Kara had been suppressing her almost unbearable anger and killing intent since Jennifer's injury and the attack on her. She had been masking it well, not wanting Jennifer to notice. But when Bruce left and Jennifer finally fell asleep, Kara had nothing to hold her back.
Flying over Gotham City, Kara used her super vision and super hearing to locate the Joker. She didn't know him personally or have any prior encounters, but his infamy was impossible to ignore. The Joker had been all over the news, proudly broadcasting his atrocities. In fact, before attacking Jennifer, he had attacked other notable figures in Gotham and sent the footage to news agencies, fueling his twisted need for recognition.
Kara identified his location through his voice on one of those videos. But before confronting him, she flew to the Batcave. Entering stealthily through the side hidden behind the waterfall, she retrieved her personal equipment. Changing into her silver-gray Oracle Man suit, Kara left the cave and flew directly to Joker's hideout—a decrepit and abandoned amusement park that served as his lair.
The place was as dark and chaotic as the man himself. Kara stepped inside one of the old, decaying facilities, unaffected by the pitch-black surroundings. Her super vision revealed everything as clearly as daylight. Dozens of armed men were hiding, their weapons trained on her, ready to attack. At the center of it all was a man dressed in a gaudy purple suit, his face smeared with thick clown makeup. The greasy white paint and hollow black eye sockets framed his grotesquely scarred smile.
This was the Joker, the twisted jester of chaos who had become Gotham's darkest nightmare.
"Oh, look who it is! Oracle Man herself, gracing us with her presence!" Joker's voice was shrill and mocking as he let out a maniacal laugh. "Let's give her a proper welcome!"
At his command, a storm of bullets erupted, the sound deafening in the enclosed space. The hail of gunfire was relentless, a barrage meant to obliterate anyone in its path. But Kara stood her ground, unmoved. The bullets ricocheted harmlessly off her suit, disintegrating into powder.
When the gunfire ceased, the room was eerily silent. Kara calmly dusted off her suit, her voice altered by a modulator as she said, "Are you done? Good. My turn."
In a blur of silver-gray, Kara moved. Unlike Bruce, she didn't rely on stealth or strategy. She had the power of a Kryptonian, and she used it ruthlessly.
Her first target didn't even see her coming. Kara grabbed the man by the neck, her other hand bracing his shoulder, and tore his head clean off. Blood sprayed across the room. She turned to the next, her fist piercing his chest and crushing his heart.
The third man didn't fare any better; a single blow shattered his skull.
One by one, the men fell. Screams echoed briefly, only to be silenced as Kara methodically eliminated her targets. The dark room became a slaughterhouse, the once-confident thugs now cowering in fear, knowing they had provoked a force far beyond their comprehension.
Even the Joker, for all his bravado, found himself unnerved. His wild eyes darted around the room, trying to track Kara's movements, but all he saw was a blur of silver-gray and the aftermath of her wrath.
When the last of his men fell, Kara turned her attention to the Joker. She didn't waste time with threats or taunts. In an instant, she was in front of him, her fist raised to deliver a killing blow.
But the Joker, ever unpredictable, spoke just in time: "Wait! I can blow up Jennifer... and her baby."
Kara froze. His words hit her like a shockwave. Her fist hovered inches from his chest.
"How do you know about Jennifer? What do you mean?" she demanded, her voice tight with fury and dread.
"Oh, sweet Oracle Man," Joker said, his grin widening. "Why do you think the judge could find the bomb in time? Why wasn't it designed to kill her outright? And why, oh why, wasn't the baby harmed? Can you guess?"
Kara's eyes narrowed. "You... planned this?"
"Bingo!" Joker cackled. "You're quick, I'll give you that. Yes, I planned it all. It wasn't just about Jennifer. It was about you, Kara Zor-El. Or should I say, Kara Kent?"
Her blood ran cold. "How do you know my name?"
"Oh, a little birdie told me," Joker said, his voice dripping with mockery. "Or rather, a bat. Bruce Wayne sends his regards."
Kara's heart sank. If the Joker was telling the truth, Bruce had betrayed her. But why? And what was the Joker's real goal?
For the first time in a long while, Kara hesitated. The predator before her wasn't just a lunatic; he was a master manipulator. And now, he had her exactly where he wanted her.