The Joker's Daughter [Wattys]

Chapter Three: The Brave Man

Sometimes following your heart means loosing your mind

-unknown

The minutes in the car turned into hours. Have I made a terrible mistake? No. Something told me to go with it. It's right. I can feel it.

I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket. I completely forgot I had that too. The dusty screen read a number that I instantly recognized as my dad, but I call him Oliver. I call him by his first name and didn't even save him as a contact. That's how ashamed I am to call that thing my dad. My heart dropped. I laughed and threw it out the car window. I was born in the wrong generation anyway- I didn't need that thing. I stuck my head out that window like an animal just to feel the wind on my face. Freedom.

The driver joined in my laughter. "Who are you anyway?!"

"The names Johnny Frost. I'm the Joker's right hand man." Impressive. "Wow. How did that go down?"

"Don't you want to know where we're going?"

"Ah- no not really," I giggled.

He smiled and began from the start of how he met the Joker in the first place. He explained how he volunteered to pick him up from Arkham Asylum a few months ago. Then he told me about the Joker's plan to take his city back. I found it odd that Johnny would be his number one guy because he was much less giddy than him.

"Wait. I don't understand. What does this have to do with me? What does he need me for?"

"Well you're his kid."

Not this bullshit again. Another looney toon. I chose to stay quiet for the rest of the ride.

Don't get me wrong I'm excited but I just want to figure this all out.

I looked out the window to find that we probably weren't even in Gotham anymore. It was just an empty freeway we were driving on. I kept the Smashing Pumpkins playing on my iPod to keep me from overthinking. Soon enough, we pulled up to a large, abandoned building. At least I thought it was abandoned. There wasn't much around other than some restaurants, motels, and gas stations. So these are the cracks people like the Joker always slip into that people like the Batman miss. I really hope my life doesn't take an Alfred Hitchcock turn here.

He pulled up to a gate in the back and pressed a button on an intercom. "Yeah?"
"It's Frost. Let me in."
"Sorry we don't know a 'Frost'"
Johnny sighed. "Why so serious?" He said.
"Ah, yes nevermind, it appears we do have a 'Frost' on the list," the voice rang back from the intercom in a mockingly proper voice. Note to self: that's the code to get in. Could be useful sometime.

We exited the car when Johnny led me to a large metal door. He told me if I needed anything that he is the guy to trust and not any of the other guys. Truth is, I won't trust anyone. Once he opened the door, the entire room went silent. By entire room- I mean maybe 40 men, some playing pool or cards, working out, now staring in my direction. Out of all of them, a bigger guy in faded clown makeup walked up to me. "So. Is this the reason thirty of our men got arrested?" I'm not a this, I'm a fucking girl. "Where's the boss?" Johnny asked in a stern response. "Ain't here yet. Now who is she?"

"This is Alethia. Now will you go make use of your time and quit talking to me that way? You know if the boss were to walk in here right now, You'd end up eating out of a straw."

"One day Frost, I swear, when I'm done here, I'm going to kill you," the burly man said.

"Ah ah ah. I don't think so." A familiar voice rang through the already silent room. Somehow, the Joker managed to make the room even quieter. My heart leaped when a loud gunshot went off from one of Joker's men behind him to the burly man. "Another move like that and my next shot will kill you. Okay?" How did he come in with out anyone noticing? Damn. The cherry on top was The smile when he said 'okay?'