Chapter 2.

"Harley, what are you doing here?" she asked and immediately she regretted the rather harsh tone she used. It wasn't that she didn't like to see her friend again after such a long time, but Katherine knew pretty well that Harley never stayed far away from the Joker for too long and to tell the truth, the Joker being somewhere close by was not a reasuring thought. Living in the shadow of the big fish is a good thing, but you must not let it see you, or othervise you might get eaten. And so, as a result, seeing Harley here, in her so far undiscovered home didn't seem like a good thing. After the asylum, she was more than angry at the Joker, and even that she would really like to talk to Harley, she would never set a foot inside the Steel Mill.

"I... I'm sorry, Katie, I just wanted to talk to somebody... and mr. J is not feeling very well... and I..."

"Just come in." was all the Shadow said as she saw her friend getting literally smaller on her doorstep, as she placed her arm gently around her shoulders and led her to a small couch in the corner of the room.

...

"So it is that bad with him?" she asked and she watched as Harley nodded her head, black and white smeared on her face because of her crying. "Yeah... it's horrible... his beautiful face... it's... it's..." unable to speak, she started crying again, and Katherine hugged her tightly. She couldn't bear to see Harley like that, but there was nothing she could do right now. Of course she knew about Joker's illness. The rumours were everywhere. As much as the Joker was trying to keep it a secret, it was impossible to hide it from everyone, and so now, the whole Arkham City was talking about Joker's possible death. And it was especially the Penguin and the Two-face, who were looking forward to it. Both hating the Joker more than they hated each other. Still, if the situation was relatively stable looking for now, if the Joker would really die, this prison would become a warzone between two crime lords, and no one would be able to live in peace anymore.

"We... we've been trying to find a doctor who would find a cure, but everyone sais it's impossible." Katherine looked up, torn out from her thoughts when she heard Harley's voice again and she sighed. Yes, she heard about the poor sould she had dragged over into the Steel Mill. A doctor from the old church. She was close enough to the Steel Mill to actually hear the broadcast, and she felt bad for whoever it was. She didn't even imagine the fate that was expecting the doctor. The fact was, she always felt bad for those in the church. Even with those guards in there, it was a dangerous work.

"Harley, you can't really expect any doctor to find a cure for an illness caused by practically unknown chemical. You're gonna need an expert on this. Someone who is very good with the chemical set."

"I know... I know... Puddin' had mr. Freeze working on a cure, but he's not answering anymore and these stupid bozos we got just can't find him. So we caught ourselves the Bat..."

"What?" Katherine turned her head towards her in surprise. "Yeah... he came into the Steel Mill looking for my Puddin' and we prepared a nice little trap for him. Then mistah J have pumped a little of his blood in him and..."

"So now the Batman is infected too and he has no other choice than to find the cure." She said and she looked at Harley, she could see her looking at her with a strange look in her eyes. "Harley, why are you really here? How did you even find me?"

"Oh well, I wouldn't... but... I overheard one of the henchman and he said that he saw a girl that looked a lot like you, so I took him for a little... questioning, and he told me that he saw you around here, and then it wasn't really difficult to find a place that you could choose. I know you after all."

"Well, I guess you're right... but... why are you here?"

"I... Katie, I don't trust the stupid Bat, and I can't stand that my Puddin's life is relying on him. I wanted to find someone who would do it because he really want's to help mr. J."

Katherine sighed and slowly turned her head towards Harley, who looked at her with hope. "And you thought that person was me? Harley, ok, I have some classes in chemistry, but that was out of my own curiosity. I cannot help you with the cure. And even if I could, what makes you think that I want to help you poor mr. J?" she said and she couldn't prevent the anger from raising in her voice.

"He's the one who got myself here in the first place! I doubt he ever told you what happened in the asylum, so I will do it. The fact is, I warned him! I warned him against the freaking Titan and he didn't listen. I warned him and he shot me in my freaking shoulder, which would not be so bad if I didn't know that he was aiming at my head. I thought that we were friends, at least because of you, but that was naive, he would easily expend me just for the fun of it. No, Harley, I won't do anything for him until I'll see him appologize, which will not happen, so... I'm sorry, but like I said, I can't help you. And you can kill me for it, if you want, what do I have from living in this place anyway." And she turned her head away.

