Hello again, my faithful readers! I am hoping this is earlier to update then it has been for awhile –does happy dance- and again I want to thank everyone that has been reading my story and giving wonderful reviews. You know the drill, please read and review por favor! What are you waiting for, go on and read already :D

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Chapter 16

"I don't understand." Bruce said while putting his hand through his black hair. "They seemed happy here, and I never thought they would run away out of the blue." It had been a little over a half hour since he noticed the girls were missing, and he was still in shock. There was no note or anything to say where they went, and this was all, whether he was going to admit it or not, scaring him.

"Perhaps they just went out for awhile, Master Bruce, to get some fresh air; after all, they have been cooped up inside the manor for days. And don't forget, they are teenagers, and teenagers always have a tendency to sneak out every once in awhile."

Bruce paced his Batman pace. "That would make sense, Alfred, but they know how dangerous that is, and besides, don't you remember how weird they have been acting tonight? There has to be something bigger going on."

"Yes, I do remember how odd the young ladies were acting. They have been acting like that ever since Miss Nicole's father called."

This made the Dark Knight stop his pacing and looked at his butler. "Who called?"

Alfred replied, "Her father, sir. He called a few moments before you came home. He sounded a bit odd, and I know that it is not permitted to let the parents speak to the girls, but I could tell they missed them awfully sir."

Bruce knew the teens missed their parents, kind of like he missed his. But at least their parents were still alive, even though they couldn't see each other because of a homicidal maniac. But anyway, he knew it could not be possible for Nicole's father to call.

"That is impossible, Alfred. I had Norman do some important things by time I left, so he couldn't have called, and he knows very well not to call." Then realization hit him hard in the face. "Alfred. What exactly did he sound like?"

"He had a somewhat higher voice, but you could very well tell some laughter behind….." The truth hit him as well. "Oh dear!"

He knew then as well as Bruce that that man on the phone was not Nicole's father. It was the Joker.

Bruce's eyes were filled with worry and shock. "The Joker has them, Alfred. He has Nicole and Mara."

….

Mara and Nicole were in the dark room, tied up and alone, for about an hour. And they were dead tired from struggling hopelessly at the rope. Why is it always hard to get free from simple rope?

"This is hopeless!" Mara exclaimed. "We are never going to get out of here alive! He is going to keep us here and torture us with God knows what until we are as insane as him!"

"Mara, we can't lose hope. Bru...Batman will find us." Nicole said while saying Batman instead of Bruce. She didn't know if the Joker was watching them or not, but she didn't want to take any chances. "We can't let this maniac get the better of us, we have to show that clown freak we aren't afraid of him!" Even though we are, Nicole mentally sighed.

"Yeah but how is Batman going to find us? It's not like he knew about this place before, why would he just suddenly know now?"

"I-I don't know, but he will come. We just have to get through whatever the Joker is going to do to us."

Mara sighed, but nodded. She knew Nicole was right, and they had to have a clear head to get through this. They heard a door open and close, and the Joker appeared in front of them, with a tray of weird objects on them. He smiled his trademark smile at the 14 year olds. He pulled a chair from the darkness and turned it so he sat on a backwards chair.

"And how are my favorite little teenagers doing?" The Clown Prince of Crime asked in a sickly sweet tone.

"Just great. Untie us and we'll show you how great we feel." Nicole deadpanned with a glare.

The Joker giggled. "Oh I see we haven't lost our sense of humor! That is good; you two would be so boring without it."

He picked up what seemed to be a joy buzzer and placed it on his middle finger. "Now then," the clown grinned. "Who wants to play a game?"

"Yeah right, like we are going to play your games." Mara scoffed.

"Oh but they are to die for. Heh heh. They will be so much fun, you'll see." The Joker placed the joy buzzer near Nicole's leg. "Hey what are you….?" Nicole didn't get to finish her sentence.

"Okay kiddies, here is the game. You are going to answer some questions." He talked towards Mara. "And if you get them wrong, Nicky girl gets a little jolt." He smiled towards a frightful eyed Nicole. "Now. Let's begin."

He rolled his eyes as if to think of a question. "Alright first question is…..when was the Declaration of Independence signed?" Both girls thought that was an odd question coming from him, but they were too scared to say anything.

"Ummm…..July 4th, 1776." Mara answered. "Correct!" The Joker exclaimed, and then pressed the joy buzzer against Nicole's leg. The pain shot up through her body, making her jump but not falling off the chair because of her bondages. She barely kept her screams from erupting from her. Finally, as quick as the shock began, it stopped, making Nicole almost fall on the ground if it wasn't for being tied to the chair and the Joker making sure she didn't fall.

Mara's mouth was agape. "B-but I got the question right! You weren't supposed to shock her, you said…."

"It is my game, little lady, so I do as I please." The Joker grinned maniacally at her. "Now next question…."

"No! I am not playing anymore! No matter what, you are going to electrocute her. I am not going to play your sick game and have my best friend get killed!"

