I sat in the back of the black van. Surrounded by behemoths. Just some of the most giant men I had ever seen. And Thomas Schiff. Not a giant. He only talked to himself, facing the wall of the van, eyes unfocused as he giggled along to his own jokes.

He gave me the fucking creeps. I didn't want to be near him. But, I tried to hide it, not wanting to seem weak around these assholes, who watched me like a venomous snake- wondering at the girl in a full ski mask, rich black hair tucked through a ponytail hole. The girl who followed their boss from his bedroom. It was awkward, for sure, but they seemed to be in shock, preventing them from making any faux pas that would piss me off too badly.

Frost slid the door open, sidling in beside me, rolling his eyes as he glanced around the van. Thanks, Johnny. I leaned my head on his shoulder. He patted my knee affectionately through my dark jeans. Taking the blame for Pam that night at the club had been enough for him to view me as a friend. He was a quiet, but calming balm to my nerves. I understood why J liked him so much. He reminded me a bit of Jervis, though not so much in personality, just the sort of… understanding aura he carries. Makes you want to trust him, even when maybe you shouldn't. Something in his… at first sleezy looking face, made you want to be friends with him. We sat that way for a long time, waiting for J to finish his prep, a phone call outside the vehicle that went on for a long time.

Today was the day, and I could not be more excited. The adrenaline rush from my foray into get-away driving had left me itching, though I hadn't realized it at the time. I was trembling, the excitement burning through my epidermis with ease- leaving me a tingling bundle of nerves, electricity flowing through my very fingertips. I lifted my cherry vape, taking a heavy pull, sighing out the vapor as the nicotine flooded my mind, loosening my muscles- making me grin, kicking my feet.

"Are you ready, kids?" J suddenly asked from the back of the van, jerking his thumb out the back, eyes on Johnny, who stood, collecting the keys from him, and making his way to the driver's seat.

"Aye-Aye Captain!" I grinned, and he rolled his eyes, climbing in next to me. He plucked the vape from my hand with two fingers, sliding it into his pocket, before retrieving a cigarette, and placing it on my lip.

"None of that sweet-smelling stuff near the guys," He whispered. "Don't wanna spoil them."

"Nah, just choke them to death." I giggled as he lit it, quickly lighting his own, causing us to fill the van with smoke quickly. The men said nothing. Because of course, they didn't.

"Are you ready?" He asked, seriously.

"You still haven't told me what I'm doing?" I protested, and he sighed, rolling his eyes.

"Having fun- Duh." He could tell I was about to protest, but he covered my mouth with his hand, making me roll my eyes. "Stay near me, do as I say when I say it. You'll do great. Do you trust me?"

"Yes." I think so.

"Good." He leaned back. "As long as that's true, you have nothing to worry about."

"Fair enough," I leaned on him, on edge again, but trying to avoid embarrassing him. I knew it was inappropriate, and that he had his reputation to think of, the big bad Joker. Having a girl dripping off of him like honey may not be the look he's going for.

"Why are you so far away?" J gripped my hip, pulling me into his lap with a grunt. I looked up at him with wide eyes, only for him to tuck my head into the hollow of his throat. "Sorry. But. Look at them, they're about to have an aneurysm." He whispered into my ear, and I giggled, kissing up and down his neck. Part of me found the display demeaning, but the rest of me took it in good fun. I glanced out at the men and found that he was correct, one of them gaped openly, while two of them kept their eyes on the floor, eyebrows on their hairline. Schiff smiled at me from the corner, from ear to ear. Creepy fuck. I laughed again, taking his earlobe between my teeth.

"You're so mean,"

"Don't pretend you don't love it." His hand played with the edge of my purple t-shirt, riding up in the back to expose pale skin.

"I'm not," I kissed his neck again, not realizing in the moment what I had said.


Inside the facility, J sent the men sprawling after they executed the Night Watchmen gathered near the gate. I followed him closely, along with Johnny, on his right flank. Through countless hallways, backrooms, and offices that he blew apart, tossing everything into bags that he packed through the facility, I helped him, grabbing anything that seemed important, glad for my thick gloves. Everything I laid eyes on was a dull shade of beige or a flat grey that was just as ugly.

