Under the Mask

Family

No one speaks on the way to the Batcave other than me giving directions and briefing them on everything I know about the Joker.

"I don't know what we're about to walk into guys, stay sharp and keep your rebreathers in, he might not look like much but he is the single worst villain I have ever encountered." I tell them as we touch down outside the manor.

"We know, he murdered Jason." Superboy growls.

Right, the actual replacement, the one who really died. I shake my head, that's a problem for another day.

"Alright, Nightwing goes in first through the tunnel entrance, Kid Flash and I will follow him, Miss Martian, Superboy and Artemis will go in through the manor and wait in the wings until Nightwing gives the signal. Miss M link us up." Aqualad tells them as we exit the ship.

When we reach the tunnel entrance I put in my rebreather and nod at Kid Flash and Aqualad, ignoring the twinge in my gut when Wally won't meet my eyes.

I peer into the darkness, I hear noises coming from the caves leading to the Batcave, the ones with flint in the walls.

'They're not in the Batcave, com around to the tunnels but wait for a signal.' I report through the mental link.

I continue on, sticking to the shadows trying to get a closer look, my breath stalls when I see them. They're all bound and tied to chairs around a large wooden table, their heads covered with hoods that as I'm watching are pulled off their heads revealing their faces covered in bloody bandages. Alfred comes out from the shadows, he's too pale and has a menacing smile etched onto his face, he sets a covered tray in front of each of them. I can see the sheer terror in their eyes at the prospect of what might be in it as the Joker himself had recently cut off and sewn his face back on. I look over and see Bruce sitting in a large electric shock chair at the head of the table the only one without the bandages, from the looks of him the Joker has already made use of the chair.

Alfred lifts the lids from the trays, my stomach lurches and I set a hand on the cave wall for support.

'Are you okay? What do you see Nightwing should we go now?' Aqualad speaks in my mind.

I take a deep breath, 'not yet.'

I don't think I have ever seen Bruce look so terrified before, he's always been so composed, so stoic, no matter what the situation, but I don't think any sane person could stay composed in this situation.

"Joker what have you done?!" The exclamation ripped itself from Batman as he gazed helplessly at his proteges'.

"What have I done? Well I've simply dressed them for the party! Or rather undressed them. Taken off the clothes that have been invisible to everyone but you, my king. Expoooooosed them." The Joker explained laughing maniacally, "I hope you like it everyone! I made it with lots of love!"

"How could you!" Batman yelled straining against his restraints.

"How? It was easy Bats, just slice pull chill and serve, they come off so easy too, there's nothing beneath these pretty things. After all they're not like you and me, you see. Not under the skin, that's what I've been trying to tell you. Why I did this to my own sweet mug just to show you!"

"I hate nothing more on this earth than you Joker. Nothing."

"Haha oh I beg to differ, if that's so then why pray tell have you never killed me?"

Batman ground his teeth and recited the same reason he always had, what he always said when anyone questioned why he continued to let that scum of the earth breath, when he inevitably escaped every time Batman locked him up and did something even more deadly, more gruesome and depraved,