Batman: The Line

Chapter 11: Endgame

The Joker cackled as he stared at the people walking on the pavement below him. He didn't even flinch when Batman suddenly landed behind him.

"It's amazing, isn't it." Joker smiled. "They have no idea how close they are to being blown to kingdom come."

Batman turned and noticed the giant nuke standing behind Joker. His heart was beating faster and faster, he knew this was probably one of the most intense moments of his vigilante career.

Joker pulled a remote out of his pocket and pressed a button on it. The nuke started counting down from one minute. Batman dove for the remote but, Joker quickly dropped it and stomped it into pieces.

"You psychotic bastard!" Batman screamed, lunging toward him.

"Did you really think I didn't have another trigger?" The Joker asked, stopping Batman dead in his tracks. "Bring him out boys."

A couple of thugs drug Alfred out from inside the building and threw him at Batman's feet. He was beat up and nearly unconscious. There was stitches on his stomach, almost like  someone had performed surgery on him.

"Alfred!" Batman screamed, bending over and putting his arms around him. "What did you do to him?!"

The Joker smiled sinisterly, like he was about to deliver the sickest joke he ever told.

"I just gave him a little surgery" he explained. "You see...... The trigger is inside of him and the only way to get it is to cut it out of him."

He threw a surgical knife next to Alfred and broke out into hysteric laughter.

Batman froze. He stared into Alfred's eyes not knowing what to do next.

"I.... Can't do it." He admitted. "I can't lose you. You're my family."

20,19,18

"That's the thing, Master Bruce." Alfred said, using the last ounce of strength he had left. "You're Batman and the city comes first. I've watched you grow from the scared little boy who lost his parents to the most brave and heroic being to ever grace this city. I'm so proud of the man you became. You've saved this city countless times and you're gonna save it again no matter what."

10,9,8

Batman nodded and picked up the surgical knife. Tears streaked down his cowl as he cut into his adoptive father's stomach. He could hear the Joker cackling behind him. After a moment of mourning, he pulled out the trigger and pushed the button to stop the sequence

4,3,2- ending sequence.

Batman stared at his father figure's lifeless corpse. He was lying in a pool of blood. Batman's gloves were covered in it.

I killed someone. Alfred... I killed Alfred

Batman could feel the Joker's hand on his shoulder. The urge to kill him had never been so dominant. He swiftly turned around and threw him across the rooftop, knocking the wind out of him.

The Joker smiled teasingly, blood smeared on his teeth. With every step closer to him, Batman felt a rush of adrenaline.

This is it. I'm gonna kill him.

"I... Guess I pushed you a little too far." Joker quipped, stopping to cough up blood.

For the first time ever, Batman saw Joker for what he truly was, a monster, a psychopath, and a waste of human life.

"Since the day you first started your campaign of terror, I chose to believe that killing you was wrong... That it was weak.... That your life mattered but, I was wrong." Batman admitted, his eyes flaring with full realized  rage.