Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker Page #2

then drop it.

-Commissioner, your 9 o'clock is here.

-Send him in.

You were leaving?

Figure I was.

-Thanks for seeing me, Barb.

-That's what I'm here for.

JOKER:

DECEASED:

VOICE ID:

--a countdown of victims

that will end at midnight...

...unless our dear Dark Knight

stops me first!

Hello, Gotham.

Joker's back in town!

VOICE MATCH:

IDENTICAL:

It's funny.

I know about all of your other major

enemies but you never mention him.

-He was the biggest, wasn't he?

-It wasn't a popularity contest.

He was a psychopath.

A monster.

So how is it possible he could still

be around after all this time?

It's not possible.

He died years ago.

You're sure?

I was there.

You killed him,

didn't you?

He was gonna do something so terrible,

you had no other choice.

-Terry--

-That was it, wasn't it?

I want you to give back

the Batman suit.

What? Why?

There is no reason for you

to continue.

You've made your father's killers

pay for his murder.

...then put your own needs aside to help

the city when it most needed a hero.

You've honored the reputation of Batman

many times over and for that I thank you.

Then why?

I had no right to force this life

on you or anyone else.

I was the one who broke in

and swiped the suit, remember?

Yes, there was my dad's murder, but we

come from two different worlds, Mr. Wayne.

I wasn't like you

or the kids you took in.

I was a pretty bad kid once.

Ran with a rough crowd, broke a lot of

laws and say nothing to my folks' hearts.

The kind of punk you wouldn't have wasted

a second punch on back in that day.

Your point?

I'm trying to make

up for past sins.

The state says my 3 months in juvie wiped

me clean, but my soul tells me different.

Every time I put on that suit is my

chance to help people who are in trouble.

I guess on a personal level...

...it's a chance to look like

a worthwhile human being again.

In my eyes,

no one else's.

It's what I want,

Bruce.

Stupid kid.

You don't know what you want.

None of you ever did.

Mom, come quick!

Some weirdo broke into our house!

-Matty? What are you yelling about?

-There's a stranger's sitting at our table!

-Ha, ha.

-That's your brother.

I've never seen him

before in my life.

It is rare that you're up before noon, Terry

what with your job and all.

I'm not working for Mr.

Wayne anymore.

Well, it will be nice to have you home

for a change. Right, Matt?

Sure. Great. Just when I was

getting used to being an only child.

Mom!

Once in a while, we have to do it, Dane.

Ditch the guys and go out by ourselves.

It may be a change for you, Chelsea. I don't

see enough of Terry to know the difference.

Terry's sweet and all, but who says

you can't make friends with someone new?

Not a chance.

Terry!

I thought you'd be

working as usual.

The bad news is, for the time being,

I'm not gonna have much money coming in.

The good news is,

you have me all to yourself.

I can live with that.

Cutting in.

Hey!

Dana?

What is it,

boy?

Ace.

Ace!

Don't get up, Bruce. It's just

an old friend come by to say hello.

Hello...

...Batman.

Dana!

It was her.

Don't know why the boss

wants a dreg like you

outta the way, but...

hey,

as long as it's fun...

Terry!

Dana!

-Let me go!

-Sure, cutes.

Slag him!

-Dana?

-Stay out of sight!

There!

What's he doing?

You got me.

Just finish him!

Ah, you made a mess,

dreg.

Dana!

She's got a bad bump and some cuts,

but she's gonna be okay.

-Why were those guys after you?

-I don't know.

Look I'm gonna talk to the cops.

Stay with her, okay, Chels?

-I'll come as soon as I can.

-Sure.

Leave a message.

Hey, the Joker's little playmates

were after me tonight.

Me, not Batman.

This whole thing stinks, Wayne,

and you know why.

I need some straight answers from--

Wait, it's night. Where does he go?

Wayne?

Wayne!

Ace.

Please,

God, no.

Floor...

...under...

...table.

How is he?

The anti-toxin's done all it can.

It's up to him now.

Thanks for coming.

I didn't know who else to call.

Who else is there?

That reminds me. I'd better

check on our other patient.

What have I done?

I killed the little rabbit.

I don't deserve to live!

How you doing,

killer?

Yeah,

rough night for me too.

Sad news from the financial world

this morning.

The return of Bruce Wayne to his family

company has been delayed due to an accident.

Wayne Enterprises' Jordan Pryce

had this to say:

We received a call from

Mr. Wayne's houseboy this morning...

...saying Mr. Wayne

had taken a bad fall.

Everyone at the Wayne Enterprises' family

sends their prayers and good wishes...

...to our senior member

for his speedy recovery.

I'll bet. Not every creep in Gotham

wears a purple suit.

It'd make my job

simpler if they did.

The Joker knew about Bruce, about me,

probably about you too.

Someone knows,

I'll give you that.

But it's not the Joker.

Not the real one.

Bruce said he was dead.

And?

That's it.

I know there's more.

Barbara, I'm part of this. I need

the answers Bruce can't give me.

I deserve them.

I thought talking about it

would get easier over time...

...but some hurts

never go away.

Dick Grayson,

Nightwing, had left...

...to establish himself

in another city.

There were three of us then:

Bruce, myself and Robin, Tim Drake.

Robin was alone when

he came upon a woman in trouble.

Help!

Help!

Somebody,

please, help!

Hero time.

-That evens things up a little.

-Not really, bird-boy!

A bird in the hand.

We soon realized

Tim was missing.

Night after night we scoured the city,

running down every lead...

...pressing every

underworld connection.

But no one had seen

any sign of Robin.

For three agonizing weeks

there was nothing.

Then one night,

we were sent an invitation.

Arkham.

The asylum had been moved

to a newer, high-security building.

The old building had been

partially demolished...

...and hung open

like a rotting wound.

Hush, little baby,

don't say a word

Mama's gonna buy

you a mocking bird

And if that

mocking bird don't sing

Mama's gonna buy

you a diamond ring

And if that diamond

ring turns brass

Mama's gonna buy

you a looking glass

And if that looking

glass gets broke

Pudding,

company!

Hello there!

Welcome to our happy home.

Where's Robin?

Robin?

There's no Robin here.

Maybe he means our little J.

Of course!

That's it!

No peeking.

Mommy's little helper.

You know, Bats, we've been doing this

little runaround of ours for years.

It's been loads of laughs,

but the sad fact is...

...none of us are

getting any younger.

That old clock's a-ticking.

Quite right,

pooh.

And Harley and I were thinking

it was time to start a family.

Add a Joker Junior

to our merry brood.

But rather than go through

all the joy of childbirth...

...we decided

to adopt.

We couldn't do it legally...

...but then we remembered you always

had a few spare kids hanging around.

So we borrowed one.

No.

My God!

He needed a little molding of course.

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