair, finding their place in my chestnut locks. I approached the man I had talked to earlier, the one who came to my aid after I collapsed outside. He turned to me, about to say something when all of a sudden -

BANG!

A gunshot rang through the air, in an alleyway, just a block from the news station. I quickly whipped my head in its direction, doing a double take between the firefighter and the alley’s direction.

“Now what the hell was that?”

The firefighter said, flinching from the sudden noise.

“I don’t know-”

I replied. I tightened my fist, before aiming my gauntlets at a building in the direction of the shot.

Someone was in danger. And I didn’t have time to lose.

“But I’ll find out!"

With my last statement, I pulled the trigger, flying up across the way once it collided with the building. Once on the buildings, I flipped over the ledge to land on the cement service, sprinting towards the direction I needed.

Come on. Hurry! I thought.

I pushed myself to go faster, jumping over the gap between the building I was on and the next one. I kept going, hoisting myself up to slide over a rooftop ventilation system before jumping to the next. As I leaped from building to building, trying to make it in time to the alley, the voices became clearer.

“No! Please, I’ll do anything!”

“Really, you mean that? Then… TELL me.”

Shit. I needed to hurry. Run, Sarah, Run!

The voices got louder, indicating I was close. My hair flowed wildly behind me as it whipped behind my back. The wind stung my face as I sped towards the scene.

“I’m telling you I don’t know where they are heading! They fucking left me behind!”

“Well, then this will be the second bad thing to happen to you today.”

I leaped over one last building, rolling as I landed. I grunted slightly from the impact, but I still ran. Suddenly, I ran up to the edge of the building about to jump when I stopped, almost sliding from the sudden yield. Two figures stood below me in the alley. One was caught at gunpoint, adorned in his clown mask, with his jean jacket and overalls. The other, who pointed his weapon directly at the man-

Wore a red, shiny helmet.

“What… what do you mean?”

“This.”

The red hooded figure spoke his last word, before violently whipping the clown thug with his pistol, causing him to cry out in pain. The red-hooded figure then roughly kicked the man with such force that he fell down roughly on the asphalt. The sound of a bone cracking from the red hooded figure’s boot echoed through the alley, indicating he most likely fractured a rib. The poor man screamed out, falling to the ground. The violent man in the red helmet then aimed his pistol at him, ready to fire.

“NO!”

I yelled out, desperate to stop him from pulling the trigger.

But I was too slow…

BANG!

Silence echoed from the clown man, indicating his loss of life. My eyes widened after witnessing his death. I quickly jumped down, landing on my feet in the alleyway below. The wind picked up, blowing ash and a cold breeze through the night, twirling my hair around in the direction it danced in. The red hooded figure turned slowly to me, menacingly in his nature, his pistol still in hand.

Memories started flooding back to the night of the transfer. Reminding me of the cruel, unknown man I teamed up with out of survival. I froze in uncertainty as the man took one step closer. My heart started racing, afraid of what he would do. I remembered him, and I remember his violence. I expected him to aim the gun at me next, but instead, he just lowered it, whispering something out of disbelief and confusion.

“Babs? Is that you?”

The man started walking closer, but I stepped back. The shadows no longer concealed me, and I could see the man’s demeanor change when my features became visible. His shoulders tensed, as his fist gripped around the gun he held.

“No. You’re not her. You're her copycat going around.”

He spoke as if his words were venom. Menacing, and cruel in his tone

The red-hooded figure lowered his pistol, shoving it harshly in the holster that was buckled tightly around his brown jeans. I could hear him sigh quietly underneath his red, metallic hood. His voice was slightly muffled due to his helmet, but it remained clear and understandable, if not almost amplified. He remained almost casual, like this was just another night to him.

“You just shot him!”

I said firmly, still perplexed and shocked by the situation.

From what I could overhear, the man he just shot was someone involved in the bombing, but got left behind. Despite his involvement in the murders, why would this man kill him like that? Violently shooting him, even after he got his information. It was frightening to see the man in the mask shot like a dog, as if his life didn’t mean anything. I knew what it was like to kill people, but every night since I feel the undying guilt of my actions. For the man in the red hood to pull the trigger, willingly, while his target was defenseless. It made my blood turn cold, but I stood my ground.

