Bad Guy

"Quinn."

Harley opened her eyes in confusion, looking around the pitch-blackness of her cell for the source of the voice. She couldn't see anything lurking in the shadows and shrugged, assuming she'd just heard the voice in a dream. She shut her eyes again.

"Harley." No, that hadn't been a dream. She sat up suddenly as a black shape appeared from out of the darkness. A man in the shape of a bat.

"Oh, it's you," yawned Harley. "What're you doing here, Bats? Finally come to join the rest of the crazies in the asylum, have ya?"

"I'm looking for Joker," he replied.

"You and me both," retorted Harley, leaning back on her pillow. "Mr. J was meant to bust me outta this dump weeks ago. Dunno why he's taking his sweet time, but he'll do it. He's a guy who keeps his promises."

"I need to find him tonight," continued Batman. "He's got a bomb. It's going to go off and kill people. Hundreds of innocent people. I have to find him and stop him."

"Sounds like one of Mr. J's gags," yawned Harley again. "He's been busy – guess that's why he hasn't busted me out. But I wish he would hurry up and kill them so he can get back to his Harley girl. I'm bored of being in here."

"Harley, I need to know where he is," said Batman, firmly. "You know, don't you?"

Harley shrugged. "Yeah. But I ain't gonna tell you. I ain't a squealer, Bats. So why don't you beat it and let me get my beauty sleep? I get cranky if I don't get it."

"Harley, I need to know," he repeated. "I won't let those people die, and I am going to stop him, however it takes."

"Yeah?" retorted Harley. "Big words, Bats. How are you gonna do that, then?"

"I will make you talk," murmured Batman.

"That a threat, B-man?" demanded Harley. "Better not be. Nobody threatens me but Mr. J. Think I'm scared of you? What are you gonna do to me?"

"Something I really don't want to do," he said, quietly. "Please tell me, Harley. I promise I won't hurt Joker…"

"Yeah right," interrupted Harley. "You're always beating the crap outta him. It's like your favorite hobby. If you think I'm going to do anything that'll lead to Mr. J getting hurt, you don't know me very well, Bats. I'd die before I finked on him, you hear me?"

"Please don't make me do this, Harley," said Batman, softly. "This is your last chance. Tell me where he is."

Harley folded her arms across her chest. "Sorry, Bats, no dice," she retorted.

Batman nodded slowly. "I'm sorry too, Harley," he whispered.

He suddenly punched her across the face. It was completely unexpected and Harley was taken aback. She was even more taken aback when Batman gripped her around the throat with one hand and squeezed. "Tell me where he is!" he hissed.

Harley choked out a laugh. "Go on, Bats, do your worst! Mr. J's taught me to take a lotta pain!"

Batman dropped her to the ground. "If you don't talk, I'll make whatever Joker's done to you seem like a walk in the park!" he snapped. "Tell me, Harley! Please!"

There was a desperation in his please, and it amused Harley. She giggled, shaking her head. "Nah uh. C'mon, Bats, hit me again, just like a good guy should!"

Batman seized her around the throat again. "This isn't fun for me, Harley," he whispered. "This is hurting me more than you can possibly imagine. But I will do anything I have to to stop him. You understand that? Anything!"

She managed to shake her head again. "Nah. You won't kill me, Bats. And I'm betting I can take more pain than you can deal out. You can't be more brutal than Mr. J – he really enjoys this kinda stuff. And I can tell you don't. So go on, hit me until I pass out. My record's twenty minutes of constant violence – you wanna try to beat it?"

"Harley, please talk!" pleaded Batman. "Please!"

She giggled again. "If Mr. J were here, he'd laugh at that. The big, strong Batman, begging a woman! A worthless little blonde like me! I won't tell him – he might get jealous."

Batman dropped her again and began beating her. "Tell me where he is!" he shouted. "Tell me, Harley!"

Harley shut her eyes and tried to protect herself as much as she could. "I love you, Mr. J," she whispered, trying to ignore the pain as involuntary tears sprang to her eyes. "I love you."

"Harley!" came Poison Ivy's voice from the cell next door. "Harley, are you all right? What's going on in there?"

A plant suddenly burst through the wall separating the cells, followed closely by Poison Ivy, who froze in horror at the sight. Then she grew furious. "What the hell are you doing?!" she demanded, rushing at Batman. "Leave her alone!"

Batman threw her against the wall. "Stay out of this, Ivy!" he shouted. "I'm doing this because I don't have any other choice! I have to stop Joker or hundreds will die! Talk, Quinn! Please let me stop this!"

The damage to the cell had alerted the Arkham guards, who came rushing down the hall. "You want everyone to see the monster you've become?!" shouted Ivy, struggling to her feet. "Get outta here, Bats! Now!"

For whatever reason, Batman obeyed her, leaping to the window and disappearing into the night. Ivy knelt down beside Harley and cuddled her gently, shushing her, as Harley clutched her and sobbed, covered in cuts and brusies. That's how the Arkham guards found them. Of course they blamed the Joker. He was a bad guy, and beating up a helpless woman was something only a bad guy would do.