Author's note
To all of the curious, later in this chapter some riddle will be solved and here's a link for the one who wants to test this for themselves. I recommend watching this AFTER the chapter have been read : youtube /watch?v=5cW-t7aFMEI
Also, I'd like to apologize for the slow updates, I have been extremely busy lately, but now I should be able to get back to posting around one chapter per month.
Bonne lecture!
Chapter 11
A chilling breeze softly caressed his nude skin slowly awaking the man from his slumber. As he gained back consciousness he started feeling nauseous and felt annoyed by the beating of his heart pounding as if located in his head. He sighed while regretting his party last evening. Looking around he recognized his partner's bedroom, in which he was alone. He pushed the blankets away only to realize that he was naked, he quickly placed the blanket around himself as he would do with a towel and searched the room for his clothes. As he did not find them, he decided to get out and headed to the living room.
Joker was sitting on the floor, close to the television, watching the news, drinking eggnog and eating a fruit cake.
"What happened yesterday?"
He demanded to the man who turned around and got up revealing one of the ugliest outfit he had ever worn. An off red V-neck sweater with a deer that looked like it had been ran over by three cars, very tight green boxers and up to the knees wool socks.
"Where do I even start!?" He mocked.
"What on Earth are you wearing?"
"I'm feeling Chrismassy, it snowed yesterday." He sipped on his eggnog and continued. "We drank, danced, headed here where we finished my white wine and you opened up about your feelings."
"My feelings?"
"About your parents, being Batman, how lonely you felt, et cetera. You made me feel like a real therapist."
"Why am I naked?"
"Oh... I don't remember this part either." He said with a smirk. "Your clothes are under the sink."
Bruce headed to it, took them and went on dressing up in the bathroom. He went back to the kitchen and served himself a glass of water before sitting down next to the clown who offered him some of his food, which he declined.
"I was thinking, since we can no longer track Harleen we should hack into Tetch and Crane's cellphone. Listening to their conversations should give us the information we need."
"Eddie made our phones in order for this to be avoided. I doubt we could successfully hack them."
"Well I still have the boxes we collected from his apartment, some may contain what we need to achieve this."
"Oh yeah..." The pale man's smile widened as he jumped up, pointed toward nothing and enthusiastically yelled out. "To the Batcave! Na! Na! Na! Na!..." Some knocks and muffled complaints came through the wall that lead to his neighbor.
"What are you doing?" The hero questioned.
"I don't know, but if you had a TV show I could imagine it being this way."
"I doubt it." He got up too. "That would be completely ridiculous."
The smaller man grabbed a pair of jeans to put on without changing anything else to his appearance.
"Are you really going to be dressed like this all day long?" The larger man asked while chuckling. "You look like a clown."
A disenchanted stare was the only answer he received.
15:35 PM, they arrived at the Batcave were Alfred without any questioning, nor resistance let the pale man in, but not without giving an highly disappointed look to his friend. He also informed him that his new suit was ready and left them to be by themselves.
The detective gathered all the weird boxes on a table where they began investigating them.
"I think we could break them open." The jester proposed.
"Sure we can, but what if what's inside is fragile?"
"What are these made of anyway?"
"Mostly iron." He turned his attention up to the man who had started giggling. "What's wrong?"
"Oh nothing! It's not as if we could weaken the boxes by placing them in an highly oxygenated environments to then break them easily without destroying its content." After a brief moment of silence the vigilante answered.
"I was just about to propose that."
"Liar! Liar! Pants on fire!" The clown chanted.
After creating the perfect conditions for the material to rapidly deteriorate, the two men sat together to catch up with the news. All they learned is that most people were inclined for the Reds to be legalized and that the gang were not facing any consequences so far for the case was so unusual and slipping through so many loop holes it was difficult to pin down what crime these people should be accused of according to the laws. While the Reds was an illegal medication, none of it's components were illegal chemicals and while sneaking things into the asylum was illegal they could not pin down the people directly responsible for this action.
18:47 PM, the boxes were almost completely rusty. Taking them out, they started breaking through the metal, Bruce doing so with his gloved up fists in order to control the force of impact and the pale man simply smashing them against the corner of the table.
