Must Love Hyenas

15: Bigger Game

Joker and Harley looked at the map of Gotham taped to the wall in front of them. After months of work, colored markers had left bright trails through the streets, slicing the crowded clusters of buildings into different zones. Within each colored section, pins marked various buildings. Photos of the locations were arrayed around the map like flower petals. Vivid crimson threads linked each photo with its corresponding building, and notes detailing activities, personnel, armaments, and connections to other gangs were attached near each photo.

"Impressive, isn't it, Mr. J?" Harley asked before blowing a bubble with her gum. "We got all the gangs in this town being watched. We know who is involved, where they operate, and how other gangs will be affected if something should happen. Which one do we go after first?"

"What do you think?" Joker questioned, looking out the side of his eyes at her while facing the map.

"This one," Harley answered. She poked one finger at warehouse designated with a blue sticker. "Freeze has been helping Cobblepot enhance his security, but only because Penguin has his frozen wife. If we could get her away..."

Harley's voice trailed off, letting Joker draw the final conclusion.

"He'd be willing to abandon the old bird, maybe even tell us how to get through the defenses," Joker finished. "Exactly what I was thinking."

"Great minds think alike," Harley suggested.

"I know, but what does that have to do with us?" Joker replied with a snicker slowly building into a full throated laugh. Harley joined in the merriment. In the corner of the office, the two hyenas lifted their heads to see what the commotion was about.

"Get the boys," Joker instructed after regaining a modicum of composure. "We've got an icicle to retrieve."

"Sure thing, Puddin'," Harley responded cheerfully before skipping out of the office and into the warehouse where Joker's forces had been growing in number as they absorbed the smaller gangs of Gotham City.

***

"What do you want, Clown?" the mechanized voice asked. The man known formerly as Victor Fries was concealed inside the powered suit of black metal. A dome covered his head, but frost on the interior surfaces obscured everything but the glowing red of his computerized optical lenses.

"We want to know how to get into Penguin's stronghold," Joker explained. "I'm sure you're going to be more than happy to help us after we rescued your wife."

"Nora?" Freeze said, and in that one word, emotion registered for the briefest of moments before his voice returned to its usual coldness. "Now you will hold her hostage as the Penguin did. Is my wife to be a constant pawn in your wars?"

"You just don't get it, my frozen friend," Joker countered. He walked over to where Freeze stood as motionless as a statue and used a gloved finger to draw a smiley face in the frost covered exterior of the dome. "We're not holding your wife. She's yours whenever you want to collect her. All we want is for you to leave the keys behind on your way out. Whatcha say?"

"Give me Nora, and I shall deliver Cobblepot to you," Freeze promised.

"Looks like we have a deal," Joker announced, grinning widely at Harley.

***

"Mr. J," Harley began after she and Joker were alone in the warehouse office. "Freeze gave us everything we needed to kick over Penguin's place, but doing so won't exactly be quiet."

"You're expecting interference from the boys in blue," Joker theorized, leaning back in his swivel chair and propping his feet up on the desk. He folded his hands behind his head and stared at the ceiling while thinking.

"There's also the Bat," Harley reminded. "Either or both could show up and make things that much harder for us, provided they're not too busy elsewhere."

"Well then, my dear," Joker said with a grin widening out to nearly the entire width of his face. "We'll just have to give them something better to do."

"The crime families have been pushing each other lately," Harley mentioned. "Carmine Falcone and Salvatore Maroni are both looking to get rid of the other. It's too bad we can't ask them to start a fight and keep the cops and the rodent busy while we do our thing."

"Who says we can't?" Joker inquired. He chuckled slightly. "I'm sure they'll help us out if we ask in the right way."

The chuckle grew in magnitude until Joker was in danger of falling out of his chair.

***

Joker and Harley waited in the van. The engine was off, silence and darkness covering them like a blanket. The narrow side street, like everywhere else in Gotham, was chocked with trash. Pieces of paper and lightweight debris drifted idly on a passing breeze, occasionally brushing against the tires of the van with a faint scraping sound. Although out of the way, the van had a perfect view of the front of Cobblepot's museum where the criminal performed most of his business under the name Penguin.

"Are you sure everything is in place?" Joker questioned in a whisper.

"I had our people drop information here and there to the Maroni thugs about Falcone planning to invade his territory," Harley answered. "I had the some more guys tell Falcone's people Maroni was going to invade."

"And the docks?" Joker insisted.

"I have the building all set," Harley promised. "It's filled with empty shipping crates, but we stacked a few guns and grenades here and there to make it look like a fully packed armory. Both sides have scouted the area and must be thinking the opposing crime family is using it as a staging area for the invasion. They should be closing in while planning to ambush the other."

"All units, all units," a voice interrupted from the dashboard speaker. "Armed assault in progress on the docks. Any available units proceed there at once."

"Perfect," Joker grinned as he switched off the police scanner. "If the Bat's listening, he should be on his way there. You ready?"

Harley handed Joker a machine gun, keeping one for herself, and the two of them each chambered a round almost in unison.

"Let's go hunting for a rare bird," Harley suggested with a giggle.

Joker and Harley left the van and hurried across the street toward Penguin's museum. From concealment, dozens of armed shadows moved into the open, following Joker and Harley while closing in on their unsuspecting target.