Humans. Monsters. Heroes. Villains.

Chapter 15: Robberies, Records and Rhymes

You think I'm crazy
You think I'm gone
So what if I'm crazy?
All the best people are
- Melanie Martinez, "Mad Hatter", aka an absolutely amazing song

The Chimera's POV
Apparently, having his suit back had inspired the Joker, because Alison had just given it to him yesterday and he had already committed a murder. This murder had happened only a couple hours after Alison dropped off her little gift.

She found out the very next day. It was all over the news, and since she was sneaking into town today to rob a bank, Alison caught part of a news broadcast as she walked past someone's open window, her hood covering her short crimson hair.

"...there was only one death, but several injuries. Commissioner Jim Gordon was unavailable for comment on this murder."

Alison froze, coming to a halt outside the window, listening hard. Murder?

"The explosion was obviously very well thought out, since witnesses say the Joker was at the Asylum about twenty minutes before the explosions went off. He had also placed a Joker card on Mr. Ferris's kitchen table."

The Joker. Of course. She kept listening, but it seemed as though the broadcast had cut to a commercial break, and plus it was starting to look suspicious that she was just standing there in the middle of the sidewalk.

Alison kept walking, her thoughts spinning out of control. A murder. Already? A targeted murder, too - this hadn't just been some random explosion. The Joker had planned this.

He was targeting people. Again. But what was his master plan this time?

It was almost impossible to tell. He was so unpredictable. This was part of the reason he was so dangerous, at least to Alison.

She had a plan. She had motives, and every crime she committed tied into these motives. But the Joker - the Joker didn't seem to do things for any particular reason. He just...did things.

The Joker was a puzzle, an enigma. An enigma that Alison had every intention of figuring out.

Even now, on her way to rob a bank, Alison knew how this tied into her main plan. This was important. She needed to get this money to get to the next step.

So she walked, head down, hood up, trying to look inconspicuous. Instead of her trademark black, she was wearing a green hoodie and baggy blue jeans over her bodysuit to avoid suspicion. Once she reached the bank, Alison would pull off her disguise and get down to business.

Almost there. Alison turned left up ahead, then grinned when she saw it. Gotham National Bank, all big and stately-looking in front of her.

Time for action.

She walked casually up the steps, through the door, and right into the bank until she was standing in the middle of the room. No one paid her any attention, all too focused on their own money and whatever they were doing with it.

Then, quickly, she shed the hoodie and jeans, revealing her classic black outfit and bright red hair, pulled out a gun, and shot at the ceiling.

All eyes turned to her, and screams erupted. Alison smiled slowly, not moving, looking around carefully.

"Now." she said calmly, sweetly. "I am going to make this very clear."

Now she reached into her pocket and pulled out the remote. It was small and black and wound with wires, a button in the middle. A bomb detonator.

Gasps burst out at the sight of the detonator, and some idiot tried to grab her arm. Alison whirled around, sweeping his legs out from under him, then pointing the gun at him when he hit the floor.