A.N.: Sorry for the delay, I've been playing Arkham Origins just to make sure that nothing in that game's plot contradicts what I have envisioned, and fortunately it has practically nothing related to Asylum and City (a few tidbits but nothing major). I hope that I don't portrait Jade as too much of a Mary-Sue character in this one, but considering the events that happen here I think that even she would react accordingly; there has to be some drama in dark fiction, after all. Sadness, pain and suffering are always a part of darkness (and insanity too).

Also, another reminder that some subjects may be sensitive to some people starting this chapter. Obviously, most if not all of you readers are already more than aware of this, but still a last warning just in case. Again, I don't intend to go farther than the Batman Arkham games (which are already quite dark as usual for Batman series) but in case you are more familiar with the light material of JCA, this story has heavy subjects for the most part as expected from the set (some already addressed in Batman, but others closer to what we expect from a prison environment, for example).

The challenge in this chapter was actually how to merge the DC world and Jackie Chan world in a cohesive whole. I hope to have given a sufficient explanation and not sound forced, but then again, for now the whole part of DC is simply Batman and the Arkham games. In case any of you have doubts, please mention them and I will try to elucidate, if I can.

To finish the notes, a huge thanks for Ander Arias for the cover for this story, which all you readers probably saw by now. What do you think of it?

Betaed by: Zim'sMostLoyalServant.

Of Kidnappings and Killing Sprees: How to Frame a Frog

Present

"How do you know?"

Strange's question stopped Jade's reminiscing and her narration. She looked at Strange curiously and asked, "How do I know what?"

"How do you know that the clown said that? Or if that last part actually happened? I mean, you weren't even with him at the time," Strange explained.

Jade looked thoughtful for a moment, and then said, "Fine, that last part was made up, okay?"

"I want facts only, Jade, not your inventions of events that may not have happened," Strange said, frowning slightly.

"And who can say that it didn't happen like I told you? Considering the clown and his interest in me, is it really that hard to imagine him and his wannabe girlfriend/fiancée in whatever warehouse or hole they hide in, plotting to ruin my life and murdering a goon or two in the process?" Jade asked, looking seriously at Strange.

Now it was Strange's turn to look thoughtful.

"I suppose that it could have happened that way, but still, avoid these creative additions in your story," Strange said.

"A little difficult to do that, Doc. The last part was to illustrate that second rate comedian's part in what happened to me, and you know that there's evidence of that," Jade said, looking pointedly at him.

"Yes, but only of that interest in you, not of your allegations that he had a hand in your family's demise," Strange said in an even tone.

"Then I guess this next part you don't want to hear either, because in Dr. Young's diagnosis, my claims are fabrications of my delusional mind, in order to avoid the responsibility of my actions, right? And corroborated by the other psychiatrists of this fine institution. If you already doubt my word, then I suggest that we stop right now because I am not in the mood to hear 'that didn't happen' or 'we have proof that you did it'. I thought that you wanted to hear my side of the story," Jade said in a defiant tone, standing up and leaning in Strange's direction, glaring at him.

But for his part, Strange simply stared stoically at her, apparently unnerved by Jade's outburst.

"A little defensive, aren't we?" Strange asked, raising an eyebrow.

Jade seemed to relax a little, even if she still looked pointedly at him.

"In this place, we have to know how to defend ourselves, and not just physically. If you want to get a confession from me, you're out of luck. Everyone who's tried that failed," Jade said.

"I am aware of that, but that is not my purpose. Again, I merely want to evaluate your mental health and see if you really should be here or not. To be honest, I could care less about your innocence or guilt. I'm just doing my job and nothing more. So if you please, Jade," Strange said in a cold tone as he motioned Jade back to her seat.

Jade could see that he was not telling her everything, but for the moment she decided to keep those thoughts to herself. Whatever he wanted, she'd probably figure it out as she related her story to him.

"Fine, but I tell what I want and how I want. This is my story, after all," Jade said as she sat back in her chair, not before taking some chewing gum first.

"Of course, but please avoid deviating from the subject. Like you said, this is your story, not the Joker's or Batman's, or anyone else's," Strange said.

"Fine. I won't promise anything, but I'll only make creative additions when necessary. Happy?" Jade asked in exasperation as she put the chewing gum in her mouth.

"For the moment, but please do continue," Strange said, urging her to continue her story as the frog girl munched the chewing gum in her mouth.

"Where was I? Oh yeah…"

San Francisco, Chinatown, Uncle's Rare Finds

"Okay, let me see if I've got a hand on this. Or foot, he he he."

Jade first stood up, abandoning her sitting frog position. Fortunately, despite the small hunch in her posture, she could still stand up easily.

"So far, so good. Now one, and two, one, two…" Jade said as she moved her right foot and took a step. Then she moved her left one. Slowly but surely, she was walking like a normal human being, but it wasn't easy. If her concentration slipped, she immediately hunched back on all fours.

"Uncle said it's an animal instinct, like…"

BZZZZZZZ!

Jade's eyes bulged in surprise. Oh, no. Flying over her head was a small black fly, buzzing around her. A very, very juicy fly…

"NO! It is not that juicy. As a matter of fact, it's not juicy at all. Come on Jade, old girl, you can do this. No more fly catching. No more fly catching…" Jade said, repeating the last part like a mantra and closing her eyes.

Unfortunately for Jade, this fly decided to buzz right in front of her. Her eyes opened and locked onto the small insect, like the crosshairs of a weapon. And she could feel her mouth salivating as her long tongue unconsciously started to tense, ready to shoot.

"Urgh! Even my mouth is betraying me. Is this stupid fly provoking me? Come on Jade. You can do this. You can do this. You can do…"

WHIPSH!

Jade's thoughts were interrupted as her mouth opened slightly and her tongue left her mouth, as fast as a bullet, catching the fly with its sticky extremity and returning to Jade's mouth with such strength that it made Jade fall on her butt.

"Ouch! Ugh! Gross!" Jade yelled in both pain and revulsion as she hit the floor.

"Great. Just great. I'm green, with food bags for checks, and a tongue with a mind of its own. Not to mention that I have to learn to walk all over again. I can't even burp for fear of knocking down the whole store. Of all of my magical transformations this one is the worst! Well… second worst, I guess," Jade complained in exasperation, even though she hesitated at the end, remembering when she had the tattoo. Yep, that was the worst, all right.

"Stupid frog instincts. It's been three weeks, and this blasted tongue still shoots out every time a stupid fly comes around. Do I have to put a muzzle on in order to stop the fly catching?" Jade asked herself as she stood up.

Three weeks had passed since her… transformation. Three weeks since her and her family stopped Drago and the Enforcers without having to search for the rest of the demon chi. Kinda anti-climatic, in Jade's opinion; not that she was wasn't glad to see Drago in a Section 13 cell again, but she had to admit that she expected more from him. Perhaps a final showdown where former enemies would put aside their differences and stop a god-like Drago from conquering the Earth? Now that would be something.

"But no, instead both that gecko and me are on detention, even though mine is only temporary, I hope," Jade said as she reflected on the three weeks that she had been confined to Uncle's shop, aside from regular visits to Section 13 in order to "monitor" her condition. More like keep watch on her in case she turned evil again. She had to admit that the recent visits to the place started to feel… uncomfortable for her. Perhaps it was due to the odd looks that the agents gave her. She could see suspicion in them, and maybe something even worse? Did they really expect her to turn evil and take over Section 13 again?

But that was not the only reason that Jade no longer liked to go to Section 13. She remembered that discussion she overheard between Jackie and Captain Black two days earlier. She didn't get all the details, but it seemed that Black's superiors wanted a more contained way to deal with her. In other words, a nice cold cell next to Drago, she guessed. Jackie was furious about what Black said, and even Black himself was infuriated by his superiors' suggestions of how to deal with her, but if push came to shove he admitted that he had little room to stop it from happening. Which is why he urged Jackie to find a way to return her to normal as quickly as possible. Jade almost felt betrayed that Black would actually follow those orders, liking them or not.