Pieces of electronic with green paint that did not seemed to make any sense smudged over each bit was all they got. In incomprehension they kept scrutinizing everything until the vigilante spoke up.
"It's a puzzle."
Placing two pieces together the green paint formed one continued strike. After the realization, it only took them around twelve minutes to solve the entire thing. What the puzzle had made them build up was a record player. The larger man stared at it, reading the green message.
"Z-0-9?" He scratched his head. "Maybe the zero is an O. Th or... an N."
"He knew!" The pale man exclaimed. "Eddie knew he was dying! I know how to solve this!" He grabbed his jacket. "I'll be back with the right record!"
"Joker, wait! What do you mean?"
"Trust me, I'll be back!" He shouted while exiting the cave in a hurry.
About thirty minutes later, the jester came back holding on to The white album from the Beatles.
"The Beatles?"
"He loved them, Bats!"
He took out the record and placed it on the machine which started playing the music. He kept on skipping it until he arrived to Revolution 9 where the dark knight heard and understood the message: No. 9.
"Nothing is happening." Bruce criticized.
"This is where it gets messed up..."
The madman answered as he played the same part in reverse. Bruce was shocked upon hearing the words being changed to: Turn me on Deadman. A few clicks came from the machine as if the needle had worked on the record the same way a key does on a lock and it opened a small hidden compartment on the side. It contained a paper on which a link was written. With no time to waste, they entered it into the Batcomputer only to end up on a black page with a small space to write. Joker went on typing.
Joker: Hello
It popped up in green text and the website displayed a short message: Processing information. Before it surprisingly answered.
B1: Took you long enough.
Both of their jaws dropped.
Joker: Eddie?
B1: Only what I had time to salvaged.
He had created an AI in a sad attempt to keep himself alive. The screen seemed to be staring back now and the vigilante felt sorry for the corrupted deceased genius who had spent his last days alone in fear for death would bring an end to the most precious thing he had, his mind.
Joker: I'm with the Bat now
B1: I never figured out who he was.
Joker: I did
The website processed but did not gave any answer, this must have been something Nygma had not registered in the coding.
Joker: Why did you die?
B1: I trusted you. I was convinced you had stopped them or reversed the process of my surgery, but I was wrong to believe in you.
The lunatic frown and gritted his teeth to this reply before angrily typing.
Joker: You're no better I could've stopped them if it was myself and thought you could do the same but you can't
Joker: You're an idiot!
B1: I can leave and never come back.
He was breathing heavy in frustration, the man next to him placed his hand on his shoulder.
"Don't feel guilty..."
"I never feel guilty! He's being a jerk!"
"Don't ruin this opportunity, embrace it."
Joker: How do I hack into the gang's phones?
B1: There's an app for that! I encoded a link directly into the hacking device of your Champion suit.
"Well, that was easy." The clown chuckled, now calmed down.
"Let's go to your place and get it."
"Give me a second."
Joker: Can I come back later? Will you still be here?
B1: You can always come back to this website. I'm forever gone, this is an AI, you moron.
"Classic Eddie!"
He laughed and closed the page before following his partner to get a car and leave.
At the jester's place, he found the app in no time linking himself to all of the gang's cellphones, including his. The vigilante had thought ahead and brought his own hacking device to study and copy the app for himself.
"We're taking over, baby." He whispered with thrill in his voice, locking his intense stare to the man's blue eyes.
"Well, not exactly." He replied somewhat pessimist. "The Reds should be legalized soon, but as for the cure we still need to convince Poison Ivy. I should retrieve her from Harleen when she comes back. I doubt she'd be able to persuade her of anything after kidnapping her."
"My life's on the line, I'm sure she'll figure something out." The clown assured him. "And then we'll be cured, we'll be powerful and ready to take this city back from them."
"You make it sound so easy..." The larger man sat on the bed an sighed. "I'm not sure of how we'll manage this. We'll have to expose every crime they have committed and every flaws the drug have." He looked up to his partner, turmoil in his eyes. "And then there's you... What am I suppose to do with you? It's only fair to send you back too..."
"But I've helped! I'm your partner!" He quickly answered with understandable anger. "I've been with you from the very beginning and I'll stay 'til the end!"
