Comic Relief

5.

5.

The shift of the car clicked into gear, the engine roaring as the headlights flicked on. The vehicle lurched forward out of the alley as dust and stray paper rustled behind it. Trash that had tumbled out of the overflowing bins jumped and spun, lids of trash cans clanked against the metal of their respective cans. As the car left the wind followed, everything beginning to settle slowly again.

Flying down the streets, the lights of the buildings they passed blurs of blacks and grays and yellows and blues. He glanced in the mirror he had installed. His eyes locked on the clown laying in his backseat. Laying there he seemed so small, so harmless. Yet, in reality, he was the exact opposite. He was the definition of danger. He spread fear through the city like a plague, bringing countless lives to their ends just because of some game in his mind. A game that no one else was playing. A game that he was convinced was what would bring Batman to him, a senseless game of violence and cruelty. A game that no one would ever truly win. No one really knew the workings of the clown's mind, only what he said his intentions were and what he wanted. All anyone ever knew was that he was playing this imaginary game with himself.

But what if he was right? What if this game was real, and Batman was a pawn in it? What if Joker wasn't just being crazy and actually was on to something? Was that how he won? Did he have it all planned out?

What if he knew everything?

No. He couldn't have known anything- he didn't know anything. Joker was just a man. A man with something wrong with him, some problem in his brain. Joker was just insane. Nothing he said meant anything because he didn't live in the same world as everyone else. He was just a basket case criminal, like every other villain in this town.

Bruce sighed, shaking his head and closing his eyes for a second or two. He looked back to the road. They were getting closer to the cave. Around now was when they needed to detour off the main roads and get onto the back roads, the ones off in the countryside of the city where no one really went. From there they needed to go even further into the country to get to the path to the cave, which was behind the waterfall that fell from the cliff that Wayne Manor stood upon. He knew this route like the back of his hand. He traveled it probably every day. This side of the city was something he loved, seeing the rural land that hadn't been touched by the grime that covered the rest of Gotham. Trees and plants thriving, leaves turning and falling in the wind. Nature bustled here. It was beautiful. Peaceful. Out here he didn't need to worry about what hell would come next and destroy his city, he didn't need to constantly be on guard. He didn't need a disguise or a secret identity. Out here, he didn't need to be Batman. He didn't need to be the savior.

He let up off the gas as he came to a clearing. At the other side of the clearing was the waterfall entrance, below it rockets reached up into a ramp. He shifted into reverse, straightened out and backed up, shifted into drive again, and pressed down on the gas. The wheels skid for a moment before the car lurched forward and sped through the water into the caves. Tunnels surrounded on all sides, rocks and stalactites rumbling as the Batmobile passed. The echo of the engine rolled out as he entered the main cave. Gears turned, metal clicked, and the car stopped. Bats screeched out and flapped about, welcoming them home.

Bruce sat there quietly. His eyes locked to the mirror. Joker was still asleep, he hadn't stirred the entire drive and he didn't look like he would. The man was out cold- his breathing shallow and soft, chest slowly rising then falling. His pale skin and bright orange jumpsuit contrasted to the darkness around him. His green hair had faded significantly since the last time he had seen him, loose strands of gray hair littered about.

Closing his eyes, Bruce sighed again- taking a deep breath in and out. He opened his eyes and got out of the car. Upon closing the door he heard Alfred call out to him.