Chapter XIX: Between angsty, jealousy and fury.
In a current neighborhood on Gotham City, inside a peaceful house with a pleasant homelike appearance. A family had breakfast watching the news with hotcakes and honey on the bedside table of the comforting kitchen, while watching the TV screen that showed them what was happening almost at nine in the morning in the main Gothic hospital. What the host of the newscast spoke with panic of concern and with microphone in hand, was consistent with the catastrophic situation that was shown on the screen next to her. With each word that said the situation worsened:
"We do not know what is going on inside the compound at the moment, but we managed to distinguish with our cameras that Joker has just hurriedly entered and now everything has become chaotic just outside the parking lot. enter being dragged by a man in a suit and as all officers are now falling dead at this precise moment by the rain of gunfire coming from the roof of the Hospital, there women and children screaming desperately in the heights, while the men of Joker They keep firing in the direction of the police patrols, it's terrible to watch the killing... Wait, what's happening now is almost out of a fairy tale! Turn the camera Edward! As you can see, at this precise moment you can see how big roots are coming out of the asphalt and are immobilizing Batman, yes, it's nothing more, nothing less, than Poison Ivy. You want to be using all your skills with the plants to stop Batman. This is undoubtedly a catastrophe of multiple proportions! the officers are doing everything possible to control the situation; trying to enter through each of the Hospital's available entrances trying to arrest Joker and his dangerous men.
We were just informed at the last minute, that the officers are being detained by the group of former inmates who call themselves, "Suicide Squad", led by former special forces commander Rick Flag, who are divided by the sectors of the Hospital, incredibly supplying support to Joker's men. They have already managed to kill unfortunately many of the officers inside. We do not know the real reason, why all these villains are helping the most demented and dangerous criminal in the city. We strongly urge all our viewers to pray for the trapped people and the officers who are putting their lives at risk right now trying to control this terrible situation, because frankly we do not know exactly what will happen to the Hospital in this state and all the people inside if they can not stop the Joker.
The lives of these people and of all the medical staff depends on a thread... This is a fact that unites us all as a city, since we just witnessed the fall of Bank Center America just a few moments ago; that exploded with all the people inside... This has been undoubtedly one of the largest tentative... "
The television was turned off by the remote control in the hands of the hostess in a loose pink pijamas.
"Honey, don't go to work today, stay at home with us," begged the woman embraced her husband, who was ready to leave with a briefcase in his hand, while watching his two sons eat breakfast and commented euphoric what ended to see on the TV screen.
"I don't know love; we don't know if this would affect the scheduled meeting that I have this morning" the man in blue suit replied taking back his frightened wife's hug.
The long corridor leading to the emergency room became an endless labyrinth, infinite for Joker, who ran with despair feeling that he never reached his destination, despite the rapidity of all his steps. He felt how his heart strangled, leaving him breathless and his strength weakened by seeing the doors of other rooms fall behind before his eyes lost in anguish, with a single thought in his head ... his harlequin was not breathing. Joker opened the door abruptly, making it sound against the wall and then finally saw Harley, while listening to that long "beep" of his nightmares.
J broke, falling to his knees with his hands on the floor.
"No... Harls… Harls... no..."
Harley was with his chest uncovered with two patches near his heart and a nurse perched on the stretcher to strong pressures on his heart at the same time he counted.
"25-26-27-28-29-30" Doctor Howard shouted "SECOND ADRENALINE NOW" while holding in his hands the ends of the defibrillator on one side of the stretcher, the nurse in a second injected the second dose of adrenaline into Harley's right forearm, while another nurse shouted
"VENTRICULAR FIBRILLATION LOAD 200" indicating that the defibrillator machine's charge was ready to deliver another powerful electric shock to Harley's heart, Doctor Howard shouted.
"STEP AWAY" and all the nurses removed their hands from Harley's body before the doctor positioned the ends of the machine on her bare chest. Joker saw the inert body of his harlequin startled by the amount of volts applied, but the long beep of the monitor was still in his ears, along with the green straight line that indicated that the heart rate of Harley's heart was still unresponsive. She suffered pressing her fingers against the floor, helpless... she does not have the strength to point the doctor... she felt that she was dying with her and involuntarily contracted her jaw with all her strength feeling her eyes getting wet and the cold of feeling bitterly alone again he traversed every part of his thoughts. The nurse holding Harley's head kept screaming
"MASSAGE" the other nurse got back on track and started the painful CPR count by doing the strong chest pressures "1, 2, 3, 4, 5..."
The doctor shouted
"VIRUS RESPIRATORY, OROTRAQUEAL INTUBATION."