"You're still a criminal, Joker."
"Brucie, look at me..." He slowly obliged. "Look at me and tell me that I was wrong to help you!"
"I guess I still have time to figure this one out." He got up. "Until then, let's get back to work and keep an eye out on the gang."
Days went by with no news of Quinzel, but many information through short conversations which the detective recorded could soon become extremely useful for incriminating them. One of them was oddly satisfying for the dark knight.
Jervis: Considering that the Reds are no longer a mystery to the public, I could get rid of the Bluetooth for the Arkham staff.
Jonathan: You could simply deactivate them and we would be able to keep them for other purposes.
Jervis: I must admit that I think it's a shame. I quite enjoyed freely roaming the asylum and decorating it with promotional messages and art.
Jonathan: Yes, I remember when you almost rose suspicions that time you absolutely had to draw a rabbit on a wall.
Jervis: Oh... It was in April, they probably ended up blaming Calendar Man.
Images of him holding Harleen by the throat, above the ground, right next to the small man during the interrogation he had held with them about a graffiti in Arkham were popping up in his mind upon hearing the answers he had never gotten from anyone. Tetch must have made it while in his cell, controlling the worker's mind to hide it from them while Nygma could load an image of the cell in days prior to the modification.
Another interesting discussion took place a few days later, on December 7th.
Jervis: I've prepared our next dose... Can't say that I don't miss her.
Jonathan: Miss who?
Jervis: Well, you know... Harley.
Jonathan: Do not get distracted.
Jervis: No! No. I meant that she works well. Not having her as an assistant in the process really made this task...
Jonathan: Did she ever told you who the creator was?
Jervis: I... She wanted me to keep this for myself, but you're about to figure it out anyway. It's Ivy.
Jonathan: Damn... How are we going to hide her? Surely, she'll be furious to be forced back into Gotham.
Jervis: I'll figure something out.
December 8th, 01:37 AM, Batman and the Champion were in the middle of a fight with several thugs related to Anarky who were desperately trying to burn a high school to the ground with no avail as the wicked duo had been sent to put a stop to their plan. They were fighting with the last three of them when suddenly, Joker's phone started ringing, they all stopped for a moment.
"Sorry fellas, but I've got to take this call!" He stated with his intimidating modified voice.
He went on rampaging his way through the fight with such violence, the hero had pick up his pace to knock out more thugs than his ally, worried he might accidentally kill someone. After the rapid fight, the smaller man escaped from a window in order to take the call. The caped crusader properly finished the job by handcuffing the unconscious criminals. He had his app running, so he could hear the clown's conversation as he picked up with his voice modifier off.
Joker: Customer?
Jervis: You know it's me. I got a problem.
Joker: If you ask me, you've got more than one!
Jervis: Hilarious. Do you know any technology that could help us contain a meta-human?
Joker: Is Killer Croc joining us?
Jervis: Well, one day he might. I have been looking into his case recently and he does have potential, but I digress. Can you help?
Joker: Do you need him to be conscious?
Jervis: Yes.
Joker: Do you need him to move freely?
Jervis: Well... Maybe.
Joker: Than I am glad to announce to you that Wayne Enterprise has got the thing for you! Give me three days and I'll ship it your way!
Batman rolled his eyes upon hearing this response.
Jervis: I think the lab would be a fine place for this.
He hung up and scrutinized the night to find the dark knight standing at an open window, glaring down at him. He placed his thumb up in the air while nodding, the mask off revealing an over-confident smile.
The pale man had spent the next days at the lab building a small cell similar to the one specially made for Ivy at the GCPD building and Arkham. Since it had been made by Wayne Enterprise, he only had to inspire himself with the plans and create a smaller version of it.
The caped crusader could feel that they were finally nearing an immense confrontation with the gang. Putting the investigating aside, he decided to spend most of his time training with his already efficient partner.
They did so every night until one day, on December 12th, both of them were in the office at the Wayne Tower when Alfred contacted them to share that the hacking device was picking up a call. Quickly linking his computer to his device they put the volume on low and listened.
Jervis: Hello?
Harleen: Hatter, what's good?!
Jervis: Harley? Are you all right? I was starting to think you had gotten away...