Another change in her life was not going to school for the time being. It was not difficult to pull an absentee license, thankfully – she did look ill that day. Of course, it wouldn't last forever, but for the moment she wouldn't be bothered by curious teachers or classmates, not that they would be that concerned for her. Still, she actually missed school, something that she never thought possible. How many times did she dream about never having to go to that boring place with boring classes and stuck-up classmates? It seemed that staying at home 24 hours a day was a dream come true, but after the first week she quickly realized that she was bored out of her mind. She wanted to get out, to be somewhere besides these four walls or the trips to Section 13. She missed the playground, her head-butts with Drew, Ms. Hartman's nagging, going to the arcade after school, or the mall, or a trip to Moose World. She missed doing kid stuff. But she couldn't leave the store even if she wanted to, and she did try, but Uncle found a way to keep her contained with some spells that kept demons and magical beings from entering or leaving, and that included her. Unless Jade found a way to break the spell, which she had being trying to find ever since she discovered her magical cage, the only way to leave was being carried by a human being, which only happened when she was being taken to Section 13.

"Now I know how Dragon Breath must have felt when Lo Pei turned him to stone, without a way to break the spell on his own. And his siblings in the Netherworld, for that matter. What I wouldn't give right now for a way out of this cage," Jade mused to herself.

The sound of a ringing bell interrupted her thoughts, which meant that someone had entered the store. Knowing Jackie and the others were the only ones with the store's key, she left the library and entered the front. And she was not wrong. There was Jackie, Uncle and Tohru, visibly tired from another chi hunt. The last one, if she was not mistaken.

Jade frowned at them.

"Oh look, here come the mighty chi hunters. How was the chi hunt this time? Boring, I hope," Jade said in a sour tone as she crossed her arms.

Jackie sighed at Jade's attitude. He had to admit that not even he could blame her for being in such a sour mood. If any child would be restless by now for staying confined to one place for three weeks, then just imagine his overactive niece.

"We already talked about this, Jade. You know that for now, you have to stay in the store until we can turn you back to normal," Jackie said in a calm tone.

"Except to go to Section 13 so that I can check with the parole board, right?" Jade asked in a grumpy way.

"You know that isn't true, Jade. You are no prisoner," Jackie said in a patient tone.

"Then why do I feel like one? I can't go to school, I can't go chi hunting, I can't even do kid stuff. When will I be able to do things like usual?" Jade asked in an angry and demanding tone as she turned away from Jackie, scowling to herself.

"Have patience, Jade. We think we're really close to finding the spell that will at least take the wind chi from you. After that, it will probably be easy to undo your condition," Tohru said, trying to cheer up the young mutated girl.

"Not before Uncle completes reeeesearch into the consequences of that spell. Even if it removes the wind chi, Jade will still remain in her current state. It could even make it harder to turn Jade back to normal without the wind chi inside her," Uncle said as he put down a device that looked like a mix of a twig with a compass and a vacuum cleaner. Uncle and Tohru had developed it to locate, extract, and store the demon chi from either the relics or their hosts, in case it wasn't too late in the latter case.

"So this means that the status of my cure is like close to zero, right? Swell, really swell," Jade said in an annoyed tone as she walked upstairs to her room, slamming her door behind her.

Jackie was about to go up in an attempt to try calm and comfort his niece, but Uncle touched his shoulder, stopping him.

"Let Jade go for now. She needs to calm down on her own," Uncle said, to which Jackie nodded, albeit reluctantly.

"But I have to agree with her in some way, sensei. The prospect of her current situation is already bad enough, and being closed off from the world is not helping her," Tohru said.

"Uncle knows that, but what can we do? We can't let her go out into the public. Don't you remember the mob of journalists that swarmed into Uncle's store?" Uncle asked, referring to three weeks previous, when the store was practically invaded by all kinds of reporters and journalists from several news stations, eager to interview the Toad Girl from the video that was posted on the Internet thanks to Jade's classmate Drew.

"Thankfully we were able to convince them that we were not related to Toad Girl in anyway and the video was taken down from the Internet thanks to Section 13. I wonder how Black was able to take the original from Jade's classmate?" Jackie asked in wonder.

"Knowing him, he probably sent a team to steal it from him without Drew even realizing it happened," Tohru suggested as he went into the kitchen in order to prepare some tea.

Jackie nodded at that and then his eyes turned thoughtful.

"Finding a cure for Jade is taking longer than we hoped. Maybe we should try to find some other way," Jackie said.

"Magic can only be cured by magic. How many times does Uncle have to repeat himself?" Uncle asked in an exasperated tone.

"I'm not saying otherwise, but Captain Black told me that perhaps he can find some… outside help," Jackie said, now gaining the attention of both chi wizards.

"Aside from Black's warning about the intentions of his superiors for Jade in case she can't be cured, he also told me that in the last few years a new kind of community has been emerging. A community that could hopefully help Jade," Jackie said.

"What do you mean by that?" Tohru asked as he returned from the kitchen with a tray in his hands.

"I mean that… how can I say it? Well, do you know those comic books and cartoons that Jade likes so much? Well, it seems that they're true, in a way," Jackie said.

"Jade needs help from magic, which is real, not from comic book heroes," Uncle said in annoyance.

"I'm not saying the heroes that Jade reads in her comics, but it seems that there really exists people with powers and other extraordinary abilities. I didn't believe it at first, but then I saw footages of one man flying at high speed on his own, another of a woman that fell from a skyscraper and survived without a scratch, only fazed apparently. I even saw someone dressed as a bat fighting a gang of criminals, and beating them on his own. And it was not a forgery or fake. And Black said those were only samples, more and more of these individuals seem to emerge every day. They are called…"

"Metahumans," Tohru said, interrupting Jackie and getting the attention of both Chan men.

"I heard a thing or two about individuals with powers when I worked with the Dark Hand. In fact, in some cities like Metropolis, Gotham and Star City, Valmont avoided doing business in them altogether," he explained.

"Why is that?" Jackie asked, even though he could guess.

"Aside from the heroes that seemed to take residence in those cities, there are also some criminals that have similar abilities. And Gotham seems to be the worst case, with the emergence of insane crime lords and other crazies. I heard that the worst one was referred to as the Clown Prince of Crime," Tohru said, actually shivering at remembering the face of that man.

"And Black told me that the main hero of Gotham is called Batman. And in Metropolis someone called Superman. The civilians in those cities are vaguely aware of the existence of those superheroes and villains, but in the rest of the country and most nations worldwide metahumans are kept secret. Most governments fear the public reaction that knowledge of superheroes and villains could cause. Not to mention the anarchy and chaos that could result if more and more metahumans start to go public," Jackie said.

"I take it that Black's superiors were alarmed when the video with Jade and Drago went worldwide," Tohru said.

"Yes, and I imagine that it was very difficult of him to keep what happened at Jade's school under wraps. It was already difficult for Section 13 to keep our adventures a secret, to be honest," Jackie said, remembering the several excuses and cover ups that Black had to use in order to conceal their hunts for mystical artifacts or to stop a powerful demon or magical being.

Fortunately, this time the hunt was made without much public exposure, and he was glad that the actual chi hunt was fairly easy when compared to the Talismans and the masks. Part of it was because none of their usual adversaries appeared, but also because Black's superiors allocated even more resources to find and contain the demon chi. Granted, they had some difficulties, like the time when two different chi manifested on the same day – Jade's birthday a week and half before – but aside from those encounters, it went rather smoothly this time around. Still, it felt strange to him not having Jade come with them during the hunt, but Uncle's spell prevented her from leaving the store on her own. Uncle didn't like having to do it, but he wanted to avoid Jade being in contact with more of the Immortals' relics and the demon chi, since if Jade accidently absorbed more, she'd become more and more demonic. It could end with her becoming a full demon like Shendu and his siblings, and in that state he knew that nothing could revert her to human. Jackie guessed that was one of the reasons that made Drago hunt for the chi in the first place, since like his father and the other demons he thought lowly of humans, and being half one was probably a nightmare for him.

