Chapter 10: Call Me Maybe
A pair of white gloved hands twirled a red ribbon, round and round so that it twisted snake like over the long fingers.
The only reason such a sight was visible in the darkened room was because the owner of the hands was sitting in an arm chair before a bright old television, on which snippets of the day's news was playing.
A pair of red smeared lips curled upwards at the sight of a young woman with pale blonde hair, trying to beat and thrash at a tall hulking figure on the screen.
Even though the device's sound was muted, the figure in the chair could not help but giggle softly under his breath as the young woman on the screen suddenly fell to her knees, red dress staining with blood and grime off the filthy pavement under her feet.
Oh Darling, Darling, Darling!
The Figure in the chair tutted fondly, shaking his head at the screen.
Hitting the big-old bat. I don't know whether I should be proud of your guts, or disappointed that you're hogging all the fun without me. And speaking of fun…
He cocked his head a little, his red smile widening maliciously as his thoughts took him far from the sight of the news reader now displaying the rest of the evening news.
Just where were you playing hide and seek hmm? Your dear daddy didn't say…though maybe that was because I blew his brains out before he could answer. Oh well, I'm sure there are plenty of other shmucks who might know…oh and speaking of shmucks I have a call to make…
"HARLEY!" a loud voice barked and at once a woman came scurrying excitedly into the room.
She was a bouncy but athletic woman dressed in a tight suit of black and red, with black boots, lots of make up on her face and bright yellow hair held back in two high girlish pigtails.
"Yes Puddin" Harley Quinn simpered slavishly much to her puddin's disgust and amusement, though he hid it behind a smooth dark purr.
"Harley, would you be a dear and get me our dear Doctor Young on the line. I want to make sure our party plan is still on schedule"
"Of course right away puddin'" Harley cooed.
That being said, she was quick to produce a slightly battered up cell-phone from a table close by the large chair, her fingers all but stabbing at the number pad.
As soon as she pressed the call button, the figure in the chair giggled excitedly, like a child trying and failing to hold down his excitement for Christmas.
Indeed it took all he had not to hiss with glee as the call was answered and a woman's voice stuttered into the silent room.
"H-hello Doctor Young's office"
"Please hold for Mista White" Harley chirruped much to Doctor Young's shock.
But even as she spluttered her confusion, the phone was snatched from Harley's hand…and the Joker sneered into the receiver.
"Hello Doc…We need to talk…"
"This is Vicky Vale reporting live from Miagini Island where it has been confirmed that the Joker has escaped Arkham Asylum and has already begun wreaking havoc. His first targets: the very much loved heart-surgeon Robert Poole and his terminally ill wife Emilia, were found by police when neighbors reported a disturbance last night on Christmas Eve-"
The Rogues of Gotham are perhaps considered some of the most mentally disturbed criminals in the world. The worst of their crimes even disturb other criminal organizations, mercenaries and even heroes of other cities and countries.
But it wasn't just the craziness that disturbed the world.
No.
It was the fact most of the inmates of C Block had started off as ordinary people living ordinary lives.
Sure there were exceptions to this rule. For one Killer Croc was born into his scaly condition (which in turn was mocked and shunned by society) and no one knew how the Joker even began on his mad escapade of chaos (what with all the intricate weave of lies he could summon at the drop of a hat).
And in time everyone in Gotham, Rogues and civilians alike, had come to accept that there were some stories that might never see the light of day.
However this just made stories that could come out into the light all the more exciting to hear, especially when the Rogue's themselves were depraved of entertainment.
Indeed there was much pushing and shoving as nearly all the remaining four members of C-Block jostled for a position on the old moth eaten couch in the C Block Rec Room so they could feast their eyes on Gotham's newest and juiciest story.
"-Not much is known why the Joker has suddenly decided to personally make house-calls at this time of year and the GCPD are currently declining any further comments-"
The blonde news presenter stated, doing her best to stay somber only for her excitement to leak through the cracks in her painted face.
The effect was enough to make Edward Nygma cringe.
