Batman: Arkham Asylum (Pre-Edit)

Chapter 1 - Welcome to Elizabeth Arkham Asylum

In the streets of a once great city, the roads were clogged with police cars. After a recent fire at Blackgate Penitentiary, caused by The Joker, who is now being escorted to Arkham Asylum, along with all his men, who were being held at Blackgate. While the goons were being transported to Arkham by police car, The Joker got his own special ride. Business-class seating in the Batmobile. And of course, who else but the great Batman was driving. Sitting and giggling in the back, Joker constantly mumbling strange phrases. The Dark Knight ignored him and focused on the road. Driving onto the bridge, leading to the asylum, stood a huge dark gate, with the words "Arkham Asylum: Mental Institution for the Criminally Insane"; was welded into the metal, while two reaper statues holding lanterns stood over the cars passing through. The asylum's clock tower rang, pointing to the ten and the twelve. Ten o' clock pm. Finally arriving at the front door of the Intensive Treatment Centre, Batman kicks Joker in the back of the knee, causing him to kneel on the ground. Eerie fog flooded the room for a few seconds, and took a while for Batman's eyes to adjust to the dim light. At the end of the corridor, stood a few men, three wearing security uniforms and one wearing a flashy-looking suit. Warden Sharp looked at Joker as if he didn't deserve to be in his asylum."Hey, Sharpy!" said Joker, "Love what you've done with the place!""That's Warden Sharp to you. Boles!" replied SharpOne of the guards named Frank Boles walked up to Joker, just as the clown made a smart comment " Yo! Frank-ay! How's the wife and kids? Ya miss me?" "Shut it clown!" yelled Boles. "A lot of people here really wanna talk to you."Boles violently grabbed Joker and led him to an upright stretcher. "Really. I don't mind walking!" and groaned as his back hit the hard metal backrest. "Careful, boys!" he said to the guards, "Don't crease the suit!" Followed by a bone-chilling cackle. "Get that filthy degenerate out of here!" said Sharp."Warden," said Batman. "Something's not right. I'm going with him."Walking through into the Intensive Treatment Lobby, Batman spots an Arkham Guard, William North. "Is Commissioner Gordon here yet?" asked Batman. "Uh, yes sir. He's waiting for you down at Patient Handover." replied North. "He got here just before you did." Fog Lights turned on, stunning many of the guards. After catching up to the Joker and the guards, they walked onto a lowering platform, leading them to an X-Ray chamber. "New Patient in the Intensive Treatment Lobby. All non-essential staff to vacate the area." boomed a female voice in the speaker. Finally entering the chamber, both security doors shut, and a male voice, Officer Aaron Cash, said "Tunnels full. Turn on the scan." In front of them, a room-wide scanner turns on, and goes through the group of men. Sirens bleep, and another officer announces "Multiple prohibited items." "I want Joker searched again!" yelled Cash."It's not the patient," said the operator. "It's uh...""Ooooh!" enthused Joker. "Whatcha sneak in with ya, Bats? Come on tell me, tell me! Batarangs? Batclaws? Ooh! BatSNACKS?""Open the gate!" said Cash "Get him outta there! I want weapons on him at all times! Never let him out of your sight!" The security gates opened and they moved out of the chamber, only leading to another corridor entirely. They walked past Cash, who gave Joker a dirty look. "Time enough for you later, Cash." said Joker. "Speaking of time... tick tock, tick tock; is that a crocodile i hear?" Passing Joker's doctor, Penelope Young, Joker blurted another comment "What's up, Doc? Cancel me in tomorrow at four. We've got a lot of work to do."TV screens turned on, showing Warden Sharp welcoming the new patient to the asylum with a repetitive tape every time a new patient was admitted. "Ooh! It's my favourite show!" teased Joker "I'm Warden Idiot! You'll Never Escape!" followed by a chilling cackle.Chants call from the corresponding corridor to them. It was Joker's men, all shuffling in handcuffs, and chanting in unison. "Joker! Joker! Joker!"One of the guards must have gotten annoyed before telling them to shut up. But one of them managed to leak a phrase. "Catcha' soon, boss!""I tell you." said Joker. "The state of the wiring