Author's Note: Woah this was a long chapter to write, but this is one of the first storylines that I thought about all that time ago when I originally posted the first chapter. I hope you enjoy it! :)
Chapter 21
Execution
A tiny bell rang out against the café door swinging open. The coffee machine let out a heavy slushing and gurgling noise with every shot of espresso and guzzle of foamed milk. The loud atmosphere was filled with all the different stories from various civilians in Gotham.
A group of young mothers in the corner were chatting loudly about their busy mornings and rolling their prams back and forth, while a group of students heavily typed at their laptops trying to cram in more knowledge for their upcoming exams. A waitress would be constantly on the move, delivering new rounds of coffee to anyone who had a space on their tiny round tables.
The café was bustling with life, no seat was empty – except the last one opposite Ana, along the back wall. Ana rested her back against the red brick wall, her legs were crossed, and her raised boot impatiently bobbed up and down.
"Excuse me, is this…" a young woman asked Ana reaching for the empty seat.
"Taken," Ana glared at the girl. The invader quickly judged the mood and dropped her arms. Ana held her stare until the girl finally got the whole message, rolled her eyes, and walked away. Ana glanced back at the crowded space, observing each oblivious face as they continued to chitchat and natter.
The front door's bell jingled out again, cutting through the noise with its high-pitched tone. Ana's eyes shifted to the new visitor entering the room. Recognizing the person, she lowered her head and went to sip her latte.
As she enjoyed the warm fuzzy sensation against her lips, the visitor walked over to her table and took a seat. Ana let out a long-satisfied sigh at the relief of coffee in the middle of the day.
"You made it," Ana announced placing her cup back down.
"Well, you said you were paying," George breathed. He sat down and straightened his shirt and hoodie. "Besides, I don't know what to do with myself," he trailed off.
"So, they got him then?" Ana scanned around the room just in case the dire noise suddenly fell silent as they discussed business.
"Yeah, the Jo… the Boss has gone missing," George glanced behind his shoulder to judge the distance of the table next to them.
"What can I get you fella?" a chirpy waitress barged her way into their conversation. Ana simply leaned back and waited for them to be finished.
"Oh, a large cappuccino, ham and cheese toastie and a brownie slice please," George ordered, practically foaming at the mouth. The waitress nodded, jotted down his order and wandered away to retrieve his food.
"I'm starving," George chuckled.
Ana watched him grow more excited about his food, letting out a small smile and a light scoff at his innocent gluttony.
"You can get whatever you want, you're the only one who answered my call. Duncan's blanking me," Ana rolled her eyes.
"I wouldn't take it personally. He was with the Jo... Boss when it happened. He's not looking good," George explained. Ana shifted in her seat uncomfortably.
"What do you mean? Is he alright?" Ana asked with a hint of alarm.
"He got shot, Derek's over at the base now looking after him," George continued. His eyes followed the waitress around the room, hoping that the food she was carrying was his.
"Jesus," Ana mumbled gazing out into the crowd. "It was Maroni," she revealed.
"How do you know?" George asked clocking his order coming out of the kitchen.
"I was there," Ana looked back at George, locking with his concerned eyes.
"What do you mean?" George questioned, leaning in.
The waitress strolled back to the table and placed down two small plates full of mouth-watering food, and a mug and saucer with a deliciously fluffy-looking cappuccino. George gawked down at his food and started to dig. He glanced back up to Ana, momentarily forgetting that she was there.
"What do you mean?" he asked again.
"I know where the Joker is," Ana firmly stated, "I was there when Maroni booked the place with my Boss," Ana tried to contain her disgust at the thought of her now dead Boss.
"That Baxter guy? Why'd Maroni work with him?" George wondered.
"I don't know. Dumb luck I suppose," Ana took a sip from her latte. "Listen, I know where he's being kept. We need to get him out before they execute him," Ana lowered her voice focusing only on George, watching him eat plentifuls for a skinny guy.
"What makes you sure he's not already dead? It's been hours," George asked with a full mouthful.
"If you had someone like the Joker in your trap, you wouldn't just kill him. You'd torture him first. Good thing he's into that," Ana rolled her eyes again. George let out a scoff.
"I don't know. Why should we get caught up in this? I mean… It's not like he's a hero, he's bloody terrifying," he looked concerned, revealing his torn position.
"He's your Boss," Ana stated the obvious.
"Yeah. But he's not yours. He cast you out," George countered.
