It was dark when Penny awoke. The only source of light was a pool table light coming from the ceiling. Penny didn't know where she was or how she got there. She obviously was caught again. She felt herself on her back on the cold floor. Penny tried moving her arms and found they were forced back and tied tightly together across her chest, her hands where done similarly behind her back. She also found her legs immovable as well. Each leg had been brought together and bound tightly across the kneecaps. She felt no pain but the sense of immovability frightened her. Her ankles had also been tied together allowing only a little movement of the feet. For once Penny felt very afraid and terrified. She had been caught all the time, but always managed to free herself. Yet, this time freedom was not an option. She struggled with great difficulty against her bonds to free herself, but with no success. The room was locked down tight, the ropes were too strong, and both her watch and book were taken from her. Penny wondered what would become of her. She tried calling out.
"Help! Help! Anyone! Please!" Penny cried out, struggling.
No answer, all she could hear was silence. Then suddenly, the door opened and then shut right after with a metal clang. The door or whatever it was slammed shut. She then heard footsteps, but the figure was shrouded within the darkness. Footsteps walking towards her and then back again, pacing back and forth.
"Who are you? What do you want from me?" she asked bravely, but with a tinge of fear in her voice.
There was no response. But she could see that the figure had bright eyes and was grinning constantly. He then laughed gleefully, which sent a cold shiver up Penny's spine.
"Look if you're trying to frighten me you've succeeded, now who are you?"
Again no reply. The pacing continued then stopped and continued again, then finally stopped.
"My, my, a questionable one you are, aren't you, little girl?"
The figure then started to move forward towards Penny and into the light. Penny started to back away as he leaned forward. She shouted with fright when he emerged into the full light. His hair was bright green, face was chalk white, but more disturbing was his lips and mouth twisted into a hideous grin that gave her Goosebumps. Penny wondered what would happen next. Had Claw stuck her in a room with a psycho?
"You look nervous, sweetie." Joker said in a calm fashion. "Is it the smile? Sorry, can't be helped. HEHE."
"Who are you? What are you? Some kind of circus clown?"
"Oh…That's a good one. You're a funny kid. But word of advice while I'm here, I make the jokes. Got it?"
Penny nodded, trying to remain calm, not attempting to display her fear.
"I'm surprised you don't know me. Everyone in Gotham knows my name. Here's my card."
He throws a card at the wall, narrowly missing Penny's ear. Her heart leapt at that.
"Now tell me: what were you doing sneaking around this warehouse?"
"I was curious that's all."
"Really? Care to explain this?"
Joker throws down a bag onto the floor. Penny immediately recognizes it as her bag.
"And this?"
Joker dangles a familiar piece in front of her blue eyes.
"MY WATCH!" Penny shouted with anger. "Give that back now!"
"Finders keepers!" Joker taunted.
He presses a button on the panel in which the timepiece emits a laser that cuts through a segment of the wall.
"HA. Watch, indeed. I must say quite advanced technology for such a young girl like yourself. But I'm pretty sure they don't sell these things to minors. Where did you get it?"
"I…I…I don't know what you're talking about. It's just a watch."
"WRONG! (Imitates a buzzer sound) Tell me now and I might let you live long enough to see the fireworks show tonight."
"What show?" Penny asked warily
"Oops. Sorry HEHEHE. I've said too much already."
"Well, whatever you're planning, you'll never get away with it! Inspector Gadget will stop you!"
"HAHAHAHAHA! Oh, good one. No offense, kid, but that man couldn't even catch a cold! HAHAHA. He can barely save himself, let alone you."
"Then…he'll stop you."
Joker's hideous smile suddenly transforms into an angry scowl at the sudden mention of Batman. Joker leaned in forward to his captive as Penny gave him a cold stare, refusing to back down,
which he gave in return. Penny may have been young, but stupid she wasn't nor was she anyway as gullible as Claw would like her to believe
"That's right" Penny continued. "He will."
"Oh…That freak" Joker mumbled angrily.
"He's not a freak, and he could take you anytime. He'll put you behind bars so fast you're head will spin."
Penny noticed her captor was growing aggravated and losing patience, so she decided to play it up more to his face.
"He's fast and strong, cold and merciless. Dwells in the shadows, ready to sneak up on criminal scum like you, like a predator to his prey. He could be right behind you, and you won't even know it 'til you're dead!!
With that Penny, with a burst of energy, angrily spat in his face. Joker snarled with rage as the bits of spit hit his cheeks, lips and eyes.
"WHY YOU CHEEKY BRAT!!"
With an angry fit of rage, Joker grabs Penny and throws her hard to the floor, slamming her head against the ground. His teeth and fist clenched as if to strike her. The wind taken out of her, Penny cowered in fear beneath him, panting. Her heart pounding, fearful of what he might do. Joker suddenly relented, his muscles loosened as he pulls her up from the ground to his face. Calming himself, a smile replaced the frown.
"My, my, my. Aren't you a throw-yourself-to-the-lions sort of sap? HEHEHE. Well, the lions are on to you. You are trying my patience, Blondie. I want information! And I'm going to have it one way or another. This could be the key I've been waiting my life for to finally up old Bats once and for all. Now for the last time tell me –
"Forget it. You actually think I'm going to help you? I may be young, but I am nowhere as stupid as you would like to believe. The secret stays with me until I die. I won't tell you anything!"
Pause. Then Joker snickered, which gave way to an evil cackling, which stunned her.
"The information. NOW!" Joker threatened.
"NEVER…." Penny hissed.
"Fine. Have it your way. There are better ways to extract information from a resilient brat like yourself."
