CHAPTER TWO

The ride home was far from boring. There was no talking, as with Jezzie's eager approval, Lucius treated her on Mr. Wayne's dime to a helicopter ride home. Though her father had worked for Wayne Enterprises her entire life, she'd never actually flown in one of the company's helicopters.

Lucius, though far from pacified from the events at the asylum, was thrilled with the way his daughter peered out at the city, her face lighting up with captivated delight. He'd worried she'd perhaps suffer some sort of mental distress in the wake of what happened, but she seemed to be coping surprisingly well.

Well, he thought sadly. …perhaps not that surprising, given what she's been through.

They landed at Wayne's Penthouse in less than fifteen minutes, and although Jezzie didn't expect them to land at her father's home, she had at least anticipated being led to a town car to take them back to her father's home, rather than him leading her to one of Mr. Wayne's spare bedrooms.

At her questioning gaze, he kissed her forehead and hugged her.

"Get washed up and settle in; you've been through a lot today. If you're up for it, I'll have dinner sent up for the two of us…if not, I'll have one plate sent up just for you." Either way you're eating. Though the words weren't spoken, they hung in the air, firm and unrelenting.

Not thrilled, but recognizing the futility in arguing, Jezzie nodded.

"Send two up…I'd rather not eat alone."

With another quick forehead kiss, Lucius left her to go speak to Alfred about dinner, and Jezzie quickly showered, wondering why in the hell they would be spending the night at Wayne's place. Certainly not for protection. Not only had she watched him turn into a raunchy playboy as she grew up, but as far as she knew he was completely useless when it came to fighting. His fitness was purely due to a highly paid trainer, she was sure. Her father's condo wasn't that far away, fifteen minutes at best, so nor was it likely he was too tired to make the trip.

So why? Did Mr. Wayne have some sort of crazy security system? She knew her dad would be paranoid, but she didn't think he'd resort to forcing her to stay with his boss. She knew they were close, but this seemed…unnecessary.

Her thoughts drifted to the events of the day, and she found herself having to turn the water temperature up slightly as a chill overtook her.

God…his eyes. She'd never seen eyes like that before. Never had something as simple as eye contact made her feel so many things.

She'd felt so…naked. Vulnerable. As if he could see right into her soul, every sin she'd ever committed laid bare in front of him, like a book. Every lie she'd ever told, every indiscretion ever committed, every dark fantasy never revealed. She'd felt fear, such an intense, cold fear that spread icy hot through her veins when he'd looked at her. Briefly, she considered that perhaps that vulnerable feeling was nothing more than a heightened placebo effect, or a mob mentality. There had been a great deal of hype surrounding the Joker, and in the moment her nerves could have perhaps been on edge because of everyone else in the room feeling so anxious.

She shook her head, quickly dismissing the idea.

The Joker doesn't need a mob mentality to instill fear. He does that all on his own.

Though she'd never admit it to anyone, the feelings she was battling with were far from what would be considered a normal response to such a trauma. She wasn't scared, or anxious, or paranoid, or even numb from shock.

She was fascinated. So unwittingly fascinated…she just wanted to crack his head open like an egg and search his mind for anything and everything she could discover.

Who was he? Where did he come from? What was his motivation? How was he capable of doing what he had done? What was he even trying to accomplish? Was he always like this? Did something make him like this?

Jezzie shut the water off, and wrapped her long, black, purple and blue hair into a towel, hoping it wouldn't stain the expensive fabric. Normally, she took more care to use cold water to keep her colour from running, but didn't have the mental energy to do so just then. The fluffy robe she slipped into was like a warm hug, and when she searched the dresser, she found some very elegant, silk pajamas in one of the drawers. She fingered the fabric, giving an amused scoff at the thought of her entire wardrobe costing less than the sleepwear she was about to adorn.

She'd just finished combing out her hair when there was a knock at the door.

Even though she'd expected her father, the sight of Alfred walking in was far from disappointing.

She greeted him with an affectionate smile, a familiar sense of comfort and warmth seeping through her at his kind face. After her mom had passed, Alfred had proven himself to be much more than a family friend and stepped up to help the family when her father was working. Which was more often than not.

