Cruel Madness

The Return of the Joker

(Harley)
I ran through the dark streets not exactly knowing where i was going. Behind me i heard maniacal laughter.

"OH, HARLEY! YOU CANT RUN FROM ME!"

There was the sound of an explosion before i felt a rope wrap around my legs. I tripped and fell face first into the hard cement. Footsteps echoed off the empty buildings. They surrounded me with a sense of dread and fear.

"Running off to Batsy, are we? Oh, Poo, you must know that he cant save you. No one can save you." Mistah J grabbed me by the arms and slung me across the shoulder. "Im the only one in this damn city that tolerates you. Now, come on. Its back to the hideout."

I silently cried out for help but no one heard me. No one will ever hear me.

(The Joker)
I threw Harley into a chair and ran my hands through my hair. Harley had her eyes closed with her head tipped to stare at the floor.

"You should have known, Darling, that i couldn't last long being the goody two shoes you wanted me to be. Im just not like that. My blood runs cold and violent. I urge for destruction and pain upon others."

Harley opened her eyes and glanced up at me. I smiled at her, then walked away.

"You just had to believe that i was cured."

A chuckle escaped my lips.

(Harley)
A single silent tear left my right eye. In front of me lay the corpse of Vixen. She stared at me with dead eyes. There was no wounds or blood on her. Mistah J must have strangled her.

"Pumpkin, i was thinking." Mistah J grabbed my hair and yanked my head up. "How about we raid the Old Folks Home? Those people are dying anyway. Might as well end their suffering of old age. What do you say?"

Inside me the piece of hope for good died, burning Harleen. The wretched horrible part that calls herself Harley Quinn giggled as she danced around the fire.

"Sure, Mistah J."

"There's my good girl."

Mistah J threw my head forward. My chin slammed into my boobs. Pain radiated through my chest, but i liked it. The rush of it slammed into me with every beat of my heart.

"Mistah J, let me loose."

Mistah J opened his knife and cut the ropes. As i stood up his hand slammed into the side of my face. I stumbled from the blow and fell sideways.

"Thats for being stupid."

Mistah J walked off without another word. I stared at the floor fighting tears. My face stung from the hit. Groaning i stood up and went after Mistah J.

(Batman)
I pulled up Joker's file on my computer's database and stared at it. Every word has already been memorized. By now i was trying to figure out why there hasnt been any crime alerts from him. From the computer on the right came the sound of a new message. I glanced over to it and pressed Enter. A purple and green background popped up. Classical music was playing.

"What the hell?" I turned my full attention to the screen.

The sound of a chair scraping the floor blocked out the music. Harley Quinn came into view dragging a metal chair behind her. She placed the chair in the middle of the background and sat down.

"Is this how you want me?" She was staring at something behind the camera.

"Shush! We're filming!" The camera crackled as it moved closer to Harley Quinn. "Go on, Poo, give the message."

Harley Quinn looked into the camera. "The old people are going to die unless we get what we want. Bring us Batman's head by the strike of midnight .... or else."

Behind the camera Joker laughed and cut off the camera. I swung my chair towards the phone and slammed my finger onto the speaker button. Punching in the numbers to the Sherrif's Department i waited as it rung.

"Gotham City Sherrif's Department."

"Get me Detective Gordon." The phone began to ring for a second before Gordon picked up. "Gordon, we have a problem."

"What is it now?"

"Im sending you the file now." I went to my computer and sent the file with rapid speed. "It sent to you. You should be getting it."

The line went deathly silent for a few minutes before Gordon inhaled deeply.

"I dont know what to do about this. Is there any way to trick him?"

"No, Joker is very intelligent. He'll see past any trick."

"Let me think about this and I'll get back to you."

"Be quick about it."

The line went dead. I looked at the video again. There had to be something i could do. I just couldn't figure it out.