Chapter 94

The explosion caught everyone by surprise. It was powerful enough to shatter all the glass on the first floor of the police station. People outside instinctively crouched down or even dropped to the ground. Kara, however, stood motionless, her back to the police station, her cloak rippling in the shockwave, making her look even more striking.

She turned her head with a thoughtful expression and a hint of a smile. Through her super-foresight, Kara had foreseen Joker's plan.

"This ends here," she said, stepping into the police building. "You won't get the chance to sow chaos and destruction anymore."

Despite the residual dangers of the blast, Kara made her way straight to the holding cells where recently captured criminals were detained pending trial. When she reached the area, she saw that Joker had escaped, and he'd even managed to take Officer Liu with him.

Well, "rescue" wasn't the right word. Joker's goal was simply to take Liu out. Whether to save him or to use him to help those powerful figures was yet to be determined.

As Joker and Liu made their way to a police vehicle, Kara called out, "Hey, that's our key witness. Where are you taking him?"

Joker, with his back turned to Kara, snatched a pistol from one of the undercover officers, spun around, and fired three shots. But the bullets stopped midair, just in front of Kara.

Even Joker was caught off guard by this sight.

Kara smirked. With a mere thought, she controlled the bullets with her telekinesis, directing them at the undercover agent who had been aiding Joker. She could have simply let the bullets hit her, as she could withstand much worse—she could even survive a nuclear blast—but she opted to demonstrate her telekinesis, using it as an explanation for her previous display of flight rather than exposing her alien nature.

The undercover agent collapsed instantly. He lacked the resilience of someone like Superman.

Turning her attention back to Joker, Kara said, "You're not getting away. This game is over."

Using her telekinesis, she trapped Joker within a transparent, shield-like barrier, locking him in place. As for Officer Liu, she pulled him safely away from Joker to prevent him from being used as a hostage.

"What were you thinking?" Kara chided, tapping Liu lightly on the head, nearly making him faint. "If he got you out, you'd be dead in no time. You've already turned against those powerful figures in Gotham; your only chance now is to help send them to prison. Otherwise, you won't last."

Liu, feeling helpless, stammered, "He took me hostage…"

Kara merely let out a dismissive hum before turning back. Moments later, backup arrived, looking stunned at the scene. Seeing the exposed undercover agents, they realized Joker had almost managed to escape, and they were taken aback by the display of Kara's telekinetic shield.

Even Bruce was impressed, asking, "What is that? I had no idea you had this ability."

"It's just a superpower," Kara said tersely, releasing Joker from the shield and letting the officers take him back into custody.

"But…" Bruce began, visibly intrigued, yet Kara ignored his questioning gaze. She turned to Commissioner Gordon and issued a warning: "Get the word out. If there are any more undercover agents, they need to think twice. Those crime bosses are going to face trial, and anyone standing in the way will face consequences."

These undercover agents weren't aligned with Joker himself, as he hadn't had the time to cultivate such connections. Rather, they were leftovers from Gotham's underworld, some dating back to the days of Carmine Falcone.

Kara had little interest in Gotham's tangled web of corruption; her priority was stopping Joker. He posed the greatest threat with his chaotic and unpredictable nature, one that might harm those she cared about.

The real issue was Bruce's refusal to let her kill Joker. She cast a thoughtful look toward him. She wasn't entirely out of options.

Kara had been working tirelessly, and as dawn neared, the long ordeal was finally over. Joker sat quietly in his cell, a picture of calm obedience—an odd sight for someone who'd just plunged the city into turmoil.

Kara had stayed a step ahead of Joker's moves thanks to her foresight, and in this game of high-stakes chess, Joker was forced to concede.

Outside, Kara sat on the police station steps, exhaustion clear on her face. Joker, after all, was just a man—yet he had pushed her to the brink. What if she had been an ordinary person? What if she didn't have superhuman powers?

In truth, Joker had maneuvered both her and Bruce, turning their own moral codes against them.

The thought crossed her mind of Gordon, of what would happen if Joker hurt his family. Would Gordon be driven to the edge? What about Harvey Dent, if he lost Rachel? Would he descend into darkness?

The horror of Joker's existence lay not only in his violent insanity but also in his terrifying insight into human nature. He exposed the dark corners of people's souls, prying them open with devastating ease.

Kara recalled something Jennifer had once said: "When there's no other choice, who wouldn't want justice?"

But Joker's purpose was to force people into those no-choice situations, watching in glee as their darkness consumed them.

Even Kara could acknowledge that Joker was the most dangerous adversary she'd ever faced. He had nearly drawn her into his twisted worldview.

"Got a light?" Kara asked suddenly.

"I don't smoke," Bruce replied.

Harvey, who had come to check in, handed her a cigarette instead.

She snapped her fingers, a small flame flickering to life at her fingertips. She took a long drag, releasing a cloud of smoke.

In the haze, she muttered, "I'm done with Batgirl work."