ARKHAM FILES: ORACLE

CHAPTER ONE: HARBOR

As the thunderstorm rolled in over the harbor, the flashes of lightning illuminated the dark waters and the chaotic scene before Barbara Gordon. She crouched beside a mangled dockworker, her eyes scanning the area for any sign of the culprit.

Suddenly, a maniacal laugh echoed through the stormy air, and Barbara's gaze locked onto the Joker, his face twisted into a grotesque grin as he stood amidst the wreckage. His eyes gleamed with madness as he raised his hands, and Barbara knew she had to act fast.

The storm raging around them was nothing compared to the chaos that would ensue if the Joker was left unchecked.

Barbara Gordon approached the Joker, the stormy night seemed to amplify his maniacal energy. The dead bodies at the harbor's edge seemed to be his playthings, and he was eager to discuss his handiwork with her.

The Joker's laughter echoed through the torrential rain, which was starting to pound against the water, as he began to monologue about the "art" of his kills. Barbara's eyes narrowed, her hand instinctively reaching for her gun, but as she looked into the Joker's twisted face, she saw something that made her hesitate.

His eyes seemed to hold a glimmer of desperation, a hint that he was hiding something - something that could lead her to Jason Todd. With a heavy heart, Barbara made a split-second decision to put aside her revulsion and engage with the Clown Prince of Crime.

The Joker's eyes scanned the harbor, his gaze settling on Barbara as she stood alone, her back to the water. He smiled to himself, feeling a sense of excitement and anticipation. He had been watching her for weeks, studying her movements, her habits. And he had come to a conclusion.

She was smart, resourceful, and had a certain... spark in her eye. The Joker's grin grew wider as he thought about it. He could see it now - Barbara, by his side, laughing and crying and screaming as she became the next Harley Quinn.

He approached her slowly, his movements deliberate and calculated. Barbara sensed him behind her, but she didn't turn around. She just kept staring out at the water, her expression blank. "Ah, Bat-Girl," the Joker said, his voice low and smooth.

"I've been thinking about you."

She suddenly snaps around and faces the clown.

Barbara's eyes blazed with a fierce intensity as she trained her gun on the Joker. "You're going to tell me what happened here," she growled, her voice low and deadly. "You're going to explain why these innocent people are dead, and why you're responsible for this senseless slaughter." The Joker's grin faltered for a moment, but then he laughed, his eyes glinting with madness. "Oh, Orphan, you're so predictable," he sneered.

"But very well, I'll play along. I'll tell you all about it... after you do something for me." Barbara's finger tightened on the trigger, but she knew she couldn't shoot him yet. She had to keep him talking, had to get him to reveal the truth about Jason Todd. With a cold calculation, she leaned in closer to the Joker, her voice dripping with menace.

"I'm not playing games, Joker. You're going to tell me everything, or I'll make sure you spend the rest of your life in Arkham Asylum. And if that doesn't work, I'll make sure they rewire your brain until you're nothing more than a vegetable. Your choice."

Barbara's grip on her gun tightened, but she didn't lower it. She knew she had to keep him talking, and had to keep him thinking he was in control. "What do you want me to do?" she asked, her voice neutral, her eyes locked on his.

The Joker's thumb danced across Barbara's lips, a cold, calculating smile spreading across his face. "Ah, Commissioner Gordon's daughter, so clever, so resourceful," he whispered, his voice low and menacing. "I've been thinking, Barbara, and I believe we can come to a mutually beneficial arrangement. You see, I have... information, shall we say, that could help you find your precious Jason Todd. But in return, I require something from you. Something small, but something that will make my day." His thumb continued to trace the curve of her lips, his eyes gleaming with a mad intensity.