Chapter 52: Beyond the Law (Patreon)

Batman moved through Gotham with urgency, moving from one location to another, chasing after any clue that could lead to the Joker. Then the police channel had an update.

“All units respond to the abandoned amusement park in the south district. Commissioner Gordon is safe at Gotham PD. The suspect, Joker, is likely still on site.”

Batman didn’t hesitate. The batmobile turned sharply, engine roaring as he redirected toward the location.

By the time he arrived, the first police units were already pulling in. Officers stepped out, weapons ready. Among them, Harvey Bullock climbed out of his car, spotting Batman immediately.

“You’re already here?” Bullock muttered.

Batman didn’t waste time. “How did Commissioner Gordon return?”

Bullock let out a breath. “Magic,” he said bluntly. “He just… appeared. Naked. In the middle of the station. White flame swirling around him.” He shook his head. “Before he passed out, he said he was at an amusement park. Took us a bit to figure out which one.”

Batman turned without another word and rushed inside.

White flame.

He was already too late. Sebastian found the Joker first.

Batman had barely taken a few steps into the park before he stopped.

Bullock came in behind him and froze.

“Jesus…” Bullock whispered. “Who could have done this?”

More officers entered, one by one.

Then they stopped.

Some went pale.

Others turned away and vomited.

It was a massacre.

Blood pooled thickly across the dirt, soaking into the cracked ground. Pieces of human bodies were scattered everywhere. Limbs torn apart. Flesh ripped open. Some looked sliced cleanly, others crushed beyond recognition.

A long, smeared trail of blood stretched away from the carnage, leading toward a structure nearby.

The house of mirrors.

Batman moved, following the trail.

“Fuck…” Bullock muttered, forcing himself to move. “And I thought that clown couldn’t get any more deranged.”

He followed, even as every instinct told him not to.

The entrance to the house of mirrors stood open.

Inside, silence.

Every mirror had been shattered. Glass littered the floor, reflecting fractured pieces of the scene in jagged shards. The air felt heavy, suffocating.

At the center of the room, one mirror remained intact.

And in front of it, something hung.

Batman and Bullock approached slowly.

Step by step.

Then they saw it.

And their blood ran cold.

It was the Joker.

Or what was left of him.

His body hung suspended from the ceiling by metal hooks driven deep into his flesh. His limbs were gone, cleanly removed. His mouth had been crushed inward, teeth shattered and gone, leaving only a distorted, permanent grimace that resembled sorrow. His ears were missing. His head had been shaved completely.

A deep burn mark carved into his chest.

His lower body… mutilated.

His eyelids had been removed.

Forced open.

So he could do nothing but stare at the mirror in front of him.

At what he had become.

Bullock’s voice came out hoarse. “Who the fuck did this…?”

The Joker’s eyes moved.

Slowly.

Toward them.

He was alive.

And in those eyes, there was no laughter or madness.

Only Despair.

Batman stood completely still.

He had known the moment he heard about the white flame that he was too late.

But this, this was beyond anything he had anticipated. Calling Sebastian's retaliation deranged is not anywhere near enough to describe this cruelty.

Later, the doctors would confirm that The Joker’s tongue and vocal cords were removed. The clown would never be able to speak, hear, taste or move. 

He had been forced into an existence where he could do nothing but stare.

Forever aware and completely helpless.

But what the doctors couldn’t figure out, whoever had done this, how had they managed to keep him alive?

———

Early the next morning, Barbara stirred with a low groan, pain pulling her back into awareness.

“Babs!!” Commissioner Gordon leaned forward immediately, relief and concern written plainly across his face. “How are you feeling?”

Barbara blinked slowly, her vision focusing on her father. “Pain…” she muttered. “What happened?” Then her eyes widened suddenly. “The Joker…!”

“Babs, calm down,” Gordon said quickly, placing a hand near her shoulder. “It’s over. You’re in the hospital now.”

She exhaled shakily, easing a little. Then her expression shifted, memory catching up with her.

“He shot me and…” Her voice faltered. “Oh… Jimmy… he tried to help.” Her eyes searched her father’s face. “Is he okay?”

Gordon looked down.

“He passed away.”

Barbara went still.

Then her gaze dropped, her voice barely audible. “I’m really cursed…” she whispered. “He died because of me.”

“No,” Gordon said firmly. “It was the Joker. And he paid for it… more than he could have ever imagined.”

Barbara looked up again, confusion mixing with unease. “What happened? Did Batman put him in prison?”

