Gotham's Apocalypse (A Joke Story [Sequel to Cruel])

37: Allies

"I thought I was the last person on your list," Batman spoke, folding his arms. "You're definitely the last on mine."

I grinned, copying him by folding my arms as well. I shifted my weight onto my right foot, tilting my head to the side. "I thought Joker was."

"Where is your boyfriend?" Batman questioned, suspiciously eyeing his surroundings.

"With your Detective Vision programmed on your mask, I'd think that you'd already have this location scanned before landing here," I spoke knowingly.

"How do you know about my Detective Vision?" Batman questioned. I wasn't sure if he was angry, appalled, or impressed.

"The man in your ear speaks a little loud whenever he gives you advice," I spoke. I sat on the ledge of the building, yawning, stretching. Batman tensed. "Anyways, Batsy, did you see the explosions earlier today?"

He frowned. "I arrived to the scene a little late, I was in the middle of investigating when you came here, directly into my radar."

"I thought so," I spoke. I pursed my lips and sighed. "Batman, there's another villain out there, and he's so ruthless he's thinking of devastating the entire city, starting with me. And, normally I know you'd refuse to help me, but if you don't help at all, Gotham City is going to be ashes."

Batman's expression grew hard, tense. "Coming from the girl who nearly made that happen not too long ago."

I winced and snickered nervously. "Yeah, well, consider this my redemption."

Batman studied me for a moment. "Lucy, where is Joker? I saw all the bodies at the explosion site."

I flinched at my own name and met his eyes, but then my gaze shifted to the floor. I bit my lip and let out a long sigh. "He's in my hospital. Unconscious. Did you see how many of his henchmen were killed?" I started to nervously play with my finger tips. With my left thumb, I scraped underneath the nails on my right hand. "No survivors. Just Joker."

Batman's face seemed to age in an instant.

"Batman, I know you may not see it this way, but those are lives. Human lives. We lost forty Gothamites today, in one swift go, in less than, what, five minutes? This guy is skilled, he is strong, he is tactical. Joker, your number one enemy in Gotham City, was knocked out cold by this man, who seemed to have made no effort at all to make that happen. Bats, Gotham needs you."

Batman walked towards the edge of the building, looking down at all of the taxis, the civilians pressing the light, waiting to cross the street. The women with their strollers, laughing on the phone, the men walking into the suit tailoring shop, picking up their fresh attire. The families walking out of the restaurants, happy, smiling, satisfied, then he turned to look at me, who had a hopeful set of eyes and an apologetic smile.

"No, Lucy. . . " He spoke. My heart sank, I looked towards the door to head back to the elevator. "Gotham needs us."

My jaw dropped, I turned to look at him as my body tingled with excitement. Batman was watching me cautiously, but he seemed satisfied with my reaction. He gave me a bat-shaped piece of metal that had an orb-like screen. It had one glowing red dot in the far top center. "What the hell is this?" I questioned in confusion.

"Once the red dot is in the center, you have reached the alternative entrance to the bat cave. Meet me in three hours, I have some things I have to take care of."

I snickered. "Oh, a treasure hunt for the infamous bat cave. How do I know this isn't a trap?" I spoke, looking up at him, but my demeanor changed when I saw his eyes. His firm, determined eyes.

"Gotham is at stake, there's no time for games."

I smirked. "There's someone I know who would disagree, but he's unresponsive right now." I put the device in my pocket. "Well, I'll be there. Seven o'clock. You better not be late, I have to switch my patients around." I looked down at my pockets in my lab coat, and when I looked up, he was gone. "Oh, man, that's right, he loves dramatic exits." I began to walk towards the elevator, closing my lab coat so my villainous clothes did not show underneath them, and I looked like a regular Doctor.

I was going to work side by side with my worst enemy to save Gotham City, and my lover.

Wow, I sounded like. . . .Like a superhero.

Gross.