Harley traced a finger lightly along Dick's arm so as not to wake him. She felt guilty at how tired he'd looked before he'd fallen asleep, but she didn't regret a minute of it.
The sun was nearly done setting, dusk settling around the room. His sleeping features were shadowed in the darkness, and Harley reluctantly sat up. She carefully slid herself out from under his side and tried not to disturb him too much as she slipped out of bed. Her body was stiff and some of the more tender bruises were sore again, but it didn't bother her. It had been well worth any discomfort now. She glanced back at Dick to make sure he was still sleeping deeply. The blankets were tangled around his legs, and his arm was splayed across the spot where she'd been. She looked at him a moment longer before shivering despite the heat of the room. She crossed her arms over her chest before turning away. Joker had told her to be back by dark.
Only coals glowed in the fireplace as she hunted down her clothes in the living room and pulled them back on. She paused on the couch after pulling her shoes on to find the hair ties on the floor and pull her hair up into its usual pigtails. Standing up and walking over the balcony, she picked up her grappling gun before freezing at the sight of Dick's utility belt.
His escrima sticks were laid beside the belt, still in their holster. Without them, he'd have to walk all the way down to the first floor instead of dropping down instantly. She bit her lip at the memory of the Infected in the building. Without his escrima sticks, Dick would be practically defenseless.
Harley stepped back away from them. Instead, she went over by the couch and scooped up his comm. She was trying not to feel guilty at how hurt Dick would be when he woke up, but she couldn't stop picturing it. She grabbed the half eaten granola bar before quickly fleeing the room.
The entire way back to the tower, she didn't see a single person. No one would dare be out tonight. But that meant nothing stirred to distract her from her thoughts aside from the occasional stray cat. She doubted anything would have distracted her from her guilt anyway.
When she got into the tower, she tiredly waited for the elevator before slumping inside and watching the door rattle as it lumbered slowly up. Approaching the top floor, Harley could hear Crane and Joker arguing. She assumed Crane was still fighting Joker on this entire plan.
Crane's shouting grew louder as the doors to the elevator opened, and Harley saw him by the couch, a fear toxin gun in his hands. She hadn't seen him in full costume since before the Infection, and even now he only wore dirty work jeans, a blue and white plaid button down, a burlap hood, and a gas mask around his neck. It was Joker, however, that drew her attention. He wore a pressed white-tie suit, deep black, with a violet shirt and a white bow tie and gloves. Every article of clothing was pristine, not a speck of dust on it, his hair slicked back from his face.
"Ugh, Scarecrow we've been doing this dance over and over-"
"-I don't care. Why do I have to be Batman bait?!"
"You know what you did," he snapped. In his shiny shoes and clean gloves, Joker looked like a dream.
"What did he do?" Harley asked as she stepped out. She glanced at Crane but couldn't help staring at Joker again.
"He- Harley!" Joker grinned at her, a gleam in his eye and color to his lips. Scarecrow looked at her.
"Are you ok?" he asked, his dark curls falling around his face. There was stubble on his jaw, too, which was new.
"Never mind that," Joker waved him off, walking towards her. "Get ready, Darling. We're leaving soon," he looked her up and down, narrowing his eyes. He hadn't called her 'darling' in months.
"Kay. I just need ta get changed and grab my revolver and I'll be good ta go." She beamed at him before leaving to put something on that would be a little less revealing during any kind of action.
"Good. So here's the plan," Joker rubbed his hands together. The man sitting on the couch leaned forward to look through the door that Harley'd left open to listen in, and Joker slapped him on the back of the head. "Pay attention," he commanded.
"Hey don't I know him?" Harley asked as she moved around a corner in the bedroom and out of sight as she dug around in the closet for clothes.
"Yes, Dear, he was our gun for hire when Deadshot was taken," Joker glanced down at him distastefully, and he beamed back up at him. Harley pulled her jacket on as he came back out. She'd put on jeans, and her bruises were well hidden. Only the J on her chest was visible above her shirt collar as she flicked her hair out from under the jacket collar, and it was covered once the jacket settled back into place. She studied the man.
