Harley beamed with delight as Croc and Boomerang entered the lounge. "Hello strangers!" Harley greeted cheerfully as she threw her arms around her guests. "It's good to see you two!"
"The feeling's mutual," Boomerang looked around the empty room. "So I guess it's just the three of us?"
"You guessed right," Harley said. "Deadshot is picky-choosy when and where he appears in Gotham,"
"More drinks for us then," Croc rumbled in his deep voice.
Harley nodded in agreement. "I like the way you think. Now, what have you boys been up to?"
Rick wasn't the only one plagued with doubts. His men, or at least the ones who accompanied him to fight the Enchantress, wore a somber look as they rode to their destination. Yes, these people they were trying to arrest were murderers, thieves, and criminals who needed to be put to justice. And yet, beneath that bleached blond hair, scaled complexion, and pockets full of diamonds, society had no right to label these people "lost causes". Rick and his men had caught a glimpse into the hearts of each individual, and as a result seen the potential they held to be a hero.
But whatever barriers of trust they'd built with the former Belle Reve inmates was about to be dismantled. Rick didn't want it to be this way, but Amanda had hassled the other officials until she'd been granted her wish.
It was almost…dare Rick even think it…criminal.
One moment the group of three was laughing; the next, glass from windows shattered as men in military uniforms stormed the lounge. The former Task Force X members instantly went into fight-or-flight mode, and instinct had them chose the former.
Punches were thrown freely until Boomerang shouted, "Hey, I know you!" Confused by this statement, Harley took a closer look at the surrounding faces. Sure enough, some of the assailants were reminiscent of people she'd seen in the not-so-distant past. It wasn't until she saw Rick Flag that everything clicked into place.
Harley hoped against hope that this was another hallucination, but deep down she knew the truth was standing right in front of her. The pain of betrayal cut deeper than she thought it would. Of course Harley had been wary of Rick since they met, but even she felt the stirrings of compassion when he and June embraced after the death of the Enchantress.
We let our guard down, and now we're paying the price.
As if he'd heard her thoughts, Rick turned his head in Harley's direction. It was then the two unintentionally locked eyes from across the room, and Harley saw the regret reflecting in Rick's eyes. "I'm sorry," they seemed to be saying. "I never wanted it to be this way,"
Harley hadn't even begun formulating her own thoughts when a gunshot rang out. Tearing her eyes away, Harley turned just in time to see Boomerang hit the floor.
"You killed him!" Croc roared as he slashed away at the attackers.
"I told you to hold fire!" Rick shouted through the chaos.
Harley stepped forward, not wanting to believe that her friend was dead, when a dart whizzed past her ear and settled firmly in Croc's arm. Another tranquilizer was fired, this one planting itself in Croc's neck. The giant gator paused, then swayed as the serum began to take effect.
Boomerang was dead, and Croc was going out cold. As all eyes turned in Harley's direction, so she did the only thing she could think of: she ran.