The Mansion Safe House:
Jonathan was startled awake by the violent vibration of his phone on the nightstand. He glanced over at Jester, relieved to see he hadn't woken her up with his movements. He shifted carefully as he moved closer to his nightstand, picking up his phone and checking the time. 1:17 AM. He had three missed calls from Ruiz and two from Bane, along with 8 text messages from both men and Joker.
"Dammit," he murmured, scrubbing a hand down his face and leaning back against the headboard, reading through the text messages first.
'12:56 AM: Where is Jester? Is she ignoring me or asleep?'
'12:57 AM: I assume you're both too busy fucking to answer the phone?'
'12:59 AM: Tell her I'll be calling her in the morning.'
'1:03 AM: Problem at Giggles. Come ASAP.'
'1:05 AM: Where are you guys?'
'1:08 AM: Maroni and Zsasz in VIP pestering Bane about lounge. You guys awake?'
'1:11 AM: Why aren't you guys answering? Shit, you're both asleep, aren't you?'
'1:15 AM: El Diablo, Maroni and Zsasz are requesting to speak to Mortifera. I would throw them out, but I do not want to aggravate Mortifera. What would you have me do?'
If you get up, she will wake up. She always knows when her bed partner is gone.
And if I return these phone calls right here, she'll wake up and be even more stressed and aggravated than she was before. She's only been asleep for a couple of hours. I don't want her waking up and going down there to sort this out.
We both know she'll insist on going and handling it despite the extra frustration it'll cause her.
This is a bad time for Joker to be locked up.
Yes, the cocky green-haired fuck. How unfortunate that he can't be here to further upset our sweet little clown.
We need to stay out of that. That's not even the point – the point is if he were here, he'd be off to handle it by himself and she'd let him. I doubt she'd let me go without her.
Looks like we are waking her up, Jonathan. I'll be lurking.
Let's hope Zsasz and Maroni will leave without issue. There has been more than enough bloodshed today to last us a week.
If you can't handle it, then by all means – hand me the reins. I'd be more than happy to spill as much blood as my precious little hellcat desires.
She needs rest, not bloodshed! Come on, Scarecrow, give her a break. She had a horrible day, she needs to relax and unwind.
She needs to spill more blood and take out all that pent up rage and hostility. I only got a fraction of it out of her tonight... not that I'm complaining.
Do try to control yourself, you depraved deviant.
She'd let you brutalize her too, you know... you need only ask.
I'd prefer not to slap her around and call her such derogatory names. That can be your thing.
Jonathan tuned Scarecrow's delighted, wicked cackling out and sighed. He leaned over and brushed Jester's hair out of her face, hating himself for what he was about to do.
"Jester, my love," he muttered, pressing kisses along her arm, shoulder, neck and face. "I need you to wake up, darling."
She groaned a little and shifted further away from him, making a half-hearted swat in his direction.
"I know you're tired, baby. I'm so sorry to wake you up but I know you wouldn't want me to handle Zsasz and Maroni without you."
"Wha... Huh? Maroni?" Her voice was dry and raspy from sleep and all of her screaming and crying earlier.
"Maroni and Zsasz are at Giggles pestering Bane and Ruiz about speaking to you. Apparently they won't leave. Bane wants to forcefully remove them but isn't sure if that's what you'd want."
"Well, since they're fucking interrupting my sleep, I'm going to kill them both." She snarled angrily, shooting up out of bed and storming into the bathroom.
Scarecrow groaned, running his hands through his disheveled hair. "How many kills is that in 24 hours, I wonder?"
She's close to 20 for the day if she kills these two morons.
Lovely.
It IS the reason you fell in love with her, remember? All that talk about psychological warfare at that first meeting? She had you wrapped around her little finger in an instant...
That's before I realized how much baggage she's carrying around and how traumatized she is. She needs rest and relaxation. She needs a few days to decompress. She hasn't spent good quality time with Ace in awhile. She needs a few days to just be a mother.
So let her kill the two morons and then she can have her RR. You aren't wrong, but she needs to handle this. They are overstepping and need to be dealt with or else it will continue and become a bigger issue for her.
Point taken. If this little meeting causes her any more stress or frustration, I'm going to annihilate the idiots myself. She has had enough today. This is ridiculous.
Let me – after all, I can shred them with my claws. Or burn them. Or rip their souls out through their mouths... just shove my long, gnarled claws right down their throats and -
Got it. Thank you for that lovely image.
Jonathan shook his head and got out of bed, heading out of the bedroom and towards his room downstairs for a change of clothes. He stopped outside the nursery door, peering through the crack and listening to the babies. They were fast asleep, much to his relief, and he smiled at the dogs when they caught his eye from where they both lay in front of the crib. "Good puppies," he whispered, quickly darting for the stairs.
*
Dressed in a navy blue long sleeve v-neck shirt, a pair of black chinos and black leather loafers, Jonathan made his way out of his room and down the hall to Catwoman's. His hair was still a mess but he didn't care, only having put in enough effort to smooth it down a little. He had a new pair of contacts in, reminding himself not to rub his tired eyes as he gently rapped on her door, clenching his jaw in anticipation of the woman ripping his head off for waking her.
"What is it?" She was half asleep when she answered the door, draped in one of Tommy's t-shirts with her hair tied up in a bun at the crown of her head.
"My sincerest apologies for waking you, Selina. Jester and I need to leave. Maroni and Zsasz showed up at the club and won't leave without speaking to Jester."
He bit back a laugh at the comical way her eyes widened in shock and her mouth fell open. "Zsasz? Zsasz? Crane, has the demon rattled your mind a little too much? Victor Zsasz is dead. You were there."
"Three words, Selina," Jonathan gave her a serious look, slipping his hands into his pockets as he leaned against the door frame. "Doctor Hugo Strange." He wrinkled his nose in distaste, his narcissism kicking in at the thought of a lunatic like that having such a title. The word tasted like vinegar in his mouth.
"I regret everything I said about things being too quiet lately," Catwoman sighed, rubbing her eyes with her balled-up fists. "What do you need from me?"
"I just need someone to look after the little ones. They were fast asleep when I checked on them, all you need to do is turn on your monitor."
"That's all? I thought you were gonna ask me to suit up and go with you, which I'm begrudgingly considering anyway since that nutjob Zsasz is back."
