A/N: Hey babies! Anyone ready to come after me with pitchforks yet? No? Okay we may change that soon but you'll have to read to see! And in my life I'm sitting here on a Friday night watching Focus and just rolling laughing because I can totally see Deadshot and Harley acting how Jess and Nick do, oooh my mind is corrupt….at any rate read CAREFULLY babies fate is not kind to those who have slipped its grasp.
Part 3, Chapter 3
Joker sat outside The Iceberg Lounge hidden by nightfall and the heavily tinted windows of the Lamborghini, he watched as couples slowly left the establishment chomping at the bit the only thing keeping him from storming in and making a scene was the little voice in his head that sounded like Harley telling him not to just to wait. Finally the last pair left and the doors closed behind them making Joker twitch to move in but the voice was still cautioning him to wait, he growled this voice was starting to annoy him more than Harley would if she was sitting beside him. Just as he reached for the handle of the door the doors of the lounge opened again and Bruce Wayne walked out with Selina Kyle on his arm and Penguin talking to them.
He growled at the voice again and he swore he could hear it giggle before he watched the power couple leave but once they were down the sidewalk Penguin turned his eyes meeting Joker's even in the dark and gave the slightest incline of his head before going back inside. Joker mentally poked at the voice of his little monster queen wondering if it had any other objections but it was quiet making him nod and finally step out of the car walking in the shadows into the lounge. As he entered he found Penguin sitting at a table a cigar between his lips as he waited, Joker growled slightly but took the chair across from him.
"You've been watchin' me like a hawk all evening J, what's gotten under that pale skin o' yours?"
Joker sneered but took the monogrammed ticket slip from his pocket sliding it across the table.
"Someone led me here with that, they took Harley earlier tonight. Where else to go but the rat in bird's clothing."
Penguin glanced at the note but then met Joker's eyes.
"I may believe in honor among thieves J but my services aren't free, not even for the king."
Joker chuckled shaking his head.
"Oh of course, where is my head? No your right."
He snapped his fingers and Frost came into the room carrying a briefcase which he set on the table and opened turning it to face Penguin.
"25,000 in cash here and now if you tell me what I want to know."
Penguin looked at the cash a smile crossing his lips as he flicked ash from his cigar.
"You must really wanna find that little song bird o' yours. Alright what is it you want to know?"
Joker pointed to the note.
"That symbol, does it have any meaning or belong to someone? It ain't no amituer that took Harley, they know what they are doing."
Penguin looked at the mark and smirked.
"Damon Gomez, him and his boys mostly do con work on unexpecting fools but occasionally they take up bounty huntin', weed out the competition one by one, I'd venture to guess your little bird has got quite the number on her head by now from the government and all they see lookin' at her is a doll and money."
Joker's body tensed and he clenched his jaw.
"What do you mean a doll."
Penguin shook his head.
"A doll, a toy, somethin' to take out their frustrations on then turn over black an' blue for the money on her head! They ain't known for treating their guests kindly J, if your bird's alive her wings are gonna be smashed and her mind finally unhinged."
Joker snarled bolting up front his seat.
"Where are they?!"
Penguin pointed west with his cigar.
"The old warehouse by the docks, it won't be no picnic gettin' in there though mate, they are always heavily prepared."
Joker ignored him as he stored out of the building back to the Lamborghini slamming the door after he was behind the wheel, his breathing ragged as he gripped the wheel so hard it was a wonder how it didn't break or warp. Once he was able to grab his phone without smashing it he called Frost and the rest of the goons telling them where to head before he headed off himself. Harley woke up with a skull splitting headache making her groan moving her hand to her head.
"Shit who let me down a bottle of tequila last night. Puddin'?"
She opened her eyes then screamed seeing she was in an unfamiliar filthy room. She scrambled until her back hit the rough concrete wall as she began hyperventilating her eyes darting around then stopping on the small barred slot with a man standing outside it. She got to her feet and stumbled to the door placing her hands on it for balance as she stood on her tip toes looking out.
"Hey kid."
The man jumped and looked at her his eyes wide making Harley shake her head.
"No no no, it's okay I'm locked in here ain't like I can do much anyway. No I just wanna know where I am."
The guy relaxed a little looking around before stepping closer.
"You're in the boss' hideout, waiting for your transport."
Harley's eyes widened as she looked at him.
"Transport?! What transport?!"
The man looked uneasy.
"Outta the city, outta state actually to a place called Belle Reve."
Harley felt her panic return as she shook her head.