"Hey! Yeah, no name soldier man," she laughed. "So what's the plan, Puddin?" she asked the Joker.
"Crane is going to take his team into the sewers first. He'll go play in Downtown, and we'll head to the Bat's headquarters to grab the serum," he nodded, flicking a speck of dust off of his glove.
"So what's he doing here?" She pointed at the man. "Seriously, what is your name?" she laughed.
"Its John," he smirked, sandy hair falling into his eyes. "Doe."
"He's heading the food raiding teams," Joker sighed irritably.
"John Doe? Really?" She rolled her eyes but smiled a little. "You could've at least tried."
"It is John," he confessed. "What's it to you?" he asked, and Joker cleared his throat loudly. Harley jumped.
"Can we continue this Q & A on the way?" he muttered irritably.
"Sorry Puddin." Harley moved over to his side, beaming up at him. Joker smiled, playing with a pigtail.
"Alright," Joker leaned down and kissed her tenderly, all memory of the night before pushed out of her mind.
"Let's go," Crane snapped, pulling his gun up around his shoulder. John stood and shrugged, and Joker led them all to the elevator. "The teams that John gathered will meet us by the manhole just outside the walls. The Bats have been steering clear of Arkham, so they shouldn't see us going in."
"Just so long as they don't stop by to check their cameras or decide to do a random patrol," Harley agreed. "I mean it's pretty dead out there in Uptown tonight; they might get bored. Maybe ya shoulda released a bit of a distraction into the city to keep 'em away from the wall." She shrugged.
"That's… Actually a great idea," Scarecrow glanced at her, sharp blue eyes examining her closely. Joker beamed at her proudly.
"What? Just because I'm pretty means I can't have ideas?" she laughed. "If you do something, just keep it small. The random zombie or thug is common and will keep them occupied, a stampede is not." She leaned against the elevator wall. "So," she turned back to the Joker and grinned, "do I get to blow anything up?" she asked hopefully.
"Don't want to ruin the surprise," he whispered, and then stole a quick kiss before they stepped off the elevators. "Now go get me Nygma." Harley pressed the elevator button to head down to the basement.
"You're gonna leave Dent behind?"
"Well there was an incident," Joker winced, glancing at Crane.
"Edward sort of-"
"-he kind of accidentally ripped Dent's arm up," Joker snorted. "He's healing." Harley shrugged.
"Okay." She made sure the door was closed as the elevator headed down.
The three men stood by the doors, shifting awkwardly in the silence. Crane still stood, stewing angrily at being dragged along on this raid, and Joker tapped a foot impatiently, before noticing John watching him.
"What?" he snapped, raising an eyebrow. John took a deep breath.
"So a clown, a soldier, and a scarecrow walk into a bar-" he began, but was cut off when the elevator doors clanged open again and Harley stepped out with Nygma sniffing around at the end of his pole. John stepped back in disgust. Harley looked mildly repulsed as well. She hadn't seen the zombie in a while, and he seemed more pungent than she remembered.
"You wanted him, you're walkin' him," Harley told Joker as she handed him the pole. Joker gladly took it and patted Nygma on the head.
"Alright," he beamed. "Let's go."
"Where are we going?" Jane asked again, and Robin couldn't help smiling. The sun had just set, and Titus walked alongside his left, with Jane on his right. She was cranky, her wild hair tucked under the hood of her jacket; she hadn't acclimated to the minimal sleep and constant work that this job required, but she hadn't complained directly once.
"Down by the parks again," Damian told her, his mask hiding his eyes in the dark. "We'll check the crops growing there, and then slack off, okay?"
"Sure," she muttered. His version of slacking off was more training, which she was okay with; she enjoyed learning.
Robin didn't talk much, but that didn't stop her from being curious about him. None of the Bats had taken their masks off yet, and she was curious about his eyes, where his scar came from, who he was.
