*J* (the continuation)

Part Thirty-Four: Chapter 262: Total Analyses

As Bruce had expected, Jason wasn't adjusting well to being in the glass cell. Bruce knew that the drug detox phase would be the most unnerving one. It had been with J too. But Bruce took pity on Jason during this time. He kept him fully sedated. Bruce was concerned that the Dionesium would make the withdrawal symptoms worse. Besides all that, Bruce wanted to conduct several tests on him. He knew that a conscious Jason would never give his consent. Even if he did, Bruce already knows that Jason could overpower him all too easily. And that wouldn't be good for anyone.

Bruce tested Jason for two whole days. He ran MRI's, CAT scans, X-rays, EKG, ultrasounds, full blood panels, brain chemistry, brain waves, hormone levels, spinal fluid, and even his DNA. The results to some were a completely acceptable normal. While others were shocking. There were even some that were downright heart breaking. Bruce compared all of them with the different test results he had for the Joker. But in J's case, he didn't have any results that predated his accident. But with Jason he did have tests that predated his transformation into the Joker.

"Fascinating," Bruce softly says as he reads over Jason's brain chemistry results.

"What's that sir? Alfred asks as he himself looked at some of Jason's blood work.

"Well, you remember how we sent Jason to a psychiatrist when he first came to be with us?" Bruce asks.

"Yes. If I recall correctly sir, you wished to know how stable he was," Alfred answers.

"Yes, because I just needed to know if there were any possible concerns or warning signs. The psychiatrist said there were no concerns, that he was mentally healthy. But when I found out that Jason willingly did all of this of his own free will, I thought the psychiatrist must have missed something or made the wrong error of judgement. Obviously he had to have something wrong with him to agree to the Joker's preposterous proposal. And there's no denying the psychotic things he's done as the Joker."

"Did you find something in his childhood tests?" Alfred wonders.

"No. Not in his old tests, but in the new ones," Bruce says as he enlarges something on the computer screen.

Alfred looks over at the screen that Bruce was looking at. "I'm not sure if I follow where you are going with this Master Bruce."

"Well, this is Jason's brain chemistry now," Bruce points to the right hand side of the screen. He then points to the left hand side, "And this is his brain chemistry ten years ago when he was thirteen. There are major spikes in all the chemistry levels that have anything do with mental health," Bruce points out. He then pulls up another screen and puts it next to Jason's current results. "And this is the Joker's brain chemistry."

Alfred compares them for a moment. "They're near identical," he concludes.

"Precisely. Which means that it's caused by the chemicals that are in the Joker and Jason's blood. Exactly half of their blood is straight chemicals that theoretically should be so toxic that one can't survive. They didn't always come across as crazy as they did post chemicals. The chemicals are what brought on their insanity. No wonder Jason sounds like a completely different person."

"Then how do you explain the Joker's own claims, and the claims of his twin, that they have suffered from mental illness sinch childhood? Do you think that's a lie? Perhaps for legal reasons? A get out of jail free card?" Alfred asks.

"Well I have no tests on either of them before the presence of the chemicals. I'm inclined to believe their claims. Dr. Jake Smith had absolutely nothing to gain from such a declaration, yet he stood to lose a lot. J is his identical twin, which means that their brain chemistry was identical," Bruce explains.