She couldn't feel her legs as she was dragged farther and farther down the grassy field. All she could see was the darkness of the night sky and all she could hear was the maniacal laughter of the man dragging her away.
She didn't know what hurt her the most, the fact that she got shot in the spine and was being drug through the hard grass by her feet by Gotham's most infamous super criminal, the clown prince of crime, or that her best friend was responsible for all of this, having fallen in love with the mad man and betrayed her. Whatever it was, she was power less to fight back, and after being dragged across the grass for what felt like a eternity, she finally caught a glimpse of where the clown prince of crime was taking her, Arkham Asylum.
As she was drug into the asylum that one moment spun continuously through her mind, Harley with a gun shooting her in her spine. And the face she wore while doing it, she enjoyed it and laughed as she knocked her unconscious. Whatever Harley was before was truly lost due to that madman. Batgirl knew she made a promise to Sarah before she died, but as she was drug to one of Arkham's many cells, unable to move due to the bullet lodged in her spine, she feared that the old Harley truly was gone forever.
As Batgirl's wrists got chained to a cell wall, she noticed to her left was a older man with a grizzled face and wild silver hair laying in a fetal position on the floor. Batgirl had info on most every inmate in Arkham but for some reason she was unfamiliar with this patient. Maybe he was a newer patient or was just recently transferred over to them. Regardless she had more pressing matters on her plate right now, like the crazy clown responsible for her current predicament.
"Really does add to the place don't you think Harley dear?" Joker laughed as he starred at Batgirl chained up to the wall.
"It sure does Mr. J." Harley agreed wrapping both her arms around Joker's left arm "Brat girl is finally where she belongs, with the rest of the crazies."
"What happened to you Harley?" Batgirl asked "This isn't you."
"It is now, and you are the one to blame. Well you and B-man. But he will be joining us soon. Once the city is ours he is bound to come out of hiding."
"Why do you want to take over Gotham Joker? You've never been the City takeover type."
"True," Joker laughed "But my boys on the other hand, they are the ones that want to take it over. So I thought I'd give them what they want and use it as a ploy for my real master plan."
"Which is?"
"To draw the Batman out and finish what we started of course. And you Batgirl are the bait, well you and Gotham anyway."
"Your insane." Batgirl hissed before Joker delivered a fist to Batgirl's gut. Batgirl curled forward the wind knocked out of her. Chained up there was no defense against Joker's attacks
"That's hurtful," Joker replied "And here I thought you'd be more thankful we allowed you to come out of this only with your legs no longer in working shape. I don't know what your connection is with the Bat nor do I care, but obviously he trusts you enough to take care of his precious city. Once he sees what my boys do to this place and what has become of his apprentice he will come rushing back to Gotham to save you."
"But by then he will be to late." Harley laughed.
"Ah Harley don't spoil the ending it will ruin the twist ending!"
"What twist ending?"
"Well I suppose it would be unfair to leave you hanging now would it. Care to tell her Harley."
"Once Bat Freak comes to save you. He will watch as his successor, that will be you, dies in front of his eyes. By my hands of course."
"Your death will drive the Bat mad," Joker replied, "Then once his mind is gone we will finally show the world that the Bat is just as crazy as the rest of us."
"Your sadistic."
"Anyway enjoy your last day on Earth, by my predictions old Bat Boy should be hear to rescue you in a few hours. Harley will you be a dear and watch our prisoner while I prepare for the welcome home party?"
"Will do Puddin'"
"Oh and please feel free to watch the event unfold on the TV." Joker laughed, pointing to the TV hanging on the wall outside her cell. "I want you to feel as home as possible right before your tragic ending. Ta, Ta now!"
Harley guarded the cell as the Joker left the Asylum, his laugh could be heard echoing the hallways. This was her chance, if there was any hope of getting through to Harley it was now.
"This is not you Harley."
"Quite Brat girl. If I had my way you'd be dead right now!"
"The Harley I know would never join forces with the Joker, she wanted to help reform these patients not become them."
"You don't know anything about me Batgirl. We didn't even meet until that incident at the theater."
"I know enough to know you cared about your patients, and you always was optimistic that they would change no matter how dangerous they were. That's one of the reasons why you continued to interview the Joker was it? Sarah told me how you were scared around him but yet you kept going back. Was it because you felt despite your fear that you could help him."
"You are not worthy of speaking Sarah's name. It's your fault she's dead."
"No Harley it's yours. You fired the rocket launcher, you hit the gargoyle above our head. Sarah's death is on YOU!"
"Your lying!"