Black also agreed with Uncle's actions, if only so his superiors didn't have another reason to lock Jade away, but he and Tohru didn't like having to do this to her. She was part of their family, half-demon or not. It almost felt like he was treating her the same way they did Shendu and Drago, and only the promise of finding a cure was what let him bear all of this. Still, Tohru was right, it was not fair to Jade; she didn't ask or cause this to happen (kind of ironic, he had to admit). And if this kept going, her childhood could be stolen from her. Remembering her down face when they couldn't have a celebration by the end of her birthday snapped his thoughts back to the matter at hand. Jade couldn't be left in this condition for much longer if Black's warning about his superiors' intentions was truthful.

"But that's beside the point. What matters is that Black said that some of them could help Jade. If not to find a cure, at least in help her to adjust to her condition. I believe that it is worth a shot, don't you think?" Jackie asked the others.

"Pfff! None of those can compare to warriors like Lo Pei and the Immortals. Magic can only be defeated by magic. They can't help us," Uncle said, obviously against the idea.

"Uncle, some of these metahumans seem to be versed in magic too, according to Black, even if not in chi sorcery. Who knows if other forms of magic can actually help us cure Jade? Is it that difficult to try a different way, Uncle? For your niece? Because right now chi sorcery only seems good for imprisoning or banishing her!" Jackie shouted in defiance, for once looking pointedly at Uncle, not wanting to back down.

The old chi wizard stared at his nephew for a moment, with Jackie actually expecting to be hit in the forehead. Instead, Uncle sighed and said, "This situation is indeed becoming troublesome, and even Uncle is not so stubborn or prideful to refuse help, even if I don't believe that it will do any good. Still, if you feel that it is best for Jade, then Uncle will not stop you."

Jackie sighed in relief. He actually expected more opposition from his uncle, but even he could see that Uncle was getting desperate trying to cure Jade. He had to admit that even he had his own reservations, but of a different kind. These metahumans would probably show a world that Jade would surely try to enter, wind powers or not, and he feared for her safety. Granted, they passed similar situations against Shendu and other villains before, but still, he couldn't help but worry what the future could entail if he let Jade go down this road.

Unknown to them, a certain Chinese girl had left her room without the others noticing. Her eyes bulged in surprise as she watched them from upstairs.

"No way. So supers are real?" Jade said, completely stunned as she thought of what Jackie and the others were talking about.

Jackie and the others quickly turned in surprise to see Jade upstairs.

"So, when do we contact them?" Jade asked, smiling widely.

Present

"For a kid that grew up reading comics like Super Moose and other stuff like that, it actually felt like a dream come true, you know. In a way, the adventures that I had with Jackie and the others were the closest that I had to the comics. And if things hadn't turned out like they did, I would have met Batman or other superheroes in different circumstances. Who knows, I might have gotten Jackie to be recognized as San Francisco's hero, with me as his sidekick. It would have been so cool," Jade said, remembering fondly her adventures with her family and friends, from the search for the Talismans to the formation of the J-Team and the hunt for the masks. Not to mention her dreams of Jackie standing proudly at the top of San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge, with Jade at his side.

"While not in the way your uncle had planned, you were indeed brought into the world of metahumans," Strange pointed out.

"Yes, and now I would give anything to return things to the way they were, when it was just us and the demons or the Dark Hand. I would give anything to have them back – Jackie, Uncle, Tohru, my parents… Anything," Jade said in a melancholic tone.

"I imagine that it isn't easy to bear such pain," Strange said, to which Jade nodded in acknowledgement.

"Do you know one of the things that I truly regret? To have given Jackie and the others the cold shoulder when they returned that day after the hunt for the Mountain Demon's chi. And our argument after that. If I knew that it was the last day I would ever see them again, then I… I would…"

Strange looked at the Chinese girl, who was on the verge of crying, despite her attempts to hold back the tears.

"Do you need something? We can stop if you need a moment to…"

"NO!" Jade shouted, interrupting Strange abruptly. Her face now held a determined look, her eyes now glaring, not at Strange, but he could guess as to whom.

"Sorry, a moment of weakness. But I'm okay, let's keep going, okay Doc?" Jade asked, sounding determined.

Strange surveyed Jade's face again, trying to see if the girl was still on the verge of breaking down. Not seeing any sign of that, he nodded, from which Jade took that she could continue her story.

"I imagine that the clown was nearby that day. And maybe a few days before too, waiting, watching…"

San Francisco, Chinatown, Outside of Uncle's Rare Finds, A Few Minutes Before Jackie And The Others' Arrival

In a nearby alley, a grey van was parked. It had the logo of Ace Chemicals, and anyone near it could hear the muffled sounds of uncontrolled giggles.

"Hu, hu, hu, hu, he, he, he, he. That little frog sure is a riot. I can't wait to see what she can do once she's loose in Gotham. But of course, she needs some… education first, and no place is better than my second home in life, Arkham," the Joker said, while he looked at a monitor depicting Jade's fall in the store library.

"But boss, I thought that you considered the Asylum your real home," one of his goons asked in confusion.

The Joker looked at the man with intense eyes, which made the man back away, nervously fearing his boss' reaction. But the Joker moved toward him and placed his arm around his back, like they were two best buddies.

"Now, now, Frank, I think that all of you boys should know by now that my true home is one place only," the Joker said in a mock reproach.

"And it is…" started the frightened goon.

"Why our dear Gotham, where else? Eh, eh, eh, eh, AH HA, HA, HA, HA!" the Joker said, laughing uncontrollably at the end and removing his arm from his goon, who sighed in complete relief.

"Is the other van where it should be?" the Joker asked another goon.

"Sure boss, everything is in position. All we need is Ms. Quinn to arrive with the package," the goon said.

"Ah yes, I hope that the little one enjoys my gift. I know it's too late for her birthday, but as they say, it's the thought that counts," the Joker said, giggling softly to himself.

Ah ha, ha, oh, oh, oh, eh, eh, eh, ah ha, ha

The sound of muffled laughter came from the Joker's jacket. He wordlessly reached for his inside pocket and took out his cell phone, which was laughing.

"My personal ringtone," the Joker said, as he pressed the button and put the phone to his right ear.

"Hello?"

"Special delivery for Ms. Jade Chan, coming up," a muffled, upbeat voice said from the phone.

"Harley baby, so good to hear from you. And by the way…"

The Joker moved the speaker closer to his mouth, his face now adopting an angry expression.

"You are LATE!"

"You are LATE!"

The Joker's yell made Harley move her phone away from her ear.

"I'm sorry, Pudding, but you know how traffic is nowadays," Harley said in an apologetic tone.

"Never mind that. So, did things go without a stitch?" the Joker asked.

"Oh sure, Mistah Jay. The birds sure caught the worm that you so generously provided for them," Harley said, giggling to herself.

Harley was dressed as a cab driver, her face devoid of its usual makeup. She was driving a taxi that had two special passengers inside.

"Goody! Now be a dear and deliver them to the store, as planned," the Joker said.

"And then we attack the store?" Harley asked.

"Not yet, Harley. I want some family drama before we barge in. You know, just to work up our appetite for random destruction, with a few beatings on the way. Eh, eh, eh, AH HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, AHHHH HA, HA, HA, HA, HA!"

The Joker's call ended with his maniacal laughter, until Harley shut the phone off.

"Oh, Mistah Jay, there are so many things that I love about you, but your laughter is my favorite of them all. He, he, he, he, he, he!" Harley said, giggling to herself.

After taking a few moments to compose herself, Harley pressed a button on the dashboard, which made the cab's middle window to open, revealing the passenger seats, where a Chinese couple was sitting.

"Sorry for the inconvenience, but it was an important call. Personal stuff, if you know what I mean," Harley said in a strict and gruff tone of voice.

"Never mind that. How long until we get to Uncle's Rare Finds?" the middle-aged man asked in a tense tone. His wife, for her part, seemed more worried than anything.

"Just five more minutes until we get to Chinatown, Mac. Then it's only a stretch until the store," Harley answered.

"Good. And don't leave right away, we won't take long," the Chinese man said, his eyes showing determination as he clenched his fists.