in these federal facilities is... well... it's shocking! My boys could have been hurt in that... UNFORTUNATE fire!" The group of men approached a team of doctors, one of them, holding a clipboard, walking up to Officer Boles. "Just gotta check your patient Officer Boles.""Whatever," said Boles. "Just be quick.""Only following procedure." replied the doctor, showing a clear dislike for Boles. He began to inspect Joker, and write notes briefly down on his clipboard. "Patient seems to be in satisfactory condition. Looks like he's suffered minor lacerations probably in the last two hours. There seems to be..." "BOO!"Everyone jumped back in surprise, and the guards raised their guns. Joker let out a bone chilling laugh, frightening them all again. "Need to take my temperature?"asked the clown. "I'd be HAPPY to drop my pants."The doctor looked disgusted as he dismissed Joker "He's all yours. Get him outta' here!""Get the door open" said Boles. The security door opened, leading to a wide elevator shaft with control rooms above them. The speakers ding-a-ding-donged on, and the commentator said "Alert in Intensive Treatment." The elevator from the lower floor creaked. "Category 9 Patient in Transit. Pacification Systems Active. Shoot to kill permissions granted." Everyone knew the woman wasn't talking about the clown. There was someone or something climbing the elevator. Not quickly, but it would eventually reach the top, slowly building fear in all of the guard's bodies. Rapid footsteps behind Batman got his attention. Uncountable guards armed themselves and surrounded the Dark Knight, all putting their guns up in unison. "You heard the lady!" yelled an unfamiliar guard, who seemed to be the leader of the squad. "We've got another psycho on the way!"Again, Joker butted in with an unnecessary comment. "Can you smell the excitement in the air?" he enthused. "No? Hmmm.Must have been one of the guards then."Finally, the elevator door reached the top floor. They opened, revealing a scaly-like mutant giant. You couldn't call it human. It struggled with great difficulty to actually get out of the elevator, but got out eventually. It threw it's neck back to stretch, as the position it was in looked beyond uncomfortable. Foglights turned on, and an amusing scream of surprise from a new recruited guard made many of the guards smile. Not Batman. He was focusing on the creature staring at him with huge, slitted yellow eyes. Joker turned around, and also saw the beast. "Croc old boy!" said Joker "Is that you?"People called him Killer Croc. Everyone feared him, after rumours of people getting ripped into shreds by his razor sharp claws and teeth. His real name was Waylon Jones. Jones is a former crocodile wrestler turned into a criminal deformed by birth. He has low intelligence but great strength, as well as crocodilian abilities, such as keen sense of smell and the ability to hold his breath underwater for long periods of time. Since his dreaded carnival days, his mutation has become much more severe. His entire body is now scaly, although he has a pale hue to his belly and chest. Around his neck is a large shock collar to incapacitate him, should he attempt to attack any of Arkham staff, with a broken chain hanging from the bottom of the collar. Two ankle cuffs with broken chains are on his ankles, still barefoot. He has bright, yellow eyes with black, slit pupils and much larger and sharper teeth. Croc wears dirty, orange, stained prison trousers, and has a brown rope tied in a knot around his waist as a makeshift belt. Croc is shirtless and muscular. Also, his entire body is green. "What's it doing?" asked a guard. "I've got your scent, Batman." croaked Croc. "I will hunt you down.""Get that animal under control!" yelled a guard. The leader clicked a button, turning on the monster's collar, shocking him. Croc fell to his knees in agony, but recovered quickly. "A toy collar won't stop me from killing you Batman." He and highly armoured guards walked with Killer Croc into the Cell Block Transfer, in which Batman came. "I'll rip you apart, eat your bones."his voice echoed. Joker, the guards and Batman proceeded into the elevator that Croc came up in. It reeked of sewer and rotted meat. "Hold tight." said Boles. The elevator door closed, and Joker started the ride off with enthusiasm. "Whee!" he screeched. "Great