Lucius Fox had taken some persuading, but Mr. Wayne had agreed it was best to let Harley speak from the heart. Harley was determined to do that, even if her heart was broken in the process…
A small conference room in Wayne Tower had been set up with curtains, a podium and seating for reporters.
Harley stood in the sidelines, suited up and clutching a small stack of cue cards,. In the front row, she recognized Summer Gleeson. Wayne took to the mike first.
"Ladies and gentlemen of the press, thank you very much for coming. It's come to our attention that the current direction of the Wayne Foundation is causing some concern. We've asked you here to put those concerns to rest.
"The Wayne Foundation has worked for decades to give the victims of crime a second chance, but that doesn't only mean the people who were robbed or assaulted, it also means the people whose circumstances, be it poverty, desperation or mental illness, drove them to commit crimes. Some criminals are truly irredeemable. We in Gotham know that better than most, but we can't paint them all with one brush, and I am appalled at the way certain aspects of the media have been treating those brave people who are re-entering normal society. So without further ado, I'd like to formally introduce you to one of those brave people, our Deputy Artistic Director for this year's Wayne Foundation Christmas Benefit, Harleen Quinzell."
Wayne stepped aside and smiled to Harley. Heart thudding, she moved to take her place behind the podium, blinking as cameras flashed around her.
She cleared her throat and said, "Good morning, ladies and germs." She saw Wayne's pained expression and hurried on, "I'd like to thank Mr. Wayne for letting me talk to you; we could have just prepared a press release but I want to explain myself, in my way.
"I know some people see me involved in a big-time fundraiser and say, 'Hey look, it's Harley Quinn; she must be up to something with her criminal pals.' Well, I'm here to tell you, I'm not. I was certified rehabilitated by the doctors at Arkham Asylum. A lot of you look at me and still see the madcap clown girl." She paused, a memory of carefree exhilaration prodding at her conscience, "And it's true, I helped do terrible things, but I did because terrible things were done to me. I'm one of that other type of victims that Mr. Wayne mentioned. I survived abuse that…well, I don't feel like talking about it and you wouldn't want to know, believe me."
In a pause that followed, Summer Gleeson asked, in a soft, polite tone, "Given what you went through, Harleen, what about this rumour that you're using your old criminal connections to organize the Benefit?"
"The artists I've talked to are connected with the underworld, it's true," said Harley, "They have those connections because they couldn't get mainstream exposure and needed to make a living. They're victims too, in their way. If I get a second chance, then why shouldn't a down-on-his-luck piano player?"
Neither Summer nor anyone else seemed to have a good answer for this. Harley went on, "I've used what I know to help these people come out into the real world. I guess you know that the Mad Hatter was captured last night, and that he had a bunch of innocent people, including artists, under his control. But they want to leave that behind. They've cut their ties with the scum of Gotham."
"And you have too, Harley?"
Harley was amazed at herself for making it this far without hesitating. She stammered, and glanced over at Selina. The Cat's expression of helpless sympathy went into her heart, and Harley turned back and said, "Yes," she said with a dignified smile, "I have no further contact with anyone in that world. That part of my life is over, and I'm taking my second chance by the horns!"
There were smiles and a chuckle or two from the journalists, and a few even applauded.
Harley stepped down, trembling a little as Bruce returned to say, "Thank you very, very much, Harleen. We're proud to say that Harleen's inspired idea to get grass roots artists involved in the Benefit has already attracted interest from all levels of Gotham society. We want to take the Foundation in a new direction where we reach out, rather than hand out, to the people and get their participation along with the wealthy of the city…"
Bruce continued the pitch that Riley had laid out in their first meeting, and then the conference adjourned.
Harley smiled politely at a few reporters, and Summer shook her hand warmly. Then, Selina at her heels, she retreated to the bathroom until the urge to cry had passed.