Harley smiled maliciously at his request.

"Of course Mac, you're the customer."

"How many times have I told you to not spy on other people's conversations?" Jackie asked in exasperation.

"Uh, too many to count?" Jade asked in an uncertain voice.

Jackie sighed to himself. Thinking back, he should have guessed that his niece would do something like this.

"So, um, when do we contact those supers that you were talking about? Soon, I hope?" Jade asked in an eager tone as she leaned forward on her chair.

"First we let Captain Black make some investigations about them. Then we'll see if we call for additional help or not. Uncle and Tohru may still find a way to remove the chi and restore your humanity themselves, Jade," Jackie said.

"Tch! It will probably take until my graduation, if that ever happens with me stuck in the store," Jade said in an annoyed tone.

"Now Jade, that's not fair…"

"NO! What's not fair is me being stuck in the store like some kind of overprized pet! You can't keep me in here like this!" Jade protested.

"Jade! You know that we only want what's…"

DING DONG!

The doorbell rang, which stopped Jackie and Jade's argument. Who could it be, this late at night?

"Tohru, go see who it is! Uncle's store always open even when closed!" Uncle shouted from upstairs.

Jackie sighed to himself. Today couldn't get any worse.

"I will go with Tohru just in case he needs some help. You stay here Jade, and no peeking," Jackie said in a stern tone.

"Pfff! Whatever you say, warden," Jade said, still in a sour mood as she turned her back to Jackie and pouted.

Part of Jackie wanted to deal with Jade's current behavior right that instant, but still, he decided to let the issue slide for the time being. He moved towards the counter and noticed his giant friend moving towards the door, opening it…

…And to Jackie and Tohru's shock, revealed both Shen and Juan, Jade's parents.

"Mr. Shen, Ms. Juan? We weren't expecting…"

Tohru was cut short as Shen stormed into the store, followed closely by his wife. He looked determined, angry even, while his wife merely looked concerned and slightly frightened.

"Shen, we weren't expecting your visit. Why didn't you…"

"Cut the talk, Jackie. Where is she?" Shen asked in an angry, demanding tone.

"She?" Jackie asked, still stunned and confused by his cousin's apparent hostility.

"Jade. Where is she?" Shen asked, even more forcefully than before.

"Oh, she's upstairs sleeping. Now maybe we should all calm down and talk about what is…"

"Talk?! Then perhaps you want to talk about this!" Shen shouted as he shoved something into Jackie's hands.

Jackie looked at the papers… no, pictures, and his confusion was cut short as he saw that the pictures depicted Jade in her current frog form, entering a Section 13 car. He quickly realized that these photos were taken when they were transporting Jade to Section 13 during these past three weeks, but how?

"How… how did you get these pictures?" Jackie asked, still in complete disbelief.

"They were sent to us anonymously two days ago. At first I thought it was just a joke of some kind, but a friend of mine who knows about photography could tell that these photos were real," Shen said angrily.

"This… is just a costume that Jade was trying for next Halloween, you know how kids are these…"

"Don't give me that crap Jackie. I made some investigations on my own and I found some articles about a so-called Toad Girl that seemed to have spread confusion three weeks ago at the school that you said Jade was enrolled in. The video may not be online anymore but the photos in the articles about it are a perfect match with how Jade looks in these photos. I also took the liberty to call the school yesterday and they said that Jade hasn't shown up for three weeks, because she was on sick leave. All I want to ask Jackie is, what did you and the old man to my daughter?" Shen asked, as his eyes narrowed at Jackie.

Before Jackie could respond, a shout came from upstairs, "What's all the racket?! Can't Uncle get some sle…"

Uncle stopped as he looked at Shen and his wife, standing in the middle of the room, with Shen seemingly arguing with Jackie. Juan was simply standing subdued at her husband's side, while Tohru was looking expectantly at Shen, in case things got ugly.

"YOU! It was one of your potions, wasn't it? Or some freakish spell that turned wrong. What did you do to my daughter?!" Shen yelled, now pointing an accusing finger at Uncle, who frowned at him.

"What is going on in here? What's with all the yelling…"

Jade stopped abruptly as she peeked through the doorway. Like Jackie before her, she was now completely stunned as she looked at her parents, whom she was not expecting to be here.

Shen and Juan looked in Jade's direction and took notice of her current form. As shocked as they were, they could tell that it was no costume; their daughter was now a frog-like creature of some kind.

"My little girl!" Juan shouted, moving to Jade and embracing her, much to her embarrassment.

"Ugh, Mooom!" Jade shouted as she tried to free herself from her mother's worried hug.

Shen was still stunned, looking at Jade's current appearance without saying a word or blinking. Then, without warning, he turned to Jackie and punched him right in the face, shocking all present.

"Aiiyaaaahh!" Uncle yelled.

"Jackie, Dad!" Jade shouted as she freed herself from her mother's embrace and moved to Jackie.

Shen was about to continue his assault on Jackie when a big, firm hand stopped him. He looked at the giant Japanese man, who was now glaring at him.

"I suggest that you calm down, Mr. Shen."

Outside the store, Harley was filing her nails as she waited for her Pudding, singing to herself.

"Little frog hops from her stand, from her stand, from her stand.

Little frog hops from her stand, and right into the clown's hand."

Harley giggled after finishing her song. She could hardly contain her enthusiasm for what her Pudding had prepared for the frog girl. It would be quite the show, a one-time spectacle starting in San Francisco, tonight only.

"And of course that'll only be the first act of this whole play, like Mistah Jay said. The true fun will be seeing if a frog can actually swim in a shark's tank, or if it'll end up sunken or torn to shreds. Speaking of frogs, why not have our wedding in Paris? It is the city of lovers and romance, after all. And Pudding would love to blow up the Eiffel Tower in order to show the world our love," Harley said, sighing dreamingly to herself.

The sound of two vans coming from opposite directions caught her attention. They stopped in front of the store and the back doors opened, from which came several thugs. A dozen were now gathered right in front of Harley, and leading them was the love her life, the Joker.

"Pudding!" Harley exclaimed, putting her arms around the Joker's neck.

"Easy on the hugs, Harley. Not in front of the boys," he admonished in a surprisingly gentle way, prompting Harley to release him.

"Sorry Pudding, but it was unbearable the time that we were apart," Harley said in a dramatic way.

"It was just two hours, Harley," the Joker sighed.

"And every minute felt like forever," Harley said in a lament.

"They say that true love lasts forever, Harley, and that includes the waiting part. He, he, he, he!" the Joker said with a giggle.

"Not funny, Mistah Jay," Harley said, huffing in annoyance.

"I jest, my dear. But look, I brought a surprise for you," the Joker said in a singsong tone.

"For me? What is it?" Harley asked, clearly excited.

The Joker reached into his inside pocket and took out a makeup box and a black eye mask.

"Oh, Mistah Jay, you shouldn't have," Harley said in bliss.

"You deserve it, Harley. Besides, no offense, but without your lovable makeup and mask you look too… sane for my tastes," the Joker said.

"Don't I know it. I can't wait to return to my full form again. And my clothes…"

"Right in the van, my dear," the Joker said, bowing as he directed Harley to one of the vans. She squealed in delight and went right to it.

"Now that my dear pumpkin got her surprise, I suppose that it's time to give the little frog a surprise of her own, don't you think so, boys?" the Joker asked, giggling as he turned to his gathered goons, smiling widely at them.

"Sure thing boss," one goon said.

"Whatever you say boss," said another.

The others murmured the same agreements, which seemed to satisfy the clown.

"Good, good. Now just remember, boys, this time the strike has to be surgical, in other words, no mortal victims. Yet!" the Joker said, looking pointedly at them, as if saying that if someone screwed things up, he was screwed too. Again, murmurs of agreement followed by nods of their heads.

Joker consulted a watch that he took from his pocket, and then said, "And I believe that they have had enough quality time as a family. Harley, get me my gun, the show is about to begin!"