"Bane and Ruiz are there, and I'll be with her. The goal is to find out what they want and get them out as smoothly and quickly as possible. I want her to stay here and get some rest for the next few days, she needs a break." Jonathan sighed, running a hand through his messy hair. "I'm furious that I had to wake her up for this."
"Listen to me, Crane. You don't know Maroni like I do – she'll have to kill him if the meeting doesn't go well. Maroni's like a spoiled child, if he doesn't get what he wants he throws a tantrum." Catwoman's expression hardened and her eyes flashed with malice. "He'll wage war on us and that's the last thing any of us need, especially with the boys in Blackgate and all the plans we have for the Bat-Family."
"Duly noted," Jonathan gave her a curt nod and straightened up. "Thank you, Selina. Would you like me to let you know when we're home?"
"I'll know," Catwoman winked at him and waited for him to retreat before closing her door. She turned on her baby monitor and slipped back into bed, hoping to get a few more hours of sleep before the morning sickness reared its ugly head.
Jonathan's eyes widened as he reentered the master bedroom and found Jester. She was dressed in her bodysuit with her matching boots and gloves, her makeup redone and her hair thrown up in a messy high ponytail. She was armed to the teeth as usual with both holsters and her belt on, looking like a clown cosplay of Lara Croft. That wasn't what concerned him, however – no, it was the loaded 12 gauge shotgun with a pistol grip in her hands.
He simply raised an eyebrow at her, not even sure where to begin.
"As you're well aware, I don't fucking like being woken up," she snapped, her eyes darkening with her fury. "And I've had one hell of a day."
"Indeed. Let's go, my love." He bit the inside of his cheek to try and stop the grin slowly spreading across his face and pulled her black petticoat off of the back of the door. He draped it over her and held the heavy shotgun as she slipped her arms into the sleeves. He let her have her way, giving her back the shotgun and keeping up with her as she raged through the house like a natural disaster on her way to the garage.
*
Giggles Nightclub:
Jester didn't bother parking in the back when they pulled up to the club. The GNX screeched to a loud halt just inches away from the main doors and Jester wasted no time getting out, pulling the shotgun out of the backseat and racking it as she stormed through the main entrance of the club. Jonathan nodded curtly at all of Bane's men as he followed Jester, staying hot on her heels as she stormed up the stairs and violently kicked in the doors to the second floor, stopping everything and everyone in the room.
The music stopped, the dancers stopped, the bartenders stopped, and everyone's heads swiveled to find Jester looking feral and unhinged with the huge shotgun slung over her shoulder. "What the fuck are you looking at?" She barked, glaring daggers at the crowd in front of her.
"You wanted Mortifera? You got her," Bane smirked at Don Maroni and Victor Zsasz, leaning back arrogantly against the cushions of the booth. "In all of her glory, too."
Ruiz chuckled, watching as the crowd parted like the red sea for her, noticing the slight amusement on Jonathan Crane's face as he followed her into the VIP section.
"Hey honey," Jester quipped, pecking Officer Santos on the cheek and giving him a quick one-armed hug in greeting. He was standing just before the booth with Officer Deckard beside him, watching Don Maroni and Victor Zsasz carefully from around the corner. "Whatcha doin' here?"
"We'll talk about that later," he whispered, looking over her shoulder to nod a greeting at Jonathan. "We're here if you need us, Miss Jester."
Jester flashed him a dazzling smile and pat his cheek gently before moving past him and shoulder-checking Officer Deckard, giving him a nasty glare when she caught him ogling the marks on her throat, chest, and arms. "If you can't control your eyes, I'd be happy to remove them for you."
"Are you... are you okay?" Officer Deckard's eyebrows knit together in confusion and concern and Jester rolled her eyes, gripping his jaw hard enough to make him wince.
"J doesn't pay you to ask questions, Daryl," she sneered, releasing him roughly and smirking when he stumbled a little.
Jonathan chuckled behind her, leering at Officer Deckard over her head. "Let me worry about her," he drawled, narrowing his eyes at the man. "We appreciate your concern, though."
He followed Jester into the booth and nodded a quick greeting to Bane and Ruiz as he leaned against the wall with his arms crossed. Jester was standing just a couple of feet in front of Don Maroni with the shotgun aimed right at his chest, her eyes darkening significantly.
"This better be worth being woken up, Sal," she snapped, glaring at the amused mafia Don. "Or I'm going to pull this trigger and feed whatever scraps are left to my dogs."
"Such a big threat from such a small woman," Don Maroni mused, smiling at her. "That shotgun probably weighs more than you do."
Jester wasn't amused. She lifted the muzzle of the gun and rested it just underneath his chin, holding his head up and forcing him to look her in the eye. "You're in no position to talk to me about weight," she said coldly, raising an eyebrow at him.
"I am in a position to talk to you about the Iceberg Lounge, sweetheart," Don Maroni countered, leaning back and draping his arms over the booth. Victor Zsasz looked affronted, scooting further away from the Don and out from under the man's arm. Don Maroni chuckled at that, clearly amused by his hired gun's discomfort.
Jester clenched her jaw, her temper flaring at the pet name. She hated when men placated her and patronized her, she especially hated when they called her pet names like that.
Bane, Ruiz, and Jonathan looked on in amusement, knowing exactly what was about to happen. Don Maroni had just unknowingly signed his death warrant.
Jester held the shotgun out to Bane, not taking her eyes off of Don Maroni for a second as she pulled her garrote from her tactical belt once her hands were free. "You know, I expected you to be a little more intelligent," Jester said coolly, slowly stretching out the garrote and admiring how well she cleaned it after the Funhouse. "I already told your errand boy over here that I would not meet with you and I do not negotiate. Now you show up here, on J's turf, and you patronize me with pet names."
"I'd just like to say I'm not an errand boy and I did mention that this was not a good idea," Victor Zsasz grinned at her and leaned back comfortably in his seat, folding one leg over the other. "I only came for that drink you owe me."
"Who do you work for?" Don Maroni snapped, glaring at Victor Zsasz.
Victor shrugged, eyeing Jester and choosing his next words very carefully. "Only the most powerful in Gotham City, of course."
"Oh, I owe you a round, Zsasz... just not the kind you're thinking about," Jester bit out.
"You wound me, Queen Bee," Victor pouted, putting a hand over his heart. "I just wanna be friends."
"She has enough friends, Victor," Jonathan growled from behind her, pinning the lunatic with his gaze.