Gordon shook his head. “He was too late.”

Barbara frowned. “Too late?” she repeated. Then her thoughts raced. “Wait… he took you… If Batman was late, then how are you here?”

Gordon’s expression tightened slightly. “Babs, calm down. Everything is over now.”

Barbara stared at him, then muttered under her breath, almost instinctively, “Sebastian…”

Her eyes sharpened. “He found out.” A pause. “What did he do?”

Gordon went silent for a moment, his gaze drifting as if recalling something he would rather not see again.

“Yes,” he said finally. “He did. He was the one who found me… and the Joker.” He exhaled slowly. “The look in his eyes… it was…” He trailed off, then shook his head. “We’ll talk about it later. Just know this, the Joker will never be a problem again.”

Barbara didn’t respond.

Gordon stood. “I’ll get the doctors. They wanted to check on you once you woke up. Just… don’t move. Rest.”

He left the room.

Barbara lay there in silence, staring at the ceiling.

———

At noon, in Gotham Cemetery.

Sebastian stood alone in a black suit, watching silently as a casket was lowered into the ground. The workers were finishing their task without ceremony. The tombstone was placed, the dirt settled.

James had no family or friends, the only person who knew and spoke with him was Sebastian. So Sebastian chose to not let the deceased wait and gave a burial as soon as possible. 

When it was over, Sebastian stepped forward, stopping beside the grave. He looked down at it for a long moment before speaking.

“I know this is all pointless,” he muttered quietly. “But it’s still pissing me off all the same.”

A brief pause.

“You shouldn’t have done that,” he added. “That was stupid even for you. And you called me insane.”

He let out a sigh.

“Goodbye, buddy,” he said. “It was nice knowing you.”

He turned and began walking away.

Dozens of meters later, he stopped.

Two figures stood in front of him.

Sebastian’s expression was completely blank as he looked at them.

“I’m not in the mood for you two,” he said.

Before him stood Batman and Commissioner Gordon.

Gordon spoke first, his voice quieter than usual. “He was a good man.”

“More of an idiot if you ask me,” Sebastian replied. “I told him to get a gun many times instead of a stupid knife. “But I never told him to play hero.”

A pause.

“Never mind,” he added. “What do you want now?”

“Nothing excuses what you’ve done,” Batman said. “You have to answer for your actions.”

Sebastian replied in the same monotone tone. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. If you have a problem with me, feel free to take it to court. You play by the book, right?”

“You killed many people last night,” Batman said, voice hard. “In the most gruesome manner. And you left the Joker in a state worse than death.”

Sebastian tilted his head slightly. “Did I do that? I don’t recall it, but if so, bring evidence and take me to the court detective. You will need to work hard to find anything concrete.”

Gordon’s jaw tightened. “Dropping to their level, becoming a killer, won’t fix anything. You just become another criminal.”

Sebastian said. “But I am a criminal. Fake ID. You already know that. That’s actually easier to prove than your supposed gruesome murder.”

Gordon stared at him. “You don’t fear going to prison?”

Sebastian looked at him for a moment, then asked, “Have you ever thought about the limitation of the legal system? And I am not talking about the guilty escaping punishment or not getting justice for the victims.”

Neither Gordon nor Batman answered.

“The legal system only works within the reach of society,” he continued. “Where the collective power of people and institutions can enforce it. It doesn’t work on those beyond its reach.”

A pause.

“Want to guess where I am in that system?”

Batman said “You can’t escape it. There are prisons designed for people with special powers like you once you’re caught.”

Sebastian replied unbothered. “No, I can actually. And I am fundamentally different from everyone else you deal with. Tell me, what exactly stops me from going to another state? Or another country?”

“You are still here,” Batman said.

Sebastian gave a faint nod.

“Because I still have no reason to leave.” His tone remained indifferent. “This place is just where I keep my things. In truth, I don’t have much connection to it.” He paused, then added quietly, “Well… my biggest connection is six feet under, dozens of meters behind me.”

He pointed behind him toward the grave.

“I don’t have an end goal to aim for, I don’t have an ideology to challenge or desire to pursue. I live to drown in the moment. So really,” he continued, “Any place would do. I’m just… content living here. But what about you? Your entire life, your purpose, your mission, it’s all tied to Gotham.” 

His voice lowered slightly. “I can take all of that from you in an instant. And you know it.”

A pause.

