*Chapter 6: Mad Tea Party*
"Mia, you really don't need to come and work. After what you told me about last night, I thought you should take today off." A doctor said as Mia is fixing the piles on the front desk. "But I gotta tell ya, you and your son are lucky to have Batman save you."
"Yeah. Good thing he came." Mia said. "I'm still upset about my ring though. But, all it matters is that I am alive and safe with my son."
"I admire your courage, Mia." Her boss said with a grin. He checked his watch. "Well, I'll leave you be." But as soon as he turns around, he sees three men holding guns standing in front of him. They are wearing rabbit masks. Mia watched in silent. She tried not to panic. Her boss backed away. Instead of aiming their weapons at them, the thugs began to sing.
"You are very cordially-
...cordially-
...cordially-
You are very cordially - invited to the party!
And it will be a grand affair-
...grand affair-
...grand affair-
And will be a grand affair - hosted by the Hatter!
We do hope that you can come-
...you can come-
...you can come-
We do hope that you can come - to share in all the joy!"
They sang. Their masks shocked them and they collapse on the floor. The doctor cautiously walked over to one of the men and took off the rabbit mask.
"What was that all about?" Mia asked, slowly walking around the desk. "Who are they?" But her boss let out a yell as he too was being electrocuted by a rabbit mask. Mia gasped. An envelope fell out of the coat of the thug. Mia picked it up and rip it open to take out a card. It's an invitation.
Come to my tea party, my dear nurse. Come alone. Dear Alice would love to have some company. Be sure that Jabberwocky isn't hunting you down. If you don't come, my rabbits will take you by force. Better than losing your head.
- Mad Hatter.
"Mad Hatter?" Mia wondered. "From Alice in Wonderland? What did he want?" She turned the invite around to see the address. Should she go alone? She knows she must tell Batman about this. How dangerous is this Mad Hatter? Mia won't know. "Dr. Raymond?" Mia spoke, shaking her boss's body, trying to wake him up.
"What the hell happened here?" One of the doctors came in to see the unconscious bodies. "What happened to the doc?"
"Get him to the room. He was shocked by this mask." Mia said.
"I'm calling the cops." The doctor said, kneeling by the boss. He got out his phone, but then, they hear a shrill voice coming from the hospital speakers.
"I would not do that if I were you, dear sir. Now, Nurse Harlow, if you would be so kind to come to my tea party. Remember to come alone. If that Jabberwocky or the cops follow you, there will be heads rolling!" The voice said. It was the Mad Hatter. Mia shuddered by the sound of his voice. It is creepy.
"Great." The doctor spoke. "Mia, I know you are new, but I wouldn't go out there."
"Who is he?" Mia asked.
"A crazy nut who thinks he's a character from that Alice story. His name is Jervis Tetch." The doctor replied. "I heard he kidnaps girls who have blond hair and blue eyes, thinking they are Alice."
"Yeah, sounds crazy." Mia said. Then again, she wondered what he wanted. She isn't Alice. There must be another reason. Mia got her phone out and took a picture of the invitation and send it to Bruce. "Think he wants me as his Alice?" Mia asked.
"I don't know. Calling the cops is out of the question. He knows what we are thinking." The doctor said. Mia knew what she had to do.
"Thank you for coming, commissioner. I understand that Batman may be unavailable at a time like this." Mia said as she and Jim walked down Gotham streets.
"Actually, Robin said that Batman will meet with us soon. He also wants to know why Tetch wants you. Better to have him around in case anything happens." Jim said. "That's smart of you to contact me."
"I don't see anyone wearing those rabbit masks so I best call you first." Mia told him. She is changed out of her nurse outfit. She is wearing a dark red shirt with a light blue jean jacket over it, black jeans and brown boots. Her hair is still in a ponytail. "Feels like I'm going undercover. Maybe I should be a detective as a night job."
"You know, I could see you as one. But, this is a one time thing." Jim said. They arrived at the old shop. A Hat Shop. Of course the Mad Hatter is inside. Anything that had to do anything with hats. "We're here. We will be right outside, waiting for Batman. He always finds a way to get in without being detected. Keep the creep talking." Jim said. He hands her a gun. "Ever use one of these?"
"Not really, but anything to protect myself." Mia said. "Here goes nothing." She hides the gun in her jacket before walking inside as Jim hide by the side of the shop, contacting the cops.
XX
The shop is rundown. On the walls are portraits and hats. Mia looked ahead to see a door behind the desk. She took a deep breath and walk over to the door. She pushed it open to see a room with a table. There are men wearing rabbit masks. On the table are tea cups, a teapot, and a plate with cupcakes. At the end of the table is the Mad Hatter himself, Jervis Tetch.
"You came! And late for tea!" The man spoke. He jumped up the table and gave her a grin. Mia got a better look at him. He is a short guy. His jacket has stitches, same goes with his hat. Like he made a costume himself. He is wearing fingerless gloves and dark boots. "Welcome to my Wonderland, Nurse Harlow. Would you like some tea?" Jervis said.
"Sounds nice, but no thank you." Mia said. "I'm here. Like you wanted. You better not want me as your Alice. I was told about you."
"Oh no, no, no, no! You are nothing like my Alice. Oh, the poor dear has been forgetting her manners." Jervis said, walking towards the end of the table to look at Mia clearly. "Her mind is all a flutter."
"Where is she? You have her, don't you?" Mia asked.