"Oh, but you shall play, because if you don't I will just kill her right now in front of you. Would you rather have her die, or keep her alive while you play my game." Mara looked at Nicole, who was looking at her while trying to catch her breath from the last jolt. Mara looked at the Joker and even though she didn't want this, it was the only way to keep Nicole alive. "Okay, you win." Mara whispered. "I'll play your game."

The Joker chuckled madly, while Nicole's heartbeat rose. She knew Mara was doing this to save her, and she knew this would be tough on her, but she was still scared. She braced herself for jolts that will surely come.

"Okey dokey then!" The Joker exclaimed. "Next question is….."

….

Batman sat in his cave analyzing any place that could be hiding the Joker and the girls. He had been working two hours straight with no clue on where they were. Bruce had to find them, he had to. He cared for those girls, almost like daughters. If something happens to them, I will never forgive myself, Bruce thought to himself.

Alfred came down the stairs with a cup of coffee and a sympathetic look in his eyes. "Any luck, sir?" he asked while setting the cup next to the Dark Knight. Bruce shook his head. "Nothing, Alfred. There is no where that fits Joker's profile and closed for criminals like him to use that I haven't already looked." He put his head in his hands. "What if I don't find them in time, Alfred? What if the Joker wins this time?"

"Nonsense! Master Bruce, you are the Batman, and good always triumphs over evil."

"But…"

"No buts about it, sir. These girls are counting on you, and I know you can do it, Master Bruce. The Batman can do anything." The faithful butler smiled at his master.

Bruce smiled. Alfred always knew how to cheer him up, ever since he was little to know. He put his determined Batman face on and stood up from his chair. "I will find them, Alfred. I won't let them down."

Alfred smiled as he saw Bruce researching all possible places for the mad clown's hide out. "I know you won't."

….

The Joker was having so much fun. It has been around an hour or so since they have started playing his little game, and the poor girls looked exhausted. Mara was looking away and stared at the floor, not wanting to look at the Mogul of Mountebanks or Nicole, who was leaning forwards against her bondages. She was so physically strained from the electrocutions, everything hurt and her muscles were tired from pulling against the ropes while she was screaming in agony.

The Joker enjoyed their pain. He had waited three months for this pleasure; to him three months was a very long time, and he relished every scream he got out of them. Mara was in mental anguish of her friend's pain and Nicole was feeling like she was hit by a truck made of lighting.

"Well…." The Joker started. "I think Nicky girl had had enough punishment for now. Now it her turn to answer some questions." The Joker laughed, and turned a small little dial on his giant joy buzzer, and placed it near Mara's arm. While she was panicking, Nicole had to force her head up just to look at the madman.

"And you know what happens if you don't play along." The Joker said in a sweet yet menacing tone.

Nicole glared at him, but she said nothing; she simply had no energy, and she couldn't risk Mara's life for back talking this crazy son of a bitch. She had to play along.

"Ready? Okay…..oh right I forgot, since I added a few notches to the power of my handy dandy zapper, you get the question wrong and Mara gets a very painful shock, since it is way more powerful then it was before. Hee hee, that is why you get only one question to answer. Can't have you two dropping dead before we have more fun."

"You son of a ….." Nicole snarled.

"Ah ah ah! No foul language here, missy. Unless you want your friend to have a little more pain."

Nicole gave the smiling clown a hateful look but sighed. She had to do what he said. "What's the question?" She said softly, partly because she hated to ask and she had barley had any energy.

"Glad to see you are willing to play along. Now your question of truth is….." The Joker prolonged it for dramatic effect. "What is Batman's secret identity?"

This made both girls' eyes pop out. They did not expect that at all. Did the Joker really think they knew, even though they did, or was it just a question he figured they would get completely wrong. Either way, it caught them off guard, and Nicole was speechless.

"W-what?" She stuttered out.

"The identity of Batman. What is it? You only have 15 seconds to answer, that is the consequence of having one question." The Joker grinned psychopathically.

Should she answer and possibly save Mara from being horribly electrocuted but giving away Bruce's identity, or should she not and save Bruce but not Mara. It was too tough a question, she couldn't decide.

"10 seconds." The Joker grinned.

Nicole started to panic. "Uh...ummm..."

"7 seconds."

The 14 year old looked at her friend, who had fear in her eyes. Even though Mara was terrified, she knew Batman's secret was too important to tell, and she and Nicole didn't want to give this monster the pleasure of it. She gave Nicole a look in her eye that told Nicole what to do, no matter how much Nicole felt like she might regret it.

"3, 2, 1! What is your final answer?" The Joker asked like a game show host.

"I…..I don't know. I don't know who Batman is." Nicole said quietly.

The Joker gave a time buzzer sound. "Oh sorry, that is not the correct answer we were looking for. Too bad, I was kinda looking forward to that answer. Oh well."

The Joker placed the joy buzzer on Mara's arm, Nicole looking away, and gut wrenching screams could be heard all over the abandoned factory, along with maniacal laughter.

….

Cliffhanger! I am so evil :3 but don't worry, I will update as soon as I can so you can see what happens next. I am already planning the next chapter anyway. Until then, TTFN! 8D