A/N: A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS IS NOW MY MOST FOLLOWED, FAVORITED, AND REVIEWED STORY! WOHOO! (DOES DRUNK GIRAFFE AROUND HOUSE) Ok, so by now you probably get the drill, I'll try to get the next chapter out as soon as I can and at latest it'll be out by next weekend. Also, I apologize for the mess up with the link to the dress, I reposted it in the last chapter. And, if anyone's interested, there's an amazing fan video on YouTube for the Dark Knight by the Hillywood show, if you wanna check it out, it's totally worth it. Anyway, please leave a review and enjoy!
Things Fall Apart
Jenna leaned against the wall, trying to slow down her heart that was going faster than the wings of a hummingbird. She looked around the corner, checking to see if the Joker had followed; it was empty. She started walking to the supply closet and found Harvey banging on the doors. "Let me out of here!" he shouted.
"Sounds like someone needs a little help."
"Jenna? Is that you? Thank God, I need you to open the doors. I think there's something blocking them."
"Only if you give me your ice cream bars for the next week."
"Jenna!"
"You want me to make it two?"
"… Fine." Jenna grinned, moved the pole blocking the doors, and opened them, causing Harvey to tumble to the floor. Jenna giggled. "Oh be quiet," he snapped. He got up and looked around. "Where's Rachel?" Jenna smile slipped off and she looked in the direction of the elevator.
"Well, if she's alive, she should be headed back up soon." Harvey looked at her. "Long story short, the Joker threw her out of a window and the Batman went after her." Harvey paled and ran for the elevator. "Harvey, the Joker might still be out there!" Jenna cried as she shot after him. He ignored her and ran through the crowd of shaken party guests, to see Rachel exiting the elevator.
"Rachel!" Harvey shouted, racing over to her. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine Harvey. Where's Jenna?" Rachel asked, before Jenna gave her a flying hug, nearly knocking her aunt over. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine Rachel." Harvey looked at them confused.
"Why wouldn't she be?"
"I sort of stood up to the Joker and he almost pushed me out of the window after Rachel and the Batman," Jenna explained. Harvey and Rachel stared at her, their mouths wide open. "I'm fine. I caught myself and kicked him in the crotch before I ran off and hid." Rachel and Harvey just stared at her, wide eyed.
"Wow. You've certainly had a full night," Harvey said. Jenna nodded.
"Can we go home now?"
"Yeah. I think we've all had enough excitement for one night."
With Harvey and Rachel at work, Jenna spent the day in the temporary Batcave built under a storage container Jenna had dubbed "The Batbunker." Bruce was currently trying to find anything her could on the Joker with facial recognition but so far, nothing.
"Apparently, the Mob hired him to kill you," Jenna told him, examining the files on the computer screen on anything and everything related to the Joker.
"Targeting me won't get their money back. I knew the Mob wouldn't go down easily but this is different. They've crossed the line."
"You crossed the line first, sir. You squeezed them, you hammered them to the point of desperation. And in their desperation, they turned to a man they didn't fully understand," Alfred pointed out."Criminals aren't complicated, Alfred. We just need to figured out what he's after." Jenna raised her eyebrows.
"With respect Master Wayne, perhaps this is a man you don't fully understand either. A long time ago, I was in Burma and my friends and I were working for the local government. They were trying to buy the loyalties of tribal leaders by bribing them with precious stones but their caravans were being raided by a bandit. So we went looking for the stones. But in six months, we never met anyone who traded with him. One day, I saw a child playing with a ruby the size of a tangerine; the bandit had been throwing them away," Alfred said.
"So then why steal them?" Alfred began to answer but Jenna beat him to it.
"Because it's fun." They looked at her. "Tons of kids at my school shop lift. And while some of them do it for money or to look cool, some of them steal for the thrill of it. For fun." Alfred smiled sadly and nodded.
"Exactly. Because he thought it was good sport. Because some men aren't looking for anything logical like money. They can't be bought, bullied, reasoned, or negotiated with. Some men, just wanna watch the world burn."
