Alright a chapter update! Special thanks to Anonymous for a whole new idea.
Anonymous: I would like to first point out that I meant it sincerely when I said it was a great fucking name. What can I say; you are one lucky SOB to grab it. Anyway I like the idea of letting him go and keeping him to herself. In fact, I'm going to do none of the ideas that were brought up. You have inspired a different direction that will give the story a most awesome twist!
Chapter 22
Damian was in the kitchen working tiredlesly even after the panic attack in the other room. "Hey, man, we're out of here," said Joey, "and hurry it up cause something seems to be bugging the Joker."
"Joey,' said Damian putting his hand to his forehead, "I have to finished the French Onion soup. Not to mention the salmon is almost ready to be lemoned. I still need to mince the green peppers for the salad bar. Not to mention chopping more lettes. Sorry man, I don't have time, I will have to catch up."
"What are you talking about, man, the party's been crashed already. We have Bruce Wayne and the Joker wants the get the hell out of here."
"Joey (sigh) I don't expect you to understand my art so I will excuse your ignorance, but don't pull me from my work, how would you like it if I took your art from you?"
"Fine, stay here, I'm leaving before cops show up. I'm sure they are on there way."
"And when they arrive I will recommend the shrimp and tarter sauce with the lemon slice," he said. Joey grabbed Damian and drug him out of the kitchen.
"Cook at home," he snapped.
"But-but-but!"
…………………………….
After much fighting Joey finally got Damian in the car. "I wanna be a cook," he demanded.
"Be a cook at home and quit being a dick," snapped Joey after shutting the van doors. The Joker was not at all happy that they had waited that much time with his ransom in the van sitting where the police could clearly see them. Finally they were ready to get the hell out of there. As Damian drove them out of the drive way and down the street a whole bunch of squad cars came pulling into the driveway. Artemis gave a sigh of relief. One more minute and the fun would have been spoiled.
……………………
The Joker had Bruce tied up in the basement to the support beam. He didn't even give him the satisfaction of a chair. Damian ran to the kitchen with the giant pot of onion soup determined to finish it. "You're so weird man," said Joey watching him, "you actually took the soup with you?"
"Hell ya I did. Un unfinished dinner is an unhappy dinner." Joey just shook his head and walked away. He wasn't stable enough for this. The Joker came in the kitchen looking around the cabinets and stuff. The other two watched him curiously as he mumbled under his breath. Plotting all the fun things he would do to Gotham's Prince.
He pulled out a paper bag and walked into the livingroom to watch the news before heading for the basement.
"I am Tasha Bane here at Wayne Manor when Bruce Wayne was kidnapped by the Joker and left what looks to be a ransom letter. Authorities refuse to state what was in the letter. They will share as soon as they come up with a solution, this is Tasha Bane signing out." Joey and Damian watched him get up from the couch and back to the kitchen. He looked really irritated.
"What was did the note say," asked Joey. The Joker didn't even look in his direction. He grabbed his handy dandy video camera and headed for the basement. Artemis walked into the room only to be stopped by the Joker on his way out.
"Doll, you wouldn't mind, uh, coming with me would ya, hmm?" Artemis looked at him curiously but nodded and followed him into the dark recesses of the basement. Damian and Joey just looked at each other.
………………………
The Joker shoved the camera in Artemis's hands and instructed her to video tape until he said cut. Artemis nodded and turned on the camera.
………………..
"What are they talking about," whined Joey.
"Quiet man, it's hard to hear them," snapped Damian holding his ear to the shot glass against the basement door.
"Are you sure this even works?"
"Why not," he said, "it works in the movies."
"Why can't I listen?"
"Because you are deaf," he snapped.
"In one ear!"
"Shh!"
…………………
"Hello Gotham," said the Joker to the camera, "it seems that you are not taking this as seriously as you should. I've decided to send the video myself. If you don't blow up the daycare I will blow your prince up! Now, I don't want to disappoint you so I've, uh, decided to put on a little show for you." He spread his arms out dramatically at the word show and laughed insanely. Artemis resisted the urge to shiver. She nervously adjusted her hat but kept the camera still as best as she could.
The Joker walked over to Bruce Wayne and dragged his blade along Bruce's cheek. Bruce squinted his eyes at the pain. He then knocked Bruce in the eye and laughed out. "Now, uh, you have three days. For every day that passes I take a little more, uh, blood from him. If you still don't then I will tie him up at the daycare and blow it up myself! I'm a man of my word. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA."