Harleen: What?! Like I'd leave ya behind! Have I missed anything important while gone?
Jervis: Oh... Not much. When are you coming back? Is she with you?
Harleen: Tonight! And she's eh... Y'okay?... Red?
An angry voice made its way from the background to the phone.
Ivy: What do you think?!
Harleen: She fine!
Jervis: We made a cell to contain her, it's in the...
Harleen: Nope. We're not gonna need that. I'm not gonna threat her like a prisoner, she's cooperative. Right, Red?
Ivy: Fuck you!
Jervis: What do you mean?
Harleen: She's not tied up nor handcuffed. She's just sitting in the passenger seat and isn't trying to escape. She's a real nice... Ow! My jaw!
Ivy: You deserve it!
Harleen: Sure, but c'mon babe I... Ow! Stop!
Jervis: Are you sure about this?
Ivy: Let me go!
Harleen: Promise you'll stop hitting me... I guess I'll have to tickle ya.
Ivy: No! I'll stop! Just... don't touch me...
Harleen: Yeah, I'm sure about this. In fact, could ya do me a favor?
Jervis: What do you need?
Harleen: Search my room, grab some cash and go out, leave us one night alone.
Jervis: Jonathan would never allow this...
Harleen: Her and me needs to solve a few things, plus she's on our side. What's the worse thing that could happen?
Jervis: She escapes or destroys something or someone, we never get a cure and all die from the Reds, except for you, but most of us would be doom...
Harleen: Hatter, I have everything under control.
A loud sigh came from Ivy.
Harleen: Yeah, you're creative and smart, ya could figure out something to tell him.
Jervis: I suppose I could...
Harleen: Thanks! You're the best, see you soon!
Jervis: Sure, I l... I'll see you tomorrow.
Both men looked at one another as they hung up.
"How does he manage this?" The madman asked. "Manage to sound so miserable all the time."
"I'll pay a visit to Harleen tonight." The hero stated while the other man finished laughing.
"I can't wait."
"I'll handle it alone, truly alone. You're not going to watch nor listen to what I'll be doing. You get too irrational when it comes to her." He explained to the smaller man who caressed his face upon whispering his answer.
"As you wish, baby."
He grabbed the delicate hand without pushing it away. He stared down, unable to stand the gaze his partner was giving him.
"You say the Reds doesn't change a person. Why weren't you this way before?" Bruce questioned.
"I was, but you never listened nor trusted me. The Reds may not change a person, but it does keep us calm." His fingers ran through the dark hair of the larger man. "I know you're feeling it too..."
Lowering himself to the man sitting, he closed the space between them. The billionaire could feel the long nails tenderly scratching the back of his neck. His eyes closed and they shared a short yet enticing kiss.
23:37 PM, the vigilante was awaiting an answer to his knocking on the kitchen window. As he was ignored, he let himself in. To his surprised, Harleen had heard him and ran into the room. She was wearing boxers and was zipping a jacket upon entering in a hurry.
"The hell ya doing here?!"
"I'm here for Ivy." The woman's eyes filled up with gloominess as she shook her head in denial. "If you let me leave with her, I won't inform the GCPD of her presence nor your doing in bringing her back."
"But... she's not here, Bats." She terribly lied.
"I know why she's here. She'll find a cure with me." He stepped forward only to meet with her hands on his chest.
"Why?" She asked while offering resistance to him.
"I'm giving you a chance to make this easy and keep your freedom, Harleen."
"What about hers?!" The girl suddenly yelled out in anger. "I don't wanna fight ya, turn around and leave!" Swiftly she pushed him with a good enough force to make him step back twice. "Please?"
"She's too dangerous." He explained himself, remaining calm.
"So is he, but he's free!" Harley shouted back. "I'm not letting her go."
"What guarantees you that I'll work on that cure if I go with you?" Questioned the red head as she entered the room, wearing nothing but a robe, and stood behind her girlfriend.
"If you don't, I'll burn every plant in Gotham."
"If ya do, I'll burn one citizen of Gotham." The blonde stated as a diabolical smirk made its way through her face. "One flawless citizen."
"You wouldn't." He replied.