"Then take it from someone who knows. Watch how quickly your income disappears without him. Say goodbye to luxuries, like food," Ana retorted.
"You just want to prove something to him, you don't really care," George jabbed, showing a hint of teasing behind his toastie-covered words. Ana leaned back and let out an annoyed sigh.
"I can't prove myself if he's dead," Ana breathed. "Imagine how impressed he'd be with you if you're the one that got him out," Ana leaned back in, trying to reel George in. "You might even get ranked higher than Rex," Ana shrugged.
"Oh, that would be funny, wouldn't it?" George laughed. "I don't know, it's a lot of hassle for a not-so-great Boss," George shrugged.
"You know, I thought you were loyal to the Boss. You're starting to sound like a rat… or a mole," Ana said through gritted teeth, glaring at the feasting boy. George looked up with a hurt expression.
"Me? The mole? Get real Ana," George scoffed.
"Well then, why are you so against it?" Ana interrogated.
"Because I don't want to get killed," George snapped, before checking his surroundings and calming down. "Is it so bad to not want to die?" he lowered his voice.
"Suppose you don't come to the warehouse, you can still help me," Ana tried to find a new way in.
"How?" he replied.
"Get me someone who will help, and then get the others to pick us up for an easy getaway," Ana leaned in closer, maintaining eye contact with George. His munching started to slow down as he considered the repercussions of this idea.
"Alright then, suppose I helped you, what's the plan?" George took a sip of his coffee.
"Find the warehouse, sneak in, find the Joker, get him out," Ana listed the tasks as if it was a shopping list. Whilst she knew it wouldn't be that effortless, she had to try and make it seem simple to get George on board.
"What if your Boss Baxter finds out?" George waved at Ana.
"He won't. He's dead," Ana blankly stared at George.
"What? How?" George scrunched his face in confusion.
"I killed him," Ana shrugged. George shook his head in confusion. Ana held her breath, waiting for George to come to a conclusion. George let out a defeated sigh.
"You're really going to do this, aren't you?" he asked.
"Yes," Ana nodded.
"Well then, count me in," George finally agreed. Ana let out a smirk.
Ana waited in a forgotten part of Gotham. A side of the industrial areas that forgot to change with the modern times. Older bricked warehouses stood inappropriately proud against the backdrop of chic new high rises. Their bricks were worn and battered, their windows smashed and dusting, and their pipework long rusted away.
Ana stayed hidden, leaning against the walls of the weaving alleyway that separated the industrial zone from the rest of Gotham. She scanned Isaac Baxter's warehouse from afar, allowing the darkness of the night and the alley's shadows to conceal her from suspicious eyes.
She stared at the windows of the warehouse, trying to figure out the layout. The old warehouse stood in the middle of an empty lot, its decaying walls and broken windows were a sad reminder of its former glory. It seemed to have once been a bustling place, filled with the sounds and smells of commerce, but now it was silent and still. All the life had been drained from it for the use of a lowly drug dealer.
Its windows were large and were either shattered or covered in dusty cracks. Some were sealed shut with thick, wooden boards. Ana's eyes wandered up each floor, studying the differing light dimly peering out. She suspected that the ground and first were the main warehouse areas, while the second and third floors were old offices and passageways.
Despite its decrepit state, the old warehouse still held secrets. Ana watched as a mysterious group of people were guarding the main doors. She assumed they were Maroni's bunch. On either side of the double doors were two loading bays, all sealed shut with metal shutters.
An ideal place for the Joker's execution. He's got to be on one of those top floors.
The familiar noise of one of the Joker's jittery vans sounded behind her at the entrance of the alley. Ana glanced behind her and pushed herself off the wall to meet up with her teammate. Her black hoodie, black jeans and black flat boots ensemble almost made her invisible in the dark, if it wasn't for her faded blonde growing back out.
A silhouette started walking down towards her. She watched them intently, hoping George sent her a good henchman to work with. When he was closer to her, she raised her head with a smug smirk.
"Couldn't keep away then?" she teased.
"Well, it's not every day you get a chance to rank above Rex," George shrugged. Ana let out a scoff. She eyed his new outfit, feeling satisfied that his attire of black jacket and cargo pants would be enough to hide among the shadows. The van behind him drove away.
"Who'd you get?" Ana nodded to the van. George followed her gaze.
"That's just one of our drivers, he's going back to pick up the others," George itched the back of his neck uncomfortably. "They weren't keen about the plan, particularly since some of the guys either have never met you or don't really trust you anymore," George cautiously spoke.
