Superman's gaze fixed on Shadow Fox as her eyes went wide in shock. Her heart was racing, and he could sense her fear. He knew he had struck a nerve. "What's going on?" He demanded.
"I didn't think you guys had heard," She stammered. "Batman's been missing for almost two weeks. I went to look for him, but I came up empty."
Superman's brow furrowed. "Do you have any leads?"
Shadow Fox nodded. "He was in Bludhaven. I was there last night. He was investigating a drug deal between Willis Todd and the Joker."
Superman's jaw tightened as he processed the information. This was bad. He knew he had to act fast if they were going to find Batman and put a stop to whatever the Joker and Willis Todd were planning.
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Wonder Woman's eyes widen as she hears the name "The Joker" being mentioned. The other members of the team look at the masked vigilante in terror as Shadow Fox stands on one side of the table. Superman grips the back of his chair tightly, standing behind it.
Shadow Fox nods slowly and throws a thick folder on the table. "That's right," She says, "Joker isn't after the money, just the drugs. He's using them to kill, just like his laughing gas. These drugs are odorless and tasteless. If you take too much, you die with a grin on your face."
Green Lantern sits up, intrigued. "And Batman was going after these drug dealers to stop them?" He asks, turning his gaze towards the Gotham vigilante.
"Batman would leave certain drug cases alone, but if it involves Joker..." Shadow Fox trails off, knowing that Green Lantern is connecting the dots.
Flash drums his fingers on the table impatiently, "This is no ordinary case. So, how did he disappear? Leaving it still open and overwhelmed for the police?" Aquaman looks at the girl with concern, "It must be tough for you to handle it without Batman around."
Shadow Fox lets out a deep sigh and lowers herself onto a nearby chair. "Usually, I'm always up for some action. I'm either patrolling the streets or assisting Batman with intel," She says, while Green Arrow fidgets with his bow, clearly intrigued by her words.
"You sure seem to know a lot about the Dark Knight," he says, a hint of suspicion in his voice.
Shadow Fox raises an eyebrow, "Gotham's a big city, Green Arrow. Batman's not the only one who resides here," She replies, her tone sharp and confident.
Cyborg jumps in, "But I thought he was a bit of a loner. Doesn't keep much company."
Superman looks around at the rest of the team before turning back to Shadow Fox, "Don't leave us hanging, Foxy. What else can you tell us?"
Shadow Fox leans back against the chair, her eyes moving to each of the Justice League members. Superman watches her intently as the girl pulls out a file from the folder and sets it in front of them. With pictures of a drug deal she witnessed the previous night, Shadow Fox begins to speak.
"This was last night," She says, her voice laced with urgency. "Batman communicated with me two weeks ago, stating that he reached the docks, spotting a ship full of drugs. I was in the Batcave keeping track of what was on the cameras." She points to a building behind the dealers.
"Batman said that he spotted Joker inside a building and went to see what information he could gather before getting Commissioner Gordon and the GCPD involved." Shadow Fox leans back in her seat, her eyes filled with worry. "That's when things went wrong. The comm link between us broke. I tried every frequency to get back, but it was dead." She looks up at Superman, who is now visibly concerned.
"That was the last time I heard from Batman," She finishes, her voice trailing off.
Wonder Woman glances at Superman with concern etched on her face. J'onn, who has been silent until now, finally speaks up, his eyes locking onto Shadow Fox's own. "I have an off-topic question for you, Shadow Fox," He says, his voice serious.
Shadow Fox sat with her arms crossed, her eyes fixed on the Martian ManHunter as he posed the question that had been on everyone's mind. "What is your relationship with Batman?" He demanded, his gaze piercing through her. "You seem to know him more than you're letting off. And this problem is your higher concern than other crimes that go around Gotham."
Aquaman and the others nodded in agreement, murmuring their assent with the Martian ManHunter. Even Superman was listening in, his super-senses alert to the fear in Shadow Fox's racing heart and the widening of her eyes.
