Chapter 3: Belle Reve

XXX

…Three days later…

The Joker is sitting on the ground in his penthouse. An array of weapons spread out all around him… but he's more interested in the one in his hand. It was one of Harley's guns.

"What do we have here?" He says as he stalks towards Harley pinned to the table with the electro-shock probes in his hands.

What are you gonna do? You gonna kill me Mr. J?" She says with a small lit in her tone.

"What? Oh, I'm not gonna kill ya I'm just gonna hurt ya ...really, really bad." He says as be leans over and get closer to her face. Close enough he could feel her breath on his face.

"You think so? Well, I can take it."

The door to the penthouse opening snaps the Joker out of his memory and he instinctively raises the gun towards the person walking in. It's just Johnny Frost back from running his errands.

"Where is she?" He grumbles.

Johnny sits on the steps leading down into the penthouse.

"It's complex. This is not just her. Everybody's disappeared. Even Harkness got picked up pullin' that job. And now? After that flying Superman shit? Now, there's this new law, where if you're a bad enough, bad guy they stamp "Terrorist" on your jacket. It's the black site that broad told us about."

The Joker growls in frustration. This was not what he wanted to hear.

"We did get a pop on the name Griggs." Frost continues. "In Louisiana. Guy's got a gamblin' problem. That's where the black site is, in the middle of a swamp there. That's where they're shippin' them all to."

"Ahh. so our little kitty cat was telling the truth. And tell me…" He says practically purring. "Did we find anything useful out about our little feline friend?"

"Nothin'," Frost says with a shrug of his shoulders.

The Joker found this intriguing. "Nothing?"

"She's a ghost. And we ain't talkin' CIA level spook shit either. Whoever she is, she's gotta be high level. I pulled the security video from outside the club, and it's as if she knew where the cameras were, because she made sure to stay clear of showing her face on them."

"Of course she did. All good little kitty cats knew how to come and go as they please." The Joker thinks as a grin spreads across his face.

"So what are we doin'?" Frost asks speculatively.

The Joker smiles at Frost. "Bring the car around. We're going for a drive."

As Frost leaves, the Joker lies back against the floor of the penthouse and takes in his Harley's predicament. It really was comical in a way. He'd have to play the Prince and come to her rescue. Or may he shouldn't? He didn't need her after all.

"Every test… every trial…I have proved I love you." Harley's voice from that night echoes in his ears.

"I am not someone who is… loved. I am an idea. State of mind. I execute my will, according to my plan, and you. Doctor… are not part of my plan."

She wasn't part of the plan. Had never been part of the plan. And yet…

"Careful. Do not say this oath thoughtlessly. Desire becomes surrender. Surrender becomes power. Do you want this?"

"I do."

Maybe that was the biggest joke of all. The man with the plan… the agent of chaos didn't need Harley Quinn. But he sure as well wanted her.

The Joker laughs at the absurdity of it all.

XXX

River's POV

…Three days later…

Harkness and Weiss were delivered two days ago. The Security Council had formally signed off on Task Force X, and I'm on my way back to Louisiana. I groan and bash my head back against the headrest as I shift in my carseat before turning up the volume on the radio to try and drown out my thoughts about "on-boarding," as Waller called it.

"Please allow me to introduce myself,
I'm a man of wealth and taste."

I'd been driving for the past three days, and had been more than happy to leave the smog covered skies of Gotham behind me when I did. I'd be at Belle Reve the same time their plane touched down, and at least this way I had the privacy and emptiness of the road to quiet my mind. It wasn't the same as flying in Serenity…nothing every really was. But I couldn't complain too much when I was driving my very shiny 1967 Shelby Mustang.

"I've been around for a long, long year,
Stole many a man's soul to waste."

Well, she would be shiny… she needed a lot of work to be anywhere closer to her former glory… but I didn't mind, I needed a project. Kaylee and Wash would have liked her too. I push that thought out of my mind quickly.

"I watched with glee,
While your kings and queens,
Fought for ten decades,
For the gods they made."

It had been an impulse purchase… I had skimmed the paper in the lobby of the hotel in Gotham to kill time. I'm not even sure why I bothered looking at the classifieds, but once I had, she had immediately jumped out at me.

"But what's puzzling you,
Is the nature of my game, oh yeah, get down, baby."

Two hours later and I was pulling away from the used car lot in my shiny Mustang. It had patches of rust in the chipped paint, it would need a new shifter, and the AC didn't work, but at least the radio worked.

