They had split up for a single hour – Harleen off to prepare herself, and Batman off to do. . . whatever it was he'd said he was going to do. Harleen hadn't been paying attention. She was too busy trying to mentally and physically prepare herself for what she was about to do.
She was about to let Harley Quinn out to play.
It would have to be with some control, but otherwise, for one night, she was returning to the silly jester at the Joker's side. Although this time she was siding with the Batman, rather than Joker.
He wasn't going to be happy.
She examined her reflection in the mirror of her apartment. The place had been empty since the cops had gone, but she knew it was only a matter of time before they returned, so she was attempting to be quick about it before she met up with Batman a few blocks away on the rooftops of the parking garage.
Knowing there wasn't a chance of her wearing the old black and red body suit she used to, she'd come up with a new, slightly improved uniform. It was based more off a doctor rather than a clown this time, except the paint.
Again, her blonde curls had been swept into two long ponytails that were streaked red, black, and white, matching the paint on her face. It was almost like the make-up she'd paraded around in before, except this time the red on her lips dragged all the way up one side of her face to her ear, as she had taken inspiration from the Joker himself. Black surrounded her eyes this time instead of a mask, and thick droplets of it had rolled down her cheeks, almost as if she'd been crying.
Her costume, however, was what had changed the most.
She'd used old clothes she'd found in the back of her closet, throwing them together to make the outfit. A red corset that laced up the front, layered over top a puffy white blouse that ended where her red and black elbow gloves began, stretching down her arms and ending just before they reached the tips of her fingers. The white skirt she wore was short, held in place with a black belt – it still left most of her stomach exposed, including the upper part of her tattoo on her hip. Torn fishnet stockings were barely visible before her rather tall platform red and black boots began, giving her a good five more inches to her height. Just to add flair, her old Arkham Asylum badge was clipped to her belt.
Harley Quinn was out to play.
She crossed from her bathroom, back into her bedroom, heading for her wardrobe. She found the gun she'd kept, clicking the safety on and tucking it in her belt. It was the only weapon she had, so hopefully it would do.
Giving one last glance around her room, she headed for the door.
Part of her hoped that when Evelyn saw her, she wouldn't be afraid. Evelyn had no idea about what her mother used to do, and Harleen had been determined to keep it like that, at least until she was old enough to understand. But apparently that wasn't going to happen.
"Harls?"
She was halfway down the stairs when she heard her name called. She looked up to see Tracy leaning over the balcony, looking at her friend and neighbor with a slight frightful look. Harleen stared back at her for a long moment, but said nothing. Instead she ran the rest of the way down the stairs, shoving her way back out into the crisp air. The snow had stopped falling, finally, leaving Gotham with a thick blanket coating everything. Half debating about taking her car, she decided against it, and ducked around the building toward the alleyways that she knew like the back of her hand. She tried hard to ignore the biting cold that encircled her body – maybe it hadn't been the wisest costume choice, but she was stuck with it now.
Boy was Joker going to be in for a real shock.
She ducked behind cars once she reached the garage, making her way up the levels until she found a set of stairs, taking them the rest of the way to the rooftops, where it seemed it was even colder. A wind blew her hair about her face, but she ignored it as well, glancing around for any sign of Batman.
She turned, and nearly ran straight into him.
"You're late."
"Sorry Bats. Neighbor saw me." She gave a shrug, and then did a bit of a twirl in front of him. "You like the new uniform?"
"I liked the old one better." He stated and Harleen frowned.
"Everyone needs a costume change at some point." She replied. "Just where did you go?"
"Gordon."
Harleen understood instantly – apparently Gordon and the GPD were already looking for her, and her 'hostage', Batman.
"You could probably leave now. I just needed you to get Gordon off my back."
"Thought you need my help?" He asked in a low growl. Harleen shrugged.
"I lied." She stated, and before he could react, she struck him in the face with her boot, sending him reeling backwards and collapsing on the roof. "Night night Bats." She grinned, letting out a soft laugh.
Was it really so easy to slip right back into being Harley Quinn? It scared her a bit, but she shook it off. She already knew the first place she was heading – the abandoned warehouse by the harbor on the other side of Gotham. It had been turned into a sort of club for the lowlifes of Gotham, and Harleen knew for a fact that Joker's henchmen frequented the place. It wouldn't be hard to get the Joker's location out of them, especially if she convinced them that Harley Quinn was supposed to be back for good.
It didn't take her long to reach the warehouse. She ducked behind an old decrepit car that wasn't far away, able to still watch the entrance where several men were about to enter. She wasn't sure if they'd let her in or not, but it was worth a shot.
