dark places | wayne

three :: encounter

9:37 pm//five years ago
Outside City Hall

She was walking down the street like she usually does after her last shift at Jack's. She walked towards the City Hall building, her usual loop.

But was taken by the arm by the familiar red and black themed villainess that was her boss's lover. Harley pulled her onto her motorbike and veered towards the tall building.

"Harley, where're we going?" Winnie asked fearfully.

"The roof of City Hall!" Harley squealed like a child. The girl didn't know why they were going to the roof, but followed.

Harley broke the door open, setting off an alarm and they climbed the stairs quickly. They got to the top and the girl began to shake, she was scared of heights.

Harley knew this of course.

"So kid, why do you think I took you up here? No, never mind. I don't want to know what you think. Ha! I want to drop you like a paper airplane from up here, see if you'll fly or fall!"

"Why?" She asked dumbly. It was all Winnie could muster.

"Because, baby face, the longer you work for us and the longer you're around, the less we make. And besides, you're getting sloppy in the field." She frowned comically.

She didn't wait another moment to overtake the teenager. Harley pushed the girl against the ledge and laughed in her face.

"You're pathetic!"

"You're a bitch!" The teen yelled back. At that, the jester threw her over the wall and the teen sprawled in the air.

She flailed and covered her eyes, not wanting to see her death engulf her. But she stopped falling and started flying.

She couldn't see what from when she opened her eyes, her face was against whatever took her.

The being stumbled to an abrupt stop and the girl fell on her bum, looking up.

He was a tall and buff man in a costume, the familiar costume that'd been on the news for both good and bad.

"Hello, Batman." She hissed the words out. Every fiber in her rebelled to rip his throat out at that very moment. He was the stranger that never saved her when she needed it most. And the one that had stopped the flow of income from activity in the field.

"Hello miss. You're welcome." He said confidently.

"I didn't say thank you." She said, standing and crossing her arms.

"Does the attitude problem have a name?" He teased, but she wasn't buying it.

"Winnie Quinn." She muttered.

"So I'm guessing your related to Harley Quinn?" He asked strategically.

"Not really. More like I needed a new last name and she was decent enough to give me one."

"You work with her? Well that means I have to bring you to the police, have them put you on the Index."

"You do that and I'll gouge your eyes out, then they'll have a real reason to put me on their laundry list of bad guys." She walked away from him. He crossed his arms and watched her leave.

Harley was out of his sight and this Winnie would be paying for her life soon enough.

"I'll see you around Winnie Quinn." He called to her.

"Not if I gouge your fucking eyes out!" She called back.

12:34 am//Present day
Wayne Mansion

Bruce sat up and rubbed his tired eyes. Why was he just now remembering this girl? This one girl, one time that was, in fact, five years ago?

He had no connections to her other than she was somehow tied to Harley who was tied to Joker. This Winnie Quinn had never attacked him, never stood out among others, never committed a crime he'd gotten his hands on.

He frowned, not being able to bind her to something made him frustrated.

He stood and put his robe on, he stepped outside and onto the terrace. The cool air of night helped his head, he began to feel the precursors of a headache that would soon render him sleepless.

He went inside and laid awake in bed, not being able to fall back asleep.