Warning: Language . . .

Batman stood on the top of the burning building facing Joker. The mad clown was in his element. Police and reporters were on hand as spotlights illuminated the battle that had going on for nearly an hour. At least, the building had been evacuated, no one else was in danger by the fire. He could see firefighters moving cautiously in, spraying down the buildings on either side.

If Joker had his way the entire city would burn as he danced to the crackle of the flames.

He'll just have to settle for the sounds of his bones breaking instead.

"Not this time Joker," Batman snarled. "You lose."

"Oh, but Batsy, there is no time like the present," Joker laughed as if he knew something Batman didn't.

Batman narrowed his eyes. The clown was up to something. His plans were being foiled, yet he was practically celebrating.

"No one is dying tonight, Joker. The building has been cleared," he said, stepping forward. "It's over."

"Ah, but there is where you would be wrong," Joker's laughter tapered off as his eyes glinted with his madness. His already maniacal grin seemed to widen. "Someone is dying tonight," he corrected in his scratchy smoker's voice. "You've just mistaken the victim."

Batman swung around, peering down at the crowds of people all around them. His mind clicked suddenly.

A bomb! The building was set to blow? It would kill everyone in the vicinity!

"JIM, GET EVERYONE BACK! BOMB!" Batman yelled down to the commissioner.

Maybe there was still time . . . He pulled his grapnel gun from his belt. He was lifting his arm to aim it at the building across the street when it hit him. The sting . . . in that unprotected area at the edge of his cowl along his jaw. His hand slapped the area and he felt more than saw the needle fall away. He looked up at Joker.

"What did you do?" His vision was already starting to tunnel as his chest constricted. He couldn't catch his breath. His heart . . .

Batman dropped his grapnel gun. He watched it clatter as it bounced once on the ledge before falling eight stories, shattering on the sidewalk below. He was vaguely aware of people leaping back in order to avoid the bits and pieces of the ruined equipment. Stumbling, he fell to one knee, his hand darted out to catch the ledge to regain his lost balance.

"Can you not guess?" Joker giggled. "It's so simple."

Batman hated that clown's laugh. It wasn't the high-pitch, maniacal laughter one expected. Instead it was a low, slow, bass rumble made by someone who had recently gargled glass. Deliberate. Cruel. A sound that indicated quite clearly that the joke was on you.

Simple? Nothing about the Joker was ever simple . . .

"The someone dying tonight," Joker leaned down to whisper, "Is you."

Batman reached up to grab the demented clown but Joker danced back out of the way. He could barely breathe. His heart was slowing. Pulling what strength that remained out of the depths of his core, Batman stumbled back onto his feet. He took one step in Joker's direction and then another, but always the clown kept just beyond his reach.

Suddenly, there was a loud crack and he felt the roof shift beneath his feet. The structure of the roof was threating to collapse. He needed to move but his muscles were stiffening, becoming paralyzed. Powerless, he could only glare at the bastard.

"I win," Joker cackled.

The world split apart and dropped out from under him. Suddenly, Batman was plunged into the depth of the blazing inferno.

That blasted clown was on the rampage again!

Commissioner Jim Gordon had cordoned off the area and the occupants of the burning building that was now raging out of control had been safely evacuated. Several EMTs were treating minor burns and smoke inhalations. He had been informed that there were a few that had needed transport but the majority of the latest victims of Joker's antics had been cleared.

There wasn't much left to do except wait for Gotham's own Caped Crusader to reign the lunatic in and haul his ass back to Arkham. He had sharpshooters lined up. They were looking for a clear shot but it was as if the clown was aware of their locations. Not once had they been able to get him in their crosshairs for more than a second before the clown would disappear behind an air conditioning unit, the stairwell to the roof, or even behind the Batman himself – screwing the shot.

The clown and the Bat had been going at it for nearly an hour; the Joker had been well prepared for the confrontation. In fact, to Gordon, this had all the indications of a trap. But, certainly if he was aware of it, then Batman himself already knew. Surely, the man had a plan in place to save the day, taking down this maniac before he could cause more trouble, more deaths. But, despite his faith in the vigilante, it was hard to just stand and wait. It was not in his DNA and Gordon chomped at the bit, wanting to get some of the action.

Already the reporter hounds were out sniffing. Cameras were rolling all along the police barricades. News at eleven . . . Live footage! More questions about the ability of the police to protect the people of Gotham against nutcases like this one . . . He sighed. It had already been a long day and it was promising to be longer still. Jim was ready to go home.

"JIM, GET EVERYBODY BACK! BOMB!"

As Batman's yell reached him, Gordon immediately started issuing orders in reaction. "Get these people out of here!"

Although most of the people began running, the news crew only moved back a few steps, their cameras never wavering. Made him wonder who the real crazies were. He marched over toward one reporter and her cameraman. Gordon recognized her from GCNN – Gotham City's Network News.

"Ms. Maddox, I'm afraid you two need to move away from here now," Gordon took her by the arm, escorting her away from the danger zone at an accelerated pace. The faster, the better in his opinion.

"Wait," the cameraman yelled at them. He had yet to move a muscle as he continued to record. "Something happening!"