Meanwhile

"What is the matter with you, Shen? Do you think that striking Jackie will turn Jade back to normal?" Uncle asked Shen in admonishment as Tohru held him up.

"It made me feel better," Shen said through clenched teeth.

THUCK!

"Augh!" Shen yelled, feeling his sore forehead from being struck by Uncle's infamous two-fingered slap.

"Are you okay, Jackie?" Jade asked as she helped Jackie get to his feet.

"I'm fine Jade, thanks," Jackie said as he put one hand on his left cheek, slightly swollen by Shen's strike.

"What's gotten into you, Dad?" Jade asked, now glaring at her restrained father.

"I could ask the same question."

All turn to Jade's mother in surprise. Juan was also moving to Jackie's side, and started to help him to his feet.

"Juan, what are you…" Shen started, stunned.

"First, let us all calm down and then we can talk like civilized adults," Juan said as she looked pointedly at her husband.

"Talk?! Don't you see what they did to Jade…"

"You don't know that. I'm also concerned for our daughter, but going ballistic on the first person that we can blame will not solve anything," Juan said.

"Yeah, Mom's right. It wasn't Jackie's fault…" Jade started.

"It was my fault."

Jackie's statement made everyone turn to him in surprise. He finally stood up on his own and turned to Tohru.

"Let Shen go, Tohru."

"Are you sure, Jackie?" the Japanese giant asked.

Jackie nodded in affirmation, to which Tohru complied, even if reluctantly. Shen was also surprised by this turn of events, so he was unsure what to do next.

"None of us caused this to happen to Jade, but I still feel responsible for what happened. I'm sorry Shen, I couldn't protect her in the end. But I will find a way to cure her, even if takes my whole life to do it. It's the least I can do to make up to Jade and to you," Jackie said in an apologetic and mourning tone.

"Jackie…" Jade whispered, starting to feel guilty for being so snippy to him in the last few days, witnessing Jackie's concern for her welfare.

Shen's angry demeanor began to disappear as he looked at the guilty look on his cousin's face, and even he was starting to regret having punched Jackie.

"Jackie… I…"

CRASH!

The sound of the front door being violently kicked opened caught the attention of all the Chans and Tohru. Barging though the door were two bulky men, each armed with an AK-47, and even more surprising, wearing clown makeup on their faces.

"What is the meaning of this?! Who dares…"

Uncle's shout was interrupted as the two men opened fire, not aiming at the occupants of the store, but only at their surroundings. Still, all present ducked on instinct as vases and other objects around them were torn to shreds by bullets.

"What is going on?!" Shen yelled at Jackie.

"I don't know!" Jackie yelled back.

Eventually, the bullets stop flying and the two men resumed aiming their guns at the ducked occupants.

"Nobody moves, got it?" one of them yelled in a gruff tone.

"Listen, whatever you want, just take it and leave us," Jackie said, trying to ease the mood. If this was a robbery, then it was best if it all happened as smoothly as possible.

"It's nice of you to say that. And I believe I will," a new voice responded.

If seeing two thugs wearing clown makeup was surprising enough, then what happened next completely stunned everyone present. Entering the store was a man with green hair and white makeup, red lipstick covering his lips, which were twisted into a perpetual smile. He was dressed in a purple fedora suit more common for comedians, with a dead flower in a pocket. His smile and eyes actually frightened Jackie for some reason.

Following him closely was a woman wearing a harlequin suit and also wearing white makeup and a black mask around her eyes. The two entered the store and positioned themselves between the two thugs, clearly indicating that they were the leaders.

"What the heck? Since when there are circus gangs?" Jade asked.

"Jade!" Jackie admonished.

The man actually laughed at the frog girl's remark, an unnerving giggle to everyone who heard it, aside from his female counterpart, who also giggled with him.

"Circus Gang, that's a good one. Harley, my notebook and a pen if you please," the Joker said.

"Sure thing, Mistah Jay," Harley said as she took out a notebook and pen, which she gave to the Joker.

"You?" Shen asked as he recognized the voice of the woman.

"Oh, hi Mac!" Harley said, waving at him.

"Let's see, Circus Gang, noted. Hmm, how about Cardinal Mob, or Fun Fare Gangsters, or perhaps…" the Joker started as he wrote those names down in his notebook.

"What is the meaning of this?! What kind of sick joke are you…" Shen shouted, standing up and confronting the criminals.

But the sound of bullets flying at Shen's side stopped his protest, as he ducked again. The guns stopped again, while the Joker appeared to still be concentrated on writing in his notebook, but then he threw it away from him and said, "Sick? No, no, no, crazy, maddening, perhaps even delusional is what I do, but sick jokes, that is not my style, right boys?" the Joker asked his men.

"Sure boss," one thug said.

"It's like you said, boss," said the other.

"Just who the hell are you people?" Jackie asked in a nervous tone.

"And who gave you permission to trash Uncle's store?" Uncle yelled in a furious tone.

"Whatever money or objects you want, you can have it," Juan said in a frightened tone.

An amused chuckle came from the Joker's throat.

"First, some introductions are in order. You may never have heard of me since I am not that well known outside Gotham – thanks a lot, Uncle Sam – but regardless, I am the King of Pranks, the Harlequin of Madness, the White Duke of Death, the Clown Prince of Crime, I am…"

"…The Joker," Tohru whispered, remembering now where he saw that face.

The Joker's smile widened at the interruption.

"Well, well, well, it seems that my reputation does precede me, he, he, he, he!" the Joker giggled.

"Ahem!" Harley said, gaining the Joker's attention.

"Oh right, and let's not forget about Harley Quinn, my adorable and completely nutty assistant," the Joker said, waving an arm at the woman in the harlequin suit.

"And the love your life, Pudding, don't forget that," Harley said in an upbeat tone as she leaned closer to the Joker, trying to kiss him on the cheek.

"Now, now, Harley, we have to save that for later. We're performing my dear, remember?" the Joker asked as he pushed Harley away from him.

"Oh, phooey!" Harley huffed as she pouted.

Jade's mind was spinning at seeing the… strange and eccentric behavior these two clowns were displayed. Did they think that they were in a kids' show?

"Ignore her for the moment. As for what is going to happen in the next few minutes… well, let's just say that we are all going to take a nice walk out of town," the Joker said, indicating their hunched hostages.

At this, Shen's temper got the better of him again.

"You all must be out of your minds if you think that we will go anywhere with you of our own accord after you barged in and threatened us at gun point. Just who do you…"

BANG!

In the blink of an eye, the Joker took out a gun with his right hand and shot Shen while he was ranting. All the others were shocked at this action.

"Sorry Mac, but I don't need permission slips to take you on this field trip," the Joker said, his eyes glinting in joy at watching the fallen man.

"Dad!" Jade yelled.

"Shen!" Jackie yelled in concern as he moved to check on his cousin.

"My husband. What have you done…" Juan said, visibly frightened.

"Shut up all of you!" the Joker yelled, now glaring in extreme fury and annoyance as he looked at the dumbfound hostages.

"Just relax, all of you, you're all acting like I killed him," the Joker said, suddenly slipping into a more calm tone of voice.

Jackie quickly realized that the insane clown was right – Shen was simply unconscious, drugged apparently, considering the dart sticking out of his chest.

"What kind of psycho are you? Why are you doing this?" Jade yelled, as she stood up and glared at the clown.

The Joker merely giggled in a mocking way.

"Funny that it was you that asked that question," the Joker said, as he pointed his gun at the small frog girl, ready to shoot another tranquilizer dart.

"Yu Mo Gwai Gui Fai Di Zao. Yu Mo Gwai Gui Fai Di Zao."

As Uncle chanted the spell, the blowfish and salamander that he was hiding behind his back glowed in a green light. Instantly, the weapons the two thugs and the Joker were holding also glowed and left the hands of their owners.

"What the…" one of the thugs said in shock.

"Oh look Mistah Jay, a magic trick," Harley said, pointing at the floating guns.

The Joker was actually unfazed as he watched the weapons fall on the floor.

