It took me several moments to catch my breath, and only two seconds to realize that I was hopelessly lost. I sighed in exasperation; so much for getting to know the city well. If anything, I knew from my motel to The Stacked Deck.

I frowned as I applied pressure to my temples. The throbbing had gotten worse with the running. It was all because of the stupid Joker! I growled and started walking; paying no attention to which direction I took.

Because of my irritation toward the Joker, I speed-walked, but as my temper cooled with the summer air, I gradually slowed to a relatively comfortable pace. Slowing down brought on a wave of exhaustion, and I glanced at my watch. Three ten, all I wanted at that moment was to left to my bed back in the motel – never mind how rundown the place was.

I looked around, taking in my current surroundings. I didn't see any store signs, just tall buildings with many windows. I guessed that I was in an apartment district, which could help if I bothered to scale the fire escape of one of the buildings and played 'lookout' to find my motel.

I continued to walk, afraid that if I stopped, I'd fall asleep standing. Gotham wasn't a trustworthy city. It almost made me wonder why I had decided to come here. If anything, I had a developed fear of a calm and comfortable life.

I'm not your average woman. There are not many women who willingly became part of a group of people who had used them in the past for their own gain. I was "trained" to be a criminal, a strong-minded woman with the ability to survive any situation. If I was to be faced with death, I wouldn't be afraid – especially since I sometimes longed for it. I could easily laugh in the face of danger, but I never took the chance.

I wasn't a laughing person.

I wandered aimlessly, always looking over my shoulder, my eyes darting here and there. After meeting the Joker, despite my fatigue, I was high-strung, cautious, nervous…despite how I had handled the Joker, I couldn't help but fear that he might come after me.

I couldn't get the menacing image of him out of my head. The purple suit, the hunched lean frame, the white face, the black eyes, the scarred red lips…an involuntary shiver ran up my spine as I remembered his macabre laugh. I've been in Gotham for hardly five hours and I had crossed paths with the Joker. How long would it be until we crossed paths again?

I found myself walking across grass, and I looked around again. I was in a relatively small park with a sign giving its name. Hyde Park. I recognized the name from the map I had looked at while I was searching for a motel to sleep in for the night, five hours ago. The park wasn't far from the motel; I just had to search for the right street to follow from the park.

I went over to the swings and sat down, pushing my feet gently against the ground to start swinging myself. I sighed and pressed my forehead to the metal chain, closing my eyes. My headache hadn't gone away; in fact, it was only getting worse with my lack of sleep. The coolness of the metal chain helped ease it a bit, but not enough.

I must have sat there for quite awhile, struggling to avoid drifting off. My eyes refused to open, and I could feel my muscles slacking. I jerked myself awake, forcing my eyes open. They felt gritty from lack of sleep, and my body protested when I forced myself to stand up. I rubbed my eyes, a little too hard, and walked about the park, looking for a street name I recognized.

Once I thought I recognized one, I took it.

Again, with the wandering, I found myself lost again, unable to recognize any of the other streets. Maybe I should have studied the map better.

"You look lost." I halted, my heart leaping into my throat in fear. I turned and faced the speaker, a woman dressed in black clothing, sitting on the front steps of an apartment building. "You must be new in Gotham," she said, nicely.

"Just out for a walk," I replied, not knowing if I could trust her.

"Seems both too early and too late for a walk." She smiled. "The name's Raven. What's yours?"

"Shadow," I responded.

"A crim? Isn't that interesting? That only the criminals and drunks are out at this time of day." Raven shrugged. "Makes me wonder which criminal boss you'll be working for."

I frowned. "That's not necessarily your business."

"I know. That's why I didn't ask you. I was just wondering out loud." She flipped her hair back over her shoulder, casually. "I suppose I'll be seeing you again, though. Whether through working together or competition, I don't know, but either way, I'll enjoy it."

"Yeah, all right." I didn't want to be rude, but I really wanted to get back to my place. However, I didn't see her as trustworthy to let her know where I was staying for the night – or day, depends what you prefer.

"I should leave you to your 'walk' then," Raven said, standing up. "I'm meeting someone somewhere so I'll see you around, Shadow." She waved and hopped down the steps, heading down the way I had come.

"See ya," I muttered and went about walking the way I was facing. I had only gone a few paces before coming to a stop. She was the only person I had seen for awhile, despite the drunks. She could be the only logical person to ask where my motel was. What did it matter that I was telling her where I was staying, I wasn't going to be there for long afterwards.

I turned around and followed her.