"Pleased to meet you,
Hope you guess my name."

I could have hopped a ride with Waller, Flag, and Dr. Moone on Waller's private plane to get to Belle Reve. But the idea of small confined spaces with Waller or Dr. Moone for a few hours was less than appealing to me.

"Just as every cop is a criminal,
And all the sinners saints."

On-boarding Harkness and Weiss would also not be a fun affair. The only other upside to this whole affair is that I would be the last one to deal with them. They'd have to go through intake, psych, Griggs… I feel sorry about that one…, Waller, and then me. So realistically, I would be dealing with them in a week or so. At least I hope it would be a week or so.

"Use all your well-learned politesse,
Or I'll lay your soul to waste, mm yeah."

Chato Santana and Waylon Jones, AKA El Diablo and Killer Croc, had been here the longest, so they would already be ready for me. Deadshot and Harley would also likely already have had to deal with Griggs over the last week. But I would put off my part of the "on-boarding" until they were all ready... because I really hate the shit Waller makes me do sometimes, and if I can put it off as long as possible, I am going to.

"Tell me baby, what's my name,
Tell me honey, can ya guess my name."

I wouldn't be surprised if more than a few of them remembered seeing me. Lurking in the shadows… just around corners. Or in Harkness's case the pretty girl he hit on at the bar. I think that one stings a little more than the others. He's the only one I had actually talked to. Here's hoping he doesn't remember much about that night.

"Tell me baby, what's my name,
I tell you one time, you're to blame."

XXX

…An hour later…

I pull on to the tarmac about an hour later, and Waller's plane is due to land in about ten minutes. The tarmac is just outside the prison gates, and the guards are already outside… which means I have to try my hardest not to kill Griggs in the next ten minutes.

I pull into an empty parking spot and roll up my window before leaning over to collect my backpack. It's still early, and I know Waller will want a debrief with me and Flag relatively soon. I'm just stuffing some papers inside when there is a knock at my window. I glance over and see "Alpha-1 Asshole" standing outside my door.

"Uhh." I groan as I open the door to get out. "Move Griggs."

"Hey honey, you miss me?" Griggs says as he refuses to move.

I roll my eyes, close the door behind me, and start to walk away from him. I know he's just trying to rile me up before Flag and Waller get here, and I really don't want to give him the satisfaction.

"Oh come on now baby, you don't got to be like that! We could have some real fun together." He yells at me as the plane touches down.

I don't turn around, but unceremoniously flip him off as I walk away. I can hear his hyena laugh behind me and hear his thoughts about how my ass looks in my jeans.

"Gross." I mutter under my breath.

I hear him walking up behind me as I wait for the plane to taxi to the front of the prison gates. I close my eyes and pinch the bridge of my nose, even though its not going to do jack shit about the verbal diarrhea I am going to have to endure for the next few minutes.

"Nice car by the way, real classic. You know, any time you get the urge to go for a drive, I got some American muscle for you."

"You know Griggs? I have to say I'm amazed right now."

"Yeah figured you'd come around eventually." He says while he peacocks next to me.

"I am genuinely amazed by the shit that just pours out of his mouth…" I say as I flat out break into a laugh as the look on his face sours. "I mean, do you stay up at night to practice? Or is it an innate talent that you just know the best garbage to spew at women?"

"Listen here Princess.." He says as he moves o grab my arm.

But I can read him a mile away and lock his hand into a vice grip with my fingers starting to bend his backwards. "No, you listen Griggs…" I say in a low warning. "Flag has already told you to back the fuck off. So do yourself a favor and back the fuck off before I make you." I say as I let go of his hand and turn back towards the plane stopping in front of us.

He shakes out his hand and starts to chuckle in an effort to disguise the pain I inflicted. "Oh man, did you just threaten a staff member?"

Now he's testing my patience. "I'm not one of your inmates Griggs." I snap at him.

He laughs a little harder now. "Just keep tellin' yourself that Princess. See, there's a reason Waller keeps you so close to these parts. You may come and go as you please now, but one day… that could all change."

"And one of these days Griggs you are going to find yourself mouthing off to the wrong person." I say as I take my leave and walk towards Waller, Flag, and Dr. Moone.

"Problem, Tam?" Flag asks as he notices my posture and the tension in my shoulders.

"No, sir." I say as I fall in line on Waller's left, with Dr. Moone flanking me.

"You know he's right though…you're no different than them." Enchantress's voice whispers in my head before cackling.

