Chapter 7: Curiosity

While walking past me, The Joker grabbed me by my arm and started to pull me to walk with him. Without resist I followed him, with his hand firmly holding my arm. I said nothing at first. He was furious. I could see it in his eyes. He was a great actor, with his large grin across his face, but he couldn't hide his emotions in his eyes. Those deep, emerald green eyes were full of rage and fury.

"Hey…what was all that about?" I finally asked him, breaking the tense silence which made me anxious.

"Don't let curiosity get the better of you, baby doll." His response was calm and composed. There wasn't a single trace of 'The Joker' in his voice.

We were still walking, back the way we came from when we arrived at this place. He still held my arm tightly, practically dragging me along his pace and me trying to keep up with it. While being dragged like a doll I couldn't take the silence and somewhere deep inside felt like I needed to 'cheer' him up.

"So what's with all the nicknames?" I asked him, trying to sound more cheerful, hopefully to get him back to his old, 'maniac' self.

While staring at his pale face, I noticed a change in his eyes, and his grin seemed to become a genuine smile. He then stopped, still holding me by my arm, turned to face me and grabbed me by my other arm, squeezing them both hard now. I grunted in pain, feeling him slowly tighten his grip on my arms, making it seem as if he tried to break my bones.

"What's this baby doll? Huh?" He asked me, with his 'genuine' smile, which seemed to become more and more maniacal the more I looked at him. I was however, trying to focus my eyes into his. It was terrifying. The more I looked at them now, the more dark they seemed to become. The emerald green colour was disappearing right in front of me and darkness came over. His hands still crushing my arms, making my blood flow stop going to my arms. I was starting to freak out. My heart pounding fast, making my head hurt from the beat.

Suddenly, he made his eyebrows furrow and his grin wider, causing fear to take over my mind. He started to squeeze harder and harder, still smiling right at me. My arms were aching in pain and it made me scream in agony. I couldn't take the pain anymore and it made me lose my foothold and I started to drop, when he grabbed my arms even harder, forcing me to stand and look at him.

"Does that hurt? Seems like it hurts real bad." He told me, in a slightly sarcastic tone, releasing a small yet high pitched laugh.

"Wh-why…stop…let go…" I was pleading him. I could feel his immense strength slowly crush my arms. He didn't listen to me and just stood there continuing. I couldn't take anymore. I was losing myself. I had to stop him. I had to stop him. I had to…

Without waiting any longer for him to stop, I managed to regain some strength in my legs and flung my left leg between his legs and kicked him. This made him let go of me and back away slightly. I couldn't see what he did next, I quickly collapsed on the floor and grabbed hold of my arms where he had been crushing them.

Suddenly I felt my hair being brutally pulled upward. I screamed in pain and the next thing I saw was a fist landing into my face. It made me shaky, my head hurt and my vision spinning. I could feel his hand grabbing more of my hair and pulling my head upward again, now making me face his furious eyes.

"Feisty little bitch aren't you? Doctor Joker can fix that." He said to me, in an angry voice, and suddenly started to laugh, while letting go of my hair and making me completely drop to the ground. He then proceeded with his foot, kicking me into my stomach a couple of times, before finally, giving himself one final laugh and walking away.

I was lying on the ground. Alone and in pain. My stomach hurt and I felt like vomiting. It didn't help that my head was spinning as well. I couldn't feel my arms which made it impossible to stand up. I laid there on the ground, practically covered with tears and still feeling fear take over my mind.

I didn't even feel when someone managed to somehow pick me up. Making my arm go around their shoulder to help me stand, I heard then faintly talk to me.

"A little word of advice new girl; don't ask the Boss no questions when he's pissed." The voice sounded deep and composed.

I tried to get my composure back as quickly as my body could do it, trying to clear my vision by closing and opening my eyes. After a couple of minutes I finally managed to get my sight clear and could focus on my walking.

"Hey, come on now, you're doing better."

The voice's constant encouragement made me feel better. Even made it easier to stand on my own quicker. After a couple of failed attempts to stand and grabbing onto the figure helping me out, I finally managed to stand up. I have to say this took me quite a long time. I had never got punched and kicked this hard in my life. It was something else.

"Thanks." I said, replying faintly.

"No problem new girl. Just try not to do something so stupid again." I heard a faint chuckle.

"Wh-who are you again?" I finally raised my eyes to look at who had helped me. To my surprise it was one of the men that came with us in the van. He was the one who sat at the front, next to the Joker. He was a tall man with a buff body build, black hair and dark brown eyes. His face was quite round yet smooth, with no wrinkles. He didn't seem much older than me, maybe even younger.

