Chapter Summaries

Li Jie investigated a suspicious Halloween gathering in Robinson Park and asked Nygma to assess whether the Mad Hatter was behind it. Nygma warned that Tetch’s hypnosis might have advanced, and Li Jie began tracing Tetch’s past to find the woman he hoped to welcome as Alice.

• Li Jie called Nygma in Venice and described Alice, the Mad Hatter, and the apparently normal crowd at Robinson Park.
• Nygma warned that Tetch might be manipulating people so convincingly that Li Jie could not detect them, and suggested searching for women from Tetch’s past.
• Li Jie searched the archive for Jervis Tetch’s records and listed addresses, schools, and other leads for interviews.
• Li Jie recruited Dick Grayson to investigate Tetch’s childhood connections, offering him five thousand dollars for the work.
• Dick accepted the job and hurried out with the file and money.

Li Jie investigated Alice Dee’s murder and learned that Jervis Tetch had visited her shortly before she died. The chapter ended with Li Jie ordering a suspect sketch and protective services for Alice’s daughter while Dick Grayson continued asking about Alice and Tetch’s past.

• Li Jie questioned a former acquaintance of Jervis Tetch, who recalled that Alice Dee had treated Tetch kindly when others mocked him.
• Li Jie found Alice Dee dead in her bedroom, apparently killed with a heated iron, and noticed signs of drug use and an unfinished child’s shirt nearby.
• Dick Grayson paid a woman for information, and she described Alice’s friendship with Tetch and his failed attempt to ask Alice to the school dance.
• Li Jie questioned Alice’s husband, who admitted that a neatly dressed dwarf in a top hat had paid him one hundred dollars to leave Alice alone with him.
• Li Jie ordered Owen to sketch the suspect, called for CPS to assess the child’s home, and told officers to make sure the girl got Halloween candy.

Bruce Wayne discovered that Natalia Trusevich had been kidnapped by the Mad Hatter, while Gordon found more than a hundred people drowned after the Hatter’s mass hallucination. The Hatter tortured Natalia for Batman’s identity, but she refused to betray him and was left gravely wounded in the warehouse.

• Bruce Wayne arrived at the Gotham Royal Hotel, found Natalia’s dressing room empty, and discovered a note saying, “The tea party has begun.”
• Gordon raced toward Gotham Harbor after learning that the Mad Hatter had kidnapped Bruce’s date and that a large number of bodies had been found.
• Gordon found more than a hundred people in costumes dead along the shore and broke down as Sarah Essen comforted him.
• Nygma warned Li Jie that the Mad Hatter might target another Alice, while Li Jie said he had backup.
• The Mad Hatter captured Natalia, dressed her as Alice, and demanded that she reveal Batman’s identity.
• Natalia refused to answer despite the Hatter’s torture, telling him Batman was worth it; he dragged her deeper into the warehouse.

Batman, Li Jie, and Gordon searched Gotham for Natalia after the Mad Hatter kidnapped her, but their efforts found only traces of the abduction. Batman refused outside help and continued the search as Li Jie and Gordon split up to check the roads toward the airport and west Gotham.

• Batman searched Gotham rooftops for Natalia while Gordon mobilized officers to canvass the city.
• Li Jie and Otis followed the rats’ lead to Warehouse Seven, where Li Jie found blood and a piece of Natalia’s dress.
• Li Jie called Kara for help, but she could not see through Gotham’s lead-lined buildings and offered to search in person.
• Batman refused Kara’s help because the Mad Hatter might control her, and he rejected asking other League members to assist.
• Gordon sent helicopters and patrol cars to search the roads, while Li Jie headed toward the airport and Gordon went west.

Batman sent Jarro to find Natalia and Jervis Tetch while Li Jie realized a police helicopter had gone off course. The Mad Hatter dropped Natalia from the helicopter, and Batman failed to catch her as he fell after her.

• Batman called Jarro family and asked it to locate Natalia and Jervis Tetch.
• Li Jie noticed the returning helicopter was the one meant to be heading toward the airport and warned Gordon.
• Batman raced toward the Police Department as Jarro sensed Natalia was aboard the helicopter and afraid.
• The Mad Hatter dragged Natalia to the helicopter doorway and dropped her from about fifty meters up.
• Batman launched himself toward Natalia but missed her by less than twenty centimeters and began falling.
• Someone below shouted, "Kara!"

Kara rescued Natalia just before she struck the ground, while Batman caught the Mad Hatter after his helicopter crashed and nearly beat him to death. Alfred stopped Batman from killing him, and Batman handed the Hatter over to Gordon.

