Keeping Secrets

×Chapter TWO×

CW: lime later in the chapter

-

It was late, and cold out. Arthurs breath fogged up behind the shitty plastic clown mask Joker had him wearing to hide his identity, which was causing a lot of gross condensation. He was beginning to regret not wearing more, since his jeans and hoodie weren’t doing much to help him to stay warm. He was walking through the crowd, mostly inconspicuous, he was pretty sure no one noticed him with his hood up and head down. He had both detonators on him, and was being really careful as he moved, since he was really anxious and terrified about accidentally triggering them and causing the boats to blow up. He wasn’t sure why the Joker had given him such an important and sensitive task to perform, since he was sure the other man could tell how shaky he got when he was put under pressure. And this? This was a lot of pressure to be putting on him.

He scanned the crowd for anyone who looked like they’d be an easy target for planting the first bomb, and noticed a woman carrying an open purse. She wasn’t really paying attention, so he made his way over as quickly as he could without drawing suspicion to himself, and swiftly dropped the box into her purse as he walked by, and got out of the crowd. He took his mask off and tossed it aside. His heart was pounding. He couldn’t believe what he was doing. It was all so sudden and exciting, so much going on, and so much responsibility put in his hands. He only hoped that the Joker wouldn’t leave him stranded out here. He knew where to meet afterwards, of course, but what if he wasn’t there? What if he ratted Arthur out and threw him under the bus? So many scenarios going through his muddled mind, fear and anxiety strangling him and keeping him from thinking clearly.

He approached the guy who was standing by seeing all the prisoners onto the second boat, and with his head down and back turned, tapped his shoulder. The guy turned, clearly confused, and Arthur handed him the other box, saying in a shaky voice as he used his anxiety to help him act out fear, “the captain of the other ship told me to give you this.” The guy seemed a bit suspicious, but took it with a nod, and got on the boat after the last few criminals without opening it. He had completed his part of this mission, and swiftly took off back to the meeting spot. His lungs were burning as he ran, since he’d been breathing really hard the entire time or barely breathing at all. It was painful to say the least, but he did what he had to do, and forced himself to perform his task regardless of how much it fucked with his head. And it really fucked with his head.

He climbed up to where Joker told him he’d be, panting hard by the time he gets up there, and groaning as he approaches the other man, who was sitting in the dark, his excitement brewing like a child the night before Christmas. Between each heavy gasping breath, Arthur sputters out an agitated and extremely winded, “did you, really, have to. Ugh. Have us meet up here?” He asks, gasping and clutching his chest. All those cigarettes were finally catching up with him and kicking his ass hard. He stands a few yards behind Joker, staring at him as he awaits a response, though the distance was because of the fact he was still pretty anxious about working with this clearly mentally deranged lunatic.

“Of course, it’s the last place anyone would look. Now, is everything in place?” Arthur nodded, still shaking from the cold and pressure. This caused the maniac to laugh like a hyena, and Arthur to tense in response. He calmed down, holding his stomach as Arthur simultaneously gripped his own sweater loosely. “And here, we, go.” He spaced out his words to emphasize the timing as he called through the ship’s speakers. Making the ships stop in place, they each were now floating several yards away from each other, stuck on the clear dark water. He knew by now that each detonator was discovered. He cleared his throat as Arthur watched in awe. Not knowing what to do but to stand there.

“Tonight, you’re all going to be a part of a social experiment that’ll blow everyone sky high. Anyone attempts to get off their boat, you all die.” He paused, walking back and forth as he talked. “Each of you has a remote, blow up the other boat.” He then stood next to the open areas that faced the waters, staring down at the boat that was miles away from them. “At midnight, I blow you all up. If however one of you presses the button, I’ll let you live.” He smiled as his voice remained calm, he then turned to Arthur, a smile on his face. “So who’s it gonna be? Harvey Dent’s most wanted scumbag collection, orrr the sweet innocent civilians? You choose.” He then looked back at the opening. “Oh, and you might wanna decide quickly because the people on the other boat may not be quite so noble.” He then hung up, laughing crazily at the situation.