The Scars Left Behind

This is the Sequel to the Harlequin and the Bat and The Harley and The Ivy.

Important notes: I do not own Batman or any portion of the franchise. I give all credit to DC Comics and respective owners. Except the characters I wrote in my profile.

Warning: Violent scenes to come. These stunts are done by highly trained professionals and should not be imitated by anyone. Except those proficient in martial arts training and weapons, even then it shouldn't be imitated.

Chapter 12

(No-one's POV)

The Suicide Squad were wrapped in Nightbloom's vines, Bruce Wayne was tied up and dressed as an Arkham guard, Robin and Batman kept a close eye on the Squad, Bat-Shard and Nightbloom and Amanda Waller blew a fuse not knowing where her Task Force was.

(Harley's POV)

"What did you hope to accomplish here? To see if you can break into Arkham?" Bat-Shard asked Hyde

"No. I wanted to prove I could break into Arkham. Kidnapping Wayne was just a bonus." Hyde answered

"You're sick." Shard responded

"No…the one who's sick is the Identity-Thief." Hyde answered again.

Killer Frost froze the vine's binding her and freed the others. "Let's go, now!" she ordered

"Not before I take down the Bat-Bitch!" Deadshot spoke before getting slammed upon

"Her name is: Bat-Shard, Deadshot." Batman spoke

With the others freed Deathstroke spoke "I guess Wayne isn't Batman. Strange was wrong."

"That sociopath is all wrong." Hyde ripped through the vines and raced into Nightbloom grabbing her.

(No-one's POV)

Each of the group fought someone else: Bat-Shard took on Killer Frost, Robin with Copperhead, Batman with Deathstroke and Hyde "fighting" Nightbloom. Bruce snuck his way into the Suicide Squad's van trying to break his ice handcuffs.

Bat-Shard dodged each of Frost's icicle projectiles with her acrobatic skills; Bat-Shard used he grappling hook to make herself into a ballistic (define: relating to the movements of objects propelled through the air. Not just meaning to go crazy) knocking Frost into Arkham's ground.

"I'll get you for that you crazy Batgirl!" Frost yelled out

"I'm no Batgirl." Shard spoke before spin-kicking Frost in the midriff "But I'm a close second."

Slade took to his bo-staff and attacked into Batman; but Batman defended himself using his cape and years of training from Bruce. "Staying to the defensive Batman?"

"Sometimes the best defence…" Batman punched Slade in his gut winding him in the process "Doubles as the offence!"

Copperhead lunged forward using her contortion skills (Contortionism is the ability to twist the body out of its natural shape. People often use this skill to become performers or use it for yoga) to attack Robin. But the young ward was careful not to get hit by her poisoned talons knowing what would happen. "You're agile, little bird. But snakes eat birds!"

Robin attempted to flip-kick Copperhead in her jaw but due to her second nature contortion skills she dodged it but she couldn't dodge the Batarang to her hands, cutting her poison talons off. "But some birds eat snakes!" Robin jested

With Nightbloom and Hyde they "fought" with Nightbloom almost yelling at Hyde "Are you insane Bill? Where will Bruce go?"

"This address; we've got the name of the real killer, we've got the proof, we just need Bruce to hide for half a day." Bill explained giving Ivy the instructions "Ivy…I need to tell you something." Bill wanted to confess what Frost did.

"Whatever it is, can it wait. We've got to get this over with! Which means…" Ivy interrupted and threw a punch into Hyde's head "Sorry Boo-boo, have to do it."

"Trust me…I think I deserve this." Hyde answered rubbing his helmet then getting up ready to attack and roared to throw a punch just "missing" her each time before getting tied by her vines

"You don't have to go far to jail. I could just throw you in there." Nightbloom taunted

"Do you really want that?" Hyde struggled as he ripped the vines away and fell to the ground

(Bruce's POV)

'What is Bill doing? Is he trying to be the bad guy? Damn this ice!' Bruce thought to himself as he slammed his shackles breaking them in the process "Got it!" Bruce slipped into the front seat and tried to hotwire the van.

Ivy was back-flipped by Hyde into the van and groaned in a little pain "Bruce!"