I remembered our last encounter, and how intense, aggressive, and intimidating he was. It made my heartbeat begin to rapidly increase in suspense, unsure of this man and what his next target would be.

“Wow. Look at you! Your eyes work.”

His sarcastic remark rang harshly in my ears.

“Why?”

I clenched my fists tightly, demanding to know. Despite my fear, I never let it dictate my tone.

“Don’t know. Maybe the fact that he and his gang just blew up the news station... Not before, mind you, setting off some joker venom, killing dozens of people while they were broadcasting live. Is that a good enough reason? What constitutes an execution in your book? Fear gas?”

I froze after hearing his words. Fear gas?

“What are you-”

“Don’t play innocent. You weren’t the only one at the water plant that night. Did a number on those bastards, didn’t you?”

He then crossed his arms, tilting his head to the side, in a very cocky manner. The leather jacket and steel grey chest armor he donned hid tiny amounts of blood spatter, most likely from his victim just moments before. My reflection glinted in the man’s red helmet, my brow furrowing after hearing his statement.

He was there? More importantly, why was he there?

“H-How did you...”

I could feel my fists unclench, speechless at his words as I peered at the red hooded figure with confusion.

“Please, I figured out what Scarecrow was going to do a few hours before Robin. I was tying up loose ends when I got there. Expected to find Robin, but what do I find instead? You, tripping balls on his fear toxin, doing my job for me. And I recognized you too, from that night. You sliced Candyman in the same way-"

He scoffed out his next words in displeasure.

"-Them even thinking about giving you a chance is beyond me.”

The red-helmed man spat out every word with hatred. I felt the guilt rise in me, as I spoke out, desperate to defend myself.

“What are you-... I didn’t mean to do tha-”

“Don’t get me wrong, Crane had it coming. And you did it better than I ever could have. That’s why I sat and I watched from outside. I let you take the trash out yourself.”

Hearing these words made my stomach turn. I felt hurt, in a way.

He was there, and he saw what I did. On top of that. He knew what the fear toxin was. He could have called out to me, warned me. He just chose not to.

I took his words, and his inaction personally. Angry that this - whoever he was - had the chance to prevent me from taking a life. Instead, he just let me kill them. Like it was a damn show to him.

The man wasn’t a hardcore criminal, as he wasn’t actively terrorizing the innocent. What was plain, however, was that he sure as hell wasn’t a hero, either.

While holding my breath and staring angrily at him, I studied him. The grey leather jacket he wore was covered in blood. His brown jeans were held up by a heavy, buckled belt, made for holding the various gadgets that were attached to it. His holsters were secured right on his thighs, with more straps traveling right below the knee, containing what looked to be ammo cartridges for his pistols. The heavy, armor-plated boots he wore were gleaming in the street lights, protecting the lower parts of his legs. Then finally, I managed to gaze up at his helm. The red, metallic helm he wore, shielded his face from attack and identification. It took no shape, and was smooth, somewhat dome-like, except towards his chin, with two grey, metallic circles adorning the lower sides of the helm.

“Who the hell do you think you are?”

I managed to spit out, my disdain for this person growing by the minute.

“I’m the Red Hood. I’m the only one out here serving real justice while you and your Boy Scouts play around. What have you been calling yourself since I stopped your little escape from Arkham?”

“What… escape? I wasn’t trying to escape!”

I managed to spit out, raising my eyebrows in confusion.

Part of me was taken aback by the audacity and nerve of this man. Red Hood uncrossed his arms, shaking his head while lightly chuckling to himself.

“Ah sure you weren’t. Good one.”

“No, I was trying not to get shot by that freak in the mask.”

“Oh right. Candyman. Well, on the bright side, you managed to take care of him for a little bit. But, leave it to Lucius to to sympathize with a killer... that's new for him. Regardless, I left you there for one reason, and one reason only. To be picked up and put back wherever you belong. But instead, he puts you on hero duty. Good for you though, right?”

