Beep. Beep. Beep.
Beep. Beep. Beep.
I groaned.
“What the hell?” I opened my eyes at the sound of my alarm clock going off. My eyes adjusted and I looked at the flashing red numbers. Eleven thirty. Eleven thirty! I opened my eyes and fell out of bed.
“Shit!” I scrambled to my feet and looked for my work clothes. They were sitting neatly on my dressing table. ‘Did I put them there?’ I shook my head not really caring as I stripped off and hurriedly put on my work uniform.
The time was quarter to twelve as I glanced at the clock on my way to the garage.
“Shit! Shit! Shit!”
I jumped on my bike without my helmet or gear and took off.
“Stupid Joker! If I see him again I’ll break his arm … shit what now?” I had a police car behind me asking me to pull over.
I sped up.
He did too.
‘Well this is fucking fantastic.’ I was in no mood for any of this. There was an ally way to my left big enough for me but not for him. I swerved to my left and left the car on the road, he was yelling at me to stop.
‘Nope you want me to stop you have to catch me.’ I smirked.
I got to work two minutes late and snuck in without anyone noticing, well almost anyone.
“Late are we?”
I spun around and glared at Bruce.
“Do I have to get a restraining order?”
He smirked.
“I’ll just have a beer.” He ignored my remark.
I walked off to get him his beer from behind the bar, why was he here anyway? My douse bag of a boss was there waiting for me.
“Hello Mark.” I said dully.
“Hello Sarah.”
He always had this greasy appeal about him that I disliked and whenever he tried to get me to sleep with him his efforts made my skin crawl. ‘I’d rather have the Joker hitting on … no.’
Mark opened his mouth to cover me with his verbal diarrhoea.
“Excuse me miss can I have that beer please.” Bruce called out to me.
‘Thank you Bruce.’
I smiled a fake apologetic smile before going over to give his Bruce his beer.
“This one’s for free.” I smiled a genuine smile at him.
“Sit down.” He gestured to the seat opposite him.
“I guess I can spare a few minutes.” I sat down and waited for him to continue.
“What did you think of the party.”
I smirked.
“It was alright, but if you’re going to just ask me about the party I’m afraid I’ve got work to do.”
He smiled.
“No, I was about to ask you if you’re feeling alright.” He leaned forward, “you left rather early.”
“Oh that’s all.” I laughed, “yeah I’m fine, I was just tired.”
“Ok and I heard the Joker broke out of Arkham yesterday.”
‘Oh.’ On the inside I was interested about what this had to do with my, but I kept my expression blank.
“I hadn’t heard about that.
Bruce nodded like he was pleased with that answer.
“Ok well just be careful.”
“Always am.” I smiled and got up from the seat and went to serve the other costumers that were filing in.
The night was slow; I served the usual and tried to be polite.
“How are you all tonight?” My smile was fake but in their drunken state they didn’t notice.
“We’re good.” They cheered.
I placed their rounds on the table and left to get the next one from the fridge.
It was silent out the back. I felt the same feeling in my gut that I felt last night.
My phone vibrated in my back pocket and I looked at the text.
Thank you for last night I had a wonderful time.
Hehe.
Hope to do it again soon. Haha.
-J
My eyes went wide. ‘How the hell did you get my number?’
My phone buzzed again.
Meet me in five minutes at the dock.
Urgent.
I sighed; it seemed everyone was testing my ability to stay on time. What the hell does Jonathan want now?
“Sarah?” it was Bruce.
‘Why won’t he leave me alone?’ my thoughts turned bitter.
“Look I’m sorry but I have to go.” I rushed past him and took off on my bike to meet my brother.
There was no one at the dock when I finally came to a stop; Jonathan’s van was parked near the door to the dock.
Everything was too quiet for my liking as I walked to the door and pushed it open a jar so I could just see the inside of the boat house.
“Jonathan?” I called in a hushed whisper, there was no response.
I didn’t like this one little bit.
My hand went to my switch blade and I opened the door even more and stepped inside; a bright light shone in the middle of the room, lighting up a figure tied to a fold out chair. At first I couldn’t tell who it was but when they looked up at me I recognized my brother, Jonathan.
I called to him as I sprinted to him.
“Jonathan.” He was bleeding from his forehead and his hand had been tied with wire so it was cutting into his wrists. He looked at me with desperate eyes as I took the gag out of his mouth; he coughed and gasped for air.
“Sarah,” he coughed. “You have to get out of here, I’m sorry, but she set a trap for you.”
I stopped working on freeing his hands and looked at him confused.
“She? What do you mean? Who’s set the trap?”
Something solid hit my back and I was knocked to the ground.
“Aww your no fun.” It was a female’s voice, one with a high and insane ring to it, “you shouldn’t spoil the surprise.”
As I picked myself up I was standing face to face with a woman with a face covered in white face paint and black around her blue eyes.
“Well you must be the new queen of crime.” I smirked, “Harley Quinn.”
A smile spread on her painted red lips as she bowed; Quinn was no longer wearing her ‘nurses’ outfit but wore the corset as a top with new red and black pants with matching boots.
She bowed with a dramatic sweep of her hand. Her eyes narrowed and she began to pace, a slow and dangerous pace.
“I’ve heard about you too.” She looked at me, “you were somewhat of a ‘Bounty Hunter’ one of the best.”
I shrugged calmly but kept my guard up.
“I wouldn’t say ‘one of the best’.” I acted modest.
Quinn smiled slightly.
“But what’s this got to do with Scarecrow?” I continued. This was the question she had been waiting for, her smiled changed to one with a sadistic twist.
“I know that the good doctor is your brother,” she skipped over to him and placed her hands on his shoulders. “He will also be your payment.”
“What do you mean ‘payment’?” I asked with anger showing in my voice.
Her smile broadened.
“I believe you know of my Puddn’.” She held out a picture of the Joker with Harley in her jester outfit on his back. I really didn’t know whether to laugh or throw up.
“The Joker? Yeah I know of him.”
She started pacing again.
“Well I need you to find him before Bats does.”
“Don’t want him to get hurt do we?” a smirk went to the corner of my mouth.
“I’ll be doing that myself!” Her yells echoed off the walls, she crushed the picture with her fist.
Quinn breathed deeply and placed her hand over her stomach.
“He left me and I’m going to make him pay.”
‘She’s crazy, what exactly did he do to her.’
“Why do you think I can find him?”
She only answered when she had collected herself.
“You’ve got friends, you’ll find a way.”
“And if I …”
“Then I’ll kill your brother now.” She pulled out a gun and in an instant held it to his head.
Jonathan whimpered.
“You have two weeks to bring him to me or …” She aimed the gun at the roof and pulled the trigger. “Boom.”
