Unsuspecting Hero (Batjokes)

Chapter 22

(MY COLLEGE TOURS ARE OVER!! POSTING SHOULD NOW GET BACK TO THE NORMALLY SCHEDULES 1-2 DAYS!)

Nightwing was idly watching the news currently playing on the monitor behind Two-Face. It was background noise, mostly. Two-Face had his goons doing something to Bruce and Tim in another room. It filled him with apprehension, but there was nothing else for him to do besides watch the current hostage situation taking place.

Eddy was still unconscious next to him, but Dick didn't like to look at him too long. It filled him with thoughts of him never waking up. On the other side of Riddler, Harley quietly slept. He was slightly grateful for that. For the almost two weeks they had spent with Harvey Dent, not much of them had gotten proper sleep. He hoped she got as much rest as she needed.

Dent was doing something at his desk, something about another trade, Dick didn't care much. His attention glanced back to the screen.

Vicki was telling this report, her attention turning to the doors as a crowd of hostages made their way out, mainly unharmed. She tried to reach a few of them, to question them no doubt, but police officers blocked her path as some of the hostages talked to Gordon in the background.

Gordon ran inside the mall then, and Vicki Vale took that opportunity to run to the closest hostage. "Excuse me!" She called out for them, and a teenage boy with dyed her stopped in front of her, visibly uncomfortable by the camera pushed into his face. "What can you tell me about what's happening inside? How did you all escape?"

"Uhh, well. That Clayface and the criminal dude with the black mask took most of the mall hostage, started demanding ransom money or something..." The teen spoke, running a hand through his hair nervously. "And, I know it's hard to fucking believe, but...The Joker saved us"

That seemed to catch Harvey's attention, his eyes casting up to the screen. He hadn't seemed to be paying much attention before, but now he was turning the broadcast up in volume. Dick watched closely also, brows furrowing. 

"The Joker?" Vicki asked for clarification, voice unable to hide the incredulousness in her tone. "Yeah, man. Was talking to Clayface about reforming or something, whatever that means. Like, is he the good guy now? It was a bit confusing"

"What can you tell me about the encounter?" Vicki asked, and the teen seemed to ease into the conversation, explaining everything he had heard minuets ago. "He genuinely did seem different. Though I might be a bit biased, I haven't actually really ran into him before. Just...seen him on tv and stuff"

Vicki then turned back to the camera, talking about possibly getting Jack's statement. Dick watched as Harvey relaxed in his seat, his attention now fully on the news channel. Honestly, so was Nightwing's. It had been almost a week since he had last heard about Jack. If he was doing something like this, he was most likely training to save them. That filled Dick with a little more hope than before. 

The news died out, promising to return in two minuets after a short advert break. It seemed like the longest two minuets, but when the news did return, a face Dick had come to love was filling it.

Vicki Vale stood next to Jack and Jim, her steely confidence not wavering even with him next to her. Jim was holding a shoulder of Jack's reassuringly, and Dick could understand why. Appearances. If the public saw the police chief so calm with one of Gotham's biggest criminals, it showed a level of trust.

"Hi, I'm Vicki Vale and we are back live, getting a statement from The Joker himself, who has reportedly saved the hostages in the building, and bringing the two criminals responsible to justice" She then turned to the clown, who looked calmer than Dick thought he would be, being on TV reported as the heroin.

"Joker, what can you tell me about you supposedly reforming?"

Jack looked at Jim, before turning back to the camera. "My name is Jack Napier. Starting a few months ago, I began to regain old memories before the vat of acid. With the help of Batman and Gordon, I chose to begin reforming myself. The process has been going...well, I think. It's obviously not spontaneous, I've been having relapses into my old self more often than not, but I can't- No, don't want  to continue the life of a villain anymore."

Vicki seemed stunned for a moment, but didn't let it dissuade her, diplomatically continuing her questioning. "Is this moment to show that you are planning to turn to vigilantism instead?"

Jack seemed thrown off by that question, brows furrowing as he chewed on his bottom lip to contemplate that. "No, I don't know. I haven't thought of that, really." "Then what was the point of this heroism?" Vicki asked quickly after.

"Batsy right now is out of...commission." Jack chose his words carefully. "I'm merely doing a few things for him, as training, mostly"

"Training for what, exactly?"

"No more questions, thanks. That will be all" Jim quickly cut in, noticing Jack's mood turning slightly sour. Vicki called out for the both of them, but it was fruitless as they made their way to the police car Gordon had made his way there in.

Harvey turned the broadcast off then, smirking to himself. "Jack? Reforming? Oh, my dear J is just full of surprises"

Dick stayed quiet, not wanting attention drawn onto himself, but Two-Face turned towards him anyway. "Did you all know about this?"

"Does it matter?" Dick replied easily, deflecting the question. "No, not really. I can one day coax the details out of the clown one way or another"

Grayson frowned, not liking the tone of that statement.