The third nurse turned to the side of Harley's head and while the sick woman opened her mouth, inserted a long tube followed by arranging an air pump and beginning to press it several times, trying to supply air to her lungs. The other nurse stopped doing CPR on his chest and with a stethoscope hanging from his neck, put the cold metal in Harley's lungs and said overwhelmed.
"No air comes in."
The doctor shouted again
"STEP AWAY" everyone responded by moving away, to which he immediately gave another strong electric shock of 200 volts and J saw Harley's body again give another shake as he heard her soft voice in his head.
"Don't let me die Puddin... I don't want to die"
Joker felt himself burn inside and growled getting up from the floor pointing his gun at the Doctor telling him with a bitter voice
"Bring her back to life, doctor."
All the nurses saw the red eyes of J and nodded with the medical devices in their hands overwhelmed by the panic of dying if they did not achieve their goal. J affirmed himself from one of the metal shelves at the side of the door, suffocated by the long vip that painfully pressed his heart and with the other arm he continued to point at the doctor without looking away from Harley.
The doctor shouted.
"CONTINUE, MASSAGE, NOW."
Everyone started moving again and the strenuous counting started again on his chest
"1,2,3,4,5..."
"300 milligrams of amiodarone and adrenaline ready, doctor" the nurse said, injecting another dose into her forearm and the nurse finished counting the last pressures.
"27,28,29,30"
"Charge 200" the third nurse said watching the monitor of the defibrillator machine and Doctor Howard quickly shouted
"STEP AWAY, DOWNLOAD."
In a second he put the ends of the defibrillator back in Harley's chest, she shook herself and Joker gasped, feeling the electric shock in Harley's body so strong; as he felt it in his own body that claimed not to die. Two beep, three beep and the green line began to move subtly upwards. Harley's heart beat again and J touched his chest again because of his shirt ajar on the side of his chains... it was as if her heartbeat was connected to his...
"Heart rhythm is in the sinus" the nurse, looking at the heartbeat monitor and the Doctor placed his fingers in the jugular of Harley's neck.
"Yes, it has a carotid pulse."
The third nurse put his phonendoscope in the area of the lungs and said-he has come out of cardiorespiratory arrest-then he covered his naked breast again with the sheet and the doctor turned his gaze to Joker who was still pointing at him.
"She will live, now lower the gun please" he said terrified seeing the dark expression on J's eyes.
"My son... Doctor?"
"It also going to live, I beg you, don't shoot!
"Are you sure?
"Yes, yes, completely, I'm not a gynecologist, but I can tell you that she will survive, although she will have a risky pregnancy and must be very careful the first two terms until the fetus is secured on her uterus and doesn't have a miscarriage, but she will be fine with the necessary care and I only tell you to be aware of that" he said horrified to see J's expression when he named the word abortion, he could assure that he was about to shoot him.
"Go out and Doctor... don't say words again without thinking twice and don't expect you to thank you, thanks for letting you live."
"Yes, I'm sorry, let's go!" Doctor Howard told the frightened nurses, who stabilized Harley. These quickly finished and left with the Doctor through the door passing by J.
As soon as they left, Joker closed the door and abruptly ran the metal rack in front of it to leave the emergency room completely closed from the inside and that no one would hear the words that were stuck in his throat and threatened to leave with the anguish he felt a few moments. He approached in a second to Harley and the first thing he did was to put his arms around her, putting his face on his chest and the truths he felt came out of his mouth in muffled whispers.
"Don't scare me again, Harls... you know I need you... and I... I thought I died... my chest burned with your heartbeats like a desperate addict... I'm feeling baby, I'm trapped in love" J breathed deeply kissing with despair the Harley's chest skin with an open hand on her belly "you are my queen and you can't leave me... do not make me feel cold again..." he pulled his face away from his chest to bring him closer to his holding it with two hands, stroked it and then he gave a grunt, knowing that he had to leave her "I must go to finish with everyone outside... but you will open your baby eyes and when you do, the first thing you will see, will be my hand over yours..." then he devoured with kisses the right side of her neck and pushed away from her to push the shelf that closed the door.
Joker came out possessed by the anger of having to leave her again and gave a single glance to the doctor in the room next to him pointing with his finger from the door
"Be attentive doctor, I will return and I want to find Harley well."
"Yes, yes, of course" the doctor told Joker what he heard, and then he moved briskly down the long corridor to the elevator and headed to the roof.