"You're improving greatly," he assured her.
"Which is strange considering you hired me for my medical expertise not my fighting," she mumbled but he ignored her. Damian pressed his comm.
"How is residential, Batman?"
"Uneventful," Bruce updated shortly. He was watching over a quiet street of old townhouses. At sunset, people had started trekking home, and the streets wouldn't be completely empty for another hour once all the workers left their various jobs. No one worked too long after dark. The houses were lit with a mixture of electricity and candles. This neighborhood was close enough to the tower to have reasonable access, but after enough blackouts, everyone had learned to conserve their electricity. There was muffled talking behind closed doors, but the streets remained quiet in the dark.
"We've got a couple of Blackgate criminals out here," Jason reported from Arkham. "Blackbat and I are keeping an eye on them, but they don't look like they're going to be trouble. Pillaging for food."
"Keep me updated," Bruce ordered.
The streets were nearly deserted, crickets chirping in the summer air. He could hear voices somewhere, but he couldn't discern what direction they were coming from. A dog barked down the street and another answered a few blocks away. The silence was calming.
"Beautiful night, isn't it, Bruce?" Selina whispered in his ear, her voice gentle over the comms.
"Who the hell is Bruce?" Jane asked.
"Catwoman's dead husband, I believe," Robin shook his head in annoyance.
"Sorry, Batman," Catwoman whimpered nervously.
"I'm sorry I asked," Jane sighed.
"Aliases over comms," Jason mimicked Bruce, and Bruce just shook his head.
A scream suddenly drew his attention down the street, pure, unbridled terror in the sound.
Damian's head snapped towards the sound, a few blocks away. "Father-"
"I'm on my way." Bruce took off down the street. "Do not rush in as backup without first assessing the situation," he ordered Damian.
"Yes sir," he agreed, and then looked at Jane hesitantly. "Come on," he motioned for her to follow as he took off running, and Titus sprinted after them.
"Your dad is such a teacher," she told him as she ran after him, always a pace behind.
"He's- what?" Damian glanced at her over his shoulder confusedly.
"You guys have no idea what's going on," she panted a little as they ran, "but he's giving instructions so you'll learn and be careful or whatever. A total teacher."
"You know I could swear he used to say 'there's always an opportunity to learn something,'" Jason mused. "I'm on her side."
Damian rolled his eyes. "That's because Red Hood and Nightwing never learned the first time," he told her, and then surged forward when he heard gunfire. "Batman, was that at your-"
"No, it wasn't here," Batman cut him off as he kicked through a door, wood splintering from the locked frame as it gave. The woman screamed louder, backing away from him and into a corner, her pupils dilated to her irises, tears streaming down her cheeks over her seared skin. "Fear Toxin," he growled. "Crane is here. Secure a perimeter-"
"-hello, old friend," Scarecrow whispered behind him, and then fired a canister of gas as soon as Batman turned.
It hit him in the face and exploded, and he could see Scarecrow watching him with wide eyes over his gas mask through the fumes curling around his head. He could already feel the gasses affecting him, his vision blurring around the edges.
"I've been doused with Fear Toxin," Bruce shouted while he was still lucid. "Maintain a perimeter."
"Red Hood and I are on our way," Cass said immediately.
"I'm sorry," Crane said calmly, loading another canister into his gun. "If I hadn't jumped you first, I wouldn't have survived the next hour." He caught Batman as he stumbled to the side and fell, the room already disappearing, fading into crime alley in the rain. "Careful, careful…" he muttered, lowering Batman to the floor. "It's the old stuff, not the new lethal formula- absorbed immediately. Joker wouldn't let me kill you, but… Your boys don't stand a chance. Have a good night, Batman," Crane whispered, leaning over to look at him. Bruce could hear screams from the other houses, despair pressing down on his chest as Scarecrow stepped over his parent's bodies to leave the house.
"This is an all call- Scarecrow and an unknown number of inmates are loose in Downtown. All available manpower to residential," Robin called over comms.