It was late. Jenna couldn't tell how late seeing as how she was in the bunker but she could tell that Rachel was going to be less than pleased when she got home. But Bruce needed her help. Even though he didn't allow her to join him on the rooftops of Gotham, Bruce did let her help him by keeping an eye on things using the many computers located in the Batbunker. It included everything from researching anything that need to be looked up, to monitoring the many 911 calls the GCPD received. Jenna listened to call after call, trying to ignore the guilt in leaving their cries unanswered, and suddenly heard the Joker's horribly familiar voice.
"8th and Orchard. You'll find Harvey Dent there."
Apparently, the Joker had the balls to call the GCPD himself, and tell them where to find Harvey Dent. Does Bruce really think he can figure this guy out? Jenna wondered. Because I'm no closer to understanding the Joker than I am to understanding Algebra.
"Did you get that, B–man?" Jenna asked. The Batman grunted.
"I'll keep you posted," the Batman said, before heading toward the scene of the Joker's latest murder.
"Check the names," Batman told Gordon once he arrived. Jenna saw Gordon standing next to two bodies, thanks to the added attachments to his cowl. Gordon brought out a handkerchief and looked at one of the men's ids.
"Richard Dent." He checked the other. "Patrick Harvey."
"Harvey Dent," Ramirez concluded. Jenna groaned.
"I need 10 minutes with the scene before your men contaminate it," Batman said.
"Us contaminate it? It's because of you these guys are dead–" Ramirez shouted.
"Detective!" Gordon exclaimed. "Give us a minute guys." The other cops left. Jenna scanned the screen, looking for any thing the Joker and his goons could've touched but nothing stuck out. That is, until she saw the hole in the wall.
"There's bullet hole in the wall, if you wanna take a look at that," Jenna told Batman. He went over to it and examined it before taking out his drill.
"That's brick underneath. Gonna take ballistics off a shattered bullet?" Gordon asked.
"No. Fingerprints," Batman replied. Jenna raised an eyebrow.
"Whatever you're gonna do, do it fast, because we found his next target. He's put it in tomorrow's paper," Gordon told him, showing him Mayor Garcia's picture in the obituary with a grotesque grin painted on it. Jenna cursed.
Jenna was walking next to Rachel and Harvey in Commissioner Loeb's funeral parade. She could see Gordon looking anxiously at the surrounding buildings. Jenna looked up and saw the reason for his anxiety: windows. Dozens and dozens of windows, each of them a perfect spot for a sniper. The Joker wouldn't go for that though, Jenna thought. It's too easy, and I think he prefer to be in the middle of the action. Jenna still couldn't help but look at all the windows as she sat down with her family on the platform.
"Commissioner Loeb dedicated his life to law enforcement and to the protection of his community. I remember when I first took office and I asked him…" Jenna found her concentration slipping away and she started looking at the windows more and more. "And as we recognize the sacrifice of this man, we must recognize that vigilance is the price of safety."
"Stand by. Honor guard. Attention. Port arms. Ready." The guards readied their guns. "Aim." They aimed. "Fire!" They fired, but all at different times.
Odd. I thought military salutes were supposed to be simultaneous, Jenna wondered.
"Ready, aim, fire!" They shot again, but it was as though there had been a few extra shots fired somewhere in the distance. Jenna looked at Gordon who appeared to have noticed it too.
"Ready, aim." The honor guard turned on the Mayor, Gordon tackled the Mayor, they shot. The crowd screamed and scattered, and the men ran and vanished.
"Gordon!" Jenna screamed but her voice was lost in the din. She tried to get to him but Harvey grabbed her and Rachel and led them to a nearby officer.
"I'll see you later," he told them.
"Wait, are you going back?" Rachel asked but he had already disappeared into the crowd. "Can you drive us home?" the policeman nodded, opening the car door for them. Jenna tried looking back but her aunt pushed her into the car and got in behind her.
"What about Gordon?"
"Jenna if we stayed, we'd only be getting in the way. Besides, Gordon was wearing a bullet proof vest, remember?" Jenna let out a breath, calming down. "Gordon will be fine." They arrived back their apartment complex soon after. Rachel walked her niece up to the apartment, before heading back to work.
Jenna answered her phone hours later. "Hello?"
"Jenna? I need you to pack up a few necessities. We're staying at Bruce's tonight."
"Why, what happened?"
