She's Sunshine, She's Grace, She'll Punch You in the Face

Chapter 57: Arkham

Ladybird was waiting in the Batcave with Oracle for everyone else to suit up when the two girls heard a notification go off on the Bat Computer. The red head rolled her chair up to the desk and clicked onto the alert. The bluenette watched as her face went grim.

"This isn't good. The alarms were set off at Arkham. Something's happening."

Oracle began to rapidly tap on the keyboard as Batman and Nightwing walked up.

"What's going on?" Batman spoke in a stern voice.

"The commissioner is calling. Give me a sec." Oracle pressed a few more buttons and rolled out of the way of view from their own camera before Jim's face appeared into the giant screen.

Arkham could just barely be seen in the background and deafening sirens could be heard coming through the speakers. A small pillar of smoke could also be seen off in the distance.

"Glad I caught you." Jim spoke up. "It's the Joker. He has coordinated an attack with other inmates to bust out. We have them all surrounded but they somehow blew off one of the back doors to the building. They have taken some of the staff members as hostages. We need you ASAP."

"We are on our way commissioner." Batman nodded.

Just at Jim hung up the call, another incoming call seemed to be coming through.

"It's Harley." Oracle said.

"Answer it. She knows this line is for emergency's only." Batman had the most determined look about him.

When Oracle answered the call, Harley could be seen in the passenger side of a car with Ivy driving. They were clearly going fast.

"Hiya Bats. We got some bad news." She spoke in a high-pitched voice before looking into her camera and waving. "Oh, Hi there new girl!" She waved.

Ladybird softly waved as Batman answered her. "Does this have something to do with the current situation at Arkham?"

The rest of the team finally walked up to meet with them at the Bat Computer.

"Sure is, Bats. We caught wind of Jokers plans n' we are comin' tah help." She smiled brightly.

"Yeah." Ivy nodded from the drivers' seat. "That clown clearly hasn't learned his lesson from the last time but he has been smart enough to get some help this time."

"Switch the view to the vehicles. Let's head out." He grabbed an ear piece and turned around to waked off to the vehicles. "What do you two know?" He asked once inside the Batmobile. Harley's face was now on the dashboard of the vehicle.

Ladybird quickly grabbed an ear piece with the rest of them and followed everyone to the vehicles. Nightwing, Robin and Red Hood each got onto their respective motorcycles while Red Robin got into the Batmobile with Batman.

"Well one of the gals we help out said that her ex was caught back up into Penguins crew." As she talked, Batman looked at Ladybird and pointed to Robin's motorcycle. She nodded had climbed onto the back as they set off. Harley could be heard in her ear piece and Harleys face was on a small screen on the motorcycle's dash. She had to look over the side of Robins shoulder to see her.

"She said she was afraid that he might get into even more trouble. He's not worth it if ya ask me. Penguins crew along with Scarecrow, Two Face and Jokers' are teamin' up for an outwards assault on Arkham in ten minutes. She said that one of their warehouses were hit but that three were still operational. I'm assumin' that was you guys that got the one."

"Correct." Batman said over the comms. "Ladybird and I took it down the other day. Looks like there was more that we weren't aware of."

"Well we will be at Arkham in about a minute or two." Ivy spoke up. "The cops have the place surrounded I'm guessing?"

"Yes. When you get there, find the commissioner and tell him I sent you. If he doesn't believe you just say the word coffee. He'll understand."

"Coffee?" Harley asked. "Awe, how cute, Red! Bats has codewords for Jim."

"You'll beat us there." Batman ignored Harley. "We will see you in five. No killing."

"Okie dokie, B-man. See ya soon!" She waved before hanging up.

The team rode in silence all the way to Arkham. Upon arrival, Ladybird noticed that the asylum was fenced off all the way around. She saw the pillar of smoke that must be coming from the back door that was blown off. The loud siren was still going off from inside the building and police cars circled all around. Men were stationed in lookout towers with rifles and large spotlights that were sweeping the yard. One car looked different from the rest of the police cruisers and she assumed that this was the car that Ivy and Harley must have arrived in.

Hopping off the bike, she followed the rest of the team to meet up with the commissioner who was talking with Harley. Once Jim caught sight of Batman, he waved him over.

"There you are. Are you sure these ladies are here to help again?" Jim raised an eyebrow.

"Hey, I worked here for years, remember? I know this place like the back of my hand!" Harley defended herself. "Plus, no one hates the Joker quite like I do."

"I trust that they are here to help and we need all the help we can get. Expect people to charge from the outside as well as the inside at the top of the hour."

As Batman spoke to Jim to catch him up on the situation, Ivy stared at Ladybird with shock for a moment before softly smiling at her. Breaking off from Harley and Batman, she made her way to Ladybird who was standing next to Robin, intently listening to get all the information she could.

"Hello, Marigold." She whispered in her ear. "It's so lovely to see you again."

Ladybird snapped her head towards Ivy with surprise. "What?" She whispered back as Robin tensed up at the situation that only he and Ladybird could hear.

"Oh, don't worry sweetheart." Ivy gave the bluenette a soft smile as she patted her shoulder. "Your secret is safe with me. You mind if I stick with you during this fight? You would be a real big help to me."

"Uh, I guess." She chuckled nervously. "As long as Batman is okay with it."