"Batman!?" Selina cried nervously, and he didn't answer.
"We're too far out, but we'll start heading in," Kate answered, barking orders at the policemen with her.
"I'm coming," Batgirl responded.
Damian skidded to a stop in the street, turning to Jane. "Go back to the tower, now," he commanded, pressing his motorcycle keys into her hand. She looked at them, her eyes wide, before closing her fist around them. When she looked back at him, she looked like she was going to say one of her witty comments but closed her mouth.
"Try not to die," she said instead before running back to the bike.
"Nightwing's bike is still in Uptown," Jason said as he and Cass sped by it. "Someone page his comm."
"Nightwing, report," Robin rounded the corner, and gunfire bit into the building beside him. He dragged Titus behind an abandoned car. "Nightwing, report!" he shouted. He leapt out from behind the car, tearing his katanas out of their sheath on his back as he sprinted towards the sounds of screams in the houses. Leaping into the air, he threw a spinning kick at one of the goons, a katana slicing clean through the gun barrel. He threw a batarang, diving into the shadows as bullets tore through his cape. "Nightwing!"
"They're scrambling to catch up," Joker grinned, listening to Robin desperately trying to reach his brother over the comms. In his ear was the one Nightwing had given her, and Harley had the comm she'd stolen from him not an hour ago. They walked down the dry sewer passage, John lighting the way with a torch. Joker's hand was clenched tightly on Harley's, and ten men in heavy Arkham riot gear followed up the pack. Harley was glad to have ditched Crane in Downtown, the zombies had been stinking up the place, and now only Nygma remained as they headed towards Midtown again. She wanted to turn her comm off because hearing all of them panicked at the chaos and calling for Nightwing reminded her of what she'd done, but Joker was enjoying it, and she wanted to be a part of his plan.
"He's not answering?!" Batgirl cried over the comms.
"Damn it," Robin swore. "Red Hood- never mind, just leave him. I'm taking heavy fire…"
"So what's next?" she asked as she stepped around a suspicious looking spill on the ground.
"We start the food raids," John said over his shoulder to her, sweeping the torch around the tunnels before looking at the sewer plans in his hand.
"Then hightail it out of there as soon as possible," another man muttered, just behind Harley's shoulder. He sounded like John, and when she turned around, the man looked like a carbon copy. He flashed her a grin before looking down at his boots again. Harley stared between them.
"Are you multiplying!?"
"God, I hope not," John replied, without turning around.
"I'm Luke," the other smiled, flicking his sandy hair out of his face.
"Uh huh, and what's your last name, Luke?" Harley asked and smirked at John's back.
"Sorry, gorgeous. Don't have one," he beamed.
"Batman! Batman, can you hear me?" Robin cried. "He's practically unresponsive, I have to get him out of here-"
"I made it to Downtown, Robin," Batgirl commed. "Heading to residential."
"That's three," Joker whispered under his breath.
"They're codenames," John clarified from in front of them, stopping under a manhole cover. He handed the torch back to Luke and began climbing the ladder.
"We were assassins. Our real names were erased years ago, back before-"
"-Luke," John snapped, pausing on the ladder to glare at him.
"What? As if we're not surrounded by killers and thieves?" he stared innocently up at his brother.
"They don't need to know, you moron," another voice said behind Luke, a baseball cap pulled low over amber eyes and wavy chestnut hair. Joker pinched the bridge of his nose.
"They were one of the single best task forces of their day," he begrudgingly admitted. "But I suddenly remember what I hated about them…"
"Distraction-" Batman choked over the comms. "Downtown attacks- something else is coming-"
"Batman is secure, and he's right," Batgirl added. "This is a distraction."
"We don't shut up, do we, funnyman?" a fourth said behind the third, also a twin, light brown waves falling around his cheekbones and into his amber eyes. He winked at Harley.
Luke followed John up the ladder, and a few other goons followed.