"Even if you do burn all the plants in this city, I still don't know if there even is a cure. Destroying all of the wildlife for something that might not even exist is pure madness." Ivy added.
"Letting a deadly fugitive, such as you, free, is pure madness."
"I'll show ya pure madness..."
"Harl!" The meta-human harshly interrupted the younger woman. "You're not helping."
"You neither." The detective stated.
"You have to understand that thousands of people could die. Both of us does not know how many of them are aware of this, but what we do know is that many people are expecting Harley to bring me to this lab and find a cure. Now, your strongest argument against her is her freedom, but do you really think she's going to live long enough to enjoy this said freedom if she comes back alone? They might be sane, but sane people can do unthinkable things when they get hopeless."
"All I could do is inform the population that you are with me. Harleen remains free and the people remain hopeful."
"Then again, that would show a huge lack of trust from the Batman toward Harley's gang. Which could cancel the legalization of the Reds since most of the population tend to blindly agree with you."
"How about the fact that I surely simply have better lab equipment..."
"Oh my God! Can ya both stop talking!? You're gonna drive me insane! How 'bout ya place one of your camera in my lab, no trust issues, everybody's hopeful, you keep watching us like a creep, I'm free, Red's with me!" The blonde quickly moved between the two of them and grabbed their shoulders. "I'm happy, you're happy, we're all happy! That's settle, great, we're going now!" She left heading toward her bedroom. "I am so done with all that bull..." The door slammed.
"Deal?" Poison Ivy asked confused and surprised.
"Deal." The vigilante agreed while they heard the bedroom door opening and a mumbling followed.
"... strangled for a graffiti... thinks I'm Clayface... apparently I killed your favorite nerd..." She arrived in the kitchen dressed up and stared at her girlfriend with anger before shouting. "He's using my black hoodie as a door mat!" She turned to the hero and yelled even louder. "My black hoodie, Batsy!"
"What are you talking about?" The other woman questioned completely lost.
"I'm just so done... come get dress."
She pulled her arm to direct her to the bedroom, meanwhile the caped crusader left by the window. He was to wait and watch over them to make sure they truly were heading to the lab and not escaping.
It went fine and when they were at around ten minutes from destination, the detective moved past them in order to install the camera.
Back to the cave he checked what was happening, both of the women were asleep. Ivy in the bed her cell contained and Harley had brought a pillow, a blanket and was sleeping on a desk. This idea wasn't so bad, since Poison Ivy was the creator, she surely had the best knowledge to find a cure and test out her theory on her toxic-resistant friend. The detective thought to himself that maybe working with the gang on this particular issue could be advantageous.
December 14th, it was time for a dose of Reds to all of the gang members. Instead of meeting up in the lab or an abandoned building, they opted for Crane's place as he demanded in order to keep mother nature out of their meetings.
Bruce was watching the meeting through Jackson's glasses. He was sitting on a couch in the living room, his feet on the coffee table, downing some Pepsi while eating chips. Quinn was next to him, also stuffing her face in snacks. The master of fear was sitting on a chair across them, drinking what seemed to be rum.
Jonathan: I don't get it, he should be here by now. I haven't heard from him ever since you got back.
Harleen: I know, me neither... Should we be worried?
Jonathan: I don't know. I wonder if he missed being the Hatter too much... if he skips on the Reds, he'd doomed us all.
Harleen: He wouldn't.
Jonathan: Plus, we would lose him...
Joker: Relax, he's probably struggling with all the high stairs that leads to your place.
The clown mocked the situation while Crane downed his drink in one shot, ignoring him before continuing.
Jonathan: Of all of us, he was the most hated from the public.
Harleen: Ya think something bad happened?
Jonathan: Unfortunately, I'm starting to consider it. He is awfully late and it's just not his style.
Jackson glanced at his watch.
Joker: Well, either he's dead or he'll be here in no time.
Only a few seconds after he speaks, a knock came from the door. The two insane psychiatrists sighed in relief as the man got up to answer the door.
He opened it to reveal no one, only a box covered in bunny drawings. He leaned a little outside the frame and screamed out.
Jonathan: Hey you! Stop!
Harleen: What's that?
The man returned with the package, placing it on the coffee table.