“See the problem?” Sebastian continued. “I don’t care. You care. In this play of law, only you stand to lose.”

He shifted his gaze to Gordon.

“And you’re no different,” he added. “You can try to cause me trouble, but the most you’ll do is inconvenience me to find another place to rent.” His expression remained blank. “Meanwhile, I can do… far more horrifying things in this city than you can imagine.”

He let out a quiet sigh.

“Life is unfair,” he said. “Justice doesn’t get served all the time. Some things are simply beyond our control. You can lose everything in a moment and you have no right to cry injustice. I know that very well and so do both of you.”

Another pause.

“You chose to talk instead of bringing officers or throwing a punch,” Sebastian added. “Because you know I can disappear the next moment and you have no way at the moment to stop me.”

He looked between them.

“So what do you think?” he asked. “I keep living here, and we call it a day… or I flip your lives upside down at the cost of a minor inconvenience on my part?”

Gordon held his gaze. “Would you do that?” he asked. “Hurt innocents?”

Sebastian pointed at himself. “I’m a criminal with a fake ID. A crazy man who talks nonsense. Associated with cocaine. An unreasonable deranged murderer with dark impulses” His voice remained even. “You even wanted to put me in an asylum.”

A slight tilt of his head.

“The question is, are you willing to bet on my goodness?”

Gordon said nothing.

“I thought so,” Sebastian said. “I’d suggest you go stay by your daughter’s side instead of wasting your breath with me.” He turned slightly. “If you’re confident you can deal with my nonsense, feel free to come after me.”

He walked past them.

Gordon exhaled quietly, then spoke.

“Babs can’t walk anymore…She’s paralyzed from the waist down”

Sebastian stopped and turned back.

“I’m not surprised,” he said. “Her curse was going to lead to this eventually.” He shrugged faintly. “Look at the upside. She at least lives.”

Gordon’s expression hardened slightly. “Do you blame us for his death?”

“Partially,” Sebastian replied. “His death is the result of multiple factors. His own actions. Your daughter’s curse. The Joker.” A pause. “And most importantly, because he met me.”

Gordon took a breath.

“Babs told me about how you recovered from bullets,” he said. “After taking in that… cocaine.” He hesitated slightly. “Is it possible to heal her?”

Batman turned his head toward Gordon but said nothing.

Sebastian raised an eyebrow.

“Now that,” he said slowly, “is something I didn’t see coming.”

Gordon didn’t look away. “She’s my daughter,” he said. “I can’t bear seeing her like that.”

Sebastian studied him for a moment.

“So,” he said, “you want to trade your morals and conscience for your daughter to walk again?”

“No,” Gordon said firmly. “I don’t.”

A pause.

“I’m not coming after you for now,” he continued. “I don’t want to see the monster from last night walking freely in my city.” His voice steadied. “But if there’s a way to catch you, if Batman finds a way to imprison you, I will help him.”

There was a moment of silence between them.

“I’m asking you as a father,” Gordon continued. “Appealing to your human side.” His voice lowered slightly. “If she can walk again… you can do anything you want with me. Even kill me to avenge your friend.”

Sebastian stared at him for a long moment.

“I didn’t know you were a greedy person,” he said finally.

White fire ignited in his hand, flickering briefly before condensing into a small cloth-wrapped ball.

He tossed it toward Gordon.

Gordon caught it instinctively and looked down at it.

“Her spine should recover if she consumes it,” Sebastian said. “Inhale it or take it orally, it doesn’t matter.”

Gordon tightened his grip slightly. “Thank you.”

Sebastian didn’t respond.

He turned and walked away.

Batman watched him go, then shifted his gaze to Gordon. “Did you expect him to agree?”

Gordon looked down at the cloth in his hand.

“I bet on Jimmy’s words,” he said quietly. “He told us yesterday… Sebastian helps anyone who asks. That he’s a good person underneath all of this.” He exhaled slowly. “He said Sebastian buries his anger and negativity behind a smile.”

A pause.

“Last night,” Gordon added, “all of that came out… and it was directed at the Joker. I don’t understand him and definitely don’t want to know how far he is willing to go when pissed at us. We already have too many lunatics in this city to worry about.”

He sighed then said. “What about you?.”

Batman replied “Even if I bring him in, I still don’t know how to stop his teleportation. He can always leave afterward. And I suspect he has other unknown abilities he didn’t show. So all I wanted to know for now was if he had gone completely crazy or what he did was out of anger. For now, he can be reasoned with.”