*J* (the continuation)

Part Thirty-Four: Chapter 256: The Changing Of Management Pt 1

Bruce sighs from behind the massive computer in the bat cave. He watched the flashing light of a tracking device on one of the Joker's vehicles as it moved across the screen. He turns to Alfred who was running a feather duster over things.

"Jason is going to try to take Harley from Amanda Waller," Bruce hesitantly says.

"Yes. As you suspected Master Bruce," Alfred dryly replies as he continues to dust.

"Amanda Waller has a lot of power Alfred," Bruce says, more so to himself.

"As does Jason," Alfred notes, "You mustn't forget that he has the same power as the Joker."

"Perhaps, but he doesn't know how to use it the way that J does," Bruce runs his hand over his face.

"I think your biggest failure with Jason has been that you underestimate him. More precisely, you underestimate the bad in him Master Bruce. He's not the boy who lived with us here at Wayne Manor." Alfred steps up to the screen that was showing a still frame of the real Joker laughing. He neatly folds his hands behind his back as he peers at his face. "Now he's more him than he is Jason. And while it pains me to say it, I can't help but point out that there's more good in the Joker at this point."

Bruce quickly shakes his head, "No, Jason is still in there."

"Forgive me Master Bruce," Alfred starts as he crosses over to Jason's current image. Alfred points at his Jokerized face, "but it wasn't you who lived half a year under the same roof as that. I saw more Joker than anything. No. I saw someone worse than the Joker. Topping the Joker is no, excuse the pun, laughing matter. Amanda Waller is the one you should be worried about."

"If he gets through Waller, an even bigger obstacle will be awaiting him," Bruce says distantly. "What kind of odds will he have against J?"

Alfred thinks for a moment. "The Joker has him on experience, but I don't think he can beat Jason physically. The Joker is still recovering from his ordeal. Jason is also fueled by cocaine."

"J's picked up a lot of muscle mass lately," Bruce absently shrugs.

Alfred raises a brow, "I'm afraid I haven't been paying attention to the Joker's physique."

Bruce quickly looks away, unable to take the disappointment on Alfred's face.

***********************

"Is it ready?" The Joker asked as he paced the bare concrete floor of Ivy's toxic dump.

Ivy nods and holds up a small glass vial with an oddly colored liquid inside. The Joker takes it from her and holds it up to the light. Jester walks up behind him, also looking at the vial.

"And you're sure that it won't kill him?" He softly asks the Joker.

"Jes-ter, dear brother," the Joker cuts his eyes over to him, "I've already told you that it'll only paralyze him."

"But will it have to come down to that J?" Jester swallows hard.

The Joker shrugs, "So I like being prepared. So what?"

"It just seems... excessive," Jester tells him with a lump in his throat.

The Joker smirks and shoves the vial in his pocket. "You need five things to transcend the mediocrity of this mundane existence my dear brother," he flamboyantly flays his arms. "One," he holds up a finger, "A superior intellect. Two. The books to shape it. Three. The tools for the occasions when intellect and books aren't enough. Four. Meticulous planning. And five. The unwaivering focus to execute. The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting. And that is merely what I'm doing, in case he puts up more fight than I can handle."