night for a party!" "Not where you're going." said Batman."The night is young, Bats." replied Joker. "I still have a trick or two up my sleeve. I mean, don't you think it's a little bit funny how a fire at Blackgate caused hundreds of my crew to be moved here?""I thought i told you to STAY. QUIET." yelled Boles."Oh, Frankie." tsk-ed Joker. "You really should learn to keep that fat mouth of your's shut. It'll get you into trouble.""Tell me something," said Batman. "You've never let me catch you this easily. What are you really after?""Oh, nothing much." answered Joker. "Hundreds dying in pain and fear, all their meaningless lives brought to a horrifying conclusion. All thanks to you and a book of matches. Was that the answer you wanted?"The elevator television on both sides of the elevator turned on, displaying the Warden. "All patients should avoid contact with prisoners from Blackgate Prison Facility. Their presence will..."Joker began to laugh uncontrollably as the lights from the elevator suddenly powered down. Pitch black, Joker's hysterical laugh turned into a strangled choke. Power came back online, and Batman was seen clutching Joker's neck firmly. "What?" he choked. "Don't you trust me?" Batman threw Joker's head back onto the hard headrest of the stretcher, and the group moved into a corridor. "So," said a disgusted-looking guard. "You're back. You killed three of my crew when you busted outta here." "Only three?" chuckled Joker. "I'll be sure to try harder next time! What say we aim for a hundred?"Moving into a lobby, Joker was unstrapped and escorted by a guard and an orderly while Batman and Commissioner Gordon looked onto the psycho making his way down to the holding cells. "Long night, Jim?" asked Batman."Joker invades City Hall," he says, and then briefly paused to shake hands with the Dark Knight, "and holds the mayor hostage. Leaving it to me to juggle SWAT teams, the media and you. Yeah, it's been a helluva night.""Hopefully the last one we'll ever have with him." said Batman. They finally reached the security gate, blocking the Holding Cells. "Hold it there." said the guard. "Sorry, Batman. Arkham staff only.""I assure you," said Gordon. "If anyone's qualified it's...""Listen," interrupted the guard. "I appreciate the assistance, but he'll unsettle the more violent inmates."Joker walked up to Batman, still with cuffs on, and leaned into his face as he said "I think he's talking about you, Bats! Don't be a stranger! You're always welcome here. Gotta' say! It's good to be back!""You OK?" asked Gordon to Batman. "He surrendered almost without a fight." said Batman. "I don't like it.""At least he's back where he belongs" said Gordon. The two of them walk into the observation room, where Joker is seen walking with the guard and the orderly. Suddenly, Joker stumbled and tripped. The guard demanded him to get up, and so Joker bashed him in the face with the back of his head. He then used his handcuffs to strangle the guard, forcing the the doctor to unhook the Joker."Joker's loose!" yelled Batman. "Alert the Warden!""Hurry!" Joker yelled to the doctor. "We're losing him, Doc!" But by the time the handcuffs were unlocked, the guard was already dead.Batman punched the observation window, but of course it was reinforced, so it only cracked. Joker kicked the doctor away, as well as the deceased guard. The Joker kneeled down to the guard and said coldly "The choke's on you!", imitating a playful laugh, and pointed to the security door with a "Ta-Da!". He looked up at the security camera and told it he was home. "Honey!" he told no one. "I'm home!"He somehow got in by the adjacent electrical doorway, allowing Joker to access the cell controls. He ran behind the energy screen just as Batman managed to break through the viewing window and into the room."Welcome to the Madhouse, Batman! I set a trap, and you sprang it gloriously! Now let's get this party started." Joker released his men from Blackgate out of their cells. While Batman was battling the thugs, Joker commentated completely irrational subjects. "Ladies and maniacs." he said. "I apologise for this interruption to your regular entertainment. Up to a few seconds ago, I was going to kill everyone in the room, and then watch cartoons, but then... well... you know how i do love a captive audience." Batman finished the