"Meeting my Alice will have to wait, my dear nurse. You are here...because you have a missing piece in your puzzle." Jervis said, pouring tea in Mia's cup. The woman blinked at him. "From three years ago when your poor man died."
"...What?" Mia asked. "What do you mean? The...fire was an accident. And how did you know-"
"She doesn't know! Should I tell her?" Jervis giggled as he turns to his mindless henchmen. "No, no. The fire...was no accident." Mia wasn't sure if he is messing with her or maybe he could be telling the truth. "Poor, poor man. Leaving his wife and child alone."
"You know anything about the fire back in my hometown?" Mia asked with a look in her eyes. "Is that why I am here?"
"I may know a thing or two." Jervis said, backing away. "There is a threat in this mad world. A madman is causing flames."
"...Who caused the fire that day? If you know, tell me!" Mia said. The Mad Hatter grinned at her.
"Have a seat, my dear nurse. I do not know the man who caused the fire in your hometown, but we may look into your Wonderland and find out." He said. "I have made tea specially made just for you." Mia didn't say anything and sat on the chair. She picked up her cup and took a sip. "Good. Good. Now, you will feel so sleepy. And we shall fall into the rabbit hole."
"...Did you...you drugged this tea?" Mia asked, dropping the cup, causing it to break on the floor. "This is a trick!"
"No, no, no, no, no. No trick." Jervis said calmly. "Soon, your eyelids will grow heavy and you will see what you wanted most. Go...to Wonderland." Mia wanted to get up and leave, but she started to feel lightheaded. "Don't fight it..." Jervis said. His voice echoes around her. "Down the rabbit hole you fall." Mia tried to speak but couldn't get the voice out of her. Everything around her went black as she continues to hear the Mad Hatter's voice.
XX
"Welcome to Wonderland, Nurse Harlow." Jervis' voice spoke. Mia got up and found herself in a path. This is Wonderland, but still Gotham. There are giant mushrooms, and ravens fly above her in a gloomy sky. Mia walked through and see the apartment on fire. "You weren't there when this happened. Your firefighter was. Trying to save someone. But failed."
"I can't watch this." Mia said, turning away.
"Do you wish to know who caused the fires in this mad world? This is no accident." Jervis said.
"You brought me here to be haunted. It was an accident!" Mia shouted in the air. Then, the scene behind her starts to rewind. Mia turned to see a shadow of a man walking out of the building. She couldn't see a face. It could've been anyone. Smoke appeared out of the windows.
"An accident, you say? In your hometown?" Jervis giggled.
"...Someone caused a fire." Mia said. "Walter..." Suddenly, the memory wipes away as Mia started to fall. She let out a scream and see pocket watches around her as she falls. She lands in a forest. "Who did it?!" She demanded. "You know something! Unless you have to do with it somehow!"
"I do not know the man, but he has spoken to other mad people." Jervis spoke to her. "You don't want to go among mad people, do you? But you can't help that. We're all mad here!"
"Get me out of here!" Mia shouted. She could hear the Mad Hatter chuckled.
"Poor little nurse is losing her mind." He said. "Just like Alice. I've lost my poor Alice. The woman looks nothing like her. Too bad she had to go." Now Mia is in trouble now. Suddenly, bats fly around her. She started to hear another voice. Jervis let out a shout. "No, no, no! Now is not the time! She must not wake up from her Wonderland!" Darkness swallows the woman after the bats surround her.
XX
"Mia! Mia, wake up!" Batman's voice spoke. Mia let out a gasp as she opened her eyes and see the face of the Dark Knight staring at her, grabbing her shoulders. Mia looked over to see the men knocked out around the messy table and the Mad Hatter cowers in the corner. Batman turned back to him and about to hit him, but Mia stopped him by pulling back his arm.
"Wait." She said.
"He drugged you." Batman told her.
"Was that all true? Someone was responsible for the fire and got my husband killed?" Mia asked, staring at the little man. "Is this a dirty trick?"
"Believe what you see, but a madman is still out there. Once you find him, you wish to kill him. And you will go mad. Just like Alice." He giggled. Batman had enough and punch him in a face to knock him out. The cops barged in to take him away. Mia turned away and thought about what she had saw. Someone set that building on fire. Killing innocent people and got her husband killed. If the Mad Hatter is telling the truth, then Mia will have to found out who did it. Who killed Walter three years ago?
"Jervis could be playing tricks on you. Never believe his word." Batman told her as he drives her home. "If it is all true, then why would he tell you? He never helps a stranger. He hardly gives straight answers to me."
"He said this man may know others. In Gotham. But, I don't understand how this murderer got away from the crime he has done." Mia said. "Batman, I need to know who did it. The fire wasn't an accident now that I think about it. I remember the fire crew told me the cause of the fire was unknown. It's been three years and no one discovered the cause."
"The detectives haven't discovered anything?" Batman asked her. "There has to be a real cause. If a person was responsible, then he must be out there. It could be anyone." Now they have a mystery case. "Jervis must've seen this man somewhere and was afraid of him. That's why he wants you to come to him." Batman said.
"You think?" Mia asked.
"He didn't harm you in any way." Batman said. "All we need to do is search through the files of the fire accident and find witnesses who lived in that building." Mia felt like smiling. Batman is going to help her. There is threat in Gotham. Anyone will be burnt or murdered if this man wasn't stopped. One thing the Mad Hatter was right about is that Mia can't help that people are mad. They are all mad here.