The next chapter of The Tapes.
Poison Ivy glares at Harley Quinn, as the thugs look at each other in confusion.
"So, let me get this straight." Ivy says, "You came to me, crying crocodile tears and begging for me to help take back the Steel Mill, just so your lunatic boyfriend could laugh his ass off in his grave."
"Aw, come on, Red." Harley replies, smiling. "It's not the worst thing I've ever done. Besides, if I told you the truth, I knew you wouldn't help me. You have to give me credit though, I did put on a star-studded performance. Oh, Ivy, it's terrible! That mean ol' Kane turned my boys against me and had me locked up for days! Heh, heh!" Ivy groans, shaking her head. "Aw, don't get all bent out or shape, Red." Harley says, "With Puddin' gone, I'll need someone to help run the place. Right, boys?" The thugs look at Harley, some still very confused.
"Wait, so does this mean she's in charge again?" a thug questions.
"Take a good look at what's behind me, boys." Harley says, waving one of her revolvers back at the venus fly trap behind her and Ivy, "Which side do ya really wanna be on?" The towering plant lets out an agressive snarl, striking fear into the thugs.
"Uh... yeah, I'm with Harley!" one of the thugs states.
"Hey, I was on her side from the git-go!" another thug informs, as the others also seem to agree.
"You ungrateful, cowardly sons of bitches!" Kane yells, as he stuggles to make it to his feet, "After all I've done for you, this is how you repay me? You jump ship at the first sign of trouble!"
"What's the matter, is poor little Kane too afraid to fight a couple of girls by himself?" Harley questions, mockingly. Kane notices his SOCOM on the ground and attempts to pick it up, only for all of thugs to aim their guns at him. "Ah, ah, ah, I wouldn't do that if I was you." Harley informs. Kane glares at Harley, as he stands back up and leaves the SOCOM on the ground. "That's a good boy." Harley says, giving a wicked smile.
"If you're planning on killing us, Quinn, then stop wasting our time." Batman states.
"Hey, just a thought here, but I'd rather not die today." Nightwing replies, glaring at Batman.
"Oh, now you're eager to die!" Harley growls, "If only you were like this sooner, Mistah J would still be alive! But I'm not gonna kill ya yet, Bats! Oh no! First, I want you to get on your knees and beg me to forgive you!"
"That's not going to happen, Quinn." Batman informs, sounding stern.
"Then you'd rather have a bullet in the head?" Harley questions, aiming her guns at Batman's head.
"If I won't have to listen to you anymore, then yes." Batman answers.
"AH, why are you so mean!" Harley screams, angry, "Why can't you ever be nice to us?"
"Because justice isn't nice, Quinn." Batman replies.
"You're pissing her off." Nightwing informs, keeping his volume low.
"That's the point." Batman states.
"Getting us killed?" Nightwing questions.
"Buying us time." Batman answers, looking around the room for a way of escape.
"Harley, stop wasting time and kill the bastards already!" Ivy orders.
"Don't rush me!" Harley yells, angry, "The only one allowed to rush me is Puddin'!"
"He's dead, Harley, get over it!" Ivy replies.
"You will be too if you don't shut ya yap!" Harley states, pointing a revolver at Ivy, taking her back a bit.
"Calm down, Harley!" Ivy says.
"No, I'm tired of takin' orders from people!" Harley informs, enraged, "From now on, the only one givin' orders 'round here is me!"
"Then, you all might as well put a bullet in your heads now." Kane informs, looking at the thugs, "Because if she's giving the orders, then you're all as good as dead." Now, completely enraged, Harley turns and fires a shot at Kane, sending a bullet into his lower abdomen. "AAHH!" Kane screams in agony, as he falls backwards to the ground. Batman and Nightwing quickly crouch down to Kane, attempting to aid him.
"Don't bother." Harley says, "Just let the boob bleed out. You have bigger things to worry about now."
"What are you hoping to accomplish by all of this, Harley?" Batman questions.
"Revenge, B-man, what do ya think?" Harley states, "Revenge for my dear sweet Puddin' that you took from me!"
"Is that what you think he wants?" Batman replies, "Revenge? That isn't Joker style. He's not about vengeance, he's about the punchline. Which you're planning to ruin by killing us. You heard Joker himself, he has more gags he plans to pull. Gags at my expense."
"S-shut up!" Harley orders, "You don't know what he wants! Mistah J would be proud of me if I killed you right now!"
"I know the Joker better than anyone else, Harley." Batman informs, "In his warped and twisted view of reality, the only one capable of killing me is him." Harley is hesitant for a moment, then points the revolver at Batman again.
"I'm not letting you talk your way out of this one, Bats." Harley states, "Not now, not ever again."
"If that's the case, then why is your hand shaking?" Batman questions, as Harley takes notice of this, "It's because you know I'm right, and you don't want to pull the trigger. Because you know that if you do, you'll disappoint Mr. J.""
"STOP IT!" Harley screams, enraged, "Stop messin' with my head!"
"But isn't that exactly what the Joker did, Harley?" Batman replies, "Mess with your head? I thought that you'd be used to it by now." Harley stamps he feet in another tantrum.
"NO MORE GAMES!" Harley yells, as she continues to point the revolver at Batman with a steady hand.
"Man, she is pissed." one thug whispers.
"Say goodbye, Bat Freak!" Harley says, as she goes to pull the trigger. All of a sudden, the security door to Joker's office rises, alerting everyone in the room. "Ah, not this crap again!" Harley groans, "Alright, listen up, bozos! If you see anything, and I mean ANYTHING come down from there, I want ya to pump it full of more lead than a Chinese toy factory! GOT IT!"
"Yes, Ma'am!" a thug replies, as the thugs watch the door.
"You're taking too much time, kill the Bat." Ivy groans, shaking her head. Just then, a hooded figure flies out of the office and lands behind Harley and Ivy.
"KILL 'EM!" Harley orders, tackling Ivy down to the ground for cover. The thugs open fire on the figure, sending bullet after bullet through it. Many of the bullets stray and enter into the stem of the fly trap behind the figure. The fly trap roars in agony, as it's stem is weakened by each bullet.
"NOOOO!" Ivy screams, "MY BABY!" The stem of the fly trap giveways and the plant crumbles to the ground with a echoing boom, shaking the enter building and filling the room with a thick cloud of dust.
"Alright, he's dead, we get it!" Harley yells, causing the thugs to stop firing. Harley stands to her feet and Ivy looks up at her dying plant, with tears in her eyes. As the cloud of dust clears, Harley sees the bullet riddled figure still standing to her amazement. She then notices that the figure is actually the mannequin with her nurse outfit, with a hooded cape placed over it. "Ah, crap!" Harley says in realization. Batman looks at Nightwing, who nods at him and grabs the wounded Kane. They both pull out smoke pellets and throw them to the ground, shrouding them in smoke. Harley quickly turns around, only to see the three grapple out of the smoke and up to the Joker's office. "NO!" Harley screams, as she opens fire on them. They manage to make it to cover inside the office, avoiding Harley Quinn's gunfire. Batman looks over to notice Robin pressing a switch, causing the security door to slam shut again.
"Miss me?" Robin questions, smirking.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Batman demands to know.
"Saving your ass." Robin answers, raising an eyebrow.
I hope you enjoyed this chapter. What will happen next? Please Review. Thanks.