Couldn't fix, couldn't keep controlled. The serial killer called "The Joker" had really been just too twistedly cunning - he hadn't been just bullshitting about that part of it.
He really hadn't had much choice, in his way of thinking.
Though in some ways, it was a shame, he supposed. There were ways of "fixing" even somebody who'd been as horrendously twisted as the Joker, or safe ways of shutting him up - some part of him knew that, for some reason. It was just that the tech and resources were quite simply Not Available in the here and now, that's all...
And the Joker had been oddly easy to talk to, too. Twisted rabid insanity and all.
Ahh, well. It couldn't be helped.
"...Hey, Mister. Faintly bat-like person in the suit?"
Oooh. So that was why he'd been having that feeling...
The voice was that of a fairly young woman, he thought.
"Oh, come on, K - "
So there were two of them.
"Ahem. Oh, all right - So, Mister Bat who glimmed us out of a nice fat bonus. Greetings."
Ahh, now things made more sense.
"Greetings to you too, ladies. And gentlemen, it they're more of you?"
There was a small chuckle.
"...Never mind that. What we were thinking of was, if you knew enough about him to go after him, you'd know about his little "hobbies" too ...And did you perhaps know that there's some kind of space that isn't supposed to be there between the 2nd and 3rd floors? Wedged in, sort of."
"...Oh."
Bruce thought about it.
"That's...kind of you to tell me about it, I suppose?"
"No, no, happy to be of service. ...Really..."
He waited till he felt both of the lethal - if he understood things right - women's presences fade away, and sighed. Well, well, well...
" - Actually, I'd check the 2nd basement that isn't supposed to be there just in case, as well, if I was you."
...And here was the other presence. This one was, at least, vaguely familiar.
"Hello, Ms. Cat."
"Oh, just call me Catwoman, everybody else does. - Should I, ah, say congratulations, or something?"
"Well, I don't know - It's not like I particularly wanted to do that, either. ...Couldn't fix and couldn't stop, though...Not him."
"Even for...?..."
"...Ahh. Well, if killing him was the way to bring Jason back, I wouldn't have hesitated, I don't think. Or not much, anyway. But..."
"...Yes."
Catwoman sighed.
"...Well, let's just say I feel marginally safer in general, now..."
" - That is that. ...Well...are you going to help us check out Mr Joker's ...toybox, so to speak?"
Catwoman sighed, yet again.
"...I suppose I shall have too, "Mr Bat". ...Lead on."
It took twenty minutes to locate just what the two presumed assassins were talking about, and almost thirty minutes after that to manage to break in.
Dead bodies, more dead bodies, and...
A chocking cough.
Two boys in a cage, the one with black messy hair keeping a arm around the other boy's unmoving head...
"...Who's there? - Maria? ...Mr Asagi? Is that you...?..."
They found "Maria" in the 2nd basement, a little golden-haired girl huddled wordlessly next to the body of her father.
Bruce Wayne looked up at the invisible stars. What now?
Some weeks later, Alfred Pennyworth was looking at three children. Young adolescents? Children.
The children looked back.
"...Master Bruce?"
"This is Miss Maria Asagi, Mr Brandon Heat, Mr Harry MacDowell, that I told you about before, Alfred."
Yes, yes, I know that, Master Bruce.
Dick Greyson, who'd been home for the hols, nearly choked on his cereal. Even Tim Drake looked somewhat amused and appalled at the same time.
Alfred sighed. It was going to be one of those days.
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(Posted Tue, 02 May 2006 16:08)
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らんま1/2 © Rumiko Takahashi
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