It didn't take a long time for what she expected to happen. She closed her eyes as she heard her first sobbing, and soon, she could hear Harley crying her heart out on the couch next to her. With another sigh she looked over to her friend. It was true that she was mad at the Joker, but then she realised how much it would hurt Harley if she would loose the Joker. She had a good reasons to stay back and just wait for the clown to die with the others, but... Harley was her friend, and it would be rather selfish if she wouldn't do anything to help.

"Get me a blood sample." she said silently and watched with a slight smile as Harley turned her head and looked at her in disbelieve. "Yes, you heard right. Look, I'll go with you now, and you will give me Joker's blood sample. I can't help you myself, Harley, but perhaps I can find someone who can. And don't thank me yet, I can't guarantee that I will find a way. And I'm not doing this for the Joker. The clown really is lucky that he has you."

...

A few minutes later, the Shadow was patiently waiting by the front door to the Steel Mill. There were some clowns with weapons and she was a little nervous being there with them, but Harley gave them the proper warnings, and so they could just stand there, doing nothing with whatever was running through their heads. Still, there was never any second when she wouldn't have her hand on her crossbow. She loved that weapon, and she felt save when she had it with her. The arrows she still have were filled with her blinding toxin. As a normally peaceful creature this allowed her not to kill when she didn't have too, which was ideal for her. As she looked at the poor guys that had to stand here and guard the place in this awful cold, she recognised some of them, those who were not wearing any make-up, as those who she met in the asylum. They didn't seem to remember her though.

Suddenly, there was a sound of an opening door, and she turned to see Harley standing in the doorway, frowning sadly. She gave her a questioning look, but, somehow, she already guessed the answer. "Katie... ehm... I'm sorry, but Puddin' has woken up, and he saw me..."

"And you of course couldn't lie to him. What does he want, Harley?"

"He wants to talk to you..." she stuttered.

The Shadow looked at her best friend, and sighed. Does she have any choice? Of course not. Harley obviously has a direct order, and if she won't bring me to Joker, she would be punished. And so, she walked over to her and stepped through the door. "Fine, I'll go with you. But he better not have any more bullets for me."

...

The Steel Mill was, as Katherine told herself when she first walked inside, really an ideal hiding place for the Joker. Not only was the place pretty well secured, but the clown managed to transform the old building into some kind of a lethal crazy funhouse. It was also closed to the old Amusement Mile. Katherine couldn't imagine how that place could ever be functional, let alone safe. On the other side, you could say that about the whole Arkham City.

"So... you still live? What a surprise! And here I thought that I actually managed to off you in that asylum..." The Joker was sitting in the armchair, his face hidden in the shadows when the two girls appeared in front of him. Katherine wasn't really sure if she was more annoyed or scared to hear his voice again.

"Yeah, well, I would really love to say something badass right now, but I will settle for a simple yes. I'm alive."

...

Meanwhile, the six guys standing or pacing outside of the Steel Mill, were having a conversation.

"Do you know who that girl was?" asked the first one. He was wearing an orange trousers and a white T-shirt.

"Hell, yeah. She's was back in the asylum. As I understand it, she's some kind of a new chick." a second thug, a black haired man with a red scar above his eye answered.

"Well, as I understand it, she's some kind of a good friend with Harley. I heard some guys were trying to have their fun with her in the asylum, and Harley shot them right between the eyes." a third one have joined the conversation. He was a rather skinny, bald man, with painted face.

"Well, good for her then. I wonder who she is really, like what she was doing before, if somethin'. When does Harley have the time to get new friends anyway?"

"Yeah, well, who know. But I know what I would love to do to her." and the all three of them laughed for a while. "Well, I wouldn't try that. Have you seen that crossbow she had? I heard she had some nasty stuff in those arrows. Something that Crane cooked up."

"Wow, now I got it. She got some some connections, doesn't she?"

"Better not to know, I guess."

...

