Murray DeVol hums while in his shower. the glass is fogged up and steam rises from out the top. he reaches out with a hand and pats it around trying to find the towel on the adjacent rack. batman's hand comes into view with the towel in hand.
"Oh," and he takes it in and closes the door to trap the heat. After a few seconds she stops moving; he wipes away a spot on the fogged glass and looks out. Batman is standing there, "AH!"
"We need to talk. Are you decent?"
"Ye-"
Joker rips the doors open, "Murray, Murray, Murray -- this isn't one of those bad dreams where you're naked and the Joker is standing there waiting to kill you. No, it's just as real as it seems. He ha -- HA HA HA!!!"
"You're vehicle was used in the abduction of Harley Quinn, so I'm only going to ask this once..."
...
...
The doors opens and a man bends over to pick up the handcuffed Harley.
"I'll be good, I promise! Whatever you want."
"Boss wants to see you again."
Harley takes baby steps through the hall, trying not to trip over the chains bounding her feet. Her mascara is dried from running down her face in tears.
The henchman sits her down. She trembles as she hears foots steps draw near.
"You see this?" and angry voice belches while holding out a postal letter, "returned to sender; no ... one ... at ... this ... address!!!" he whacks her on the face with each word.
"I guess he moved. Puddin' does that sometimes when I go out; says it's 'funny"."
"Do I look like I'm laughing?" his face comes into view. He's white with jet black hair and a black mustache, "I can't get no ransom if I can't reach your merry squeeze."
"Well, if you let me go, I'll go find him and-"
"SHUT UP!" he slaps her hard across the face, you think I'm a moron?!" he grabs her by the front of her shirt and pulls her up, "you and the Bats little stunt cost me millions and now no one in town will do business with me!" he slaps her again.
"No -- help!"
"You think you can screw with Boxcars Bennett?!" he grabs her by the head prongs, "Boom! Boom! Boom!" he pokes her in the side of the head with the gun in his free hand, "I'll blow your fuckin' head off!" he rips one of the prongs off when pushing her back and pulling forward violently.
She catches herself with her hands from hitting the floor, "Puddin'!" she cries out in anguish.
"He can't hear you, clown."
"Oh, I beg to differ."
Benny and his two men turn around.
Harley looks up with tears in her eyes, "PUDDIN'!!!" she screams in joy.
Joker stands in the bright orange morning rays of light in the doorway, "I'm gonna drive a railroad spike threw your skull and chop you up for coal! YEEEAAAGH!!!" he runs over and leaps on Benny.
As his men start to reach over to pull Joker off Benny, they both feel a tap on a shoulder. They turn around and see Batman.
"Tickets, please."
They both tremble and Batman punches them; they fall to the ground on both sides of Boxcars Benny.
Batman then unties Harley.
"And now..." a king of spades slips out of his sleeve into Joker's right hand, "I'm gonna show you who is king around here," he puts the razor sharp steel card to Benny's neck, "beg for me!" Joker orders in a dark, wicked tone quite unlike anything Batman had heard before from him.
"Joker, stop!" batman commands.
"I had to go to the bathroom on myself; rip him from end-to-end," says Harley.
Joker smiles, "You heard the lady."
"Kill him and I'll have no choice but to take you back to Arkham Asylum, but if you let him live, next time you're back in, he's on your turf and you can make his everyday life your delight. Think about it," he persuades in his best Joker logic.
"You know ... that plan isn't half bad. Oh, Benny! You and I are going to have so much fun! Actually, probably just me -- oh but what a grand old time it will be," he laughs lowly, "you're going to pay for the rest of your life."
"Love crumpet!" says Harley.
"Harley!" he drops Benny and leaps up and away to Harley.
"Weeeee!!!" she exclaims as they embrace.
Benny feels his throat where the card had been, then Batman lowers down. He reaches out slowly and firmly grabs Benny by the shirt and pulls him closer with just that one hand.
"You've made me ... very unhappy, Benny ... and when I get unhappy I hit things. Your life of crime is Gotham city is over, right Benny?"
"Yeah. Never see me again."
"for your sake I had better not," he drops Benny, then handcuffs him. He stands and picks Benny up, moving him aside as he ties up his henchmen.
"Come on, let's go home," says Joker as they walks out the front door into the sunrise.
"But, what about Batman?"
"We made a deal."
"Arent'cha gonna double cross him?"
"Not this time, Harley ol' girl. Not this time."
They hold close in the morning light.
"But maybe I'll double up next time for the one I missed. AH HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!"
-THE END-