Jonathan: I don't know, some guy drop it off and ran. Surely a hater, get ready for anything.
The two clowns leaned toward the box and, slowly, Crane opened it. The content made him gasp as he stepped back in anguish, knocking the furniture that was behind him. The blonde started crying excessively and the jester went on laughing.
Atop of white roses covered in what surely was not red paint, was Jervis Tetch's severed head. Next to it was a note on a Queen of Heart's card: Off with his head.
Joker: I guess he's both! Dead and here in no ti...
Harleen: Shut up and get the man!
Without losing any more seconds, he got up and started running as fast as he could, which was pretty rapid. Coming out of the building, he spotted the running man far, but not too far either, from him. He went on sprinting as if the Bat was tailing him, closing the space between them. Things were looking good until the stranger jumped in a vehicle and sped off. The pale man did not lost any time to spot a man in another car and ran toward him, taking a knife out of his jacket and yelling.
Joker: Get out of the car!
To his surprised, the driver took a gun out of his jacket and aimed at him.
Driver: Fuck off, punk!
Swiftly, he jumped behind a conveniently placed garbage can where the vigilante could hear his heavy breathing while two shots where fired before he drove off.
Joker: Well... that was odd...
The lunatic headed back to the meeting where they took their Reds and the remaining gang member agreed on calling the police and sending Jackson's back home before they arrive in order to protect his identity.
Bruce and the pale man joined up at the cave, the billionaire was ready to get on with investigating the small man's death, but the clown seemed against the idea.
"Let's begin by making a list of people who hated the midget. So, that's Gotham minus Pumpkin-Joe and Harley."
"I'm not going to work like that, I'll analyze the clues and work from them toward the murderer."
"I think it's a waste of precious time, there are extra Reds in the system right now that could be yours if we track them down and steal them. Let's take care of the living, let's take care of you, Brucie."
The hero rolled his eyes and started armoring up.
"I'm heading to GCPD's building to investigate." He said to the jester who had started moving toward the exit of the cave, bitter and disappointed. "Don't worry about me. I'll be fine."
Upon arriving at the place, the detective was surprised as he immediately was informed by Gordon that they already had found the killer.
"She cooperated with us and gave us the murder weapon, an ax."
"Who is she?" The caped crusader asked.
"Claire Williams."
"Williams? As in Stephanie Williams, the first Alice?" Batman asked and the commissioner nodded. "How is she related to the victim?"
"She's her twin. We worked hard to keep her existence hidden from the medias and the public, assuming she'd make a good potential victim for the Hatter."
"I need to interrogate her."
"Sure." He showed him the interrogation room's door, but before the vigilante could get closer, Jim grabbed his arm and added. "But don't threat her like any criminal, she's not cruel, she's... You'll see for yourself..."
As he entered to room, the already crying woman's eyes widened in terror as she desperately shouted.
"Please! Don't hurt me, I've already admitted the crime! I'm so... so sorry..."
He closed the door and did not approached her.
"I won't hurt you, I'm just here to ask you a few questions."
She nodded while sobbing. Her face was covered in tears and smudged make up, her hair had been freshly dyed red with temporary color spray, he nails were red and she was wearing a red antique dress. She truly looked like the Queen of Heart.
"Where did you get the costume?"
"I don't know... I don't remember the crime."
"You don't?" He took a step forward. "How do you know you've committed it?"
"I remember being..." She gasped and sob. "Being alone in this closed flower shop, covered in blood, with the ax in my hands and... and..." She cried some more before continuing. "There he was! On the floor, attached with belts and chains and... no head..."
"Where was his head?"
"I don't know, I didn't look for it. I panicked and ran out of there, weapon in hands... Didn't took much time for people to call the cops on me."
"Do you know where the head ended up?"
"The police told me that I..." She looked down and swallowed, holding back the tears. "I sent it to his friends in package..."
"A man delivered it, who is he?"
"I don't know, I swear I don't remember doing those things... It's like I was... Possessed."
"Are you a religious person?"
"No, well not really, but I don't know how else to explain it. I was walking home from the gym and things got dark, in my mind. Memories of my sister, of him, I kept feeling watched."
"Do you think you were followed?"
