Gotham High?.... More Like Arkham High

The search.

It was a cold Gotham night, the moon was full and gave a beautiful dim light to shine on the city. Harley was walking the streets of Gotham looking for her Joker. She went down one of the alleyways when she saw three men rolling dice around a barrel with a fire inside.

Gotham 101: Don't talk to men in alleyways. Scratch that! Don't go down an alleyway! But Harley was determined to find Joker even if it put her life at stake. " Umm, H- Hello? " her voice quivered.

They turned, and smiled with lust. "Well well well! Hello gorgeous!" one of them said boldly. He started to circle her like a vulture.

Another had a raspy voice probably due the many cigarettes he smoked that were still upon his breath."What's a pretty young thing like you doing out here, and alone. Don't you know that Gotham's dangerous?" he said coming towards her.

Harley backed up a bit, "I'm looking for someone. Perhaps you know where i could find him."

"This a boyfriend?" The first one asked still looking her over.

"Actually, yes. He's-" the man cut her off by grabbing her arms and pulling her to himself. "If he left you all by yourself then he's probably not missing you is he?" he kissed her cheek. Harley was able to free an arm and slapped him, he let go of her arm in pain, leaving a red mark on his face. "You little bit-" Harley kicked him right where it hurts, the man fell to his knees but he didn't have time to deal with the pain because Harley knocked him out by kneeing him in the face.

She looked at the two remaining men. "Anyone else feel as bold as your pal here?!" they shook their heads. "Good now do you know where I can find Joker? You might have seen him on TV a couple of hours ago?"

The third man spoke up, "The one who killed Gunner? He's your?"

"Yes he is. Do you know him?"

"A friend of mine, he might know."

"I'm really hoping it's not this man I just knocked out."

"No, my friend Dyson Harris, hangs out at The Lotto. Just two blocks away on Maryington st."

"Finally a lead! Thank you kind stranger!" she dashed off.

After walking for what seemed like forever she reached Maryington st. she could see the lights of the Lotto sign down the street. As soon as she saw it she raced over there, but of course the one thing that the man failed to mention was that The Lotto was a club. " Oh come on! " the line to get in was as long as the street not to mention she wasn't even old enough to get in. Harley walked up to the bouncer and asked him if he could bring someone out. He laughed in her face, "And leave my post?!! I don't think so girly!"

Outraged Harley stepped to the side and searched for a very specific item in her purse. She pulled out a tube of Ivy's lipstick and applied it to her lips. Then she confidently walked back up to the bouncer and asked again, kissing his cheek. Without objection he walked inside to find Dyson Harris. "Thank you Ivy for your strange chemicals!" She waited for a moment, and stopped those trying to get in, didn't want to him in trouble after this favor. He came out with large, bald man with a 5 o'clock shadow. They went around the corner so they could talk. "Your Dyson Harris?" Harley asked obviously expecting someone very different.

"Yeah, who are you?" he had a thick New York accent.

"Not important. What is important is that you know where I can find Joker."

"The kid from the news? Yeah I saw 'im. What's it to ya'?"

"He's my boyfriend. And I need to find him!" she urged.

"I could tell ya' where I saw 'im, for the right price." he held out his hand hoping for money.

Harley glared at it. "Oh, I'm sorry." she said sweetly. She grabbed his wrist and twisted his arm behind his back, kicking in the backs of his knees so he'd fall to the ground. "This enough?!" she whispered harshly in his ear twisting his wrist behind his back.

"Ow, Ow! OK OK! I saw the kid at Tackies, the shop that sells all those costumes and party stuff. I thought he was just getting ready for Halloween! He was buying some clown makeup!"

"This must have been before the attack. Did he say anything?"

" He said he a places to go and people to kill. Didn't think it was literal. Thought it was just an act. "

"Tackies, where is it?" she twisted his wrist more.

"Ow! It's at 1809 Simmons avenue. I'd take a cab if I were you."

"Great idea!" she released him. "Wallet!" Harley held out her hand. Slowly he got up from the ground, reached in his pocket and have her his wallet. "Thank you!" she smiled walked to the street and waved down a cab. Harley got in, as they drove off she threw what ever she didn't want from the wallet out the window.

Tackies was a small shop. It obviously didn't get much business. And it truly lived up to is name. Harley kept the meter running on the cab thinking that she might still need it. Harley walked in, the bell signaled her coming in. She played it causal, looking around for stuff. A couple of things caught her eye, especially a red and black jester outfit. Their were several of the same suits, so considering that she had Dysons credit cards she decided to take them all including some clown makeup and a toy gun. She went to the register to pay for her items.

"Will this be all?" said the cashier, he was probably 19, he was tall and lanky.

"Yeah."

"You gonna be a clown too?"

"Well I'm not buying these to stare at. Were you referring to the guy on TV?" she asked nicely.

"Yeah he was in here earlier. Man if i had known... Some cops ended up stopping by you know."

"What did you tell them?"

"Wasn't much to tell. He paid cash and didn't have a car. They already checked the security tapes, got nothing from it."

"You didn't notice anything that could tell you where he could have gone?"

"No-wellll. Now that I think of it... he did have a badge for the Ace Chemical plant. I should tell the copies it might help!" as soon as he that Harley punched him, knocking him out. "I don't think so." Quickly she grabbed her bag of stuff and sped to the cab.

"Ace chemicals! And step on it!"