The elevator took Joker to the fifth floor of the hospital and as he left the elevator, he could already hear the machine-gun fire of his armed men on the roof annihilating every officer trying to enter the hospital. He went up the stairs to one side of the corridor, ready to do everything to finish the whole matter of the police ambush as soon as possible. He did not remember the last time he had felt so angry and all he had in mind was to get rid of all that damn riot fast. He opened the door that led to the roof and the first thing he did after walking a few steps was to see all the hostages leaning their heads on the edges of cement with their bodies squat, in addition to two of his trusted men, "Venom White"and "Rectangular box on the head" who led the other men with the skull scarves.
J stared at all the hostages, but mostly he noticed the women gagged and tied in their arms behind their backs. However, he turned his eyes away... he needed a bigger impact. Then his gaze was directed to all the children crying at one end of the roof. He smiled, that would end the bat and not just him... but all the idiot officers who had dared to challenge him. Then he peeked around the edge of the roof and watched the violent spectacle of men firing at each other. Ivy had Batman trapped feet and hands with big roots that came out of the cement floor, just as the press with its cameras captured every minute of the chaos and the police patrols kept arriving one after the other.
He grunted with the hatred and evil that darkened his mind, because the patrols kept coming despite his warning and he immediately spoke to one of his trusted men, "X" who was the masked one with the head of "Venom White".
"Unleash the child and that woman" he told an eleven-year-old boy with short black hair that caught his attention, for his similitude with Robin. While he also indicated with his eyes a blond haired woman to the shoulders.
"Venom White" obeyed instantly, without saying anything... his voice was always a mystery to J, but he did not care, because he always complied with his orders. While this untied the strong knots of the woman's wrists, J thought that at that height they probably would not listen to him... more, he was sure that without saying a word he would make everyone leave after he caught his attention with what he was going to do .
Joker approached the untied woman taking her hard by the wrist after seeing her face ask for help, she was still gagged and told white Venom who finished untying the frightened kid.
"When I tell you, you will give me the kid... with nothing in his mouth" an agreement with his head gave him to understand that he would follow his orders and J dragged the woman to the edge of the roof before the horrified look of the many hostages who they moved their heads in denial with despair, sensing the cruelty that he would going to do.
They were right; Joker pushed the woman to hang in the air only held by the firm grip on his wrist. The loud gunfire stopped instantly; as well as all the glances went directly on the King of Gotham. Joker released her and the woman fell.
The blood and the torn body of the blonde haired woman scattered without remedy in front of the door of the Hospital, capturing the attention of absolutely everyone who was in the parking lot.
"Give it to me" he ordered, and "Venom White" pushed the gag away from the boy's mouth and, despite the height, everyone heard him scream desperately when J took his arm strong and raised it in the air as he did the dismembered woman.
Batman freed himself with all his strength from an affected Ivy, who did not doubt that J was able to release him, as did the police force and a stupefied Gordon who was lamenting more than he could for his reckless act, just by seeing and hearing the desperate cries of the black haired little boy.
Batman freed himself with all his strength from an affected Ivy, who did not doubt that J was able to release him, as did the police force and a stupefied Gordon who was lamenting more than he could for his reckless act, just by seeing and hearing the desperate cries of the little boy with black hair. Joker held his arm firmly, shaking him in the air as if it were a bait and as he had thought, there was no need to say anything. His single determined look was enough for Batman and Gordon to approach exasperated and the latter to speak over the loudspeaker pleading.
"Don't let him go, just don't let him go, we'll leave if it's what you want, but don't let him fall!"
Then Batman snatched the loudspeaker from under his breath.
"Don't do it, you heard Gordon, they'll leave, now leave the boy with his mother."
The two, both Batman and Gordon watched as J indicated his three fingers with the thick gold rings tilted his face with a disturbing look that showed his dementia and fury. In that instant, the furious bat grabbed Gordon by the neck with one hand and told him as he shook it hard.
"You have three minutes, Gordon, get everyone out now!" He threw it away and Gordon desperately gave the order to leave without looking away from the boy who was still suspended in the air screaming for help.
Soon the abysmal amount of officers began to leave the the hospital interior, crowding through the front door to immediately run up the stairs, finally entering their respective police vehicles. Joker realized that they had really done well with the operation, the officers did not stop going out, despite managing to see a large number of them dead and scattered on the asphalt throughout the area surrounding the hospital.
Once all the officers were inside their patrols, Gordon picked up the speaker that Batman had thrown on the floor and ready to speak; He kept the word in his mouth when Batman snatched it from his shoulders again.
"What did you think to tell him?
"What do you think? That we would go when he released the child.
"The only thing you'll do with that is make him angry more!" speak a furious Batman.
"You will go and I will stay."
"Oh, I have to leave everything to you, right? Because you don't seem to want to stop it!"
"Gordon that was enough! You don't seem to understand that his evil has no limits!" Batman spoke heavily in his face.