"Enough of this," Jester barked, stretching the garrote out menacingly and looming over Don Maroni. "J wanted me to carve your face up real nice and keep you half-alive for him if you stepped on my toes or sent anyone to the lounge." She grinned wickedly at him and brought her face closer to his, her dark eyes boring into his own. "Unfortunately for you, I don't always obey orders."
"This is the part where I say 'I told you so.'" Victor moved out of Jester's way.
Don Maroni scowled at Victor before turning his attention back to the dark-eyed madwoman in front of him, keeping his cool despite how close he knew he was to having his head savagely lopped off. "I only meant to introduce myself, dear," he said smoothly, giving her a small smile that she assumed must've been his attempt at a genuine one. She narrowed her eyes at him, not buying it one bit. "As far as the lounge goes, I was only going to offer my congratulations and praise for your wonderful idea."
"What do you want, Maroni?" Jonathan snaked his arms around Jester's waist from behind and pulled her body flush against his, holding her away from the mafia Don. "My patience is wearing thin."
"You've either got brass balls or a death wish, Doctor Crane," Don Maroni mused, raising an eyebrow at Jonathan's arms around Jester's waist. He raked his eyes over the small woman, examining the bites, hickeys, bruises, and fingerprints all over her exposed skin. "You fucked the Clown's broad? I sure hope it was worth it." He chuckled, missing the way everyone in the booth bristled at his words – including Victor.
"Forgive me," Jonathan let go of Jester and stepped around her, closing in on Don Maroni. "I'm afraid I couldn't quite hear you over there. Care to repeat yourself?"
Jester giggled, toying with the garrote in her hands as she watched Jonathan loom over the idiot. Don Maroni had no idea how badly he fucked up in just the last ten minutes, let alone by stepping foot into Giggles in the first place. She would let him have this kill. She was tired, annoyed, and wanted to go home.
"Bad move," Bane chided, grinning at Don Maroni as he stood and got out of Jonathan's way. Ruiz had backed away as well, everyone giving Jonathan more than enough space for what he was about to do. They all knew what was coming. Victor seemed to take the hint, slipping out of the booth and shrugging at Don Maroni when the mafia don looked to him for assistance.
"Sorry, Don," Victor was anything but sympathetic or sorry, shoving his hands in his pockets as he leaned against a wall a safe distance away.
Moments later, the familiar sound of breaking bones, popping joints, shredding clothing and growling broke the silence in the booth. Jester cackled wickedly as Don Maroni shrieked like a girl, recoiling and cowering from Scarecrow's true form.
Scarecrow didn't allow him to escape, grabbing the man by the throat and squeezing until his face turned red and his veins bulged through his skin. "You shouldn't have come here," Scarecrow's demonic growl ripped through the entire club and screams, shouts, and shrieks of surprise and terror broke out across the floor, nearly deafening the group in the VIP. Scarecrow ignored the patrons, dancers, and bartenders as they scrambled to get out, pushing and shoving and trampling each other in their haste. "Jester," he beckoned her over with his free hand, keeping his eyes on the gurgling, sputtering man in his grip. "What will you have me do, my love?"
She shot him a dazzling smile, trailing her fingers down his large, muscular arm. "Teach him some manners, would ya?"
Scarecrow grinned down at her, stroking her hair lovingly and gently trailing his claws down her spine. "Your wish is my command, my little hellcat," he purred, waiting patiently for her to retreat from the booth before turning his attention back to Don Maroni.
Officer Santos and Officer Deckard both cringed, grimaced, and shuddered as the 8-foot tall beast tore Don Maroni apart with his long, sharp claws. The guttural, feral sounds that came from the beast as he worked made their blood run cold and their stomachs churn. Don Maroni's initial blood-curdling screams certainly didn't help – they were both thankful when those stopped, though they weren't sure which sounds were worse.
"Maybe you'll heed my warning now," Officer Santos scolded, glaring at his partner.
Scarecrow began burning the remaining pieces of Don Maroni with his hands, cackling as the smell of burning flesh permeated the air. Officer Deckard just nodded at his partner and clapped a hand over his mouth before sprinting off towards the restroom, barely making it into a stall before losing the contents of his stomach.
"I knew something was different about him!" Victor Zsasz was watching the grotesque slaughter with glee, grinning from ear to ear. "I knew it!"
"I wouldn't be so amused if I were you," Bane's voice drew his attention and he found the hulking luchador grinning at him. "El Diablo will not let you walk out of here."
"Let's not be too hasty," Jester cut in, sauntering up to Victor and looking up at him curiously. "I have questions for the walking scratch post. We should take him back with us and lock him up in Scarecrow's gas chamber."
"I'll go willingly, you know. Force isn't necessary." Victor raised an eyebrow at her.
"I don't trust you, Zsasz. You know the drill." Jester motioned to Bane and Bane laughed boisterously, using the grip of the shotgun to knock Victor out cold. Victor dropped like a sack of potatoes to the ground, his eyes fluttering shut as he sprawled out on the floor. Bane lifted him by the scruff of his suit and slung him over his shoulder like he would a dishrag, ruffling Jester's hair affectionately and nodding at Officer Santos before making his way towards the back door with Ruiz in tow.
"To answer your question," Officer Santos smiled kindly at Jester, leaning against the wall beside her. "We were following Zsasz and Maroni. Caught them lurking outside your new lounge, watching your henchmen unloading a tractor-trailer. We followed them here from the lounge and I thought we should stick around in case they caused a problem."
"Good thing Scarecrow got rid of him, then," Jester chirped, winking at him. "What kind of retaliation should I expect for this?" She nodded towards the booth where Scarecrow was slowly transforming back into Jonathan's body, all signs of Don Maroni's existence completely erased from the booth as though nothing ever happened. All that remained was a pile of ash in a tray on the table.
"None," Officer Santos assured her. "Word has it he hired Zsasz as a bodyguard after his guys tucked tail and ran. After J killed Falcone, smaller families scattered like cockroaches. No one in their right mind would try and challenge Joker for Falcone's and Black Mask's territories and empires."
"Is that what Maroni wanted? A piece of the Falcone's and Black Mask's territories?"
"Undoubtedly," Officer Santos confirmed. "He had been gunning for Falcone for awhile, wanting to take him out so he could be top dog. J doing it royally fucked up his attempt to climb the totem pole."