"The Joker's marked us as his next victims. The both of us." Jenna froze. "I'm headed over from MCU I'll be there soon."
"Hold on, why are you leaving the safest place for you to possibly be? MCU's full of cops and built like a fortress."
"I don't know who's working for the mob though. It could be any of them."
"Gordon trusts them."
"… Jenna… Gordon's gone." Jenna blinked.
"What?"
"He didn't make it. He gave his life to defend the mayor." Jenna shook her head.
"No. No, he wouldn't leave Barbara, the kids, or me like that. He wouldn't," Jenna started sobbing.
"I'm so sorry Jenna."
"WHEN I GET MY HANDS ON THE JOKER HE'S A DEAD MAN!" Jenna screamed at nothing and no one in particular. She sunk to the floor, sobbing into her knees. "He can't be gone, he can't be."
"I can't believe it either. But, I need you to focus. Grab whatever you absolutely need, clothes, phone, stuff of that nature. I'll be there in fifteen minutes."
"Ok," Jenna sniffled. "I love you. Stay safe."
"You too." Rachel hung up. Jenna dried her eyes, before running to grab some clothes for her and Rachel. Looking through Rachel's dresser, she came across the Taser Rachel had electrocuted Scarecrow with.
Better safe than sorry, Jenna thought, pocketing it. Realizing how thirsty crying had made her, Jenna put her bag in the living room and got herself a glass of water in the kitchen. Suddenly, a thick arm wrapped around her neck, trapping her.
"Gotcha," a goon the size of a gorilla who reeked of alcohol and cigarettes whispered in her ear. Jenna screeched and started twisting and turning, trying to throw him off of her. "I don't know why the Boss would want you, you're just a kid," the goon muttered. Jenna managed to move herself parallel to the island in the middle of the kitchen and pushed off of it, pushing the goon behind her into the kitchen counter. The goon grunted in pain but kept hold of her. Jenna caught sight of her empty water glass and grabbed it, before cracking it down on the thug's head. He released her and slumped to the ground, unconscious. Jenna stumbled away, rubbing her neck and breathing heavily. She immediately noticed the clown mask.
How could they get through the burglar alarm? It's the best money can buy, Bruce made sure of that, Jenna wondered. Whipping out her cellphone, she dialed 911.
"Gotham City Police Department, state your emergency."
"This is Jenna Dawes, I've just been attacked by one of the Joker's goons in my home, I knocked him unconscious, can you please send help?" Jenna said, trying to keep her voice strong.
"Yes, of course. They're on their way."
"Thank you." Jenna hung up, got her jump rope from her room, and used it to tie up the unconscious thug. Once he was secure, she grabbed her bag and left the apartment to wait for the police and Rachel in the lobby. She sat on the couch, the receptionist not acknowledging her, waiting. After around five minutes, she heard police sirens and saw two cars stop outside. She leaped up and ran outside, Stephens, Ramirez, and two others getting out of the cars. "Thank God. I was worried that someone I didn't know would come."
"What happened?"
"I was in the kitchen when this thug wearing a clown mask attacked me. I managed to knock him out and I have him tied up in the kitchen. He should still be there if you wanna take him in for questioning." Stephens raised an eyebrow.
"What do the teach you in school these days?" Jenna laughed. A taxi pulled up and Rachel leaped out, mouth open and eyes wide.
"What the hell happened? Why are there cops here?" she exclaimed.
"Your niece was attacked Miss Dawes. Don't worry, we have everything under control."
"Have you now?"
"Yes actually, we do."
"Well, why isn't the guy down here now?"
"I was just about to send some guys to get him. Berg, take the rest of 'em up to get him."
"Apartment 221B. Twenty-second floor, first one on the right." The rest of the cops left, leaving Ramirez and Stephens.
"Come on, Jenna we'd better go," Rachel said, taking her bag.
"Wait, you can't just leave. We have to take statements," Ramirez told her.
"She was the only witness and she just told you what happened. Now if you'll excuse me, I'd like to get the both of us out of here before we get attacked again," Rachel said, moving over to let three men pass by.