My blood was boiling after he spoke. Seething with anger. If anything, I was more determined to prove this jackass wrong. I could feel a spark ignite. With my anger rising, I let my words slip.

“How dare you! I could have just left you to him that night. Left and let Candyman kill you. Instead, I helped you. Do you think I liked doing that? Killing him? Killing Scarecrow? I didn’t! And you know what! You didn’t even stop me... You could have saved those guys, those people I killed that night! You’re just as much of a killer as I am.”

I let my emotions go. The anger, the guilt, the hurt. Built up for so long, without an outlet. Well, now I’ve found who to unleash it on.

“No, I know I’m a killer, kid. But I'm in control when I do it. A little tip for the future: Most of us know our shit, and we can handle our own out here. Keep that in mind the next time you find yourself fucked on a mission. It isn't my job to step in and stop you from fucking up. Especially when that fuck up serves Gotham best.”

I glared viciously at Red Hood.

Whose side was he on? This bitter, cynical bastard. As I looked at him, I answered that myself. He doesn’t have a side. He walks the line, enforcing his own form of twisted, warped justice. At least I knew one thing.

He wasn’t my enemy now, at least. But he isn’t my ally. He was the in-between, someone I couldn’t trust, but someone I could count on to not actively try to murder me again.

I exhaled, frustrated, looking to the left of me to break my gaze from Red Hood. I couldn’t look at him anymore. I was about to turn around and walk away from the bastard before he spoke again.

“Well, don’t beat yourself up too much, copycat. Your body count can be reduced by one. Apparently, you failed to kill Candyman. And he even fooled me too. I thought he was gone too.”

I froze in my tracks, my blood turning cold. I turned back to look at him again slowly.

“What the hell are you talking about?”

“Who do you think orchestrated the bomb tonight? That’s who I saw in the getaway vehicle. Just couldn’t catch up to him on foot alone. Left my bike a few blocks down, so-"

“-C-Candyman can’t be…”

I interupted him, but suddenly stopped midsentence, looking down with my mind deep in thought. I watched Candyman bleed out. We both did. I saw the light leave his eyes, blood seeping into the asphalt of the storage units. There was no doubt in my mind he was dead.

Unless-

I remembered what happened earlier tonight, before the fire. Why I was in the city in the first place - Scarecrow. The foe I killed, somehow sat right across me. Our conversation began playing in my head, his low rumbly voice ringing in my ears.

“In exchange for immunity from the permanence of death, I would join the effort to destroy the threat growing against her- That threat being you.”

I grew concerned, and fearful for my safety after remembering this. Immunity from death? The growing effort? What if that meant that it wasn't just Scarecrow, but more? And if Red Hood saw Candyman, that could only mean the worst outcome has occurred.

“Oh shit…”

I managed to whisper out, my eyes widening as I stared at the ground in front of me.

What the hell was going on? Why was this happening? Why was I a threat?

What did I do?

“Forget to turn your stove off?”

Red Hood asked sarcastically, slightly tilting his head down so I would see him in my gaze.

I looked at him, my eyes swimming in worry.

“Are you sure you saw Candyman? Are you positive?”

I asked frantically.

“I know what I saw. Muscular freak with neon dreads, and an outfit that looks like it needs to stay in some fetish club… Yeah. It was him.”

“And… Did you think he was dead? When you saw him that night?”

“He could have deserved an Oscar. I thought you did him in.”

“Oh God…”

I whispered. The horror started to take over my body now, as my face distorted to one of terror.

Red Hood paused for a moment, before crossing his arms. He stood up straight as if he were trying to intimidate me. His chin moved upward, and though I couldn’t see his face, I knew he was looking down at me through his red helmet.

“Something more is going on here, isn’t there? Wanna fill me in?”

He said harshly.

As if he wasn’t asking, but instead demanding. I felt hesitant, unsure of whether to trust him. At first, I stayed quiet, but then I thought of something.

