Thanks for thee review, more always welcome! It's a pretty short chapter again but I'm getting ready for a big one with Maria/Joker conversation and Barbara Gordon in hospital and all that stuff… Anyway on with the story! Enjoy
INT. ARKHAM ASYLUM HALLWAY---DARK AFTERNOON
Doctor Maria Spender continued her journey toward the Joker's cell, she was feeling extremely nervous but tried not to show it as she swiped her ID card and went through another door leading up to the maximum security wing at Arkham.
Two minutes later, Maria was staring up at an armed guard feeling very uneasy.
"Good Afternoon Ms Spender, walk this way please." The guard smiled as he looked her up and down and moved to usher her along.
"Is something the matter? I have an appointment with a patient" Maria said with as much confident as she could muster. That's one hell of a gun, she thought.
"Doctor Arkham would like to speak to you right away Ms Spender, he says it's urgent"
Maria exhaled silently. "Ok, lead the way"
The guard admired Maria as he led her down the bleak hallways of Arkham. He noticed that her strong green eyes were shining brightly, her cheeks had a flushed freshness and her shoulder length dark brown hair looked newly blown dry. His eyes fell the length of her slender torso – to her blouse with the bra barely visible beneath, to her knee-length skirt and finally to her legs… Maria Spender's legs…
Hard to imagine they support a 170 IQ, he mused to himself.
He stared at her as they walked. Finally he shook his head as they arrived at Jeremiah Arkhams Office.
INT. JEREMIAH ARKHAMS OFFICE---DARK AFTERNOON
Doctor Jeremiah Arkham was a weedy little man with large glasses and huge eyebrows. His grey eyes usually suggested a confidence and determination to help the hopeless, but today they looked wild and unsettled.
Arkham curse finally got to him I see, god is there any sane people left, Maria thought as she stood in front of the little man in the black suit and white overcoat.
"You wanted to see me Sir" Maria said.
"Yes take a seat Ms Spender, we have much to discuss" Arkham sighed.
I'll say, like the fact your so called "orderlies" now walk around with semi-automatics, Maria thought as she took a seat in front of Arkhams desk.
Jeremiah Arkham looked a wreck, more so than normal. His thinning grey hair was dishevelled, and even in the room's crisp air-conditioning, his forehead was beaded with sweat. He looked like he'd slept in his suit. He was sitting behind a modern desk and looked very distressed.
"Look Ms Spender, I know this is only your second week on the job and you were all ready to start your sessions with the Joker, but something has happened, something you may not have read about yet" he said.
That Doctor Arkhams completely lost the plot, Maria thought with a grin.
"What's happened Sir" she said wearily.
"It's the Joker, he escaped again a week ago and we never even knew that bastard was gone for A WHOLE WEEK and we had no clue! What message is this giving out to the public who are supposed to trust us to keep him locked away" he almost growled.
Escaped again, doesn't Arkham even shut its doors and how did they not know, Maria thought as she ran a hand through her hair.
"If I may be so blunt Sir, how can you not know when a maximum security patient escapes, surely the fact the cell is empty is a clear indication…" she said laughing but then she stopped when she saw the serious look on Arkhams face.
"Do you think we're completely stupid Maria, no the little shit bribed one of our orderlies into "pretending" to be him while he waltzed out of here, we had no clue, he dressed the guy up good, looked exactly like the Joker, it was only when Batman came in and pulled the green wig off and wiped the make up off that we realised what had happened" Arkham interrupted.
Well the guy has got an IQ of 160, never underestimate him, thought Maria
"Sir, the Joker is obviously back at Arkham now so what exactly did you want to discuss with me? Surely now is as good a time as any for me to start my sessions with him so why have you called me here" she said.
"Well Ms Spender I don't think its wise you are his new psychiatrist, in his last escape he shot Barbara Gordon, the commissioners daughter in the spine, paralysing her for life and kidnapped Commissioner James Gordon and tortured him to almost insanity. The mayor and Gothum PD have been onto us to improve security and to sort this shit hole of an asylum out" he replied shakily. Clearly the man was stressed out beyond belief.
That explains the guns, interesting security measures he's got in place, thought Maria as she glared at Arkham.
Maria hesitated, "Is this about Quinn? She demanded as she stood up to full height, towering above the small man.
"Ms Spender this has nothing to do with Doctor Harleen Quinzell" he replied with irritation.
Maria knew Jeremiah Arkham had always had a soft spot for Quinn, rumour was she used him to get her licence as a psychiatrist, which, thank god had since been revoked. It was also rumoured that they had an affair, he fell in love with her and even lied to the police the first time she broke the Joker out of Arkham, he wouldn't admit to himself that she had in fact used him all along and was never in love with him.
Nope she's just a psycho like the rest of them; at least she's locked up now, eurgh Arkham and Quinn… Disgusting, thought Maria as she contemplated Arkhams words
"Look Doctor I am not Harley Quinn and I do not plan on falling for the resident psychopath anytime soon" Maria fired back.
"Harleen was not well before she started her sessions with The Joker, he merely sent her over the edge and she has been falling ever since. I believe though that you have not been at Arkham long enough to understand the Joker, we put you in there with him and I fear he may very well use you for his own advantage, I am merely looking out for you Maria" he said in a smug voice.
Sure you are Jeremiah, sure you are, sexist pig, who is he kidding, he thinks I can't do the job properly just because I'm a women…PFFT, thought Maria.
"I have worked with some of the scariest men and women you can imagine Doctor Arkham, I may not have worked in Arkham long but I have studied the Joker since I first saw his picture in the Gothum Times, I've seen how he used Harley and I know that you've lost your best doctors to the madman but I believe I can help him, it won't be easy and it won't be quick and I may not even succeed but one thing I can say with conviction is that I will not be taken in by him like Harleen Quinzel, just give me a chance" Maria said as she stood over the tiny old man.
"Okay Maria, I'll give you a month with him, just do one thing for me" Arkham sighed in defeat.
Women... I'll give her a week; let her have her fun, thought Jeremiah.
"What's that Sir?" she said as a smile started forming on her beautiful face.
"Go home, get some rest and start early tomorrow morning, he's laughing like a hyena at the moment anyway, although you should get used to that, come early tomorrow morning and we'll have him ready, you'll need a good nights sleep Maria" he replied.
"Yeah well Sir, looks like you need a good nights sleep yourself, you look beat" she said as she fought off a grin.
Best play nice with crazy Arkham while he's not in his padded cell; she thought and suddenly started grinning.
"Yes Maria, what with the Joker escaping, Gothum PD breathing down our backs and trying to sort security out I haven't had much time for sleep" Arkham shrugged.
Maria nodded.
"Well I'll get off, don't work too hard" she beamed.
He smiled tiredly "Good luck Ms Spender, you'll need it"
That's it for now, chapter 3 coming soon, don't worry they'll be Maria/Joker soon! Be Patient dudes.