This chapter contains a hint to my fanfiction that I will start publishing after I finish either Freedom of Riddles or this fanfiction. But it won't reveal anything of the plot. Hope you all like this chapter. i finally updated sorry it took so long.
Chapter 4
I was plunged in to darkness for what seemed like forever; however I was blinded by the strip lights in the ceiling if the corridor when I first opened my eyes. It took time for my eyes to adjust but when they did looked around before moving but then I heard footsteps. I closed my eyes and slowed my breathing to make it appear as if I was still unconscious. The footsteps were heavy and light at the same time; they were light as if the owner had bare feet but heavy as the owner was not trying to be stealthy. The only person I knew that walked around bare footed was Scarecrow. The intervals between his footsteps was uneven as if he had a limp; which made me want to smile after injecting me with his awful toxin. He limped passed me and I listened to his footsteps continue down the hall and into an abandoned office just off the corridor. As the door opened I heard a whimper probably from another victim of his toxin. I opened my eyes and suddenly felt the cold from the floor I had been so preoccupied with slowing my breathing I had not noticed how cold I was. I rapidly jumped to my feet as a slight scream rang out from the room Crane had just entered. Out of my better judgment I pressed my ear to the door but then I wish I had not.
"…are you okay?" was the only thing I heard from the female voice that was full of worry. I rolled my eyes and walked off towards the lift wondering how anybody could care about the Master of fear. My body was slightly stiff from lying on the cold hard tiles and my joints hurt when I moved; I guess I had been lying there for at least half an hour.
The lift rose to the upper level and I pulled the two handguns from my belts and flicked off the safety mechanism and rested my fore fingers on to the triggers. I hated the weapons in my hand as I hated killing but tonight if it's between me and the psychopaths that were running free I will take a life. The lift doors opened to reveal every doctor looking at me; the remaining guards brandished their guns. I raise my hands with the guns above my head and obviously flicked the safety catches back on before putting them back in my belt. I stepped out of the lift and raised my hands above my head again to show I was not a threat. The guns were still trained on me and the older guard stepped forward.
"Put the guns on the floor and walk forward with your hands on your head." He yelled but I did not move.
"I can't I have somewhere to be and pay back to deliver. All I want to do is leave quietly, I wasn't gonna shoot my way out. If you let me leave I won't hurt anyone." I say in confidence as I moved my right hand down to the my only smoke grenade I had strapped to my belt; the movement was faster than the eye and my hand was already back above my head before anyone noticed. I had pulled the pin and waited counting to four before it started to expel the smoke; I held my breath letting the smoke conceal me. I could no longer see the doctors or guards and ripped the grenade from my belt and I let it drop to the floor; I ducked as gunfire pierced the air but it was soon followed by coughing and spluttering. I sprinted to the exit still holding my breath and out the door before anyone saw me leaving.
My breath was ragged as I ran towards the visitors centre; the Joker's face now painted on wooden planks around the original door. I opened the door and as I walked inside I slammed it shut behind me; the bang echoed through the hallway and it announced my arrival. I barged through the second set of double doors, which hit the walls and closed behind me. The Joker removed the TV and began his psychotic laughter.
"You're not looking too good, kido. You look like you've been mauled by a crocodile." The Joker said whilst he laughed. I looked down at my clothing; the skirt was shredded with a couple of bullet holes, my leggings were torn with blood soaking into the frayed black fabric and the leather on my jacket was scratched and in some places had been sliced showing cuts in my pale skin.
"I want my money Joker and I'll leave you to your plan." I demanded trying to keep calm.
"The party hasn't started yet." The Joker replied to my demand with a slight laugh.
"Not for me, it ended when Crane injected me with his toxin. If you think I'm staying you've got another thing coming." I spat back with hatred and anger. "If I don't get my money don't expect me to get Harleen… Err… Quinn out again." My eyes widened at the realised my mistake. The Joker's posture and facial expressions changed and he stopped laughing.
"Who are you really, Tiger? Harley said only her cousin calls her Harleen." The Joker snarled as he stepped closer to the glass; his 6 foot 1 figure towered over me. I stumbled back in slight fear even though I knew glass was between us.
"I won't tell you a thing; you can't make me talk." I yelled back.
"Oh, we will kiddo. You'll be squawking like the boy blunder. Get her boys!" The Joker said with a sinister smile. I began to turn around when a lead pipe struck the base of my skull just below my helmet. The last thing I saw was the Joker's smile before my vision went black.
"… Jimmy how hard did ya hit her she isn't waking up?" I heard a man say in a deep tone.
