Batman
arrives at the docks on the back of a white mare. The mare has a name: Ace.
A
cold wave has been sweeping over Gotham and has cast a dense lair of fog into
the city. Even though the moon is full, very little light is able to bleed
through. No matter how faint the moonlight is, Ace's hair coat is silky enough
to reflect it. The result is that she looks like a fantastical creature as she
wades across the mist.
It’s
past midnight and any worker still left at the site is too drunk to either
approach the mare and her rider, or scurry away. A couple of them do shout
profanities but it’s not directed at anyone.
Batman
rides to the side of the docks where Selina Kyle said she’d meet him. Instead,
he is received by a boy who couldn’t be older than ten.
“Good
lord, she wasn’t kidding,” the boy says. “It’s really you!”
Batman
dismounts from the horse and eyes the boat anchored behind the boy. An old man
is snoring inside. Whatever is left of the man’s hair is gravely disheveled.
But he seems to be dressed in a newly tailored suit, a heavy contrast to the
boy’s tattered shirt and trousers.
“Oh
that’s Uncle Jimmy. Don’t worry, he’s not drunk. I mean… at least, I don’t
think so.”
“He
smells bad even from here,” Batman says. “Then again, that’s Old Jimmy. I’d
pinch myself if he didn’t smell.”
The
boy laughs out loud but it dies down as he contemplates what just happened. Did
Batman crack a joke?
“It’s
nice to finally meet you, Tim.”
Tim
beams in joy. "Likewise, sir!"
Someone
coughs as if to interrupt. “It’s great that you two are getting along but don’t
even think about making a Robin out of him,” says Selina Kyle. Seeing she’s
arrived, Tim runs to wake Old Jimmy up.
“I
wasn’t,” Batman says, turning his head. “And you’re late.”
“Well,
not everybody has a horse,” she says, removing the hood of her silver cloak.
Ace shuffles around, recognizing her. The mare purrs as Selina pets her neck.
“At least someone missed me.”
“I
missed you too,” Batman thinks but doesn’t say.
“Alright,
I’m up! I’m up! Dammit, kid!” Old Jimmy yells from the boat. He shrieks as he
gets up and sees… “Batman? What’s the Bat doing here?! No, no, I’m not getting
paid nearly enough for this!” Old Jimmy tells Selina.
“Jimmy,
I’m going to start charging you instead if you don’t shut up,” Selina says,
continuing to rub Ace’s mane, trying to keep the mare calm.
“You
can’t do that!” Old Jimmy turns to Tim. “Can she?”
Tim
shrugs.
The
man growls. “Alright, just… get on board!” Tim hops right in as Old Jimmy
begins to undock the boat.
“You’re
not coming with us, Tim,” Selina says.
“No,
it’s fine!" Tim argues. "Uncle Jimmy and I will return right back
here, right? Even if we didn’t, you know I’m more than capable of handling
myself!”
“I'm
not asking, kiddo.”
Tim
frowns in frustration. He was so looking forward spending more time with Batman
and maybe picking up on a few things. “What do you want me to do then?”
"It's
still important. You'll have to take care of Ace." She unties one end of
the lead rope from Ace's halter and offers it to Tim. "Go on. Just like we
practiced."
Tim
relaxes his legs and slowly approaches the mare. The mare backs up at first,
skeptical of this stranger but Tim maintains a contagious calmness. Accepting
the lead rope, Tim stands to the mare's side and gently strokes her neck.
"Hello, Ace," he whispers.
Selina
leans on Batman and watches the mare and the boy bond.
"You've
taught him well," Batman mutters.
Selina
smiles at the remark. "You know the Kapelputs, right?"
"I
do, actually. Mrs. Kapelput has always been a friend of the family. The Wayne
family, I mean."
"Well,
they have a stable. I've been meaning to get Tim a job there. It'll pay well
and... you know, they have nice accommodations for stable workers. I checked it
out the last time I broke into Kapelput Manor."
Batman
cocks his head back to process the last part.
"What?
That Mrs. Kapelput of yours is too old to have all that bijouterie to
herself."
Batman
holds back a chuckle. "Maybe I can put in a good word for him. When all of
this is over."
"I'd
appreciate that, Bat."
***
“Be
careful out there," Tim says to Selina as she and Batman board the
sailboat. "Just looking at that place from afar gives me the creeps. I
don’t want you to… die.”
“Come
on, kiddo. I can’t die. Cats have nine lives, didn’t you know?”
“That’s
just a myth and you’re not a cat!” Tim says emphatically. “Just be careful.”
Selina
nods. "We will, Tim. We will."
“Where
are we going again?” says Old Jimmy once everyone is comfortably sat, or as
comfortably as one can amidst liquor odor, food crumbs and ants. "Just to
check if I remember correctly. If you can’t tell, I’m a little drunk."
“North
end of Amusement Mile,” says Batman. It’s a vast island that was supposed to
host the biggest amusement park in the world but the project was cancelled
following the murder of the Waynes.
Old
Jimmy frowns. “Why the north end? What’s there?”
“Joker’s
old safe house, if you need to know.”
Tim
waves his newsboy cap at the three as they sail away. He seems to have a
concerned look on his face but it brushes away once he hears Ace neigh behind
him.
***
Batman
tinkers with his anemometer again and again, like checking repeatedly is going
to have any effect on the weather at all. He is happy with the wind speed for
now. The wind direction seems to be in their favor too as the sailboat glides
across the Gotham River. This river separates Amusement Mile and a couple other
islands from the mainland.