"And, cut," said the Joker. He had an evil grin on his face as he took the camera and walked passed Artemis. Artemis watched him go and smiled. She had it figured out. She would let Bruce go but tell the Joker that he had escaped. She walked over toward Bruce and pulled out her pocket knife. He eyed her carefully as she came closer.
"Don't worry," she whispered, "I'm getting you out of here." Bruce gave her a sympathetic look. He really appreciated the help but he was starting to feel bad about dragging her in. She was such a nice kid.
Artemis started cutting away at the rope that held Bruce's arms above his head. He looked down and saw a black pair of shoes coming toward her from behind. Before he could say anything there was a dull thump and she fell to the floor unconscious.
Bruce looked up at the wicked toothy grin that gave children nightmares.
……………………………………..
Gordon sat in his office half asleep. Now Bruce Wayne was missing and that meant Batman was not out to help protect the city. He was getting closer to a break down. Finally he silently stood up and threw everthing off his desk to the floor. He went over and started shredding up anything in his way.
He wanted to be at home. He wanted to spend time with his children. He wanted to spend time with his wife. He wanted to relax and sleep in for once. All of that was being taken away from him nightly. It was the stupid Joker's fault. It was his circus's fault. It was Batman's fault. It was the criminal's fault. It was these super villains taking up his time! He was tired of it.
He tore through the office until it looked like hell. Then he started in on his computer with his night stick of doom and started beating the monitor in. This was driving him crazy! While everyone there worked sleeplessly on the case the Joker was laughing at them. Always one step ahead! Why the fuck couldn't he just die!?
He felt hot tears flow down his face as he threw what was left out the window and he flipped his desk over. A few officers were outside watching from the door and the windows. They felt a mixture of pity, pain, and fear.
He tore his blinds down. Rachel was dead, Harvey Dent was dead, so many innocent people were dead, and now Bruce and a daycare of small children were in danger of being dead! He felt like a failure in life. Finally he fell to his knees and cried to himself in the mess. And boy was he in one.
"Sir, we found the Joker and Bruce Wayne!"
…………………………..
The Joker came upstairs from the basement with camera in hand and put it down. He then picked up a crowbar and started downstairs ignoring Damian and Joey who were pretending that they weren't listening in. Artemis was becoming a problem and he needed to fix that. Harley had been at her spot at the kitchen table watching the news not paying much attention to what was going on.
He quietly walked downstairs and snuck up behind her and banged her in the back of the head knocking her out. Bruce looked freaked out as he lifted her off the floor and put her on what looked to be a dentist chair. He strapped her down and plugged in his large variety of drills, and needles, and sharp shiny objects. He then put the guard in her mouth to keep it open and put the spot light over her.
He turned to get a new bulb for it all the while ignoring Bruce who was watching in horror. The Joker screwed it in and turned it on. Artemis's eyes blinked open a bit. She was greeted by a bright white light in her hands. She looked over and saw the Joker walk over toward Bruce and put his hands up in a different rope so he wouldn't have a chance at escaping. She then looked over and saw her worst fear. That damned drill.
The Joker turned around and smiled at her. "Hey doll," he said with concern, "now, uh, you remember what I said about being ahead of the curve? Well, you thought you were ahead but now it's catching up." Artemis looked at him confused. He laughed at her. "You, uh, plan on letting Brucy here go so batman can have me, hmm? Manipulating Harley into giving answers? You see, uh, when you plan it doesn't always go according to how you want it to. You were just fine until you started planning it, sweetheart. You slept up, dear, and now you are going to pay. Maybe you could be a bit sneakier sometime." He started up the drill and Artemis's eyes grew wide.
She felt her breathing become rapid as the drill was only inches away from her. Then the indescribable pain hit her and she screamed out. Bruce was terrified. It was one thing to see this on tv it was completely different to see it in reality. She desperately trying to move her hands and feet but she was strapped down. The Joker put the drill down and picked up what looked to be a filer. More ear piercing screams as the Joker looked to be sawing at something.
Bruce had to get out and help her. She was struggling so much the leather straps were cutting into her skin. Blood was pouring from her ankles and wrists but she didn't seem to care. All she cared about was getting the hell out of that chair. He then started sawing at the other side of her mouth her body started to jerk now. The Joker just laughed wickedly and put the filer down. He then picked up a mouth pick. The Joker moved over a few inches and Bruce got a better look at what he was doing.