"Let me guess. He thought since Joker and Johnny are locked away in Blackgate, he could approach me and deceive me into handing over a percentage of everything, thinking I wouldn't know any better?"
Officer Santos laughed, patting her on the shoulder. "Precisely, kiddo," he mused. "People still underestimate you, Miss Jester. They have no idea what you're capable of. I think it's your lack of height."
"Shut up," Jester grinned and playfully shoved him.
*
The Mansion Safe House:
Jonathan woke up the next morning to loud music blaring from somewhere in the house. He shook his head, getting his wits about him and waking himself up. He noticed Jester wasn't in bed and assumed she must be the culprit behind the loud music, smiling a little to himself as he wondered just what she was up to. He rolled out of bed and stretched, forgoing a shirt and making his way downstairs in just his flannel pajama pants.
He found Jester in the kitchen with Harley, both of them using their cleaning instruments as mics and guitars as they cleaned, danced and shouted their heads off. Ace and Reina were in their highchairs, happily watching the two women, all of them oblivious to his presence. Jonathan laughed, making his way through the kitchen to the counter where he saw a pot of hot coffee waiting. He reached into the cabinet above it and pulled out a black and yellow Batman logo mug, scowling at it in distaste as he poured coffee into it.
"Mornin', handsome!" Jester crept up behind him and nipped at his shoulder, her broom/mic stand in hand.
"Good morning, love," he turned to face her and shot her a grin, leaning down to press a kiss to her lips. "I see you and Harley are having fun."
"The most fun!" Harley chirped, dancing around the kitchen and tickling the babies' cheeks.
Ace and Reina both giggled, wiggling and kicking in their chairs. Ace reached out for Harley, his chubby little fingers wiggling with excitement. Harley tossed the brillo pad she had been using as a mic into the sink and scooped Ace into her arms, dancing around the kitchen with him. They were both giggling like lunatics, lost in their own little world.
"I felt like doing some cleaning," Jester motioned around the kitchen and the disarray it was currently in.
"I see that," Jonathan mused, using his free arm to pull her close to him. "Am I to assume you're feeling better today?"
"Much!" She snuggled into him, leaning her broom against the counter so she could wrap both arms around him. "How about you?"
"Much better than I was last night." He grimaced at the memory of coming home smelling like burnt flesh and hot coals the night before, hopping into the shower as soon as he possibly could to wash the stench off of him. Sure, Scarecrow got to have his fun, but Jonathan didn't enjoy being covered in the resulting scent of it. "He's certainly pleased with himself."
"It was one hell of a show," Jester smirked up at him, tapping him on the chin with her finger. "Officer Deckard puked his brains out."
Jonathan's expression darkened. "I didn't like the way he looked at you. I certainly didn't appreciate his implication, either."
"He's just jealous," Jester purred. "He wishes he could bite me."
"It is much too early for you two to start fucking," Catwoman sauntered into the kitchen looking a little worse for wear. She had bags under her dark-rimmed eyes, her hair was falling out of the bun on top of her head and she was pale and clammy.
"What happened to you?" Jester narrowed her eyes at her friend, abandoning Jonathan to turn the music down and take a closer look at Catwoman.
"Just a little bug," Catwoman shrugged her off, making her way over to the kitchen counter and pouring herself some coffee. "I'll be fine."
"Don't pass it to the rest of us," Harley gave her a wary look from across the kitchen, keeping her distance with Ace in her arms.
"You guys won't catch it," Catwoman assured her, rolling her eyes at Harley's defensive behavior. "Don't worry."
"Wait a minute..." Jester got closer to Catwoman, almost nose to nose with the woman. She jabbed her finger into her friend's shoulder accusingly, pinning her with her gaze. "Bugs are contagious. It can't be a bug."
Jonathan's eyes widened and he cleared his throat awkwardly, sipping at his coffee to try and hide his shock. He had an inkling that Catwoman's problem wasn't a virus or bacterial infection of any kind and was something else entirely.
"I'm fine," Catwoman insisted, looking down her nose at Jester. "Do you mind?"
Jester wouldn't back down, examining her friend closely. She suddenly lifted Catwoman's sleep shirt, leaning down to examine her belly. "You got somethin' cookin' in here, kitty?"
"Jesus Christ," Catwoman tugged her shirt back down and shooed Jester away with her hand. "I'm fine!"
"Yeah, if 'fine' means 'pregnant,'" Jester quipped, giving her friend a sly grin. "You're pregnant, aren't ya?"
Catwoman pursed her lips together and glared at Jester, leaning back against the kitchen counter and refusing to answer her question. The two women stared each other down, the tension between them rising as the seconds passed, neither woman backing down.
"Oh for cryin' out loud!" Harley huffed and stalked up to both of them, forcing her way in between them. "Just admit you're pregnant, Selina!"
"Well I didn't want it to come out like this," Catwoman admitted, sighing. "A lot is going on and I didn't want you to feel pressured to get the boys out." She looked pointedly at Jester and frowned. "I wanted to wait."
"I was only fucking with you," Jester's eyes bulged and her jaw dropped in her shock. "You're pregnant?!"
Catwoman smirked, nodding her confirmation. "I am."
"YOU'RE PREGNANT?" Jester clapped her hands over her mouth, muffling a loud squeal of excitement.
Jonathan backed away as the three women began screeching, screaming, and shouting in excitement, hugging each other and jumping up and down. "Jesus," he murmured, sitting down at the kitchen island and sipping at his coffee.
"You shut up," Jester whirled on him, giving him a playful glare. "You love babies and you know it!"
Jonathan gave her a blank look.
"There's gonna be so many babies in this house!" Harley tapped Ace on the nose and began dancing around with him again. "You and Reina are gonna have to teach them everything since you're the oldest."
Catwoman pulled Reina out of her highchair and held her close to her chest, snuggling the quiet baby with a dreamy look on her pretty face. "Can you imagine? I'm going to have one of these."
Jester sighed happily, plopping down into the seat next to Jonathan. "I can't lie, this gives me baby fever." She was too focused on Catwoman to notice the curious expression on Jonathan's face at her statement. He turned his head and looked at her intently as she spoke, listening very carefully. "I know I said no more, but they're just so damn cute. There's something about having a little human growing inside of you, I can't explain it. I kind of miss that feeling."