"Lovely to see you still in one piece, Bella." Ignoring the food cart he'd pushed in, Jezzie reached out to him, scowling playfully at the nickname, though it really didn't bother her when he was the one to use it.

"For the most part; I can't say my mind's completely intact, but I'm not sure it ever was." He chuckled as he grabbed her outstretched hand, holding it against his cheek after placing a delicate kiss on her fingers, his eyes holding slightly more moisture than usual.

"Your father will be up shortly; he's just having a quick word with Master Wayne." Jezzie nodded, and gestured to the food he was setting up for her.

"Wait with me?"

Though she was a full grown woman, and Alfred had always been strangely strict about the whole butler/Master thing, he still had never learned to deny Jezzie's demand for a more lax relationship. He even tried a piece of her chicken at her insistence, and when Lucius finally arrived in the doorway, it took them almost a full minute to notice him, as Alfred had told a rather dark, cynical joke that had both of them in stitches.

Though her father's concern was still obvious, the warm smile on his lips at the sight of the two of them couldn't be hidden. As long as his daughter was smiling, he was content.

Alfred rose graciously, albeit creakily, and he insolently commented to Jezzie that her demands were going to break his joints. After comically shaking a finger at her wisecrack about referring to him as Grandpa Al, he chucked her chin, and departed, returning Lucius' warm nod.

When Lucius sat down however, the look on his face made Jezzie feel sick. Thankfully, she'd already eaten half her dinner, only then noticing that there was no plate set for her father. Judging by how he was staring at her, he probably didn't have much of an appetite, his earlier offer to eat with her simply a ruse to ensure she ate.

Anger and yelling would have been preferable to the overflowing level of disappointment in his gaze.

Her father was disappointed; in her.

Jezzie bit her lip, determined to not let it tremble. Her father hated seeing her cry. She refused to allow herself to manipulate him in such a way, even though she knew it was a sure way to have him back off.

"Jezzie…what happened wasn't your fault. It was never your responsibility to make sure something like that didn't happen, and…God. I can't believe I even have to say this, to you of all people…it doesn't matter what you were wearing. You shouldn't even have been exposed to the patients." He held up his hand when she tried to interject. "I understand your desire to not burn any bridges in the psychiatric community, however…your safety comes first. I know you're smart, and I know you've worked far too hard to let it all go…but all of your hard work won't mean anything if you die."

His voice didn't waver, but his eyes became slightly misty.

"Not telling me about this trip was not only sneaky, but irresponsible. You've never experienced what it's like to deal with criminals like the ones at Arkham, and now…now you've met the worst of the worst. Even more troubling…he's met you."

An involuntary thrill travelled up Jezzie's spine, but she kept quiet, her stomach sick with remorse.

"I've left you to your own devices for the most part…you've always proven you're more than capable of taking care of yourself. This time however…well, you've mixed yourself up in something more dangerous than I think you truly understand."

He rubbed his hand over his face, and for the first time in her life, Jezzie saw something flash over her superhero's face that she'd never seen before.

Fear. True, unbridled fear.

It was then that she also realized, quite stupidly, that her father was not a young man.

Guilt flooded her system, so strongly she was briefly drowning in it, and she suddenly found it very difficult not only to finish the delicious food in front of her, but to keep what she'd already eaten down.

"Dad…I'm-" Her voice cracked with emotion, and she cleared her throat, aggressively blinking away her tears. She would not make him feel bad for making her feel guilty. She deserved it.

"I'm so sorry dad. I wasn't thinking. I was being selfish." Her voice wobbled slightly, but she pressed on. "I promise, I'll do whatever it takes to earn your trust back. Just…please, please, don't sue anybody. Dr. Cherry's name is big in the psychiatric community, and having his backing would give me so much respect-"

Lucius gave his daughter a small smile.

"Firstly, you never lost my trust. I know you're a good girl." Jezzie's face crumpled, and a large tear pearled up in her eye. Her father continued, brushing her cheek with his thumb.

"You're young, and you're bound to make some mistakes…it's just, this time, there's going to have to be some consequences."

