Batman stood in the hallway's dim light, cape draping motionless around him. The flickering emergency lights made his shadow stretch along the cracked tile floor. Inside the cell, Kieran sat with perfect calm, his posture so relaxed it bordered on absurd.
The silence hung for several long seconds.
Kieran sighed softly, the kind of exhale that spoke of mild annoyance rather than tension. He leaned back on the cot and lay down, hands folding behind his head like he had all the time in the world. His voice was smooth, almost amused.
"Surprise, surprise. You're still here. Not going to hunt down the crazy folk that escaped?"
Batman didn't answer.
Eyes behind the cowl narrowed ever so slightly.
Kieran tilted his head toward him with a lazy glance. "Let me guess… checking to see if I slipped out with the rest of them?" He gave a small laugh. "Nah. I've got my trial, you know it's going quite well."
Batman took a step closer to the cell door. His voice was low, precise,
"Do you know where Harvey Dent went?"
Kieran shook his head slowly, still reclined. "No clue. You can never know with that guy. He figures things out with the flip of a coin. How crazy is that?" He gave a light chuckle. "Takes 'heads or tails' way too seriously."
Batman didn't move for a long moment. His eyes locked onto Kieran's searching. Calculating.
"Kieran," he said quietly. Not Nolan. Kieran.
Kieran blinked at the use of the name, then gave a slow, knowing smile, something creeping at the corners of his expression that wasn't there before.
Batman looked as though he might say something more but the distant sound of another explosion echoed through the corridors.
A flare of gunfire. A scream.
His attention snapped back to the chaos unfolding beyond.
Without a word, he turned and vanished into the dark, his cape swirling behind him like smoke.
Kieran remained lying on his cot, staring up at the cracked ceiling with a faint smile still tugging at his lips.
"Did that bastard just guess who I was? Talk about greatest detective what a asshole." he murmured.
The screen flickered to life, crackling with static before it focused on a somber-looking anchor seated in front of a digital cityscape lit up in urgent red tones. A bold graphic scrolled across the bottom:
MASS ESCAPE FROM ARKHAM GOTHAM ON HIGH ALERT
"Good morning, Gotham," the anchor said, his voice tense. "We're interrupting all scheduled programming for breaking news what authorities are calling the worst mass breakout from Arkham Asylum in over a decade."
Behind him, footage began to roll grainy, chaotic nighttime security feeds showing doors flying open, cells flooding with inmates, firelight flashing through the halls. Explosions. Screams. Smoke. Then, a blur of someone in clown makeup sprinting past the camera, dragging a bloodied security baton.
The anchor continued, "Late last night, an unknown group orchestrated a devastating, coordinated breach of the high-security psychiatric facility. Explosives were set off in multiple wings of Arkham Asylum, allowing dozens, possibly hundreds—of inmates to escape into the streets of Gotham."
As he spoke, the screen cut to a digital lineup of five mugshots, each one accompanied by flashing red warning banners,
Harleen Quinzel a.k.a. Harley Quinn: mugshot grinning wide, smeared lipstick, eyes wild.
Pamela Isley Poison Ivy: dead-eyed stare, vines creeping across the edge of her photo. The source of this content ɪs novᴇl(ꜰ)ire.ɴet
Dr. Jonathan Crane the Scarecrow: half his face in shadow, burlap mask slung around his neck.
Harvey Dent Two-Face: a split image, one side composed and lawyerly, the other charred and grinning.
Jervis Tetch The Mad Hatter: wide eyed, tipping his hat in a grainy image from a prior arrest.
"These individuals," the anchor said, "are considered extremely dangerous and mentally unstable. Citizens are urged to remain indoors and report any suspicious activity immediately. GCPD and the Gotham National Guard have locked down several districts near the asylum and are currently conducting a citywide manhunt."
The image cut again this time to Commissioner James Gordon, standing in front of the still-smoldering ruins of Arkham's western wing, flanked by officers.
"We are doing everything in our power to regain control," Gordon said into the microphone. His eyes were bloodshot, his jaw clenched. "But I won't lie to the public this was planned, and it was effective. These criminals are not just running. They are regrouping. And that should terrify every one of us."
"Sources confirm that Batman and Robin were seen at the scene shortly after the breakout, and are reportedly aiding in the recapture efforts. However, many of the inmates have already scattered across Gotham or disappeared entirely."
The screen faded once again to a scrolling ticker:
IF YOU SEE ANY ESCAPEES, DO NOT APPROACH. CONTACT GCPD TIP LINE AT 555–0134. STAY SAFE. STAY ALERT.
The anchor looked directly into the camera. "This is not over. Gotham… stay strong. We'll keep you updated as this story develops."
Nolan sat with his back against the wall as the drama around him unfolded. No one was allowed to leave there cells, no one.
Which honestly wasn't saying much, there were hardly any inmates left which only made the situation Nolan was in all the more sweet.
Apparently they had to reschedule his court date for tomorrow, today they were taking count of the inmates that didn't escape, repairing damages and moving inmates to cell blocks that weren't as damaged.
Nolan got to stay in his cell though, it was hardly damaged at all.
"What's going on out there?" He asked the orderly that was bringing lunch
Can't even go to the cafeteria, damn psychos and their prison breaks.
The orderly gave Nolan a weak chuckle, "Chaos, their saying hundreds escaped. This place should be back to normal relatively soon though we have insurance for this type of thing I hear."
Nolan gave a weak smile in response, "Have they mentioned what's happening with me? I have a trial to win you know?"
The orderly actually nodded, "I do have some good news, your trial date for tomorrow still holds you will be allowed to leave."
Nolan smiled a brilliant smile, he couldn't wait to get out of Arkham.
After all there are apparently hundreds of new costumers on the streets.
A/N: I promised this next arc would be full of action hopefully you can see where I was building to. The trial will finish shortly!