"I suddenly feel really left out." Harley tugged at a pigtail. "I really gotta find me a twin."
"Oh I guarantee there's only one of you, gorgeous," the brunette chuckled as he passed her, taking the torch and heading down the tunnel again. They flawlessly took each other's places, and his brother in the hat walked behind Harley and Joker, his gun slung over his shoulder. Joker growled under his breath and his hand clenched on Harley's. She giggled at his reaction and beamed at him.
"So we're next right?"
"Once these idiots make it to the other storage location, yes. Come on." He led her away from the group, Nygma sniffing along the tunnel like a dog as they made their way to the tower.
"This is Jim Gordon, is anyone there? We have a situation in Midtown."
"Oh God, what now," Damian cursed angrily, furiously swinging a katana and slicing clean through an Infected's neck.
"The food stores are under attack. Video footage shows two groups at each location."
"Are you ok, Dad?!" Batgirl demanded, guiding people down the street towards one of the bunkers they'd built at locations through the neighborhoods.
"I'm fine. My officers are stretched way too thin- We can spare a few to try and stop the food thefts, but otherwise, they're in Downtown assisting evac."
"Do that," Batgirl commed. "Come on, stay together!" She shouted at her group, gunfire lighting up the streets behind them.
"Where the hell is my backup!" Damian screamed, tearing down an alley, forced to retreat by the mercenaries in the streets.
"We're almost there!" Jason snapped back. "Spoiler what's your ETA?"
"The comm woke me up!" Steph defended. "I'm trying… I'm getting ready. I'll be there as soon as I can."
"I'm back at the tower," Jane interrupted. "I'm going to update Dr. Tompkins so we can start getting medical set up."
"Good. Red Hood, Blackbat, with me," Robin commed.
"Is there any sign of Scarecrow?" Batgirl asked.
"I haven't seen him yet," Robin answered. "The moment someone does, send out the call. He'll cause the most damage."
"Blackbat meet up with Robin," Jason ordered. "I can head toward the neighborhoods closer to Downtown to make sure this doesn't spread any further. Batgirl are you okay on your own? And Robin can you handle your zone with Blackbat as backup?"
"I'll manage," Robin spat.
"I'm ok-" Barbara cried out suddenly, covering her head as a canister of gas flew into the crowd she was ushering into the bunker. "Shit!" she swore, putting her gas mask over her nose.
"Gas masks on everyone?" Jason suggested. "Not all of you have helmets on that can filter just about any- son of a bitch I forgot about Ivy." Jason quickly tried to comm her.
"You gave her a comm?!" Robin demanded. "She's probably the one who led them here!" He ran towards a goon, dodging bullets and grabbing the gun, knocking him out with it.
"She is not the one who did this!" Jason yelled at him. "And Batman knows she has a comm, and that's always good enough for you, isn't it?" he snapped.
"What's going on?" Ivy demanded as she got on the comm line.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine. What's-"
"-It's nothing," Jason cut her off. "Just stay in the tower. Things are crazy out here."
"We're just getting started," Crane growled behind him, and then vanished into the shadows again.
"Was that… Jonathan Crane?!" Ivy demanded.
"Like I said: crazy." Jason took his gun out and headed in the direction he thought Crane had gone. "So just stay in the tower where it's safe okay?"
"Jason if you think-"
"-Yup. Bye love you too." Jason muted her comm feed.
"Hello, Red Hood," Crane said listlessly, dropping from a fire escape above him. the butt of his gun connected with Jason's helmet, the force ringing in his eardrums and knocking him down to one knee. Scarecrow kicked him in the head before retreating into the dark again.
"Oh son of a-" Jason muttered. "I found Crane… Sorta."
"I really don't want to do this," Crane confessed, coming out of the dark again and kicking him in the side so hard he nearly hurled, and he swung his gun like a golf club, hitting Jason in the head again. One of the lenses in his mask cracked, and with horror he realized that Crane was trying to get through his mask. He swung again, knocking Red Hood to the ground.
