1- DARKNIGHT

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Rain fell that night, hard drops of raining falling onto Gotham, accompanied by spontaneous dances of lighting across the sky and the occasional boom of thunder.

While others retreated into the comfort of their own homes or tried to find shelter, Gotham's restless wandered through the night.

Criminals, thugs, robbers, and other low lives used the cover of darkness as their time to go out. In Gotham nightfall was a catalyst for dangerous behaviors, many things lurked around past the time of eleven o'clock.

If something hadn't happened already it was going to happen.

This was particularly the case for two villains, whose minds were set with determination, watching, and waiting in front of the abandoned medical warehouse in the East of Gotham's slums.

They stood atop the roof, silently observers the warehouse below. Their eyes were sharp and apprehensive of their surroundings. Both were counting down the minutes.

The Joker inhaled the bitter night air, shivering slightly as it pervaded his lungs. He dug his hands into his pant pocket, fiddling with the many weapons he had stored there over time.

Tonight was not a good night to be out. He thought. I can't stand this weather!

Though he loved the mystery and intrigue that came with nightfall, his love for darkness and mischief was outweighed by his immense hate for cold weather.

He absolutely despised it! He despised anything cold, wet, or significantly damp.

A gust of unforgiving wind hit him as waited, he shivered as he shook his head. Not good at all.

"We should go in there," Harley said suddenly. She turned to him. Her eyes were laced with worry. "What if something has happened to her?" Her eyes were darting back and forth with every passing thought in her head, all of which were negative.

"Harley," Joker said her name firmly. He shook his head at her, hands still in his pockets. "Look pumpkin we can't go in right now, it'll ruin the plan."

Harley huffed, exceedingly annoyed. She began to pace around the roof, her feet hit the metal beneath her.

"But what if he's hurt her?" She concluded grimly.

What if she's hurt?

"I swear if that bastard has touched her!" She growled. Her demeanor drastically changed from distraught to angry.

Her fingers gripped around her bat aggressively, threatening to shatter it with her bare hands. The Joker was sure she could do it if provoked any further.

"He wouldn't," Joker said in a low voice.

He looked at the warehouse, the lights were on, minimal movements coming from inside. There were no guards or cars just as Scarecrow had promised. Joker breathed in deeply again.

Well, I hope he didn't. Joker thought grimly, though he didn't dare say it out loud for Harley's sake.

How he and Harley and got into this mess. He couldn't understand.

It had been four days since the clown prince of crime and his best friend (who was practically like his sister) had noticed that their third and most beloved compatriot had gone missing.

Poison Ivy, their strongest and most powerful assets was nowhere to be seen. Ivy had neither contacted nor spoke to the both of them in four days, which was very strange considering that Harley and Ivy couldn't go a day without seeing each other, let alone sticking their tongues down each other's throats.

The Joker who just thought Ivy was doing her own thing didn't find anything peculiar about her sudden radio silence. Many of his henchmen took time off to deal with personal matters. They may have been criminals but they also had lives. It made sense to him, perhaps Ivy wanted to go off the grid for a few days.

But Harley's girlfriend's intuition thought differently, she believed it to be very strange. More questions were raised when Harley went to investigate. She found Ivy's apartment completely trashed and ransacked. Tables turned over, windows smashed, furniture ripped up.

There had been what looked like a struggle. A violent struggle.

A trail of blood was even left on a curtain, which lay half draped against the window.

It was kidnapping no doubt. Someone had come in and taken Ivy from her home.

It took Joker everything to stop Harley from thinking the worst or breaking down in tears.

"Calm down Pumpkin, I'm sure she's still alive."

"B-b-bu-ut M-m-r J the blood!"

"Harley that could be anyone's blood."

A week went past, Ivy was still nowhere to found and Harley's anxiety had only gotten worse, it wasn't great for Joker either who hated seeing her declining mood. He had tried anything to find a lead, he searched all of Gotham, turning the city upside down to find his best friend's girlfriend.

Local drug lords and drug dealers were called, tenants of Ivy's apartments were questioned, Joker had kidnapped a few police officers hoping they would know something but that only gauged the attention of the Batman who, though he thought was highly entertaining, he didn't have the time for that right now.

Two weeks and three days passed. Harley was on the verge of depression and Joker was about to tear down the Mob itself, he was only stopped when their prayers were seemingly answered in the form of a phone call.

Harley received a mysterious call from an unknown number. Ivy was on the other end.....but so was the kidnapper.

Harley: "I-i-vy? I-is that you?"

Ivy: "H-harley oh my god, please tell me this is real."

Harley: "Yeah baby it's me."

Ivy: "Oh Harley! Please hel-"

S: "Aww that's so sweet. I hate to break up this little reunion but I have a few requests."

Harley: "Who the hell are you? I swear if you've hurt her!"

S: "Mouthy as usual Baby cakes. I see you haven't changed, I'm not really in the mood, however. Put Joker on."

Harley: "Scarecrow! What the fuck! Why are-"

Scarecrow: "Uh, uh, uh, naughty. I wouldn't use that language against the man who has your girlfriend."

Harley: "You Bastard!"

Scarecrow: "Yes, yes, I know I'm the bad guy, we've established that. Now let the grown-ups talk. Put Mr. J on."

Joker: "Scarecrow I'm surprised to see that you're behind this but then again your all types of strange."

Scarecrow: "Haha. You're one to talk J. Mr. psychotic himself."

Joker: "Well it's expected of me, being the Joker and all."

Scarecrow: "Yes, I guess it is. I've missed you J, how have you been?"

Joker: "Let's skip pleasantries Scarecrow. Give Harley her Ivy back."

Scarecrow: "Tsk, tsk, so demanding. Since when did the clown prince of crime get soft?"

Joker: "When did the self appraised psychologist stoop as low as kidnapping one of the Joker's henchmen?"

Scarecrow: "Haha you got me there J. How about this you come to an address I give you and we can talk about the release of your best friends' girl-toy?"

Joker: "I may be nuts and bolts crazy but I'm not stupid. How do I know you won't have backup? You went as far as to kidnap Ivy so why should I trust you?"

Scarecrow: "Trust me J. I'll be alone, I just wanna talk."

Joker: "So kidnap is the only way to get my attention huh? I should try that method more often on people."

Scarecrow: I'm sorry about that J. I just............."

Scarecrow: "Look I'll explain, just be there, if you want her back."

Joker:" Can't say I have much of a choice. Alright then."

Scarecrow: "Good boy. You can bring your lapdog if you want."

Harley: "Fuck you!"

Scarecrow: "I miss you too Harley."

Present

As the wind howled and the rain poured down, Joker and Harley sat on the roof, Harley not caring whether she was soaked and Joker not complaining about his discomfort in the rain for the sake of Harley.

Both just sat there, repeating the same thing in their minds.

Three minutes to go.

Besides time, Harley's mind was preoccupied with what she would say once she got her lover back, maybe even smash her bat in Scarecrow's brainless face for stealing her in the first place.

The Joker who was just as set on finding Ivy leaned more on the side of caution.

He pondered silently. This doesn't add up.

He knew exactly what Scarecrow was like, how he thought, how moved, how went about things. This was not it. Scarecrow was out of character. Everything the ex Psychologist did was for a bigger purpose, and Joker failed to re-call any plan of the Scarecrow's that involved him or Ivy.

What could he want to say to me? And why does he need Ivy? All questions that he as a deranged clown could not fathom. For once something "crazy" was eluding him. He didn't like it, not one bit.

"This can't end well," He whispered to himself.

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