"My lord, as commanded, we have planted three more bombs in Metropolis, set to detonate on the schedule you provided," said the henchman, approaching Ra's al Ghul's throne and bowing.

"Excellent. Once the terror moves to Metropolis, we can extend the blame to their own vigilante hero, the so-called Superman," said Ra's, smiling. "We can prove that this Justice League is in fact nothing more than a terrorist organization meant to keep the people enslaved at the hands of power-hungry aliens and delusional mortals. And once the people turn on their former heroes, it will be easy to bring humanity crashing down. For there is nothing more destructive to the human mind than to rob it of stability. Breaking their idols will be enough to break most of their weak little minds. Mistrust, anarchy, and chaos will be the result, and at the end, complete annihilation of the human race…and peace. Blessed peace, the calm before the coming of a new age of enlightened humanity, for only the enlightened will be permitted to live in the new society. For the ignorant, the insane, and the immoral, death will be swift and brutal so they may not pass on their imperfections. And so we will save the world."

"Better destroy yourself along with it," said a voice from the shadows. "If the insane will be killed, you'll be the first to go."

"It's not…possible," stammered Ra's al Ghul as Batman stepped out of the shadows of the room. "How did you escape from the lunatics' clutches?"

"Let's just say it was a case of the mad leading the mad," retorted Batman. "Just like you, Ra's. You pretend to be better, superior to the Arkham inmates, but you're just like all the rest of them. You're blinded by your own madness from seeing the insanity of your vision. Your new race of enlightened humanity won't be human at all. They'll be no better than robots, not allowed to make decisions or mistakes or have feelings."

"If that is what it takes the keep the planet safe, so be it," retorted Ra's. "You are overly fond of humanity, Batman, and that will be your downfall. You do not kill because you believe in the sanctity of human life. But how can a life be sacred if it is flawed?"

"It's the flaws that make it sacred," growled Batman. "If we were all perfect, why would we value anything? It's only because humans are capable of making mistakes, of committing crimes, of being evil, that we are able to see the value and worth of things like love, humanity, and compassion. Without great evil, there cannot be great good."

"And so that is why you save your precious supercriminals night after night," murmured Ra's. "You need them."

"I save them because they're human," muttered Batman. "Incredibly imperfect, horrendously flawed human beings. But all the more sacred for that."

"What is it that the fool Gandhi said? Love the sinner but hate the sin? I see you share his misguided beliefs," sighed Ra's. "But what you believe doesn't matter, Batman. You cannot stop the League of Shadows. I have people in every pocket of the world, in every organization, in every system of government. What can one man do against such absolute power?"

In response, Batman punched him violently in the face, knocking him to the ground. "That, for starters," he muttered.

"Foolish, Detective," muttered Ra's, struggling to his feet and holding up his hand to stop the henchman from attacking Batman. "But then perhaps with your time spent among the mad, you are no longer able to distinguish sanity from insanity."

He snapped his fingers and several guards instantly appeared in the room. "It is a pity, Detective, that I cannot convince you to join our glorious crusade," he murmured. "But I can no longer cling onto the futile hope that you will change your mind one day. I am not as mad as the lunatics after all, you see," he added, grinning. He snapped his fingers again and the guards drew swords.

"Kill him," commanded Ra's. Batman backed away from the approaching guards, looking around for some way to escape…

Suddenly, the sound of machine gun fire made him instantly drop to the ground. He heard screaming and looked up to see the guards being riddled with bullets.

"Harley, you can stop now, we don't wanna waste all the bullets…Harley, stop…Harley!"

"I can't, Mr. J, it's stuck!" cried two familiar voices over the noise.

The shooting stopped at last, and Ra's and Batman, who were the only two left alive, turned to see the Joker and Harley Quinn emerge from the shadows, Harley throwing a smoking machine gun violently to the ground. "Piece of junk," she muttered. "They just don't make 'em like they used to, Mr. J."

"Yeah, ain't that the truth," sighed Joker. "Automatic weapons manufacturing is getting shoddy, I tell ya. Oh well. At least we still got the oldies but goodies," he chuckled, reaching for his pistol and pointing it at Ra's, smiling. "And speaking of oldies, how ya doing, grandpa? Batsy's told me so much about you."

"Joker, what are you doing here?" hissed Batman.

"Y'know, one of these days you could say thank you to me for saving your life," snapped Joker. "It's not the first time I've done it, y'know, and I've never heard you say thanks!"

Ra's studied the Joker, smiling. "So this is the famous Joker," he murmured. "I must say, you're not a particularly impressive specimen of humanity. I thought you'd be taller."

"And I thought a guy your age would have a few more wrinkles," laughed Joker. "You wanna let me in on the secret of eternal youth? Spa treatments? Yoga? Wearing green? Hey Harley, maybe we should set this guy up with Pammie!" he laughed. "They've got a similar taste in fashion!"

Ra's studied him some more and then turned back to Batman. "I must confess, Detective, he does not seem like the most cunning adversary. Surely it is no challenge to best him?"

A boxing glove on a spring suddenly shot from Joker's gun, knocking Ra's back against his throne. "I'm full of surprises!" chuckled Joker. "That's what makes the game fun, eh, Batsy?"

"Joker, I don't want you hurting him," demanded Batman.

"Yes, you must know of his tedious unwillingness to kill," said Ra's, smiling. "Although in my case perhaps it is justified. What would the Batman do without his greatest rival to…"

Joker had another gun against Ra's temple before he could say another word. "Say that again!" he hissed.

