CHAPTER 3: DICK'S P.O.V
I woke with my hands tied behind my back with rusted metal shackles. I sighed 'Great, I'm stuck at the hands of the Joker, again, oh how fun! I am so sick of this guy, I've lost count of how many times he's captured and tortured me, if I count him killing Jason and paralyzing Barbara as torture then the count is even higher'.
Joker walked in, well more like pranced in and Harley cartwheeled in behind him. 'Fun time'
"Listen Joker, can't we make some sort of deal? How about you let me go and I won't arrest or kill you" (I wouldn't actually kill him, but it's a good threat)
"Tempting, but no, sorry kiddo but since you took all my other playthings, you'll just have to take their place"
'Well better me than Jimmy, Betty and Liam'
"Wait you were going to torture them? None of them are even 10! What The FUCK is WRONG WITH YOU!?"
"Isn't it obvious?" Joker started laughing.
I groaned "Can you please let me go? I'm already incredibly bored and I just woke up!"
"Bored? Well I can fix that up for you" Joker took out a Derespina Kris knife and looked at me like a hungry hyena that had just cornered his prey.
"You really give clowns a bad name"
"You know, there's something about you, something so familair, something I like"
'Oh that's just great! Joker likes me! This is gonna be painful'
"Now what to do first? Hmm. OH I know!" Joker laughed as he walked over to me and put the jagged knife up to my face then he stabbed it into my shoulder and I clenched my fists at the unexpected pain.
Joker laughed "That litle trick usually gets a scream on the first try! You really are a toughy huh?" Then Joker's face darkened slightly "Just lke those Bats!" he whispered venomously before turning back, happy face on. "Well since that didn't work" Joker kicked me over so I was half on my back and half on my side.
He dug in my thigh (right near the bullet wound) and dragged it down slowly, producing a large gash and a steady river of crimson flowing down my leg and onto the floor. I remained as impassive as possible throughout the painful interaction and continued to be an annoying smart-ass.
"Really Joker? I thought you were supposed to be an original character and all your doing is cutting me up with a jagged knife!"
"This is just a warm up!" Joker explained, smile never leaving his face. "The real pain hasn't even begun to be begin!" Joker and Harley burst into perfect, creepy synchronised laughter.
The sound chilled my bones to -50 degrees. Even when they stopped, the horrible cacophany echoed around the room. Joker finally remembered what he was 'supposed' to be doing and held the knife back up "Don't think I've forgotten about you! I still need to make you look good for that video"
"What video?" I didn't let it show, but I was panicking. I hate being seen when I get tortured, it's easier to be in pain when you know that the people close to you aren't watching you write in it. "Who are you sending it to?"
Joker chukled "Your cop partner, Rorhbach"
I mentally sighed in relief. 'As long as it's not any of the batfamily, especially Bruce, sure he's seen it enough that it wouldn't really faze him anymore but he would still care and probably try his hardest to put the Joker in a bodycast for life but still, I hate it when he sees me weak' Then Joker's words sank in. 'Amy, Amy is the lucky person that gets to see me get tortured, ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh goodie. She might even enjoy it'.
"Why send it to Amy, why not Bruce? You could get a lot of money"
"Because for once I'm not in it for the money, I'm teaching her a lesson about listening to instructions, I warned her not to involve the coppers and she did! She probably didn't tell them that I'm keeping you as my guest but eh"
"And what a wonderful host you are" I exclaimed sarcastically.
"Glad you think so" He replied with a mix of seriousness and delight.
Joker pushed me right onto my back and started carving something into the side of my stomach. I only grunted while waiting for the pain to stop. Joker then pushed me onto my front and I felt a shard of something stab into one of my cuts causing my breath to hitch in my throat. Then Joker carved what felt like a 'J' into my back. I tried my best to hide my pain, only letting out a hissing noise. Joker stood up and walked back to the other side of me, as I laid back on my side. He looked like he was a tiger stuck in a cage and I was the prey that was just out of his reach.
"Why won't you sing for me? Your just like those stupid Bats, what kind of cop are you? Most of the BHPD officers squeal as soon as they see the knife, but not you, why not!?"
"Maybe because I'm from Gotham and not Bludhaven!" I answered defensively.
"Yes, must be, most Gothamites are pretty tough characters"
"Just like us two, huh Mr J?" Harley piped up.
"Yes Harley, just like us two. Now back to the matter at hand" Joker's eyes gleamed dangerously and I swear I saw a spark of fire in his eyes. "Making you scream"
Joker continued to keep making deep cuts all over me, with Harley stopping him occasionally so that he wouldn't cut a vain or an artery or other important thing.
'So they want me alive, which is good, well it means more pain, but it also means I might survive!'
Joker was obviously geting angry "Maybe I should find a pack of squirrels to eat at you, they're usually good at opening up tough nuts" He laughed and his face brightened. "I know just how to make you squeal!"
Joker swapped his Derespina Kris for a very sharp pen blade and aimed it directly opposite my heart.
"Uh... I don't think that's a good idea Puddin, it might kill him!"
"Oh shut up Harley, I know what I'm doing"
My eyes went wide as Joker plunged the knife down and I started screaming , while writhing around in pain.
"What a lovely singing voice he has! Wouldn't you agree Harley?"
"Yeah, a beautiful voice, but you might want to pull the knife out now, the electricity is killin' him! And you said you wanted him alive for the video" Harley hurriedly explained.
Through my blurred vision, I could tell that Joker was considering letting me die, right then but he pulled the knife out anyway. I turned over to my side, desperately trying to breathe while coughing up a fair amount of blood. After about a minute the coughing ceased and I laid on my back, my breathing still a little off-track.