He was here before me and witnessed the suspects get away. Not only that, he most likely could help me understand some of what happened in the fire, like why they were smiling, and other things linked to Scarecrow and the weird happenings that are beginning to brew. If I could find a way to make it a mutual trade-off, then we’d both have more pieces to help solve this dark, foreboding puzzle. If he wanted the information I had dangling above his hood, he’d have to earn it.

“I’ll tell you what I know, Red Hood… if you do the same. Call it an exchange.”

“Wow- That is the stupidest idea I’ve ever heard.”

“Okay, then I’ll just walk out of here.”

“Or I could just beat it out of you.”

“Good luck with that.”

His cockiness was really getting on my nerves, but two can play his game.

“What? Do you think your little bag of tricks is going to help? I’m shaking in my boots.”

I could hear him lightly let out a laugh.

Prick, I thought.

I was quick to snap back, however.

“You think your little guns are going to help?”

I mimicked him, squinting my eyes at him in irritation as I did so.

“I’ll have you know, they’re custom modified M-nineteen-eleven’s. Point forty-five ammo. I won’t have you disrespecting my gear like that, and I will hurt you if you do it again.”

He patted his holster, before crossing his arms again.

Clearly, I touched a nerve, but I didn’t understand what he was talking about, nor did I care. I was running out of patience, and time.

“Great. Good for you. Now, yes or no? Take it or leave it.”

I gritted my teeth, and I stared him down. The strident Red Hood sighed, groaning as he flung his head up in vexation.

“Holy fuck, you’re annoying. Fine. But I’m going first. What’s going on with Candyman?”

The right side of my face curled up in a slight, cocky smile, knowing I had won. Annoying? Maybe. Out of patience, and frankly done with him? Absolutely. I took a deep breath and sighed.

“Somethings not right. And it might be extremely bad. Candyman was really dead, and if you saw him. Then it means he’s been brought back too.”

“Wait, what do you mean he’s been fucking brought back?”

He held his hand up, looking down at me. Though I couldn't see his face, I could tell he was taken aback by the news.

I was about to answer when I stopped.

Hold on, I thought. It’s my turn now.

“The news anchors. When I went in to check for survivors, they had these… smiles on their faces. Something not normal. Why?”

He impatiently clicked his tongue, fastly moving his head to look to the left of him.

“That’s Joker Venom. Made by the shitstain himself when he was still alive. It causes people to laugh. Until they eventually die from asphyxiation from said laughter. Nasty shit. Usually used it as his main calling card. But since he’s dead my guess is Candyman got ahold of it to send a message. Probably his ‘I’m back, world,’ now that you mention it. Since, you know, apparently he was brought back. Now, my turn. What the hell are you talking about?”

“I mean something has brought him back. I’m not sure what it is, or how it did it. All I know is Scarecrow said something will keep bringing them back. Can you tell me more about Joker? It might help us-”

“No.”

There was a sudden, startling growl in his voice. His tone was different. Instead of cynical, and sarcastic. It was plainly grim. Like a warning.

“Hey, this is a mutual excha-”

“I’m. Not. Fucking. Talking. About. Him. End of story. Move on to something else, now.”

He was more serious now. He was somewhat before, but usually it came with hints of confident, witty insults. Now, all that remained was anger. No wit, no sarcasm. Just a low, menacing voice. I felt slightly frightened by his sudden change, so I decided not to push it further. I’d get my information about the subject later.

“Okay. Can you at least tell me why Candyman and the other members of his gang are still around? Wouldn’t they have left by now after their apparent ring leader died?”

“You don’t get it. The Joker crew wasn’t like your average gang. Some were in it solely for the money, yeah. But the majority of them have deeply rooted mommy and daddy issues. They were sick like him, and they worshiped him. Once he died, they splintered off to do their own thing. Some followed Joker’s girl, Harley, to get revenge. Others went to Candyman, to continue his fucked up legacy. They don’t do stuff like this for the money. They do it because they get their rocks off on misery and suffering. Didn’t matter if Joker died that night in Arkham City. He already lit the damn fuse to start it all. And it won’t stop until they’re all dead and gone.”

