Going Mad #186

"Barbara got shot...?" Bruce remarked, a sliver of emotion finally breaking through his haggard, stoic expression and showing on the surface as he briefly glanced at the emergency communication device.

"She's comatose in the private hospital right now. We don't know if she'll wake up or even survive..." Nightwing said through gritted teeth as he stepped back from Bruce, somewhat satisfied by finally getting a reaction.

"We don't even know who attacked her, and Commissioner Gordon is missing..." He added, his expression a mixture of anger and concern as he made a cutting gesture to the side.

"No one knows what to do, and meanwhile, you're here twiddling your thumbs with no clue about what's happening in the real world!" Nightwing concluded through tired pants as he paused to let his words sink in and take a breath.

Looking at Nightwing's riled-up appearance, Bruce alternated his gaze between the computer and his student before lowering his head, seemingly deep in thought.

"It's the Joker. Barbara has two identities. Both would make her a prime target for him..." Bruce said after some thought, his expression turning even more exhausted as he spoke.

"Contact Wraith. He should be able to save Barbara's life. If not, his teacher would," Bruce added as he retrieved a black card from his pocket and offered it to Nightwing.

"He might not be willing to help... give him this card, and he will..." he went on without bothering to elaborate as Nightwing took it from his hand and put it away.

"If Gordon is missing, then Joker has him. You must act quickly and find him before it's too late..." the caped crusader continued before turning back to face the bat computer to continue his work.

"I'll call for someone to help you take care of the Joker. Now go," he concluded as he resumed typing as if to end the conversation, much to Nightwing's shock.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean, Bruce...?!" Richard said, his vision going red as he turned Bruce and gripped his collar, lifting him to his eye level.

"Babs is in a critical condition, your friend is missing, and the Joker is loose...." Nightwing said, angrily scowling in Bruce's face as he pulled him closer to himself.

"And you... you want to stay here and keep working like it's nothing?" he questions, his tone disbelieving as he began shaking Bruce as if to snap him back to reality.

"That's exactly why I need to keep working, Dick," Bruce replied as he casually slapped Nightwing's hands away from his collar. "The sooner I finish it, the sooner I can rest assured nothing like this will happen again..." he added, blankly shaking his head.

"And what is it that's so important that you won't even go to see Barbara or look for Gordon...?" Nightwing bellowed, gripping Bruce's collar again before the latter could turn away.

"Both of them would take a bullet for you, you heartless bastard...!" He added, raising his free hand and balling it into a fist as if to strike his mentor. But he reigned his temper as he took a deep breath and refrained.

"I know they will survive. My interference is unnecessary, and once I finish my work..." Bruce replied, unfazed by Nightwing's fist in front of his face nor the prospect of being assaulted.

"No one will have to take a bullet for anyone," he remarked with a sigh, shaking his head as a trace of pain flashed on his stoic face. However, Nightwing did not find his reply satisfying. Far from it.

"We can't keep doing this forever, Dick," Bruce added as he turned to the computer and browsed through a list of complicated blueprints for various weapons and gadgets.

"We can't keep reacting, or we'd never make a difference..." he went on, shaking his head with a resigned expression. "How many people did we save throughout the years...?" he asked as he paused and briefly turned back to Nightwing.

"I lost count too. But I can tell we didn't change much for them..." He added with a self-ridiculing chuckle. "They still live in Gotham. And no matter how hard we try, this city will never changes..." he went as he finally found the blueprint he was looking for and paused.

"We have to actively seek criminals instead of reacting to them. We have more than enough firemen..." he added as he brought up a blueprint of a giant machine in the shape of an eyeball.

"What we need is hunters..."

...

"That's that..." I said as I opened my eyes and removed my hand from Barbara's back. "She'll be fine now," I added as I extended my palm to show Jason And Selina the bullet fragments I extracted.

I agreed to help them because it wouldn't take too much of my time, and getting the bat family in my debt was something I couldn't say no to as I'll never know when I'd need their help.

