Descent

Chapter 3

Three days had passed since Dr. Arkham had assigned the Joker to her. Harleen wasn't to have her first session with him until Friday. For that she was thankful. It at least gave her time to rearrange her sessions with the other patients she cared for.

Ever since she had seen the images in his file nightmares plagued her. Each night she was forced to relive her time under Jimmy's thumb. Her head was foggy with lack of sleep. She just wanted to get today over with so she could go home and have a drink. Maybe that would help her find some kind of escape from the nightmares.

The sound of her office door opening snapped Dr. Quinzel out of the ether of her memories. Briggs ushered in Pamela and shoved her into the seat opposite Harleen.

Just fucking wonderful, another douchebag who liked to manhandle women.

"Take it easy, Briggs, or I'm going to have a talk with Dr. Arkham." Dr. Quinzel hissed.

Pam let the doctor defend her even as she plotted ways to make man who still had his hands on her suffer. She would take great pleasure in making the animal scream the same way he made so many of her fellow inmates.

Briggs squeezed Pam's shoulders harder, eyeing Harleen the whole time. "Bad bitches like it rough. Don't you, precious?"

Pam angled her head to glance at the guard from the corner of her eye, "Only when it's me beating the shit out of a pig like you."

Dr. Quinzel fought hard not to laugh at the slightly frightened look Pam's words caused Briggs. She knew she wasn't even going to mark down that Pam had threatened him. Not when Harleen was willing to turn Pam loose if he didn't stand down.

He recovered quickly and squeezed her one last time. "I have a feeling bath time is going to be fun."

Harleen stood and came around the desk. She poked the disgusting piece of shit in the shoulder to get her point across. "We don't threaten patients."

Briggs backed up and shot a hate filled smile in her direction. "I only threaten bitches who don't know their place."

Harleen stood her ground. There was no way he was going to treat anyone the way he was Pam. Not on her watch. She didn't give a rat's ass if she had to sleep in the asylum, to make sure he didn't touch another inmate ever again.

This shit with Briggs stopped now. "Dr. Arkham is going to hear about this. Now get out of my sight."

He left but not before he grumbled a few more threats. Harleen was sure she heard something along the lines of him kidnapping her and showing her who was boss. The vulture could try, but she would have his balls before he could even land the first shot.

Skanky old bird.

Harleen wondered why the hell Dr. Arkham allowed someone like Briggs to work in the asylum. Then she realized that her boss didn't give two shits about the inmates. To him they were just criminals, and science experiments.

Harleen knew all about the electroshock therapy Dr. Arkham still used. A treatment that had been outlawed in most respectable places. She wondered what Batsy would do if he knew that Arkham Asylum didn't even try to rehab its inmates.

Whether the law was on her side or not, Harleen was going to do all she could to get these inmates better. Then she would gather all the evidence she could, and get them moved to someplace safe. Far away from touchy feely Briggs and shock happy Dr. Arkham.

As soon as Briggs was gone Dr. Quinzel eyed Pam. She moved forward and pulled her jumpsuit collar to the side. Exposing enough of her shoulder to see the bruises already forming there.