[ WP ] - Joker seeks vengeance for the death of Batman

Commissioner Gordon knew at once that something was very wrong. The precinct had a kind of a hum, like a hive and he had developed a sense of what it should sound like, so even slight disturbances could let him know that there was something wrong. Right now, every single one of his senses was firing, as the distant yelling filtered up the grand hallway. 
 
 He slammed out of his office at a flat run, scaring the life out of his secretary Marcy, he'd need to apologise later. Somehow his gun had found its way to his hand, he did n't even remember grabbing it but he must have somehow. He slammed down the stairs, bouncing off the walls as he took them four or five at a time and screaming at the officers he passed to turn around and follow him. 
 
 God knows what it was, he'd only felt this feeling once before when Barbara had... he pushed that thought away, it was n't time for that now. At last he was down and screaming at the duty officer to let him into the booking office but it took him pounding on the wire cage before the man turned and did so. He was transfixed on the scene at the door, as was the rest of the room and every other officer. 
 
 They were all screaming but they were being ignored. Gordon quickly pushed his way to the front and saw what he had dreaded, what he had somehow known was there. Kneeing, holding his body tenderly and cradling his head in his arms, the Joker wept over the body of Batman. 
 
 `` What the fuck happened here?'' Gordon snapped to the room in general. 
 
 The nearest Sergeant looked round and seeing it was the Commissioner, took a step closer. `` He just opened the door carrying the body sir, took two steps and slumped down. We're not sure if Batman is alive or dead.'' 
 
 Gordon took a step forward. The Joker was cradling the head so tenderly, huge tears running down his face and dropping onto the Batman's mask, leaving white smears across his face. 
 
 Gordon could hear him murmuring through the sobs and raggedly drawn breath and took a step closer, waving the men to lower their guns. All he needed was to be shot in the back by one of his own who got trigger happy in fear. 
 
 `` Why, why did it have to happen, why did they take you Batso, why did it have to happen.'' Joker repeated himself over and over. 
 
 `` What did you do Joker?'' Gordon tried to make his voice firm, tried to ignore the scene in front of him. “ How did you kill him. ” 
 
 The Joker ’ s head snapped up, sorrow and pain etched into his face. “ You think this was me? You think I would kill him? With a *bullet? * 
 
 Gordon could see the blood oozing out from under his arm. It must have gone between his plates and slipped up and in. this close Gordon could see that there was no movement, if this was a con then it was a good one. 
 “ I found him like this and brought him here, to you. You and I Gordon, only we understood him, understood what he was and what he did… and what I must do next. ” The Joker ’ s face contorted into rage for a moment and then back to sorrow. “ He was just so… so young! ” 
 
 Gordon ignored everything he felt and replied on 30 years of being a cop. This wasn ’ t his friend down there, it was a victim. It wasn ’ t the joker in front of him but a potential witness or murderer. “ Tell me what you know Joker, if you didn ’ t do this then where did you find him? ” 
 
 “ He was on the street, like an unloved puppy thrown from a car. ” Tears still rolled down Jokers face and he stroked the Batman ’ s face. He was killed and then thrown away. They killed him AND THREW HIM AWAY! ” His voice rose to a roar and Gordon leapt back, weapons were raised around the room and the Joker slowly began to stand. 
 
 “ Don ’ t do it Joker, you can end this now, you can change. We can solve this Joker but we need your help. ” Gordon tried to plead, this was a moment, maybe the loss of the Batman could change the Joker, maybe there could be some good out of this. God knows he didn ’ t want the Joker running around with no Batman to stop him. 
 
 Joker continued to stand, lifting Batman with him. “ HE WAS MINE AND THEY TOOK HIM AND THREW HIM AWAY. ” With one swift motion he grabbed the edge of Batman ’ s cowl and with unbelievable strength he ripped the Kevlar mask and hood from the suit. 
 
 The face of Bruce Wayne was exposed and there was gasps around the room. Gordon felt a deep pang, the final indignity of the Batman. He would need to have long discussions with many of the men in this room before anyone went home, or talked to the press. 
 
 The Joker stood, holding Batman up as a shield with one arm and with his mask in the other. His voice dropped to a husky whisper, a perverted distortion of the Batman ’ s familiar growl. He swept the hood up and over his painted face so that only his lips could be seen and then, in a final act of disgusting violation he plunged his fingers into the bullet wound and then wiped the red blood across his lips and then across the mask. His eyes glowed from the holes and he seemed a demon, taken form. 
 
 “ Now I shall have MY vengeance. ” He whispered out and then in one motion he pushed the body forward and a plume of smoke obscured the room. It took several moments until the smoke began to clear and Gordon was the first to reach the body. It was cold. He checked him carefully and then lay his jacket over the face. 
 
 His belt was gone, Joker had taken it and was now long gone into the night. God knows what hell was now to be unleashed on Gotham. 
 

