INT. ARKHAM ASYLUM - EVENING
The hallways are dark. Eerie. Four thuggish guards escort a lone patient, HANNIBAL LECTER, to his new cell. Three guards carry high caliber weapons.
The door opens, weapons click, the guards stand facing the prison Lecter is to be placed in.
After a beat, the door opens, a guard speaks up. His name, SGT. HANSON.
SGT. HANSON: (nervous) No sudden moves clown...
A ghastly voice echoes from the cell.
VOICE: Oh no worries Eddie. No escape plans today. The wifey is busy doing time in the other wing. Can I call you Eddie? Hehehehehehe
Sgt. Hanson escorts Lecter into:
ARKHAM CELL
The room is plain. Soft cushioned walls, and two cots on opposite walls. The other occupant sits silhouetted in his corner of the cell. Bright red letters spell out the words "Ha" all over the other occupants side. Hanson sits Lecter down, removes his shackles and turns to the other occupant.
SGT. HANSON: This is your new roommate.
VOICE: Ooo goodie! Another playmate! Can we get some cards? Apples to Apples? Maybe a whoopee cushion?
SGT. HANSON: Dr. Crane suggested you spend some time with Dr. Lecter. He has... some expertise in your area.
VOICE: A doctor eh? Oh how exciting! I love those ink blot thingys! (To Lecter) Could we do those first doc?
Hannibal sits in silence. Hanson grins and exits the cell. Before closing the door he turns to face the both of them.
SGT. HANSON: Have fun kids.
The cell door slams. The room is darker than before. The moonlight from outside gleams slightly through the minuscule barred window.
There is silence.
The second occupant leans into the light. It's none other than THE JOKER. A hideous grin stretches across his face, lined with scars and messy makeup.
JOKER: Aw, whats the matter doc? Having a bad day?
HANNIBAL: Revlon. Maroon. 1988. But judging by the smell. I'd say that you ran out of ink ages ago.
JOKER: Ooo, an amateur Bat-Freak! How interesting. Tell me something "doctor", what's my sign? Can you guess?
There is a beat, Hannibal examines the Joker intently.
HANNIBAL: You're a masochist. Judging by the scars on your face, they are self mutilating. Fascinating.
JOKER: Why, can't you tell? The ever-so-elusive Bat-Freak has beaten me to a pulp more times than I could bother to count.
HANNIBAL: Yes but, thats not what makes you who you are is it?
JOKER: I beg your pardon?
HANNIBAL: Something. Something deep inside you brought you to this point. And now you don't know how to let it go. You blame your "Bat-Freak" for everything because you refuse to take responsibility for yourself.
There is silence. The Joker breaks eye contact, and starts to laugh maniacally. Echoing through the halls of Arkham.
The Joker's hideous yellow teeth glisten in the moonlight. Chuckling, calming down.
JOKER: You know doc. You had me going for a second there. But let me tell you. I've seen some doctors who claimed they could "cure" me. The most that got me was an annoying girlfriend, and let me tell you she was a handfull. This one time she and-
HANNIBAL: You had a wife once, didn't you?
Silence. The Joker's smile breaks.
JOKER: Don't interrupt, doc. Anyway-
HANNIBAL: She died. Yes? Through no fault of your own? I can see it in your eyes. As black as they come. Yet so full of a lost history. How can you wipe such a woman out of your mind like that?
JOKER: You're really starting to get on my nerves doc. Now let me-
HANNIBAL: Your constant ignorance towards your past makes me wonder. Was she pregnant?
Joker stands up furious. His yellow teeth vanished within his lips. His face hidden in the dark.
HANNIBAL (CONT'D): Oh my. She was. How sad. That's a lot to bear for a young father. They tell me you once went by another name. The Red Hood was it? Such theatrics, you liked being center stage. Judging by your makeup I would suggest you to a circus.
The Joker still stands. No grin.
JOKER: And I heard your family was brutally murdered. And your sister was eaten. Word gets around here in Arkham you know. It's like high school all over again. So don't act like you're better than me.
HANNIBAL: How old are you, my friend? Do you even know?
Silence again.
HANNIBAL (CONT'D): I'll take that as a maybe. To me you look just under fourty-five. I'd guess about twenty years?
JOKER: (kneels in front of Hannibal) You've got five seconds to shut up before I strangle a smile out of you.
HANNIBAL: Oh, but you won't kill me. Not unless it directly involves the Bat-man himself. Correct? That's who you blame for her death after all, right?
Joker jabs Hannibal in his face. Breaking his nose. Hannibal barely flinches.
JOKER: SHUT UP!!
HANNIBAL: How simple it is to get through to you by simply mentioning the thought of her. Intriguing.
Joker moves over to the corner of his side of the room.
HANNIBAL (CONT'D): You can't hide. It'll only drive you to kill more and more innocent wives like her. Imagine the children you have prevented, just like your own. It's your fault.
The Joker returns from the dark corner. A serious look on his face unlike any ever seen on his face.
Hannibal smiles.
INT. INTERROGATION ROOM - LATER
Hannibal sits in the room alone. COMMISSIONER JIM GORDON enters the room. A file in his hands, he slaps it on the table in front of Hannibal.
The file simply reads "Lecter, Hannibal" on the front. Right above, "Classified".
Gordon sits at the table, carelessly skims through the file, and looks up at Hannibal.
GORDON: I can't believe I'm saying this but, you did good. Now what's his play?
HANNIBAL: I'd be happy to oblige Commissioner. But my former cellmate asked me to relay a message.
GORDON: Go for it.
HANNIBAL: "Touche Jimmy. Tell Bats I said Hi"
GORDON: Where did he say they were?
HANNIBAL: Fortunately, he trusted me enough with the location of the bombs and his plan to use them. However, I'd like to play a game. Would you be so kind?
Gordon bears a slightly annoyed look, but nods.
FADE OUT
THE END