"Nice trick, old man. Can you pull a rabbit from that smelly jacket of y…"

The Joker was interrupted by a punch right to his face, given by Jackie, who had recovered the moment Uncle took action, and was now ready to face the intruders.

"Now Tohru!" Jackie yelled.

The Japanese giant also stood up, and ran directly at the two disarmed thugs, who were visibly stunned by the charging Tohru.

"Oh crud," one of them mumbled as Tohru slammed his body against their own.

"Uh oh, sounds like we have to call in reinforcements," Harley said as she whistled vigorously.

As Jackie moved toward the fallen clown, he heard the sound of a car that seemed to be approaching at high speed. Before he could wonder what it was, one of the store's windows exploded in a shower of debris, caused by a black van that smashed through it.

"AIIYAAHHHH! My store!" Uncle yelled, seeing his ruined store.

"Come on you bozos, stop that brute," Harley ordered the thugs that were now entering the store, who moved to surround Tohru, wanting to beat the giant with their numerical advantage.

"So many of them," Jackie whispered, looking at the dozens of men actually holding Tohru on the spot as he struck one away, only for another to jump on his back and try to choke him, and so on.

"I would worry more about yourself, if I were you," the Joker said as he stood up, a switchblade in his right hand.

Jackie tensed in preparation for the inevitable sweep of the blade. And it came from such a strange angle that Jackie almost failed to evade it.

"Whoa!" Jackie exclaimed as he continued to evade the erratic movements of the insane clown.

"Jade, Juan, take Shen and get away from here. Me, Uncle, and Tohru will deal with them," Jackie said as he continued to evade the slashes of the knife.

"What? But we can't leave you…" Jade said.

"Jade, let Jackie handle this," Juan said hurriedly, as she started to pick up her sleeping husband.

"But…"

"No buts, Jade. Jackie and Uncle will handle the insane clown…"

SWUUUUHHH!

Juan's was cut short as the switchblade passed right by her, embedding itself in the nearby table. Even Jackie looked at the blade that nearly struck Jade's mother, then look back at the Joker with an angry expression on his face. So did Jade.

"Hold still, you chinks. When I said that I would take you for a ride, I meant all of you," the Joker said with a murderous expression on his face, complimented by the bloodthirsty smile his mouth was twisted into.

That did it.

"You… you sick JERK!" Jade yelled as her eyes glowed red and her cheeks swelled, as air built up in her mouth, ready to be unleashed.

Which it was.

BUUUUUUURRRRRRPP!

Jade's belch released a strong wind current, so strong that Jackie decided to move to the side in order to avoid it, while the current caught the Joker dead on and sent him flying in the air.

"YIHEEEEEEEEEE!" the Joker cheered as he was sent flying further away from the girl until he crashed into a wall. Still, the wind continued, keeping him stuck to the wall.

"This is waaaay better than an air tunnel. More, MORE! AHHHHHH HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA!" the Joker yelled, laughing maniacally at the end.

Jackie and Uncle looked completely stunned at seeing the clown laughing his guts out while he was being crushed by Jade's windblast. What kind of a nut job would do something like that?

"Oh I will give you mo… UGH!"

Jade was cut short as something collided with the back of her head, making her fall to the floor, unconscious. The windblast dispersed and the Joker fell on the floor in a heap.

"Oh, it was getting good," the Joker whined as he got back on his feet.

"Who…" Jackie started, before he noticed the harlequin woman looming over his unconscious niece, holding a big mallet in her hands.

"Sorry Froggy, but your time to shine will come veeeery shortly, just not right now," Harley said as she smirked at the fallen girl.

"My daughter, what have you done to her?" Juan asked in a worried and frightened tone as Harley was now looming over her.

"Why this," Harley said as she raised the mallet and struck Jade's mother, making her fall unconscious too.

"NO! What did you do!" Jackie shouted in worry at seeing Jade and her parents now all unconscious.

"Oh relax honey, I didn't hit them too hard, just enough to give them a BIG headache when they wake up," Harley said while she flashed Jackie a cute innocent smile.

But Jackie was not in a forgiving mood.

"You will pay for… hey, let go of me!" Jackie yelled as someone grabbed him from behind. Jackie then felt something be stuck in the back of his neck, something sharp.

"Nighty-night, Jackie Chan, AH HA, HA, HA, HA!" the Joker said as he laughed and released Jackie, revealing a syringe in his right hand.

"Wha… who…" Jackie mumbled as he too fell unconscious, lying on the floor like Jade and her parents.

"That showed them, Mistah Jay," Harley cheered as she gave the Joker a thumbs-up.

"Quite, my dear, and now to finish off the remaining tw… AHCK!"

The Joker yelled in pain as some sort of green energy struck his hand, making him drop the syringe. He looked in annoyance at the old man, who was now positioned between him and his fallen family members.

"You stop now crazy clown, or do you want a piece of Uncle?" Uncle said in a very serious tone as he glared at the Joker.

The Joker actually pondered the old man's words for a moment, but then shook his head.

"Tempting, but we're in a hurry now, so Harley, if you please," the Joker said.

"Sure, Pudding," Harley said as she started to flip and pirouette toward Uncle.

But the old chi wizard simply pointed his blowfish at the acrobatic harlequin and fired, striking Harley straight in her chest and making her fall in a heap.

"Now stay down troublesome girl, and… AUGH!"

The chi wizard dropped his blowfish as he felt a sting on his right hand. Looking at it, he saw the same syringe that the Joker used on Jackie. Stunned, Uncle looked at his side, the clown with his arm stretched like he had thrown something.

"I think it's time for your nap, MUAW HA, HA, HA, HA!" the Joker said, laughing uncontrollably.

"No, sensei!" Tohru yelled as he kept struggling with the dozen thugs trying to hold him down.

"And now it's your turn, big guy," one thug said.

"Yeah, prepare to join your… UGH!"

The thug who was talking was cut short as he and the rest of his comrades were thrown away from Tohru, as the giant was able to free himself in a mighty effort.

"You are dead, clown, AARRRRRRHHHHHH!" Tohru yelled as he charged at the Joker.

But the clown merely sighed and his right hand went to his jacket, producing another revolver.

"Must I do all the work around here?" the Joker asked in annoyance as he aimed at Tohru.

BANG!

BANG!

BANG!

Three darts were now imbedded in Tohru's chest, their contents now circulating through his veins and starting to slow him down, as his conscience started to slip away. Still, he kept moving, even if at a slower pace, still wanting to crush the Joker with his bare hands.

The Joker still kept his gun pointed at the Japanese giant, but as Tohru was just a few feet away from him, he put the gun away. No sooner had that happened then Tohru stopped, his eyes too heavy for him to keep them open.

"No sense in wasting ammo," the Joker said to himself as he approached Tohru, and then pushed him with one hand, which made the giant fall on the ground, the store shaking at the weight of his massive body.

"Timber," the Joker said, giggling at his remark.

"It was fun, but the party is over sooner than I expected, oh well. Okay boys, start loading them on the truck. We have a long trip ahead of us," the Joker ordered as some of his men started to pick themselves up.

"You… won't… get away… with this. Uncle… called for… help," Uncle mumbled from where he was kneeling, still trying to fight back the sleepiness.

"As if the cops can stop us," a thug retorted as he and others approached the old man.

"Not… them. The ones… Uncle called… will make sure… that you stay… locked up forever," Uncle mumbled as he glared defiantly at the criminals.

"Pfffff! If I had a dime for every time I heard that line I would be a very rich clown by now," the Joker said in a mocking tone as he approached Uncle, and hunched down next to him.

"If you are expecting a last minute rescue from that Section 13 or whatever lucky number they are known for, sorry to disappoint, but they will not make it in time. But since I'm such a nice guy, I'll leave a little surprise just for them. It will be bombastic, I assure you, eh he, he, AH HA, HA, HA, HA, AHHHHHH HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA!"

The Joker then shoved Uncle's head on the ground, leaving the old man unconscious like the others.

"Now let's move people, we have much to do and so little time."

Half An Hour Later

Several black vans stopped in front of Uncle's Rare Finds. Several SWAT agents emerged and surrounded the store, much to the confusion of the other residents of the street.