"The fools! Of course they won't comment because the dithering imbeciles can't catch him in the first place"
"By dithering imbeciles I assume you're including the Bat" Jonathan Crane folded his arms, his expression grim. "Because this time Joker and Quinn really looked like they meant business. Especially Joker-"
"Yes and speaking of the Clown Prince of Crime-" a sultry voice cut across Crane's grating tones and all turned to see Poison Ivy lean against the back of the couch. "Hasn't anyone noticed that he's been acting odd recently"
"Define odd my dear" Crane droned as he turned back to the television screen "Because even I have yet to be surprised by any of that clown's antics, including this one"
"Even so March Hare…this is a sad burden for poor Alice to bear" the short form of Jervis Tetch all but sagged sadly in his spot next to his colleague "'But it's no use now,' thought poor Alice, 'to pretend to be two people! Why, there's hardly enough of me left to make one respectable person!'"
"Oh what is he blathering about now?" Ivy groaned her eyes as Crane sighed heavily.
"I think he feels sorry for his Alice's predicament. He says he thinks she's going to be only half the person she was after this."
"And his new Alice is-"
"Mina Poole" Edward snorted, though the smirk was quick to fall from his face as he scratched his chin and murmured "Poor kid-and it had to be Joker that screwed her family up-"
"What was that Edward I didn't quite catch that?" Ivy snorted and Edward rolled his eyes.
"What's what?"
"Oh don't play coy Eddie." The villainess's luscious red lips curled in a wickedly alluring smirk as she leaned over the Riddler from the back of the couch. "We all know of your attempts to ahem-what was it that he said again Jonathan?"
She quirked a brow at Crane, who's lip curled.
"I believe it was to help get past his most boring therapy yet"
"Hark whose talking Crane" Edward snapped waspishly, ears turning the slightest shade of pink "As if none of us have noticed your oh-so-helpful little tutoring sessions you've given the girl"
Now it was Crane's turn to bristle uncomfortably as Jervis giggled nervously from between him and the Riddler.
"Now-now Doormouse, March Hare that's quite enough of that. If you keep fighting, you'll miss Alice and the Bat."
"What bat?" Crane clipped but was quickly tugged by the arm to look back at the television screen on which shaky footage was being played of a pale slender figure in red storming right up to a large hulking dark figure amidst a swarm of police.
"Well…the little garden weed certainly has guts I'll give her that" Ivy pursed her lips torn between smirking and scowling as Mina Poole's small fist collided with the nose of the Dark Knight's cowl.
"Not as much as what's going to come next" Edward smirked pointing at the screen just as a feminine voice shrieked from it:
"YOU! YOU! IT'S ALL BECAUSE OF YOU! YOU ASSHOLE WHY COULDN'T YOU HAVE LEFT US ALONE! WHY DID YOU HAVE TO POKE YOUR NOSE IN! THEY WERE ALL SAFE BEFORE YOU CAME ALONG AND RUINED EVERYTHING!"
There was a struggle as two men came up and tried to manhandle the hysterical young woman who was thrashing out at the Batman who, for some reason the four Rogues could not fathom, was looking like the stuffing had just been knocked out of him though he looked completely unscathed.
"Guilt" Crane murmured in response to the unasked question hanging solemnly in the air between them all.
"pardon?" Edward, Jervis and Ivy quirked their eyebrows at him.
"The Dark Knight" he muttered darkly as he watched said vigilante on the TV try to calm down the grieving woman "He's guilty for letting this happen. He feels responsible for her wellbeing. But he also knows that there's really nothing more he can do for her without pushing her to the brink"
And indeed even as he said this Mina's voice screeched from the speakers.
"YOU CLAIM TO WANT TO HELP ME BUT WHERE WERE YOU? WHERE THE FUCK WERE YOU WHEN HE PUSHED HER OUT THE FUCKING WINDOW HUH?"
There was a soft growling mutter as Batman stilled in shock but Mina just kept going.
"BECAUSE SHE CALLED ME! SHE BEGGED FOR HELP! AND DO YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MOTHER FUCKING BASTARD DID? HE LAUGHED? THE BASTARD JUST LAUGHED AND THEN….and then he…"
There was a silence in the Rec-Room as all four rogues watched the young woman sink to her knees sobbing violently, their faces all stiff and stricken.
