Chapter 27
Mr. J wasn't kidding about the spanking, he really did it and he wasn't gentle about it. I had a feeling I'd be bruised later on. Truth be told it really turned me on. In the past my sexual experiences were pretty vanilla, with J they were Ghost Chili hot! I did as I promised him in my e-mail earlier and 'took care of him' and judging by his reactions I think he was more than satisfied with my technique. We lay in bed together for a while afterwards. He had his arm around me and my head was resting on his chest. I gazed up into that handsome face of his.
"Mr. J, have you ever met Superman?" He turned his head to look down at me.
"As far as pillow talk goes, that's kind of a strange question kiddo. Yes, I've met Stupidman a couple of times. Why do you ask?" I shrugged.
"Just curious I guess. What's he like?" He scoffed.
"Well he has a complete lack of irony, that's for sure. The first time I met him he actually introduced himself! Haha, as if the giant 'S' on his chest didn't give it away. He's definitely not my target audience though. I aim for an edgier demographic." He put his fingers up to the sides of his head emulating bat ears. "His costume is just terrible. More Jock than Goth. Ya know, here in Gotham we all shop at the same Hot Topic." he shrugged, "Overall he's completely boring. He's just a nice guy that flies. He thinks I'm funny though. He actually laughed at my jokes." My eyes widened in awe and admiration.
"Really Puddin?" He looked down at me again.
"You're still going with that, huh?" I giggled.
"Uh huh." He pulled his arm out from under me.
"Well, as enjoyable as this has been, I need to get some work done, Pumpkin." He kissed me on the top of my head and got up to dress. He glanced at me over his shoulder. "How about you get up and make yourself useful. I'm starving."
"You got it Puddin."
I went back to the kitchen, reheated the chicken and placed it down on the coffee table in front of Mr. J. He was looking at a map of Gotham City that had red dots connected by black and green lines all over it spread out on the table. I sat down carefully on the couch next to him as he stabbed into a bite of chicken and placed it in his mouth. My behind was still stinging from earlier.
"You're not much of a cook, are ya kiddo?" I turned red in embarrassment.
"No I'm not. What with gymnastics and med school I never really had time to learn. I make a mean bowl of Ramen noodles though." He laughed.
He went back to studying the map in front of him as he ate.
"So Mis-" He didn't turn and look at me but he put one finger over my mouth in a shushing gesture.
"Harley, let's get one thing straight here. When Daddy is working, you need to not be talking, got it?"
I nodded my head. "Good girl."
His phone rang and he dug it out of the inside pocket of his suit jacket and answered.
"What?" He listened for a moment and then a wide grin spread across his face. "That's the best news I've had all week Rocco! Remind me to give him a bonus! Job well done, Roc!" He paused before saying, "I'm on my way, don't forget to bring the sniper rifle with you." He snapped the phone shut and looked at me. "Gotta run Harley-girl! I have an annoying little twerp to pulverize." I pouted and looked up at him coquettishly.
"Do ya really haveta Puddin?" He sighed.
"Don't give me that look, I shouldn't even be here tonight. Consider yourself lucky I came at all." I giggled again.
"Twice, Puddin."
"Hey I do the jokes around here missy. That's why they call me the Joker." He put on his overcoat and headed towards the door. I got off the couch and trailed behind him. "Be a good girl while Daddy's gone, ok Poohbear." He leaned down and gave me a quick kiss then headed out the door. I missed him already.
I walked to the bathroom and pulled down my panties in the mirror to see what my butt looked like. Oh yeah, both cheeks were bright red and I could see the beginnings of bruises blossoming. There was a perfect impression of Mr. J's hand on my left cheek and I smiled to think I'd be secretly carrying around his mark on me for the rest of the week. It was two in the morning and as much as I wanted to stay glued to the news, I needed to get at least a few hours of sleep before work.
When I got to Arkham the next day it was completely chaotic. Everyone was rushing around and it seemed there was more traffic than usual heading in the direction of the infirmary. It reminded me of the day Joker first arrived. I saw Joan heading towards the intensive treatment ward and I jogged to catch up with her.
"Joan, what's going on?"
"We got another big bad in overnight." My eyes widened. I needed to play dumb.
"Who? The Joker?"
"No, he is still at large unfortunately. The GCPD brought in Edward Nygma last night."
"The Riddler? How did they catch him?"
"They didn't. He was found beaten to a bloody pulp, with a note stapled to his chest. He was tied to the lamppost outside of the MCU in a giant red ribbon." I had to hold in my giggle and keep my composure.
"Is Nygma going to be alright?" She shrugged.
"He'll live, but he's going to be in the infirmary for a very long time. He's in pretty rough shape."
"So out of curiosity, what did the note say?"
"I'm not one hundred percent sure, it's being held as evidence at the MCU, but the rumor is that it was Joker who perpetrated this crime and supposedly it was a taunt to the GCPD and the Batman for having done their work for them. That's all I really know."
"Oh, okay. Well I better get to my first session." As I turned to walk back down the hallway to the elevators Joan said,
"Oh Harley, I almost forgot. Dr. Arkham wants us to meet in his office at two this afternoon to meet a new staff member." I nodded.
"Okay Joan see you then."
When I finally got a break between sessions I went to my office, turned on my computer and searched for the story on Riddler. I found it on The GNN website and played the video.