"Right," Ana rolled her eyes, she figured the team would have changed a lot by now.
"But hopefully I've convinced them to meet us. I mean, if… when we get the Boss out, he'd be pissed if no one was here," George scoffed. Ana nodded in agreeance. She let out a sigh in the hope that the others would believe George and follow their loyalty to the Boss. Since none of them came with George, it wasn't looking good.
Not even a word from Duncan.
"Ready?" she asked, not wanting to waste any more time.
"Ready as I'm ever going to be," George lightly jumped on either foot, rallying himself to fight the mob.
"Let's go then," Ana initiated. The pair strode to the end of the alley, focused on the warehouse ahead. They peered through the shadows, studying a few of Maroni's men guarding outside.
"There's a smashed windowpane on the other side, hanging over the scrap yard next door. If we climb a few heaps, I think we will be able to get in," Ana instructed, pointing to the far right of the warehouse. George followed to where she was pointing, eying the building's corner that turned away from the main entrance, out of sight of the guards hanging around the loading bays.
"What if they're inside?" George glanced over to Ana, looking for a hopeful answer that made their job a lot simpler.
"They most definitely will be inside," Ana stared out towards the guards. George's face dropped in disappointment, "We just have to be silent and ready," Ana briefly addressed George, raising the pistol that she stole from Isaac. George understood the signal and pulled out his Uzi.
Seeing that they were armed and ready, Ana walked out of the alley and tapped George's chest to follow her. George let out a long sigh before following.
The pair snuck around the perimeter, using the various neglected weeds and deserted scrap pieces as cover. Ana and George were invisible to the guards in the darkness from this distance.
Ana glanced up at the top-floor windows. Her eyes studied each pane, searching for any source of light inside. If there's light, then there's the Joker. But each window looked darker than the last, causing her hope to falter.
What if he's dead? What if I'm wrong? What if I'm leading George to his death?
Ana repeatedly shook her head, attempting to refocus her thoughts. They were starting to call out louder than her desire to get back on the team. Ana contemplated taking a quick sniff of her stash to help ease the battle in her head. She let out a short exhale deciding against it and wanting to remain clear-headed.
The pair checked on the position of the guards before sprinting across the yard to the right side of the building.
All clear so far.
Ana and George carefully walked through the scrap yard that connected to the warehouse's far walls. The yard was filled with all sorts of things, from cars to old appliances. This was a place where forgotten treasures and hidden secrets go to die. The moonlight bounced off metal shards scattered around the ground. Ana was careful not to catch her legs on the scrap in fear of needing a Tetanus shot.
George was halted by Ana raising her hand and pointing to the large, smashed window. The arched window was smothered with dust, with razor glass shards piercing out of the edges. George swallowed a lump in his throat , seeing the darkness from within the warehouse seep out. His rational mind was telling him not to enter such a questionable area but knew that it came with his line of work.
"This way," Ana whispered. They carefully walked up to a scrap pile that was stacked up to the window.
They both started to cautiously climb up the pile, first by stepping up on a rusty car bonnet and then a dented washing machine. George let out a grunt, hauling himself up the pile. Ana heavily breathed, feeling her muscles tense trying to keep her steady.
Ana placed her foot on a torn tire and pushed herself up. Her weight dislodged the tire out of the heap. Ana let out a sharp exhale. Her widened eyes snapped down to the pile shifting.
"Careful!" George loudly whispered. The pile rattled and clanged. The tire slipped out of position and skidded down the mound. Ana clung onto another metal shard and quickly moved her footing. She watched the tire fall and other smaller scraps follow it.
There was a final clang and a thud when the tire landed on the ground, too damaged to roll thankfully.
It was deathly silent again. Ana and George remained frozen, listening out to see if the guards heard them. No one came. Letting out a breath of relief, the pair continued the climb.
When they got closer to the window, Ana pulled herself up onto the windowsill, avoiding any shards of glass. Noting that the coast was clear, she climbed all the way through and landed on the wooden floorboards inside. George followed.
Ana looked around the small room. The ceiling was low with wood beams riddled with termites. It hung across and disappeared through the brick walls. Ana walked up to a few crates that sat near the only door out. Peeking inside, she saw bricks of powdered cocaine.
"Yep, this is definitely Isaac's warehouse," she quietly scoffed.
"Great, now that we've found your food, how do we find the Joker?" George sarcastically celebrated. Ana gave a quick glare to George before slowly creaking open the door.