Harley frowned for only a split second but it didn't escape Jester's notice. "Cheer up, Harls. We'll spring those peckerheads soon and D.S. Can knock ya up."
"We've been goin' at it, ya know," Harley muttered, avoiding her friends' eyes. "It just ain't workin', I guess."
"Be patient, Harley," Jonathan's calm voice soothed her just a little and she met his blue eyes with her own. "It will happen for you. If not, I'll run some tests with Doctor Davis, alright?"
"You're a real swell guy, ya know that?" Harley grinned at him and instantly her mood lifted, much to Jester and Catwoman's relief.
Jonathan waved her off, smiling just a little. "Congratulations, Selina."
"Thanks," Catwoman grinned at him, plopping into a chair at the kitchen table. "So, when do we get those idiots out?"
Jester groaned, dropping her head into her hands. "I've gotta call another meeting, see how the others are doing on their parts. I didn't make Riddler's stupid bracelet."
"We don't need him to get in," Jonathan reminded her. "We got in just fine last time."
"We need access to the cells. The locks aren't a big deal but we need key cards to swipe to get them out unless we hack the entire system." Catwoman sighed, dropping her chin into her hand. "And guess who we would need to hack the entire system?"
"Bowler hat-wearing bastard," Jester grumbled. "Fine, fine. I'll make his stupid bracelet."
"Well our good morning certainly went to shit." Harley laughed, sitting down at the kitchen table with Catwoman. "All ya gotta do is mention the Riddler to kill a mood."
"There must be someone else," Jonathan insisted, scowling. "I'd rather not deal with his incessant riddles and obnoxious narcissism."
"Said the narcissist," Jester teased, kissing his cheek.
"I am not the only one," he defended, giving her a pointed look.
"We live in a house full of them," Catwoman agreed. "Myself included."
"Either way, we need him for much more than just hacking the entire system," Jester reminded them. "I hate to admit it, but he does play an important role in trapping Batman and his rejects."
"Oh, yes. Batman has never beaten Riddler at his own game." Jonathan rolled his eyes and huffed. "He will only slow them down, he won't trap them."
"That's the point, handsome," Jester cooed. "Why else do you think I got Mad Hatter and Double-Tap involved? Distractions galore!"
"Sometimes your brilliance irks me," Jonathan muttered, failing to hide his tiny smile from her.
"What about the other part of the plan?" Catwoman was serious now, eyeing Jester from her seat at the kitchen table. "The Funhouse?"
"Luis, Daryl, and Ruiz will be handling that. We'll all have radios to keep in contact with each other throughout the entire thing."
"It's risky," Catwoman raised an eyebrow. "Do you trust that idiot Deckard?"
"No, but I trust Luis and Ruiz. Ruiz will put Deckard down if he has to."
"She's right," Ruiz and Bane entered the kitchen, ignoring the mess and sitting down at the table with the ladies. "Wouldn't be the first time I killed a cop."
"Jesus Christ," Jonathan muttered. "This could go very badly, Jester. This is too risky."
"Ye of little faith!" Jester chided, glaring at him. "Do you trust me?"
"Of course I do," he grasped her hands in his, looking her in the eye. "This is just extremely risky. It's smart, but it's risky."
"My men will be with Ruiz," Bane supplied, attempting to reassure Jonathan. "We will not need them at the prison. They will make sure things go smoothly at the Funhouse."
"See?" Jester motioned towards Bane and Ruiz. "We've got this in the bag, Craney!"
"I spoke with Santos last night," Ruiz said, catching Jonathan's eye. "He's onboard and he's got Deckard under his thumb. They're our best shot at luring the Commissioner, anyway."
Jester folded her arms haughtily over her chest and raised an eyebrow at Jonathan. "Told ya."
*
Blackgate Prison:
Joker's pale face broke out into a grin as his phone lit up with an incoming call from Jester. He sat up on his cot and leaned back against the cold stone wall as he answered, thrilled to hear her voice after all his failed attempts to contact her the night before.
"Hello little bird," he purred.
"Don't fucking start. I'm only calling to give you a heads-up about the breakout." Her tone was laced with venom and he frowned slightly. Of course, she'd still be furious with him. He mentally scolded himself for getting his hopes up – he knew her much better than that.
"You've changed your mind?" He shifted and reached under the mattress, pulling out the big book she had given him. He flipped it open to the page he had left off on, intent on reading the rest of 'The Tell-Tale Heart' once the call ended.
"No, but I don't have a choice anymore. You have two days."
Joker mulled it over, smoothing his hair back. "I made other plans, you know."
"I don't care," she was still vicious, not letting up or warming up at all to him. "You can go along with my plan, or you can attempt your own and fail. Be ready at 3 AM."
"Wait, wait, wait," he rushed the words out in an attempt to stop her from ending the call. "What do you mean you don't have a choice?"
"Something has come up. It's not my place to tell you, not that I would anyway. You can't be trusted."
He groaned in frustration, banging his head against the wall. "Jester..."
"3 AM Friday."
He snarled when she hung up on him, chucking his phone into the wall and not caring in the slightest if he broke it. It wasn't like it mattered anyway, she had no desire to speak to him and wouldn't be forgiving him anytime soon. "Oh, what tangled webs I weave," he murmured, situating the large book in his lap and trying to calm his racing thoughts so he could focus on his reading.
"The officers were satisfied. My manner had convinced them. I was singularly at ease. They sat, and while I answered cheerily, they chatted of familiar things. But, ere long, I felt myself getting pale and wished them gone. My head ached, and I fancied a ringing in my ears: but still they sat and still chatted. The ringing became more distinct: - it continued and became more distinct: I talked more freely to get rid of the feeling: but it continued and gained definiteness – until, at length, I found that the noise was not within my ears.
No doubt I now grew very pale; - but I talked more fluently, and with a heightened voice. Yet the sound increased – and what could I do? It was a low, dull, quick sound – much such a sound as a watch makes when enveloped in cotton. I gasped for breath – and yet the officers heard it not. I talked more quickly – more vehemently; but the noise steadily increased. I arose and argued about trifles, in a high key and with violent gesticulations; but the noise steadily increased. Why would they not be gone? I paced the floor to and fro with heavy strides, as if excited to fury by the observations of the men – but the noise steadily increased. Oh God! What could I do? I foamed – I raved – I swore! I swung the chair upon which I had been sitting, and grated it upon the boards, but the noise arose over all and continually increased. It grew louder – louder – louder! And still the men chatted pleasantly, and smiled. Was it possible they heard not? Almighty God! - no, no! They heard! - they suspected! - they knew! - they were making a mockery of my horror! - this I thought, and this I think. But anything was better than this agony! Anything was more tolerable than this derision! I could bear those hypocritical smiles no longer! I felt that I must scream or die! - and now – again! - hark! Louder! Louder! Louder! Louder! -
'Villains!' I shrieked, 'dissemble no more! I admit the deed! - tear up the planks! Here, here! - it is the beating of his hideous heart!'"