“Arkham City? What’s-”

“Ah-Ah, my turn.”

He interrupted angrily. He let out a frustrated exhale.

“If you’re going to play this stupid game at least make sure you play by your own stupid rules.”

I held my breath, looking down in embarrassment. He continued on.

“So, Scarecrow is back. You said you don’t know what is doing it or how, but you didn’t mention why. I’m assuming you know, so. Why is he back?”

I sighed looking away from Red Hood, slightly shaking my head.

“That wasn’t entirely clear, but in a nutshell, he said this thing - a she - would keep bringing them back. For them to aid her in the growing effort to stop the threat against her. Now, what’s Arkham City?”

“What was Arkham City. Back about five years ago, the idiot mayor at the time decided to close off a section of Gotham to dump the majority of the most violent inmates in Arkham Asylum and Blackgate. From what I know, the real plan was to nuke the place, killing them in it. Didn’t see the problem with that, but of course, someone else fucking did. Robin and Nightwing’s mentor, Batman. Long story short, he plays the hero and saves everyone. Joker dies a slow, painful death because the dumbass decided to play with a super-soldier serum. Something called Titan. And everyone lived happily ever after…”

His recollection of events was bitter, and he seemed frustrated with the exchange. He trailed off, not asking a question.

“Alright. What’s your next question?”

“Hm… Don’t have anymore.”

Shit… I had more for him. Like, who really was Batman? And if he’s somehow tied into all of this. I tried to speak up, but he interrupted my thoughts.

“Before I head off, a warning: Tell Oracle and the Boy Scouts that this is my fight. And to stay out of it.”

Red Hood began to turn around, grabbing something from his large buckled belt. I couldn’t quite see what, as his back was turned to me. In this position, it revealed more of the light grey padding on his leather jacket. The painted red symbol on his back drew attention to itself as if it was the thing to look at.

I clenched my fist, looking at his back. Does he think we’re just going to stop this? This was a dire situation, and I’d be damned if I sit back while I let this man bloody the waters more with his cruel, twisted sense of justice.

“Why?”

“Cause I said so.”

“You think we’re just going to stop figuring this out because you said so?”

I tilted my head in confusion. Who does this guy think he is?

I walked towards him, shaking my head.

“We don’t know what’s going on so, no. We aren’t staying out of this. We have to stop whatever this is as soon as possible so Gotha-”

I was about four feet from Red Hood, when out of nowhere he spun around, grabbing me roughly by the shoulder. Within the next second, he swung me violently into the brick wall of one of the buildings that made a side of the alleyway. The impact was harsh, causing pain to shoot up my back and down my head. The world through my eyes shook violently as I made contact with the wall. I cried out from the pain, but also from the shock of it all. It all happened so fast. Red Hood suddenly put his forearm against my throat, just like he had months earlier, applying enough pressure to make breathing slightly difficult. Once again the familiar feeling and scent of his leather jacket let itself be known. I felt my arms immediately come up, forcing against his weight to try and relieve the pressure on my neck. It was an immense struggle between the both of us, but even more so for me. I glared disdainfully at his red, metallic helmet, void of a facial shape while trying to get sufficient air.

“I get you’re still new and all, and still think you can be a hero. But I’m warning you- if any of you get in my way. If any of you try to stop me, it won’t be pretty. As I said before, this is my fight. None of you are going to get in the way of it.”

He growled his words, angrily increasing the pressure he was pushing onto my neck.

I struggled, using all of my might to push back, but losing the fight. My hands gripped around his forearm, with my palms directing the strength in me to try and push his arm off of me.

“W… Why…?”

I managed to sputter out through shallow breaths. I gritted my teeth, but I could feel him winning this battle of strength, as my arms went slowly back towards my person. The pressure on my neck gradually increased as Red Hood leaned in menacingly.

“Stay. Out. Of. It. Be a good messenger and pass that on.”