Humming "Merry-Go-Round Broke Down" tune while fading into the darkness again. Penny heard a creaking of wheels as Joker began wheeling in an operating table, laid out with various instruments and weapons. He hoisted up Penny from the floor and threw her straight onto the table, strapping her down. Joker smiled at her again. He seemed more calm than usual. This frightened Penny and he could sense it to his delight.
"Been a while since I've tortured someone. So please excuse me if I'm a bit rusty."
He reaches for Penny's mouth with a white piece of fabric, but declines.
"No need for a gag. I want to hear this all the way through. HEHEHEHE!"
Joker grabs a taser gun from the table while attaching cables to Penny's head and limbs. ZAP! Pressing the trigger, he sends a shock through her body. Slowly he could see strain on Penny's face. Penny began to squirm in her bondage. ZAP! Again, Joker pulled the trigger and sent a higher dose through her system. Her hands and teeth were clenched as she tried to resist the amount of pain. Finally she could stand no more and let out a cry of pain.
"AAAAH!! OW! OW!"
"Not a pleasant feeling, is it?"
ZAP! Again another voltage was sent through her. She struggled, tossed and turned violently to try and throw off the pain. The table shook as she moved about hysterically.
"AAAAAAAHH!! No! No! Stop! Stop it! Please! No more, no more!" Penny shouted in pain.
"Encore?" Joker misreading her words on purpose. "Did you say encore?"
ZAP! Pulls the trigger once more.
"NO! STOP! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!!"
"Had enough?"
ZAP! Pulls it again and then again. ZAP!
"How about now?"
Penny at this point was left completely drained of her strength. All the pain, struggling, and burning inflicted upon her had caused her muscles to grow tired. Sweating and breathing heavily, she was left in great agony. Her limbs and body throbbed with unbearable agony, both from the shock treatment and from fighting it. Tears started to form in her eyes. She felt hot, exhausted and could barely find the words to speak. She doubted she could take another attack.
"Such a brave girl, you are. Did you think I was finished with you? Oh, no. No, no. Why, I'm just getting warmed up. Just wait until I really get going. I know you're brave and strong but everyone has a breaking point. You won't see the light of day after I'm done with you…that is unless you're ready to tell me what I want to know."
"Why…why…why…don't y-y-you go back to the carnival from which you crawled out under." Penny stuttered defiantly.
"WHAT?!" Joker screamed, seething with rage.
"You can beat me, torture me, but you'll never break my spirit. In the end, justice will always triumph. So go ahead and do your worse. I will fight you till the end…yyy-you…you…inhuman monster."
Boiling up inside, Joker could barely keep his temper, as he glared down at the courageous little girl strapped to the table, glaring back at him. Not since Batman had he found someone…anyone…who would stand up to him
"HAHAHAHA. Silly me. You know, I don't even have this thing set to the highest level. HAHAHAHA.
Penny gulped as Joker hit the switch, adjusting the voltage to a much higher degree than before.
"Oh, yes. Get ready to eat it, pipsqueak! Because by the time I'm through with you, say bye-bye to your chance to bear any children – "
"Not so fast, clown. Just…what…do…you…think…you're DOING?!" a voice bellowed.
"Just having a little fun." Joker lied.
Penny turned her head. Several screens flashed on the wall behind them. On it was a gray high back chair with the M.A.D. insignia on it. It sat before an array of monitors and input keys. Resting on one of the armrests was a gray spiked metallic gauntlet. Penny didn't have to see or hear anymore. She knew who it was. And a deep hatred boiled inside of her when she heard his voice.
"Well, if it isn't my old friend – Gadget's niece. And how is your uncle, child?" Claw asked Penny.
"Why don't you ask him yourself since you have him!" Penny said, using up the remainder of her strength to talk.
"Wait. You know her? Little Nancy Drew here?" Joker asked audaciously.
"She's the niece of Inspector Gadget. We've met many times before."
"What have you done with my uncle? If you hurt him, I swear I will – "
"Indisposed. For the moment at least. I have BIG plans in line for him. But do not fret, little girl, you will be joining him soon."
"And the rockets? The fireworks? What are you planning to use them for?" Penny inquired.
"Extortion. What else. M.A.D. has suffered a great hit in funding for the past several months. I will hold this city for ransom, demanding nothing less than 1.4 billion. But if I don't receive even a penny for it, then this will indeed be a 4th of July for the world to remember."
"But all those people. Innocent women and children – "
"Some joke on them, huh?" Joker smiled. "HAHAHAHA!"
"Joker. Stop playing around and have the men load the firepower supply. We have but only a few hours until the firework show."
Screen fades out to black.
"Party pooper!"Joker stated glumly.
He begins to leave the operating table as Penny breathes a sigh of relief. But then Joker turns his head back to her and smiles, giggling. Penny's blood ran cold.
"HEHEHEHE. Well, maybe just one more."
Joker walks over and grabs her by her ponytails, yanking her up, with one hand and in the other the taser, loaded and ready. His dark, evil eyes penetrating her bright, innocent blue eyes, like a shadow engulfing everything in its path. Penny's courage had dwindled to nothingness, now only raw fear was shown.
"You see, munchkin. We all have a will, a wall that links are mind and spirit together. Though, when this barrier is broken, a person's mind will become dislodged, causing insanity or worse. Take a look at me, I wasn't always like this, I use to be quite the fellow. But thanks to Batman, I'm now the happy soul you see in front of you. It's any wonder I still have any sanity left in me whatsoever. The point is: everybody has bad days. A breaking point. Any individual can have one really bad day and end up…just like me. HAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAAAA!!"
"And I thought Dr. Claw was the face of true evil" Penny thought, her eyes widening with horror.
ZAP! Laughter filled the room with a gut wrenching scream penetrating it just barely.