Finally, after what felt like years, we found a lab. J hooted, swinging open the door. I began gathering everything I could, careful to only take sealed bottles, dividing the layers in the bag with lab coats that had been discarded throughout the room, as I was zipping the final bag- there were sounds of struggle below. I froze, listening- and my eyes shot up to J- who was giggling uncontrollably.

"He's here." He whispered, before cackling- bringing him right down on our asses.

What do we do? My eyes went to J, only to flash over to Johnny flying through one of the side doors, running as though he knew exactly where he was going. I looked back at J who grinned back at me. "Run, baby run."

"You want me to just leave you here?" I asked incredulously

"I want you to trust me." He grinned. "You said you trust me, right?"

I took a breath, biting my lip- knowing I had seconds to decide if that. His eyebrow quirked, eyes narrowing, but I spun, racing after Johnny, like my life depended on it.

"J!" I shouted, tossing one last bit of advice over my shoulder. "You're a fucking asshole!" I had enough time to hear him start to laugh before a door slammed behind me, nearly cutting off the sound entirely.

I sprinted after Johnny, hearing a muted fight begin behind me. I ran down flight after flight of stairs, finding myself at an emergency exit that I pushed through without hesitation.

I made it to the van fast, sliding in beside Frost, who started it immediately.

"What are you doing?" I cried as he peeled away from the facility, crashing through the gate we had carefully closed behind us on the way in. I turned to eye the building disappearing quickly behind us.

"Following the plan."

"What about—" I stopped. "He wanted to be left behind?!"

Johnny didn't answer, though he winced when he looked over to where I glaring at him with venomous eyes. No wonder he didn't tell me.


The vigilante made his way towards the manic laughter, emanating from above him. Slamming open the doors to the lab, his eyes swept the dark room, the criminals had cut the power, hoping to avoid detection he was sure. Suddenly, he received a blow to the back of the head- and a devastating one- if he had not been wearing the suit. As it was he simply fell to the ground- head spinning momentarily.

"Sorry, Batty-Boy, but I owed you that one, and you know it." The Joker sighed, stepping forward to bring the board he had worked loose from one of the tables onto his head again, before littering his torso with a dozen more, in rapid succession.

Batman sent a projectile into the man's arm- making him drop the board, before he tackled him to the ground, arm pressed to the terrorist's neck.

"God- you're pissy–"

"Where is Dr. Quinzel?" The vigilante growled.

"Who?" The clown asked earnestly, and the other man shook him by the lapels, a closed fist his reward for playing dumb. "Oh! I remember. Blonde. Pretty. So soft. A shame, really. She didn't last one round of playtime." He faux pouted, giggling through it. "I thought she would be sturdier."

The Bat didn't take well to this answer- sending another flurry of blows to the clown's face and chest, before his laughter stopped him, uproarious and coming from his bloody mouth with a glee that gave him pause.

"I get it, now!" He cackled. "You know her! God, how does everyone in this fucking city know the woman? It's infuriating." The present tense was not lost on Bruce, shaking the man again.

"Where is Dr. Quinzel?" His voice was a shout.

"Could be at the bottom of the river," He considered, "Could still be handcuffed to my bed. Hey- here's a game, which of those do you think is the worse option? Do you think she would agree?"

"No games- Where is she?"

"No games? Have you forgotten who you're talking to?" He spit, grinning. "There is always a game. You just don't know how to play yet."

"Tell me!"

"Never! Get your own girl!" He giggled. "I went through great pains to make sure she was single, Batsy! Or rather, her ex-lover did."

"Is that what you think? Is that what you're telling her to try to break her like you did Dent? You're wrong."

The clown's eyes darkened though his smile didn't yet falter. "What?"

"Jack Ryder is alive, Joker. You failed."

"I ripped his fucking guts out. And he lived?" Joker spit, lips curled into a snarl that showed his true nature, before some realization seemed to hit him, making his eyes shoot wide, before he cackled again, "Oh- Batsy, That is good. This is gonna be so good."

"What's funny, Clown?"

"I just realized... I get to kill him all over again!" He finally got out between laughs. "Like it wasn't satisfying enough the first time."

"Where is Doctor Quinzel, Joker? This is the last time I'm asking."

"Oh, please. If you had the guts for that kind of fun, you'd have done it already. Probably after the incident with… What was the brunette's name? I forget– but really, Bats, you could do much better." The insult led to another blow, this time to the clown's nose- breaking it. His tone was nasal as he continued. "Still a sore subject, I see." He giggled.