"I said what would Batman do without his greatest rival to…"

"I'm Batsy's greatest rival!" snapped Joker. "Me, and no one else! You got that, grandpa?"

Ra's smiled. "You? Batman's greatest rival? You're a mere mortal."

"And you are a joke that's really starting to bore me," hissed Joker. "And you may have heard what I do to jokes that get old…"

"Joker, I said no!" shouted Batman, shoving him away. "If he dies, I'll have no way to clear my name! He has to confess!"

"Confess?" repeated Ra's, with a mocking grin. "To whom? The police? The media? All of them my servants."

"Not to them," hissed Batman, rounding on him. "To the people."

"The people," said Ra's, smiling. "In whom you put so much faith, Detective. And yet who were only too ready to believe in the set-up I created, in your responsibility for these crimes, even though I planted all the evidence and manipulated all the facts! The people, who should have known better, believed what they were meant to believe. Nothing more."

"Yes. But now they've heard the truth from your own lips," retorted Batman. He pulled out a camera and microphone he had hidden in his cape. "The feed from this is being broadcast live to every TV and radio in the greater Gotham area," he muttered. "I don't think it'll take long to break nationally."

Ra's looked surprised, but he recovered almost immediately. "Which means you have achieved a small victory. I congratulate you. But there is no stopping the forces already in motion for the destruction of all humanity. There is no way for you to prevent the complete annihilation of the human race, in fire and blood and chaos. There is no way for you to silence the command of the great Ra's al…"

A shot was heard again, and Ra's fell back against his throne. A bullet had embedded itself in his mouth and blood poured from his lips as he choked and then fell silent, eyes shut in death.

"Pretty silent now, ain't ya?" giggled Joker.

"I told you not to kill him!" shouted Batman, whirling around.

Joker shrugged. "He'd already confessed. We got what we needed, and we didn't have any further use for him."

"Plus he wouldn't shut up," added Harley. "And nobody likes a ham, Batsy. I am the great blah de blah," she said, mimicking his voice. "Geez, lighten up, Mr. Doom and Gloom!"

Batman turned back to Ra's' body and sighed heavily. There was nothing he could do except take him to the morgue and try to guard the body to prevent members of the League of Shadows stealing it and taking it to a Lazarus pit. Batman resolved to do his best, but he wasn't optimistic. He was almost positive he hadn't seen the last of Ra's al Ghul.

Then he turned back to Joker and suddenly slapped him in a pair of handcuffs. "Hey, what gives, Bats?" demanded Joker.

"Let Mr. J go…" began Harley, raising a fist, but Batman immediately blocked the blow and then bent her arms back, cuffing her too.

"You're both going back to Arkham," snapped Batman, grabbing their wrists and dragging them from the room. "You've caused enough trouble for one day."

"Call that trouble, saving your life and killing a terrorist?" snapped Joker. "You really are nuts, Bats, you know that?"

They got outside and were immediately met by a mass of press and police. Batman handed Joker and Harley over to Gordon, and then turned to face the cameras.

"Batman, we would all like to issue an apology for…"

"Taken in by an ingeniously clever conspiracy…"

"All of us still believed in you, of course…"

"Batman, just answer one question!" cried Vicki Vale. "How could you possibly have survived in Arkham Asylum, locked up with your deadliest enemies? It's a miracle that you're alive today!"

Batman nodded. "I will answer that question, Vicki. It's true I was in incredible danger every second I was in Arkham. And I don't believe I ever would have survived in there without the help of one man. It is strange for me to admit this, but this man saved my life. He was, impossible as it may seem to all of you, a hero, and I would like to publicly recognize him, and thank him for protecting me. Ladies and gentlemen, this man was the Joker," he said, gesturing to the Joker, who stared back at him in horror.

Joker's horror grew as he was immediately swarmed by a mass of reporters. "Mr. Joker, why did you do it?"

"Saving your greatest enemy? Do you in fact have feelings after all, Mr. Joker?"

"Is this the beginning of a change of heart for you, Mr. Joker? Thinking of giving up villainy and becoming a hero?"

"No comment! He's got no comment!" shrieked Harley, trying to shield him from the cameras.

Joker's horror instantly turned to fury. "I'll get you for this, Bats!" he shouted as he was dragged into the waiting police van. "You're dead! I am no hero, you got that?! No hero!"

The doors to the van slammed shut, shutting out the sea of voices and flashing cameras. Joker growled. "You do a nice thing for a guy and he throws it back in your face," he muttered. "Well, I've learned my lesson, Harley. No more Mr. Nice Guy. Not ever!"

"Don't worry, puddin'. I'm sure when we break out again and blow up a couple buildings full of innocent civilians, that'll convince the press that you ain't a hero after all," sighed Harley, cuddling against him. "You're my big, strong, bad guy, and you always will be."

"Yeah, some kinda explosion or mass shooting gag oughta do the trick," agreed Joker. "That'll put things back to normal."

He looked out the window as the van drove off, keeping his eyes fixed on Batman. Batman raised a hand and waved at him. He even gave a slight smile.

Joker suddenly started laughing hysterically. "Joke's on me, ain't it, Batsy!" he chuckled. "Oh, I knew he had a sense of humor hiding somewhere under that grim façade! Just as crazy as the rest of us, you take my word for it, Harley."

He grinned, leaning back and shutting his eyes. "See you in Arkham again soon, buddy," he murmured.

The End