His low, strident voice was like the bark of a fierce dog. Demanding me, trying to intimidate me.

No, I thought. Not this time. I’m not who I was before. This time I can fight back.

I managed to gain enough focus to disappear out of his grasp, reappearing on the other side of the alley. I carefully rubbed my throat, it burning from the pressure put on it. I took a second to breathe, taking deep breaths in. Red Hood turned back towards me, now facing my direction. I looked up at him as soon as he turned, feeling the new adrenaline course through me. He wasn’t going to intimidate me. I wouldn’t let him. Clearing my throat, I stood up straight, ready to fight.

Within seconds black smoke and shadows erupted suddenly from me. I felt myself get into my stance. Right foot forward, arms up and ready, palms open for defense. As I got in stance, Red Hood just sighed, shifting his weight slightly.

I’m ready for you, bastard, I thought. You won’t push me around this time.

My eyes locked onto my opponent, glaring daggers into his helm, where my reflection danced around. I could see the monster I was. Black, like heavy smoke, taking the shape of my body. White, glowing eyes stood out from the shadowed mass I was, looking like they were ready to fight. Wisps of smoke and shadow danced around my figure, surrounding me and a small area around me. Red Hood just stood there for a moment, not moving an inch. I wasn’t sure why he remained that way, but my thoughts were broken when I saw him rapidly reach for what I assumed was his holster.

Shit, I thought. He’s going for his pistols.

I quickly put my hands up to block my face on instinct, also phasing into a shadowed form to avoid the bullet. I expected to hear the sudden sound of his gunshot but instead heard an unfamiliar sound.

CLINK!

I looked up just in time to see him fly up, with an object shaped like a gun in his hand that was attached to a thick cable. He catapulted onto the roof, jumping up quickly, the sound of his heavy plated boots colliding with the cemented roof above. Without delay, the Red Hood disappeared into the night, ending our encounter.

That bastard, I thought. He used a grapple. That’s what he was reaching for. Part of me was relieved it wouldn’t be a fight, that it was over now. Another part of me hoped I could have fought him, to show him I wasn’t a pushover. Show him I’ve learned a thing or two out here. That I’ve changed.

That wasn’t going to happen, and if anything, I left tonight with fewer puzzle pieces than he did. Something struck me as odd. After I explained what was happening, it seemed something clicked in his mind.

Shit, I thought. He did know more.

I started kicking myself for possibly asking the wrong questions. More importantly, kicking myself for giving that information away. I shouldn’t have trusted him.

“Entity, it’s Robin. I gave chase but ended up losing the getaway vehicle. It took a turn somewhere, but I don’t know where it went after that. Were you able to find survivors in the fire? Or find out anything?”

My comms unit suddenly went off with Robin’s update, almost making me jump. I sighed, rubbing the side of my temple, before touching my comms unit to respond.

“There were no survivors, Robin. Everyone had either died from the blast or made it out… But I was able to figure out what happened from one of the editors. There was a broadcast when the anchors were hit with this thing… joker venom. Everyone in the room was hit with it too, but once the anchors died the bomb exploded. That’s all I was able to find out.”

“Yeah. The broadcast is what made Oracle alert us back there. The people in the getaway vehicle also wore clown masks, so it’s probably another Joker gang. Though something like this hasn’t happened since…”

Robin trailed off, going silent for a brief moment before continuing.

“-Let’s just say it’s not a calling card we’ve seen in a long time.”

“It’s Candyman. He was behind it. Someone said he was in the getaway car.”

I managed to say.

“Candyman? But isn’t he dead?”

“He was… but I’m worried he’s like Scarecrow.”

There was silence after I spoke. Until I heard him sigh gently.

“Well… Things just got a lot more complicated then... How are you holding up?”

I sighed, reflecting on the events that happened tonight. First Scarecrow, then this fire and seeing the poor faces of the anchors killed. Then on top of that, Candyman’s back, and I have a new threat to put on my radar that wears a red helmet.

“I’m not good… But we need to figure this out, Robin. We have to figure this out before things get worse.”