The next room had no light, it must be a hallway. Ana leaned out further to gaze into the darkness down the corridor. She noticed a dim light flickering from a hole in the ceiling, revealing a metal staircase. She quietly closed the door and turned to George.
"There's a staircase down the hall. I bet they're keeping the Joker on the upper floors," Ana started.
"How do you know that though?" George questioned.
"You can see from outside that the main warehouse goes through most of the first two floors. You wouldn't keep your prisoner near the entrance or on a ground floor for an easy escape, would you?" Ana asked.
"I suppose you're right. What about a basement? The Boss loves throwing people down the basement stairs and into the vault," George thought out loud. Ana stared at him. She considered the possibility of a basement in this old warehouse. She bit her lip knowing that there was a good chance but had no clue where the entrance would be.
"Let's just hope he's upstairs, as that's the only option we have right now," she harshly insisted.
"Fine," George groaned, rolling his eyes behind Ana's back.
The duo moved down the hallway and up the metal stairs, being careful not to creak the floorboards or clang the metal. Another stairway led to the next floor, towards the upper levels.
As Ana and George climbed to the top levels, they noticed that they were in a wide-open space, with more leftover crates and tatty furniture scattered around. A single candlelight flickered on a side table next to a sofa to the right. Someone had been here recently.
Ana glanced to the left where a door led out of the large room. She raised her finger to her lips to signal to George to be silent. Both crept across the room to the door. Knees bent. Feet light.
They snuck past a few open crates, that revealed more open bricks of cocaine.
Ana glanced back at George. The pair was abruptly interrupted as a henchman and henchwoman called out from behind the crates and jumped them.
Ana let out a snarl as the henchwoman grabbed her by the hair and wrapped her arm around Ana's waist. George was punched in the face by the henchman before they began to fight each other.
Ana thrashed in the woman's grasp, trying to raise her pistol. The henchwoman yanked her head back.
"I think you're in the wrong place," she growled. Ana panted heavily, trying to get out of her grip. Ana's eyes flashed to the open crates behind them.
"I think you are," Ana spat before throwing her weight against the woman and shoving her backwards towards the crates. The woman started to lose her footing before her back was slammed into the wooden crates. As she fell backwards, she let go of Ana to steady herself against the crate. Ana swiftly jumped out of her grasp and spun around. The panicked eyes of the henchwoman locked with Ana's furious glare. Ana raised her pistol and fired. Large powder clouds burst into the air as the woman fell back into the crate.
George gave the henchman a hard punch, causing him to stumble.
Ana looked over to George before noticing something out of the crate of now blood-soaked cocaine. Ana glanced over to the crate and watched the thick clouds of powder dance in the air around them.
"It's freebase," Ana whispered to herself.
Ana knew that freebase cocaine was the purest type of cocaine. She hadn't realised that Isaac stocked it. When in the air, the dry dust particles can become highly flammable.
George and the henchman continue to struggle. George managed to shove the thug away from him. In one swift motion, George raised his gun.
Ana's eyes widened at the risk of igniting the dust cloud.
"No!" Ana lunged forward. George pulled the trigger and rapidly sprayed his Uzi across the henchman's chest.
A flash of heat surrounded Ana and George. A roar erupted. Flames engulfed the atmosphere and latched onto the crates.
Ana called out, hauling George to the ground. She realised she could smell the scent of charred clothing. She looked down at her arms and saw that the fire had burned through her hoodie.
Wincing in pain, she felt George rip her off the ground.
"We can't stay here!" he yelled through the flames and pulled Ana towards the door to the next room.
They ran in and slammed the door shut, failing to separate the flames from the rest of the building. Looking down another corridor, they saw boxes of electronics line the walls, and piles of books and furniture fill the area.
The flames hadn't reached this area yet, but the heat could be felt through the door.
"What do we do? The building is on fire," George frantically asked.
"We press on. Those two were up here guarding something, we must be close," Ana insisted, trying to catch her breath.
"But the building is on fire," George stated the obvious, trying to grab Ana's attention.
"Then we have to be quick," Ana panted, looking at her burnt arms, "There's pure cocaine stored everywhere. The building could go up in any minute," Ana spoke bluntly.
"Shit. I'm going back. I can't do this," George raised his arms in defeat before backing away from Ana.
The girl let out a condescending chuckle and wiped her sweaty forehead.
"You want to go back that way, then be my guest," Ana pointed at the door that was heating up fast, "We are on the second floor, how about you jump out of a window," she pointed to the dusty window next to them. She pictured the distance between the ground, first and second floors.
