As the Patrol Van crossed Narrow Island's iconic bridge, Li Jie rolled down the window, letting the damp, rust-scented wind off the Gotham River blow into the cab.
Mark Desmond was still asleep in the back, his thunderous snores accompanied by a slight sway as the vehicle jolted along. The six-hundred-pound giant had been crammed into the rear compartment like a sleeping statue of some ancient god.
"Are we really taking him to Arkham?" Ron Bushnell glanced at the back seat in the rearview mirror. "I mean, since I came to Gotham, I've heard a few things... this place's reputation..."
"Batman specifically told us to bring him here." Li Jie grunted. "Besides, Arkham has a Special Containment Unit. In theory, at least."
The van passed through towering iron gates, the words "Arkham Asylum" looking especially sinister beneath the gloomy sky. The grounds' Gothic buildings resembled a pack of crouching black beasts, their spires stabbing into the low clouds.
Several people were already waiting in the parking lot. At their head stood a man of about forty in a neatly pressed white doctor's coat and rimless glasses. Behind him were two orderlies wearing specially designed restraint suits and a medical team pushing a reinforced stretcher.
"Sheriff." The man stepped forward, his voice gentle. "I'm Jeremiah Arkham, the current director here. We received the notice."
"Huh?" Li Jie hopped out of the van, a little surprised. "I thought the director was... Professor Hugo Strange?"
"He was." Jeremiah smiled. "But he resigned and left."
Li Jie studied him. Unlike Hugo Strange, Jeremiah Arkham looked almost excessively normal. His eyes were clear and his manner impeccable. He hardly seemed like someone who had worked in a place like this for years.
"All right, Jeremiah." Li Jie shook his hand. "We've brought him in. As