"No! No no no! I can't go back! I won't! I have kids at home! Let me outta here come on please!"
The man's eyes widened at her panic but he shook his head.
"I can't do that."
Harley felt tears roll down her cheeks as she sank to the floor hugging her knees unaware that Andrew had slipped away to notify the boss that she was awake. When he returned he was carrying a plate of food and a glass of water, carefully he opened the slot and held the plate inside.
"Here, compliments of the boss."
Harley stood up and took the plate and glass still sniffling as she went back to the bed and sat down looking at the plate, it looked like a second grader's lunch of some kind of sandwich, oranges and a little cake. Scrunching her nose up at the sandwich she took a bite of the cake but stopped mid chew when she felt something hard between her teeth, she spit it out into her hand examining it then was nearly sick upon seeing half of a little white pill. She threw the pill and the food across the room quickly chugging the water but choked realizing it had an odd taste to it making her throw the glass across the room.
She could feel her body and mind going numb, toeing the line between awake and zonked out as she pressed her back against the wall, some how her mind registered the door open and a tall figure step to the foot of the mattress looming over her smirking evilly. As it advanced on her she vaguely recognized the hand gripping her chi and the wicked smile dangerously close to her face.
"Not so dangerous now are ya Harley. No Joker to save you, your body all numb and that unscrewed little mind of yours all outta wack."
Harley tried to growl and pull her head away but all she managed was a small sigh and a meek attempt at a head turn making Griggs laugh roughly shaking her head around.
"Hello anyone home in there?"
Harley managed to grip onto her bodily control long enough to spit in his face before a sharp slap across her cheek renders her completely paralyzed and numb her mind shutting down but somehow keeping her awake. She was forced against the wall making its rough texture cut her back but she couldn't make a sound as Griggs grabbed her nightie and ripped it off her.
Joker and his men reached the warehouse and found Penguin hadn't lied, it was crawling with guards each more armed than the last. Joker snarled ready to do what he did best, charging in first shooting down everyone in his way then asking questions later, but the little monster queen voice in his head piped up again.
'Don't!'
He growled at the voice smacking his head to shake it away before doing things his way. The first few outside guards were easily enough but then it became overwhelming, too many guns from too many places it was only a matter of time before the inevitable happened. It took a long minute before he felt it, searing pain in his shoulder, war liquid gushing down his front staining everything in its path. Looking at his shoulder he seen a bullet had gone clean through his flesh, he started laughing but it quickly turned into pained howls like a wounded animal. Seeing he was hurt Frost told the remaining men to fall back and retreat while he got Joker back to the car, Joker was bobbing in and out from blood loss and the whole time the Harley voice appeared before him as his queen looking at him crossly with her arms crossed and her lips in a firm line.
'I told ya so. Ya need help Mr. J, his help.'
Before he could mumble any form of asking who the hell she was talking about she was gone and his vision was black. When he woke up he sat ramrod straight then biased in pain as his shoulder burned, movement on his left made his head snap over to see the source and found Ivy sitting beside the bed arms and legs crossed. He groaned leaning back against the pillows realizing he was back home and without Harley still.
"You're an idiot."
Joker leered at her.
"Watch it houseplant before I blow a hole in your shoulder."
Ivy rolled her eyes getting to her feet and checking something beside the bed, as he looked he found an IV bag and she was holding a needle in her fingers making him growl.
"You wouldn't dare, Harley would hate you for the rest of her life."
Ivy rolled her eyes again.
"Oh shut up already! It's to get rid of the pain, besides if you don't think of something Harley isn't going to have much of a life left to hate me if I did kill your sorry ass."
He watched as she pressed the needle into the bag and pushed the plunger halfway down injecting pain killers that soon eased the burning in his shoulder to a tolerable throb before sitting down again.
"That messed up brain of yours has got to have some kind of twisted plan for getting through. It's been 24 hours and I wouldn't give it another 12 before they take Harl in and hand her over, it'd be are luck they don't lock her up in some prison but send her to the electric chair."
Joker gave a humorless laugh.
"They don't do the electric chair anymore, it's all injection now and she'd die in death row before they got to her. But as much as it burns my tongue like acid to say it ya have a point, she won't last long she'll fight tooth and nail but even Harley ain't that strong."
He thought over what the Harley voice had told him and sighed as the pieces clicked together making him growl pinching the bridge of his nose.
"Get this outta me."
Ivy looked at him raising a brow.
"What?"
He snarled gesturing to the IV with his good hand.
"This damned thing! Get it outta me!"