Stalking was part of my survival skills. Working under Mob bosses, you are usually assigned on an assassin job, where you have to follow someone, get close to them, and then kill them. As the stalker – the assigned assassin – I could follow anyone anywhere, through a crowded place, through their hiding places. It was like I had a natural ability for locating someone while others would lose their prey; I never let go until I've gotten the job done.

Following Raven through the empty streets of Gotham City was no difficult task, even though I was tired. Stalking someone always gave me a small adrenaline rush because it was exciting and heart-pounding. Keeping to the shadows and ducking behind things and into alleyways was the best part, sneaking up on someone without their knowing.

Though I'm pretty sure that Raven was aware someone was following her. She was being rather discrete about it, throwing casual glances around her like she was looking at the view. One time, I was sure that she had at least seen a glance of me as I ducked into an alleyway, and I could picture her grinning as she turned away.

Raven passed another alleyway, and as I approached it, five guys hurried out, racing after her without a glance in my direction. She heard them and started running, and as I was following her – and the gang – I had to force myself to race after them all.

A few blocks away, I turned the corner to see Raven dart into an alley on the other side of the street, with the five guys hollering after her as they followed.

I hurried over, feeling the tension of trouble in the air. I crept into the alley, remaining in the shadows, and I grabbed a plank of wood that resisted on the ground at the entrance.

"Hey, babe, we were calling ya," one man said. They had Raven up against the wall at the end of the alleyway, but she seemed unafraid by being outnumbered. All the guys' attention was on her so they didn't even notice my stealthy approach from behind.

I hit the first guy with the plank of wood, hard enough to drop him senseless. Two of the guys turned at the sound of their buddy hitting the ground, and one of them received a hit in the face.

Raven attacked one of the remaining three guys, kicking him in the shin. I swung at the third guy, but he caught the plank in his hand, a grin on his face. I brought my knee up between his legs, hitting him hard. He gasped with pain, releasing his hold on the wood. I kicked him in the chest, knocking him down backwards.

I was being rushed by the second guys I had knocked down and the remaining guy. However, I didn't have to worry too much about the latter as Raven grabbed his attention by jumping onto his back.

The guy rushing me came at me with a wicked-looking dagger – it was more of the hilt that looked scary, with the sharpness of the blade. I caught hold of his dagger-wrist, and his free hand came up, catching me by the throat. I grasped at his vice-like grip that constricted my windpipe. I tried to keep the dagger away from me as I kicked him hard in the shin.

The guy growled in pain and tightened his grip around my throat. Then, I kicked him again, this time in the groin. He dropped me and the dagger easily. As he turned to get his footing, I kicked him in the face, breaking his nose.

I stood there for a few moments, breathing heavily as I brushed my hair out of my face. I looked over at Raven, to see her in a similar state – animated with a rush of adrenaline. "You all right?" I asked.

"Never better," she replied, letting out a soft chuckle. "It's a good thing you followed me then."

I shrugged. "I guess I was lost."

She grinned. "Where're you staying at?"

"Rundown motel on Fleet Street."

"We aren't far from it. Seven streets down this way." She pointed. "Two streets down from Grand Avenue – the main theatre district – and three streets down from there, to your right. I'm sure you can figure it out from there."

I nodded; my motel was the only thing on Fleet Street. "Thanks," I said.

She winked. "Payback for helping me."

I grinned and waved as I walked away.

The creaky bed couldn't have looked any more welcoming. As soon as I had locked and bolted my door, I grabbed a glass of water before I went and collapsed onto the bed without bothering to undress – leaving the glass on my nightstand next to my handgun. I was finally about to catch a little shut-eye before I heard a knock on the door.

I groaned and checked the clock. I had slept for about an hour. That was it? "Come back some other time!" I mumbled, sleepily, too tired to register that my mumble probably couldn't be heard by the person on the other side of the door.

The knocker knocked again.

"Later!" I yelled, a bit more awake, before I settled back down to go back to sleep.

Whoever it was played a song, drumming it on the door. Dum. Da-da-DA-da. Dum. Dum.

"Go away!" I growled, irritably, lifting my head to glare at the motel door. I waited, listening, waiting…there was nothing. I huffed and then laid my head down, snuggling into the covers.

Knock. Knock. Kn-Knock.

That did it! I punched my pillow as I jerked myself up, hopping off the bed. I was fuming as I approached the door, unbolting it and ripping it up.

