Nightwing landed lightly on the edge of a rooftop, scanning the streets below. Robin followed close behind, his grappling hook retracting as he joined him.
"Still nothing," Jason muttered, his tone edged with frustration.
"It's way too quiet for Gotham."
Dick smirked, leaning casually against a vent.
"Enjoy it while it lasts. Quiet nights are rare around here."
Jason was about to respond when the comms crackled to life. Bruce's voice came through, low and urgent.
"Nightwing, Robin."
Dick straightened immediately, catching the seriousness in Bruce's tone.
"We're here, Batman. What's going on?"
"The Joker has escaped Arkham," Bruce said, his voice clipped.
"He's already struck. I need you to meet me at this address." He rattled off an address that sent a jolt through Dick.
"Wait," Dick said, his tone sharpening.
"That's Barbara's place. What's going on?"
"I'll explain when you get there," Bruce replied firmly.
"Move... now."
The comm line went dead, leaving a heavy silence between the two vigilantes. Jason turned to Dick, his expression unreadable.
"That's not good."
"No, it's not," Dick said grimly, already firing his grappling hook.
The two launched off the rooftop, their urgency palpable as they made their way across the city. Whatever had happened, Dick's gut told him it was worse than anything they'd faced recently—and the fact that Bruce wasn't giving them all the details only made his worry deepen. The glow of red and blue lights from police cruisers bathed the street as Robin and Nightwing landed silently on a nearby rooftop. The sound of radios crackling and officers murmuring filled the air. Below, Batman stood near the entrance to Barbara's apartment building, his dark figure illuminated by the flashing lights. The doorway was cordoned off with yellow crime scene tape, an ominous sign that set both vigilantes on edge.
Jason was the first to speak as they descended to the street.
"What's going on? Is Barbara okay?"
Dick's eyes darting toward the apartment.
Batman turned to them, his cape billowing slightly as he stepped closer.
"Joker escaped Arkham," he said, his voice grave. "He attacked Barbara… and Maggie."
The words hung in the air like a weight. Dick's fists clenched, his eyes narrowing in disbelief.
"Maggie? That's impossible—she's in England. Her flight isn't until tomorrow."
Bruce's gaze shifted, his expression hardening further.
"She came home early. She wanted to surprise us."
Jason took a step back, his mask barely concealing the shock in his eyes.
"What? She's… here?"
Batman nodded.
"The Joker attacked both of them at Barbara's apartment. Barbara stable but paralyzed from the waist down."
The words hit Dick like a physical blow, his mind racing.
"Paralyzed? What about Maggie?"
Bruce's voice lowered.
"She's in a coma. Her injuries are life-threatening. The EMTs said it was a miracle they even got her to the hospital alive."
Jason's shoulders tensing. "No," he muttered, his voice shaky.
"Not Maggie..." He cut himself off, turning away for a moment to collect himself.
Dick placed a hand on Jason's shoulder, squeezing it firmly before turning to Batman.
"Where's Joker now?"
Batman's jaw clenched as he turned toward the apartment building.
"That's why we're here. To see if he left any clues behind."
Jason stepped forward, his voice sharp with frustration.
"You mean he's still out there, and we're wasting time looking for crumbs? We should be hunting him down."
Bruce's gaze flicked to Jason, his tone firm.
"We will. But Joker always has a plan. If we don't figure out what he's planning next, Maggie and Barbara might not be his last victims."
"He's right. As much as we want to go after him, we need to know what we're dealing with first."
Jason huffed but nodded reluctantly, his fists clenched tightly at his sides.
Bruce turned to both of them, his voice softening just enough to acknowledge the difficulty of the situation.
"This won't be easy. But I need you both to keep your focus."
The weight of his words settled over them, and Dick gave a resolute nod.
"Let's do it."
Jason said nothing, his mask hiding the turmoil in his expression.
The apartment was eerily quiet, the faint hum of police radios from outside muffled by the walls. Batman led the way inside, his cape brushing against the doorframe. Nightwing and Robin followed, their eyes immediately scanning the scene for anything that might provide answers. The living room was a chaotic mix of the mundane and the horrific. Maggie's suitcases sat neatly in the corner, a stark contrast to the overturned furniture and the shattered remains of the coffee table. The table's splintered edges bore silent witness to Barbara's fall, and the floor beneath it was stained with dark streaks of blood. Jason's eyes caught a small trail of blood leading away from the table. It ended in a large, dark pool near the wall, where Maggie had collapsed.
"Spread out," Bruce said, his voice steady but low.
"Look for anything Joker might have left behind."
Dick moved toward the broken table, his sharp eyes catching faint indentations on the floor where the struggle had unfolded. He crouched, running a gloved hand lightly over the splintered wood. Jason hesitated before stepping further into the room. His gaze landed on something small and colorful near the couch. Kneeling, he reached out and picked it up—a half-wrapped gift, the paper uneven and torn at the edges. His heart sank as he recognized the wrapping Maggie had been struggling with before...His grip tightened on the unfinished gift, his mind racing. *She was here. She was wrapping this … and then Joker—* He couldn't finish the thought. Jason's hands trembled as he held the unfinished gift, the rough edges of the torn wrapping paper brushing against his gloves. The weight in his chest grew unbearable, and before he could stop himself, he began peeling back the paper. Inside was a leather-band compass necklace, its design simple yet meaningful. Jason stared at it, his heart pounding as he turned it over in his hands. Tucked beneath it was a folded piece of paper—a note in Maggie's handwriting. He unfolded it slowly, his vision narrowing to the words she had written.