Because all the craziness they had been diagnosed with, for all their heinous crimes they have committed, for all their bitterness they now held towards normal society…they too knew some form of empathy…
Especially when they saw the birth of someone just like them.
There were three times in Mina's life where she felt as empty as a shell.
The first was when she had been found in that nightclub all those years ago. That had been because she had been surrounded in a room full of dead bodies.
The second time she had been thirteen years old and her favorite pet dog (a small long haired dachshund) had died after being run over by a drunk driver while she was trying to walk it.
And now came the third time, her adoptive parents murdered by the Joker himself, for reasons even she knew nothing about.
Three times she had lost something precious…three times fate had fucked her over.
And so she sat, motionless and silent on the chair in the corridor outside Commissioner Gordon's office…that was until her phone buzzed in her pocket.
On autopilot she pulled it out and answered it, her voice all but dead and hollow.
"Hello"
"Where the hell are you?" A deep scrambled voice growled gruffly into her ear.
"The GCPD." Mina responded mechanically.
"Okay, good.…How are you holding up?"
"My mother and father both got murdered by that mother-fucking clown and his bitch. How do you think I'm holding up?" Mina spat into the receiver, doing her best to hold down the sudden blaze of fury that flared in her chest. Ghost however just stayed calm.
"Are you alone?"
"yes… but I'm outside the Commissioner's office"
"Is Batman there?"
"He's inside with Gordon" Mina's teeth gritted. "Though if I see his stupid black cowl again I might just shoot him"
"I don't blame you. But now's not the time to hurt the bat" Ghost snorted quietly "He's arranging with Gordon to get you some protection"
"I don't need protection. Least of all from him" Mina hissed venomously "Besides he's-"
"You should take it" Ghost steamrolled over her and when she spluttered he growled "Just listen to me alright. Batman is an asshole. But he's an asshole with contacts that can keep you safe. Right now Joker's sent some men to your home to look for you."
Mina's heart sank like a stone.
Crap…she'd forgotten about her own flat. Dingy and small…and the current residence of all her work from the-
"Don't worry" Ghost's voice seemed to smirk on the other end "I took the liberty of removing your laptop and files from the apartment before the clowns could get in. I'll get it all back to you once you're settled into a safe-house"
"And you've finished looking through them" Mina growled.
"And waste my time? Trust me woman, there is nothing in those files I didn't already know" Ghost snorted "But enough of that. The point is you need to keep your head low for a while till Joker and Quinn are caught. Take whatever safety you can get from Gordon and the Bat and any crazy that owes you favors inside the Asylum. Because you are seriously gonna need it."
"And my safety matters to you because?" Mina growled softly.
For a moment Ghost's end was silent, save for his slightly distorted breathing. And though she couldn't see his face, Mina could tell he was doing some quick thinking.
When he spoke again, his voice was slightly softer and more measured.
"I'll send you a number. Call it once you're at the safe house."
And before Mina could even say another word, there was a beep, and the call cut off.
"I know you probably want to keep an eye on her, but I think its best if you keep your distance this time. No offence but I think she's going to try and shoot you if she sees you again" Gordon hissed and Batman's jaw clenched.
Normally he would've rallied at once with an even more logical point, but this time even he could not argue with his ally, not when he was so right.
Mina Poole might have hated police but she hated the Batman even more. And the Dark Knight did not want to add to her troubles by having her arrested for attempting to kill him on the premises of the GCPD.
Therefore with a great deal of effort on his part, he grit his teeth and nodded stiffly.
"I'll continue the search for Joker and Quinn with Robin."
"and we'll continue searching on the ground as well." Gordon sighed to himself with relief as he turned to his drink's cabinet "Just my luck that Joker decides to break out at Christmas. Just what is he playing at this time?"
"He made his first debut appearance at Christmas, thirteen years ago" Batman growled. "The date has always held some significance to him"
"And the girl?" Gordon's weathered eyes hardened as he took a small sip of the glass of scotch.