With an air of boldness about her, she strode across the old lot just as the doors slammed, having let the men enter. She walked right up to the man standing outside, and moved to walk past him, but he held out an arm to stop her.
"Just where do you think you're going there sweet cheeks?" He asked in a rough accent.
"Inside." She replied simply, and moved to brush past him, but his hand closed around her arm, stopping her in her tracks.
"I don't think so. We don't need wannabes like you wandering around."
Harleen snorted.
"Funny, Brandon." She stated, finally recognizing the man – she'd been here twice before, and the man had given her problems then too. "Don't cha recognize me you idiot?"
Brandon blinked at her. She rolled her eyes, pulling her skirt down farther so he could see the rest of her tattoo.
"Harley Quinn? What the hell happened to you? Heard you were caught and became all reformed." He growled. "You look like some two-bit whore."
Harleen grabbed him by the hair, jerking him harshly down to her level.
"Listen here buddy. Either you let me in or I'll show you exactly why I'm Mistah J's favorite." She hissed lowly in his ear. He nodded furiously and opened the door for her. She released him, smirking.
"Thanks doll."
She passed through, hearing the door slam behind her. She could hear voices and music coming from within, so she followed the long hall, where it led into a large open room. A crappy stage had been set up in the corner where a band was playing, a bar right next to it. Dining tables lined the walls, and pool tables, card tables, and other tables were out in the middle, surrounded by various low lives of Gotham City. She recognized a few, but no one paid her any attention as she crossed the room, her attention focused solely on the man playing a hand of poker.
"Hello Frankie." She purred in his ear, coming up behind him. She draped an arm around one side and his gaze flickered to look at it, expecting to see her face. Her other hand came up and grabbed his chin, turning his head in the right direction. He looked at her, confused for a moment, before he recognized the bright blue eyes hidden beneath the black. She smiled.
"H-Harley?" He spoke quietly. The other players at the table were watching him and Harleen now as she nodded, grinning even more widely.
"Good to see you Frankie. You want to do me a favor?" She continued in a seductive tone.
"Uh, what?"
"Tell me exactly where Mistah J is." She stated and he blinked at her, watching for a good long moment.
"I can't do that." He said quietly and Harley's nails dug into his shoulder. He winced.
"Tell me Frankie. Or we're going to do this the hard way." She warned. It felt so good to threaten people again, to know they were afraid of her. It made her feel like she belonged being in the costume, that she needed to be Harley everyday from now on. But that was impossible.
"I-I can't Harley." He stammered and her nails dug even farther into his shoulder. She reached for his cards, gently pulling them out of his hands and laying them face down on the table. She looked at the other gentlemen playing, giving them a large, wicked grin.
"We'll be right back." She said and grabbed Frankie by the hair, jerking him from his seat. His chair toppled over backwards and she pulled him away from the table, ignoring his struggling. Irritated, she pulled the gun out of her skirt and unlocked the safety, aiming it at him as she shoved him into the stairwell, forcing him up the several flights of stairs and onto the rooftop. The cold air swirled around them as she dug the gun into his temple, her other hand tugging on the front of his suit.
"Listen here Frankie. Mistah J has got something that's mine, and I'm getting it back whether you tell me where it is or not. So tell me where the hell he is before I blow your brains all over this roof and throw your body in an alleyway for the GPD to find." She said in a threatening, yet eerily sweet tone. He trembled slightly and she pressed the gun harder into his temple. He winced. Usually Frankie and the other little disposable henchmen like him would have told her instantly, but she assumed that they all thought she was not to be trusted since she left the villain business.
"He's holed up in an apartment three blocks over! Fourth floor, apartment 4D!" He said. Harleen grinned and pushed him backward, toward the edge of the roof that faced the harbor below. The dark water crashed against the docks below, and Frankie glanced back. "Stop! I told you so you wouldn't kill me!"
"I only said I wouldn't blow your brains everywhere." She replied simply, and lowered her gun only long enough to shove him hard. She watched him scream and topple backwards over the edge. Leaning over, she watched his body until it hit the water, disappearing in the dark. She let out a laugh and tucked the gun away. Oddly enough, it felt good to be able to kill someone. She'd almost missed it.
Get a grip, Harls. Maintain control.
Following Frankie's instructions, she used the back alleyways to get three blocks over, finding the old apartment building that looked like it was almost crumbling. It was uninhabited, that was for sure, but she could hear voices in the stairwell, and a faint light like a television could be seen in one of the upper windows.
Silently she edged toward the stairwell, wincing as the biting cold wind rushed against her. Harleen peered around the corner that led to the stairwell and spotted two men in suits with the stupid masks over their faces standing a floor up, talking quietly. Inhaling deeply, she prepared to step from the shadows, until arms were suddenly around her.