“I
don’t understand,” says Old Jimmy. “Why did you need a boat? Why not just use
the arch-bridge? Granted, that bridge is older than me. But it should still
hold a carriage just fine.”
“For
one thing,” says Selina, “the commissioner has set up checkpoints on all the
bridges around Gotham. Nobody leaves the mainland, not even Batman.”
“For
another thing,” says Batman, “we are far enough from the docks now that no one
will hear you scream.”
“What
the hell is that supposed to mean?!” Old Jimmy jumps to his feet and almost
falls overboard.
“Don’t
you mind Batman. He has a knack for being… menacing.”
Selina gestures for Batman to continue rowing in Old Jimmy’s stead. “But as I
mentioned, all the bridges are swarming with patrolmen, making this the only
unobstructed route to the north end. The only route Joker could’ve taken
without getting shot dead."
"So?
What does that have to do wi—"
"As
for what it has to do with you…” She runs her fingers behind his coat’s lapel,
feeling the texture. “I didn’t know you could afford a tweed suit like this,
Jimmy.”
“It’s
none of your business, Selina!” Old Jimmy protests.
“You
can either tell me everything voluntarily,” Selina says, drawing a lasso from
inside her cloak, “or, I could have the lasso compel it out of you.”
Old
Jimmy gulps seeing that Selina is unwinding the coil and yields. “Wait! Listen,
so… believe me, I don’t remember much, and it's all really vague, because,
well… I was a little drunk that night—”
“When
are you not drunk, Jimmy? Just get to the point.”
“Okay!
There was this man about a week ago. He offered me a lot of money, and I mean a
lot of money, to lend him the boat for a night and go home. The fella paid
in advance too. I didn’t see any more of him but the boat was back where it
should’ve been the next morning. I swear by the lord that’s all.”
“Do
you remember how he was dressed? Specifically, was he wearing a bowler hat and
a dark long coat?” Batman asks.
“Yes!
I mean, as far as I remember. I don't think he was wearing any clown makeup
though.” Old Jimmy is sweating despite the cold breeze and foggy weather.
“Trust me, I had no idea that fella had anything to do with Joker.”
Selina
looks at Batman and he nods. It seems that they’re both satisfied with Old
Jimmy’s explanation.
***
Selina,
Batman and Old Jimmy took turns rowing. It has taken them a significant amount
of time to sail around the island. The bank and the subsequent warehouses of
Amusement Mile’s north end are starting to be visible. It is Old Jimmy’s turn
now he is rowing with rage, clearly displeased with how the journey has
transpired.
“I
heard a rumor,” Selina whispers to Batman. “About Batmobile parts being sold in
the Narrows?”
“You
heard right. It was Richard. I guess he was making some kind of a statement,”
Batman says.
“I
feel sorry for him. I can’t imagine what I’d do if I was in his place. Maybe if
he stayed, we could’ve helped.”
“It
would be uncharacteristic of him to stay after what happened. I mean, he
outgrew Gotham a long time ago. Still he gave the city a second chance and what
did he receive in return? Nothing but further trauma.”
“Have
you spoken to Gordon yet?”
Batman
shakes his head. “I don’t know if I can ever look him in the eyes again. I’ve
failed him, Selina."
Selina
rubs his back in consolation. The wind seems to be picking up, again in their
favor, pushing them along faster toward the destination.
“We’ll
find Joker,” Selina says. “We’ve done the hard working, having gone through
every other possible site. Even if Amusement Mile is a dead end, we’ll keep
looking … We’ll find him and make him pay for what he’s done.”
“Selina,
there are lines we can’t cross…” Batman says.
“There
are ways to make him suffer without necessarily crossing the line. But
you knew that already. You’re Batman—practically, the master of torture. Joker
shouldn’t get a pass just because he’s insane.”
“That’s
not the point! It’s true that I’ve always used torture. It can be a useful tool
for interrogation, but I never let it be an end in itself.”
“You’ll
hate me for saying this but maybe you should reconsider your principles this
one time.” Selina looks away and stares at the waves splashing and dissipating
against the rocky shore. “The city is changing, Bat. Maybe it’s time our
principles changed too.”
For
the remainder of the journey they don’t speak. Once the boat hits the shore,
they pay up Old Jimmy, instructing him to sail back to mainland.
“I
can stay, if you want. I’ll give you a discount on the waiting charge,” Old
Jimmy proposes.
“You
should leave for your own safety. We don’t know how Joker will react to being
found,” says Batman.
“If
you say so.” Old Jimmy sighs and pushes his boat around.
Selina
puts her hood back on. “There it is,” she says, pointing to the two warehouses
situated parallel to each other. There is weed growing on and around all of
them. The roofs have almost broken down. But one of the warehouses stands out.
In the moonlight, its walls look a rusted green. “I think we know the amateur
who did the paintjob.”
Batman's
eyes dart around the scene. The sand covering the shore has dampened because of
the weather. There are clear footprints of one person roaming the area. The
shore is also overflowing with pine cones—some of them whole and others
dismantled to the core. "So, that's how he has been surviving,"
Batman thinks, staring into a semi-circle of dark and old pine trees that
encloses the area. Batman kneels down to get a better look at one of the cones.
He smirks. The cone looks fresh and green, and dented on one side. It has only
recently been harvested. "We got him."
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