SEVEN

I found Harley on her ass, her face and costume covered in soot.

She shook her head and looked up at me as I came to stand at her side. staring at the gaping hole in the vault door.

She looked so pleased with herself.

"I forgot I brought some C4 with me!"

I raised an eyebrow.

"How long were drilling before you realised this?"

"About four hours."

And the police or better yet, Batman, still hadn't shown up. Things really were getting slack around here.

"Doesn't matter."

I placed a hand on her shoulder.

"You did good, Harls."

She beamed up at me and then stood up, smirking at the vault.

"Let's get that rock."

I nodded and she followed me into the vault.

There was everything in this vault; money (obviously), blocks of gold, papers that must have some pretty heavy info on them, bags of different makes and styles, weapons and of course, there in a glass case was the Black Emerald.

Harley went to walk towards it when I stopped her.

"Wait a minute, that thing is probably trapped."

"Yeah I know."

"Well, shouldn't we proceed with caution?"

"Nah, it'll be fine!" She said with a dismissive wave of her hand.

I sighed and stood back, waiting for some alarm to go off or a trap door to come down or something that most likely would get her killed.

She touched the glass and...nothing.

Even Harley looked shocked but that didn't deter her for long and she lifted the glass case off the podium and grabbed the Black Emerald or she tried too, her hand went straight through it.

"Oh fuck, it's a hologram. This is a set up!" I shouted but I was too late.

There was another bang and suddenly Batman stood in front of us.

Harley turned on him, rage burning bright in her eyes.

"Where's the rock, Bat boy?!"

"There is no rock, Harley. This was a set up to make sure that you and Ivy go back to Arkham."

I frowned at him.

"Oh hell no, I am no going back there and neither is she."

I ran at him and grabbed my knock out powder.

I blew it into his face but it didn't work.

"What the?-"

"I took an antidote, made to combat your toxins, Ivy. You didn't think too far ahead did y-"

Neither did he.

Harley had picked up the broken drill and had swung it hard at his head.

He went down but he wouldn't be out for long.

I grabbed Harley's hand and dragged her out of the vault and through the bank towards the vent I had come in from.

"What about the rock?"

"Jesus Christ, Harley! It wasn't real! Just get your ass up there!" I hissed as I pushed her up and into the vent.

I soon followed and after a few twists and turns, we found ourselves on the roof.

"That was close." She said.

"We're not clear yet. Come on, this way."

I took her hand again and pulled her along behind me in the direction of my apartment.

Batman didn't know where I lived so it was perfect.

"I gotta tell Mr J where I am and he can come and get me." She said pulling out her phone as we ran.

I grabbed it out of her hand and threw it over the roof.

"Hey! What d'ya do that for?!"

"I don't want Joker knowing where I live."

"Why?"

"Because I don't like him. Never have done and if he knows where I live then he can call on me anytime he wants and I don't want that."

Harley went unusually quiet but ran with me anyway.

We'd probably be talking about this later.

We made it back to my apartment without further trouble.

Frank was in the living room when we turned up and he looked at Harley.

"Ah, you must be Harley!"

Harley looked at him and then back at me with a questioning look on her face.

"New plant?"

"Harley, this is Frank. Frank, Harley."

Harley nodded at him.

"Nice to meet ya."

"And you too. Ivy talks about you all the time." He said.

I glared at the talking plant and Harley grinned at me.

"She does?"

"Hm hm, just yesterday she was saying how-"

"That's enough, Frank."

"Yeah but I was just-"

"Would you like to become a permanent outdoor plant?"

Silence.

"Nope." He said after swallowing thickly.

I smirked.

"That's what I thought."

I then turned to find that Harley had gone.

I frowned.

I was gonna make coffee...

"Where did she go?" Frank asked, echoing my thoughts.

I sighed and lent on the kitchen counter.

"I'll give you one guess."

Frank even looked a little disappointed.

"Back to Joker, huh?"

I nodded and then went over to the couch, slumping down on it.

So we couldn't even chat for a few minutes before she went running back to him?

He really must have done a number on her when he brainwashed her.

Frank looked over at me as I stared blankly at the TV.

"Ivy?"

"Hm?" I grunted.

"Are...are you ok?"

I sighed, letting my arms hang as I sat forward.

"No, Frank...I'm really not."

"You...wanna talk...maybe?"

I shook my head and brushed my red hair back.

"No, it's ok. I'm going to bed."

I got to my feet and headed for my room but behind me I heard Frank point out that it was only 8:30.

Sleep didn't come easy and when it did I wasn't asleep for very long.

Someone crashed at my door and I got up; angry that I'd been disturbed and half worried that it might be the landlord asking where his rent was; I was little behind this month, what with being banged up in Arkham and all, it tended to put a bit of a strain on the bank balance.

I yanked open the door and glared at the man standing on the other side. Then I relaxed somewhat. It was only one of Joker's goons, judging by his green and purple uniform. How did he know where I lived?

"What do you want?" I barked.

"Joker wants to know where Harley is." He said like some zombie who could barely talk coherently.

"Fuck me if I know. Last I knew she was on her way back to him."

"He knows you were at the bank with her last night."

I shrugged.

"So?"

"So you must know where she is."

"Look, I swear to you, she was here one minute, I looked up and then she was gone and no, I don't know where she's gone. I assumed she was skipping back to Joker."

The man just shrugged.

So that had to mean...Harley was in danger!

I slammed the door in the goons face and went to grab some more of my knock out powder and my jacket.

After I was sure the goon had gone, I slipped out, telling Frank that I would find Harley and bring her back here.

Being a plant, he couldn't do much so he set himself up on the couch and said he'd wait up for me.

I'll admit I didn't have the first clue about where to look for Harley.

I started walking in the direction of Joker's club as that had to be the direction in which she'd been heading. I stopped after a few blocks and looked up at the dark sky which normally displayed the Bat signal.

What if he had gotten to Harley?

Someone had to know something.

Heading up to the roof, I found Jim Gordon standing there, a mug of coffee in his hand and he was mumbling to himself.

He jumped when he saw me.

"What do you want?" He growled but I could tell he was scared.

"I need to know where Harley is."

"That fruit cake? Haven't seen her."

I folded my arms and glared at him.

"I don't believe you."

"Maybe you should check with Joker?" He suggested.

I curled my fists, green mist appearing around them and took a threatening stance.

He held up his hands.

"Ok, ok, Batman got her. He took her to the Bat Cave."

"Which is where?"

"I don-"

I raised my fist and he sighed in defeat.

"I'll take you."