Chapter 31

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The Iceberg Lounge was an art deco edifice, from floor to ceiling. Everything was dark ebony and gold gilt. Harleen felt like she was stepping into a scene from the Great Gatsby. She took a moment to wonder just how Ozzie kept this place running while he was locked up in Arkham.

Everything here was done with a high class touch. So it would appear that Ozzie had a good team backing his operation.

Glancing around Harleen noticed that most of the patrons wore retro clothes. Zoot suits and flapper dresses. Spats and canes. She was more than sure most of the women were going without bras, from the way they bounced as they danced.

Running her hands over the shimmering blue dress she wore, she followed the waiter to a table closest to the stage. Harleen could see a woman with wavy red hair already seated. Her back straight and hands folded in her lap, a picture of elegant grace.

"Good evening, Ms. Kayle." Harleen greeted as she took her seat.

Smiling she said. "Selena, please. We are friends as you said."

Harleen couldn't help the nervous laugh that slipped past her lips. "Yes we are. So is that why you gave Eddie the flash drive?"

Well, it looked like Harleen liked to get right to the point. It was refreshing when most of the people Selena dealt with were always leading you in circles. Something that could get tiresome after a life in crime.

Selena sipped her wine, before putting it down she swirled the glass a little. It was a stall tactic. But she wanted Harleen to trust her and knew that a quick answer would make her suspicious. There was no need to make the doctor feel like this was a set up.

Leaning forward, "Yes. If you plan to treat the Joker you need to know his past. Something that not many do."

Selena knew his dip into the vat of chemicals wasn't really the problem. It was more like his childhood trauma and inability to save those he loved had scared him.

It didn't help that when he went missing as an adult no one seemed to care, not even the one man who swore to help him avenge his parents deaths. No, Bruce had not even bothered to try and fish him out of the vat, the evening that the Joker was born.

"I don't think his fall is the entire reason behind his behavior." Harleen put voice to the other woman's thoughts.

She tried to make it sound like they could be talking about anyone. Harleen didn't know if they were being watched, or how much trouble Selena could get into for giving her the video.

Leaning forward Selena examined the woman before her. The way her cheeks flushed and eyes sparkled when she spoke of the Joker. She knew that look from whenever Ivy talked about that odd guy from the florist she frequented. Holy crap Harleen had a crush on the Clown Price of Crime.

Selena didn't understand it. Couldn't even begin to see past the disfigurement the chemicals had caused. Though that wasn't what Selena viewed as his worst issue. No it was the fact that he would sooner laugh while you bleed out, than make any grand romantic overtures.

Yet, here was a bright young woman who seemed unarmored of him. Now Selena knew it took all kinds, and that there was someone out there for everyone. But she could not wrap her head around the doctor liking the Joker.

Even if he was still normal, Jason had been nothing like her Bruce. Even before his tragic accident. Always rushing head long into trouble. While Bruce tried to temper that side of him he had only grown worse, more rash in his handling of criminals.

"No, it didn't. I'm sorry to say as much as I love Bruce he had a hand in Jason's descent into darkness." Tears shimmered in her green eyes.

She remembered a time when Jason had seemed like he was doing better. There had been a sweet girl that he saw on and off. Of course she hadn't realized that the root of Jason's problems was his dominant personality. That poor girl never stood a chance of winning his heart.

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