Paper Planes

XXV

"A good act does not wash out the bad, nor a bad act the good. Each should have its own reward."
—George R.R. Martin

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Ember's shaking fingers glided across the keys, her eyes scanning the search results with ease as she occasionally glanced over her shoulder.

A long figure lay buried beneath the violent purple comforter, the blanket rising and falling with every gentle breath as Joker softly snored.

Her gaze returned to the blue hued computer screen, her foot tapping irately against the carpet as several articles matching the search "Georgia DeLoughrey" appeared.

A small squeak tumbled from Ember's swollen lips, her breaths growing jagged as she clicked on the very first link.

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GOTHAM STOCK EXCHANGE BOMBED
By, Kelly Lloyd

On the tenth of February 2009, The Joker (recently escaped from Arkham Asylum as of the second of January), launched a terrorist attack on the Gotham City Stock Exchange at approximately 3:06 PM.

According to officials, The Joker and thirteen masked individuals entered the premises, three (including The Joker himself) clad with firearms, whilst the other ten out of sight, manning the explosives.

The Joker threatened one individual in particular, a fifty-three year old woman by the name of Georgia DeLoughrey, who had been employed with the Stock Exchange for nearly twenty-two years. Witnesses who survived the attack state that the man had demanded answers from the woman about her job, accusing her (and other employees) of "ruining peoples lives".

Around 3:12 PM, The Joker had announced that the employees were given a reprieve, that is, if they could "get out" in time. Before exiting the building, The Joker physically assaulted DeLoughrey and knocked her unconcious against her desk. According to witnesses, one of the masked help had attempted to revive the woman, but to no avail.

At 3:15 PM, the explosives were triggered, and the building went up into flames. DeLoughrey, along with ninety-seven other individuals, had lost their lives, including the ten masked men of The Joker's.

A memorial service for the fallen will be held on the fifteenth of February, 2009.

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Ember's hands balled into fists against the wood of the desk, violent trembles wracking through her body as she desperately tried to remember the incident.

Fucking nothing.

Her eyes flickered down to the bottom right corner of the screen, coming into contact with todays date as her heart dropped.

February twenty-second.

Ever since her little kidnapping, the woman had a very bad habit of losing track of the date. But, as she aimlessly counted backwards on her fingers, a realization had dawned on her: Hers and Joker's first (well, second) time had been on February fourteenth... fucking Valentine's Day.