Three Months After The Gothic City Purge...
I knew this would happen. I knew that when Grimmwald tried to purge Gothic City that crime would return eventually. Criminals have a bad habit of adapting just as heroes do. They become stronger, faster, better skilled and more resourceful. Plus, the evil that dwells in the hearts of men does not change. Eventually, no matter how afraid they are, that evil will come out once again. Grimmwald attacked the symptom of the problem but not it's root. That's how I knew the criminals would return to Gothic.
What I did not predict is that my own mother, the Wild Joker, would be leading the charge in a new crime spree across the city. It's my fault, of course. I take full responsibility. No excuses. The deaths she caused are on me.
I already know it's going to be a long night. The Wild Joker said if I try and call in help from either Hawkshade or anyone else, an entire hospital full of innocent people would die. There are too many hospitals for me to check so I am forced to play her game.
I solve my mother's crazy puzzles, beat her thugs into submission and by night's end I fight with my own mother. She takes the whole thing as some sick joke. But then she pulls a gun on me. I can tell she's ready to kill me. So, I do the only thing I can think of that might cause her to hesitate. One second is all I need. I take off my mask and reveal to her who I really am. Her son. It works. The sudden shock in her face tells me everything I need to know. I'm given the second I needed and I disarm her before slamming my fist into her jaw, knocking her out. I hated having to do that, but it was the only way.
Once I drop my Mom back in her cell in my home away from home I call the the Hole, I make sure I put her in a medically induced coma. Those drugs won't last long, so I'll need to get some more. I dig through her pockets and find the detonator for the bombs in that hospital and discover she was lying the whole time. It was a joke. I sigh.
I'm tired. Worn out from a long night. But I still go back out there again. Another criminal with huge muscles and some sort of green drug flowing through his veins sets a trap. I fall right into it and we fight. He nearly breaks my back, but my suit's spinal reinforcement barely saves me. Still, I can't win this fight. I'm too tired, too worn out from a long night of crime fighting. Plus, I suffered injuries earlier. I feign death, make him think I am dead. It works. He tosses my body aside and when he leaves, I crawl painfully into an alleyway.
I call for help. Frankie comes and checks me over, barely managing to get me in her car before driving off. She doesn't say anything, not until we arrive in her underground clinic. Once I'm on a bed, that's when she begins patching me up and talking my ear off. She asks me why I didn't call Ashley since she's the one I see the most. I explain that Frankie was closer and that I am giving Ashley time and space to heal after the Purge. She lost someone she cared about. I say this on the assumption that Grimmwald is dead, having no idea that the man is still walking around.
Frankie fixes my back and patches me up. But she explains I need to rest. Reluctantly, I agree with her and I fall asleep. I don't know when I wake up. But when I do, I take a shower and get dressed. I find a pile of money sitting on a lamp stand with my name on the envelope. What is it with Doctors trying to give me money?! I ignore it as I have always done in the past. I don't take money from people when they can put that money to better use helping others.
I visit my unconscious mother, vowing once more to find a cure for her condition. Then I go out for another long night of crime fighting.
A hero's job never ends...
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