"Ivy? What's going…?" Bruce asked but was interrupted

"No time! Take this and go to the location. We'll meet up again. Now if you excuse me…Hyde, get over here!" Nightbloom explained and shouted at her boyfriend.

Bruce didn't want to, the Batman in him wouldn't break the law, but seeing this as part of a plan he did so anyway.

(Bill's POV)

"Hyde, Wayne is getting away!" Deathstroke shouted to Hyde then in pain from Batman knocking him to the ground.

Bill whispered so only he and Nightbloomcould hear "Good. Ivy, close your eyes." As Bill threw a sphere to the ground.

In doing so there was a great flash that blinded the two groups and all of them were temporarily blinded, which gave the Suicide Squad time to escape, but it gave everyone a major headache. "What was that?!" Killer Frost questioned

"Flash Grenade: it blinds people for at least a few minutes. Which is enough time for us to get away!" Bill explained as they stowed into an Arkham van. "Deadshot, can you still see?"

"More or less…" Floyd rubbed his eyes to get his vision back "Got it!" he managed to hotwire the van and drove off with the group.

"Broke into Arkham, risked our lives for a pretty boy, saw you break a guy's arms and leg and lost our van! Risking our necks and our lives so Waller won't find out about this and for what?" Copperhead shouted at Hyde

"Three things…One: to prove that Waller can't control us. Two: I break even with Wayne…" Hyde explained

"And what's the third?" Killer Frost asked as they approached Gotham's food district.

"Stop here!" Hyde shouted pointing to the curb.

"Why are we stopping here?" Deadshot asked and saw a Burger restaurant. "You've got to be kidding me." Hearing the doors open and saw Hyde enter the joint

Two minutes later Hyde came back with twelve bags of food in his arms "Three? Three, is obvious: I'm starving!" Bill handed out the meals.

*Back at the Suicide Squad HQ*

"I can't believe you ordered twelve bags of food, when there were only five of us." Killer Frost explained

"Hey, two for each of us, two for Waller…gives us an alibi." Hyde explained "*burp* Excuse me." He pardoned himself.

"A real Brit-Boy to the end." Deadshot laughed but was cut short when Waller appeared

"Well…been out for: Burgers was it?" She asked in a cynical tone.

Hyde raised the bags "Got you the vegetarian happy meal." Hyde answered in a joke like fashion.

(Bruce's POV)

Bruce drove to the destination Bill had given Ivy to give to him: it was a midway house on the outskirts of Gotham there he read the instructions:

Drive to Midway Drive House on outskirts of Gotham

Wait till morning

Drive to Bill's Armour and Tech

Wear any clothes remaining

Collect change from hidden safe

40-23-42

Walk to Lover's Park phone booth

Call Harley

Wait in Lover's Park Club

After reading the instructions Bruce realised that it was late: eleven thirty seven PM. He rubbed his neck and decided to rest. 'This can't get any worse…I'm on the run, Bill's betrayed us and what's worse is the fact that the real Identity-Thief is still out there.' Bruce thought to himself before drifting off to sleep dreaming about the case. The images and conversation he had with Gordon whizzed in his mind "Whoever did this was methodical, calm, experienced." 'A surgeon could do this; but which surgeon?' he remembered the pictures of the victims and imagined them being stitched into different places all that was missing were the eyes 'A Bruce Wayne mask…gruesome but who would have a vendetta against…' Bruce pondered then remembered someone who did have a vendetta against him: someone whose mother that Bruce's father saved. The phantom came from the back of his mind…someone who he thought long forgotten his anger. A boy with blue eyes and red hair, filled with anger… "Tommy!" Bruce came to his realisation at five minutes past seven.

It all made sense: the skin grafts, the physical description, the DNA being planted on the corpses it was all Tommy. Bruce looked at the clock: March Thirteenth and drove back to town.

