Cutter pressed an ear against the door and listened to the sound of Harley's voice murmuring softly to her unconscious lover. Though he had no idea what she was saying, he felt that her voice gave him a sense of tranquility...even if the sound was not directed at him.

Harley had really impressed him the past few days with her ability to think on her feet. If it hadn't been for her moving them into this new warehouse hideout, they would have surely been captured by the police. Though he didn't much care for the place, Cutter was glad just to have a roof over their heads for the time being.

Growing bored with Harley's whisperings, Cutter strode into the main area and dug around his pockets for a cigarette. In quiet times like this, it was always the best time for a smoke. Pulling out a cigarette, he fumbled around his pockets some more for a lighter, but found that he was without one.

"Need a light?" Poke stepped out of the gloom and grinned, holding out his prized lighter.

"Thanks," Cutter said as he lit his cigarette and began to puff.

"She with the boss again?"

"Yeah. She's been with him for almost an hour now."

"Poor boss. Methinks he won't get up until a few more days. Plus, it'll take a while before he's fully recovered. What a pity."

"Looks like Harley is now in charge."

Poke nodded, almost chuckling to himself. "I never thought I'd see the day when she'd become assertive enough to give orders. Remember how she used to be?"

"She's changed."

"Oh well," Poke said with a shrug. "Actually, I kind of like this new change of plans. That new look in her eyes…it excites the hell out of me. Maybe she'll be just as good as the boss. Did she tell you that she's planning an attack on Gotham soon? It's going to be glorious! She even said that she'd let me burn some stuff!"

In spite of Poke's enthusiasm, Cutter didn't feel terribly excited. Yes, he had heard about Harley's plan. It troubled him. The boss had never liked planning for things and Cutter was pretty sure that the Batman was more than an enemy to the boss. Still, he'd keep quiet. The last thing he wanted to do was to anger Harley.

"What's wrong, Cutter? You look kind of pale. You feeling sick?"

"No. I'm just feeling a bit out of it. I'm going to go outside and get some fresh air."

"Better keep close to the hideout. If there are cops lurking about, they might recognize you."

Cutter treaded away, keeping his cigarette in his mouth. "I know. No need to worry, Poke."

He stepped out into the night, shuddering slightly from the cold wind. For a while, he just stood there, puffing smoke-rings into the air and watching them as they faded into the murky horizon.

Gotham City. My home.

He had lived in this city all his life. Ever since he was a very young boy. And despite his childish view of the place at the time, he now understood the truth about it. Gotham was not a city…it was a land of darkness…an endless river that flowed from the mouth of madness and grief. He knew; he had lost his daughter to it.

Funny. With the boss back out and Harley now a permanent part of the crew, I guess I should be feeling happy. Why is it that I'm not?

Harley's change had bothered him. It was as if in breaking away from the system of Gotham City, she had fed it, made it more tainted than before. And while he still cared about her greatly, Cutter felt himself missing the lost, timid woman he had used to know.

But the new Harley had some pretty endearing qualities, of course. She was more childish than ever for one thing. When she wasn't looking after the boss or discussing plans with them, she was singing to herself or playing with her stuffed rabbit, Sammy. It was cute in an unnatural sort of way. It made him forget about the discomforting fearsome glare that lingered in those baby-blue eyes of hers.

Sometimes, he was puzzled with the whole thing altogether. What made Harley react as strongly as she did for the boss? True, the boss was a powerful awe-inspiring man, but he also was Gotham's most-feared criminal and the one who had kidnapped her. So to see the way she cooed at him, the way she kissed and caressed his sweaty locks baffled Cutter. Never, in all his life, had he seen a person love another person this much.

But that's what he got for living in Gotham his whole life. It had become unnatural to see love at its fullest. Gotham was all work and no play…a haven where the prim and proper got together with one another solely for the purpose of common interests or ambitions. Was that the real reason why the authorities were now after Harley? Did they see her as a threat because she had dared to love the impossible?

His cigarette was almost done and he watched it burn out into nothingness.

Yes, Gotham was a most peculiar place. It was like stained glass—full of beauty and promise but with such a sad complexion to it. It was a city of wounds, a city of forsaken lives and caged souls. And those who dared to step outside of their cages were automatically persecuted.

Perhaps I can understand why an attack is needed. Harley has a point.

In spite of his uneasiness, he resolved to do whatever she asked of him. Even if he didn't fully understand her, he was willing to do what he could. He just hoped that it wouldn't get him killed in the end.

That is if she doesn't kill me first.

No. That was a stupid thought. Harley had changed, but she hadn't changed that much. She still always addressed him affectionately and spoke more kindly to him than to the others. He supposed that she still considered him to be her closest ally. So, yeah, she wasn't about to end his life. That was something that the boss would do but not Harley.

I doubt she even has the instinct to kill what with that big lovey-dovey heart of hers.

Smiling slightly, Cutter yawned and stretched his arms over his head. It was going to be a long night and he hoped that he managed to stay awake for any new information from Harley. The kid tended to be rather sporadic with her updates and often spoke them out at random.

Turning, he went back inside and carefully shut the entrance behind him, making sure that no one was watching. One never could be too careful, especially with the Batman out on the prowl.

But, to his relief, he saw no one watching him in the darkness. No Batman observing him from a nearby rooftop with calculated, glowing eyes.

No Batman in sight.