**Jason,**
I know it's not much, but I wanted to get you something that reminded me of you. This compass isn't just about finding direction—it's a reminder to keep moving forward, no matter what. You've been my compass, Jason. You've kept me steady and helped me find my way when I felt lost. I hope this can remind you that even when I'm not here, I'll always be with you in some way.
I've missed you more than I can say, but I've been counting the days until I see you again.
Love,
Maggie
He clenched the note tightly, his grip on the compass firm. The words hit him harder than he expected, her affection and thoughtfulness evident in every line.
"Jason," Dick called softly, moving closer.
"Hey. You okay?"
Jason flinched slightly but didn't turn.
"I'm fine," he muttered, his voice tight.
Dick lowering his voice.
"What's that?"
Jason hesitated before slowly turning to show him the leather-band compass necklace and the note. His eyes stayed on the floor, his mask hiding the the tears.
"It's from Maggie," he said quietly.
Dick's expression softened as he took in the gift and the crumpled note. He placed a hand on Jason's shoulder, squeezing it gently.
"She'll be okay," Dick said, his tone steady.
Jason didn't say anything, but his grip on the gift loosened slightly. He tucked the necklace and note back into his belt pouch, nodding once without meeting Dick's gaze. Without a word, he turned and headed for the door. Dick watched him leave, concern flickering in his eyes, but he didn't follow. He turned back to the room, where Batman had just straightened from his crouch near the blood trail.
"I may have found something," Batman said, his voice sharp and controlled.
Dick crossed the room as Batman held up a small playing card. It was a Joker card, smeared with blood, the corner torn.
"He's leaving a trail," Batman said grimly.
"This isn't over."
Dick's jaw tightened as he took in the card.
"He's toying with us," he muttered.
"But why leave this here? What's his next move?"
"That's what we need to figure out," Batman replied, his voice dark and steady.
Maggie's world was a haze of muffled sounds and distant voices. The rhythmic beeping of the heart monitor was a constant companion, grounding her in the strange liminal space between awareness and unconsciousness. She couldn't move or speak, but her mind drifted, catching fragments of the world around her. Then, a new sound broke through the stillness: the faint creak of a window being opened. It was subtle but distinct, out of place in the sterile hospital environment. Maggie's subconscious stirred, instinctively recognizing the sound as something unusual. The soft thud of boots landing on the floor followed, accompanied by the faint rustle of fabric. Someone was in her room. The steps were cautious, deliberate, moving closer to her bedside.
"Maggie," a familiar voice whispered, low and filled with a mix of guilt and anguish.
Jason. Though she couldn't respond, she wanted to open her eyes, to tell him she was still there, but her body refused to cooperate. Jason, dressed as Robin, moved to her side. His mask couldn't hide the raw emotion on his face as he looked at her, his gloved hand hovering just above hers but not daring to touch. He glanced at the machines keeping her alive.
"You're supposed to be on a plane, teasing me about... Not… this."
Jason sat down on the edge of her bed, leaning forward slightly.
"I read your note," he admitted, his voice barely audible. "The compass… I get it. I'll keep moving forward. For you. But you've gotta come back, Mags. I can't do this without you."
The room fell silent again, save for the hum of the machines and the faint rustle of Jason's cape as he shifted. Maggie's mind reached out desperately, willing him to hear her, to feel that she wasn't gone. Jason exhaled shakily, standing and pulling the blanket up slightly around her shoulders.
"I'll be back," he promised softly. "Just… don't give up, okay?"
The sound of the window creaking open and closing again signaled his departure, leaving the room quiet once more. Maggie's consciousness stirred faintly, her connection to the outside world feeling both closer and farther away than ever.
The low hum of the Bat computer filled the cavernous space of the Batcave as Batman and Nightwing stood side by side, their eyes fixed on the screen. The Joker card, smeared with blood and bearing a torn corner, was displayed in high resolution as the computer ran its analysis.
"This card isn't random," Nightwing said, his voice thoughtful.
"The blood pattern—it's deliberate. Like he's leaving breadcrumbs."
Batman nodded, his expression unreadable as he studied the data.
"The torn corner matches a set of cards confiscated from Joker's cell during his last stint in Arkham. He must have planned this escape for months."
The sound of boots on stone broke their focus. Both turned to see Jason, as Robin, descending the stairs into the Batcave. His posture was tense, his mask failing to conceal the turmoil in his expression.
"Where you been," Batman said, his tone clipped but calm.
Jason shrugged, walking up to join them at the Bat computer.
"Had something to take care of."
Nightwing gave Jason a side glance but doesn't press. Continues his focus on the bat computer.
"The blood," Nightwing began, his tone grim,
"it's not just a random smear. It matches someone."
Batman nodded, his jaw tight as the name appeared on the screen: *James Gordon.*
"This isn't just a clue," Batman said, his voice low.
"It's a warning. Joker's next target is Commissioner Gordon."
"Gordon? He's going after him now?" said Jason
"It's a strong possibility," Batman replied.
"The Joker doesn't leave these things to chance."
Jason's voice sharpened.
"Then why are we still here? Let's move."
"We need to know more," Batman said firmly.
"Joker's chaotic, but he's always playing a longer game. If we go in without a plan, we risk walking into a trap."
Jason turned to Dick, his frustration clear.
"And what does the computer say? Does it magically tell us where Joker is hiding?"
"Not yet," Dick replied evenly, his calm demeanor contrasting with Jason's agitation.
"But we know Gordon's the next target. That's a start."
Batman stepped forward, his tone commanding.
"Dick's right. We keep working. Joker's left us a trail. We'll follow it, but carefully."
Jason exhaled sharply, crossing his arms.
"We'd better hurry. He's already done enough damage tonight."