The sound of shattering glass came from the side building.
"Keep circling around the back."
Batman pressed a hand to his ear and stepped down the last stair leading to the plaza.
The crowd before him stirred.
First, the nearest row raised their heads. Then those packed between the seats and standing beside the railings all turned toward him. Hundreds of faces faced the same spot. Arms that had been waving stopped in midair, and open mouths slowly stretched into smiles.
Batman stopped.
The respirator sat against his mouth and nose, its filtration indicator still lit. Everyone before him faced the lingering mist, their nostrils flaring over and over.
A man still clutched a water bottle. The cap was gone, and water ran down his trouser leg. He stared at Batman, the corners of his mouth pulling toward his ears, the flesh of his face stretched taut and shiny.
The woman beside him tilted her head.
Several heads behind her tilted too, at almost exactly the same angle.
"Ha-ha."
The first laugh fell into the empty aisle.
Then the whole plaza laughed.
The big screen lit up. Joker's face filled the picture as he leaned forward, his hands braced on either side of the camera, his eyes frighteningly bright.
"Welcome! Welcome to our Batman!"
He backed away a little, revealing the table behind him. The broadcasting equipment brought from the TV Station had yet to be fully set up. A microphone stand sat crooked. He picked it up and slammed it against the edge of the table.
"Come and play, Bat! I even brought the studio over. Look how accommodating I am!"
The man holding the water bottle lunged.
The bottle struck Batman's cowl and crumpled, splashing water across his face. The man threw it away, grabbed his shoulder armor