I was so ready to yell at the person on the other side, expecting it to be an annoying neighbor or even the motel owner, but the sight of the Joker standing outside my door with his weight leaning against his hand on the doorframe surprised me, bringing back my fear that disabled me from speaking.

"Did I, ah, bother you, dar-ling?" the Joker asked, giving me his Glasgow smile. I moved to slam the door in his face, but he stuck out his foot to keep me from closing it. "Slamming the door in someone's face isn't, ah, very polite," the Joker said as he shouldered his way in, nearly knocking me down with his force against the door.

"Neither is it polite to wake someone and then barge into their room," I managed to say as I backed away from him. The Joker giggled as he stalked toward me, much like before. My legs bumped against the bed, and I thought of sidestepping to move toward my nightstand where my handgun lay.

"You think you're going to, ah, to reach the gun in time, beautiful?" The Joker laughed, and then lowered his head so that his eyes peered at me from under his brow in a menacing way. "I don't think so." Then, he lunged at me, roughly shoving me backwards onto the bed.

Oh, boy, this was not good!

The Joker jumped onto the bed, landing on top of me with me stuck between his legs. "Can't let you go around playing with weapons you shouldn't be, ah, be playing with," he giggled, loudly.

I didn't like having him on me, so I tried my best at trying to get him off. I say "try" because I mean "try". I hit him in the chest and sometimes in the face several times before he grabbed my wrists. He just laughed at my attempts to hurt him, obviously enjoying it. The Joker made it known that he was stronger by jamming one of my hands under his knee, pressing his weight down into the bed and squishing my poor hand.

With his other hand, he held mine down to the side of my head. Now with his freed hand, he reached into the pocket of his jacket and pulled out a knife, pressing the cold metal blade to the corner of my mouth.

"Like I said earlier," the Joker said, wetting his lips with his tongue, "You're not an ordinary gal."

"I believe the word you used was 'girl', not 'gal'," I said, my eyes widening slightly in disbelief. I was terrified of this man, and now I was talking back to him. Boy, did I have a death wish?!

Instead, he merely looked up for a moment, a look of deep concentration appearing on his painted face. Then, the Joker nodded and said, "Thank you for, ah, for correcting me."

I couldn't help but let out a low growl.

"Whoa, Tiger, don't go growling at me," the Joker chuckled. "We hardly had the chance to, ah, to get to know each other." He moved the knife from my mouth, instead placing it against my throat.

"Anyone who gets to know you would be dead in about five minutes," I murmured, just loud enough for him to hear.

"Maybe so, Tiger." I glared at him, my anger blocking out my fear. I didn't like the animal nickname. "But I think I can make an exception for you, beautiful," the Joker said, ending with a giggle.

"Why bother with me?" The Joker suddenly cut off his laughter and gave me a sideways look, sucking on the inside of his cheek curiously as he cocked his head. I just stared at him, waiting to see if he would ask me about the question I had asked him.

Irritation flashed across his dark eyes, and his brow frowned. "You're not going to, ah, to finish?" he asked.

"I was finished. You just weren't answering."

The cold blade found its way back to my lips. "You realize that you're walking on a very slippery edge, don't you?" the Joker asked me, his voice lowering menacingly.

I let a mocking smile appear on my mouth. "I've been walking that 'slippery edge' since I was young and so far, I haven't slipped yet." The Joker's eyes narrowed, but not in anger, more like out of curiosity. At least I had his attention as I freed my hand from underneath his knee. "Believe me; I'm just waiting for someone to push me off the edge. I don't have anything left of value in my life. I've passed my golden years already so maybe, if you truly are the Joker, then you'd be a gentleman as to put me out of my misery."

As I had been saying this, my hand came free from its prison under the Joker's knee, and it was now reaching for the weapon I wanted on my nightstand. And it wasn't my gun.

I grabbed my glass of water and slammed it as hard as I could on the Joker's head. In a cascade of broken glass and freed water, the Joker yelped in pain – or surprise, I couldn't make sure. Using his surprise – or pain – to my advantage, I shoved him off me and grabbed my handgun. Retrieving it, I rolled off the bed, landing heavily onto the ground.

I pushed myself to my feet and made for the door. I ran for it, reaching into my pocket for my car keys. I raced out into the parking lot and stopped by my Toyota. My fear returned as I fumbled with the keys to unlock the car, and I stepped in, breathing heavily as I tried to start the Toyota.

It wouldn't start. I tried again and again, but it just wouldn't start. I panicked as I pulled out the cover under the steering wheel, reaching for the wires. My hands were shaking so hard that I thought I'd accidentally shock myself. I did touch something though that caused me to jerk back with the sting. I looked at my fingertip to see a drop of blood; I must have pricked myself on a wire.