"This is Vicki Vale with a GNN News special report. Residents in Burnley were startled from their beds early this morning. Jack Ryder is on the scene to explain what happened. Jack?" The camera cut to Jack Ryder standing in front of an apartment building.
"Thank you Vicki. At four o'clock this morning, residents here in Burnley received a very rude awakening. Gunshots rang out followed by a horrifying crash as a giant weather balloon fell from the sky and crashed into the side of the building behind me. As you can see," the camera cut to a shot of a gigantic green balloon which sported a large purple question mark on it and there appeared to be some kind of equipment rigged to it, which was now smashed and scattered in the street. "This is obviously the work of the Riddler. Just what he was trying to accomplish is still unknown but with me I have Dr. Emmet Baker who may have some insight." The camera panned back to Jack and an elderly gentleman with wild white hair and a thick mustache.
"Thank you Jack. The equipment behind us is the type used to jam radio and television signals as well and satellite communications. Essentially what we have here is a mobile cloaking device that shielded the Riddler's machinations from the GCPD and the Batman. There was a second device found floating in Gotham Harbor and a third in the Warehouse district. With these three devices working in tandem the Riddler was able to hide his actions and carry out his plan from anywhere in the city without detection."
The camera cut back to the studio. "Jack, do we know who brought down the balloons?"
"No Vicky, at this time we do not have confirmation. The Riddler was found beaten and tied up outside the GCPD MCU early this morning but Commissioner Gordon will neither confirm nor deny the involvement of the Batman. Reporting from Burnley this is Jack Ryder. Now back to Vicki in the studio."
I stopped the video. So that's what Mr. J needed the sniper rifle for, to take down the cloaking devices, I had wondered. I had been expecting to see Riddler turn up dead, but apparently his defeat and humiliation was the goal of Mr. J's little escapade.
When two o'clock rolled around I headed to Dr. Arkham's office. I walked in and saw Dr. Arkham, Joan, a man I didn't know who was balding on top and wore round pink tinted glasses, and Diane. I started then a big smile crossed my face.
"Di, what are you doing here?" I walked over to give her a hug. She whispered in my ear.
"I got my final approval!" Joan and Doc Arkham looked at us in confusion.
"Sorry. Dr. Green and I are old friends from college." Arkham nodded in acknowledgement.
"Please have a seat Dr. Quinzel. Since Dr. Green obviously needs no introduction I would like you to welcome Dr. Hugo Strange to the staff." He pointed at the man in the glasses. I leaned over to shake his hand.
"Pleased to meet you Dr. Strange."
"The pleasure is all mine, Dr. Quinzel." His voice was deep and he had a strange accent I couldn't quite place. It reminded me of recordings of Henry Kissinger I heard back in high school. Dr. Arkham resumed.
"Dr. Green and Dr. Strange will be joining our staff. I'm sure you're familiar with Dr. Greens work?" I nodded. "The FDA has recently approved Dr. Green's groundbreaking procedures. Both the state and the board has agreed that our facility is the perfect place for clinical trials. Our patients will be studied by Doctor's Green and Strange and the most befitting subjects will undergo the procedure. I have asked you here Dr. Quinzel because I would like you to help them work through our patient files to help identify which inmates would benefit most from undergoing this procedure." I was slightly taken aback.
"Oh, um, yes. I'd be more than happy to assist any way I can."
"Wonderful, Dr. Green your team can get started in the morning."
With that we were dismissed. Di caught up to me in the hallway.
"Harley, are you okay, you don't look very well. I thought you'd be excited to be working together." I swallowed down the lump that was steadily climbing up my throat.
"I am, it's just that, I mean it's a little controversial don't you think?" She looked surprised at my reaction.
"Aren't all new medical trials at first?"
"Yes but in other medical trials, the subjects volunteer. The inmates here won't have any choice. I'm just not one hundred percent okay with this Di."
She looked crestfallen and I suddenly felt guilty. This was one of my best friends in the world and she expected me to support her newfound success, but for purely selfish reasons I simply couldn't bring myself to be happy about all this. Besides Mr. J, I had other inmates I genuinely cared about, Johnny and Red to name a few, and I didn't want them to end up being a test subject for a procedure that had the potential to dramatically change their personalities or worst case scenario turn them into vegetables for the rest of their lives. She adopted and indignant facial expression.
"Well fine then Dr. Quinzel, I'm sorry my work offends you. I'll just be on my way then."
"Oh come on Di, don't be like that!" She ignored me and walked away with her nose in the air.
I was restless when I got home. I was grateful Mr. J wasn't in Arkham, but the problem was going to be keeping him out. For him Arkham was like a revolving door he was in and out so often. If he landed himself back in the loony bin, he'll be patient zero for Diane and Dr. Strange's research. I paced my apartment then tried to find chores to occupy myself. Midnight came and went with no word from J.
I eventually managed to fall asleep but I was troubled by vivid nightmares. I sat straight up in bed having been awakened by a particularly violent nightmare about J undergoing Di's new procedure. I grabbed the cell phone from Mr. J and checked it. No missed calls but there was a text message.
H. Now that this Riddler business is wrapped up I need to get back to my real work. I won't be around for a while. Too much to do and I can't have you distracting me. DO NOT answer this message and don't call or you could compromise my position. I'll be in touch. J.
My heart was breaking. He's ditching me for the freaking Bat. If he goes after Batman the chances were good that he might be recaptured. My instinct was to text him back but I didn't want to piss him off so I settled on plan B which was quickly forming in my mind. I had a lot to do.