Katherine gasped at the sight in front of her. Up until now, she was slowly loosing her patience with the man, until he finally decided to show his face to her. She was talking, when he stepped out of the shadows and she immediately stopped to stare right at him. She couldn't help it. He really looked sick, and for this time, she wasn't happy that she was right.

"You don't have much time, do you?" she asked him sadly. The answer was obvious. She didn't know exactly how to call those bloody spots on his face, but they looked painful, and she couldn't help but feeling pity for him, which clearly showed on her face. Up until now, she didn't realise how much desperate his situation must be.

"Look, I'm pretty sure I don't have to go all the I-told-you crap, but I did warned you against the Titan, or I tried at least."

"No, you really didn't have to tell me that, I looked in the mirror, thank you." he said, and she rolled her eyes.

"Look, let me help you. I may find someone who might be able to help, if the Bat won't succeed..."

"Oh, but I have the confidence in the Dark Knight's abilities, and besides, I believe he has the proper motivation. Or would you like to shot of my blood too?" The Joker smiled menacingly as she backed off a little. She looked at the clown, right in his green eyes and then she sighed and looked away. "Joker... I want to help. And don't try to deny that you need every help that you can get. And I'm gonna do it whether you want me or not, if only because of Harley."

Before she finished her talking, she already heard the footsteps of the two men, that grasped her shoulders in the next minute. "I don't think so, Katie-girl. You know I don't like complications. I have the Bat on the job already, and you, you would just in the way. Take her somewhere where she would not disturb." he said to the two goons and she growled angrily, before they hit her head with something hard and she passed out.

...

She woke up a little disoriented, and it took her some time to take in her surroundings, but as the thumping in her head stopped, she looked and around and she saw that she was in some kind of an... elevator, perhaps? It was indeed a small cabin, with three solid walls and a metal grating as the fourth wall, facing a narrow corridor outside. Then, she noticed the glowing, and she had to smile when she saw the two objects sitting beside her. There were two question marks, one red and one green. She gently touched the green one, and then she stood up. If the Dark Knight is supposed to get in here, then there must also be a way out. She went to the grating and tried to move it a bit, but it was impossible. But as she looked outside, she saw a strange box on the wall next to the elevator. It must have something to do with opening this thing. She sighed and sat down. The Dark Knight surely had some way to get in here, but even that he would want to release her, it could take hours before he will come here again.

But then, she had an idea. She looked back on the question marks and then she raised her head to observe the ceiling. She couldn't see anything, but surely, the Riddler must have some kind of camera here to watch over his little challenges. She reached to her ear and pushed a button on her communicator. The device was humming for a while, but then, she finally heard the voice.

"Riddle me this, riddle me that, who's trapped like a little rat?" she sighed when she heard this little humiliating riddle, but then she smiled. "Well, hallo, Edward, I was hoping to hear your voice."

"I bet you were. So, what can I do for you, Katherine?" he said in his mocking tone, and she was wondering why she didn't felt annoyed by this. "Hey, this wasn't my fault, Joker had me dragged in here. Surely you will not leave me here." she said, sighing. "Please, Edward."

"Well, as a matter of fact, I do believe I have some of my people near the Steel Mill. And I could also use some help actually. I hope you can survive a few minutes there, it shouldn't take very long. Of course, you must also wait for the imbeciles to figure out how to actually get to you. Hopefully they won't get themselves killed in the process." then, the communicator felt silent and she was left waiting. It was actually quite unnerving, but she knew Edward will not leave her in this. At least, she was hoping he wouldn't. Fortunately, she wasn't wrong, as in a few minutes, she could hear a distant gunshots and a few minutes after, a door bursting open. Then, a few thugs appeared in her view and began playing with some kind of device near the electrical box next to the door. In a minute, the grating opened and she looked at the men with gratitude. She was surprised to see that they were mostly Two-face's thugs, some belonged to the Joker. "Boys, I'm truly grateful to see you." she said, honestly, and one of the guys turned to her and motioned with his gun to the door. "Well, I hope you're worth it, miss, cause we risked our necks out there. We better go, there ain't any friends around here for us."

"Agreed, let's go." she answered and smiled, and then she happily followed the men out of the Steel Mill. But as they walked towards the exit, she was suddenly stopped by a familiar voice.