After leaving Arkham Asylum, Bruce did not get into a car. Instead, he put on the long-unworn batsuit and returned once more to Gotham's night.
Walking straight out from Arkham Asylum brought him to the edge of the East End. Heading south along that border led to The Rolling Heads Gang's territory. This was practically the East End's secondary center, a newly thriving area besides Living Hell and Green Street.
Most of the water on the main roads had already been drained away, but many puddles remained in the alleys near the streets. His boots sent water splashing high into the air with every step.
Gotham's roads were never meant to bear so many overloaded trucks, and many had been crushed beyond recognition. Some truck drivers took shortcuts through the alleys, where the pavement was even worse and the flooding more severe.
The Rolling Heads Gang's children had all been sent back to their territory. No one had given them trouble. Jason had been sent to the hospital, though he might have been discharged by now. Standing atop the alley wall, Batman searched aimlessly, hoping to spot a familiar face, but Jason never appeared in his sight.
He knew he could not simply enter The Rolling Heads Gang's territory, storm their base, and look for Jason. He was no longer a child. He did not belong here. Breaking their rules again would only bring greater disaster upon the children.
A little farther east from The Rolling Heads Gang's territory was Green Street, where the East End gangs had risen to prominence and where the most illustrious Mafia families had once lived in the Affluent Area.
But that had been a long time ago. Now, every house looked especially old and worn down, and the streets were nearly deserted. At the