16 ~ A little push

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The news channel shows the footage of the hospital after all the explosions. "I'm being told we're cutting to video GCN has just received." The news anchor states.

They turn on the video. It shows a man sitting there. "I'm Mike Engel from Gotham Tonight," he reads from a piece of paper, "what does it take for you people want to join in? You failed to kill the lawyer. I've gotta get you off the bench and into the game."

In the background, you can hear Joker's voice repeating every main word in a sentence. "Come nightfall the city is mine and anyone left here plays by my rules. If you don't want to be in the game, get out now. But the bridge-and-tunnel crowd are sure in for a surprise."

Joker begins to laugh and turns off the camera, ending the video.

After this video, people began trying to flee Gotham, causing terrible traffic and chaos. Some manage to get on a ferry, but they only have two and one is containing all the prisoners Harvey Dent has put away. Once the ferry's begin to take off, currently night time, both of their engine shut down and they are left floating in the water. The workers on the ferry go down and check the engine room. When they get down there, they see barrels of gasoline rigged to an explosive and a small wrapped box. They grab the box and go back to the Captain. "Captain, we got a hundred barrels down there rigged to blow. And this." The worker hands him the box.

The box is opened up to reveal a detonator. Both ferrys have one. The intercom beeps and Joker's voice speaks through it, heard on both ships, "Tonight you're all going to be part of a little social experiment. Through the magic of diesel fuel and ammonium nitrate... I'm ready right now to blow you all sky high. If anyone attempts to get off their boat, you all die. Each of you has a remote to blow up the other boat. At midnight, I blow you both up. If, however, one of you presses the button, I'll let your boat live. So who's it gonna be? Harvey Dent's most wanted scumbag collection or the sweet and innocent civilians? You choose. Oh and you might want to decide quickly because the people on the other boat may not be quite so noble." The intercom turns off.

Each boat erupts into chaos, arguing over how they should blow up the other boat. Meanwhile, Joker is in a building overlooking the boats. A certain masked man enters through a window a few floors away from the Joker. There are clowns and hostages on two floors and a SWAT team in the stairway and on the roof. Batman looks at the clowns, who aren't moving. They are grunting, but it's muffled. He looks at their hands and they have guns duct taped in their hands. He removes one of their clown masks to reveal they are hostages in reality. Batman rushes to save the clowns, because SWAT team is currently entering the building targeting the clowns, not knowing they are hostages. Joker remains on his floor with three Rottweilers protecting him. They begin to bark and Joker faces towards the direction they are doing so. Batman is walking towards him. "Ah, you made it. I'm so thrilled." Joker says.

"Where's the detonator?" Batman asks.

"Go get him." Joker tells the dogs and they jump at Batman.

One is thrown off to the side, two other push Batman down and bite at him. Joker grabs a metal bar and starts beating Batman. He gets a good maybe twenty hits before Batman kicks him away. Batman gets the dogs off and stands, but Joker charges at him and strikes Batman in the back, causing Batman to fall into a net. While Batman is stuck, Joker hits at him like a piñata.

Also, neither boat has blown the other up yet and time is almost out.

Joker kicks Batman in the torso. "All the old familiar places." Joker says he gets on top of Batman.

He tries to stab him but is thrown off. Batman has these x-ray, night vision goggles built into his mask to help him see, but since Joker hit him several times, everything is messed up. Joker charges at Batman while he has an advantage. He swings the pole at Batman, causing Batman to fall through glass and onto a platform. Joker knocks down a beam onto Batman, keeping him from getting up. Joker gets back onto Batman. "We should really stop this fighting otherwise we'll miss the fireworks." Joker says.

"There won't be any fireworks!" Batman argues.

"And here we go." Joker waits for the boats to blow the other up, but nothing happens. The clock strikes midnight.

"What were you trying to prove? That deep down, everyone's as ugly as you? You're alone." Batman asks.

"Can't rely on anyone these days. You got to do everything yourself. Don't we? That's okay. I came prepared," Joker pulls out a detonator to blow up both boats, "it's a funny world we live in. Speaking of which, you know how I got these scars?"

"No but I know how you got these." Batman shoots a batarang at Joker, knocking him off.

Batman throws Joker off the platform. Joker falls from the massive building, laughing as he does. Batman gets the beam off and shoots a grapple at Joker, catching him by the leg. He brings Joker back up to the height of the platform, but Joker is dangling upside down. "Oh, you. You just couldn't let me go, could you? This is what happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object. You are truly incorruptible, aren't you? Huh? You won't kill me out of some misplaced sense of self-righteousness. And I won't kill you because you're just too much fun," Joker laughs a bit, "I think you and I are destined to do this forever."

"You'll be in a padded cell forever." Batman states.

"Maybe we could share one. You know, they'll be doubling up, the rate this city's inhabitants are losing their minds."

"This city just showed you that it's full of people ready to believe in good."

"Until their spirit breaks completely. Until they get a good look at the real Harvey Dent and all the heroic things he's done. You didn't think I'd risk losing the battle for Gotham's soul in a fistfight with you? No. You need an ace in the hole. Mine's Harvey."

"What did you do?"

"I took Gotham's white knight and I brought him down to our level. It wasn't hard. See, madness, as you know, is like gravity: all it takes is a little... push!" Joker cracks up laughing.

Batman stands up and walks away before SWAT gets there. About ten seconds after Batman is gone, SWAT approach Joker, who's still dangling upside and laughing. He is pulled over to them and they take him into custody.

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