first lot off, and his knuckles didn't even hurt yet. "I'm just warming you up, Bats!" commentated Joker. "Fresh, from Blackgate Correctional facility, with a combined sentence of 752 years... it's round 2!" More henchmen flooded the room, so Batman remained calm, and went for it. "Sorry, Bats!" laughed Joker. "Gotta run! Places to go, people to SLAY!"Batman finally finished off the men, and looked over at Gordon."The systems jammed." said Gordon. "Joker's in full control of the security gates.""I'll find a way out." said Batman. "Gordon, try and contact the warden. Let him know what's happened. I'll find him." "Don't make promises you can't keep, Bats." said Joker. His face appeared on a television screen, showing him running through the corridors, only stopping to argue with the dark knight. "I'm in control of the asylum." he said. "You're not going anywhere i don't want you to. Understand?""If you think I'll let you run...""Blah! Blah! Blah! ALWAYS with the HERO speak! Ooh, i'm getting bored of watching you; why don't you just come find me?"All of a sudden, the security gates disable, and without hesitation, Batman heads to where Joker escaped. "You know it's a trap." yelled Gordon, through the viewing window. "Of course it is." dismissing the Commissioner. Walking through another corridor, riddled with deceased Arkham guards' bodies, Batman knew wherever that madman went, death was sure to follow."Oracle" said Batman. "Can you hear me?""Loud and clear." replied a voice in the high-tech cowl of Batman's mask. "What's up?""Joker's escaped custody. He's running free in Arkham.""Do you need anything? Is my... Dad still there?""Commissioner Gordon is safe. Joker's not far ahead. I'll stay in contact."The daughter of Gotham City's Police Commissioner James Gordon, Barbara Gordon was forbidden by her overprotective father from joining the GCPD. (Gotham City Police Department.) Instead, she took on the identity of Batgirl and was a crime-fighting partner of Batman for years. But that all ended when the Joker shot her through the spine.Paralyzed from the waist down and confined to a wheelchair, Barbara adopted the new identity of Oracle, and now aids the Dark Knight with her computer expertise, providing Batman with a constant stream of information in the field to aid his battle against crime.Dismissing Barbara, Batman was lead to the Patient Pacification Chamber. Guards were holding their heads in stress and looking through a security gate."You're not going to escape! Release him!" yelled one of the guards into the electrical border. Batman approached the nearest guard. "Thank God." said the guard. "It's Zsasz! He's got Mike! He's strapped in the chair! Zsasz is totally lost it!""Wait here." said Batman."You can't!" insisted the guard. "He'll kill Mike if he sees anyone trying to get close!""He won't see me." said Batman coldly. "If I see anything that looks even a little bit like a bat, and this guard dies! DO YOU HEAR ME?" yelled Zsasz in his crazed voice. A true sociopath, Victor Zsasz grew up in a life of ease but nonetheless became a serial killer. Indiscriminate in his prey, body count is the only thing that matters to Zsasz. He takes pleasure in arranging the corpses of his victims in life-like poses before carving a mark for each of his victims into his own body. He is saving a special spot for the Batman. Above all else, Zsasz represents what Batman hates most - pure evil. Batman hurried up a flight of stairs, leading to the chamber balcony of the room. Grappling onto gargoyles above Zsasz, Batman carefully moved to the back of the room. Performing a well-trained glide-kick Batman knocked Zsasz to the ground. But he wouldn't be down for long, so Batman jumped onto Zsasz and knocked him out for good with a hard punch in the back of his head. "Someone!" yelled Batman. "Put this animal back in his cell!""Can you hear me? Is this thing on?" screeched a high-pitched female voice. Televisions flickered on in the chamber, showing the chest of Joker's girlfriend: Harley Quinn. "Oh hiya, B-Man! Harley Quinn here! How'd ya like my new uniform? Pretty hot, huh?" Showing off her outfit, she looked like an insane nurse, dressed with red and white. She also wore the Warden's identification card, and carried his decorative cane. Otherwise, she wore everything a nurse should. Nothing near explicit