"Damn it," Jason growled. "Robin I may need some backup if you can spare it. Preferably immediately." He stood up carefully. "I hate to admit it but I may be getting my ass kicked by one of Dorothy's friends."
Crane backed away, watching him carefully. "Cute," he muttered.
"I try," Jason shrugged. He'd lost his gun somewhere in the shadows when Crane had jumped him, so he was hesitant to approach when Crane had the upper hand. Crane hesitated for a moment and then fired a canister at Red Hood's stomach. It knocked the wind out of him and the gas covered him as he leapt towards him, swinging up and catching him under the chin with his gun. Jason's vision went black for a second, but he managed to reach out and grab Crane's arm, slamming him to the ground.
"Enough," he hissed.
"I can't stop," he said through his gas mask, his burlap hood falling off. He kicked Red Hood in the knee and caught his hand, twisting it back and driving his face into the concrete. He struggled to stand and then planted his boot against Red Hood's shoulder, yanking his arm back as he pressed down. Jason grit his teeth, his breath hissing through his teeth as he flailed his free arm out behind him. When he finally made contact with Crane's leg, he yanked it out from under him. He fell back, crying out. He scrambled after his gun when it went skittering across the ground. Jason caught him and pulled him back. He pinned Crane to the ground with an arm across his chest.
"I have half a mind to pull that mask off and let you get a taste of your own medicine," Jason told him. Crane glared up at him hatefully, fire lighting up the skyline behind them. A massive explosion drew Jason's attention and Crane kneed him in the groin, rolling away when Jason loosened his grip. Scarecrow kicked him in the stomach, and he heard ribs crack. He didn't relent, kicking him again. Red Hood spat blood into his mask, coughing. Reaching down, Scarecrow tore his mask off and hit him in the face with it, knocking him onto his back.
"I've been practicing," he panted, Red Hood's mask dangling from his hand. "And I gotta say-" he hit him in the face with his mask again- "it's paying off."
"Fuck," Jason groaned. He rolled onto his hands and knees, coughing blood on the street as he tried to stand up.
"Do us both a favor and don't get up," he gasped, kicking Red Hood in the face. When Jason hit the pavement, Scarecrow retrieved his gun and leveled it at Red Hood's face. "Say hello to Ivy for me," he said harshly, firing a canister at his face.
"This is our stop, Doll," Joker beamed, looking up at the manhole cover above them.
"Finally," Harley practically cheered. She was sick of the sewer. Joker boosted her up and they went up onto the street outside of Wayne Tower.
"Alright, garage-" he walked towards the bottom entrance, Nygma leading the way. Joker handed Harley a duffle bag. "Surprise, Darling," he grinned, his laughter ripping through the dark street. When she opened it, it was full of small charges.
"Ooo." Harley pulled one out and examined it. "And it's not even my birthday!"
"Wait'll you see what I got you for that," he beamed as they walked into the garage. "On the vehicles. Set the charges." Harley had a flash of panic. These were their supply trucks; this was how they got food.
"We're cutting off their food supply?" she asked. "But they're our food supply."
"We aren't going to be able to rob them any more after this," he pointed out. "They're never going to let it happen again- but I have a plan. Don't worry," he ruffled her hair. "Now hurry up."
A door slammed open across the garage, and Spoiler rushed in, halting when she saw them. Joker whipped out his gun.
"Drop your weapons, bat-brat," he snapped, aiming the revolver.
"Hi!" Harley called cheerfully, waving one of the explosives. Steph glared at them as she tried to judge the distance to any sort of cover where she could draw her gun.
"I said drop it you little shit," he snapped, firing a shot into the concrete by her head, and she flinched.
"Spoiler? What the hell was that?!" Batgirl asked. "Are you in Downtown?"
"No. I'm still in the Tower," she said quietly as she slowly pulled her gun out and set it on the ground.
"All of the other weapons, too, and take your communicator out," he walked towards her, staying out of reach. "Harley. Finish setting the charges." Harley glanced between them before picking up the duffle bag and scampering around the back of the truck to do as he said.
