Episodes

What's past is…

Prologue

Logic seemed hard to come by these days.

But in her world, one governed by the unpredictable beast of insanity, it was logic that finally won out.

Gordon had gone through a huge effort of making an example of her and just how serious he was when he turned up at the foot of Harley's hospital bed accompanied by no fewer than 11 armed police officers. He stood silently, reaching for her chart. The notes were extensive: Multiple breaks to her sternum along with five cracked ribs, a dislocated shoulder and a shattered left arm. This came along with extensive bruising and tissue damage down the entirety of her left leg.

Crime scene officials would later deduce that she had been flung from a speeding car, plummeting down a twelve foot verge beside the freeway, only to have her fall broken by the concrete beneath. Somebody didn't want her to walk away from this one.

To Gordon's surprise, his presence didn't cause much of reaction in the usually audacious young woman. She was barely even able to lift her head to acknowledge him. The morphine had temporarily drowned out her usual manic ferocity and rendered her pleasantly placid.

In all honesty, it was a welcome break from the screaming in her head.

Finally, the commissioner spoke up.

"A simple choice, Harleen." He chewed out the words. "My boys found six bodies down at the docks. All suspected murder. That's what? six life sentences, would you say?"

"And the rest."

Gordon lifted his head, a stern glaze cast over his eyes as he peered up from her chart, glaring over the rim of his glasses. "Now it's pretty clear your friend doesn't think particularly highly of you considering…" He offered his hand forward and gestured towards her body, which was more plaster than flesh at present. Harley shifted timidly under his scrutiny and withdrew further into her medicated calm.

"So, like I said, it's a simple choice. You want to jump on this grenade as well? Go down as an accomplice?"

"Cause if you want to, my boys are more than ready to take you down right now, whether you can stand on your own or not. They have no reservations about yanking you outta bed and dragging you back down to Arkham tonight." Two officers moved to either side of the bed to emphasize his point.

"Or, you could end this right now. Hand him in." She casts her gaze down, avoiding eye contact. Her brows knit together in grimace.

"This must be getting old for you now, Harleen." He continues, softer, after noticing the downward turn of her lips and the scowl on her face; akin to the tantrums of his teenage daughter. Gordon lowered himself down to meet her gaze head on. His features mimicking sympathy but his voice screaming apathy. "Just tell me where he is and you'll be granted immunity." He sighs, struggling to blurt out the last part.

"For life."

Some choice.