"You have to believe me, this isn't the time... do what I tell you or you'll end up killing everyone, including the children" Batman rudely directed Gordon to see the children suspended "or do I have to remind you that a moment ago I exploded a bank with all the people inside?" He muttered under his breath and let go with violence while sayin "now go and I do not want to see you here until the other three days are completed. "
Gordon fixed his coat and said
"You better be right when you let him do what he wants, because do not forget that the mayor is inside.
"GO AWAY!" Batman shouted, causing him to get into his police vehicle and order the withdrawal of the abundant patrols.
Joker saw the last police patrol leave and only recently removed the boy from the air giving it to "Venom White" at his side.
"Calm down and return with the others."
His trusted man nodded taking the traumatized child with the rest of the hostages. Then J returned his gaze to Batman several meters below and the two stared a few moments before Batman was introduced to the Batmobile; telling him that he was willing to wait to capture him and lock him up again in Arkham in order to save the lives of all the innocent children who were involved in that terrible chaos.
The black Batmovil gone away at maximum speed as usual and J gave the order to his men of following him.
"They will stay with them and I do not want to see anybody down unless it is necessary..."
"We got it boss."
"Well, Frost will give you the next indications and I don't have to tell you that at any suspicious move you've to shoot them to death."
Everyone nodded with their guns in their hands and J walked determined among his men to go to see Harley, without expecting to find all her friends there.
A growl of anger came from the joker's mouth as he moved down the hall, spotting the entire squad, as well as Ivy and Frost in front of the emergency room door. Johnny stepped forward to get to his boss who was notoriously furious outraged with his frown.
"What are all of you standing here for?! Frost, I gave them a warning and they don't seem to listen!" J spoke loudly echoing down the hall.
"I know, I told them to get out, but they do not want to leave the hospital.
"And why did not you give the fucking order to blow your head?!" J yelled again and before Johnny could answer, Deadshot approached.
"You know what? I got tired!" He said face to face "you're a fucking idiot ungrateful that all he does is scream that we get out!"
"What are you saying? You do not seem to be afraid..."
"And why should I?
"What, why should you? I'll tell you why you should" J pulled out his gun and pointed it in the head at what Flag yelled advancing on them.
"Hey, Hey, stop, it's not time to fight."
"Tell him, he keeps threatening me, like he doesn't know I can kill him when he wants to" Deadshot said with a haughty look.
"It was enough, they are going to leave now or I will have the pleasure of blowing their heads."
"J, you have to understand Deadshot ... he has his character, but if you did not know, save your life" Flag said trying to fix the situation. However Deadshot continued.
"Oh and I think I'm regretting that. Now stop pointing... J..."
"YOU'LL NOT TELL ME WHAT I HAVE TO DO!" Joker was exalted with his accustomed breathing outside of himself and his right hand spoke to him.
"Boss, I know you don't want to hear it... but truthfully, the mayor kept shouting about three snipers on the side of the building and Boomerang shouted from the front."
"At least you should give us some credit for that... I say."
"I don't know who you are..." Flag said looking at Johnny "but can you tell him we help a lot down here?"
"I've told you that I didn't ask for your DAMN HELP" J diverted his weapon from Deadshot to Flag and Katana pulled her sword in front of him.
"No, Katana ... lower it, it will not kill us, it knows that we care about Harley and it will affect her if she knows she shot us, is not it true J?" Flag spoke calmly; Katana lowered her sword, just as J mimicked her going down your weapon
Then Flag said
"Floyd, apologize."
"Well... I... I'm sorry, but I'm only saying it because you're going through a difficult time and do not forget that we all stop doing our things to come and help you and it's not good for you to talk to us like that.
"You have to listen to us J, Harley was really an important help to get rid of Waller... thanks to her June is free too and it's a way of thanking her for what she did for us" Flag said and Boomerang raised his voice again.
"Harley is a beast, she kick many asses to help us, huh? We owe it to her" He finished saying and Killer Crock affirmed his saying with some laughter "she is a rude girl"
"You've listened to everyone and I hope she's had an influence on you so you don't turn a deaf ear for Harley's sake" Deadshot continued, making Joker look at him with bitterness and notorious disgust in his voice.
"They're going to stay only for the good of Harls... but it will be under my conditions and they will work for me" He dictated.
"I didn't stop" Deadshot was going to say, but Flag put an arm in front of him.
"If you want to call it that, it's okay, as long as you let us stay here."
"Now that you've finished arguing, can you get close?" Boomerang spoke loudly next to Ivy and Killer Crock said with grunts. "Yes, do not forget about us.
"First of all, I do not want screams... the rest will tell them Frost" J saw his right hand "by the way, how is our special guest?"