Steph carefully removed each of her weapons as he watched, wondering if it was worth it to throw one in his smug face anyway.
"Your communicator!" he snapped, forcing the gun at her.
"Spoiler what's going on?!"
"The Joker's in the tower," she said quickly as she reached up and pulled her comm out, tossing it to him. "There."
"Spoiler, what!?" Robin cried.
"I'm doubling back to help her," Batgirl responded.
"No- we can't spare the manpower!"
"If he's in the tower who knows what could happen!?"
"Fine. Batgirl, take Batman back to the Tower. Hurry."
"You stupid bitch!" he shouted, hitting her across the face with the gun. "Harley!" he barked. "We have to move! And this little peach is coming with us," he snapped, grabbing Stephanie by her hair, jamming the gun into her back as he forced her towards the elevator. "If you try to fight me, I'll put a bullet through your spine."
"Oh is that so?" Steph bit back. "And here I thought you never repeated a show. Must be running out of tricks, huh?"
"I'll start higher up this time," he moved the gun up between her shoulder blades. "At least Batgirl could still use her arms when I left her."
Harley skipped onto the elevator with them, and she hit the button to the labs. Stephanie didn't turn to look at her.
"Where's Nightwing?" she asked, and Joker pulled her hair a bit. "What did you do with him?"
"I… uh…" Harley looked to the Joker. He didn't glance at her at all, a slow smile spreading over his face.
"Spoiler, please report. Stephanie, come on," Batgirl breathed over the comms. Joker laughed.
"Stephanie, huh?" He chuckled. "Sounds to me like saying your code names over your communicators like Batman always says sure would be a Steph in the right direction."
"So what'd you do? Kill Nightwing for his comm?" she asked, and Harley flinched but didn't say anything. Joker forced Stephanie forward as the elevator doors opened, and he pushed her to the Lab doors. They'd been evacuated, and only a few people were still there. She could see Tim pacing in the observation case.
"Open it," he told her.
"And if I say no?" she challenged.
"Then you'll never get Nightwing back, or I'll shoot you in the head and then break the glass. I'll kill your pet zombie over there, too. Take your pick," Joker shrugged. "Now do it." Steph grit her teeth before reluctantly entering her code. They went in, and Joker shoved her forward. There were screams as they walked through the labs, and Joker barked at the doctors to back away. "I want the decomposition inhibitor," he told Steph, not taking the gun away from her back. He made sure to keep behind her, close enough to make a kill shot but far enough away that she couldn't fight back. "Harley-Doll. Help her out."
"Just do as he says," Harley suggested. She was momentarily distracted by Tim. The fight between him and Deadshot could've happened yesterday from how he looked, and she was too astonished to look away. Any doubts about the inhibitor were gone. "Where's the decay inhibitor?" She refocused on Steph. Looking at Tim for too long made her feel guilty. It was easier when the Infected looked less than human. Tim looked almost like a normal person except for the hungry snarl on his face.
Steph didn't say anything, holding her ground as she stared them down.
"Where is it?!" Joker screamed, and then whirled on the doctors again as TJ tried to come forward. "Stay back!" he commanded, refocusing on Stephanie. She glanced over at the doctors, huddled or hiding in fear. It was a room full of collateral damage.
"Evacuate the lab and I'll show you where it is," she told him calmly. Joker pursed his lips.
"Fine! Everyone out," he sighed in exasperation. The doctors hesitantly moved towards the doors, and Joker's face turned livid. "Get out!" He barked, and they bolted, but TJ remained. Joker rolled his eyes. "Kid, don't be a hero."
"I want to stay with her." He balled his fists. Joker turned to Steph.
"Can he stay? Pleeeeeease?" he grinned.
"You should leave," Steph warned him.
"No," TJ said firmly. Steph stared at him for a moment before giving up.