She shrieked as she was pulled toward the stairs by at least two men in more masks. Letting out a growl, she flung herself around, nailing them in the guts. They groaned and doubled over, giving her the chance to kick them backward into the stairs. They handed, hitting their heads with loud cracks against the rotting wood. She leapt over them, toward the two men who had been talking before, who were watching her. It took them a moment to realize she was coming for them, but by that time, it was too late. Harleen slammed into them, sending them backward and tumbling over the balcony to the ground below.
Taking the stairs two at a time, she reached the fourth floor even before the two had a chance to pick themselves off the ground. She scanned the apartment numbers, spotting 4D just before she passed it. She paused for a moment, half debating on merely knocking. But she wanted to make an entrance didn't she?
She took several steps back and withdrew her gun, unlocking the safety. She aimed at the doorknob, pulling sharply on the trigger. She hit the mark, blowing the knob straight through the door. It swung open of its own accord and she shoved her way inside only to find that it was empty.
Carefully she stepped the rest of the way in. The television was playing a news station, and there were signs that the Joker an his cohorts had been there. She stepped into the kitchen, kicking open the other doors that led to bedrooms and bathrooms, finding that the entire apartment was empty. Her stomach clenched. She'd been so close.
As she emerged into the living room once more, she noticed something glittering in the dim light. Above the television a pink ribbon had been tied around a joker card that was taped to the wall. She reached for it, her heart hammered against her ribs when she realized it was the pink ribbon off Evelyn's bear. She flipped the Joker card over, knowing full and well there was another note. And there was, this one smaller because there was more writing that she could barely even read.
The game's not that easy to win, Harley Quinn. You'll have to try harder than that.
The last sentence was rather out of place.
I heard Evelyn likes carnivals.
She frowned, and then paled when she realized where Joker had escaped to.
Letting the card flutter from her hand, she darted out of the apartment, leaping down the stairs. The four henchmen were gone, but it didn't faze her. She knew where Evelyn was, and she was going after her. The old carnival grounds on the outskirts of Gotham had been a hangout of the Joker's since forever, and it seemed he felt the need to return there.
Harleen glanced around the parking lot, knowing full and well she'd need a car if she wanted to get there faster before he could run off again. Striding over toward a nicer looking car, she didn't hesitate to completely smash the driver's window in. She went around to the front of the car, lifting up the hood.
Within a few moments she was speeding down the highway, having hotwired the car to run. She was glad she still remembered exactly how to do it – she thought it would never come in handy again. But apparently it had.
She didn't bother obeying traffic laws as she sped through the streets, dodging cars, running red lights, and passing building in a blur, doing almost twice the speed limit. Harleen was determined to get this over with in one night and one night only.
The carnival grounds were silent, old papers and wrappers fluttering in the breeze. Snow covered everything, but she could see footprints near the entrance with the broke sign half hanging in the way. They'd been abandoned for a long time – well, to most people. Joker had set up headquarters here many a time.
Harleen leapt out of the car, ducking through the entrance. It was dark, the old rides looking rather creepy in the dark. She turned, looking this way and that for any sign of anyone. She stopped a few feet away from the merry-go-round, making a complete 360 turn.
"Harley Quinn is here to play!" She called loudly, reaching for her gun again with a slight smirk crossing her face.
Suddenly, lights blared on everywhere around her. The merry-go-round began to turn, creepy music playing from it as everything around her came to life. Laughter came from the fun house not far off, but it was animatronic, and not the laughter she expected to hear.
"Thought you wanted Harley Quinn!? Well I'm here! Come and get me!" She shouted, her voice echoing slightly. Another laugh came, this one much closer and much more real than the one before. Her gaze flickered back toward the merry-go-round and she stepped forward toward the figure that stood on it. It came to a stop and he leapt off, striding toward Harleen with a permanent grin spread across his face.
"Harley, Harley, Harley Quinn." Joker said in a sing-song tone, suddenly mere inches from her as he grabbed her by the hair, tugging it sharply. "I must say I do enjoy your new look."
"Thought you might." She said through gritted teeth. "Give me Evelyn back."
"That's not part of the game, Harley." He said, breath hot on her face. He reached down and easily wrestled the gun out of her hand, flinging it across the grounds where it hit one of the tents and fluttered to the ground.
"You wanted Harley Quinn, and you got her. Now give me what's mine."
"Just so you can leave again? I don't think so." He said, pulling her closer to him. Harleen's heart hammered in her chest again, every once in a second giving a little flutter as she stared at him, suddenly aware of why she'd started working for him in the first place. She'd loved him.