"I myself have had enough of jumping off of tall things for one lifetime," she yelled, trying to not think about the times she had to leap from the burning tower block into the harbour, and when she fell from the electric pylons.
"Or you can stay with me, and we find another way out," she finished.
George stared at her, weighing up his options.
"We need to be fast," he finally agreed.
"Let's go," she ushered. The pair started to run down the hallway, quickly scanning the corridor for signs of the Joker.
At the end of the corridor was another cracked window and a spiral staircase up to the third floor. After checking the two closed doors along the corridors, and unsatisfied with their findings, the pair ran up the staircase.
They quietened their steps as they entered a dark hallway. Ana led them down the corridor, staying close to the wall. The smell of smoke was rising. Her eyes fell on a faint ray of light illuminating underneath a door.
She tapped George and pointed to the light.
They both crept to the door, their guns reloaded and ready.
Ana reached for the door handle and glanced up at George.
"3… 2…" she mouthed. George raised his Uzi.
"1!" she whispered, slamming open the door.
They both leapt in with their guns pointed. Their eyes rapidly searched the large dark space, scanning the shadows that loomed around the edge of the large space.
Ana stared at the centre of the room, where a single lightbulb hung low. Breaking the darkness. Underneath the light was a lifeless figure hunched over, head slumped down and their chin resting against their chest. The person's wrists were tied roughly to a wooden chair.
Ana recognised the figure instantly, observing the familiar purple shirt and greasy green curls. Ana and George ran over to the Joker, afraid of what state they were about to find him in.
He wasn't moving. Not even a twitch. Not even a chuckle.
"Untie him, George!" Ana called, running in front of the Joker, while George went behind him to cut through the thick, coarse rope burning his wrists.
Ana stared down at the Joker. She noticed how his shirt was torn and missing a few buttons, his trousers had patches of blood from the wounds dripping from his hidden face, and he was missing one shoe. She didn't know where his other garments were, she glanced around the room for his coat, tie, and vest.
They had really done a number on him. Ana had never seen him in such bad shape.
Ana knelt in front of him, trying to see his face and understand his injuries. His curls hung loosely in front of his face, making it harder to see. Ana leaned closer and began to carefully move his hair out of the way.
"Got it!" George called as he managed to cut the Joker free. As the rope snapped and went loose, the unconscious clown started to fall forward.
"Oh god!" Ana exhaled, quickly using her weight to push the Joker up. She pressed her front into his and wrapped her arms around his back to steady him. His face limply fell onto her shoulder. Ana could smell the gasoline on him and could feel the warmth of his breath on her neck.
"Well, he's breathing," she said struggling under his weight.
"That's good," George sighed, moving around the chair.
"Help me with him," Ana groaned at the dead weight.
"Oh sorry," George mumbled, reaching out to help.
As George jerked the Joker's shoulders back, Ana felt the clown's face twitch against her shoulder. The Joker's started to wake up and move. Ana began to feel a wave of relief, knowing that he was conscious.
Before she could speak, the Joker violently lurched forward. He let out an animalistic snarl as he tried to bite Ana's neck. Ana let out a scream and fell backwards dodging the attack.
"Boss!" she shrieked, locking her arms straight and pushing against the Joker. George tried to pull the Joker back by his shoulders.
The Joker's disfigured face was revealed. He only had half of his makeup on, the rest had been smeared away, replaced with a beating. His left eye was still encircled with black paint, while the other only had the remnants smudged into the inner corner of his nose. His white paint was mixed with blood and dirt. His red grin had faded to his true Glasgow smile.
The Joker's eyes were wild. They darted around the room, clearly not recognising Ana or George.
"Joker, we're here to help you!" she tried to get through to him.
"His face," George breathed in shock, still trying to pull him back.
"It's his makeup, it makes it look worse," Ana hastily explained, still pushing against the wild clown.
"Boss, it's me! Ana!" she frantically called out to the Joker.
The Joker's eyes landed on Ana and rapidly scanned her face, taking in every detail and starting to recall where he was. His breathing started to slow down. His face went from feral to puzzled.
"Ana?" the Joker questioned, relaxing his weight against her hands. He glanced up at George who was still holding his shoulders. "Georgey boy?" he questioned again.
The Joker faced Ana again and stared at her, before letting out his signature giggle.
"What are you doing here?" he cocked his head to the side with a smug smirk.