"Tell me where to find Dr. Quinzel—"

"What makes you think Harley wants to be found?" He murmured, though his voice quickly became a shout, grinning around bloodied teeth. "Maybe you're too late? Maybe I already broke her already. Maybe she likes me!"

Bruce glared down at him, hating the familiarity that he spoke of his college friend with.

"You're disgusting. A terrorist. What makes you think you could offer her anything but death, and pain?"

The Bat did not yet know the man well enough to see the subtle tensing in his shoulders, so to him, the clown looked unphased by the question. Instead, he licked his lips, allowing his face to fall into a wide, unbothered grin, with heavy eyes. "A good time?"

The Vigilante lifted the terrorist, sedating him before cuffing him, something he learned to do the last time he had attempted to bring him in. The sneaky bastard slipped the cuffs, tucked, and rolled out of the Tumbler- somehow- despite the door being locked. He threw him into the back of the car– choosing to transport him to the MCU himself. If anyone could get the information out of Joker, it would be Jim.


"Dr. Harleen Quinzel, overseeing the treatment of Patient 4479, AKA John Doe, AKA The Joker, AKA Mr. J for treatment purposes. You seem chipper today. Are you having a good day, Mr. J?" Jim heard a small smile in the Doctor's voice, and he watched the clown pounce on it.

"Always am when I get to see my best gal pal." His eyes danced with mirth, making Jim's stomach turn, wondering where the woman would be found. And in what state? There was no way Jim wanted to ponder what sort of personal reasons the clown would have for taking the woman.

Jeremiah had gotten back to him and explained that Dr. Quinzel did not feel comfortable continuing the video sessions, believing that putting the Joker on camera was working against her treatment plan with him. Something that Jim knew objectively may be true… but… Something about the reasoning read as an excuse to him.

"Are you threatening me?" Jim looked up in shock eyeing the screen, where the green-haired man sat, grinning maliciously. His jaw dropped at the criminal's response.

"No, no," The terrorist shook his head. "Can't rape the willing, after all."

Jim's stomach turned, squinting at the screen, he watched as the woman tried to take hold of the session, the clown's eyes remaining light and playful, right up until she mentioned that she would be busy for the week- they widened then, hands coming up as if to reason with the unreasonable. His hands dropped, eyes going dead as the guards stepped into the room. His eyes stayed fixed behind the camera the entire time he was being removed. Jim shivered, wondering how the woman must have felt at that moment. He didn't have to wonder long, her low expletive the last audio on the tape, before her heels could be heard clicking up to the camera, lips a taut thin line as she shut it off.

"Jim. You're gonna wanna see this." Bullock shouted, and Jim cursed under his breath, wondering what fresh hell had been served to him steaming and stinking now.

What he found instead was a gift. Wrapped up for him tightly, The clown was slouched over, unconscious, with his arms restrained. Jim nearly chuckled at the sight, before nodding at his men to bring the criminal inside. It's gonna be a long night.


Jack woke with a start, trembling as he looked up to see Eddie sitting in the chair ahead of him. The red-headed man had lost weight even since last he had seen him, appearing gaunt, and making his wide blue eyes all the more disturbing on his unnaturally pale face. Something only exaggerated by the man's new schedule, working exclusively from home, and devoting all his time away from the job to finding his sisters.

Plural. Something he had taken up saying since Harley's disappearance, using her lack of living relatives, and his lack of father-worth-a-fuck to game the system into allowing him up-to-date access on her case, at the GCPD. He had been working tirelessly, though he had stopped updating Jack early on, saying that he was hitting dead ends.

What Jack didn't know was that Ed stopped updating him because that was when he began having to work against the police. He was unsure why Harley was driving a getaway vehicle for Joker, but the CCTV footage had caught her clearly, in two separate intersections.

Ed had corrupted the footage, and several hours before and after, to avoid suspicion. Unfortunately, cameras had lost the car through an alley, and Ed was unable to make a positive ID a second time. He wondered what would drive Harley, someone with only contempt for her former patient, especially after his stunt with the box of bones, and could come up with only one possible reason.

Pam.

He had taken her and was using her to manipulate or control Harley somehow. The question was how? And how to stop the bastard. And to prevent the police from ever finding out. They wouldn't understand the sacrifice she was making, viewing only the crime. He had seen it happen again and again. Reasons don't matter. Only the rules.