As for the process, it was simple. All I had to do was inject my energy into Barbara's body, encase the lead and bone fragments in her organs and extract them.

I then moved the bone fragments to Barabara's spine and welded them back in place. She still wouldn't be able to walk, but it's better than nothing.

Finally, I only had to heal her organs and regenerate them with my energy, and she was now officially out of the danger zone. Though still very much crippled and in a coma.

"Do you want me to try waking her up? Or would you prefer to ask a psychic like Martian Manhunter?" I asked as I deposited the lead fragments into a tray on the nightstand beside the bed.

"If it doesn't involve any risk... then please..." Jason said from the side. I turned to Selina, who nodded at his words to signal her agreement, and I had no reason not to oblige.

"Very well. But like I said, it's not guaranteed, so don't get your hopes up too high," I said, cracking my neck as I took a deep breath, closing my eyes in concentration.

"Here goes nothing..." I calmly muttered, opening my eyes as I touched Barbara's forehead and began channeling my energy directly into her brain to encase it.

Activating the electric circuits in my gloves, I shocked myself and immediately wrapped the electricity with my energy to keep it from dissipating, creating something of an electric pocket.

I paused for a second before moving the electricity to the barrier around Barbara's brain and releasing it directly into her gray matter, intent on jolting the neurons back into action.

To my surprise, the operation was a success, and Barbara gasped as she opened her eyes wide, staring directly into mine. She remained frozen for a second before she realized my hand was on her forehead and crawled in a panic, whimpering.

I got the hint, shrugging as I drew my hand away from her and got off the bed to give her the space she needed. I turned to Selina, giving her a meaningful look, and she reacted quickly.

"It's ok, Barbara... you're ok now..." Selina said as she hurried to the redhead's side, wrapping her in an embrace. "You're safe now... you're ok..." she added, stroking Barbara's hair as the latter broke down into sobs and tears.

"My presence here is no longer needed..." I said as I turned to Jason, making for the exit. "Physically, she is as well as could be considering the circumstances, but mentally..." I added, lowering my tone so the redhead wouldn't hear as I stopped next to Jason.

"Well... you need to keep her company. Don't leave her alone," I concluded with a sigh as I shook my head before walking away and exiting the hospital room.

...

Amusement Mile

Slowly regaining consciousness, Commissioner Gordon opened his eyes and looked around, only to freeze as he found himself surrounded by half-naked midgets with strange colorful haircuts.

"Wha...? Wait?!" Gordon muttered as he watched the strangely-dressed midgets approach and strip him back into his birthday suit before he could even react.

"UP!" bellowed one of the midgets as another put a chained leather collar on the commissioner's neck, to which the latter could only watch in shock and mutter incoherent words.

"UUUP!!!" The midget parroted as one of its fellows tased Gordon with an electric cattle prod, forcing him to his feet. They quickly dragged him outside into what seemed to be a circus or an amusement park.

"No... please... why are you doing this...? Where are you taking me...?" The commissioner couldn't help but mutter weakly ask as the midgets dragged him to god knows where.

Amused laughs echoed in the vicinity as numerous circus freaks with strange appearances emerged from the surrounding tents and amusement park rides to revel in Gordon's suffering.

Suddenly the midgets stopped, and the one holding Gordon's legs turned to him. "Down!" He barked as he yanked at the leash, forcing the commissioner to his knees.

"Please...! Tell me what I'm doing here?!" The commissioner said as he raised his head to look at the midgets. "Somebody...!" he added, his tone helpless and broken.

"Doing...?" Came a raspy voice, which the commissioner found familiar, causing him to look up and see a man in a purple suit resting on a stone throne on a mountain of broken dolls.

"You're doing what any sane man in your appalling circumstances would do..." the man in a purple suit said as he looked down on the commissioner, his demented grin ever present, broad and maniacal.

"You're going mad..."

...

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