"But you know what Harley, Despite everything you did, Sarah's last wish was for me to help you find the good in you again. As she died in my arms, she begged me not to give up on you, begged me to help you find yourself again. I want to honor her wish but you need to be willing to change!"
"Why are you so willing to help people you don't know? Who are you?" Harley unlocked the cell door and walked over to where Barbara was chained up. Curious of who Batgirl was and why she was so dead set on helping her she ripped off Batgirl's cowl before Batgirl had time to protest. What she saw underneath that cowl caused her to nearly fall over backwards in shock and disbelief.
"Babs?"
"Harley please," Barbara pleaded "I'm your friend, let me help you."
This was to much for Harley to take in. Harley's friend, whom she roomed with and hung out after work was actually was the Batgirl, the girl she blamed for Joker's problems. No, this couldn't be? This was a sick joke! Overwhelmed and not sure what to do she ran out of the cell and locked it up before running to another hall leaving Barbara in tears at having to witness what had happened to her best friend.
"Has any of Joker's men talked yet?" Jim asked one of his officers at the G.C.P.D about twenty minutes later. Several of Joker's men where in police lockup, delivered by Batgirl over the past few days. Jim had spent every possible moment since trying to get them to give the Joker's location and plans to them, but despite even his most fiercest tactics none of them would speak.
"Sadly they have all got lawyers and plead the fifth. We ain't getting anywhere with them sir."
"Shit!" Gordon hissed "Get to the Bat symbol and contact Batgirl, hopefully she has found something."
It was right then that the front entrance to the police station blew in knocking everyone to the floor. Jim coughed up debris as the smoke cleared and he saw Joker with a R.P.G in his hand. He was trailed by ten of his men.
"I'm sorry, Batgirl can't come to your aid right now, please leave a message after the BWAH HA HA HA!"
Jim instantly pulled out his gun and started firing at Joker, followed by all the other officers at the precinct. Joker quickly dodged Jim's bullet before pulling out a Tommy gun. He instantly opened fire on the precinct taking out four of Jim's officers.
"Officers down, I repeat multiple Officers down!" Jim called over his radio while ducking behind his desk. He witnessed as another officer fired at the Joker only to receive five bullets in the chest. "G.C.P.D under attack by the Joker, all units report to the G.C.P.D at once."
"It's the all you can kill cops buffet boys!" Joker laughed as started walking toward the exit. Another cop fired after him, trying to prevent him from leaving only for the Joker to turn and fire three bullets in his chest. "Seriously Jimmy boy I thought you would have better trained officers then this, I'm barely breaking a sweat."
Jim popped out of his hiding place and fired a single shot at Joker's head. It narrowly missed and hit the wooden door frame six inches from Joker's face. Joker turned and smiled towards Jim's direction.
"Swing and a miss Jimmy boy!" Joker aimed his gun at Jim and fired, only to have another officer jump in front of Jim and take the bullets for him.
"Ooo now that's funny." Joker laughed "Sacrificing yourself for the old Commissioner." Joker shrugged and walked out of the building, leaving his men to attack the precinct "Oh well so long Jimbo."
As Joker walked down the steps of the precinct five police cars drove up and surrounded Joker. Joker just laughed and shook his head as the officers got out of their cars and pointed their weapons at him. Joker's smile never left his face as he took back out his R.P.G and fired one rocket at the swarm of cops. All five of the cars exploded and the officers flew into the air in a burst of flames as the Joker laughed sadistically at the scene before him.
"Oh I just love a good bonfire BWAH HA HA HA!."
As Joker continued to walk down the steps he soon saw news helicopter soon flying over his head
"Oooh is it time for the late night news already? Here report this!" Joker shot another rocket at the helicopter hitting it's tail fin causing the helicopter to spin out of control. As The helicopter crashed about half a mile in front of him, Joker calmly walked up to the crash sight and snatched the camera out of the dead reporters hands. Turning the camera own Joker turned the camera toward himself and sent a message for all of Gotham to see knowing it would make it's way to Batman.
"Guess who's back Batman? It's me, your favorite clown Prince of Crime!" Joker turned the camera to the wreckage before turning the camera back to himself. "See what I've been up to Batsy? That's only a small taste of whats to come if you don't show your pretty face. Inside the G.C.P.D as we speak the Gotham police force is being shot up like a shooting range and your heir to the cowl or whatever the hell she is supposed to be has been reduced to a cripple and tied up in Arkham. Show your face Bats, we all know you can't resist me. It's time we continued our little game of ours. I've made the first move, now it's time to make yours. Face me, or your precious city, as well as that cute red head you brought into our game dies!"