The Joker sauntered off into the back of the room. The rest of the crowd rushed forward and I was hastily introduced to just about everyone. I met Oswald, Edward, Victor, Hush, and a few other names I couldn't remember.
After all that excitement, I just wanted time to sit and process. So I moved to the back corner of the room, opposite from where the Joker was staring at me from the couch. I took a seat at a small table, with was littered with what I would guess was a chess game gone a-rye.
I slowly and methodically moved the pieces back into their proper places on the board. I was about to begin playing myself, when a large shadow was cast over me. I looked up, to see what was blocking my light. I turned to see a beast of a man. Easily seven feet tall, with tubes running into the back of his head. My mouth went dry, and my heart started pounding.
"Bane," he said, taking a seat across from me. He looked gigantic sitting in the small chair. He had ripped the sleeves off his uniform, leaving his large, muscled arms bare.
"Elsbeth," I said quietly, holding my slightly shaking hand out.
He barked a laugh. It was deep and male. He shook his hand and then grasped my hand in his. It disappeared completely in that maw he called a hand. I was however, surprised. His grip was gentle.
"White moves first," he said, indicating my side of the board. "Why'd you give your hand to me?"
I moved my first pawn, and then answered his question.
"I was raised to always be polite," I said.
He nodded his head, and moved his piece.
"It's a good thing to be," he said. "Even in this place."
"Especially in this place," I retorted.
I could see his mouth under his mask twitch. Maybe a smile?
"So what did you do, little girl, to get yourself landed in here?" he asked, while moving his piece.
"I'm twenty, hardly a little girl. And I didn't let my parents lifestyle influence mine," I said. "There embarrassed by me."
He snorted.
"So they sent you to M ward? That's fucked up," he said, taking my pawn.
"Actually, they sent me to Arkham, under Crane's supervision. He sent me here," I replied, taking his bishop.
"Bastard," Bane commented. "Why here?"
I took a second to think about that one. Why did he put me here? I didn't have a clear enough answer, and I wasn't about to speculate.
"I really don't know why," I huffed. Bane was beating me. I only had my king, queen and two knights left.
"You rely to much on your knights," he said, taking one of them.
"Mmm," I said, looking to the board.
"I think think of two reasons Crane sent you here," he said, as I took his rook with my last remaining knight.
"And that it?" I asked.
"He either wants to watch as you slowly slip into madness or he wants to see what your presence here does to the already crazy," he said, as he took my queen with his queen.
"You under value my knight," I said, moving my remaining knight into position. "Checkmate."
If I could see his face, I think he would have looked stunned. His ignorance to the power of a knight cost him the game.
"Well played," he said.
"Thank you," I replied, smiling. I liked Bane. He wasn't what everybody said he was. A big Neanderthal. He was intelligent.
"You're exceptionally smart for a girl so young," he commented.
"Like I said before, twenty is hardly young," I replied. "And thank you."
"Your age isn't what makes you young," he said, leaning over the table. I heard it groan in protest. "It's all the experiences you have yet to have. The bad ones tend to age you faster."
"So technically, I am sitting in a room full of the oldest, and probably wisest people I will ever meet," I responded.
He nodded his head sharply.
"You can learn a lot from us," he said. "Mostly what not to do."
"And what advice do you have for me?" I asked. "About how to keep myself alive and well in this place?"
I think Bane was about to respond, when the Joker magically appeared behind him.
"I, ah, have some advice for ya doll," he replied, grinning widely.
"Do tell," I said, somewhat sarcastically. I didn't think the Joker had any worthy advice. Well, none that I would follow anyway. I could just imagine.
"Joker, I'm being audited. What should I do?"
"Light the auditor on fire."
Not my kind of advice.
"It's ah, more of a show and tell thing, if you get my drift," he said, looking at me with his dirty grin in place.
"I've never really liked show and tell," I said, looking at him. I knew I was giving him the cold shoulder, but I wasn't about to become a whore just because I was in a bad situation.
Bane laughed, long and deep.
"She told you Joker," he said, giving the thin man a shove. "Now beat it."
The Joker took a step back, to catch his balance. And then moved around Bane to stand directly behind me. He put his hands on my shoulders and I instantly tensed.
"I don't, ah, think so big guy," the Joker said, his voice deep and steely. "This one's mine."
I didn't know what to do. I was upset about what was just said, but what could I do? I was trapped between two very dangerous men.
I looked around frantically for Aaron. I saw him at the end of the room, by the door. I was trying to signal him with my eyes when the Joker's grip on my shoulder's became unbearably tight. I let out a small squeak of pain. And then the world went crazy.
Bane flew across the table, slamming into me and the Joker. I toppled over, with Bane planted firmly on top of me. The Joker started speaking, but I couldn't tell what he was saying. My head was spinning. I heard Aaron yelling and the rushing of feet.
Then Bane whispered,
"Don't trust him."