Ana let out a sigh of relief and lowered her head momentarily.
"We're here to get you out," Ana smiled.
"Oh, am I the damsel in distress then?" he chuckled looking up at George and licking his scars.
"Kind of, yeah," George shrugged, looking over to Ana unsure how to answer. Ana let out a small chuckle.
"Well then," The Joker said as he rested both of his hands on his knees and pushed himself up. Ana and George stood up at the same time, ensuring their hands were close by.
As the Joker straightened up, a sudden wave of dizziness took over. He swayed on the spot and let out a groaning sound before his legs gave way. Ana and George immediately grabbed hold of him again, ensuring he didn't fall. Ana figured he must have lost a lot of blood, judging by his paling skin.
Or was that just paint?
George wrapped the Joker's right arm over his shoulder to hold him up, while Ana placed both of her hands on his chest to keep him steady.
As the Joker shook off the faint spell, he glanced down at Ana.
"Do I smell smoke?" he asked, ignoring his weakened position. Ana stared up at him.
"Probably, we might have accidentally caused a fire," Ana nervously explained. The Joker nodded and let out a chuckle before grinning down at his ex-henchwoman.
"Flawless as always," he mocked. Ana shook her head and scoffed.
"We have to get out of here, the building is going to go up any minute," she instructed. "This way," she signalled to the door that took them back to the corridor.
George followed, helping the Joker to walk. He struggled to put pressure on his left leg while his left arm hung limply to his side.
As they entered the corridor, the air felt hotter than when they were there last. There was a strange orange hue coming from the stairs.
"The only way is down," George worriedly observed, still holding onto the Joker. Ana glanced back at him with shared concern, then her eyes flickered to the Joker. She noticed him struggling to keep his eyes open. Blood continued to seep from his wounds.
"Here," she said moving to the Joker's left side and wrapping her arm around his waist to help carry him while he drifted in and out of consciousness. "We have to move now," Ana ordered George.
They all quickly moved down the staircase to the below level. The smoke was thicker and the window at the end of the corridor could faintly be seen. Flames and embers had started to engulf the walls, drawing closer to the trio.
There was no other way out. They had to go back down where they came from. Ana and George started to panic as they hobbled down the corridor, an unconscious Joker in tow.
The heat was unbearable, Ana could feel it sting her face and freshly burned arms. George let out a loud groan as he roasted.
"We can't do this!" he choked through the smoke.
"We have to!" Ana yelled back, feeling the sweat trickle down her forehead.
The floorboards creaked below them. The fire was spreading through the warehouse. Distance yells could be heard from the ground floor. There were hundreds of cases below, most filled with freebase cocaine. If the fire reaches them then the whole building will ignite.
Ana and George frantically hauled the Joker down the corridor.
"Stop right there!" a low voice called through the smoke. Ana and George gawked down the corridor at two henchmen standing there with their guns raised.
Ana and George stared in shock, their feet frozen to the floor.
"Get down!" George bellowed. He and Ana threw themselves down to the floor, the Joker falling with them.
Maroni's henchmen aimlessly opened fire into the flames, wanting to finish the job quickly before escaping the inferno. Ana let out a scream. She dropped her gun and covered her head while bullets splattered against the surrounding wood, metal, and brick.
She felt a sudden sharp stab as one ricocheted into her calf. Ana screamed at the immense pain.
George could be heard yelling as two bullets caught him, one in the waist and the other in his arm.
The bullets stopped firing. In a wave of panic and a rush for air, Ana rolled onto her back. She looked up, seeing an upside-down corridor and one of the henchmen walking towards her, aiming his gun at her head.
"No," she choked, staring with wide eyes, unable to move.
We were so close. This can't be it. This can't be the end.
Ana shut her eyes tightly, too afraid to stare at the barrel of a gun.
The Joker jolted next to her.
She opened her eyes again allowing the tears to escape them. Ana witnessed the Joker snatch her pistol off the floor and do a side roll ending on top of her in a crawl position – able to get a clearer shot.
Ana flinched and stared with wide eyes. He abruptly fired her gun, killing each of the henchmen with headshots.
Ana gawked up at the Joker. Her arms were raised to her chest and visibly shaking. The Joker looked down at her and stared at the trembling girl with a look of surprise.
Ana and the Joker's shared look lasted a moment too long before the creaking floorboards and burning walls interrupted them.
"Time to go," the Joker grinned before climbing off Ana and hobbling up to stand. George let out a pained wince as he struggled to stand. Ana shook off what just happened and jumped up on one leg.