I sigh. This is going to be a very long day.

XXX

… A few hours later…

I was right. It had been a fucking long and tiring day. First Waller got the grand "tour" from Griggs, which I had politely refused to go on. Flag didn't question why, but I got the signature Waller "look." She wouldn't ask, but she would be more aware of my interactions with Griggs in her quest for leverage.

After the tour of the facilities, she and Flag went to talk to Santana and Jones. Despite their status as meta-human, they would be the easiest to deal with since they had been here longer than the others. Santana would likely refuse Waller's "request," which I respected. I can't blame him for not wanting to be used as a weapon. Jones on the other hand would be a little more agreeable. Any excuse to rip some throats out.

Waller would wait to see the others till tomorrow… she wants a debrief with Flag and myself to better prep. Which is why I now find myself sitting in Waller's temp office in the middle of a posturing contest between her and Flag.

"You notice these are criminals?" Flag yells as he slams my briefing packet on the desk in front of Waller. "They're psychotic antisocial freaks. It makes no sense… Let me hit the Tier One units and I'll build you a team of pipe hitters who'll do anything you can dream up. I mean, you need real soldiers. Not these scumbags."

Waller is unfazed though. Flag really is no match for her. "In World War 2, the US Navy made a deal with he mafia to protect its ships on the waterfront." She says as she barely bats an eye.

"This ain't World War 2." Flag says exasperated.

But Waller is as smug as ever. "It's World War 3." Nothing is going to dissuade her.

Flag knows he isn't going to get anywhere with this approach, and the wheels are turning in his mind on how best to change tactics.

"What are you really up to? You already got this one, why do you need more freaks too?" He says before quickly realizing his mistake. "No offense Tam."

I know he didn't mean to imply that I was a freak, even if I think of myself as one. It's not worth the effort to dwell on, so I quickly wave it off. "None taken."

Waller eye's me curiously, looking to see if I will give anything away…always looking for leverage… before turning her attention back to Flag."It's a "need- to- know", and, all you need to know is you work for me."

"That can change with a phone call. I have friends, too. You know."

I wince when the words come out of his mouth. Big mistake Flag. You never want try and bulldog Waller.

Case in point she gets up from her seat, takes out her cellphone, and throws it on the desk near Flag. "There you go. Call." She says taunting him. "But without you minding her, your lady friend stays here strapped to a board in a drug- induced coma."

Checkmate, Waller. I can't help but feel sorry for poor Flag. I know he really cares for June.

Flag's jaw is twitching as he grits his teeth to keep from screaming. I rub my temples trying to ease the tension I can feel radiating off him and seeping into me. "They warned me about you. I didn't believe the stories."

"Nobody does." Waller says as she retakes her seat. "Setup the range for tomorrow and please check with intake on Harkness and Weiss." She says with a flourish of her hand to dismiss Flag.

"Ma'am." He says with the last of his restraint before he turns, walks through the door, and promptly slams it.

Great, my turn to be in the hot-seat.

"Anything I need to be aware of before tomorrow, Tam?" Waller ask as she shits back in her chair and stares at me.

I bend down and fish into my backpack for my addendum. "We should likely expect a few visitors soon." I say as I hand her my recent updates.

She takes the file and quickly skims through it. I learned very quickly to make my briefings to Waller succinct. She arches an eyebrow and looks back at me. "And you found this an absolute necessity?"

She's questioning my judgment, and its annoying. "I deemed it to be the best course of action to avoid a situation, yes."

"So that would explain why the IT team flagged some data inquiries we got during your trip to Gotham."

"I would imagine so."

"And you will take necessary precautions so this won't effect future operations?"

I grind my teeth. Again with the mothering. "Already in progress."

"Good." She says as she sets my update down.

I'm expecting her to dismiss me, but from the tendril of thoughts I pick up… I won't be so lucky.

"So how have the other assignments been coming along?"

I go back to fishing into my backpack and produce another 2 complete briefings. "Victor Stone and Barry Allen's files." I say as I hand them to Waller.

"No luck on Arthur Curry, yet?"

Of course she's never satisfied with what I give her. Always asking for more. "He's proving more difficult to locate." She shouldn't be too surprised to hear that one though… he was practically a damn fish.

XXX

AN: So, River is going to need a call sign soon. Anybody have ideas? I have a few, but I wanted to see if you guys had any. I like the cat references ;) so those will continue regardless. Hope you guys enjoyed this update and feedback is always appreciated.