though. "Oh! I got something to show you! One second B-Man!" Running off screen, she disappears briefly, before reappearing, showing Warden Sharp tied up and gagged in an office chair. "Ta da!"Batman snarled as he saw the Warden struggling. "I'm now subbing for the old man!" she screeched. "Old Sharpie's never been happier. In case ya ain't figured it out, today's the Joker's big homecoming, and you're the guest of honor!""You have one chance to surrender, Quinn." offered Batman."Tempting Bats," answered Quinn. "But no dice. Now the inmates are running the asylum. Well, technically they're Joker's goons shipped in from Blackgate, but you get the idea. Bye-bye for now!" Grabbing the Warden's staff, Harley whacks the hammer at the camera, showing static for the guards and Batman. A Blackgate Prison and Arkham Asylum psychiatrist initially assigned to treat the Joker, Dr. Harleen Quinzel instead became fixated on her patient, believing herself to be in love with him. She helped him escape from confinement and took on her own criminal identity as Harley Quinn. Quinn is a violent and unpredictable felon whose only motivation, behind general mayhem, is achieving the Joker's approval. Because of his cruel and mercurial nature, this in some ways makes her just another one of his victims - albeit a very dangerous one."Batman," called Oracle. "You picking this up?""Oracle," replied Batman. "I'm here.""Arkham Asylum just vanished off the network.""He's in control of the security system. He's probably isolated it from the grid.""That's not all he's done. All police feeds are reporting he's placed bombs all over Gotham. Says he'll detonate them if anyone sets foot on Arkham Island. It's being suppressed at the moment, but the story will break any time now.""He's lying. It's just a diversion to keep people away.""How do you know?""I know him."Batman hung up on Barbara, and walked over to a nearby air vent in the wall. He kneeled down, and grabbed the edges. He began pulling at it gently, but knew he needed more force. Not too loudly, he pulled the vent cover out of the wall, and put it aside. Harley thought she had him trapped in the chamber. She never was very bright. Batman crouched, and began waddling through the vent like a spy from Mission Impossible. "Batman," called Oracle. "I'm patching you into the guard radio feed."In his cowl, he could hear the two-way radios of the guards, and them communicating with each other. Still crouching through the vent, he listened to the feed."Steve," said a guard in his cowl. "More Blackgate Prisoners! By the boiler!""Who's that behind them?" asked Steve. "Oh my God, it's Joker! He's free! How'd he break out!"The line turned static, and Oracle jumped back in. "Sorry, feeds' down." she said. "Comms are up and down like crazy. It's not good. I'll keep in touch."Batman reached the end of the vent, and another vent cover was in his way. He kicked it open, and it flew down the corridor from the force. It lead him to a door, with a Joker face sprayed bright-green on it. Batman walked straight in. In front of him, was a small cell, hanging over an abyss by just a few chains. And who other than the Joker to be standing right on top of it. "What took you so long?" he said. He put his hands on his hips, and waited for Batman to rage.Batman walked with a purpose towards the cell, and pulled out a Batarang. He threw it directly at the Joker's head, but Joker ducked, and it ricocheted off the chains. "There's no escape, Joker! I will find you!" yelled Batman. "Ooh! I'm counting on it! Just not YET!"Joker slammed his foot down on a lever, obviously activating the gears for the door. The vault opened, and a hand reached out, with large, luminous green boils prominent on it's skin. The nails had grown to an unhealthy length, and were bright yellow. The monster came out of the cell, and it looked like a regular Joker goon, only mutant and bones protruding from it's skin. It's spine was completely detached, and now exterior. Green, luminous blood flowed through prominent veins in the mutant's body. It roared, as Joker laughed maniacally. Batman quickly got out of the brute's way as it swung at him. The mutant picked up a dead guard's body, and threw it at Batman. It roared at took a charging position. It ran towards Batman, but in the split second that Batman had, he threw a Batarang