Jezzie was shocked. Punishment had never been part of her father's parenting technique. He'd never needed it for her. Was he really going to ruin her whole future just to teach her a lesson?

Before she could give it any more thought, he took both her hands in his.

"This is not a punishment, Jezzie. You can still get your degree, you can still get it at Gotham Heights University, and I won't press any charges against them or Arkham…" The but held so heavy in the air, Jezzie couldn't help holding her breath.

"But…until everything settles down, you and I both will be staying here. Mr. Wayne has graciously offered us any assistance we need, and has even gone so far as to contact a security company from outside the state. We'll be protected around the clock, and if we need something, it will be brought here for us. We will not be leaving the penthouse for anything." Before she could respond, he continued,

"I've contacted the school dean; your professors will be recording all their lectures to send to you, and each of them will be available for one hour from 16-1700 every weekday, should you have anything to discuss with them. Do let them know ahead of time though so they're not waiting around for you. As I understand it, you're quite engaged during class discussions, and might require more in-depth discussion."

Though the twinkle in his eye was borderline irritating, she couldn't be difficult about what he wanted. He was being completely fair, she knew, but the idea of being cooped up for an undisclosed amount of time was sounding far from appealing, and she couldn't quite keep the sulky tone out of her voice when she answered,

"Okay dad."

His eyes lost their twinkle, and he gave her a sad smile.

"Thank you for understanding. I just need to keep you safe." He raised both her hands to his lips, and kissed them individually, before lowering them back to her lap.

"Your mother would be so proud of you."

The guilt bubbling in her stomach overflowed at that, and this time both eyes began leaking. Without hesitation Lucius pulled his 25-year-old daughter into his lap, cradling her to his chest.

"I'm so sorry." Though one could justifiably assume she was referring to the events of the day, both her and her father knew the words held a much deeper meaning, one even her therapist had not managed to help her come to terms with.

"Shh, Jezzie, my beautiful girl…it wasn't your fault. NONE of it, was your fault."

The words felt empty, like always.

The days passed uneventfully. Though her entire class had witnessed what happened, none of them bugged her. The lack of friends she'd made due to her borderline know-it-all behaviour in class left her blissfully undisturbed on the best of days, and the three girls she occasionally spoke to hadn't pressed on past a, 'hope you're doing okay' text. Then, after only a couple of days, her father had requested she turn over her phone, as evidently the risk of it being used to track her was too much.

While at first the monotony was a welcome reprieve, after about two weeks, Jezzie found herself slowly going insane. Her father and Mr. Wayne were always off somewhere doing something, and when he wasn't with them, Alfred was busy keeping the security team and household in order, so she was commonly left to her own devices. Though her classes, as promised, were recorded for her, she could only do schoolwork w for so many hours in a day, and watching TV had never really been something she'd been fond of. Working out, though a daily routine, only took up a couple hours at best, and even her recreational reading and cannabis use could only keep her entertained for so long. For the first time ever, Jezzie was craving human companionship.

That loneliness, unanticipated by her not so present companions, left her mind open to focus on things about her housemates that she hadn't notice before. specifically, how often her father was with Mr. Wayne, and how sneaky and inconspicuous they were trying to be. Though perhaps it would have been less noticeable to someone not paying much attention, being so desperate for human interaction, the behaviour was beginning to strike Jezzie as, at best, mildly suspicious. Especially considering the party all night playboy persona Mr. Wayne had. Was her father off baby sitting his boss while the man got shit faced? She also noticed a rather peculiar lack of hangovers, when she did see him. Though often one to sleep in until the late afternoon, Jezzie never noticed any other indication that the man spent all night partying.

Finally, after nearly a month of being cooped up, she decided she'd had enough. Fresh out of the shower, she was searching for her father, hoping he hadn't disappeared off with Mr. Wayne again, when she found both of them and Alfred in the main room, all three focused on the obscenely large tv.

Though her original intent had been to convince them to take her out somewhere for the day, her rehearsed speech quickly died on her lips when she saw why all three were so intensely preoccupied with the morning news.