"I'm sure it was only hard enough to knock her out, I don't think I killed her." Jimmy said sounding worried.
"Nope… You just gave me a splitting headache." I stuttered wincing from the pain; I heard Jimmy sighed in relief. I went to stand but my hands were tied to an exposed pipe in the floor; I tugged at the pipe hoping it would break loose but to no result.
"You're not getting out of there kid."
"Don't call me kid or you'll live to regret it." I yelled trying to sound as threatening as possible even though it was an empty threat. I lifted my head up and winced again; I looked around what seemed to be part of the sewers but my vision was blurry.
"Where did the clown make you drag me off to?"
"You don't need to know." The older man said bluntly as he walked off and he brought the radio he had been holding up to his mouth. "Boss she's awake."
"Good. I'll send Harley down." The Joker's voice replied over the staticky radio. The man turned back around with a sinister grin but it was not as devious as the Joker's had been. I let my head roll back and hit the wall; thankfully the men had left my helmet on so the impact did not hurt as bad as it could have.
Five minutes passed and all I did was stare at the roof of the tunnel waiting for Harley to arrive; the two men spoke about different subjects but mostly the Batman.
"So have you two ever gone up against Batman before? I asked interrupting their latest chatter about what the Batman is.
"I only joined last year but I have seen him; the boss won't let me work on any important jobs." Jimmy answered immediately even though his colleague was not happy. "I think Gary was at Blackgate during the riots."
"The freak broke my right arm and four of my ribs that Christmas and another eight bones since. He is a freak." Gary concluded. I sighed heavily before saying something else.
"What do you bozos want?" A high pitch voice yelled announcing Harley's arrival I looked over in her direction and watched. "I have party plans that have to be dealt with… Oh look the wild beast has finally been captured."
"Boss thinks you might be interested in who she really is."
"Why would I be interested in who she is?"
"Boss said she called you Harleen."
For a moment Harley looked shocked but it soon faded when she turned her attention to me. I stared back at her as she walked forward towards me; I could not stop the events that followed. Harley roughly removed my battered helmet from my head and cast it aside; I looked up to her with my pale blue eyes not caring that the eyeliner has streaked or that my eyeshadow had shifted slightly; for what seamed like minutes all we did was stare at each other.
Three years ago
I at at the table my pot of tea sleep slowly going cold as I gazed out the window at the rain that had been falling all day. I looked at my phone again. 12:15pm. He was late. The coffee shop's door opened and a small bell rang out; I turned around to see a light brown haired boy enter.
"Jay over here." I said as I waved to get his attention. Jay smiled when he saw me his emerald green eye reminded me of the Jen itself; he sat down opposite me and the blonde waitress came to take his order.
"Cappuccino please." He said politely before turning his attention back to me. "Sorry I was late got stuck in traffic."
"Only ten minutes I was late myself. So, how is your essay coming along?" I replied taking a sip of my borderline cold tea.
"We're on a date and you ask how my essay is going. To answer that I suspect it's going better than yours rumour has it you haven't started." Jay replied with a snort of laughter.
"Wrong. I'm finished." I stated bluntly and Jay choked on his coffee as he bolted upright from his slight slouch.
"You what when I spoke to you at lunchtime yesterday and you said you had only had your opening sentence done." Jay blurted out. I returned a cheeky smirk to his shock. "What's your secret Willow?"
"I often work nights and I don't sleep more than an hour a night maybe less." I replied calmly. Jay and I sat in silence for half an hour as we finished our drinks. Jay paid for the drinks even though I protested and we lift immediately afterwards trying to keep out of the rain as we walked to my motorbike. I pulled out a spare helmet and threw it in Jay's direction, which he caught with ease. I pulled on my motorbiking jacket before putting on the helmet.
We whizzed through the streets of Gotham and out towards the wooded outskirts of Gotham near Arkham; Jay clung to my body as he was not as at home on the back of a bike as I was. We pulled over not long after leaving Gotham and we both got off the bike but Jay was really confused.
"Where are we going?" Jay asked struggling to remove his helmet.
"You asked about my family yesterday. As I said my parents died in a car crash when I was two and I moved in with my aunt; I never told you I had a cousin. Well it's easier to show you who she is rather than try to explain. On you hop." I replied then I sat back on my bike; Jay gave up trying to remove when I got back on my bike then he jumped on to the back; hugging me tightly as we gained speed.
The Victorian clock tower reached into the grey sky. I swear he gasped as we approached the open gate leading into the Arkham grounds. The bike screeched to a stop making me wince at the noise. Jay got off quicker than the flash he seamed to be engrossed in the architecture of the building. I flicked the key cutting the engine and begun putting my helmet and jacket into the seat compartment when Jay came over acting like a child at a sweet shop.
