Johnny Gustatta's brand new $300 shoes slipped against some wet trash behind a Chinese restaurant. He tumbled hard to the pavement, mucking his brand new $1,200 suit with grease and bits of tossed food. But he didn't care. He stumbled back to his feet to a dead run through alleyways and side streets. He had to leave National City. Now.
Johnny had moved in only four days ago with his girlfriend. He and Kassy were just starting their new life. They were going to get married. Retire. Look for a nice penthouse. Get a maid or two. Live care free with all their money. Far away from Gotham. Far away from that freak.
How the hell did he find us?
Johnny ran across Ross street without waiting for the light, nearly getting struck by a cab. Occasionally, he had to pause to make sure he was going the right direction. West. Keep moving west.
"Johnny Johnny Johnny boy, how could you?" the voice from the phone repeated in his head. Raspy. Tempered. "I'm hurt. Wounded."
The October air was chilled, yet Johnny was sweating profusely through his custom outfit when he reached the door of his building. He fumbled the key in and leaped the stairs to the apartment.
"Kass! Kassy!" Johnny shouted as he blew through the door. "We gotta go babe! He knows we're here! He called me. Just a few minuets ago." He rushed to the closet for the duffel bag stuffed with cash. Twenty million in cash. "Babe! Did you hear me?" He walked to the living room. "That freak is gonna-"
"Oh, come now, Johnny, you know how I dislike name calling." That voice. Raspy. Tempered.
Johnny froze at the sight of the man sitting on his couch.
Pale, haunting face. Crooked grin, wrapped in crimson lips. The Joker.
"I-Joker-You-" Johnny stuttered. His breath gone.
"I'm very disappointed in you Johnny," the Joker said. He was calm. Almost understanding in his tone.
Johnny let go of the duffel bag and dropped to his knees. "Joker! Boss! I'm - I don't even know where to start." He pushed the bag toward the Joker. "Yes. Yes, this is yours. It's all yours!"
"Oh, please. This isn't about the money, Johnny. I don't care about that."
Johnny was silent. He didn't understand. He had a chance to rip off the Joker for millions and get outta town with his best girl. He took it. If Joker wasn't hot over that, then way was he here?
The Joker took a deep breath. "As I said over the phone earlier, Johnny. You hurt me." His eyes burrowed into Johnny's. "You hurt my feelings. You really did. You took something from me."
"The money!" Johnny said. He grabbed the bag a lifted it to the Joker. "It's yours!"
The Joker rose from the couch and smacked the bag out of Johnny's hands. "I said it wasn't the money, you idiot! Can't you listen!"
The Joker composed himself, and cleared his through. Johnny rose to his feet.
"You took my trust, Johnny. My trust. And you betrayed that trust. You see, I thought we were pals. Friends."
"Joker, we can-"
"Shut up," The Joker growled. For a moment his stone grin faltered. "Everything will be fine. Everything is fine. We're even know, think no more of it."
"Even?"
The Joker chuckled. "Sure. You took something very important from me, and I..."
Johnny wore a confused gaze.
"...took something from you," The Joker finished.
"Kassy..." Johnny stepped away from the ghostly man. He rushed into the bedroom, but no one was there. "Kassy!"
He went back to the living room. The Joker's eyes followed him. Enough. Johnny ran toward the door, but it was blocked by a woman. Not Kassy. Blonde. Face as pale as the Joker's. Harley Quinn. "Hiya, Johnny. Where ya goin'?"
Johnny backpedaled to the living room, almost bumping into the Joker. "Is she dead? Oh, God, please, Joker. Where is she?" he said, facing he ghoulish figure.
"What? Dear, Johnny, we haven't seen her! She must be out. She wasn't here when we helped ourselves in."
Johnny's eyes widened. a slight exhale of relief. "Yeah?"
The Joker broke out into hardy a cackle. Johnny stuttered out a chuckle himself, unsure of how to feel.
"Your-your-" Joker could hardly speak he was laughing so hard. "Your face. Oh my, you should have seen it!"
"I-I don't get it," Johnny said, chuckling nervously.
"Your face. It had the smallest glimmer of hope," the Joker laughed, wiping a tear. "I was kidding, Johnny. Dearest Kassy is here. I drowned her in the toilet." The Joker laughed so hard he had to hold onto Johnny to keep standing.
Johnny expression turned broken. Far away.
"Good god, man, you reek of garbage," The Joker managed between laughs.
Johnny's eyes then turned to his former employer. He became nauseated. Furious. He grabbed the Joker by the neck, but it didn't keep him from laughing. It only muffled the sound.
The Joker casually reached for the pink trick flower on the lapel of his purple jacket and squeezed it. A green mist sprayed Johnny's face. The shot rocked him backward, and he yelped, releasing his grip on the clown.
Johnny whipped around, grabbing his face, his eyes and lungs burning. Slowly he began to cough. The cough turned to a chuckle. The chuckled turned into a full laugh. Johnny and the Joker were now laughing together. Johnny tried to fight it. His chest pounded, his stomach heaved. The muscles in his face tightened. The laughter grew so intense that Johnny could hardly breath. He collapses to the floor. His lungs had emptied themselves, yet his chest still wanted to laugh. The laughter turned to faint gasping. He began to seize and shake on the floor until the life in his eyes disappeared. But the smile remained constricted to his face.
The Joker took a deep breath and calmed himself. He wiped away tears from his eyes. "One more thing, Johnny," the Joker said to the corpse. "Maybe it was a little bit about the money. Grab that for me, would you, Harl?" he said, pointing to the duffel bag of cash.
Harley rushed over and heaved the massive load onto her back.
"Say, Harley, have you ever been to National City?" the Joker said.
"Can't say that I have, Mista' J. Nor that I ever wanted to."
"Aw, where's your spirit, girl? I hear this town has some rather colorful characters to play with. Sounds fun to me. What do you say we hang around for a bit. See the sites? Blow threw the cash? Maul the elderly?"
"A vacation with my Puddin'?" Harley said lovingly. "How could I say no?"
"Wonderful, dear!" the Joker said. "Let's paint this town red!"