And by the way her body was reacting that very moment, she still did. She just hadn't been consciously aware of it up until then.
"Mistah J. . . ." She whispered, her bright blue eyes meeting his darkened green ones. He grinned.
"Little Harley has returned." He whispered and brought her lips toward his in a rough, harsh kiss.
"Hold it right there." A low growl came from behind and Harleen jerked away, a chill running up her spine. They both looked up to see Batman a few feet away, holding a gun level with their heads.
"You let Batman follow you?!" Joker suddenly hissed at Harleen. She barely had time to look at him before his hand struck her across the face, sending her flying backwards, stumbling, and landing in the snow. She winced, and was about to get back up when something caught her attention. A quiet sobbing noise was coming from the hall of mirrors only a few feet from where she'd landed.
Evelyn.
She watched Batman and Joker for a split second, who looked like they were about to face off. Without a second thought, however, Harleen got to her feet and ran, ducking into the hall of mirrors and ignoring Batman's shouts of her name.
In every direction she was met with her own worried face looking back at her. She always had hated the halls of mirrors at carnivals, and could never find her way through them. Sticking her arms out, she felt her way through the openings between the mirrors, the sobbing becoming louder the farther in she went.
"Evelyn?" She called, her voice echoing around her. The sobbing stopped suddenly and she heard the patter of little footsteps from her left.
"Mommy?" A tender voice called out, sounding from the other side of one row of mirrors. Harleen felt along the mirrors, finally finding the opening and turning the corner. Evelyn stood, clinging to her teddy bear, huddled against one of the mirrors. Her eyes went wide when she saw Harleen, obviously not recognizing her. The child screamed and Harleen's heart ripped in half as she knelt to Evelyn's level.
"Shhh. It's me Evie. It's mommy." She whispered quietly but the child wailed.
"You're not my mommy!" She cried and Harleen winced as her cries literally bounced off the mirrors around them. She opened her mouth to say something, but a mirror suddenly shattered to her right, and Joker stepped through, his lip bleeding.
"You're not playing fair now Harley." He said in a growl toward Harleen, who straightened up, her gaze flickering between Joker and her daughter.
"You already kill Batman?"
"Only knocked him out, but you'll wish that was you instead of him by the time I get done with you." He whispered, but instead went toward Evelyn, grabbing her around the waist and pulling her roughly toward him. Harleen let out a cry that was drowned by Evelyn's screams of terror as the Joker pulled out a pocketknife, pressing it to Evelyn's cheek.
"Don't!" Harleen protested. "Don't hurt her! Please!"
"I'm sure she'll love to have scars, just like her father, and soon to be just like her mother." He said and pressed the flat side of the blade farther into her cheek. Evelyn wriggled, her chest heaving with sobs as Harleen's own chest constricted.
"You know." She said weakly and he chuckled darkly.
"I've known since the moment you left, Harley. You can't hide anything from me." He growled and looked down at the screaming girl wriggling in his arms. "I'll tell you what. I'm in a good mood today – I'll make a deal with you Harley. The spot of my right-hand lady is still open, and you're going to fill it."
"I've had enough of that! I'm not that kind of person anymore!"
"Then she dies." He said and again pressed the blade to Evelyn's cheek. Harleen paled.
"Don't!"
"Tell me Harley. What's it going to be?"
She was saved from an answer as something crashed through the hole that the Joker had left when he'd busted through the mirror.
Batman tackled Joker to the ground without a thought. His grip on Evelyn was released and Harleen ran forward, scooping her up and ignoring her daughter's cries and protests and constant shoving against her chest. She backed up several feet, as far as she could, reaching for her gun – which she remembered wasn't there.
With a bit of difficultly, Harleen brought her leg up as Batman stood up straight, landing a kick to the side of his head. He stumbled and fell through another set of mirrors as Joker got to his feet, glaring first at Batman, then at Harley.
"I see you've still got your moves." He whispered darkly as he pulled a gun from his pocket, aiming it at Batman, who was barely moving against the floor. "Stay down Bats. My fight is not with you today." He growled roughly, his gaze flickering back to Harleen.
"You won't be able to hide from me Harley. It's either work for me, or spend the rest of your life running. Leave Gotham and drive as much as you want, but you'll never escape. I'll always be right there, in the shadows, watching you." He continued slowly, taking a step forward with each sentence, the gun still trained on Batman as Joker's gaze flickered back and forth. Evelyn pressed against Harleen's arms, but she held her daughter tighter as Joker continued to step forward.
"What's it going to be Harley?"