(Jim's POV)

Gordon and Bullock had their heads in their hands as they saw the morning news:

"It has been confirmed by several members of Arkham Asylum staff that the Identity-Thief: Bruce Wayne was kidnapped by a group of villains. Why Mister Wayne was kidnapped is beyond them; but the leader of the attack squad, noted by several prisoners to being called Brom; broke a guard's arms and leg. The guard in question has, as of now, admitted physically assaulting inmates within the Asylum. Mister Wayne has been missing since then and assumed to be with the kidnappers awaiting a ransom. The police are doing all they can to apprehend these kidnappers and Mister Wayne before they strike again. More on this story as it develops. I'm Vicki Vale, Gotham News"

As Vicki signed off Jim sighed and turned the television off. "So what do we do now Comish? We can't go through Gotham lookin' for these whack-jobs or Wayne. They'll have blended into the slums somewhere." Bullock was discouraged by the realisation of it all. "Commissioner?" Bullock asked

'I'll have to call Miss Quinzel. I have to inform her on what's going on…' Jim thought to himself but was called on by Sam the medical examiner.

"Commissioner Gordon, Detective Bullock. I've some new information regarding the Identity-Thief case!" Sam spoke

"Well spill it. Gordon needs somethin' to snap himself back to reality and caffeine isn't workin'" Bullock explained Jim's vacantness.

"I'm sorry Sam. Continue." Jim allowed Sam to show his findings.

"Well I: ran the hair we had on the bodies and discovered that the age of the hairs were older than the corpses. Meaning the hair was cut before the murders were committed." Sam started off.

"Okay…but it's not enough." Gordon explained then the phone rang catching the attentions of the people in the room. "Commissioner Gordon…yes…yes…okay bring them over and we'll get them looked at."

"Anyone we know?" Bullock asked bluntly

"That was the Wayne Manor…they say they've found information to exonerate Bruce Wayne. They're coming over now." Jim explained

(Harley's POV)

*earlier before the call*

"What do you mean: Bill planned for Bruce's escape?!" Dick screamed

"Dick, I'm sorry but it had to be kept a secret. Only: I, Harley and Venus knew about it." Ivy explained

"Oh sure…honour amongst: liars, thieves and psychopaths!" Dick gave a sarcastic speech

"Don't be a dick, Dick! All we know is Bruce is safe and we'll have to kick Bill in his head when we see him next!" Tim shouted

'I never imagined Bill doing this sort of thing…I mean he's always playing chess with Crane…but I'd never imagine him doing this.' Harley thought to herself 'Has he really turned on us?'

"Miss Harley...Miss Harley!" Sonia asked to get her attention "The phone is for you."

"Oh…thanks Sonia. Hello?" Harley thanked the maid and answered the phone

"You don't know how good it is to hear your voice again Harley." Bruce's voice called through the phone

"Bruce…" Harley whispered as she put her hand over her mouth to stop herself from being overwhelmed with emotion.

"Listen, I know who set me up, it was…" Bruce started to explain then was interrupted by Harley

"Thomas Elliot, I know. The Rogue came and delivered the information. Bruce, Elliot is draining Wayne Industry funds for himself. Why is he doing this?" Harley asked not knowing about the others over hearing them.

"Tommy's parents were killed in a car crash. My father saved his mother's life; he's never forgiven me or my family since. I've only just discovered that it was Tommy that caused the crash to gain access to his fortune…he killed his mother afterwards to ensure it." Bruce explained with a heavy heart.

"Tommy…you knew this psychopath?" Harley questioned him hearing a coin go into a pay phone

"Yeah…he's…Was my old friend…but after what happened we lost contact. My guess is he wanted control over Wayne Enterprises for some time now and only just acted on it." Bruce explained

"Bruce…Where are you?" Harley asked softly

"Lover's Park…Meet me in the Club adjacent to it." Bruce said the location to her which made her smile.

"I'll be right there…I love you." Harley smiled

"I love you too." Bruce reciprocated and put the phone down.

Harley wiped her tears away and turned to the household. "I'm going after Bruce."

"We heard…go get him." Ivy smiled. Harley grabbed her coat and went out to see Bruce.

(Dick's POV)

"Sorry I snapped at you Ivy…Bill had his reasons, I'm guessing. But…" Dick apologised then felt doubt creep into his mind

"But what?" Ivy asked

"Which side is Bill on?" Dick answered her question with his own. "We should call Detective Gordon…tell him what we know."

"Good idea Dick." Tim recommended

Dick called up Gotham police "Hi this is Dick Grayson…I've got information only for Commissioner Gordon. Yes it's urgent."

To be continued

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