Artemis's face was tear stained and looked tired and her face was red from screaming so much. The Joker put the pick in one of the holes in her teeth and started picking at it. Artemis screamed more but her voice was becoming weak. Bruce looked around and saw Artemis's knife sitting next to him.
He picked it up and lifted it up to his hands with his feet. He then started to saw at the rope as quickly and quietly as he could. When he finally broke the rope the Joker put the pick down and took the leather straps off of her. Bruce ran at him and jumped on his back and started stabbing him in the collar. The Joker laughed hysterically and started banging Bruce into the wall over and over again. Artemis just laid their watching curiously. The Joker flipped him off of his back and started digging his heal in Bruce's sides.
Artemis slowly rose from her spot and walked over toward the Joker with the drill in her hand. Just then Joey and Damian came busting in with Harley behind them. "Cops," squealed Harley. The Joker turned around and saw Artemis standing behind him with the drill in the air ready to drill a hole in the back of his head. He took the drill and back handed her across the mouth. Artemis spat out a mouth full of blood on the ground she landed on. She felt an iron grip grab hold of her hair and force her to stand up. He lead her out and upstairs. "Joey, get Brucy, Damian, get the van running, Harley come with us."
Artemis was helplessly at his mercy. It didn't look like she was going to get much of that from him. He shoved her in the van and jumped in over her. "Uh, doll, you're grounded," he said with a wicked smile. Artemis looked at him with such hatred it was a shock he didn't drop dead right there. Harley jumped in behind him and Damian in the driver's seat with Joey behind leading Bruce in.
Damian swerved out and away from the police trying desparately to get away from them. They couldn't have Bruce, not yet, but how did they find them? The Joker turned to Artemis and grabbed her arm and pulled her toward him. "You, uh, didn't call the cops now did you?"
"Why the hell would I do that," she asked shakily.
"Why the hell would you let Brucy go," he snarled. She looked him in the eyes for a moment then answered.
"Because I'm board." The Joker was going to say something when someone shot at the van. What? They never shot at them! The Joker shoved her over and told her to stay put. He then pushed the back door to the van open and pulled out his shot gun and started shooting back. Artemis was too scared to move.
Joey felt really guilty. He heard Artemis's screams and cries for help and didn't know what to do. He didn't expect the Joker would blame her for it. He had to call the cops, it was the only way to make this whole thing blow over, get his mind off the fact that his daughter was plotting against her. Now he only prayed that the police chase would cause him to forget everything else.
Damian tried to concentrate on not getting them killed when a large semi came out from behind and rammed them. Dammit! Citizens arrest if ever there was such a thing! Damian felt the van swurve a bit but got control again and sped up passed the semi. He needed to get them to safety and loose the cops. He swerved around traffic trying to lose them. He didn't know how they found out but this was not what he wanted to do with his evening. Everything was going gravy until he heard the Joker fall to the floor. He looked behind him and saw that the Joker was shot in the arm.
Artemis jumped up to take his place but the Joker shoved her again. "!" His voice went from high and nasally to low, scary, and very clear. Artemis was now to scared to so much as breath. She picked up his shot gun anyway and, staying right where she was, started shooting at the police. The Joker was busy being doctored by Harley in the back of the van to bother with the police at the moment. Artemis cocked the gun and shot it twice, reloaded, and cocked and shot again. Harley finished patching him up and he grabbed his shot gun and sat up. He started shooting at the police again.
Artemis watched her father in wonder. He sure as hell was dedicated to his job. He shot like an expert. Got them on the first try. She never actually grasped just who it was she was dealing with until that moment. He was not just some mad dog chasing cars. He was a genius, he was dangerous, and even though he didn't plan he still knew just want it was he was dealing with. He was right. She underestimated him and failed to get to know the game before she started playing it. A lesson she would not forget.
Bruce sat on the ground next to Artemis hoping that Damian didn't get them killed. Who the hell gave this guy a license to drive?
……………………
Finally after an hour they managed to lose the police. The Joker closed the back doors and spun around and sat back down against the doors. He looked over at Artemis. He could see the wheels turning in her head. Kids these days growing up to fast. He then looked over at Bruce and smiled.
"Why is it that the bat hasn't come after," he asked, "he, uh, not a fan of yours?" Bruce just looked at him with his knees up to his chest. He needed to get out of here before things got even more out of hand.
……………………
Alright! Hope that was filled with lots of action. Sorry it isn't very long but I sort of typed as I went. Next time Bruce gets away and we have a special new player! WooHoo!