Black emerged from the front door of one van, surveying the ruined front of the store, as if someone had crashed a car into it. He cursed to himself. By now, whatever had happened in the store was already long over. Still, they needed to check inside just in case. He then turned and addressed the assembled agents, "All right people, half an hour ago Jackie's uncle called for help, as a gang of clown-dressed criminals invaded his store. If what he said was true, then they wanted to kidnap the Chan family, which includes Shen and Juan Chan, who were also inside at the time, and Tohru as well. By now the culprits may have already fled the area, but we will still check the store as cautiously as possible, so stay alert, just in case one of the scumbags that did this is still inside."

Black nodded at them and they all moved inside the store, taking careful steps, so as to not make any noise. Black was taking the lead, gun held in his right hand and followed closely by two agents.

"So far so good, people," Black whispered as he moved towards the balcony.

On the table was set a big present box, with a red ribbon and everything. This confused Black. The bandits left a parting gift behind?

CLICK!

Black looked behind himself as he saw that one of the agents had stepped on what seemed to be a button on the ground.

"Sorry chief, I didn't…"

TOING!

Black and all the agents looked in surprise at the small screen that popped from the box thanks to an interior spring. It had the number 30 on display.

And then changed to 29, 28, 27…

Black's eyes bulged in panic.

"Outside! Now, now!" Black yelled as he and the agents quickly fled the store.

BOOOOOOMMMM!

No sooner had Black and his men left the store then it exploded in a fiery spectacle, the shockwave from the blast forcing Black and some of his men to the ground. Several people fled the area around the store, in case more explosions happened.

"Dammit, that was a close call. Is everyone alright?" Black asked as he picked himself up.

"Yes chief, none of our agents were inside the store when it exploded, but if there was anyone else inside, then they're goners by now," one agent replied.

Black was about to curse loudly when his cell phone rang. He put it close to his ear and asked, "Hello, base?"

"Sorry, wrong store, please try again. He, he, he, he, AH HA, HA, HA, HA, HA!" a voice said through the phone, laughing madly at the end.

"Who are you? What have you done to them?" Black yelled in a demanding tone.

More mocking laughter followed until the call ended abruptly.

"Hello? Hello?!" Black yelled, but there was still no response.

"Dammit!" Black shouted as he threw his cell phone away in frustration.

Outskirts of San Francisco

Two vans were speeding their way down the highway, leaving behind the city of San Francisco as they make their trip back to Gotham.

Inside one of the vans was the Joker and a few of his men, the clown closing his cell phone and putting it away.

"Well, that was that. I believe that no one will bother us for a while," the Joker said.

"But boss, if the big top of that Section 13 or whatever joint is alive, won't they will try to hunt us down all the same?" one of the thugs asked.

The Joker regarded the man, smiling maliciously.

"That is actually a very good point, but if they do that they'll step in the jurisdiction of whichever of Uncle Sam's boy scouts that keeps track of Gotham, not that they have been doing such a stellar job, right boys?" the Joker said as he regarded his assembled men.

Murmurs of agreement came from the assembled thugs, even the driver, wanting to avoid a mess with the Joker. Said clown then looked down, at the sleeping girl and the rest of her family members, all tied down. The only one not in this van was Tohru, obviously occupying the other one with Harley and the rest of the Joker's men.

"Besides, considering that they seem to consider this girl a hindrance, I don't think that they'll mind how she's properly contained in Gotham, he, he, he, he!" the Joker said, giggling in anticipation.

"I see, so everything is planned out," the same thug said.

"Well, almost," the Joker said in an enigmatic tone.

The clown took his gun out again, pointing at the thug, much to his surprise.

"No! Wait, wait boss…"

BANG!

"Whoa!" Jade yelped, now fully awake thanks to the gunshot. What happened? Where was she?

Those questions were dispelled from her mind as a man fell dead right in front of her, blood coming from the wound in his forehead. Jade immediately backed away in fright as much as she could, considering her bound body, shocked to see a dead human being in front of her.

"I hate when people make unnecessary observations about my schemes," the Joker muttered in a dangerous tone.

"You… you killed him," Jade said in a low tone, almost in a whisper.

"Oh, you're awake. Goody, I really wanted to have a word with you," the Joker said, chuckling softly at the end.

"He was your man… and you killed him?" Jade asked with a horrified look on her face.

"Yeah, so?" the Joker asked in a disinterested tone.

Jade was actually taken aback. Sure, she and Jackie had encountered several human criminals that tried to kill them on many occasions, but she never witnessed someone dying, at least not someone human.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk! For someone that clashed with an organization like the Dark Hand, you sure seem surprised at seeing someone dying. If any of your foes had succeeded against you and your family, I can assure you that you wouldn't be breathing right now," the Joker said in an admonishing tone.

"It doesn't make it right. It's not right to kill," Jade said defiantly as she glared at the clown.

The Joker merely laughed at her response.

"My, my, such righteous integrity that you have. It does clash with your rebellious temperament and attitude. The mischievous girl with a golden heart, he, he, he!" the Joker said with a giggle as he approached Jade and pinched her right cheek.

"But I'm only interested in the mischief part, so I'm afraid the rest has to go. Trust me, you won't need any morality where you're going," the Joker said as he smiled at Jade, a smile full of malice, wickedness, and insanity as his penetrating eyes regarded her.

Jade almost let panic overrule her mind, but looking at her side and seeing her fallen family reminded her that she couldn't let herself be frightened by this psychopath, no matter how much he actually scared her. Even Shendu paled in comparison to him, for some reason. Still, she couldn't back down – he was only human, for crying out loud.

While she was not.

"Not if I have anything to say about… AUGH, that hurt!" Jade yelled as she felt something sting her neck.

Looking back, she saw one of the goons with a syringe in his hand, and Jade immediately realized that she was drugged like her family.

"Oh no, not… again… muwww!" Jade mumbled as her eyes started to feel heavy, sleep trying to overcome her mind, and succeeding.

As for the Joker, he simply took a vial out of his jacket, a vial that contained a green liquid of some kind that was glowing.

"Sleep little frog, for the night has come. For when you awake, there will be damage that can't be undone.

"Sleep now, with peace within, for very soon your nightmare will begin," the Joker sang, with soft and yet creepy voice.

The last thing Jade saw before she fell unconscious was the insane clown toying with the vial, the green liquid glowing as if in response.

Present

"And you don't remember anything else after that?" Strange asked, with his hands joined in a contemplative state.

"Some flashes and voices, but mostly muffled or impossible to hear or remember correctly. Of course, I now know what happened during these 24 hours, but I have no real recollection of them," Jade replied.

"I see," Strange murmured.

Jade was looking at him a curious way, slightly surprised that he didn't react as negatively as she expected while she was relating her story.

"So, no arguments of 'magic isn't real' or 'you are no real demon' or something of the kind?" Jade asked, actually puzzled at Strange's lack of reaction.

Strange chuckled softly at her.

"Let's just say that I have some experience with the supernatural. Perhaps not as much as your case, to be fair, but enough to actually believe you," Strange replied.

"Really?" Jade asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Really," Strange answered in a calm tone.

"Of course it helps that I have copies of all of Section 13's data concerning the Demon Sorcerers and the rest of the mystical artifacts that they have," Strange thought to himself. He had actually pondered before the possibility of integrating those objects, or powers in the case of the demon chi, into his overall plans. Granted, the Oni King's mask was out of the question for obvious reasons, but the rest could be useful in the long term. Still, he wanted to hear Jade Chan's story first, and then he would decide if a "visit" to Section 13 would be worth the effort.

"I imagine that after some time you awoke and found yourself in an unfamiliar place," Strange said.

"Yeah. It was a dark, cold, and bloody place," Jade said in a melancholic tone as she lowered her head.

"Ugh, my head!" Jade moaned with her eyes still closed, as she started to regain consciousness.

Eventually, Jade opened her eyes, and as her vision became clearer, she realized that she was in a large, dark room, with little light, but yet she could see a huge front door, from which she guessed that she was inside a garage of sorts.