"Now, listen here Miss Dawes–" Ramirez was cut off by one of the three men grabbing her and slamming her against her car, who then took out a gun and pressed it into her back. Another one grabbed Stephens and held his arms before holding a gun to him too, while the third lunged toward Rachel and Jenna. Jenna brought Rachel's Taser out of her back pocket and shot him with it. The brute screamed and fell to the ground, twitching slightly. Rachel and Jenna then ducked behind the cab and crouched down next to the bushes.
"Come on out ladies, or the cops get it," one of the thugs shouted, threatening pointing his gun at Ramirez. Jenna took a rock the size of a tennis ball, looked through the cab windows at the goons, and threw it with all her might at the head of the goon restraining Ramirez. The stone hit its mark and the dolt was knocked out. The thug constraining Stephens threw him at Ramirez and the two cops fell to the ground. The thug turned back to where Rachel and Jenna were hiding.
"Alright. You've had your fun, but you're trapped and if you don't come out, I'll shoot them both."
"Now, who said we were trapped?" a voice behind him asked. The brute turned and Jenna kicked him head. He stumbled back and Jenna took the gun out of his hands, before slamming him across the face with it, knocking him out. Rachel, Ramirez, and Stephens got up, looking at her oddly.
"Where'd you learn to fight like that?"
"Self-defense classes." They were interrupted by Berg and the other officer coming out of the building, leading the handcuffed dolt in the clown mask.
"Where were you?"
"Sorry sir. It took a while to untangle him. He was tied up pretty good."
"Well, thank you for saving my jump rope. I have rather fond memories of it," Jenna grinned. Rachel rolled her eyes and dragged Jenna to the cab and opened the door.
"Wait, you can't just–" Ramirez started but was cut off by a look from Rachel.
"Watch us." She got into the cab and told the cabbie the address.
"And why should I take you two anywhere after almost gettin' shot?" the cabbie snapped, straightening up after having been crouched down during the disturbance. Rachel sighed and took out a fifty. "Right away ma'am."
The elevator opened to Bruce Wayne's penthouse and Jenna leaped into Alfred's waiting arms.
"Are you two alright?" Alfred inquired. Jenna and Rachel both nodded. "Still, this seems like a good time for some comfort food. What would you like?"
"Can we have hot chocolate?" Jenna whispered.
"Of course. The guest bedrooms are ready for both of you. I'll bring it when it's ready."
"Thanks Alfred." Jenna and Rachel walked into the guest bedrooms and put their things down. Rachel's phone ran a moment later.
"Harvey? We're at Bruce's, is everything alright?" Rachel asked. Jenna couldn't hear what Harvey said, but whatever it was, it made Rachel nearly drop the phone. "He's going to do what? What the hell is he thinking? … What are you going to do? … I don't know, maybe." At this point, Jenna was going to burst from frustration. "I love you too. Goodnight." Rachel hung up.
"What's going on?"
"The Batman's going to turn himself in." The breath left Jenna's lungs. It was the kind of breathlessness that came with the shock of a lifetime, something Jenna had only experienced once before, upon seeing her mother's body.
"No. No, no, no he wouldn't do that. He can't do that. I just got him back and I've already lost Angel, Mom, Brian, and Gordon, I am not losing him too." At this point Jenna was close to hysterical. Rachel grabbed her niece and held her.
"I know. I know." Eventually, Jenna calmed down and just stood with her aunt, staring at the cars and people below. Strange. Jenna thought. All of this craziness and killing, and life still goes on. Jenna turned at the sound of Bruce's footsteps.
"Harvey called," Rachel informed him. "He said the Batman's going to turn himself in."
"I have no choice." At this, Jenna stormed up to him and slapped him.
"Jenna!" Rachel exclaimed, but Jenna ignored her.
"IF YOU GIVE INTO THAT PSYCHOPATH I WILL NEVER SPEAK TO YOU AGAIN!" Jenna yelled at him, before turning on her heel and running out of the room, tears in her eyes. She ran through the penthouse until she dropped down and started sobbing into her knees. She felt someone wrap their arms around her.
"It's alright Jenna. It's alright," Alfred soothed her.
"He can't give in Alfred, he just can't," Jenna sobbed. Alfred just sat there, holding her and trying to assure her what he was trying to assure himself; that everything would be alright and they would be able to pick up the pieces of their lives, even though things had fallen apart beyond comprehension.