She stared down at the corridor, the fury of the flames engulfing their only passage.
"We're trapped" Ana yelled in defeat.
"There's one other way out," The Joker wickedly grinned at the pair. Ana and George looked at each other in confusion. The Joker pointed down the corridor at the window gradually fading through the smoke.
Ana followed his gaze, her face dropping.
"Oh hell no, I'm not jumping out of any more buildings!" she barked. The Joker let out a laugh as if this was a game to play.
"Well well well, guess you'll have to stay here," he teased, jumping on the spot like an excited child.
Ana looked over to George in an attempt for him to back her up.
"It's the only way out," George called out. Ana let out a frustrated growl.
"Fine!" she threw her hands in the air and snapped her head to the others. "See you on the other side then," her voice trembled. Ana shook her head, trying to rally some bravery.
The Joker smiled at the girl. George nodded, accepting his fate
Simultaneously, the trio stared down the corridor and started to run. A combination of fire and adrenaline made their aches and pains disappear temporarily as their bodies readjusted to their final act of desperation.
Their feet pounded against the floorboards, avoiding the flames that were feasting on the wood below them. The walls loudly groaned giving way behind. Ana struggled to keep up with the others but willed herself to press on.
No going back. Past the point of no return.
Her heart was pounding heavily against her chest, readying itself to jump into her throat.
They all got nearer to the window. Closer and closer to the unbelievable.
Ana and George let out a cry while the Joker burst out in laughter. They raised their arms to protect their faces.
Faster and faster. No going back. Jump.
The trio threw their bodies into the glass. It shattered with a piercing crash.
Ana felt the air surround her. Her heart was in her throat and her stomach was in her chest. At that moment, she wondered how she could be feeling this for a third time. But the freefall ended abruptly as the gang crashed down onto the pavement two stories down.
Ana collided with the ground with a sickening thud.
The glass from the window was smashed across the concrete. Shards had penetrated Ana's skin as she lay there, trying to catch her breath and allowing the aches to reveal themselves.
She painfully and cautiously rolled onto her side, resting her head against the concrete. Heavily breathing.
Her eyes looked out in front of her, noticing the Joker lying on his front with his face turned to her. He seemed lost in a trance as he caught his breath until he clocked Ana staring at him and released a weak grin. It was like he was saying that he wanted to do that again.
Ana lightly shook her head in disbelief, not realising that a van was racing up behind them.
The abrupt screech of its wheels triggered the trio to start getting up. Ana, George and the Joker all started to painfully pick themselves off the floor. Glass and gravel fell off of their clothes.
The Joker held onto his left arm as he let out a breathy chuckle. Ana limped as she observed the surroundings, noticing that the yard was rid of Italians for now.
She looked up at the burning warehouse, the last trace of Isaac Baxter.
It was kind of poetic in a way.
The back van doors opened. George, hunched over, looked to see who from the base came to help them. Seeing a familiar face he stood up straight with a relieved smile.
Ana noticed his reaction and glanced over to the van. A small smile escaped her lips as she saw Duncan climb out. Locking eyes with Ana, he gave a stern expression but his eyes showed that he was pleased to see her.
Ana let out a sigh of relief and glanced back at the Joker.
"Let's go then," he nodded to Duncan, limping past Ana towards the van. Ana stared after him, her eyes digging into his back.
The Joker could feel it. He looked back at the girl and sucked his cheek.
"Well, are you coming?" he simply asked. Ana suddenly beamed and excitedly nodded before hobbling to the van.
After getting bandaged up by Derek, Ana walked down the familiar corridor on the top floor of the Joker's hideout. She felt her gunshot wound ache and the burns on her face and arms sting. Yet, being back at the base made her feel more alive than she had felt in a long time.
She sheepishly wandered towards the Joker's room at the end of the corridor. She was eager to know if she was allowed to rejoin the team again after 8 months of solitude. Knowing that Derek was busy with George, she knew the Joker would be alone.
"Joker?" she nervously called out as she knocked on his door. There was no answer. She knocked again.
"Come in," his raspy voice called from the other side. Ana swallowed a lump in her throat and let herself in.
Creaking the door open let in the light from the corridor. Ana peered into the room, noticing how the sunrise was beaming through the wooden boards, creating its own orange hue. The Joker's room hadn't changed much from the last time she'd seen it. His bed was sticking out of the left wall, while a dresser covered in knives sat at the back, and an adjacent bathroom was on the right.