Letting go of Megan Maddox's arm, Gordon spun about, his gaze leaping to the rooftop. As he watched, Batman nearly did a header off the side building, barely catching himself. But, something had fallen. When it slammed into the sidewalk, the piece of equipment shattered. Gordon turned away slightly, flinching when a bit of shrapnel sliced his leg. The three looked back, trying to follow the action on the rooftop but there was only so much they could see from the street. They saw Batman slowly climbing to his feet but it was not the swift, smooth movement that Jim was used to seeing from him.

Something is wrong, he thought. He's hurt!

"What's wrong with him?" Megan asked.

She was too caught up in the spectacle now to remember she was on the air. Batman was swaying, standing too close to the edge. Gordon grimaced, aching with the need to do something but, like the rest of the first responders, was helpless.

"The Joker hit him with something. I couldn't see what," the cameraman told them. "It was too dark, too far away."

"He shot him?" Gordon snapped. "I didn't hear the report."

"I think so but, yeah, I don't think it was with a regular gun. Something else," the man told him. "I'm zooming in, although I'm not sure if that will tell us anything more or not. The lighting here sucks."

"What do you see, Craig?" Megan asked, stepping closer to him.

"He's hurt, but I . . . I can't tell . . . What?!" Craig yelped, startled.

Batman disappeared from view as the noise that Jim recognized as that of a roof collapsing followed a second later.

"What just happened?" Megan gasped. "Did he just fall?"

Gordon went pale. "Yes, he did . . . Right through the roof!"

Sparks and flames flew up in his wake. The building was blazing, the fire moving too quickly to be natural. The clown must have seeded it with some sort of an accelerant. The bottom floors were the worst and prevented the firemen from entering the structure or officers from mounting a rescue. Several were entering buildings on either side to fight the blaze from there, but this one was a lost cause. All they could do was try to prevent the flames from igniting the neighboring structure.

"He's going to get out of there, isn't he?" Megan asked, tugging on the arm of Gordon's trench coat.

"Come on, man," he whispered. "Move! You've got to move!" Get out of there!

"I don't see him," Megan cried, panic edging her voice. "Do you see him, Craig?"

"Nothing. Just smoke and more flames." The cameraman was beginning to sound worried himself.

"We need to vacate the area," Gordon blurted. He took Ms. Maddox's arm once more. This time, however, they walked backward, stumbling as they went. Gordon was unwilling to take his eyes from the action this time as he searched for some sign his friend had escaped the inferno. The Joker, however, was laughing hysterically even as he disappeared from view.

"Where's he go?" Craig asked.

"Not good." Gordon began pushing them a little faster. "Hurry! The rat is deserting the ship."

Batman had gotten himself out of worse scrapes before. Gordon comforted himself with memories of past miracles.

"I don't see Batman. Is he . . .?" Megan wondered aloud.

"We can't know that," Gordon interrupted her.

"B-But he fell into the burning building! Can't someone go after him?" Megan asked.

Jim looked at the flames that were licking up the side of the walls with a growing sense of hopelessness. It was as if hades itself had come up from the depths of hell and consumed the building. No one was entering that thing . . . By the same token, it seemed impossible for anyone to exit, at least, not by their own power. If Batman hadn't gotten out of there by some other means, Jim couldn't see him getting out of there at all.

He's done the impossible before . . . Don't write him off just yet.

The sudden explosion rocked the block. The percussion blew those closest to it off of their feet. Gordon stumbled, catching himself against the corner of a building several yards away. Megan landed on the pavement near his feet. The cameraman staggered, yet somehow managed to retain his footing. With Ears ringing, the commissioner yanked the startled reporter to her as bricks and other building material flew in all direction.

"No . . . Oh, no!" Her eyes were wide as she stared back in the direction of the explosion. A portion of the roof and outer wall were just . . . gone!

Gordon shoved them forward and they ran for the cover of an apartment building's lobby. Blocks, bricks, and roofing material continued to rain down onto the street, covering an area nearly fifty yards away. Windows were shattered and car alarms went off in its wake.

"Dear God . . ." Gordon stared out through the hole blown in the lobby door.

It would take a miracle to survive that. He clutched the door frame for strength as reality slammed into him. Gotham City might have just ran out of miracles tonight.

"He's . . . He's d-dead, isn't he?" Megan asked anxiously from behind him. "B-Batman?"

"No, Meg. Don't say that." Craig gaped at her. His face was finally out from behind his viewfinder, although the camera was still expertly pointing at the ongoing disaster.

Gordon drew himself up. He still had a job to do. People were going to be hurt from that blast and there was still a damned psychotic clown on the loose in his city.

"Until we have a body, Ms. Maddox, I'd appreciate it if you didn't spread that around." Jim spoke over his shoulder. He didn't bother to turn around. He was suddenly tired. "And even then, I would prefer that you wait for it to be confirmed."

Straightening his shoulders under a weight that threatened to bow him, Commissioner Gordon quickly headed back out into the night, screams and wails were rising up from the ashes and debris. And, for a very brief moment, he wished like hell he could join them.

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