"…and though his whereabouts are currently unknown, police are urging all Gotham citizens to exercise extreme caution. Police are strongly advising to only leave your home for necessities, and there will be a city-wide curfew implemented starting tomorrow night. All citizens will be expected to return to their homes no later than 2200, 10pm and all nonessential businesses need to close with enough time for their workers to return home in time to meet this set curfew."

"What's going on?" At her rather moot question, all three men turned around. She noticed with a bit of interest that not only did Mr. Wayne for once look as if he had been indulging in some hard partying the night before, but he had a large bruise forming on his cheek bone.

Was he in a fight?

"Jezzie! Good morning! How did you sleep?" His words were just as moot as her own, and she frowned when Alfred hastily turned off the tv.

"He's escaped." It wasn't a question.

Both Alfred and Mr. Wayne looked at Lucius for direction, and though Jezzie did understand their position, she still found herself becoming increasingly irritated. The efforts of the three men to treat her like a child were becoming quite frustrating.

Lucius, to his credit, immediately dropped the pretense.

"Yes. He got out just after midnight this morning." He seemed hesitant to continue, so Jezzie urged him on.

"Dad…just tell me."

Her father exhaled slowly, careful to gauge her reaction as he spoke.

"Gregory Rentin, and Benjamin Cearney were killed during the escape. They were the…two orderlies transporting the Joker the day he attacked you." Jezzie swallowed, and nodded for him to continue, as she could tell there was still more to the situation.

"When he didn't show up for work this morning, and when he wouldn't answer his phone, authorities went to check Dr. Cherry's home…" He trailed off, and Jezzie's eyes widened.

"Is…is he-" Her father nodded.

"They found his body in his foyer. Looks like he was attacked when he answered the door."

Jezzie closed her eyes.

"And…and Mrs. Fields? Have they checked on her?"

Silence.

"…dad?" Her voice shook slightly.

Lucius sighed deeply.

"She's been missing since yesterday."

Jezzie snapped her head up at him, blinking once in confusion.

"Since…since yesterday? But, if he only broke out this morning, maybe it wasn't-"

"They found a Joker card left at her apartment."

Jezzie's breathing began to quicken, and she gave her father a panicked expression. He moved forward and quickly brought her face into his chest.

"Shh…deep breaths Jezzie…that's my girl…there we go…in the nose…out the mouth…in…out…there you go." He rubbed her back comfortingly, and very firmly said,

"It's not your fault."

How can you say that?! She wanted to scream at him.

How can you say that when I'm the one who started this entire mess?!

Swallowing down her sob, Jezzie managed to choke out.

"I know."

Despite her father's protests, Jezzie chose to spend the remainder of her day alone, in her room, watching the news. It provided very little by the way of comfort, as despite the extensive search, no sign of her professor had been found.

It wasn't until the late afternoon that something finally happened.

"We've just received word that two students from Gotham Heights University were discovered only hours ago, stabbed to death, in the dumpsters behind the school. The two young victims, Jayde Fillet and Christina Bloome, 25 and 26, were both psychiatry students, and according to statements from fellow classmates, their class was part of a tour of Arkham Asylum only weeks ago, where another classmate, Jezebelle Fox, was attacked by the Joker. Thus far we've been unable to reach Ms. Fox and Arkham employees for comment, but it's speculated that the Joker may be targeting anyone specifically involved in the events of that day. Sources say the young victims faces were carved in a terrifying Glasgow smile, and police are trying to understand exactly how these two girls managed to capture the attention of the infamous killer clown, who escaped just this morning, leaving behind a bloody trail of murder in his wake. "

Jezzie hadn't realized it, but she'd sat up, and pressed a hand against her chest, as if subconsciously trying to ease her hammering heart which was apparently intent on escaping.

JayJay…Chrissy…two of the three girls she'd actually befriended. Two of the three girls who'd texted her, telling her they hoped she was okay.

Her eyes widened, and she clapped a hand over her mouth.

"Oh…oh God…Ally…" She immediately began searching for her phone, cursing viciously when she remembered she didn't have it.

Okay, okay…I gotta find dad.

She ran from her room, calling for her father. When he didn't answer, she called for Alfred, and when only silence met her, Mr. Wayne.

