Chapter 82 (edited)

Jennifer had resumed her busy work routine, with Kara constantly by her side. Kara worried about Jennifer's relationship status and her exhaustion.

Even Kara was surprised by the sheer volume of criminal records and evidence to sift through. Before this, Gotham City had essentially turned a blind eye to the criminal underworld.

This negligence was why Gotham had long been labeled as "rotten to the core." If Carmine Falcone hadn't been attacked and arrested earlier, the city would still be under the thumb of gangsters. Carmine's arrogance was such that he openly entertained politicians at his restaurant.

Now, Gotham was settling old scores, ensuring no criminal escaped justice. That explained the abundance of evidence: if prosecutions succeeded, some sentences could extend to hundreds of years—more than any human lifetime could endure.

Kara's concern for Jennifer's well-being hadn't waned. "Don't forget, you haven't made a decision about the child yet. If you're keeping it, you need to rest more."

Jennifer froze at Kara's words, pretending not to hear them. But later, when she felt thirsty, she silently swapped her coffee for water.

On the same night Jennifer was attacked, Gotham's police commissioner wasn't as fortunate. Joker had successfully assassinated the commissioner.

The loss gave Gordon an opportunity to rise to the position, but the late commissioner had been a righteous man—a rarity in Gotham—and his death was a significant blow to the city.

As expected, the city planned to hold an obituary and a grand parade to honor the commissioner. This event pushed back the gang trials to the following week.

"This is all part of Joker's plan," Kara mused. The timing was deliberate. Joker had anticipated that Gotham's leadership would prioritize a public funeral. His attack on the commissioner had been no accident.

Joker wasn't alone in his schemes. Kara had encountered dozens of Joker's men during a previous encounter, many of whom weren't directly loyal to him but were lent by Gotham's mob bosses.

In essence, Joker was temporarily collaborating with these crime lords, leveraging their resources and manpower for his larger games against Batman and Oracle.

"Joker is a lunatic," Kara admitted, "but he's no fool. His intellect forces Bruce and me to play by his rules. Honestly, Joker is even more difficult to handle than the League of Shadows. The League's plans are straightforward to thwart, but Joker thrives on manipulating people's hearts. He wants everyone to spiral into madness, dragging them into his abyss."

Kara's background in criminal psychology allowed her to infer Joker's motives: "His ultimate goal is clear—he wants to break Bruce. He wants Batman to become the next Joker. And maybe even me."

Joker didn't know Kara's true identity, but that didn't matter to him. His aim was to corrupt and destroy. He'd sacrifice himself to birth two new Jokers if it meant he won.

After hearing Kara's analysis, Jennifer clenched her fists, her worry for Kara and Bruce palpable.

"So if Harvey and I can lock up these gangsters quickly, Joker will lose his allies. That would leave you and Bruce to focus on him alone," Jennifer reasoned, immersing herself once more in the overwhelming data.

But Joker wasn't idle. That same night, two police officers—Harvey and Dante—were murdered. Beside their bodies, a newspaper clipping showed a graffitied image of the mayor delivering a speech. Over the mayor's photo, Joker had scribbled:

"What would happen if the mayor were killed in front of the citizens? Hahahaha…"

The chilling laughter that accompanied the note epitomized Joker's malevolence.

Adding to the tension was the fact that the commissioner's parade was scheduled for the next day. Canceling or rescheduling it wasn't an option; doing so would dishonor the late commissioner's sacrifice.

Backing down in the face of Joker's threats would hand him a psychological victory. Gotham's leaders understood the stakes.

That night, Bruce tried contacting Kara and Jennifer separately.

Bruce called Kara first. Knowing his habits, she sighed, removed her phone's battery, and tossed the device onto the bedside table.

Later, Jennifer's phone buzzed. She glanced at Kara, who shrugged with mock innocence. With a resigned sigh, Jennifer answered the call.

"Good evening, Mr. Wayne. What's the matter?"

Bruce paused briefly, thrown by her formal tone. Time had changed their dynamic, and it stung more than he cared to admit.

"Jennifer, tomorrow's parade is dangerous. I strongly suggest you don't attend," Bruce warned.

Jennifer exhaled heavily. "Mr. Wayne, if I don't attend, I may as well hand in my resignation. This is Gotham's commissioner we're talking about."

Bruce hesitated, almost telling her to quit, but he held his tongue.