"Yeah, yeah," Joker rolled his eyes, growling to himself. "I get it. I'm guilty. Guilty, guilty, guilty."
"Guilty of what exactly?"
Joker's expression turned to stone as Doctor Evans' voice floated into his cell from his tiny barred window. "It's rude to eavesdrop, Doc," he sneered, closing his book and carefully tucking it under his mattress before rising from his cot and making his way to his cell door. "What do you want?"
"It's time for our session," Doctor Evans replied coolly. "It's 10:00."
"We haven't had a session in days. I told you I won't talk unless you let me out of my kennel."
"You told me you wouldn't talk about the riot unless I let you out."
Joker laughed coldly, wagging a finger at her in scolding. She shrank a little under the intensity of his gaze, backing away from the cell door. "That is not what I said, Elise," he chastised her, ignoring the dark look she shot him at his use of her given name. "I told you to let me out and we would talk. Doctor-patient confidentiality, remember?"
"I told you I can't do that," she reminded him, raising an eyebrow at him. "You can't be trusted to be let out of your cell, let alone out of Solitary."
Joker's expression darkened along with his eyes at her words. He inhaled sharply, wrapping one hand tight around the bars of the little window. "I suggest you leave while your flesh is still attached to your bones."
"Is that a threat, Joker?" She challenged him subtly, straightening her spine and meeting his gaze unflinchingly despite the panic creeping into her heart.
"I don't make threats," Joker hissed, narrowing his dark eyes at her. "I make promises."
"Looks like I struck a nerve," Doctor Evans smirked at him, not moving from where she stood. "So, who doesn't trust you?"
"Who does?" He smirked at her.
"You know, you spend 23 hours out of every day locked away in this cell. Other inmates in your position wouldn't be so quick to dismiss their only means of company and conversation."
Joker laughed humorlessly, glaring down at her from the little barred window. "I'm not other inmates, Doc," he growled. "I prefer the solitude."
"Is that why you have a contraband phone?" She wasn't relenting and Joker's patience began to run out.
"You know, Elise," Joker lowered his voice, getting as close as he could to his door. "I'm not going to be locked away in here forever. One day I'll get out of this cell – this prison – and I think my first stop will be your apartment. I wonder... would you still be so confident? Or would you cry and cower, begging me to spare your pathetic, lonely life?"
"Two threats in ten minutes? I must be getting under your skin, Joker." She smirked back at him, ignoring his threat and question entirely. "I think it would be beneficial for you to talk to me about whatever has you so hostile today. I'm here to help, after all."
"You had your chance, Doc," Joker chuckled, shaking his head at her. "You blew it. I asked you for one thing – one simple act to gain my trust – and you ran away, disappearing on me for days."
"I'm not doing that," she snapped, glaring at him. "That will never happen."
"Then why are you still here?" He seethed as he pressed himself up against his cell door, shooting the smug woman a scathing look. He was furious that he couldn't get to her – couldn't get his large, pale hands around her dainty neck and squeeze until he snuffed out her light.
"I'd get the fuck outta here if I were you," Tommy's voice cut through the tension between Joker and Doctor Evans, drawing their attention. "Be thankful that he can't get out of that cell and leave while you still can, lady. You're tempting the devil himself – not a very wise move."
Doctor Evans glanced over at Tommy's cell, catching his brown eyes peering back at her. "I appreciate your concern, but I'm fine. He can't get out of his cell."
"Can't I?" Joker retorted coldly, a wicked grin spreading across his face. He stuck his fingers in his mouth and whistled for Frankie, not taking his dark eyes off of the little Doctor.
"I tried to warn you," Tommy sighed, flopping back down onto his cot.
Doctor Evans' eyebrows furrowed in confusion. She shifted her gaze back to Joker just as Frankie reached his cell and pulled his key card from his belt. "What are you doing?" She gave Frankie a horrified look, realizing he was about to let Joker out of his cell. She remembered the previous day when Joker had flashed his wrists at her, showing her he wasn't restrained by any means. "I'll report you, Boles! I'll have you fired and arrested!"
Frankie simply laughed at her as he swiped his key card and opened Joker's cell door. He shook his head at her before turning on his heel and heading back to his post by the door, locking it securely and blocking off the window so no one could see inside from the corridor.
Doctor Evans felt her heart skip a beat and her blood run cold, realizing she'd bitten off way much more than she could chew. She had purposely goaded Joker, cocky and arrogant because he was locked in his cell where she was sure he couldn't get to her. She had heard the rumors that Joker always had guys on the inside in Blackgate and Arkham, but she hadn't realized just how close he kept them. She backed away from his cell door, her eyes as wide as saucers and all the color rapidly draining from her face. She looked behind her, only seeing more cells and other Solitary inmates eyeing her like feral animals, watching and waiting to see what Joker would do to her. She felt sick to her stomach, stumbling as she continued to back away, trying to put as much distance between herself and the psychopath with green hair that was slowly slinking out of his cell.
"I warned you," Joker growled, slowly advancing on her. She gasped when her back hit a wall, realizing she was cornered with nowhere to go. Joker laughed, his eyes lighting up with amusement as he closed the distance between them and grabbed her by the throat. "Now, what should I do with ya? Skin you alive and wear your hide as a cape? Strangle you until I see the light leave your eyes? Drown you in my toilet? Maybe let all these other fine gentlemen out to play? I simply can't decide."
"You could let me go," she choked, giving him a pleading look as tears pooled in her amber eyes. "I won't tell anyone anything – about you or Officer Boles. I swear, I won't say a word."
"Ah, ah, ah!" Joker wagged his finger in her face, tutting at her in scolding. "You had your chance, Doc. I told you to leave but you decided to antagonize me instead."