"The vials of the inhibitor are in that cabinet over there," she pointed. "Any of the preloaded syringes are- would have been up in medical and have probably been taken already to deal with the little party you decided to throw."
"Harley. Go." Joker nodded his head toward the cabinet, not taking his eyes off of Stephanie. "I know better than to turn my back on a Bat."
"Ooo, I shoulda brought my bat," Harley muttered as she went over to the cabinet. When she opened it, there were neat rows of the vials with six in a box and around a dozen boxes along with some other medical supplies like syringes and latex gloves. She started loading it all into the empty duffle bag. Joker glanced at her and grinned, and then tilted his head to listen to his comm.
"Good news. Scarecrow took down Red Hood." Steph grit her teeth but didn't say anything, but Harley turned around.
"Was he supposed to? Well then that's good, I guess." Ivy was going to be so pissed. "Oh hey! How's Ivy?" she asked Steph. "Is she okay? Have you guys been treatin' her right? Been giving her lots of plants?" Steph stared at her incredulously. Harley cocked a hip. "What?"
"Tell me about Nightwing, and I'll tell you about Poison Ivy," Steph bargained. Harley bit her lip and looked at the Joker. He shot her a glare.
"Alright, Harley. Open up that zombie chamber." She visibly blinked in surprise.
"What?"
"Now!" he shouted, grabbing Stephanie's hair, shoving her towards Tim's observation room. TJ stepped forward and Joker shot at him, narrowly missing, and he hit a desk. Harley obediently scampered over to the door and stopped to look at the keypad.
"It requires a code," she said hesitantly.
"Tell her," he commanded TJ behind him. When he didn't move, Joker hung his head backwards to look at him. "I can put a bullet in her and throw you both in there, or I can give you a fighting chance. Again… Your choice," he let out a peal of sadistic laughter and grinned, gesturing TJ towards him. He kicked him forward to the zombie cage. "Now."
Tim was snarling at them, his hands clawing at the glass. TJ looked at him before back at the Joker and his gun trained on Spoiler. He set his shoulders before marching over to the keypad. Harley jumped out of his way as he entered the code, hesitating before hitting the last number. Joker forced them both into the chamber, closing the door behind them.
"Well done, Doll. Now let's book it out of here. Radio Crane that he can pull back in ten minutes. Retreat to the sewers. You did brilliantly." His grin was sincere and dazzling, and in his crisp tailcoat and slacks he was hard to resist. Joker wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her against his chest. "Just… brilliantly," he breathed, glancing over her shoulder before kissing her hard. His kiss was dizzying, drawing the breath right out of her lungs. Harley was stunned by the sudden intensity. Gasping, she pulled him closer by his lapels. Joker kissed her again, harder, smiling against her lips, a laugh rising low in his throat. Behind him, Stephanie was trying to knock Tim unconscious, near tears, as TJ cowered in the corner of the cage. Harley couldn't focus on them, on anything but Joker. Her hands bunched around his lapels as she stood on tiptoe, pressing herself against him. He dragged his lips away from hers suddenly, his laughter cutting through the air as he brushed her hands off of his lapels, his face impassive and amused. "Love you, Doll," he grinned, watching her face as he straightened his gloves. Harley beamed when he said it.
"Love ya, Puddin."
"Enough." a familiar voice said behind them, and Joker's grin widened slowly, his eyes flicking over Harley's shoulder. She froze. "Stop this." For a moment, it almost sounded like Batman. She would have given anything for it to be Batman. Joker smiled darkly at Harley, his sharp green eyes meeting hers as her stomach twisted. "Give me the bag, and get. Out."
When she turned, Dick's face was twisted in fury, his lips pressed together in a hard line, his mask hiding his eyes. Harley flinched away, blushing and ducking her head. His clothes were disheveled and even with the mask on, Harley could see his exhaustion written on his pale face.
Joker pushed Harley out of the way to beam at Dick standing in the lab, blocking the way to the door. He leveled the gun to Nightwing's chest.
"Bang," he whispered, grinning.