"Name's Nelson." He answered me, sounding polite and friendly. "And you?"

"Luna."

"Luna? That's one unique name. How'd you get it?" he asked me, while still letting me hold on to his arm as we slowly started to walk towards the exit of the building.

"I was born on a full moon. Guess my mum thought it would be interesting to call me that."

"Hm. Well she did pick a good name for a lunatic like you." He laughed at his own joke. "Get it?" he asked me, smiling in the most innocent way possible.

"Hmph. Yh…very original." I answered him, although inside I felt a little happy someone tried to make me feel better.

"Well…you're no fun."

"Sorry."

"Don't worry about it." He smiled at me, again with genuine innocence. It made me wonder, what's a guy like him doing with The Joker?

As we walked outside the building, I noticed that the place where we left the van was completely empty. No van. No Joker.

"Ahh…damn it. Gonna have to walk back." He said, trying to sound like it didn't bother him that we were left behind. I couldn't hold it in anymore and asked him what was bugging me right now.

"Why are you working for The Joker?" I asked him, trying to say it in a polite way not to offend him. "You don't seem like someone who 'fits' in with The Joker's image."

"Huh? How so?" he asked me, looking and sounding confused.

"Well…you just seem…so nice."

He laughed at my response and said "Hahaha, I guess that's what it seems like."

I didn't quite understand what he meant by that, but in some strange way, I could feel that I probably shouldn't ask him anymore. I had a bad feeling in my stomach, and it wasn't from the aching pain from The Joker's kick.

Without any more delay, we started to walk down the streets of Arkham City. As we walked, I noticed that there a couple of people who seemed to avoid Nelson, as if they were scared of him. Maybe they knew who he worked for and simply didn't want to get involved.

I had no idea where we had to go to get back to the Steel Mill so I followed him without any resist since he was the one who knew the exact directions to get there. We walked for about thirty minutes or more when I finally started to see the Steel Mill building rooftops. I was glad we finally got here, yet suddenly distress came over me. I felt nauseating in my stomach. The building made me remember who exactly was inside there and how much I wanted to avoid seeing him right now. It was as if I could feel the crushing of my arms, the punch and the kicking again.

"I'll take you home if you don't feel well." The sudden sound of Nelson's voice made flinch, which made me look at him. His expression was sweet and innocent with a light smile, looking straight at me in the eyes. I somehow felt frightened at what he said. Even though he seemed like a nice guy, I couldn't risk any of these men to find out where I lived. God knows what The Joker would do if he found out. I don't want my family to become a quick pastime gig for him.

"No…it's fine. I'll be fine." I forced myself to regain my full composure and kept on walking towards the Steel Mill. I could see some kind of disappointment in Nelson's eyes, and felt relief that I didn't agree to let him to take me home.

As I walked towards the front yard, which made my heartbeat faster and faster the closer I got to the building, I decided that I won't confront The Joker. I'll try to avoid him. Only for now. Just for now. I was extremely scared of what he might do to me. He could still be pissed off.

Walking next to the metal door, and touching the handle to open it, it all made me feel nervous and frightened. I took a deep breath, feeling Nelson's presence behind me, making me even more nervous somehow, I tried to calm down, and quickly opened the door. Inside, there were many of The Joker's men simply relaxing, playing cards, chatting away. Only some of them looked our way from the noise the door made as it opened as we entered the building.

I didn't know what to do next. I was the only woman in the room, full of criminals at that as well. Nelson walked past me now, slightly pushing me to the side and walked towards a group of guys which seemed like his 'friends', I suppose. I was standing feeling alone more than ever. Tension rose inside of me as I started to walk inwards into the large room filled with boxes and men carrying machine guns with them.

Without knowing where to go I automatically walked past them all and towards the stairs leading to The Joker's office. There was a door between the room and the stairway, which made it easier for me as I couldn't handle all of their eyes, staring me down as I walked past them, making me feel disgusted and scared. I held my hands in my jacket's pockets, holding onto the gun which I still had, making myself feel safer, even thought I knew it wouldn't help me here much. I could hear some of them whispering, exchanging opinions about me.

"That's Joker's new toy? She don't seem like much. Just a little lost lamb."