• Kara caught Natalia in midair, destroying the Bat-Signal and crashing through a building before carrying her to safety.
• Batman was thrown off balance by Kara’s approach but survived his fall and saw that she had rescued Natalia.
• The Mad Hatter recognized Supergirl and planned to hypnotize her, but his helicopter lost power and crashed.
• Batman seized the injured Mad Hatter and beat him, blaming him for Natalia’s ordeal and the people he had killed.
• Alfred urged Batman to choose justice over revenge, and Batman stopped short of killing the Mad Hatter.
• Batman told Gordon that the Mad Hatter was in police custody.

Li Jie killed the Mad Hatter and staged the scene to make the shooting look like self-defense, forcing Gordon to choose between procedure and the truth. Batman vanished after condemning Li Jie, and the sun rose over Gotham as Gordon reported the death; the author then discussed the novel’s ending and writing process.

• Li Jie shot the helpless Mad Hatter five times, and Batman tackled him but failed to stop the shooting.
• Gordon found the Mad Hatter dead with Li Jie's empty backup gun in his hand, while Batman accused Li Jie of staging the scene.
• Li Jie argued that the Mad Hatter's victims deserved justice, while Batman warned that lies would corrupt justice and make Li Jie no better than criminals.
• Batman disappeared, and Gordon backed Li Jie's account that the Mad Hatter had grabbed the gun, despite knowing the weapon was not his.
• Gordon reported that Jervis Tetch had been shot while resisting arrest, and the sun rose over the Police Department as he left the alley.
• The author explained that the story had ended as planned and discussed its development, use of AI, and possible future side stories.

Superman carried Alisa across the universe toward Earth, answering her questions and showing her the stars while promising to keep her safe. They arrived in Gotham, where he entrusted her to Li Jie and left to check on his loved ones.

• Superman told Alisa their journey was dangerous but promised to protect her as he carried her through space.
• Alisa asked about stars, helping others, friendship, and Superman’s fears, and he answered as they traveled across galaxies.
• Superman fought the space pirate Unyielding Spark while Alisa watched from a safe distance.
• After resting and continuing their journey, Superman brought Alisa through Earth’s atmosphere and landed in Robinson Park.
• Li Jie met them and agreed to take Alisa to the school at the East End Police Department, revealing that Lawton had guarded Jonathan and Martha.
• Superman promised Alisa he would visit again, then flew away as she said she already knew why he had rescued her: because he was Superman.

Batman received a recording that appeared to contain Alfred warning him to bring a child home from the League of Assassins. After confirming the signal came from no known universe, Batman began investigating the parallel world and its child.

• Batman had Cyborg build eight firewalls and disconnected the Batcave from all external networks before opening the unknown recording.
• Batman heard Alfred tell him to bring his first child home from the League of Assassins, and recognized his own younger voice in the conversation.
• Batman analyzed the recording, found a 99.97% voiceprint match for Alfred, and considered whether the message came from a parallel universe or was a trap.
• Batman visited Clown at Arkham but saw no sign that Clown had staged the recording.
• Batman traced the signal to no known universe and isolated the file, concluding that the other world might have a Bruce Wayne whose child was still with the League of Assassins.

Li Jie and his colleagues discussed Bruce Wayne’s funding boycott while Batman investigated the parallel Gotham and crossed into it disguised as a homeless man. He arrived in the new world at dawn and began walking its streets.

• Li Jie complained that Bruce Wayne had cut off donations to the East End Police Department while giving Central Headquarters five million dollars.
• Harleen Quinzel and Edward Nygma advised Li Jie about Bruce’s motives, and Li Jie ordered the lights on the Bruce Wayne donation sign shut off.
• Walter tried to recruit a homeless man who resembled Bruce Wayne for a staged reenactment of the Waynes’ murder, but the man vanished when the streetlight came on.
• Batman observed Crime Alley, studied data from the parallel universe, and decided to enter it despite Cyborg warning him about the risks.
• Batman used a Boom Tube to cross into the other Gotham, disguised himself as a homeless man, and set out through the city at dawn.

Batman explored an alternate Gotham where the East End was orderly and criminals seemed absent, while the rest of the city remained familiar and violent. After learning how this world differed from his own, he returned to Crime Alley and sat where his parents had died.