"Nothing for certain" Batman admitted gruffly. "Only guesses and hints with no proof"
"He seems to have quite the obsession over her though" Gordon set down his glass to the side. "and this time it's different to all the other people he's personally targeted. Most of them had business dealings, but Mina-"
"had no previous connection or meeting with him" Batman finished gravely "Whatever Joker wants with her it's definitely more than just business."
Gordon folded his arms thoughtfully but
"Hmmm…it could be a grudge. She was working at the Asylum after all. Maybe she crossed him-"
"No" Batman snapped before pulling himself back quickly "No…Mina was kept out of Joker's way by her bosses at Arkham. And besides if what the guards at Arkham say is true, then Joker's been planning this breakout for a long time"
"He just needed the right excuse" Gordon nodded. "But that still doesn't change the fact that the girl's in danger. He knew where her parents lived, it's safe to say that he knows where she lives-"
"He does." Batman nodded his fists tightening ever so slightly though he mastered himself quickly. "But what he doesn't know is that Bruce Wayne still owes you a favor from last year"
There was a moment in which Gordon blinked in confusion. Then it hit him…though it did not improve his mood.
"You think that would work?" the Commissioner grunted before adding quickly "I-I mean I'm sure Wayne wouldn't mind. He's usually helpful in situations like this. But-"
But even as Gordon turned round the dark shadow of the bat was gone from the window.
"Hmph! Typical" he grunted, setting the glass of scotch back down on his desk. "Guess I've got to make a couple of calls then"
Doctor Hugo Strange had seen a lot of amazing things in his life and studies.
But none of those incredible accomplishments could compare to the sight that met him as he gazed at the two vials of blood held securely in the sterile box he had received them in.
He turned to his assistant, a meek gangly young man in a large lab coat and clipped:
"Take these samples to the lab and begin processing them at once."
"Yes sir" the assistant gulped as he gingerly took the now shut box and walked away doing his best to ignore the piercing stare of his boss who stared at him long after he had gone back into the lab.
If these two vials were what he thought they were, he would be closer than any other living being had ever been, in solving one of Arkham Asylum's greatest mysteries.
Oh if his hypothesis was right…he could become one of the most powerful men in all of Gotham!
Hugo Strange's lips slid upwards into a gleeful smirk.
Not long now…then we'll know-
His phone rang.
"Hugo Strange speaking" Doctor Strange responded in clinical but polite fashion, though his face was a scowl.
"Hello Doc. It's been a while"
Strange froze.
That voice…high…cold…giggling voice…
"You" the doctor growled anger coursing through his veins "Give me one reason why I shouldn't call the police right now"
The voice on the other end giggled.
"One reason huh? Would a magic trick count?"
"Magic what?" Strange's grip on the phone tightened but the giggle only became louder in his ear.
"Oh just a simple trick really. You see that lab of yours over there…the third door on the left yes? Well I'm gonna to make that room…disappear"
Strange didn't even have time to blink.
BANG!
One moment he was standing alone in his clean sterile lab corridor, the next, he was on his hands and kneesas he coughed and choked on smoke and smog whilst a loud alarm blared and fire sprinklers drenched him with water.
He struggled on the floor, ears ringing even as he scrambled to pick up his phone which was still miraculously working and still projecting the loud piercing giggles, which had now turned into shrieking cackles of ruthless mirth
"Ta-daa! It's... it's gone! HA-HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Happy Holidays Doc! HI-HIHIHIHIHIHIHIHEEE!"
"One day…One day…" Strange snarled as the call was switched off on the other end of the line "One day I'll find out what's behind that smile of yours. And I'll crush it…Joker…"
Hi guys. so another chapter is up after a long lousy week of computer problems (trust all my electrical devices to die around the new year) seriously it's like each machine of mine sensed it was the end of 2015 and decided "nope! sorry loser don't feel like working anymore" and then they died.
Oh well...now most of the problems are fixed and i can hopefully get back down to work.
And on that note...ahem...HAPPY BELATED NEW YEAR EVERYONE!
hope you enjoyed and keep reviewing for more
