บท 121: CHAPTER 119
I could sense the fire within her, the unwavering spirit of a true hero. Fortunately for her, I had no intention of fighting her but proceed with the fate that awaited the Joker. I took a step closer, the smoke filled air crackling with energy around me.
"Batgirl, you can't save him," I taunted, my voice laced with a chilling confidence. "His crimes are beyond redemption. The world will be better off without him."
She tightened her grip on the tonfas, her knuckles almost turning white. "I won't let you take the law into your own hands. That isn't justice."
I let out a low cackle, my eyes gleaming with an icy intensity. "Justice? Is that what you call it? Your Dark Knight there has allowed this monster to roam free time and time again. How many lives must be lost before he finally acts? Or have you forgotten who is responsible for Robin's death?"
Batgirl's resolve wavered for a moment, doubt flickering in her eyes. But she quickly shook it off, her determination resurfacing. "We have a justice system in place for a reason. We don't stoop to their level."
I took a step closer, my voice dripping with disdain. "And how has that worked out? The Joker always finds a way back, causing more chaos, more death. It's a never-ending cycle, and it's time someone put an end to it."
She squared her shoulders, her voice filled with unwavering conviction. "We fight to protect the innocent, to ensure that even the worst criminals face justice. Killing them doesn't make us heroes; it makes us no better than them."
I let out a humorless laugh, my eyes narrowing as I stared her down. "Heroes? Don't make me laugh. Your so-called heroism only perpetuates the suffering. It's time for a new era, where those who deserve to be punished meet their end."
"Then we, the actual heroes, would be there to stop you." She said before going through a short series of coughs due to the smoke.
"Stop me? Don't make me laugh, only few of you your so called heroes are strong enough to fight someone like me." I said with a tone that reflected my level of certainty. I could see clearly in her eyes that my words had sent chills down her spine for a split second.
Batgirl braced herself, ready to face whatever I threw her way. Be that as it may, I had no interest in engaging her. "You better forget about that clown and save both yourself and the Bat before you both get suffocated by the smoke, or burnt even."
"Don't worry about us, we'll be fine. But for you, I can't really say." She said before lunging towards me with her tonfas in hand.
*Sigh*
"Women…They just don't listen." I muttered with a logy tone. This had gone on long enough and we were running out of time, I had no choice but to end it as soon as I could.
She got to me and took the first swing which I easily evaded and followed up with my fist making a direct hit on her solar plexus. She gasped for air as she started breathing heavily, getting weaker as the seconds passed.
The fire was rapidly burning through the oxygen in the air, limiting it. And the little that was in the atmosphere was accompanied by smoke. It was already difficult to breath and with that blow, she struggled to stay on her feet.
I took a step closer. "You can try to stop me, Batgirl. But in the end, you'll realize that the world needs someone like me. Someone who isn't bound by your outdated notions of justice. It's nothing personal." I said to her, then watched her as she slowly lost consciousness. "Say hello to the guy in the red mask for me." I added before she dropped to the floor.
Immediately I was done settling everything I needed to do, I walked over to Joker and disappeared from the scene along with him.
…
[Barbara Gordon's POV]
"Batgirl... Batgirl." I heard a distant voice calling my name, slowly pulling me back from the darkness. I blinked, struggling to focus my blurry vision. As my eyes cleared, I realized it was Batman, his concerned face hovering above me.
"What happened?" I managed to ask, my voice weak and groggy. I found myself lying at a safe distance from the charred remains of the warehouse.
"I was hoping you could tell me. I woke up over here not too long ago," Batman replied, his tone filled with uncertainty.
"The last thing I remembered was my confrontation with Ace, and embarrassingly enough, being swiftly taken down by a single punch."
"There's no need to feel embarrassed. Ace isn't an ordinary adversary. We can't underestimate his strength or the nature of his powers," Batman reassured me, extending a hand to help me sit up.
As I mustered the strength to rise, I noticed something tucked behind my utility belt. Curiosity piqued, I retrieved a folded piece of paper. Batman peered over my shoulder, his gaze fixed on the mysterious note.
"What is it? A message?" Batman inquired.
