Dynasty: A Batman Tale Part 22

NOW

Murdering the Jervis Tetch was fresh in Harley Quinn’s mind. She couldn’t help but smile, the satisfaction from killing him was overwhelming. She blamed Tetch for the debacle responsible for Joker’s coma, but decided best to not act on her impulses until once Joker was awake and able to give his blessing. She had had plenty of time to replay the events of that dreadful day during her stay at the Elliot Mansion. In her head the memory was vivid and conclusive, Jervis walked in with a duffle bag, he placed it under the center table in which she and Joker were standing around then, BOOM! The force from the detonation had sent everyone in the room flying. Harley was certain there could be no other explanation. It had to be Tetch!

Harley came up with hundreds of ways to dispose of the Mad Hatter, but in the end she simply walked up behind him and snapped his neck. He never saw it coming. Something about that thought made her feel Godlike.

She had blood on her hands when she returned from dumping Hatter’s body, but it wasn’t his, she had withdrawn blood from an unsuspecting and unconscious Tim Drake deciding to pour it around the crime scene. This will ruffle their feathers nicely!

Harley looked at her reflection in the mirror of the warehouse bathroom, she couldn’t help but be pleased with herself. Finally, that piece of shit got what he deserved! She washed her hands and headed back into the warehouse.

Tim was secured in the middle of the room. All the lights were off save the singular lamp directly above his head. He appeared to still be out cold, Harley chose to make sure. She walked over to him and started poking his chest, and when he did not react, she flicked his forehead, but still the Red Robin remained unconscious.

When she was certain Tim was not awake, Harley joined Joker in the office upstairs. As soon as she entered the room, Clayface’s voice crackled through the radio saying, “The police have found us, Edward is holding them off.”

Harley watched Joker shrug his shoulders at the news, he had half expected this to happen, Joker wasn’t concerned greatly with the GCPD instead, it was Basil’s next statement that gave him pause.

“It’s Batman, he’s here!” Cried the now panicked voice.

THEN

To their surprise, Harley, Basil, Edward, Ivy and Jervis had agreed that they’d hit a stroke of luck by choosing to find Doctor Elliot. They were able to keep a low profile and live a comfortable isolated life on the doctor’s property. They allowed the doctor to continue and try to treat his wife in hopes of finding a cure, as long as he made sure Joker was well taken care of while in his slumber.

For ten years they lived a quiet life. There was enough space for all of them, the Elliot’s had plenty of money and supplies were regularly delivered. If for some reason one of them wanted to or needed to leave they agreed to keep an extremely low profile and wear a disguise. For years they sat on the sidelines watching as the Batman vanquished Gotham of organized crime. Two years before Joker woke up from his coma Gotham had even been voted one of the safest cities in America to live.

In their time hiding away together, Basil and Edward spent much time working on Nigma’s psychological issues while the rest of them kept to themselves. Harley stayed by Joker’s bedside confident he would snap out of his coma and open his fiery red eyes. Doctor Elliot monitored Jokers condition daily while trying desperately to slow down his wife’s disease. In the end it was hopeless, the doctor could never got any closer to solving the riddle of curing her, and the prisoner she had become in her own home had crippled her emotionally. After years of deteriorating away she was ready to die. Peyton Elliot begged her husband to end her misery, and he had reluctantly obliged. Harley watched Thomas smother Peyton with a pillow, he tried to fight back his tears, he whispered, “Hush” and felt her life fade from existence.

Then a miracle, Joker woke up. When he did, he first asked two questions. “How long?” and “What of the Bat?” She filled him in on the past decade and in return he told her his plan. Doctor Elliot continued to nurse Joker back to his former self, and in return Joker spared the doctor’s life.

For Harley, having Joker back was the closest thing she could imagine to heaven. She worshiped him as a brother, a father, mentor and Lover.

It was as if no time had passed at all, in the Joker’s mind, his ongoing battle with Batman raged on. To Joker, the murder of Robin and crippling of Batgirl was still very recent.

Harley felt her heart drop when Joker’s smile faded at the mention of Batman not being seen in years, but then his evil grin grew wider than it had ever been. “Well, Well, I guess we’ll just have to do something about that.”

NOW

Joker seemed disappointed after hearing Batman had decided to save the city instead of the boy. Joker yelled back into the radio giving Clayface orders to detonate the bombs crumbling Gotham onto itself. He angrily threw the radio down on the floor. He looked up at Harley and said, “I guess I get to kill another bird boy,” before pushing past Harley and exiting through the office door making his way down the stairs to confront his query.

Harley went to follow him, but before she reached the door, the floor disappeared from beneath her. Her quick instincts prevented her from hitting the ground; instead she used her momentum and summersaulted back on to her feet. Somebody took a hold of her pigtails and swung her around smashing her head against the wall. Harley’s knees buckled, she threw her fist blindly behind her, but there was nobody there. Quickly she looked around the room. There! She focused on the dark corner and saw Movement. Uncharacteristically of her, Harley decided against her temptation to fight and instead chose to flee. She ran for the door, but the way was blocked. That’s not possible! She felt a thud and a shock, then Harley Quinn saw black.