Rocco followed Esme for the second week. He knew, that it could not be detected... She knew his face well. They met at the party, at Salvatore's residence. Not yet time flows on each other on Gotham's streets.
***
,,Yesterday, all my troubles seems so far away.." – singing Es. She didn't like to see as themselves, but for this song she felt a special fondness. Drowned in thoughts, she suddenly turned around. Rocco doesn't have even time to reverse.
- Hey, Rocco! What are you doing here?
- I... I go out on a walk. – lied assassin.
- But... Here? So close to Narrows? – surprised the girl. – Well... See you soon, Roc.
Rocco sighed, and next went back to the Joker's base.
***
- Her name is Esme Midnight, she works as drug dealer for Salvatore Maroni.
- Sooo... That's all? That's all what you find?
- No, boss. Esme is afraid of the dark. – whispered Rocco.
- The dark, you say... Hmm, it can be useful. – Joker smiled furiously.
***
Dark. Dark night, night without moon or stars. Fear, escape. Esme's mind registers only simply things. Fled. Fled before the men of her uncle.
- Do you want to beat, boys? Come on, come on! – her voice trembled, but she masked it.
- Silly bitch... You are in trouble, baby. – one of the men smiled.
- Catch her! – screamed their leader.
- Uhm, boys, she is... Girl. Teenager. And you are adults. You shouldn't fight with her, ya'know? – third voice sounded sneeringly.
- Who on the hell are you?! – screamed shocked Esme. She knew this voice very well: it was Joker's voice.
The man got out of the shadows. In fact, it was the Joker. He was alone, but it was enough, to frighten all men.
- Get out, get out! She is mine! – raved madman.
Assailants disappeared in the eye's blink. Esme stood on the middle of the street, in disbelief staring on her savior.
- Heeeellooo, beautiful... You are Esme Midnight, right? – asked gently.
- Y... Yes. Nice to meet you, Joker. – whispered frightened girl.
- Are you afraid of me? – the man looked at her research.
- Yes, I'm afraid. But... It isn't strange, right?
- Right. But now... Goodnight. – laughed Joker.
Dark. Dark and silence.
***
She woke up with a slight headache.
-Uhmm...Where am I, what happened? – asked scared.
- You are in my base. I kidnapped you tonight. – heard quiet answer.
- Why? Please, let me go... I didn't nothing to you! – sobbed quietly.
-Hey, hey, It's ok... I have proposal for you. – said Joker doubtfully.
-Proposal? What proposal? – focused immedietly.
-Cooperate. You are girl in danger... And I'm dangerous man. Soo... Maybe you need... Bodyguard?
-Why you think that I need a bodyguard?
-Because you are drug dealer... Mafia drug dealer... And probably, street ,,free archers" don't like you little... Business. – replied, carefully choosing words.
-I'm sorry, but my answer is: no. – she smiled sadly.
- But... Tell me, why?
- Because... – she approached to the door, opened it, and went on the street - ...Because ,,I'm free like a word, like a wind, like a bird... And I always walk alone." – singed sadly. Leaved Joker with smile on her pretty face, and flowed in gloom, concealing city.