and evaded the charge at the same time. Because the mutant lost focus on where it was going, it slammed into the wall behind him, and held it's face in pain. It started swaying his hand back and forth, but Batman approached it at the right time, and began to beat it down. All of a sudden, it held where it's heart was located, and started walking around uncontrollably, It held it's head, and swung it around violently, making strangled voices, he looked down at his deformed left breast, and saw the heartbeat making the breast swell. Finally, the mutant's heart stopped, and the green light completely disappeared, and the veins went blank. It opened it's mouth as it fell to the ground, dead."Well," tsked Joker "That was unexpected, wasn't it? Oh well."The clown put his elbow on his other arm, and held his forehead in a thinking-like gesture. "Note to self: Need stronger test subjects!"Releasing himself from the gesture, he offered "Seeing how I'm feeling generous, I'll give you this one for free!"Joker stepped to the edge of the vault, so that his toes were hanging over the bottomless pit. He threw his hands out horizontally, so he was in a cross formation. "Knock me off, I DARE you!" he screamed. "End this! Pull the plug! STOP ME ONCE AND FOR ALL!"Batman pulled out a Batarang, and was dangerously close to throwing it before he remembered his no-kill rule. Joker laughed mockingly at Batman's cowardice. He put his hands on his knees and giggled uncontrollably. When he stopped, he wiped a tear away and said "Oh, you're getting too predictable, Bats!"The vault began to move back into Extreme Isolation, so Batman had no way of reaching him. "I'd love to stay and chat," he continued "But I have a party to organise! I've got guests lining up from ALL over Arkham! You'll seeeeee heeheehee" The doors to Extreme Isolation closed, and Batman was found with a mutant corpse in front of him. To his left, was a guard station in which a guard only just gained consciousness. He held his head and groaned. When he saw Batman wanting in, he kind of jumped, and hurried to the control panel. The security gate opened, and Batman approached the guard. "It came out of nowhere." said the guard. "I dragged Jerry in here, powered up the gate. Must've passed out.""Joker went through that door," exclaimed Batman. "What's on the other side?""We call it Extreme Isolation. Only way in is via the transport system.""Open it!" said Batman."No problem. I'll just need to call another cell."The guard approached a nearby computer and started typing rapidly into it. "Okay," said the guard. "There's a problem here. The main security loop is locked."The television in the guard station turned on. Who else but the Joker appeared on it. He seemed to be in some sort of office. "Having a little trouble up there?" he asked."Joker," said Batman grimly."You were expecting maybe Two-Face?""There's no escape, Joker.""Silly Bat! I don't want to escape! I'm having WAY too much fun! I even have you to keep a smile on my face!""Not for long.""Really? We'll see! Ta ta! Oh, I forgot to say! Just in case you were planning on following me, I've arranged a little insurance!"Joker pointed to another Tv screen, showing the other observation room in the Holding Cells. There stood Commissioner Gordon and Officer Boles. When Gordon turned around, Boles whacked the Commissioner around the side of the head with a baton. Gordon fell to the ground, unconscious. "Gordon is on his way to Harley Quinn as we speak.""Officer Boles." Batman said. Joker cackled loudly, and turned towards the camera again. "If I see you trying to follow me, he DIES! Harley's looking forward to it! Maybe I'll film it and post it on the Internet!"Batman left, and ran to the Holding Cells."Batman!" called Oracle. "What's happening?""Joker's escaped." said Batman. "He's sealed himself off. He's got your father."Oracle gasped. "Dad!""Don't worry, I'm getting him back.""Okay, I know but...""Oracle, I'm getting him back. Joker will NOT win. I won't let him. I'm starting where he was taken. A guard named Frank Boles attacked him. If I find Frank I'll find your father.""Bruce, hurry. Please!"TV screens through the corridors showed Joker. "I bet you're wondering how I did it!" his voice echoed. "Was it a clue the Great Detective missed?" Joker let out a cold, bone-chilling laugh as Batman