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.
A quarter of a hundred chapters…or is it half a hundred chapters of Batman…I've lost track! I cannot believe I have written this much. I'd like to thank: my reviewers, my followers and my audience. You've been absolutely wonderful for staying with me this long. Thank you.
Chapter 25
(No-one's POV)
*Two weeks before the wedding, twelve thirty seven AM*
Gotham Zoo was dark and quiet with the small snores of over a hundred animals, the night guards had to stay until "the changing of the guard" which is what they called six in the morning.
"Are you sure the Doc said: the left at the elephants straight on at the lions?" a goon asked softly
"Look: I took my kid here a few times, a copy of the map from the Doc and we've got a map from the reference desk. So yeah, I'm sure the Doc said: Left at the elephants and straight on from the lions!" the leader goon stressed as they reached the hyena enclosure, while reading the map with a flashlight. "There they are. You got the tranqs?" he pointed out, the goons behind them nodded. "Okay aim for the males. Those are the ones the Doc said to get."
"Which are the males?" a goon asked "They're all huddled together." He added without sounding like an idiot.
"Good point." The leader looked at the back of his employers map. On the back read the words: "MALE HYENAS = BIG ONES" "The big ones…get the big ones." The leader said as he pointed at them.
As the muffled shots were fired the tranquilisers and the hyenas gave a small wince then were knocked out completely. "Got them."
"Good. Let's get to the door and load them into the van." The lead goon said praising his friends "the Doc is gonna be pleased." Forty five minutes later the goons had loaded Bud and Lou onto a van and drove off to Arkham Asylum. "Here you go Doc. The two hyenas you wanted."
The employer entered, it was Hugo Strange. "Excellent gentlemen; did you have any trouble?"
"No Sir. It went off like clockwork." The lead goon said fidgeting.
Strange noticed his behaviour; "You don't seem very sure of yourself."
"No sir. No one followed us. It's just I don't like this sort of place…hospitals, that sort of thing." The lead goon said swallowing his spit in worry.
"Ah, nosocomephobia; common anxiety. Don't worry; should we ever need your services again we'll make other arrangements. You are free to go." Strange understood and tented his fingers.
"Thank you sir…" the lead goon left immediately as the others followed suit.
"We're still getting paid right?" the third goon asked rubbing his head "I mean we lifted two African dogs, so where's the dough?"
"Hyenas are more related to cats rather than dogs. You'll get your reward soon." Strange corrected him as they left.
"So we have the hyenas…now what?" Nigma asked
"Now what? Now we include a bit of…fear into the creatures. Isn't that right Jonathan?" Strange smiled evilly.
Crane was looking out of the window contemplating on if he should carry on with this. Sure he wanted to find out if Harley Quinzel and the crazed clown woman was the same person. "Huh, yes of course." He answered. He returned to his thinking as Bill was his rival, even though they hated each other they had a mutual respect. And he remembered how he was friends with the former doctor of the Asylum. "I'm heading back to my cell before we're discovered." Crane handed over two vials of feat toxin to Strange and Nigma "Be careful, this batch is pretty potent."
"Excellent Jonathan; good evening." Strange bid his inmate friend goodnight.
"I'll head off to; much to do in the coming weeks." Nigma grinned rubbing his hands
"Yes…" Strange sneered "Much to do." He spoke while carefully rolling the vial between his thumb and finger.
(No-One's POV)
At an unknown location on the outskirts of Gotham; Victor Fries, Talia and Hush approached a freshly dug pit. "So we are here; now what?" Victor spoke then saw the large hole he grabbed Hush and slammed him into the van. "You said you had a cure! I will not bury my wife!" Victor roared
"Calm yourself Doctor Fries; no-one is burying anyone. Although I may bury you if you don't release my comrade." Talia threatened Victor "Did you bring the samples?" Talia asked her guard
"Yes mistress." An assassin spoke revealing several large tubes containing glowing chemicals.
Before Victor could ask what it was Talia interrupted "Chemicals from special pools my father uses. Within them a person can be reborn and healed. Due to its properties they are dubbed: Lazarus Pits."
Victor gazed at the samples as they were poured into the pit, the colours swirled into a luminescent green. "Interesting pitch; but I'm not here for theatrics. Does it work?" he demanded
"Why don't you try and see?" Hush spoke crossing his arms.
Carefully pulling Nora out from the second van with the help of the assassins; Victor ordered that he should be the one to get her out. He input the code to unlock the airtight door, the unlocking hiss was heard and the coldness came around the assassins, Hush and Talia. "I pray that you forgive me for this my love." He said carrying her into the chemical bath.
"Hold it, Freeze." Hush stopped him
"You dare…" Victor snarled at him; Hush pointed at a metal plate that was held by chains. "Oh." Victor understood, he lay his beloved Nora upon the plate and saw her lowered into the concoction.
Some minutes passed and Victor was getting restless "You said it would cure her…if you have just killed my wife I will…" Victor threatened them with his cryo-gun
"Take a chill pill, Talia knows what she's doing." Hush made an out of place joke
"The process is instantaneous for living people; your wife has been frozen so the procedure takes longer." Talia explained
Just then bubbles that were localised where Nora's head were appeared "N-Nora…?" Victor asked as he saw the bubbles.
And just as if she was summoned a beautiful blonde woman emerged from the chemical bath, gasping for air; she screamed for her life and clutched her mind. "Victor!" she called "Victor…Help me!" she was calling for him, not after him.
