Preamble:The Joker is dead. Shot to death by his apprentice Robin who was tortured into insanity and is now being treated abroad far away from the maniacs in Arkham. Batman has gone into seclusion questioning whether or not to go on as Gotham's savior. The city doesn't know this much less the rogues. Nightwing and Batgirl have been tasked to take care of the city in his absence. Crime is down in Gotham for the first time in a decade. That is until now…

Chapter 1: Outbreak

The sun was shining down upon grim Blackgate penitentiary. The prison was temporarily filled with the most dangerous psychopaths in Gotham. They were going to be transferred today to the new, escape proof Arkham. Before this, Blackgate was the most solid prison in Gotham, surrounded by water on all sides, housing all of the criminals that were not declared legally insane by the courts. Yes, there were still sane killers running around Gotham. That didn't make them any less dangerous. Some say that Hell is child's play compared to Arkham. When the Arkhamites arrived, they were placed in a special wing of the prison. It made sure that Darwinism did not become a factor in the survival rate of the prisoners already there. Every prisoner knew their place. They made sure to not even look at an Arkhamite if they wanted to live through tomorrow. Each of the Arkhamites doors was electrified and every guard was on 24 hour alert ready to shoot to kill at the first sign of a disturbance. It was full-proof.

It was about lunch time that the general alarm was pulled. Someone left a package in the middle of the courtyard. No one knows how it arrived. The Arkhamites stared at it with glee in their eyes. The prisoners stared at it in curiosity. The guards stared at in horror. The bomb squad came in to check it out. It was clean. A note was attached and the warden took a peek at it.

"Open me." It said.

The guards stood with automatic guns pointed at the crate. It was opened with all eyes on it. It was the Joker just as dead as when he was buried by Batman. A bomb would have been better.

The prison was in permanent lockdown but all the prisoners and Arkhamites saw now was opportunity. The top rogue in Gotham was dead and that left a gaping power void that anyone could potentially fill. The prisoners knew it. The Arkhamites knew it. And the guards most certainly knew it as well. It was only a matter of time before all hell would break loose.

It came sooner than anyone expected. A sudden blackout caught everyone by surprise. When the auxiliary lights came on, all of the prisoner cells were open.

They all came out. Killer Croc. Poison Ivy. Two-Face. A few other pretty faces came out too but it was Croc that they needed to start this off. He rushed the guards that were about to shoot them down and he crushed them like grapes. Ivy only needed a stray vine that was growing from the floor and made it blossom into a giant that crashed through the prison walls and strangled the warden and other guards. Two-Face took the two guns that the dead guards provided. Some guards tried to escape but they were caught by the electrified doors. The rest was easy.

Meanwhile, back in Bludhaven, Dick Grayson was preparing for a night out on the town. His alias Nightwing was lacking a car after his previous one was totaled after attempting to stop an out of control truck carrying two tons of illegal assault weapons. When the insurance agency asked, he said that he was drunk at the time. As he called it, it was pulling a Bruce. He took Barbara Gordon, alias Batgirl, with him to make the decision at a local sport car dealership.

"I don't know what would go better with the costume. A blue Lamborghini or a red Ferrari" he said.

"It's not really a matter of coordination as it is of announcing to the criminal element of society fear me and my mighty luxury car of doom."

"I'm just trying to go for something that's unexpected yet fast."

"So why don't you just buy a supped-up minivan? They would never expect a crime fighter to drive that."

"Well, I bet you never met Super Nanny."

"Ha. Ha. Funny."

The corpulent auto dealer, dressed for success, strolled up to them with the confidence that he can make an easy sell today to these trust fund babies. Paying attention to their conversation, he thought they were heading out to one of those eccentric, extravagant parties around town that the elite tend to throw now and then.

"I see you like the Lamborghini and the Ferrari. Excellent choice but I fear that these days those cars have fallen out of style."

"Really?" Dick inquired.

"I'm afraid so. Nowadays, everyone wants the De Lorean."

"The Back to the Future car?"

"Oh, yes, they have come back in a big way. There are only 5 left in existence and I happen to have one on the showroom right now."

"How much does that run for?"

"To be honest, because of it's…."

"Just run a number by me."

Barbara checked her phone to see that her dad was calling. She picked it up.

"Hey, dad, are we still on for dinner tonight?"

"Can't tonight. All sorts of hell are breaking loose over at Blackgate right now and the force is trying to throw every body we have at it. Just wish dad luck. He's going to need it."

"I'll do ya one better. Luck."

She hung up and ran to Dick.

"Choose quickly, we have a party to go to."

"How big of a party?"

"Every star in town is going to be there."

He perspired knowing what that meant. He flashed his credit card.

"What car do you have that I can take off the lot right now?"

The De Lorean sped through the streets of Bludhaven. They just changed to their costumes at Dick's apartment and they took every gadget they could find.

"Damnit, can't this thing go over 88 miles per hour?"

"I doubt this car can transform into a boat."

"I got it."

He took out a beeper and pointed it at the bay. Out of it emerged a jet propelled speed boat.

"Wow, Bruce was planned for every eventuality."

"Actually, we just got lucky that it was close enough to the autodealer."

They hopped in not knowing what pandemonium was ahead of them.