"I'm sorry," she croaked, her face turning red as his grip on her throat tightened. "I didn't mean to -"
"Yes you did," Joker cut her off and chuckled, bringing his face closer to hers. His dark gaze bore into hers, sending chills down her spine when she realized there was no hint of blue to be seen in them anymore. "I'm disappointed, Elise. I thought you were smarter than this. Tell me, are you suicidal? I can't imagine any other reason why you'd purposely goad me."
"No," she gasped, swallowing hard. Her mouth had gone dry and she could barely breathe. She gripped his arm tight in her hands, clawing at him to try and force him to release her but all it did was amuse him further. He grinned at her and his metal grills glinted in the dim lighting, making him look ten times more intimidating and threatening than he had from inside his cell.
"I think I'll let the boys loose. God knows they haven't seen something pretty in ages." He winked at her and whistled once more, keeping his eyes glued to her as Frankie responded.
"Yeah, boss?"
"Let the boys out, Frankie," Joker cackled at the look of terror on Doctor Evans' face and grinned at her. "All of them."
"Wait!" Doctor Evans dug her nails into his arm and tried again to pry it away from her to no avail. "Please don't!"
"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't, Doc," Joker challenged, patting the side of her cheek harshly with his free hand. It stung a little and she winced, terrified of what he might do next.
"I'll do what you asked," tears began rolling down her cheeks, soaking Joker's hand. He refused to release her, tightening his grip until she was choking, gasping, and spluttering.
"Too late for that," Joker said coldly. "Besides, it's no fun if you only want to do it out of desperation."
She couldn't say a word, crying harder as her vision began to blur and darken. Her bottom lip quivered and she choked on a sob, squeezing her eyes shut and willing herself to try and calm down. If she was going to die – especially by his hand – she didn't want to give him the satisfaction of seeing her terrified.
"Oh no you don't," he snapped, slamming her against the wall so hard her head bounced off of it with a sickening thud. "Open your eyes, Elise. Look at me!"
"No," she croaked, keeping her eyes squeezed shut. She heard him sigh in exasperation and focused on staying calm, refusing to let him see the fear in her eyes.
She yelped in surprise when she felt her feet leave the floor. She didn't dare open her eyes as she sailed through the air, her stomach doing flips and her heart leaping in her throat as she realized he had thrown her. She braced herself for impact, gritting her teeth and regretting it instantly as her head connected with the cold stone floor. A blinding, white-hot pain shot through her skull and she whimpered, clutching at her head and feeling something wet and sticky at the crown of it. "Oh god," she bit her bottom lip and tried not to cry out again, writhing on the ground where she lay. She was dazed and terrified, unable to force herself up off of the floor. The pain was excruciating and she couldn't stop the tears that continued to stream down her face as she lay there helplessly, begging God to show her mercy and let her death be quick.
"It didn't have to be like this, Elise," Joker drawled, kicking her hard in the ribs and cackling when she screamed in pain. "I gave you a chance – I offered you a deal. I saw potential in you! What a waste." Another kick to her ribs and another scream from her. She wasn't sure what terrified her more – his cruel laughter, the pain he was inflicting on her, or the fact that she knew Officer Boles was watching and wouldn't do a damn thing to help her.
"Look at me," he barked, crouching down and gripping her face roughly in his hand. "Open your eyes or I will rip your eyelids off. Make a decision."
Her eyes snapped open and she cringed as she came face-to-face with the Clown Prince of Crime, black-eyed and furious.
"Listen up, Doc. I'm going to kill you right here in this filthy hole. When I'm done, Frankie over there will stuff your body into a trash bag and bring it to the morgue where he'll proceed to cremate you. You'll be a missing person. There will be search parties for the pretty, ambitious little Doctor working hard to try and land a job at Arkham. After about a week or two, they'll stop looking for you. They'll come to terms with the fact that you've been dead all this time; yet another person among thousands of others whose remains will never, ever be recovered in this shit hole city."
Doctor Evans sobbed, squeezing her eyes shut again and curling into a ball, fear crawling up her spine and making her sick to her stomach. She screamed and flailed when he grabbed her by her hair, yanking her backward and dragging her back towards his cell. "No one can hear you down here, Elise," he whispered coldly. "If you keep screaming like that, I'll drag this out. I can think of a dozen ways to mutilate and torture you without killing you."
"Please," she begged, looking up at him from the floor of his cell where he dumped her. He closed the door behind him, staying in front of it to prevent her from getting out. "Please don't."
"Would you just kill the bitch already?" Deadshot's annoyed voice interrupted them and Joker chuckled. "Don't make me come over there and knock her ass out."
"C'mon, Floyd! I haven't gotten to play in awhile, let me have my fun," Joker giggled at Deadshot's annoyed scoff in response to him.
"I'll do anything," Doctor Evans pleaded, sitting up on her knees. "I swear, I'll do anything you want me to."
Joker's giggles ceased immediately and he shifted his gaze to her, raising an eyebrow. "Oh? Anything, you say?"
"Anything," she promised, using her sleeve to wipe her eyes. "Please, Joker."
"Fuck me." His expression was serious as he came closer to her, perching on the edge of his bed.
"Wh-what?"
"I don't like repeating myself, Doc," Joker said coldly.
"I don't – what about... are you serious?"
"Do I look like I'm fucking joking, Elise?" Joker fisted a hand in her hair and yanked her off the floor, dragging her over to him. "Strip."
She bit her bottom lip as hard as she could, forcing herself not to cry or whimper as his dark eyes raked over her. He leaned back a little where he sat, slowly unbuttoning his jumpsuit.
"Today, Doc."
She nodded, ignoring the way her cheeks burned with her embarrassment and nervousness as she unzipped her pencil skirt, letting it drop to the floor as she reached up to unbutton her blouse. She found herself mesmerized as she watched Joker shrug out of the sleeves of his jumpsuit, pulling the top half of it down and tying it around his waist. He was bare underneath it and she marveled at his tattoos and physique again, unable to help herself.
"See somethin' you like?" He was taunting her with a smug smirk.
She didn't answer, slipping her blouse off and standing before him only clad in her bra, panties, and kitten heels.
"C'mere," he beckoned her over with a large, tattooed hand. "Give Daddy a kiss."
She slowly moved closer to him, swallowing down the bile that crept up her throat at the thought of what she was about to do. She put a brave face on, lifting her chin as she moved towards him in an attempt to salvage what little dignity she had left. She sat on his lap, licking her lips to wet them as his strong, muscular arms wrapped around her waist and he brought his face closer to hers.