"My relationship with Batman is none of your concern, J'onn!" Shadow Fox hissed, her tone laced with anger. "I do what I can to help with the crimes in Gotham. The Joker case is the only problem I have."
Superman raised a brow, sensing that she was hiding something. J'onn wasn't convinced either. His eyes narrowed as he pressed her further. "You are hiding something, Fox. What is the relationship between him and you?"
Cyborg's hand landed firmly on J'onn's arm, bringing a sudden halt to the heated argument that had been brewing. Superman could see Shadow Fox visibly shake in her seat, her fists clenched together on the table. As Wonder Woman watched her, she could sense the fear and discomfort radiating from the young hero.
In a slow and measured voice, Shadow Fox stood up, her eyes locked onto Joker's file. "Can we please get back to the matter at hand?" She asked, her voice trembling slightly with emotion. Superman nodded, grateful for the lull in the tension.
With a sense of purpose, Shadow Fox slammed a file down on the table, her eyes scanning the contents. "I've been tracking Joker's movements," She spoke, her voice growing in confidence. "He was first seen in Bludhaven, but then he moved to the middle of the city."
Superman leaned forward, his eyes locked onto Shadow Fox's every word. "Do you have any idea where he might be headed next?" He asked, eager to get back on track and catch the elusive villain.
Shadow Fox paused for a moment, her mind racing as she sifted through the data. "I'm not sure," She said finally, "but I have a hunch he might be heading towards the waterfront. There's been some suspicious activity in the area lately."
The group exchanged a knowing glance, their minds now fully focused on the task at hand.
Superman's eyes scanned the pages of the file, his mind racing to make sense of the information. He found what he was looking for - the Joker had been making deals with other drug dealers, specifically with Willis Todd. As he looked up at Shadow Fox, his brow furrowed in concern. "Most of Joker's dealings are with Todd?"
Shadow Fox shook her head, "No, Todd is just a pawn in the grand scheme of things. The drugs are being smuggled out of Bludhaven and then transported to the heart of the city. We believe that the Joker has a secret hideout around the area."
With a sense of urgency, Shadow Fox produced a map and pointed to the center of Gotham. "Right here. This is where we suspect his lair to be. We've been tracking his movements for weeks, and we believe that this is the key to finally apprehending him."
Green Arrow leans forward thoughtfully and studies the map with a practical eye. "We need to narrow down our search if we want to find Batman," He suggests, his voice infused with a constructive tone.
Superman pulls out one of the pictures of the docks and drug dealers and points to the tall structure in the background. "Let's start by identifying this building. Foxy, is this the only one by the docks of Bludhaven?" He asks, his voice calm and composed.
Shadow Fox shakes her head, her expression professional and focused as she studies the photograph. "No, there are two buildings in the vicinity of the docks," She replies, pulling out another picture. "This one looks like it's in a state of disrepair, but it could still hold valuable information," She suggests, her tone practical and solution-oriented.
Flash's eyes widen with a mix of shock and disbelief as he listens to Shadow Fox's narration of the recent events. His heart races with a sense of urgency as he realizes the gravity of the situation. "So, let me get this straight. Batman went alone into one of the heavily fortified buildings in Bludhaven to track down Joker, but you don't have any idea which one?"
Shadow Fox nods in agreement, her expression betraying a hint of helplessness, "Yes, unfortunately. The buildings in that area are labyrinthine and heavily guarded. I couldn't trace his exact location. It's like finding a needle in a haystack."
Superman's expression turns serious, and his voice resonates with a sense of authority as he realizes the urgency of the situation, "This is not good. We can't afford to waste any more time. The longer we wait, the higher the chances of Batman getting hurt. We need to act fast and investigate both buildings in Bludhaven to find Batman before it's too late."
The tension in the air is palpable as the team gears up for their mission. The sound of metal clashing echoes in the air as they arm themselves with weapons and gadgets. The bright red flashlights on their suits illuminate the way as they move towards their destination. The team knows that they will have to face numerous challenges and obstacles during their quest to rescue their ally and bring justice to the city. However, their unwavering determination and the trust they have in each other keep them going as they set out on their mission.