Justice. Just Us

Chapter 2

The resonating sounds of chirps from bats overhead in the Bat-cave indicated Bruce's arrival. Exhaustion was slowly making its presence known in his bones. Honestly, he just wanted to head upstairs into the Manor, go to his room and crawl into bed. Despite this, he knew even if he tried that he wouldn't get a wink of sleep today. Or for the next several. His mind was too focused on the task at hand. Bruce needed to find the Joker. Which he had only one possible lead and it was going to be the most grating experience; he was positive. Going over to the Bat-computer he took a seat and let out a heavy sigh.

There was no guarantee this plan was going to work and the outcome of it actually succeeding was slim to none. Regardless, he knew he had to at least attempt it. If he didn't at least try then he would never be able to distance himself from the guilt; if everything fell apart. Before, Batman ended his night on the streets he had been fortunate enough to get a secret meeting with Jim Gordon. The stealth and daggers aspect of any interaction the two men had these days always left Bruce in a desolate state of mind. Detesting, how much of a risk it was to not only Gordon's job as Commissioner, but his life as well, made Batman keep as much of a distance as he could from his old friend.

Sometimes meeting with the other man couldn't be avoided, regardless of the risks. Gordon was one of the few allies Batman even had left in a city so hell bent to end his life. As abysmal as the real reason he even took on that gamble tonight was; Bruce wouldn't have hesitated to do it all over again. No matter what directions his actions seemed to differ all roads always lead back to the Clown Prince of Crime. Others in his life had made fact-based assertions that when it came down to anything regarding the Joker that's when Batman was at his most efficient. An obsession that was so deeply rooted within him that he would never concede to being accurate. Dwelling on any sort of bond or connection that might be present in his consciousness with the Joker would be a futile endeavor.

The only admittance on that regard as of now was that he did not want the Joker to die in a war that was never the Clown Prince's to fight. When it came to taking down the militia group the farther away from the conflict the maniac was the better for all involved. Convincing the Joker that notion in itself would be a very tedious endeavor. Most likely an impossibility. Nonetheless all he really truly needed to do was apprehend the maniac and make sure that he couldn't escape. How he was going to accomplish just that would be a burden that he'd focus on once he found the Joker's whereabouts.

Many years ago, Bruce had a containment cell built in the Bat-cave; with the Joker specifically in mind. It was a decision acted out in desperation. A need for reassurance of options he allowed himself to indulge in. When it was all said and done; he never used it. A part of his mind resented the idea of taking prisoners under his supervision. No matter how dangerous to his city they were. It felt to inhumane and didn't follow how Batman chose to handle things. At the end of the day; Joker was sick. He couldn't put full blame on the maniac for his actions. Even if he wanted to. No, the blame always fell on himself. If Batman had managed to prevent the unknown man's fall into a vat of chemicals then the Joker would have never surfaced in Gotham. As well, Batman would be dead today if that significant event in their history never happened. Not something he freely wanted to admit, but couldn't deny.

Now, Bruce may have to act on that very regret of building the containment cell to keep the Joker alive if all else failed. He didn't want to, but he would if the need arose.

Bruce typed away at the Bat-computer. Setting up the tracker to hopefully get a GPS read on the phone Joker was using. If the clown didn't dispose of it; already. Which would most likely be the case. The self-doubt crept into his mind. This was his only lead and he needed it to work. If it didn't then he'd be back at square one and no closer to keeping the one man in Gotham alive that he never thought he'd put this much effort to do so. Best not to dwell on that. He couldn't let the guilt of his actions now eat away at him. Couldn't afford to doubt himself. Protecting the Joker felt wrong. It felt like a condemnable sin that would taint him forever. It's not like he hasn't saved Joker's life in the past, but those times were in the midst of their fights or other situation Joker found himself in that Batman stumbled upon. This time was different. This time he was going out of his way to protect the madman who plagued his city for years and brought countless deaths in the process.