Chapter 2.
My first not even full hour at my first day of work and bad shit was already happening. Maybe I'm already in too deep...maybe I need to go back home. I had finally brushed myself off and got up off the ground, still seated in the office waiting for Claudia to return. It didn't sound too good out there, honestly. Alarms sounding, people screaming...yelling. I guess this was gonna be the new "normal" environment for me. As normal as you can get in the looney bin that is. The door finally opened, I turned to see if Claudia had returned. "Sorry for that interruption Misses Clark," she said, "I have to do paperwork with the guards now noting the situation, so I'll need to step out again. I wanted to ask you for a favor because the administrator won't be back for another hour - if you think you can handle it." She smirked.
"I can handle anything you throw at me ma'am." I nodded smiling, well that was a huge bullshit lie. I just about pissed myself hearing what was going on and wanted to make a run for the goddamn door, I thought.
"We have a new patient coming in apparently, the guards at check in will be bringing her in, and she will be in restraints so she cannot harm you. Just please tell the guards to wait in here with her, okay?"
I nodded at her. It's just a patient, I'll be dealing with them everyday so I might as well start now. "I need to get used to the patient environment anyways."
"Alright, well I will see you later. But not too much later hopefully," she replied shutting the door. I turned back to face the bare walls behind the desk. I wondered who the new patient was. What her mental state was. What she was being admitted for. Someone's brain to pick at while I waited for actual sessions. Honestly, this could be interesting. Crazy people do tend to tell the best *made up* stories. I giggled and then scolded myself, I should know better. I straightened back up in my seat and heard a hard knock at the door.
"Claudia! Ya knew best friend is here! Open the damn door!" bellowed a guard. I scrambled to the door and greeted him. Oh lovely, the asshole from the hallway.
He scowled at me, "where's Claudia?"
"Hostage situation and suicide attempt in the isolation ward."
"Oh. Ok. Well," he turned to the other two guards, "bring her in boys!"
The other two guards wheeled in a woman, restrained to really what looked like a gurney but wasn't. I couldn't make out her face because she also had a bit of a mask over it.
"Careful," another guard warned, "she's a biter." He laughed deeply, sarcastically. Joy. I was really in crazy town. The guards rolled the woman into a corner, away from me and the desk. The office actually had pretty ample space. Outside I heard a conversation going on between a woman and a man. I turned to look out the window of the door, it was Claudia and the guard who I had ran into in the hall. She nodded her head about something and came back into the office.
"God dammit." she said as she slammed the door shut. She was clearly irritated about something. Maybe the adminstrator wasn't coming back? Or something? I looked at her puzzled. She walked up to the woman restrained to the gurney type mat.
"You're back," she said under her breath. A stifled giggle came out from under the mask. I was still totally lost. Today has been just filled with surprises. And mysteries. Jesus.
A voice screeched out, "hi Clauds, did ya miss me?!" I turned and looked to see where the voice came from. Holy. Shit.
"Misses Quinzel, just because you get FIRED from here doesn't mean you need to pull some crazy bullshit stunt to COME BACK. You're here for Joker, aren't you?"
Another giggle. From the one and only Dr. well now ex Dr. technically, Harleen Quinzel. Arkham's former doctor, who had my position. I felt semi-uneasy. The woman whose job I took was here, not only that, but was in fucking restraints.
"Ya know, I can't be separated from Mistah J too long. I get lonely." she sneered.
Claudia stepped closer and looked Harleen dead in the eye, "Misses Quinzel, don't think for one second that I and Dahlia won't have a close eye on you." Dahlia? I guess she's the adminstrator. I never actually got her name honestly.
"Ya think ya can keep a close eye on me, think again Clauds. I know my way around this entire building, and Mistah J ALWAYS gets what he wants." She turned her gaze over to me, I noticed her eyes wandering up and down at my body. It made me uneasy even more than before. I rather not get murdered my first day here. Or second. Or third.
"Who's the new girl?"
"That's your replacement, Quinzel. Hopefully she doesn't let Joker escape from Arkham. Like you tried to."
"Tried to? Oh honey, that wasn't a tried to. That was a, I did, and then you caught me, and him. Fired me, and locked him back up. We was just gonna be happy together, start a family, get married..." she trailed off into her day dreamy thoughts.
Claudia grabbed Harleen by her face with one hand, squeezing her cheeks together. "Because dating a mental ward patient is a good idea Quinzel. You're as dumb as they come." She let go of her face and put her mask back on.
"Clark, now that our new patient is here I've got to get her checked into the system. Think you can take her to her room?"
"Yes ma'am." I was still uneasy about this entire situation. Now I get to be around two crazy murderers. Lovely. Really, what did I get myself into?
A guard had followed me while taking Harleen down to her room, she was in East B wing, with the other women. Far away from Joker too. Who was on the opposite end of the building.
"Ah yes, 132" I looked up at the guard and unlocked the door with my code. He wheeled Harleen inside. "I think I've got it from here, what's your name by the way?" I asked.
"Jackson."
"Nice to meet you Jackson." I smiled and waved him away. I closed the door behind me.
I walked up to Harleen and pulled her mask off.
"Jesus, I was wonderin when I was gonna get that damn thing off. It made me all kindsa sweaty. Ew!" she squealed.
I laughed quietly.
"So, you're my replacement?" she asked looking me up and down again. It felt like she was drinking in every each of my appearance possible. My curly, shoulder length brown hair. My caramel brown eyes, pale skin. I was short too, only five feet.
"You're pretty cute." she giggled.
Cute? I'm not here to be cute, I'm here to work, I thought. I figured she was trying to start playing mind games with me. I wasn't having it.
"Misses Quinzel, you know why you're here, right?"
"Because I got in trouble? Which really, was my intended purpose. I'm gonna get my puddin back one way or another."
