Divination (Joker x Batman x OC)

Chapter 98

"This..." Adriana said to Lucius once she went back into her room and shut the door. "Doesn't make any sense Lucius. I refuse to believe it."

"I will admit, there are some specifics that are...unclear," Lucius said. "But the police are in control of the situation and this is what they have reported."

"The whole thing is RIDICULOUS!" she said. "It's not true..I just have a feeling about this.."

"Adriana, you need to accept the fact that this could be true. It is a possibility," Lucius said.

"No!" she shouted. "Look, I don't mean to yell at you, but this is crazy...he wasn't suicidal. At all!"

"And you're entirely sure about that? He likely believed that you were dead Adriana," Lucius said. "He has no reason to believe that you are alive. Perhaps his grief-"

"He wasn't suicidal," she said firmly. "Even if something happened to me. Please, Lucius, trust me I know him."

Lucius was quiet.

"Lucius," Adriana said, willing herself not to become emotional. "Please...believe me...I know him. This isn't something he would ever do. Even if he was grieving for me. I know him. He would...he would go through the pain...the grief and pain but....ending his life? No. No, he would never even consider that as an option. Please...Lucius."

Lucius was not sure what to say to her. He had seen the Joker behave recklessly with his own life countless times. It didn't seem farfetched that he would end it intentionally. But Adriana seemed sure that he would not have done that.

"Have you talked to Bruce about this? Maybe he knows something," Adriana said.

"No," Lucius replied. "I called you straight away."

"Can you speak to him? Please? I can't-" Adriana said.

"If he knows anything he will tell me," Lucius said. "If he knew anything about this, he would have alerted me already."

"And if he doesn't? What if he doesn't tell you anything?" Adriana said.

"Then perhaps he doesn't know anything," Lucius said.

"Look..." Adriana said and rubbed her forehead. "I need my suit. I know who can ask him."

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"Shade.." Bruce said as she came into his office. "I...have a meeting."

"When?" she asked, disguising her voice.

"Right now," he said.

"Oh...so that's why all those people are in your conference room," she said as if she didn't care.

"Yes," he said. "And you are taking an enormous risk by being here. Anyone could see you-"

"No one saw me," she said. "You really think I'm that sloppy? I'm offended."

He sighed. He stood and walked over to his door where she was standing and shut it even though it was only cracked an inch or two.

"What do you know about what happened this morning?" she asked. "Is it something I need to be concerned with?"

"Why don't you tell me what you know first?" he asked her. "You came out of retirement for this after all."

"I never said anything about retiring," she said.

He have her a half smile.

"They're saying he jumped from a bridge," she said, struggling to keep her voice disguised. It was hard to breathe in her suit, it was tight around the chest and she was trying not to relax her lower stomach too much.

"That's what they are saying," he said and sat down.

"You didn't...?" she started to ask.

"Didn't what?" he asked her.

"Have anything to do with this?" she asked.

"I didn't kill him," he said. "If that's what you're asking."

"It's strange," she said. "The body was handled by the coroner and police in Arkham District. The Gotham police can't even get any photographic evidence of the body...no DNA match yet, no dental records, just fingerprints and visual ID so far. They also claim the body has already been cremated and it hasn't even been six hours since it happened. They're very close to considering this whole thing a hoax and declaring him a wanted fugitive on the run."

"Well," Bruce said. "Sounds like something he would do. Fake his own death to get away. If that's not the case, it will only be a matter of time before the DNA is matched. And dental records? Do any of us believe he actually has any?"

"Well," she said firmly. "Seems out of character. He would have just fled. Why would he fake his death? Why would someone like him care about that? And why are you so calm about this?"

"Because," he said. "I have a feeling he is gone for good. I have a feeling he would attempt to fake his death in this way because he has no intention of returning. Maybe my calm demeanor is from me hoping that is the case. Faking his death is a bit out of character, I agree. But maybe this means he has finally fled."

"And you'd just accept that? Him..being gone? Possibly on the run?" she asked.

"If he never returns, if I never have to see his face again, if I never have to see another victim of his crimes, then yes, Shade. I would accept him disappearing off of the face of the fucking earth," he said.

She wondered if he really meant the words that he was saying. He seemed to. She still didn't believe him.

"I thought you were gone for good," he said to her, changing the subject.

"I guess since you're so passive about the whole Joker situation I have nothing to be worried about," she said. "I can resume my vacation."

"Mhm," he said.

"I have to go," she said, noticing how annoyed he was with being asked about the Joker.

"And I have a meeting," he said to her.

"Before you go," she said. She was remembering Harri's words, test him. It felt incredibly silly right now, but she needed to at least try.

"Yes?" he asked. 

"You kissed me once," she reminded him.

He finally relaxed a bit and smiled.

"Yes," he remembered. "I did."

"How about a farewell kiss?" she said to him seductively. "I may be gone a while."

He smiled as he approached his door and stood in front of her.

"You're a beautiful woman, Shade," he said and leaned forward and took her hand. He gave her a soft kiss above her wrist very politely. "And I hope your time off will be restful."

"Hm," she said with a smile once he backed away. "She...must be special. Whoever she is."

"She is," Bruce said before leaving.

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