"Nora! Nora I'm here!" Victor called out running to her throwing his cryo-gun down. His armoured hand held out for her.
"Argh! Monster! What are you?! Victor!" Nora cried then fainted
"Nora! Nora it's alright!" Victor tried to comfort her as she was cradled in his arms. "What happened? I thought she would be alright?" Victor demanded an answer
"That was just a reflex action. Everyone goes through it when they've been submerged." Talia explained "She'll be fine in a while."
"Get her into the van already; you've had your little fun. So Freeze, are you in?" Hush demanded an answer
Victor looked at Nora and smiled seeing her alive. "I will only join your crusade after I check Nora's vitals. I do not like being cheated." Victor turned to them.
"Of course Mister Fries." An assassin bowed "A medical unit has been prepared especially for her."
"Thank you…" Victor added as Nora was placed on a gurney.
At a safe distance Hush, Talia and Mister Freeze were being spied upon by a snowy individual, Killer Frost. She had escaped from Waller and made it out on her own. 'My god…Freeze has switched sides…Bill!' she was in shock as she knew Freeze was Bill's friend. 'I've got to get out of here!' she raced to her motorcycle and drove off; since getting out of The Squad she was on the down low, but she still had contacts with the other members except Bill. She didn't want to not forget him, but he made clear how he felt about her and who he cared for.
She drove down to Central City, under the guise of a ski instructor; something low key that she could use her powers on so it wouldn't arouse suspicion. "I need to use the phone!" she grabbed the nearest phone: a local petrol station's. She punched in Bill's number that she got from him on a secured line. "Come on, come on, come on!" she was riddled with anxiety "Come on Bill pick up; pick up!"
(Bill's POV)
Bill, Ivy and Venus were with Bruce and Harley making the finishing touches on the "separate locations" part of the wedding. All part of the: "Groom can't see the Bride before their wedding day" tradition. And they wanted to do it right.
Bill's helmet rang, it almost never did that. "Hang on I've got to take this." Bill aid in an almost joking manner
"Really, you've got a phone in your helmet?" Ivy asked
"Save's me buying a multi-use phone where I won't use three quarters of it." Bill explained as he put on the helmet "I'm sorry there's no phone here." Bill laughed
"Bill, it's me." Frost's voice spoke down the phone
Lucky, Bill's entire face was covered by the face cover, because he was mortified hearing Louise's voice "I've got to take this outside." Bill said without giving too much away.
"Take your time. We've got this covered." Harley smiled.
"Thanks." Bill answered kindly, outside the manor "Louise, what are you doing? You never call this number. It better be important." Bill's voice sounded angry.
"Bill; it's about Victor Fries." Frost answered
"God damn it…with all that's been going on…" Bill cursed himself "tell me: everything!"Bill demanded to know.
Five minutes passed and Frost had explained what transpired. "And right after it ended, I took off. Bill what're we going to do?"
"We? There is no we Louise, there never was. But…" Bill emphasised their relationship status, he was stern but he gradually got warmer "I appreciate what you've said. I'll get to work on it."
"Good…Bill, you need to know: there were ninjas at the pit." Frost continued
"Ninjas? Are you absolutely sure?" Bill asked
"Yeah and that Identity Thief guy, what's his name…he was there!" she added in worry.
"Hush? He's with them too?" Bill was enraged "Crap, if he's with them too…"
"I'm guessing he's going to be pissed when he sees your face, well mask. I know you two have a history." Frost guessed
'Not as much as him and Bruce.' Bill thought "Yeah; that doctor's going to need a doctor when I'm through with him." Bill answered
"Bill…" Frost began to ask
"Yeah…?" he answered with a question
"If you weren't with Ivy…" Frost asked
Bill remained silent as he thought about his answer "I don't know…if things were different, maybe. But things are what they are. I'm sorry." He gave his answer
"Thank you." Frost answered
"For what? I've just broken your heart." Bill asked
"For giving me a real answer and not just a diversion." Frost hung up.
Bill sighed and removed his helmet 'damn…why is it: that I couldn't get a date when I was at the company picnics, but I get all the girls when I'm a mutated facially disfigured former psychopath?' Bill thought as he pinched his nose "Damn relationships are hard." He spoke.
"Dad?" Venus spoke which caused Bill to startle
"Venus. Oh; how long…how long were you there?" Bill spoke in surprise then asked his daughter
"Not long…just long enough to know about how you feel about Louise and her feelings for you." Venus answered honestly
"How do you know about my feelings for her?" Bill asked her.
"My powers; they seem to have mutated. I can enhance my pheromones and sort of read other peoples." Venus answered "I know you love mum and I know you love me. I won't say anything if that's what you want."
Bill shook his head "No baby girl; I don't want to burden you with that. I'll tell your mother, I've not hidden anything from her so far."
"What about that huge pornography cache you had when you were in the Suicide Squad?" Venus asked with a "really" look on her face
"Okay, first off: how do you know about that? And second: it was very lonely in the Squad; since the only women there were: a psychotic manipulative bitch, a poisonous bendy woman and a snow queen with the hots for me." Bill questioned then listed off.
"I-I…gotta go!" Venus began to run before being stopped in place by her father "okay…I wore your helmet a few times when you came home and I contacted some of the members during your work out sessions on different numbers. They're very chatty, especially Louise." Venus confessed.
"Venus Pamela Harleen Isley!" Bill groaned in disbelief using Venus's full name face-palming himself.
To be continued
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