And he was gone. Aaron and a few other guards had hauled him off of me. I could breathe again.
"Solitary for a week!" Aaron yelled as the guards escorted Bane out. He turned back to me, and crouched down.
"You alright kid?" he asked, moving my hair out of my face.
"Yeah, just shook up," I replied. It was true. I was extremely unnerved. He had moved so fast, I didn't even have time to register he was coming at me. And I didn't understand why.
"Joker," Aaron bellowed. The clown moved forward a few steps.
"Ah, yeah, Aaron?" he said. He was trying to look innocent. But I could see mischief in his dark eyes.
"What happened here? Why did Bane attack her?" Aaron asked, helping me to my feet.
"I, ah, think he was jealous," the Joker said. " He saw us talking, and," he made a smacking noise with his lips, "Didn't like it."
Aaron looked unconvinced. He turned to me.
"What happened?" he asked.
It was my turn to look unconvinced. I had no idea.
"Bane and I were playing chess, it seemed to be fine, and then I won. He congratulated me, and then he showed up," I said, pointing my finger at the Joker. Everything was fine until he showed up. He did something, I knew it. "And everything went," I struggled for the right word. "Wild."
Aaron nodded his head.
"I think you've had enough quality time with them," Aaron said, looking hard at the Joker. "Lets get you checked out and then back to your cell."
I shook my head yes, not trusting my voice. I wasn't sure what I would say. I wanted to talk to Aaron alone, to confirm my newly acquired suspicions.
"I'll ah, see you soon, Elsbeth," the Joker said, tilting his head to the side and looking at me menacingly.
It scared the shit out of me. Everything the man did was predatory. And I was guessing I was his new prey.
Aaron escorted me out of the room and into the hallway. Once there I leaned against the nearest wall and let out a sigh.
"You good kid?' he asked.
"Yeah, I'm just," I said, not sure how to begin. "Can I run something by you?"
"Shoot," he said, leaning against the wall next to me.
"The Joker was standing behind me," I began. "So I couldn't see what he was doing. But his grip on my shoulder's got tighter and tighter, and I think I made a noise."
Aaron looked at me, I think it began to dawn on him too.
"You think the Joker instigated him?" Aaron said, using his good hand, well his only hand, to scratch his chin.
"Something like that," I said. "Bane and I were getting on fine, until the Joker showed up."
"He has a way of doing that," Aaron said. "So you think he got him sent to solitary, on purpose?"
"I don't know about that," I replied. "But I'm certain he did something behind my back to egg him on."
"How well were the two of you getting along?" Aaron said, giving me a quick once over.
"Aaron!" I said, offended.
"I meant no offense," Aaron said. "It's just..." And he trailed off.
"Have a little faith in me Aaron. I'm not that kind of person. Women," I said, a little prickly. He just dealt my honor a blow. I was extremely offended.
"I have to get you back to your cell now," he said abruptly.
"Fine," I said, still angry with him.
"Don't be mad," Aaron said. "I'm sorry it came out that way."
I didn't talk to him for a few minutes. I finally conceded that my honor could take a small blow and still be fine. Besides, I needed to still be friends with Aaron. I needed it.
"What were you trying to imply?" I asked. "Before I got all bent?"
"I'm not sure, but if I'm right," he said, opening the door to my cell. "I think it was the Joker getting jealous, not Bane. But I have to got talk to him."
"What?" I asked incredulously. This was ridiculous.
"I think the Joker was jealous of how well you and Bane were getting along," Aaron said.
"Jealous?" I asked. "Why? I just got here. None of these people know me. And I know none of them. It's not possible to be that jealous this quickly."
"You don't know the Joker," Aaron said. A dark looked passed over his face. "He's taken quite a shine to you."
"How can you tell?" I asked. Aaron's face made me fearful. I didn't want anybody taking a shine to me. I just wanted to survive this hell on earth.
"I watched him watch you the entire time you were in there," he said. "Guy never missed a beat."
My emotions went haywire inside of me. I was scared, flattered, scared, and slightly curious.
"It was interesting, watching the two of you," Aaron said, grimacing.
"Which two of us?" I asked. He could have meant me and the Joker. Me and Bane. I interacted with a dozen people in the small time frame I was in that room.
"You and the Joker," he replied.
"How so?" I asked. I wasn't sure if I really wanted to know, but I asked anyway. Curiosity may have killed the cat, but without it, it's life would have been damned boring.
"When you reacted to something, the Joker reacted to you reacting," he said.
Wait what?
"So he was watching me react to different things, and then you were watching his reactions, to my reactions, to different things?" I asked, completely confused by the end of my sentence.
"Something like that," Aaron said, smiling at my explanation.
"So?" I asked. "Why were they interesting? Did he react poorly? What?"
Aaron turned to look at me. His eye drilled into mine, like he was trying to make me understand something.
"Elsbeth, the Joker reacts to nothing. Until you," he said.