A/N: Getting this out much earlier than expected. Thank you so much for continuing to follow, favorite, and review. I'll be starting the next chapter later today, so expect the next update soon. I hope you enjoy.
The Joker pulled the hood from his head and unzipped the sweater, stretching his arms toward the ceiling and groaning dramatically. He stripped the sweater off and tossed it to the side. "That's more like it," he said and skipped toward her. Aris held her ground. She probably would have tripped over herself in her heels anyway. He stopped mere inches away and leaned close, almost nose to nose. "It's unfortunate. I don't want to feel like I'm leaving empty-handed."
Aris met his eyes and put her hands behind her back so she could twist all of the nervousness into her fingers. "I do commissions," she said. He continued to appraise her, twisting his lips in concentration. She felt faint. He barked out one of his famous laughs and she couldn't help but startle at the sudden noise. She groaned as he laughed harder. The noise echoed up and down the halls. Surely if the guard was still around he would have heard it and come running...that or he was smart, recognized the laugh, and took off to save his own skin. She didn't want to think of the other alternative.
The Joker stopped to wipe his eyes, smearing black makeup into the white and transferring it onto his gloves. He then proceeded to gently grasp onto her wrist and pull her arm through his. "I do appreciate the offer, my dear," he said, patting her hand, "only there is something else that you can do for me instead. You see, I want to run a little experiment." He started to lead her toward the door.
Aris felt like she had no other choice but to comply. The man had tried to set her on fire and basically sent her a message implying he was out to get her. "What kind of experiment?" she asked. Her focus remained on keeping upright despite how hard her legs shook.
He chuckled darkly. "The kind of experiment that will bring our mutual friend out from his cave." She shivered, goosebumps covering her from head to toe. He opened the door to let her through and that was when she saw the guard's legs. She brought a hand to her mouth and ducked down to check on him out of impulse, but one squeeze from the Joker's grip on her made her straighten with a hiss of pain. "Now, now. We're running on a tight schedule and I had to wait so long to get you alone. Pay no mind to the man behind the curtain. It's time to meet up with the driver and get on with our evening."
He started to drag her down the stairs as she struggled to look back and see if he was breathing. "Is he alive?" she asked when she was no longer able to see him. He ignored her question completely and effortlessly pulled her along down several sets of stairs. When they reached the bottom floor, he twisted her arm and sent her spiraling toward the back of the building. The emergency exit gave her only a moment's hope before she noticed the light of the sign was not lit and the cord to the alarm was severed.
They burst through the doors into the cool night, wind whipping strands of hair around her face. A few short strides brought them into contact with an indistinguishable black car. A driver in a ski mask came out of the driver's side and opened both back seat doors. The Joker gave Aris a little shove into the closest opening of the vehicle and shut the door behind her. He then went to the other side and slid into the seat next to her. The masked man re-entered the driver's side, turned the ignition, put the car into gear, and took off down the alleyway.
Aris' stomach churned. They didn't blindfold her, so they didn't intend on keeping her as a hostage of any sort. Wherever they were going, the destination wasn't a secret. She thought to ask but couldn't find her voice. Neither man looked worried. They didn't look over their shoulders or into the mirrors more than usual. She was being held by men who basically had nothing to lose. She thought to try and throw herself out of the vehicle, but didn't have the strength to try. The Joker was entirely too close to her for her to be fast enough. Besides, she knew she was unimportant. They would probably shoot her if she caused them any grief.
The Joker spent divided his time looking out the windshield and staring unblinkingly at her. She tried not to look back, but every time his eyes trained on her she felt like his glare bore holes through her skin. Finally, when she could take no more, she spoke up. "Are you going to blow another building up with me inside?" she asked, still intent on not meeting his gaze.
"It's a sound plan, to be sure, but we have a little something different in mind for tonight." He leaned closer to her and jabbed his fingers into her arm to demand her attention. She yielded but barely turned her head. "Do you have a problem with explosions, little miss artist?"
"It just seems a little repetitive."
"Oh-ho-ho-" he responded, working into a hearty laugh before reaching into an inner pocket. He drew out a small switchblade and held it between them, still smiling. "You ask so many questions." He motioned the knife against his own throat. "Are you sure you're not one of those crazy, cutthroat freelance news people? I don't like those people." He shook the knife at her and narrowed his eyes. "They're not very nice."
Aris watched the blade for a moment before meeting his eyes again. "I'm just-" She faltered and then looked at her hands folded in her lap. "I'm just a painter." She felt his eyes on her for a few more moments before she saw him drop the knife out of the corner of her eye. She heard his chest rumble with a low laughter again before it got a little louder and turned into humming a tune she did not recognize.