Ivy looked ready to argue but quickly gave up and took the port out watching as he got to his feet and left the room, she followed.
"Where are you going?! You can't seriously be thinking of going and charging in head first again!"
She yelled in a whisper being sure Lucy and JJ wouldn't wake up but Joker just growled at her.
"Shut up and stay here, keep the kids outta trouble and danger."
Ivy leered at him but didn't try to stop him as he left yet again making her throw up her hands.
"And they wonder why I hate him! Stupid man!"
Joker ignored his goons as he left the building quickly making his way across the city through the allies until he reached the building he was looking for. With some effort he climbed the fire escape until he reached the roof looking out over Gotham his breathing labored before he walked over to the center of the roof and flipped a large switch. As the switch flipped the sky was suddenly lit with a sign that all too often meant trouble for him, he leaned on the signal hissing as his shoulder began to twinge in pain.
"I can't believe I'm doin' this."
He watched the city below as the residents went about their lives for once free from his chaotic terror, just begging to be disturbed but getting Harley mattered more right now. He felt the slight gust of wind behind him making him smile but not turn around.
"Bats."
Batman watched the clown prince carefully keeping his guard up despite being able to see that the other man was clearly wounded.
"Joker."
Joker sighed turning to face him forcing a smile.
"I suppose you're wondering why I, of all people, called you out here."
Batman stayed silent watching him rather than answer making the Joker's smile fall as he growled trying to make the bitter words leave his throat.
"I need...I need your help."
That took Batman aback a little but he kept the surprise off his face.
"With what?"
Joker kept his eyes over the city.
"Some jackass took Harley right from under my nose, from our home with the kids sleeping right in the other room, and are probably using her like a tube sock at a college frat party before they send her off the the government again."
Batman inwardly winced at the blunt statement but shook his head.
"Why should I? So the both of you can cause more trouble?"
Joker clenched his teeth but let the mask slip.
"Because she's all I've got, I don't figure you'd understand but she's the only thing in this world that I actually give a shit about, her and the kids. If I lose her I'm nothing, I'd be sitting in Arkham rotting away and the kids would be who the hell knows where miserable because their mother is gone and daddy is locked up not giving a damn! Believe me or don't I don't care but without her you may as well take me in now because living isn't worth it."
Batman was only able to stare at Joker after his confession. His better judgment was screaming for him not to do it but he understood somehow what Joker was talking about. He sighed looking at the other man taking in his injured shoulder.
"Fine, I'll help you get her back but what do I get out of it?"
Joker gave a laugh shaking his head.
"So Batman is like any other man alive, name your price Bats."
Batman narrowed his eyes.
"A low profile from you, both of you."
Joker sneered but nodded.
"Fine, do we have a deal or not?"
Batman nodded.
"It's a deal."
Batman watched him carefully.
"What do you know about the situation, I'm guess that wound isn't from some household accident."
Joker shifted his shoulder hissing.
"A gang leader named Damon Gomez sent his men in and they took her without anyone knowing while I was distracted and took her to an old warehouse on the west end. Me and my guys went to get her on our own but the place is guarded like the crown of England, a firefight broke out and I get shot clean through before we even get inside. She's been there 24 hours already and I'm doubting she'll have another 12 before they ship her off."
Batman took in the details before starting to walk off.
"Get whatever men you have left ready and meet at the docks in an hour, I'll have blueprints of the building's layout and we can find a weak point."
Joker said nothing watching as Batman disappeared back into the night before turning off the signal and looking out at the city's west end where the warehouse was.
"Don't worry baby, daddy's comin' for ya."
Harley lay on the mattress tears running from her eyes like rivers as feeling came back to her body, her back was raw and bloody, her neck was covered in bruises, she could feel a lump forming on the back of her head, and her most intimate areas burned. She curled into a tight ball quietly sobbing, she felt helpless for the first time in years she couldn't have fought back if she wanted too and now she was feeling like a common slut. She let out a strangled sob as the voices rushed forward being released from the grip of whatever she'd been drugged with.
'You stupid girl, you should have known better!'
'Idiot now he'll never want you IF he ever saves your ass.'
'He isn't coming for you, he doesn't care that much about you.'
Harley started screaming at the top of her lung holding her head trying to drown out the voices but it didn't do her any good it just made them louder and louder until she couldn't take it anymore and did the only thing she could think. She forced herself up and closed her eyes slamming her head against the wall until she knocked herself out watching the black spots eat her vision until her mind went silent her her body went numb again.