Of course, stubborness at its finest. She definently had been around Joker way too long.
"You're here because you robbed a bank to start, murdered EVERYONE in the building, and then stole a damn police car."
She smiled. "Some of my finest work, if ya ask me."
I shook my head. "Well, this is your new home. For now, unless we move you somewhere else." I was un-doing her restraints. I wasn't really worried about her at this point. Being around her myself, and getting her vibe, she seemed more or less harmless. And I did have my badge for emergencies.
"Ya know, i'm not goin nowhere without Mistah J, right?"
I scoffed, "I'll see you in the morning Harleen." I said closing the door, and locking it back up.
Jackson came strutting back up to me, "piece of work ain't she?"
"You have no idea."
"Actually, I do. I was here when she still was working here actually. Joker really did a number in fucking up her brain, her way of thinking. Completely. I just hope he doesn't get to you like that. He does have a way of 'charming' people if you will. That he...wants something from." The guard eyed me up and down. I was getting really tired of people doing this, it made me really, really uneasy.
I snapped my fingers at him, "I think I can handle myself. Thanks."
That and the lack of judgement people had for me, pissed me off as well.
I walked into the door of my apartment, kicking off my heels and tossing them on the floor. I sighed, and tossed my keys onto the hall table. I was tired, not entirely drained of energy, but still pretty tired. Not even my first full day at the asylum and so much shit happened all at once. I finally got to meet Dahlia, and Claudia had to give her a run down on what happened when she was gone. Dahlia didn't even blink, as if it were normal day-to-day problems, or really, the daily agenda, in the asylum. I guess I was gonna need to get used to that, seeing as this was my new job. A job I really needed to keep. I look around my small minimialist apartment, I really need to keep this job, this place needs some decorations, lighting, paint - SOMETHING. I heard a light tapping on the door breaking me of my thoughts, I didn't invite anyone over? I also don't know like anyone here in Gotham, for that matter. I went to my door, looking through the peephole. A tall, black figure stood in front of my door. As if my night couldn't get any better.
I turned the lock, then the knob opening the door.
The tall figure greeted me, "Hello Misses Clark." I raised an eyebrow, who is this and HOW does he know my name? Everything was getting weirder by the second.
"Yes?" I replied puzzled.
"Bruce Wayne," he said extending his hand, "nice to meet you." I shook his hand, still wondering what he was doing here.
"Can I-uh-help you, Mr. Wayne?"
"Actually, yes you can. Can I come in?"
I looked back at my bare apartment, then him, he seemed harmless, so why not?
I smiled, "Sure." He followed in behind me closing my door and I went into my living room, not yet sitting down.
"I'm here on official business, Misses Clark. You know who I am, right?"
I shook my head, "a random man who came knocking at my door?" He stifled a slight chuckle.
"If that was your thoughts then I would hope you wouldn't just let any random guy into your house, while you're -" he looked around, "yeah, alone."
I didn't think of it until now, Bruce Wayne, his identities had been revealed before, if I remember correctly he was...Batman?
My mouth made an "oh" shape and I looked up at him, he smiled and nodded.
"Now she knows."
"So what business would the Batman have at my house?"
"Good question! Actually, I already know all about you Misses Clark. And we can talk about me later, if you'd like. But right now, you're my top priority."
"I don't see why. Explain."
"Well, you're the new doctor at Arkham, aren't you?"
"Yeah. I am. I suppose."
"THAT is why I'm here Misses Clark."
"You can call me Sasha, sir."
He nodded at me, "Sasha, well, Sasha, you see my greatest enemy is in Arkham. As you and well, the entire city of Gotham happen to know. He's referred to as the 'clown prince of crime'?"
So he's here about Joker? What would he need to speak to me about in reference to him. I'm just a psychologist, and I'm no Harleen Quinzel. I NEED my job, I won't be letting ANY patient out of the asylum at any time. Period.
"Joker, of course. But why do you need to speak to me about him?"
"Well, after the last incident with Dr. Quinzel -" I cut him off immediately.
"I'm not Dr. Quinzel. Unlike her, I need my job. Have you SEEN my apartment? I'm a small town girl, I need a job. I moved here to Gotham for the purpose of work. And to put my psychology degree to use," I stated sternly crossing my arms over my chest. He smiled at me, why did he think any of this was even remotely a matter to joke about?
Well, what a way of wording things.
"I know you're not, because if you were Joker would end up charming you and molding your mind - or should I say corrupting it, to make you pull a stunt like her too. No, I can tell you have a good head on your shoulders, a strong work ethic, and a desire to help people. Right?"
He could read me like a goddamn book. At least someone got me right today, instead of assuming absolute bullshit.
"Of course. That's the point of my field," I dropped my arms from my chest resting them at my sides. I offered to let him sit on the couch, and I sat down next to him. "Thanks." I smiled to welcome him.
"We just can't have Joker escaping at all. I know Dr. Quinzel is in Arkham now as well, I was the one who got her admitted actually. Just because Joker himself isn't running rampant around Gotham doesn't mean his clown girlfriend needs to also. They're two peas in the craziest pod you'll ever come across. We can't have that running around the city. If anyone tries to convince you otherwise, DON'T fall for it. Charm can be decieving, the two of them are great at it. They will go to ANY length to get what they want, or who they want for that matter." he looked over towards my window and slowly got up.
"I'm really sorry to cut things short, Misses Clark, but I do need to go."
"Of course," I responded walking him back to the door, and opening it.
"Keep yourself safe Misses Clark, Gotham still has some rather than wanted characters running around its streets. But I'm working on it as fast as possible. Have a goodnight." he turned his back, walking away. I shut my door. Things REALLY couldn't get any weirder today. I was probably wrong though. Honestly.
to be continued...