The car started to slow down and the Joker leaned forward with arms wrapped around both front seats to whisper some directions to the driver. "It looks as if we've reached our destination," the Joker said. They went from being packed into an alleyway, car scraping the walls, to pulling out next to the Gotham bridge. Aris put a hand over her eyes, blinded momentarily at going from muted darkness to dazzling brightness. She heard the door opposite her open and close and a moment later her door was letting in the cold and she was being yanked from the car.
The entrance to the bridge was blocked by large trucks manned by men in clown masks. They were armed to the teeth. The Joker dragged her between the trucks and she trailed behind in a state of shock. The whole bridge was lit up and packed bumper to bumper with cars. There were people sitting terrified in their vehicles as well as people hovering over them. Some were quiet, some were yelling back and forth. The only consistency that Aris could grasp showed in the fear in everyone's eyes.
Everyone turned to stare as the Joker dragged her further into the mess, recognition held for them both. They pointed and whispered. She didn't know why embarrassment washed over her so quickly. It was finally starting to dawn on her that they were coming to the middle of the Gotham bridge. Did the Joker intend to blow it up-the bridge, the people and her? Once again, she couldn't claim to know him, but she felt like blowing himself up in the process seemed a little far-fetched. Her mind reeled and her head pounded.
Reaching the halfway point, she was thrown against the guardrail, catching herself with both hands and swaying dangerously over the side. She planted both feet back on the ground, the wind helping to whip her back into place. It was hard to see the water below because of the bright lights that surrounded her, but the whole experience gave her tunnel vision and she imagined she could see midnight blue waves lapping and writhing beneath her. She held tight to the rails, knuckles white as she turned around. The Joker quietly watched the scene around him for a minute before climbing on top of the nearest car.
Aris noticed there were news vehicles trapped on the bridge with them, bravely rolling a live feed to the rest of Gotham. They trained on her and she felt stupid for not knowing what to do. Could she do or say something to get her and these people through this? Her brain felt like it was trying to escape her skull and nothing would come to her.
"Attention, attention, people of Gotham bridge," the Joker said before looking straight into one of the cameras, "and those of you tucked in safely at home...where are your heroes?" He looked around dramatically, raising a brow. "Hmm?" Aris shivered. "You have chosen to put your faith in the Gotham police after everything that has happened and blame the one person that was tirelessly and pathetically on your side."
Everything stayed eerily silent, no one daring to speak while he did, but he seemed to awkwardly wait for an answer. Aris watched him closely, unable to look away. He kept his eyes trained above everyone's heads and would sneak a peek at the rafters of the bridge, expectant. She half expected for Batman to show up herself, but nothing changed.
"We have taken the entire bridge," he said. "Where are your precious police now?" He waved a hand in her direction. "Who do you think will show up to save this meaningless painter?" He looked at her pointedly before hopping down and striding toward her.
It all happened so fast. If she hadn't suddenly felt like she had been sucker-punched, maybe she would have thought to run. Instead, she still held tight to the railing, staring stupidly into space as the Joker tied a rope around her ankle. She only acknowledged the situation when he had finished. She looked from her ankle to the large cement block on the other side of the railing where the other end of the rope was tied to and then looked up into the Joker's dark eyes, the truth dawning on her.
"Be a good girl and climb over the railing," he said, working his fingers in-between one of her hands and the rail. She allowed it, the shock consuming her. He turned back for a moment and waved one of the cameras forward, but they didn't move. He sighed, annoyed, before taking a gun out of the back of his pants, pointing, and shooting the camera. Everyone screamed and Aris was able to shake off the numbness that had overtaken her. Surprisingly, the cameraman was uninjured, his camera crashing to the ground in several sparking pieces. The Joker looked disappointed, shook his gun, looked into the barrel, and then threw it off of the bridge. No one heard the splash.
He motioned at the next nearest camera and that person had the wherewithal to practically sprint over to them. The Joker grabbed the end of the camera and positioned it so that they were filming both him and Aris. His attention went back to her as he motioned again for her to breach the railing. She didn't feel like she had any other choice. Was he gunless now? Sure. But she knew he had all manner of other weapons. Better to go down whole than go down after being stabbed. He helped her over as she tried to maintain dignity in her dress.
She wrapped both hands tightly over the rail after she had crossed. The Joker put one foot through to rest on the cement block. Her chest heaved as she shut her eyes against the fear before opening them to meet his again. "There have got to be better ways to get Batman's attention," she said out of mere desperation.
"And here I thought we were having fun. Imagine the things you'll paint if you make it through this," he said, patting her hand. A tear rolled down her face. "Any last words, my dear?" He grasped the camera and pulled it toward her face, but he did not break eye contact.
Her chest constricted, but she managed to answer. "Yeah. Can I switch these heels out? I left my swim shoes at home." She tried to smile, but instead she grimaced, eyes wide with terror. The Joker grabbed his stomach and burst into laughter before shoving the cement block off of the bridge.