Hearing the panic in her voice, one of the hired security members asked if she was okay. Before she could answer in the negative, a terrifying thought hit her.

How did the Joker know who her friends were? What if someone had helped him get access to her phone not so remotely? These security guys were out of state, but that didn't mean they could be trusted…

"Yes…sorry, just wanted to talk to my dad." She forced her voice to sound casual, and walked towards the kitchen in pretense of getting a snack.

She opened the fridge, and when she looked back and saw she hadn't been followed, she went to the landline and picked up the phone.

911.

"We're sorry; all our emergency lines are busy right now. Wait time is about 15 minutes-" Jezzie slammed the phone down, trying to stabilize the shaking in her hands.

She didn't have time to wait.

She could be halfway to the school within 15 minutes.

There were more deaths on her conscience than she cared to admit. She would not let there be another.

Determined and impelled, she began formulating a rough plan. She needed a disguise, she needed a way to escape, and she needed to figure out a way to travel.

I know Mr. Wayne has that weird costume closet, I'm sure there's something in there I could wear…but how do I make it out of the penthouse?

I'm no spy, and have absolutely no stealth training, so sneaking past the forty something security guards stationed everywhere is out of the question. I'm fast, but there's far too many to outrun and maneuver around should they actually try to stop me. Which only leaves…distraction.

Okay, so what's the best distraction?

Loud noises would work, but would only be temporary…what would be attention drawing, and require immediate focus and action of almost the entire security team?

She snapped her fingers as the answer came to her. Fire.

But how to safely start one?

Gasoline is too smelly, and I won't be able to get any without alerting everyone to what I'm doing…making bombs is definitely not on my resume's list of special skills, and I don't have any fireworks…even if I did, trying to start a controlled burn with one would be next to impossible…

So…what?

Alcohol? Mr. Wayne has a huge assortment of it, though I've never actually seen him drink…come to think of it…how have I never seen the man drink? He parties all night all the time, and I've never even seen him drunk? How does that make sense?

Catching herself, Jezzie shook her head, mentally berating herself for allowing her thoughts to drift onto something so, at the moment, inconsequential.

Back to the matter at hand, she considered her options. She'd never actually seen it applied in real life, but it seemed simple enough in the movies…and she was sure he'd have some sort of alcohol with content high enough to light up…

Okay. Molotov cocktail it is.

Ultimately, everything went off without a hitch. At one point, Jezzie wondered briefly if she should be worried everything happened so easily, but she decided to not look a gift horse in the mouth. Sometimes, things just worked out.

Not often, but sometimes.

By the time she'd made it out the front gate, the security team had managed to extinguish the fire she'd started on the far balcony, and hadn't even noticed her absence. By the time they did, she'd already boarded the bus and was well on her way to the university.

She'd pinned a curly brown wig to her head, and glued false eyelashes on. Her lips were red and appeared much bigger than they were, and the fake, thick rimmed glasses she wore gave her a slightly geeky appearance.

Being so exotic looking made it very hard to blend in, but she certainly looked nothing like she usually did.

The ride to the university was almost 30 minutes, and when she arrived, she found her own nervous expression mirrored by the student flitting around her. It seemed everyone was in a frenzied hurry to pack up and get out. Though the entire scenario worried her, it certainly played to her advantage, as nobody even looked twice at her.

When she finally reached Ally's door, there was no response to her knock.

"Ally! Ally open up!"

Nothing happened.

Jezzie started pounding both fists on the door, leaning her weight into it.

"Alecia, it's me! It's Jezzie! Please, you have to get out of here, I think the Joker might come after you next-"

The door flew open abruptly, and Jezzie stumbled into the room, relief washing over her.

"OH thank God, Ally-"

She never actually saw who was in the room with her; she never even had a chance to turn around. A cloth covered hand clamped over her mouth, and as she took a deep breath to scream, she was aware of a sickly sweet scent overwhelming her senses. She kicked and thrashed and screamed, but the strong arms held her fast, and all the chaos outside ensured nobody could hear her. The last thing she saw before inky blackness eventually took over her vision was the poorly painted wall she was pinned up against.