𝐑𝐄𝐃𝐄𝐌𝐏𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍, DICK GRAYSON

─ 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐖𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐘-𝐓𝐖𝐎

"All units requested. Possible code 391 at the corner of Chester and 169th. All units, please respond," a first responder dispatched on the police radio as I simply called out Ubu's name and he spared no hesitation to turn around the car and drive us to the said location.

I pushed open the metal door, exiting onto the rooftop of a building that's a couple of blocks away, but oversees the whole scene. As the cold breeze hit my body, I walked close to the ledge and brought the high-tech binoculars up to my eyes.

"What an unexpected turn of event. Batman broke his precious code," I said, pulling a smirk and zooming in to see Joker's lifeless body. He landed on top of a car, drowning in a pool of his own blood and based on the impact's severity, his death was instant.

Dick soon arrived at the crime scene, his face filled with disbelief and shock. He mumbled to himself, taking out his phone to look at it for a second before putting it away in his pocket. He then turned around to come face-to-face with a man dressed in a police captain's uniform.

I listened to their conversation via the hearing device that I had someone install on every police radio. It was the best way to obtain information within GCPD and protect the people who are under my payroll.

"Position of the body, angle of impact. Broken window's on the street side, not on the sidewalk side," Dick explained in detail on why Joker was thrown from the opposite building.

Captain Finney didn't look slightly impressed at the outsider, more like annoyed. "There's no fire escape on that building. It's locked at night. No roof access. No one could get up there."

"The guy who threw him off could."

Finney figured out the culprit without blinking. "Batman?" he took a step forward as Dick stayed quiet, looking at the man. "You talk like you know him. If you do, that's information we could use. We need anything that can help us bring him in easier."

"Good luck," Dick rejected the offer.

Still loyal to him, but let's find out by how much, I thought, lowering the binoculars as their conversation came to an end until a piece of unimaginable news traveled to my earpiece.

"Jesus! He's still alive!" screamed out the coroner.

"What the fuck. That's impossible!" I exclaimed in shock, my eyes widened as I looked through the binoculars again. It was true. Joker is alive... but how? No humans have the capabilities to survive that kind of drop.

"What should we do, Master?" Ubu asked, anxiously.

"We do nothing—absolutely nothing," I gave my order, watching as the paramedics tended to the Joker before loading him into the ambulance. "Batman can't learn of our presence in the city. It's best to allow him to do the second and final attempt on Joker's life."

"Should I ask Cohen to relay the news to us after it happens?"

"Yes, do that."

No longer having the need to stay, I exited the rooftop as Ubu trailed behind, sending a text message to Cohen. He's a member of the League who recruited the dirty cops into my payroll, all thanks to his knack to persuade people to yield to their sins.

"Cohen replied back. He'll be one of the officers, guarding Joker at the Gotham General's ICU ward," said one of the assassins as the other one was driving in the direction of our next location—a private property, located outside of the city.

Upon arrival at the old Victorian mansion, I climbed out of the car and saw Esther Callaghan, the owner of the property, standing at the door with her butler. "Welcome, Benefactor. All members of the Court are present and ready for tonight's meeting," she announced.