"I'm not sure, I just found it." I unfolded the paper, revealing a handwritten message. It read, 'You're both welcome for saving your lives. From your not-so-friendly, you know who. P.S: Remember you both owe me one.'
"It seems Ace managed to rescue us before the fire consumed us. We need to extinguish the remaining flames and confirm if he captured Joker or, worse, if he killed him on the spot," Batman stated, concern etched on his face. He extended his hand, offering support as I rose to my feet.
Together, we worked to extinguish the fires, ensuring no human remains were left within the wreckage. It became evident that Ace had indeed captured Joker, his whereabouts unknown. It was clear that Ace had a strong desire to see the Joker dead.
Later that evening, Bruce lay in bed, his weakened body connected to IV drips, a result of the injuries sustained during his earlier confrontation. Alfred had insisted he rest for the night, cautioning against pushing himself too hard.
In the Batcave, frustration consumed me as I attempted to trace Joker's or Ace's location. Each endeavor proved fruitless, as if Ace had vanished from the face of the earth and without a trace, taking Joker with him. The realization that he intended to end Joker's life only intensified my frustration. Joker needed to pay for his crimes, death is just an easy way out.
Moreover, I've been troubled by what he said before I lost consciousness. He mentioned the guy in the red mask, I could only assume he was referring to the new vigilante who popped out of nowhere a few weeks back and goes by the name Redhood. I don't know what he meant by that or what their connection might be, but they were both menace to society.
Just as I was drowning in the uncertainty, Alfred's image flickered on the screen before me. Startled, I turned to face him, eager to know the cause of his interruption.
"Ms. Gordon, I'm afraid we have a bit of a situation," Alfred's voice echoed through the cave, his tone grave.
"What's the problem, Alfred?" I asked, my curiosity piqued by his serious demeanor.
"There's a public broadcast concerning the Joker and the encounter you and Batman had with Ace earlier this evening."
"Really?" I replied, surprised, my fingers swiftly tapping at the keyboard, retrieving the broadcast on a side monitor.
"Master Bruce, you should be resting. Please don't overexert yourself," Alfred admonished, a concerned expression on his face. Bruce appeared at the entrance of the Batcave, his determination masking the pain that coursed through his body.
"I never thought someone would be sick enough to actually kidnap me, such irony. You must truly have a few screws loose," the Joker's voice echoed from the broadcast, followed by his signature cackle.
Suddenly, a video feed appeared on the screen, revealing a bloodied and battered Joker, tied to a chair in a dimly lit room. It was evident that he had been subjected to a severe beating before the broadcast.
"Shut the fuck up, clown," Ace's voice retorted as he stepped into view, his presence commanding.
"Barbara, try to triangulate his transmission and pinpoint his exact location," Bruce instructed, a subtle hint of pain lingering in his words. Whatever Ace had done to him, it had taken its toll on his body.
"On it," I responded, my fingers dancing across the keyboard as I initiated the task. After a moment of intense concentration, I let out a disheartened exclamation. "How is this possible!"
"What's wrong?" Bruce asked, his voice laden with concern.
"I attempted to triangulate the location of the signal, but it led to multiple pings from various radio stations across different cities," I explained, my surprise evident in my tone.
"Just as I suspected, it wouldn't be that easy. He must have hacked into those radio stations to conceal his actual signal, making it like finding a needle in a haystack. Currently, this broadcast is being transmitted through all of those stations," Bruce analyzed calmly, his strategic mind at work.
"Keep trying. See if you can isolate the original signal and get a fix on his actual location," he continued, his determination unwavering.
The screen flickered to life once again, and the Joker's mouth was sealed shut with duct tape. "Hello, everyone. Sorry to interrupt your programs or disrupt your activities tonight, but I have a message to pass on to the public," Ace's voice resonated, capturing our attention.
"After recent events, you've all chosen to call me Ace. I have no qualms with that name; in fact, I might even like it. Some see me as a villain, while others call me a hero. Frankly, I don't give a damn about how you perceive me. I will continue to do as I please," Ace proclaimed, his words laced with an air of chilly confidence.
"With that out of the way, here's my message for all of you," he declared, his words sending a slight shiver down my spine. Ace had left us all in a state of suspense, unaware of his true motives or the reason behind his abduction of the Joker but now he was about to reveal it all.
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