You Can Run, But You Can't Hide
Chapter 2
Regina looked up at the Guardian of Gotham. Never in a million years had she thought that she would actually run into him.
"Batman?" she asked.
Batman just kept looking at her.
"What happened to you?" he asked looking at her still sitting on the wet pavement. He extended his gloved hand to help her up. Regina looked at his hand and hesitated.
"I don't bite," said Batman.
I'm sure, thought Regina. She put her hand in his and he lifted her body up.
"Thank you," she said.
"Now tell me what happened," he said. It wasn't a question. It was a demand.
Regina kept looking at him in the pouring rain. She watched the rain drops fall and break on his body armor.
She took in all his features quickly and started talking.
"I was kicked off the Gotham bus by this bus driver to and from school. It was the bad part of this city. And on my way home from school I heard this hyena laughing coming from one of the buildings. I followed it up to the second floor and I looked through the keyhole. I saw the Joker and his henchmen. The clown was dancing around this guy. He was tied up. I saw blood and knew he was beaten pretty badly. The Joker took out a knife and I saw him carve something into this guy. Then I tried to get out to get the police, but one of the henchmen had discovered me. I ran. I dropped by backpack and I heard gunfire. I just kept running until I collapsed here," finished Regina.
Batman stared at Regina as she finished telling him what happened.
"If you dropped your bag, there is a chance the Joker knows who you are and where you live," said Batman.
"How can you be sure?" asked Regina.
"Was there anything in your bag that had your name or address?" asked Batman.
Regina's eyes went wide. There was a strike of lightning.
"My sketchpad. It has my name and address on it," gasped Regina as she put one of her hands over her mouth in terror.
"If the Joker has that information, your family is in grave danger," said Batman.
"I've got to get home," said Regina.
"What's your address?" asked Batman.
"It's 79 Turner Lane. Apartment 4. I'm going with you" said Regina stepping towards him.
"No. You are going to stay here," said Batman putting his hand in her face.
He turned and ran down the alley.
"But," stated Regina running after him around the corner of the alley.
She saw him mount his Bat pod and took off to her house.
"God, I hope my dad is ok," said Regina looking up into the rain still coming down from the black sky. Regina shook in the cold and tried to find someplace dry.
Batman revved his engine as he went as fast as he could towards Regina's home.
This girl doesn't know what she has gotten herself into. If she is now involved with the Joker, her world is about to be turned upside down, thought Batman as he weaved his way through traffic towards 79 Turner Lane.
Once there, he parked his Bat pod in an alley behind the apartment complex. He looked up and got out his grappling hook and sprang upwards.
He landed with ease on the roof. He went towards the door that lead to the stairwell.
He descended the stairs and saw the numbers to the apartment. 7. 6. 5. And there was number 4. The doorknob was gone. The door had been broken into.
Batman opened the door slowly. Inside the apartment everything was broken. The place had been ransacked.
Batman went inside and looked at the damage.
The kitchen cabinets were splintered into pieces and the refrigerator was off its' hinges.
Looking towards a door in the apartment, he saw something leaking under the doorframe.
Walking into the bedroom, he saw what looked to a body tied up in a chair. It was male figure. Batman figured it was her father.
Batman inspected the body. Turning the body around, he saw a smile carved into his face. There were cuts and bruises all over his body. It looked like someone had tortured him. On the body there was a note.
Batman took the note and read it silently.
Hello Regina! I guess you know by now that your dear old daddy is dead. It was a lot of fun torturing him! I almost wet myself! HA! HA! HA! You have 24 hours to surrender yourself to me or else more people will die on your account. So I look forward to seeing you! Oh! And by the way, I love the drawing you did of me dancing on a dead Gotham!
Batman folded the note and looked once again at the remains of her dad before the exiting the apartment.
Regina had found a spot in the same alley that was somewhat dry. She stood looking up into the night sky. The rain had let up and the clouds were breaking apart.
Reina could not stop shaking from the cold. Her entire body was turning blue.
Regina heard sirens passing. She peaked out of the alley and saw three to four police cars race by.
"I wonder what's wrong now," said Regina.
"My bet is they are probably answering a 911 call," came a voice from behind Regina.
Regina turned and saw someone she did not want to see. It was the same Joker goon that chased her earlier that day. She could not see his face due to a clown mask that was covering it.
"You," seethed Regina backing away.
"You sure can run fast for a chick," said the goon as he grabbed Regina's arm tightly.
Regina pulled her arm away from the goon. "You can come quietly or I can use force," said the goon as he pulled out a handgun.
Regina saw the gun and came quietly.
"You are never going to get away with this," said Regina as she was pushed into a waiting car on the other side of the alley.
"That's what you think," said the goon as he got in the backseat with her.
The goon knocked on the back of the driver's seat. The driver sped to an unknown location to Regina. Like the one that had Regina, this goon was also wearing a clown mask.
Meanwhile Batman was on top of the roof and he had seen the entire scene. He opened his wings and followed the car.
Regina looked out the window and wondered where they were going. This was still a place in the city she didn't know.
"Where are we going?" she asked.
"Like I'm going to tell you," said the goon.
"You are not very pleasant. You know that?" asked Regina.
"Maybe you can help change that," said the goon as he rubbed her thigh which was exposed due to her ripped clothing. Regina slapped his hand away.
For the slap, the gun was pressed to her temple. The goon raised his hand to slap her back, but put it down.
"Watch it missy. The Joker wants you all in one piece. For now," he said.
"The Joker?" asked Regina in horror.
"The one and only," said the goon.
"He wants me?" she asked.
"Well if he didn't I wouldn't have taken you, would I?" asked the goon.
"But," started Regina. But the gun was shoved deeper into her head.
"You talk too much. Shut the fuck up," said the goon.
Regina shut her mouth and just sat back looking out the window for the rest of the ride.
Within a half an hour, the car stopped. Regina was warm now thanks to the heat going in the car. Her hair was dry as were her clothes.
Regina looked at herself. She only had a black ripped top along with her pants which were cut to show off her thighs. She did not like the situation she was in.
"We're here," said the guy in the driver's seat. He got out and opened the door for Regina. She stepped out and she noticed they were at a half built building looking out over the ferries.
Regina didn't say a word as she was shoved into the building and up to the top floor.
It was so dark, she couldn't see. Then she got a huge gust of wind in her face. Once they reached the top she was shoved off the stairs. She lost her footing and fell on her knees.
"Ow," she said.
"Aw, did the poor little rabbit get a boo boo?" asked a voice from in front of Regina. Regina's eyes went angry as she stood up and looked up at the Joker right in the eyes.
The wind picked up and blew right at Regina. Her hair danced like fire in the wind. Her body stood still as the Joker looked at her. He really looked at her.
"My my my. So I have a beauty in my presence," said the Joker as he went right up to her and put his arms around her.
"So said the beast," replied Regina.