I could hear the laughing at me, snickering. I walked faster and faster and yet somehow the room just seemed to stretch further and further. Finally managing to walk past, them all, I walked into the stairway and closed the door behind me. Taking a deep breath I looked up at the stairs, remembering that The Joker was just behind the door just upstairs. The thought made me shiver right now, unlike how it would usually excite me, and I decided to go sit down on the floor, next to the stairs. I curled myself up holding my arms around my legs and my head downwards, trying to stop tears from overflowing. I was simply scared now. What was I thinking? Why did I even agree to come with The Joker? Why was I here? I was like a lost lamb, in a pack of wolves. My eyes simply felt red and swollen from crying and I had to close them. I didn't even realise as I dozed off from being exhausted of the day's events.

"Wakey, wakey…my little princess." The voice I was hearing sounded high pitched and sarcastic.

Suddenly, realising who it was in an instant I opened my eyes and stood up. My sudden movement made his flinch a little, but he got his composure back as quick as it had gone. I was startled, looking at him, saying nothing, just waiting for him to say something. Anything.

He grabbed me by my chin with his right hand and turned my face to look at the area he punched and said "That looks bad. Better put some ice on that, baby doll."

"Too late for that now." I replied to him, averting my eyes from his. I really didn't want to see his expression right now. I knew he felt satisfaction from it.

"I suppose so." He said to me, giving a loud snickering laugh.

It made me angry how he was talking and how he was enjoying this. I moved my head, escaping his grip on my chin as he wasn't holding on hard.

"Hmph. Still as feisty as ever. I was just trying to be nice." He responded at me, making me furious now with his sarcastic reply. He knew I was angry at him, and he wanted me to snap. But I wasn't going to give in to his little plan.

I turned by head to face him directly, looking into his eyes, gave a little chuckle and with a smile on my face said "Hope your balls haven't dropped off yet."

He gave me a sarcastic reply so I'll give him one back. I was playing a dangerous game here. Yet, I felt that bowing down to this man would be a terrible idea.

What I said made him burst out with laughter. In a way I could feel he was genuinely laughing at what I said. He then calmed down and said "Well you're in luck. They're still in place." He then proceeded to laugh again and then turned to the stairs and started going up. "Now that's a good one, baby doll."

This time I didn't follow him upstairs. I just stood in the same place, watching him go up and into the office and closing the door while still hearing him laugh. Somehow, it made me chuckle as well. I was just glad that everything went smoothly. I might just manage to deal with this man, somehow. Maybe.

I released a large sign, relaxing my mind and body. I was a little lost at what I should do now. Since I just practically slept in the stairway I wasn't feeling tired anymore. I didn't feel like walking back out to where The Joker's men were, so I decided to go up to The Joker's office. Opening the door, I saw The Joker, sitting in front a desk, drawing or writing down notes on different papers, speeding his pace as he wrote everything. He didn't really notice me entering the room. I closed the door and looked around to find a spare chair in the left end corner of the room to sit down on. It was next to a window which showed the view of the Sea which separated Gotham from Arkham. Walking towards the chair I kept my eyes focused on The Joker who still seemed like he didn't notice me being there and then sat down on the chair. I placed my arm in the armrest and my chin in my hand and looked out the dirty and fogged up window.

"Be a doll and get me those scissors" he suddenly asked me, without even looking up, still focusing on his 'work'

"Sure…" I replied, a little startled at the fact that he indeed took notice of me, yet said nothing before. I stood up and reached for the scissors which had been lying on the floor next to the chair I sat in, taking them and walked next to his desk, placing the scissors on top of his papers. I then asked him, being nosey me again "What are you doing?"

He turned his expression a little sullen. I wonder how I still haven't learned my lesson from before, asking him questions which I shouldn't be. He then put the pen he held in his hand on the table and picked up a piece of paper which he placed in front of me so I could see all the details. The paper contained drawings and sketches of what seemed like an architecture design of an amusement park, with a twisted 'Joker' theme to it. He even bothered to colour it all in, including all of the bloody corpses which he drew hanging from the fences displayed in the drawing.

"Just brainstorming ideas." He said to me, which made me look into his eyes and see an expression of pure depravity. He literally had this idea planned out in his head and ready to make it a reality. It made me feel a little sick inside. Imagining the place itself was nothing, compared to the sigh of the bodies that would decorate it.

"Seems like cheery place." I told him. I then looked away from the drawing and walked back to sit down in the chair next to the window.

Picking up the pen again he replied to me saying "Well…I hope it will blow your mind when you see it." He followed that response with a loud laugh, which made me flinch and wonder what his irrational mind was thinking.