Usually I could handle myself fine, but the way I was tied made my arms pretty useless and the bullet lodged in my thigh didn't help with walking, not to mention the secret identity problem. I couldn't act as heroic and pain-resistant as Nightwing. Not acting like that is hard for me since it's not another side of me, it's just me in a costume with a mask and in either identity my smart comments and insults don't really win me any favours with the villain/s keeping me.
"Tie his shackles onto the wall Harley, I think we're ready to make that video"
After Harley finished securing me and Joker had set up the camera, they swapped spots and Harley started the recording.
"Ah, hello Rorhbach, love your name by the way, anyway as you can see, your little partner and I have been having so much fun!" Joker started.
"Prost (Dumb-ass)" I mumbled weakly, the electricity really took it out of me.
"I've had it with you insulting me in other languages" Joker scowled.
"Other language, singular" I corrected looking up at him with a smile.
He growled and hit me in the back of the head with the Harley's bat. "SHUT UP!"
I made a low growl at the pain but didn't say anything more to anger the clown.
"So as I was saying" Joker's happy demeanor returned "I believe I warned you not to tell the police, unless you didn't find the note, which would just be a very sad case for Dickie-boy here, but I know you called in your law-abiding frineds because I still have cameras in that factory I used to store the little kiddies! And I must say, I was quite surprised when I saw a horde of cops investigating the building only a short while after you, I didn't know you cared so little about your partner" Joker started laughing hysterically.
"Anyway, as a punishment, for your ignorance, or stupidity, whatever, you get to watch me torture poor little Dickie! I'm really gonna enjoy this"
Now I felt a new surge of panic and I hate to admit it but Joker's words about Amy not caring cut deeper than all the knives he had used on me throughout my life. 'Amy doesn't trust me or like me very much, why would she bother trying to save me? And if Joker hasn't given Bruce a ransom and Amy hasn't told anyone, I can't rely on Bats this time. Joker is going to kill me! I would be fine with dying if it wasn't Joker that killed me' I was just hoping that my fear hadn't shown.
"You ready kiddo?"
I met Jokers gaze with an angry stare.
"I'll just take that as a yes"
Joker struck the bat against my chest and I let out a gasp mixed with a cry before coughing up some more blood.
'Oh that's just great! If I wasn't internally bleeding before, I probably am now!'
He continued to brutally beat me with the bat but I refused to give more than a grunt or cry and every few minutes there was a cracking noise.
'And there goes my fifth rib and my arm and my ankle...' I tried to keep score of what was being broken as Joker struck my bones.
"Well he sure is a tough nut to crack. What should we do about that Harls?" Joker threw the bat away with a loud clatter and turned to Harley, crossing his arms.
"How about a little shock therapy?" Harley's answered with a wide smile.
'Ohhhhh GREAT! This again!'
"What a great idea! Pull the lever"
Harley giggled and I couldn't stop the scream that rang out as electricity coursed through me.
I could hear Joker and Harley laughing the whole time, which gave me a major headache. When the electric current stopped , my body and most of my mind, went limp against my will.
"Well that was fun! Wasn't it Harl?"
"It sure was Puddin. Uh...he's not dead is he?"
"No. At least I don't think he is"
I managed to zone in on their conversation through the pounding in my ears. Their voices sounded distorted and creepy. Joker lifted my head up.
"Still... perfectly alive, ciudantenie (freak)"
"Keep insulting me in that other language and you won't be alive for any more than 10 seconds"
"And...what if I...complimented you...in Romanian?" I just had to ask.
'I am such an idiot! Now I know why Bruce is always getting pissed off at me. Wonder if I'll ever see him again? If I do live through this, he will probably give me another lecture about not angering villains and just people in general'
"I'd still kill you" Joker growled.
'Right, no more Romanian then'
I stopped speaking and let my head drop back down.
"Well I hope you enjoyed the show Rorhbach, now if you don't mind, I have some important business to attend to, Goodbye!"
Harley stopped the recording and Joker started laughing maniacally.
"Well let's wrap up the disc and deliver it to her house. I can't wait to see her reaction! I wonder if she'll even care" Joker flashed an evil grin at me "Now I'll be back later sweetheart, let him back onto the floor and then deliver the package!" Joker instructed and left, closing the door with a loud bang that echoed through the room and didn't help my already pounding headache.
Harley took off the chains that attached my shackles to the wall and I slumped to the floor.
I made an 'oof' noise when I impacted with the ground "Why do you put up with that maniac?" I asked hoping to reach the human side of Harleen.
"Mr J isn't so bad when you get to know him, sure he's a rough player but-"
"A rough player? He's a cold blooded, evil serial killer that doesn't give a DAMN about ANYONE!"
"That's not true! He loves me"
"No he doesn't, your just a toy he isn't through chewing yet"
"NO I'M NOT! I'M HIS PARTNER! I'M HIS LOVE!"
"Yeah right"
"You just hate him cause he crippled your stupid girlfriend!"
"She's not stupid! She's incredibly smart actually!" I yelled resisting the urge to beat Harley up, though it would be hard to because of the shackles.
"Hmph" Harley turned and left the room.
I rested my head against the floor and felt a few tears slowly fall down from my eyes.
"Oh great, now I'm alone. Wonder how everyone's doing back at the manor, completely unaware of me being here, bet they're all great. And now I'm talking to myself, isn't that the first sign of insanity or something? I hate being alone, especially after being cut up by an insane clown that only kept me alive this long to watch me suffer! Time of my life" I started rambling out loud because the silence was creeing me out and I had nothing else to do.
"I wonder when Amy will get here? If she ever gets here, if she's even looking, if she even cares" I began to mumble as I slowly let the darkness take me.