• Batman disguised himself as Match Malone, encountered East End community patrolmen, and learned the district had its own rules and police department.
• Batman saw Oswald Chesterfield Cobblepot campaigning for mayor and found no mention of familiar Gotham villains in a newspaper.
• Batman registered for work and saw Edward Nygma serving as a police lieutenant, smiling beside a young woman.
• Batman crossed into the West District and heard that the Clown, Victor Zsasz, and other criminals had been defeated or killed, while Harvey Dent remained unscarred.
• Batman returned to Crime Alley, sat at the place where his parents had died, and yielded the spot when someone approached.

Batman visited an alternate Wayne Manor, where Alfred recognized him and comforted him as he grieved the Alfred he had lost. Before Batman could return to his own world, Li Jie lit an enormous East End searchlight that displayed the word “Poor!” across Gotham’s sky.

• Batman watched Alfred’s routine at Wayne Manor until Alfred found him in the trees and invited him inside for tea.
• Batman told Alfred that he came from a parallel universe and that Bane had killed the Alfred in his world; Alfred embraced him, and Batman hugged him back.
• Batman learned that this world’s Harleen Quinzel, Otis Flanagan, Waylon Jones, Victor Freeze, and Winslow Schott had very different lives, and discussed Li Jie’s methods and Bruce Wayne’s opposition to them.
• Alfred offered Batman the chance to meet this world’s Bruce, but Batman declined and prepared to leave, asking Alfred to take good care of him.
• Li Jie and the East End Police Department activated a giant searchlight, while Gordon and Batman saw it illuminate the word “Poor!” beside the Bat-Signal.

Li Jie learned that the City Council had arranged to transfer him to Central Headquarters and send James Gordon to the East End, a move Bruce Wayne recognized as an attempt by the Court of Owls to undermine Li Jie. Bruce and Li Jie both rejected Dick Grayson's plan to infiltrate the Court, leaving him to investigate from the outside.

• Bob McGinnis told Li Jie that the City Council had approved his promotion to Sarah Essen's assistant at Central Headquarters and transferred Gordon to the East End as sheriff.
• Li Jie and Nygma discussed how Li Jie could work with Gordon and agreed to reveal the Court of Owls' threat to him.
• Bruce Wayne traced the transfer plan to a group of City Council members and refused Dick Grayson's offer to go undercover.
• Li Jie also rejected Dick's plan, warning him about the dangers of undercover work and advising him to investigate the Court from the outside.
• Dick complained that Bruce had not assigned him missions, and Li Jie joked that Bruce's lack of donations had forced the East End to cut expenses.

Li Jie reported to Gotham Police Headquarters as its new lieutenant and assistant to Chief Sarah Essen, who feared the political fallout from his East End methods but had approved his transfer. He promised fairer working conditions and secured the officers’ support as he began his new post.

• Harleen told Li Jie that she and Little Red had legally married in a South American rainforest, then teased him about Raven’s feelings and Kara’s connection with Natalia.
• Li Jie decided Raven should attend college to meet people her own age and planned for Gordon to take over at the school.
• On April 1, Li Jie arrived at Central Headquarters, where he encountered Jian Chu complaining that officers dismissed his claim of noble ancestry.
• Sarah Essen explained that she supported Li Jie’s work in the East End but dreaded the media, council, and federal scrutiny his methods might bring to Headquarters.
• Li Jie addressed the officers, praised Sarah for defending them, and promised better supplies, a cafeteria, dormitories, and bonuses for dangerous assignments.
• The officers cheered Li Jie and welcomed his pledge to bring fairness to Headquarters.

Li Jie settled into his new role at Central Headquarters and began planning a high-risk field duty bonus, while Gordon arrived in the East End and learned how its residents viewed the rules Li Jie had enforced. The Court of Owls decided to consider killing Li Jie in a staged car accident, leaving his new position under threat.

• Li Jie inspected his new office and asked Alan Wiggins to help draft a high-risk field duty bonus proposal.
• Gordon moved into Bob's smoke-filled former office, where Bob told him Ed would help arrange the particulars of his transfer.
• Li Jie patrolled the West District and reflected on how Sofia Falcone and Rupert Thorne's legal drug zones had changed its streets.
• Gordon met Juan in the East End and learned that residents trusted Li Jie's officers, while some troublemakers had begun testing the rules after Li Jie's departure.
• The Court of Owls discussed Li Jie's growing influence among police officers and proposed sabotaging his Crown Victoria to cause a fatal accident.

Li Jie killed a bank robber who threatened a hostage, while Sarah Essen urged him to delegate more at Central Headquarters and Nygma warned that power could turn reformers into the Court of Owls. The Court unanimously plotted to kill Li Jie and trap Batman in a labyrinth, while planning to isolate Gordon and seize control of the police.