"Why does it feel like someone hit my head with a giant mallet? Ouch, my head hurts," Jade moaned as she covered her face with her now free hands.

"Yuck, what is this stuff?" Jade complained as she felt some sort of sticky liquid on her hands and now on her face. She smelt them and instantly she frowned in disgust.

"Eeewwww! This stinks. It smells like…"

Her next words never left her mouth as Jade realized what it was that she smelled – blood.

"Wha… what? How am I…" Jade stuttered as she rose to her feet, realizing that it was not only her hands; her clothes were covered in blood. She realized that she was standing in a big pool of blood. Even in the dim light, she could see it.

"What… what could have spilled so much blood? Am I in a butchery or something?" Jade asked herself, stunned and unnerved at seeing so much blood.

Looking around her, she saw a huge object, probably a bag, Jade thought, a very big one but still a bag. She approached it, but then her eyes widened in shock and fright. It was no bag, it was a body, Tohru's body, covered in blood and showing profound wounds. His eyes were rolled up, only showing white, as his mouth was open in a gapping expression.

"No, no, big T, come on, wake up. Wake up!" Jade yelled frantically.

But alas, Tohru remained still. Jade backed away in fear and shock, almost stumbling on an object.

"What?" Jade asked as she looked down.

Another body, this one of her father. And next to it was her mother, both leaving trails of blood.

"Mom, Dad, no, no!" Jade said, her voice becoming more frantic by the second.

Again surveying her surroundings, she found Uncle's body a few feet away from her parents, and next to him was Jackie's body.

"No, no, this can't be happening," Jade whispered in complete denial. No, this had to be a trick. Or a nightmare. It couldn't be real.

Jade approached Jackie's body, noticing that despite his grave injuries, he still had a peaceful look on his face, his eyes closed.

"Uncle Jackie, uncle Jackie, please wake up, please. Please," Jade said as she pushed Jackie's body, expecting some reaction from him.

Nothing. He didn't move a muscle.

"Please, anybody, wake up. Wake up," Jade said in panic as she surveyed all the bodies, expecting, wanting someone to wake up.

But not one of them did. And that could only mean one thing.

"No, no, no, NOOOOOOOOO! AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Jade yelled at the top of her lungs, her hands grabbing her head.

Gotham City, Night

From a dark alley, two figures moved from the shadows. Two men with rough beards left the alley and approached a car that was in front of the alley.

"Come on man, we have to do this as quickly as we can," one of the thugs said in a nervous tone as he pulled out a crowbar, which indicated his obvious intentions for that car.

"Easy man, what are the odds of being found by the Bat tonight?" the other thug asked, smirking at his partner.

"The same as any night. Two months ago he beat me up so bad that I only left the hospital two weeks ago," the first thug replied, looking frantically at his surroundings.

"Bah, we don't need to fear the Bat tonight, he's probably fighting some of the other crazies or a crime lord or something. We're too small for him to even notice us," the other said in a reassuring tone as he took out his own crowbar, ready to break the car's door open.

"I don't know man, I don't…"

The thug stopped as he saw a shadow moving in their direction.

"It's the Bat. He is freaking here!" the man yelled.

"What? Where?" his companion asked as he readied his crowbar, in preparation to fight against the legendary Dark Knight.

But the shadow that they saw was only being cast by a plastic bag floating in the air, being pushed by the wind.

"You're a wussy. That's not Batman, you prick," the other thug said in an angry tone.

"But I thought… for a minute, I thought it was him," the man said, trying to justify himself.

"If you're so afraid then go and piss your pants somewhere else. I can take your share easily," the thug said, still annoyed at his partner.

"No, no, sorry, I was freaking out, but I'm okay now. I'm okay," the man said.

"Good, and for the last time, the Bat is not going catch us tonight," the thug said.

"Don't be so sure."

A new gruff voice caught both men's attention, and right in front of them was a man dressed in black, with a mask covering half his face, a long cape shaped like bat wings, and on his chest was a bat symbol; Batman, the Caped Crusader, and scourge of Gotham's criminal underworld. So shocked were they that one didn't even had time to react to a punch that Batman delivered to his face, knocking him out cold in an instant.

"Oh man, oh man, oh man!" yelled the more cowardly of the two, as he drops his crowbar and started to flee the scene.

But Batman had other ideas for him, as he took out a batarang from his utility belt and launched it at the fleeing thug, striking him right in the back of his head, making him fall unconscious like his partner.

"Stay down," Batman murmured as he pointed his grapple gun up into the air. A hook that was connected by a line to the gun was shot up until it struck a gargoyle statue perched on a tall building. Immediately, the gun started to reel the line back, allowing Batman quick ascension until he could grab and mount the statue, now staying in his temporary observatory post.

"Oracle, send a call to GCPD so that they can pick up two car thieves," Batman said as he pressed a button on his mask in order to give a com signal to his partner.

"Roger that, Bruce. So, how has tonight's patrol been?" asked the muffled voice of the Oracle, real name Barbara Gordon, daughter of Commissioner James Gordon and professional hacker assisting the Caped Crusader in his heroic deeds. A few years back she was also one of Gotham's vigilantes called Batgirl, at least until she was rendered paralyzed from the waist down, courtesy of the Joker.

"A slow night, for the moment. Just a couple of muggings and one car theft, so far," Batman, real name Bruce Wayne, playboy millionaire of Gotham city, last member of the wealthiest family in the entire city, the Waynes, answered.

"I see. So, any leads on the Joker and Harley's whereabouts?" Oracle asked.

"Nothing so far. Most of his men are either in Blackgate Penitentiary or lying low, but what concerns me is that the Joker has been inactive this long," replied Batman.

"I agree. Normally, after he escapes from Arkham it only takes him a week or two tops for him to act. But for more than three weeks, we haven't heard a single thing from him or Harley," Oracle said in agreement.

"Indeed Barbara, and that is why I think they've left Gotham for some reason," Batman said.

"As in, for good? You think they finally skipped town?" Oracle asked in an incredulous tone.

"No – if they left Gotham, it won't be for long, I assure you. As for why they left town in the first place, well… I have no ideas," Batman admitted.

"I'm sure that it won't take long until… oh, wait a sec, I've got something for you," Oracle said.

"What is it?" Batman asked, his curiosity now pricked.

"Listen for yourself," Oracle said.

"Attention all units. Anonymous call pointing to disturbances at Gotham docks. Units 4 and 7 en route," Batman heard through his comlink.

"The docks, that's four miles from here," Batman said as he jumped from the statue, his cape extending to now truly resemble bat wings, allowing the Dark Knight to glide safely to the ground.

"What do you think it is, Bruce?" Oracle asked.

"Probably some fight between gangs. Still, it's better that I take a look," Batman said as he landed in another alley. Entering it, he walked straight to the Batmobile, opening its cabin and entering it.

"Well, you have nothing better to do tonight," Oracle said in agreement.

Batman didn't respond, as he lowered the door and started the engine of his vehicle.

Gotham Docks

Two police cruisers stopped at the front of a storage unit. Two police officers left one vehicle and headed toward the closed gate.

"This is the place alright, but everything's quiet. Strange," one cop commented.

"Let's check inside, just in case," the other said as he moved towards the gate, breaking the lock.

"That isn't procedures," his partner said.

"Like I care. Commissioner Gordon can bitch at me all he wants after we take care of t…"

The officer stopped midsentence as he looked in shock at the scene in front of him. His partner too gaped in complete disbelief. Blood, so much blood, was covering the ground of the storage unit, blood that was spreading out from five bodies, one of them especially large, as they could see.

And lying in the middle of the pool of blood was a frog girl, her face expressing a shocked, traumatized look, her eyes so open that they looked like they could fall out of their sockets.

"What the hell?" one of them asked in an incredulous tone as he looked at the haunted face of the young girl.

"Gone, all of them gone. Gone forever," Jade muttered over and over again.

Next on "A Frog in Arkham Asylum":

False accusations and an unfair trial lead to a padded cell in Arkham