*J* (the continuation)

Part Forty: Chapter 298: 300

Wow! So a big milestone has been met. This is chapter 300! And in just a few days it'll be 3 years since I posted the very first chapter of this epic story. God it has been a ride. You wouldn't believe how many points my IQ has probably gone up writing this. And hopefully I've taught you at least one thing to take with you. Thank you to each and every one of you who has read all 300 chapters. If you binge read this, huge thanks! I'm honored to have written something you just couldn't put down. And those of you that leave a review, you are what keeps me going. What keeps this story moving forward. And don't worry, this story isn't over yet.

In celebration of 300 chapters, this one is actually three chapters rolled into one. All the events happen in the same day. So I'll leave you to it...

The Uber driver was paid for by Ace. The clown quartet walks into an antique store in the heart of the east end. This wasn't what one normally thinks an antique store to be. The antiques in this store were mostly cheap knock-offs or massly reproduced. What handful of antiques actually present were mostly broken or full of scratches and chips. Not that their price tags reflected the deductions of their depreciations. All items had a pricetag that most would argue, is too high.

However, the store owner, an elderly man named Ennis, wasn't making his living off the junk he was attempting to sell. No. This old gentleman made his money by keeping the antique store open as a front for laundering the Joker's money. In addition he keeps a safe in the floor that harbours about five million of the Joker's money at all times. And for a job of such importance, the Joker paid well.

"Hiya Ennis," Harley gleefully waves at him.

The old man's eyebrows quickly crease on his wrinkled forehead. "M-Miss," he nods.

Jester could tell that something was off. The old man was nervous, sure, but this was more than just that. The old man's skin seemed to have lightened by three shades at least. Was he in need of a doctor? Or was he scared?

"So w-what brings you by Miss Quinn?" The old man reluctantly walks over to them. His eyes glance at Jester a moment, then back to Harley. Did he think Jester was Joker? Was that the source of his fear?

Jester glances at Ace who was flipping through a nearby "antique" book. Ace didn't seem nervous. Nor did he show any signs that the old man couldn't be trusted. Jester knew Ace had been here before. Many times likely. He knew the old man and trusted him.

"Ennis, I jus need ta grab a lil shoppin' money. Totally slipped my mind. You were closer than goin allllll that way back ta my place," Harley explained. And quite believably. Yet, his actions still left Jester feeling on edge.

"I-Im truely sorry Miss...b-but Mr. J..."

But Harley quickly interrupts him, "Won't even know I wuz here. It ain't like he's gonna miss it," she says and tries to move past the old man.

He takes her arm, "Miss Quinn, it's no use," he gives her a shrug.

"What?" She asks.

"M-Mr. J ordered that your privaledges be revoked. As well as his brothers, which I assume this is," he nods at Jester.

Harley turns on the smile, "Oh Ennis, how much do ya want? I'll get it fer ya."

"You know I can't Miss. He-he'd kill me if he found out I..."

"Who's gonna tell him? Not us! Cross my heart an hope ta die!" Harley states dramatically as she crossed an invisible X across her heart. But the old man is unswayed.

Jester rolls his eyes, and before he even realizes it, he has a gun pressed into the old man's temple. "And if you don't help us, I'm gonna kill you," he says with a cold and uncaring voice.