"Your cousin works here. Oh my god, that must be so cool." Jay said excitedly as he jumped up and down.
"She used to." I whispered quietly before trying to remove Jays helmet I finally got it off his head and stored it in the compartment. We walked the few meters towards the Arkham mansion hand in hand but it was more of a run as the rain got worse. When we walked in a guard guided us through the metal detector, she were both metal free.
" We're here to see Harleen Quinzel. I called up last week it's Willow Quinzel and Jay Taylor." I stated quietly to the guard as Jay admired the interior of the mansion. The guard lead the way and I dragged Jay behind me by his wrist so he did not wonder off; back out into the rain only to enter another building less than ten metres away but we got soaked in the process as the rain hurtled down.
"Why are we in the visitors centre?"
"My cousin is an inmate here; just to warn you she is a little excited and over the top some times." I tried to explain but it was not helping at all.
A giggle rang out and all I could do is gulp out of nerves and as we walked down the corridor until we reached the booth with two chairs facing the glass.
"Hello little Quinzel." Harley said in her high pitched voice.
"Your cousin is Harley Quinn. You're related to a psychopath . That's not right at all.." Jay said as he backed away before turning and running out the door; I followed but Jay had already reached the gates. I turned around and went back inside; Harley was in fits of laughter.
"Someone can't deal with the truth can they."
"You've destroyed my life Harleen ever since you became that psychotic's side kick" I said before leaving the visitors centre and jumping on my bike before I started the engine and followed after Jay not bothering with my helmet.
The next day
Whispers followed me around at college; several boys had dressed up as The Joker and followed me around.
"Do you want to be a part of my gang?" One of them asked.
"Rework your surname a bit and you get Quinn." A second stated.
"We're robbing a bank tonight. Are you helping Quinn?" The last one said before I lost my temper.
"SHUT UP! DO YOU THINK IM PROUD OF MY COUSIN BEING WHO SHE IS?!" I screamed and my fist came in contact with the nearest boy's face; it was followed by a cracking as his nose broke. Within seconds the three boys lay on floor one was clutching his dislocated arm, the one in the middle hugged his broken wrist and the first one I lashed out at tried to stop the blood gushing from his nose. The boy in the middle yelled at me as I went searching for Jay in the crowd.
"You're a psycho." I rolled my eyes and sirens wailed out two blocks away. Jay's light brown hair was easy to spot as it stuck up of its own accord.
"Jay you foul son of a…" I managed to get out before he cut me off; and pulling me aside.
"Willow it wasn't me I was talking to my mum I was just shocked, my older brother must've over heard us talking. My dad was in Black mask's gang when the Joker took over the organisation. I just didn't want to face her I was told Harley killed my dad."
" I'm ashamed of my cousin but she was a totally different person when I was younger I wanted to tell you who my family really was. I hoped you would stop me from yelling at her yesterday but I guess I brought up bad memories. I'm sorry I should have told you."
"Willow, is okay. You better face the punishment for your actions." He replied pointing to the police heading our way. I gave a weak smile and I turned around and walked to them.
I sat in an interview room with a polystyrene cup containing tea gripped in my hands. Commissioner Gordon sat across the table from me but all I could do was stare at the cup in my hands.
"Willow, I need to know why you attack the three lads at your collage? If you don't answer it is their word that it was unprovoked." Gordon said calmly. I looked at him up at him something in his eyes told me I could trust him.
"It wasn't unprovoked, they were harassing me all morning; I lost my temper that's all. Ever since that stupid rumour about me being cousin to Harley Quinn." I replied gripping the cup slightly tighter.
"Is Harley Quinn your cousin?"
" YES ISN'T IT OBVIOUS, MY SURNAME IS QUINZEL." I yell and my fists clenched breaking the cup spooling scalding hot tea onto my hands but I barely noticed. "I'm sorry, I have a slight anger issues but it's not as bad as it used to be." I finished apologetically.
"Is fine you can go home, we had a few witnesses statements to backup your story we just needed to hear it from you.
I walked home with Jay who had been waiting to pick me up. As we walked down the street someone stepped out of the shadows.
"Hello little Quinzel, a gift from Harley Quinn your loving cousin." Harley said and a gunshot rang out; Jay dropped to the floor. Dead.
That was the day Harley Quinn ruined my life.
Little Quinzel is Harley's nickname for Willow sorry it's mostly backstory I wanted to leave the chapter at harley finding out Willow's identity as Tiger. Please review it helps me write the next chapter.