quietly approached henchmen facing towards him. Batman threw a Batarang at the back of the thug's leg, causing him to fall over. The other turned around, but didn't have enough time to fight back. Both of them fell unconscious within ten seconds. "Oracle," said Batman. "I'm at the Holding Cells. I'm setting up a crime scene.""So what's the plan? Isolate something in that room that leads to Boles?""Exactly."Batman found a flask on the ground, with bourbon leaking from the cap. Batman can follow traces of alcohol from Frank's bourbon in the atmosphere. "Oracle," said Batman. "I've got a trail.""That's great. You follow it. I'm grabbing every reference to Arkham i can find. May be use for later."Following the trail with his Detective Vision and nose, Batman was lead to the elevator he came down in. A guard was trying to work the control panel to activate the elevator. "Stupid," he said. "Unreliable" The guard noticed Batman and said "How did Joker...""Be quiet!" said Batman."What's going on?" insisted the guard. Batman scanned the area where Boles was. Feet appeared on the bar that kept the elevator together. "Uh, uh, uh, uh! B-Man!" said Harley Quinn. She sat on the wire that supported the elevator. "Mr. J and I don't want you following us just yet!" She pulled out a trigger, with a big red button on the top. And of course, she pressed it. Batman heard beeping up above, Harley had just set off a bomb. Harley went flying up, and the other elevator came flying down. You could still hear Harley's voice cackling as she took a joyride on the cables. "Get down!" yelled Batman to the guard. Batman literally threw the guard behind him, and evaded afterwards. Rubble flew everywhere. Smoke fogged the room. Still sparking, the dark fog cleared, and Batman stood up with a struggle. "How'd ya like that, B-Man!" yelled Harley through the speakers. "No way you're following us now! You're trapped down there until me and Mr. J are ready. Ha! Ha! Ha!"But Batman always finds a way. He finds a way to grapple up to the top. Also a little parkour. When Batman reaches the top, he runs into 6 hostiles. He takes them down amazingly quick."Batman," called Oracle. "How's it going? Any sign of Dad?""Not yet, but I'm getting close. Harley Quinn tried to slow me down. Dropped an evelvator on me.""Did it work."Batman chuckled, which is a once in a blue moon occurrence. "Of course not. I'll get back to you when i reach the end of the trail."Batman approached another air vent, so he crawled in."Joker here." boomed the speakers. "Quick update on what's new in the asylum. Some inmate is running around the asylum, dressed like a bat! I know, CRAZY! Quickly! Stop him! Before he gets someone hurt! Really! It's for his own good."Batman came out the air vent into the Intensive Treatment Lobby, where Joker first got X-Rayed. Just outside the vent, was an armed henchman, who was examining a dead guard's body. Batman crawled up to him and performed a Silent Takedown. This consisted of punching the thug's back in a pressure point, which stuns them for a short period of time, followed by Batman wrapping his arm around the thug to stop them from breathing. They pass out, but regain breathing after falling unconscious. More thugs flooded into the room to hunt down Batman. Batman refused. He hid up in the shadows to avoid being seen. He grappled onto a gargoyle, and swung to different vantage points to get a better angle on the men. One of them was under a glass roof in the reception of the Intensive Treatment Lobby, so Batman glided onto it, and performed a Takedown. This consisted of putting enough weight on the glass to fall through and crush the goon under Batman's weight. This is obviously very loud, so Batman had to clear the reception immediately. When only one remained, he performed a Glide Kick on the last goon. He glided towards the man, and when he was right behind him, he put his feet out, and kicked the goon in the back of the head. This wasn't strong enough to knock them down for good, so Batman performed a Ground Takedown. Batman kept following the trail, but landed at a dead end. Literally. Boles was tied up onto the same stretcher Joker was at the beginning of the night, with green paint circled around his dead lips. Joker killed him. Joker must have figured out how Batman was tracking Gordon. Bole's trail stopped there.