"Eddie? Did you—"

"They caught him."

"What?" Jack sat up, eyes wide. "Did–"

"Not yet." He shook his head. "He's still out. Bat brought him in I think. Robbing some Lab outside the city."

"But they got him…" Jack's thoughts were clear. With Joker back in the MCU, he was away from Harley. What he wasn't considering, that Ed had, was the possibility that Joker's men have orders to kill her, should he be captured. Something Eddie had found disgruntling. The only thing that stopped him from breaking under the weight of failure was that he would be advertising his cruelty if that was all he was after. He had a plan for Harley, and possibly Pam as well— hopefully, Eddie would be able to cover their asses until he found a way to extract them from the complex web the clown weaved.

"Yes, Jack. When he is awake the cops are going to question him."

"That's– That's— I need to see him." The man sat up before falling back into bed with a cry.

"Yeah, even if you hadn't ripped your stitches open twice this week, they would not let you near him. Under no circumstances. You're just gonna have to trust—"

"That's not good enough." The man growled, eyes gleaming. Ed sat back in his seat, watching Jack with darkly curious eyes. With his mild-mannered act cracking, Ed wondered what else he had missed, just because he didn't look past the surface of Mr. Ryder's performance. I knew I didn't like you.

"It has to be. For now."

"You were looking into-"

"Jack. There is nothing there. I've been looking, but—"

"Look harder."

Eddie took a deep breath, telling himself to remain calm. "Well, on that note. I do need to leave. It's time for me to get back to work."

"Wait!" His tone was suddenly desperate again. "You'll… keep me updated right? I swear, I'm losing it in here, man. I feel so… useless."

Eddie sighed, pity in his chest only momentarily overcoming the condescension. "Sure, Jack. I'll keep you updated. Try to relax, get some sleep. You look like shit."

"As if you're sleeping." He grumbled under his breath as Eddie left the room.


"So what now?" I asked, pacing the shitty beige hotel room Johnny had checked us into after the incident. I had been growling and shouting at him since we got here, demanding to know why I wasn't informed, though his tone stayed contrite, he only ever answered 'because J said not to.' Eventually, I got tired of the back and forth and settled on cursing Joker to the depths of hell. That took a while, as well. With that finally out of my system, and my face hopefully returning to a normal shade, it was ready for the next step.

Johnny shrugged, leaning back in the hotel chair. "We wait."

"Wait?"

"Yep."

"For what?"

"To hear from J."

"Well, J is gonna be heading back to Arkham today," I growled. "Because we left him there."

Johnny looked up at me tiredly. "Are you gonna hit me?"

"What?"

"I just wanna know so I can be ready. I won't be mad, but I'd rather see it coming."

I sighed heavily, sitting on the bed. "No. I'm not gonna hit you. You aren't the one I'm pissed at."

He nodded, smiling tightly. "You get used to it."

"Maybe I don't fucking want to," I growled. God knows who they'll assign him to at Arkham. What kind of treatment will he be subjected to? If Jerimiah got his way they would drug him into a stupor. Or lobotomize him. I shivered, grateful at least that the second of the two wasn't a valid concern. "Maybe I'm fucking sick of it already."

"Miss Harley—"

"Shut the fuck up. I'm thinking."

And with me still considered a 'hostage' god knows what kind of interrogations they'll be doing. People really were quite bloodthirsty when it came to public figures they formed parasocial relationships with. I was sure his mug shot could come out with no teeth and one eye, and the public would look the other way. Bastards.

"Fuck this. Fuck him. He thinks I should just..." I stood, glaring at Johnny shaking my head in anger. "What? Put my life on hold until he decides it's time to leave Arkham? That I should just play a good little kept dolly, and wait for him in a dirty goddamn motel? Like some used-up old trick? No. Absolutely not. Not in this life." I laughed, meanly. "I am going home, Johnny. Where I belong. So I get back to my fucking life."

"Miss Harley—"

"No." I held up a hand. "Do you have orders to keep me here?"

"No, but—"

"Then I would like to go home now."

"Hey, I don't know—" He seemed uncomfortable, but I cut him off again anyway.

"Do I need to fight you, Johnny?" I glared at him, from across the room. "I don't want to."

"No." He held up his hands in surrender, wide eyes showing that he had no aggressive intent. "I just… are you sure?"

"Yes." I have to be.