• Li Jie shot the last masked bank robber before he could harm his hostage, then defended his decision to Sarah Essen, who accepted his explanation but reminded him to coordinate rather than handle every assignment himself.
• Gordon and Wilson broke up a street fight and reflected on how Jay’s efforts had made East End residents more likely to call the police over minor problems.
• Li Jie met Nygma, who warned that those who gained power might eventually serve the Court of Owls; Li Jie said others could take up the cause if he ever became corrupt.
• The Court of Owls unanimously approved a plan to sabotage Li Jie’s Cherokee the next day and make his death look like an accident.
• The Court planned to lure Batman into a labyrinth beneath Gotham using clues about his parents, keeping him trapped while it killed Li Jie, isolated Gordon, and filled key Central Headquarters positions with its own people.

Batman, Dick, and Cliff entered a hidden underground quarry beneath Ginkgo Garden Cemetery, where their communications failed and dark shapes moved in the tunnels. Elsewhere, an assassin tried to sabotage a sheriff’s Cherokee but struggled with its missing airbags and badly rusted parts before escaping.

• Batman told Dick to wait outside the mausoleum, but Dick brought Barbara, Cliff, Harkness, Jason Todd, and Garfield to the cemetery as his Titans team.
• Batman sent Jason Todd and Garfield away with Harkness, assigned Barbara to monitor communications, and led Dick and Cliff into the underground passage.
• Batman and his companions followed recent footprints through a Cold War fallout shelter passage marked with a bloody owl symbol.
• Cliff forced open an iron door, revealing a vast abandoned quarry, and Batman lost contact with Barbara as dark shapes moved nearby.
• A masked saboteur entered a sheriff’s Cherokee to rig its safety systems, but found no airbags and struggled to damage the rusted steering and brake components before leaving.

Li Jie learned that someone had sabotaged his car and suspected the Court of Owls, while Batman, Dick, and Cliff fought through a shifting underground maze and uncovered the Court’s hidden meeting room. As footsteps approached, Batman and Dick realized the room’s evidence might be erased before it could expose anyone.

• A mechanic told Li Jie that his brakes and steering had been sabotaged, but the damage had accidentally improved the car’s handling.
• Jim told Li Jie that Bruce and Dick had been missing for over twenty-four hours, and Li Jie went to the East End Police Department to speak with Barbara and Gordon.
• Batman, Dick, and Cliff evaded Talons in a shifting maze; Cliff supplied food and water and later smashed through a blocked wall.
• Li Jie told Gordon that someone had tampered with his car and that he suspected the Court of Owls, then armed himself for a confrontation.
• Batman, Dick, and Cliff reached an old Gotham drainage passage and entered a bronze-doored room filled with owl reliefs and names linked to the city’s powerful figures.
• Batman said the room would not prove the living members’ connection to the Court of Owls, then heard footsteps approaching.

Li Jie and Otis searched Ginkgo Garden Cemetery for Batman’s group, while Batman and Dick confronted an elder of the Court of Owls beneath the cemetery. The elder challenged Batman to choose between the Court and Li Jie’s coming war, and Batman left as Talons returned.

• Li Jie brought Otis to the cemetery and sent Otis’s rats into the mausoleum to search for Batman and the others.
• Li Jie showed Otis an assortment of disguises, explaining that he could use them to frame different figures for attacks on the Court of Owls.
• Otis sensed that the rats had traveled too far because the underground burial complex was much larger than expected.
• A Court of Owls elder confronted Batman and argued that the Court had built Gotham and could not be brought down through evidence alone.
• The elder told Dick that his ancestors had served as Talons and urged Batman to oppose Li Jie’s threat of dictatorship.
• Cliff warned Batman that Talons had returned, and Batman and Dick left the chamber.

Li Jie asked Cobblepot to join him against the Court of Owls, and Cobblepot chose to stand with his friend despite the danger. Li Jie then revealed a plan to publicly brand three notorious Gotham figures as Owls and have them killed, leaving the city with a new masked figure.

• Li Jie visited Cobblepot before dawn and asked him to choose between joining the fight against the Court of Owls or remaining under their control.
• Cobblepot admitted he feared the Owls but hated their contempt, and agreed to stand with Li Jie as a friend.
• Li Jie told Cobblepot he planned to arrest and publicly try three prominent Gotham figures as symbols of the Court of Owls.
• Cobblepot recognized that Gotham's citizens would believe the accusations because they wanted the three men punished, and agreed to have his people spread the story.
• Li Jie said the three would be shot while escaping from prison and hinted that Gotham would soon have another masked man.