"Scared?" His breath ghosted across her lips and she shivered, horrified that she felt the slightest attraction to him and excitement at that moment.
She rested her hands on his bare shoulders, meeting his gaze with her own and giving him a hard look. "Not at all," she kept her voice calm and even.
Joker's hand tangled in her hair and he pulled her closer to him, licking his lips to tease her. He giggled when she instinctively moved closer, turning her face and going in for the kill. Just before their lips connected, he roughly dumped her out of his lap and to the floor, cackling like a madman. "You won't kill a guard but you'd fuck me? Your morals are all over the place, Doc."
"What the fuck?" She seethed, grabbing her shirt and clutching it to her chest as his eyes bore into hers. "Was that some kind of fucked up test?"
"You know, you've got some real potential." He crudely motioned towards her covered chest. "If Arkham doesn't pan out for ya, you can always work at my club."
"Excuse me?"
"I run a strip joint, sweetheart. You'd make a nice addition to the place."
She had no idea what came over her or possessed her to do it, but she shot up to her feet and slapped him as hard as she could across his face. Dropping her blouse to the cold floor of his cell, she lost control – punching and clawing at him in her rage and humiliation. She wasn't thinking, just acting on instinct and letting her rage fuel her actions.
Joker laughed, letting her have a moment to take her anger out on him before he snatched her wrists and gripped them tightly, stopping her wild attacks and making her cry out in pain as he nearly snapped them in half. "Tell ya what, Doc," his eyes were back to their usual icy blue color and if she wasn't stark-raving mad at the moment, she would've sighed in relief. "I'm gonna let ya go, but only under a few conditions, you understand?"
"What?" She glared at him, trying with all her might to wrench her wrists out of his grip and wailing when he bent them backwards enough to cause her excruciating pain without breaking the bones.
"Careful," he warned, looking her right in the eye. "I'm gonna let ya go, but only if you promise to do what I tell you."
She didn't say a word, continuing to glare at him. She wasn't about to put herself in his debt, she knew better than that. Then again, she didn't have much of a choice.
"You're gonna leave right now – without your blouse and skirt, though. Those belong to me now. Call it insurance." He freed up a hand to clap over her mouth, stopping her protests. "Don't ever interrupt me," he barked. "You're gonna go home and wait for my boys to deliver a package to you. Do not open it. Come back here at 1 AM sharp Friday morning and bring the package with you."
"You're breaking out," she accused, her eyebrows knitting together. "No way. I'm not helping you get out, I won't be responsible for that. You'll kill everyone."
"I'm going to fucking kill you if you continue to disrespect and disobey me," he snapped, his eyes flashing black for a moment as he fought off his Madness.
"You'll kill me anyway," she retorted. "We both know you'll kill me during the breakout."
"I never said that," Joker said coolly, releasing her wrists. "You're tempting me to, though."
"Why me? Why not have Officer Boles do it? Why are you forcing me to get involved?"
"Frankie needs to be here to do his part," Joker said nonchalantly. "I don't wanna force ya, Doc, but I will if I have to. I'm letting you live, that should be enough motivation for you to do as I say." He lifted her chin with his fingers, forcing her to look him in the eye. "Don't make me send Frankie up to the employee lounge with your clothes and explain to all those pompous creeps that he found your clothes in my cell. They'd all think I fucked you. I can only imagine how much worse the harassment will be when you come in tomorrow morning for your shift..."
"You're disgusting," she spat venomously, balling her hands into fists. "I hate you."
"That's funny coming from the woman who just tried to kiss me." He grinned at her, mocking her.
"You told me to fuck you – you were going to kill me!"
Joker burst out laughing, his icy blue eyes glittering with malice. "I didn't force you, sweetheart. You tried to kiss me of your own accord. You know who my other half is – do you really believe I'd rape you? I saw that look on your face when you were about to kiss me. You wanted me."
"Fuck you," she seethed, putting some distance between them.
"Sorry to break your heart, Doc, but I've got that area covered." Joker shot her a smug look, laying back on his cot and folding his arms under his head. "Go home. It's gonna be a cold walk to your car. I hope you have a change of clothes or a jacket somewhere around here."
"I hope you die," she hissed, furiously wiping at her eyes with the back of her hand as a fresh round of angry tears leaked from them. "You are a fucking monster."
"Oh, don't I know it," Joker mused, wiggling his fingers at her as she did her best to cover herself with her arms and stormed out of his cell. He glanced at her blouse and skirt on the floor and outright laughed, amused at how easy it was to scare and manipulate her into doing his bidding. He wasn't worried about her cruel words, she'd do what he told her to. Once his goons showed up at her door with the package, reality would set in and she'd realize she can't escape him. If he wanted to, he could kill her or have her killed any time, and she would know it for a fact.
He lazily reached for his phone, picking it up off the floor and examining it closely. Surprisingly, it was still intact with only a few minor scratches here and there. He ran his tongue along his teeth, typing up a message to Jester and hoping she'd respond. He couldn't shake the awful nagging feeling he had that she was much angrier than she seemed and he would have one hell of a time earning her forgiveness. If he knew her at all – and he knew her well – she was going to put all four of them through the 9 circles of Hell before she even considered forgiving them. She was stubborn, proud, and didn't take kindly to lies, deceit, or betrayal of any kind. He sent the message and ran his hands over his face and through his hair, fighting off the urge to pace his cell. He knew the pacing would do him no good, only driving him twice as insane as he waited for a response that probably wasn't going to come.
"Monster isn't the word, Doc," he muttered, staring up at the damp, dark ceiling.
*
Disclaimer: I do not own or take credit for anything other than my OC's.
Author's Note: Thank you for the awesome reviews! I will get around to messaging you individually as soon as I can. Things are hectic around here! We're getting closer to the big breakout and I've got some seriously dark things planned :)
I know I usually put all of this at the beginning of each chapter, but I noticed the dividers I use are no longer working for some reason so I was forced to reformat the chapters. I hope it isn't too drastic of a change or confusing for you guys! Hope you enjoyed!
Also, putting out chapters will prove to be difficult for awhile - there is a virus on my computer where I do all of my writing and save all of my work and I cannot use it anymore so I have to rely on my shitty little iPhone 7. Bear with me, folks! Xoxo