"Maybe." She rubbed her teary eyes. "The streets were making no sense, I got lost and I was going insane, but remained calm. I couldn't brush off the thoughts of my sister and the thoughts of avenging her. I could sense a distant deep voice whispering unspeakable things to me, constantly. I went on agreeing with it and then... That's it, I woke up in the shop."
The detective knew there was nothing more to ask of this person in dire need of psychiatric help. At least she did the right thing by cooperating as much as her current state of mind would allow her to do so. The dark knight felt pity for Claire as he turned around and grabbed the door handle, ready to leave this tormented killer.
"I'm sorry for everything that happened."
He almost whisper upon exiting.
Since the case was closed, the opportunity for Tetch to have a proper burial was made possible and the date and hour were settled for December 16th,, 14:00 PM. Unfortunately for the gang, this information had somehow made its way to the public which caused an uproar. People making an online petitions stating that the man was undeserving of a proper burial and wanted to stop it. Other people sharing their opinions and idea on social media. A few popular ones where: Just bury the rat with your hyenas, Harley Quinn. - To all the decent people who's family won't be able to afford a proper burial, just go fuck up a few innocent girls. - I bet the soil will spit him back up after the Devil kicks him out of hell.
Of course, all of these beautiful messages were always followed by the now famous hashtag: Offwithhishead.
The billionaire decided to give a hand to the gang, since the death of Jervis seemed to have brought back hate on them, making the legalization of the Reds harder to realize and also because he was disagreeing with most of the citizens. To do so he offered to Crane that Wayne Enterprise pay for transportation of the gang's member and security at the burial, an offer he gratefully accepted.
December 16th, 13:30 PM, Jackson and Bruce were already at the cemetery, which was surrounded by cops holding off about a hundred people, wearing red clothes, crowns, throwing painted white to red roses into the cemetery and holding up sings with the famous hashtag and other messages like: Can't fight Karma. - Rot in hell. - This is justice.
Staring at the crowd, the large man's face was expressing such disappointment, his partner could not help himself but to approach him and whisper.
"Lighten up, baby. Those are the people we fight for every night."
"Please, don't make this harder than this already is..."
Around twenty minutes later, Crane arrived, all dressed in a black suit, head bowed down. Bruce greeted him and shook his hand.
"I want to thank you again, for this opportunity..." The small man said.
"It's nothing. I'm so sorry for your loss." The billionaire systematically replied.
"Jervis was like a brother..." He was cut short by the pale man.
"Brother to you. I know the feel."
This set an awkward tone and Jonathan went on sitting by himself, away from them. The hero kept glancing at him, the poor man who kept staring at the ground, trying his best to ignore the people who where now chanting.
"Off with his head! Off with his head!"
Harleen arrived a few minutes later, wearing a long dark coat. She was accompanied by a taller woman who had a black hat in which her hair were hidden, a scarf, sunglasses and also a long dark coat. It did not took too long for the vigilante and his ally to recognized Ivy, but they knew that, surely, none of the present citizen would noticed her.
As she got closer, the clown got up and they hugged while she sobbed.
"Harley, you stink. When was the last time you showered?" He immediately stated.
"I don't know, sorry... My place smells like tea and I just can't..."
She switched from crying on him to crying on her for no apparent reason, but no one seemed to mind it.
"I'm Jacks..."
"I know who you are, her cousin, that's nice." Ivy quickly shut him up while holding her friend.
"And you are?"
"Eh... Melissa. We're friends."
14:00 PM, the burial started, they were all standing up near the grave. They placed rabbit paws instead of flowers atop of it and made speeches about their deceased friend.
The vigilante could barely listen to them, he kept looking at the citizens the hired security and policemen were trying to disperse and send home. These heartless people had decided to take time off their day to come to this place and insult a few grieving persons. This was beyond him. He could feel rage building up inside of him, like a fire growing bigger. He felt hatred, so much hatred toward these people, toward everyone.
His partner accidentally slightly brushed his hand with his own and he turned and looked at him. He was surprised to find him staring at the same people, with the usual constant hate that habits his green eyes. The larger man got back to looking at the citizens too, wondering how long it has been since they had became almost the same.