"Attached and ready for when you want to see it" he replied.
"Well, I'll pay you a visit in a few more hours." J moved to the door that led to Harley and looked at everyone to tell them "get out before I regret letting you stay here."
"Hey J, wait, I guess you'll tell us you have Harley" Ivy said "I saw you very bloody on TV, but they did not say anything about that."
"Other tempting your luck, Ivy..."
"The red haired girl is right, you must tell us what happened" Deadshot said.
"Yes, Floyd is right, tell us what happened" Boomerang continued and Katana affirmed with words in Japanese.
"I don't have to tell us the details, neither gives us explanations."
"No, no I am going to kill him!" Deadshot said, held by Flag and Boomerang of the arms "let me go, I'll give you a lesson in good manners, NOW TELL US WHAT HAPPENED WITH HARLEY, FUCKING IDIOT!" he yelled and made J open his eyes to the door with his hand.
"I see you show too much interest in Harls... and I don't like that... I'll be the one to kill you if you keep talking like that."
"Leave jealousy aside J and tell us for once what you have" Ivy said "we know it is very serious, but we are her friends and we deserve to know, so say it if you want us to leave you alone with her".
"Speak J, what do you have?" Flag asked without releasing Deadshot who said.
"You're going to tell us what the fuck Harley has or I swear I'm going to kick your ass."
"Since everyone wants to know and you don't think to shut up, I will tell you what she have, she is overcoming a shot in the chest but most importantly... HARLEY IS PREGNANT" he exasperated with an inhale and exhaled screaming directly at Deadshot with a defiant look, who was released from the grip of a flag and Boomerang open-mouthed, to say with arrogance.
"Congratulations, future father" he half turned to turn around and J pointed at his neck at the same moment that Deadshot pointed the gun at his left arm.
"Now you know and I want you away from her."
"Do you threaten me father of the year?"
"Oh... I'm doing it... it's a damn warning that tells you not to approach what belongs to me."
"You can calm down gangster, Harley is my friend ok? if as you hear it, "friends", do you know that word? and I'm happy for her."
Ivy without fear approached towards both of them and with her arm she set aside their weapons.
"Could you stop signing up? you have done it too many times this day and what matters now is that Harley is fine."
"You are also immune to J's temper, huh? what's your name, beautiful?"
"I'm immune to many things darling and my name is Ivy... Poison Ivy" She said looking seductively at Johnny giving him a wink, who as usual was crossed arms "oh, and don't make J very angry, believe me, I've seen him kill more people than I can remember for Harley."
"You don't need to tell me... it have sense!" Deadshot answered, looking at J again with arrogance.
"Well, enough! you can continue speculating all you want, but far enough from here" Joker fired at the ceiling and everyone was startled by the noise that resounded loudly in the corridor
"The next one that opens the mouth will receive the next shoot; in case you did not understand the message, now GO AWAY!"
Everyone except Johnny went off to the hospital cafeteria, murmuring among them the King of Gotham terrible temperament.
"Remind me because I'm putting up with them, Frost" he said, running a hand through his green hair.
"Two reasons J, they are her friends and you love her, there is no other explanation."
"Yes, but my patience has a limit and..."
"Deadshot."
"I'm putting her to the test and I'm going to cut her fucking tongue if she keeps doing it."
"Don't worry, it'll only be a few days... soon we'll get her out of here and you will not have to see that idiot anymore."
"I hope so, because the desire to kill him grows stronger every time I notice his interest in Harls."
"You're not the only one who notices it, I noticed it too, but you can talk as much as you want, that doesn't change the fact that Harley is with you.
"I know and he's not dead on the floor, because I know that Harls cares about all her stupid friends" He said opening the door to look at Harley, who was still with her eyes closed and the air came out of his mouth in frustration.
"She will not wake up for at least five hours, you'll stay here right?"
"Yes and you will make sure that nobody comes to the hall until I say it."
"Well, I'll come to see you later to tell you how the situation is going and I would ask you if you want me to bring you something to eat, but I already know what the answer will be" Johnny told him about leaving and his boss told him.
"Frost... bring grape soda."
"Sure, I had forgotten, she will wake up very thirsty and without hesitation she will ask for her grape soda" Johnny tried to smile, but he could not because there was concern in J and he said
"You must calm down, Harley will be fine, she is a strong girl, even all her friends say it."
"That always stood in her, Frost and I saw her a long time ago or I would never have let her stay with me in the first place..."
"Well, now that you remember her again, you can take a seat and wait quietly for her to wake up, I'll go for her grape soda" Frost said, giving J one last comforting glance, getting lost in the corridor.