"What do ya mean - truth about Batman?" What was Joker going to do now? Try to manipulate me with some random lies? 'Please. Save it already.'

His emerald green eyes had a twinkle in them as he giggled and I suddenly felt very uncomfortable. "I'm sure Batman told you the whole justice-not-vengeance-rule a million times, eh?" Joker groaned and I saw a little blood coming out of the wound I gave him earlier with the batarang.

"I'm also sure you think he doesn't kill me because of his misplaced sense of self-righteousness." A little smile grew on Joker's face and I narrowed my eyes in confusion.

"Well, truth is, he needs me. He needs the mayhem and madness I cause because it's the only way he can escape from his boring, monotonous life. Batman likes playing our little games. He ignores the pain of all my victims because he thinks it's worth it. I mean..." Joker chuckled and tilted his head. "I killed Jason. His second Robin. I beat the kid half dead with a crowbar and blew the place up, killing him and his mother."

I've never heard the story before. I knew that the Red Hood once died and Ra's al Ghul brought him back by throwing the body in some magic pit. But that Joker killed Jason? That was complete news to me.

Unable to say anything, I just stared at Joker as he continued to talk. "Yet, here I am. Alive. Laughing. Spreading madness and death. With Batman watching. Did he tell you the story about a guy named Onomatopoeia? The serial killer stabbed me in the heart, making Bats choose between catching that guy and saving my life. Guess what he he chose."

My heart skipped a beat. Was this...was Joker telling the truth? My mind was spinning and I kept looking at him in disbelief. "You...you're lying. Batman would neva go that far!"

Joker tilted his head and stared right back at me. "He even protects me from getting killed by multiple people, Lex Luthor, Dent, Poison Ivy and others. Even if you tried to kill me, he'd stop you. You get it? He wants me to live. He wants me to keep on hurting people. It's his fault I am still here and hurt Harley."

His words...they made sense. But why didn't Batman tell me about all those things? No, he was a good person, he wouldn't save a psychopath and let a serial killer escape. "I don't believe ya!" I yelled at him, secretly trying to convince myself.

"Yeeeah, right." Joker giggled as I pushed him against the wall again with my spikes against his throat. "That's why you spent the last ten minutes listening to me without snapping my neck. Gotcha."

My head was so full of thoughts and questions, it actually made my world go blurry and dark. Would Batman really stand by and watch Joker committing all those crimes?

"And should I tell you another secret?" His evil grin combined with the way he stared at me gave me the chills. "He created me." Joker chuckled and I winced. "What are you talking about?" I asked, not taking my spikes off his throat.

"He threw me in a vat of chemicals, he made me the man I am today. Batman was the one unleashing this madness. All the people I've killed and tortured - their blood is on his hands. He doesn't care."

I quietly listened until he finished. What I thought? I didn't know. Some part of me believed him. The other one only sort of. But I couldn't even tell if I believed my own feelings.

"If that's true...then..." My eyes moved down and I started at the floor, not able to get even a second of clearness in my mind. Everything seemed all crazy and unreal to me - more than usually.

"I know it's hard to take, especially when you're being let down by those you trust." Joker smiled and I looked up at him. "But who am I to talk, right? Why don't you ask Batman yourself?" He suggested and looked behind me, making me turn my head.

♦♦

I just arrived at Joker's hideout - way too late since I didn't know which one he was currently using. But as I quickly opened the door, all I saw was blood and broken items before I recognized Black Seven close to killing Joker.

"Black Seven, stop!" I said, though he had already noticed me and looked at me in some sort of disturbed way. As if he wasn't seeing me at all.

Joker grinned and turned Jay around. "Go ahead, ask him. He won't lie. I guess."

At this moment I started to realize that the maniac must've told Black Seven one of his lies. But I didn't expect the question Jay asked at all.

"So. Heh. This creep says he's killed Jason. An'. Hehe. That ya didn't do a thing ta end 'im. That ya even saved him from gettin' stabbed by Ono', even afta all o' ta things he's done. Ya won't let 'im die." He paused and looked back at Joker, as if he was asking for permission to go on. "That, heh, that sure are a bunch of lies, right?"

'Goddamnit!' So that's what Joker has done! He manipulated Jay by turning his anger towards me. I needed to handle this situation very carefully - if I didn't want another crazy guy on Joker's side.

"Let's go, you need to rest." I said, trying to change the subject but Joker trying to hold back a laughter showed me that this wasn't the right thing.

Black Seven growled and made fists with both of his hands, showing the blood covered spikes. "I'm gonna go nowhere till ya answer my question, bat-maniac!"

"Don't you see that Joker twisted your mind? You're angry about what happened to Harley, I understand that. But Joker took your hate and turned it against the wrong man, he is the one who hurt her!" It wasn't easy to focus on the conversation because Joker shook his head with a smile and grabbed a knife from his jacket.

"You're da one who let 'im live in da first place!" Jay almost yelled at me, then looked aside and added: "So what Joker said was true. Ya do want 'im ta live. Even though it means others gettin' harmed."

My eyes widened as Black Seven spoke that last sentence in the same way he used to talk about his past. "Listen to me, if you kill a killer, the number of them stays the same!"

"Doesn't apply if ya kill more than one. I'm a killer. I can tear his heart out an' notbody will care." He looked at me again and Joker handed him the knife, making me realize what was actually going on here. "Ya gimme one reason not ta do it!"

'Oh dear god!' I already knew Joker was toying with me. He knew I wouldn't let him die. And even if I'd let Jay kill Joker, I'd have to tell Black Seven that Joker was right - and I'd get another maniac who'd love to destroy me. Either way, Joker wins.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk." Joker put one hand on Black Seven's shoulder and shook his head. "That's the problem with those good guys, right, Blacky?" Jay looked down at the blade in his hands and didn't say a thing. "The second you trust them, boom, you're getting crushed by their lies and secrets. But you don't trust me. Therefore, I can't disappoint you."

"I guess you're right." Jay said in some disturbed tone and I stared at Joker in disbelief as he evilly looked at me. "After all, it's not my fault."