The Joker was sitting on his bed, his bare back turned away from Ana. It revealed all the bruises and scars he endured. There were bandages wrapped around his waist and up his shoulder blade, freshly dressed by Derek.
"Erm, Joker," Ana walked in and shut the door behind her, "I just wanted to ask," She got closer to the clown but stopped in her tracks. She noticed him struggling to put on his shirt as his left arm was wrapped in a sling. He must have broken it or popped it out of its socket.
"Erm…" Ana caught herself.
"Yes?" The Joker cocked his head at her, clearly growing irritated. Ana paused for a moment, witnessing his failed attempt.
"Here," she started as she strode over and sat on the bed next to him. The Joker was taken aback by her sudden attentiveness but watched her keenly.
Ana took hold of his fresh shirt and started to feed his right arm through the sleeve. The Joker licked his scar as he allowed the girl to help him.
Ana glanced up at him, noticing that all his paint had been washed off, revealing the man behind the makeup once again. The beatings that he suffered were evident on his face. There was a gash on his forehead, bruises along his cheekbone, and a cut on his lip.
Ana held her breath before leaning closer to him and wrapping the shirt around his back. She gently tugged the left sleeve to comfortably rest on the Joker's left shoulder.
The Joker scanned her face as she drew closer to him, seeing the burns she got by saving him. He counted the freckles on her face while she wrapped his shirt around him, and noticed her familiar scent.
"I haven't thanked you yet," Ana interrupted his thoughts as she pulled away.
"Thanked me?" the Joker raised an eyebrow.
"For helping us escape. We were dead back there when they fired at us," Ana said, lowering her hands onto her lap and looking down.
"I was already dead had you not got me out," the Joker glanced down at her fiddling with her fingers.
"Well you're my Boss," Ana smiled back at the Joker. He scoffed as he admired the girl's loyalty.
"… Were my Boss," Ana's face dulled and she looked down in defeat once more.
The Joker sucked his inner cheek, sitting in their silence. Ana realised that their conversation had gone quiet. She glanced up at the Joker and locked eyes with him.
The same tired eyes stared back at her. Ana felt a knot in her chest as the words ran dry.
She felt as if she was stuck in a stare, her eyes flickered around the Joker's face, observing his scars in greater detail up close, and then looked back up to his heavy eyes. She let out a long breath as she tried to look away.
The Joker appeared calm watching her. He knew it was different not having her around the base these last several months. Ana felt a strange sense of ease with him next to her.
Before she could react, the Joker raised his right hand and slowly pressed his palm against Ana's cheek.
Ana froze instantly seeing it as a threat. Nothing has been what it seems these last few months. The Joker caressed her cheek his thumb. Ana's eyes widened as she stared back at the man, she let out a shaky breath.
There was this strong bolt of electricity between them. Ana's chest felt tight as she drew closer to him.
She pressed a hand against his bare chest and looked up at him once more before the warmth of his breath against her lips comforted her to close her eyes.
They shared a surprisingly soft kiss. An endless moment.
Ana pulled away, feeling the Joker's scarred lips separate from hers.
"Joker," she breathed, staring into his eyes. "I want to come back, but…" she leaned back further away from him, "I can't if this… if us," she let out a frustrated sigh.
The Joker stared at her in silence with a blank expression.
"All this has never been about that, about you and me. It's about out there. It's about all of this," Ana gestured to the boarded-up windows. "I want to come back, but not like this," she finished.
The Joker nodded slowly and pursed his lips, deep in thought.
Ana knew she had to leave before the Joker reacted unpredictably.
She stood up off the bed.
Using his good arm, the Joker violently snatched her forearm, Ana gasped and stared down at him.
The Joker deliberately stood up, instantly towering over her. Ana let out a trembling breath. His stern eyes glared down at her. There was a long silence as their eyes remained locked again. Ana couldn't predict his next move. She tried to contain her panic.
But then the Joker suddenly let go. Ana looked at her arm as it fell to her side and then glanced back at the Joker. His glare had disappeared. He seemed relaxed.
"It's your turn to keep watch tonight," he ordered as if nothing had happened, walking past her with his shirt draped over his shoulder.
Ana was confused for a moment, but then she let out a relieved sigh with the tiniest smile.
"Yes, Boss," she acknowledged, glancing back at him as he wandered towards his dresser. Ana walked away from the Joker, revealing a beaming smile.
She was back. She was the Joker's henchwoman once again.