The taps on my window made me jerk my head up, hitting the steering wheel. I instantly locked the doors as I rubbed my head, cursing quietly.

I made the mistake of glancing at who was at my window.

The looming face of the Joker caused me to shriek in a panic. I was tired, it was dark, and the Joker's face was scary with all the makeup and the gruesome scars.

The Joker laughed outside the car as he tapped again on the window. "How 'bout-ah unlocking the door, Tiger?" he asked, politely.

"No," I said.

A look of exasperation crossed his face. "I asked nicely," he said.

"The answer's still 'no'."

The Joker shook his head as he turned and walked away. I watched him for a few moments and then turned my attention back to the wiring of my car. After several failed attempts, I realized that I had to get to the front of the car and check under the hood. I looked around, searching for any sign of the Joker. Just the thought of what I was about to do made me want to cry with panic.

My nerves were screaming at me as I stepped outta my car, my hand grabbing my gun, and went around to the hood, lifting it up. It was only one little thing that wasn't in the correct place. I guess the Joker had done something to my car in case this happened. So this was all planned…how did he know where I stayed?

I slammed the hood shut and raced around the car to my seat…only to run right into the Joker.

The Joker grabbed me, his hand closing around mine that held my gun. I pulled the trigger out of surprise and panic, leaving a dent in the cement at our feet.

The Joker twisted my arm in order to get my gun, and I hollered in pain as I dropped the weapon. Then, he grabbed my head and slammed it down on the hood of my car. He dropped me, and I fell onto my back on the ground, my headache spiking with pain.

The Joker giggled as he picked me up easily and threw me against the car, the impact jarring my back. He stood in front of me, his body pressing mine against the car with his hands holding mine on either side of my aching head.

The Joker giggled as he blew in my face, and I jerked from it before glaring at him as he laughed at my reaction. "C'mon, girl, you can't be afraid of a little wind," he teased me, laughing.

"You shouldn't be wasting your time with me," I snapped at him.

"Oh? Why's that?" he asked, curiously.

"You could be out getting some girl who wouldn't mind sleeping with the Joker."

The Joker erupted into laughter, his lean frame shaking all over with it. He kept his eyes on me as he said through giggles and sharp intakes of breath, "Is that what you think I'm goin' after? Is that what you want me to be goin' after? Geez, girl!" Then, he pushed himself off the car, stepping back as he was overcome with laughter.

I blinked tears out of my eyes as my headache throbbed painfully. I watched him through blurry eyes as he doubled over; he was laughing so hard. I couldn't think with the pain erupting my thoughts.

"You…you make me laugh," the Joker gasped as he straightened up, having himself more under control, but his giggles still continued. "C'mon, maybe if you come with me, you'll learn exactly why I'm taking you. When we get to, ah, to my place, you'll thank me for saving you."

"Saving me from what? Being a shadow for the rest of my life?"

The Joker paused for a moment, staring at me intensely. Did I say something wrong? Did I anger him? Was he going to push me off the edge where I would fall to my death, a death I had longed for since I was younger?

The Joker took hold of my wrist, gripping it securely to make sure that I didn't escape. He continued to stare at me, chewing on the inside of his cheek as he turned his head slightly, looking at me through the corner of his eyes. And I noticed that he widened his eyes, which, with the black mascara around his eyes, made him look like he was giving me puppy-eyes.

"A shadow?" he said in a low voice. His puppy-eyes looked at me with wonder.

I knew I should not have said it, but I did. "You didn't think I'd be trouble, did you?"

"Trouble…" he repeated. The Joker leaned in, bringing his face close to mine, his eyes alight with delight. "I enjoy…trouble."

I shoved him away and then cried out in surprise as my muscles suddenly cramped up painfully. A numbing sensation burst through me, and my knees buckled from underneath me. Even as the Joker caught me before I hit the ground, it was hard to tell if he was touching me at all, everything was going numb.

I thought of the prick back when I was playing with the wiring of my car. He must've drugged me somehow. The Joker had this all preplanned…

"Where…are you taking me?" I mumbled as my lips went numb.

The Joker swept me up in his arms and as my eyes started to close, I heard him say, "I'm taking you for, ah, for a ride, beautiful."

Lordlink13: And here is chapter two, for my dear readers. It took me several times to write this chapter to get it just right. But I'm proud of it, and I hoped you guys liked it. Leave a review before you go!