* J *

Part Twelve: Chapter 72: The Crime Syndicate

Hey guys, I hope you caught all three chapters I posted today. I was on a roll. This is third and final. Thanks for all your reads!
-sg

Frost is at the door when the guests start to arrive at Ha-Hacienda, and ushers them into the dining room, where the table is literally a cornucopia of variety. Tonight the Joker has called a business dinner of sorts. All of Gotham's biggest players on the crime scene were in attendance. The Riddler, The Penquin, Mad Hatter, Scarecrow, Mr. Freeze, El Diablo, Captain Boomerang, Catwoman, Black Canary, Deadshot, the leader of the Irish gangs, and the leader of the Russian gangs.

Ivy smiles and says hello to everyone as she walks into the dining room and takes her seat. Selena stares at her from across the table and can't help but notice how Ivy was positively glowing. Selena leans forward slightly, "What's got you so happy?" She asks in a purr.

But before Ivy can answer, the Joker strolls into the room. Selena watches as Ivy's posture straightens and her smile grows. "Oh god," she sighs, "Not you and the clown."

Ivy just keeps smiling. The Joker bends down and kisses her on the cheek, "You look radiant this evening my dear," the Joker says to her sweetly.

Selena snarls her nose and sticks her finger in her open mouth to symbolize gagging.

"I saw that cat," the Joker says and takes his seat.

Selena smiles at Ivy and rolls her eyes. She never imagined that Ivy would give the likes of the Joker the time of day. But given the strange discolorment to each of their skin tones, they sorta fit together.

"So J," begins the Penguin, "Mind telling us what brings us all here?" He impatiently runs his hand over his black hair, slicking it down.

"Yes," the Joker says and lays his napkin in his lap, "I'm hereby calling for twenty four hours of which none of you will be in normal operations," he states.

"That's no good for me," the Riddler shakes his head, "I have a very important shipment going out tomorrow."

The Joker cuts his eyes up at him, "Well, now you don't," he says lowly but with all the authority he needed to make the Riddler shrink back.

"Why we doin this?" El Diablo asks as he roasts a marshmallow with a flame from his fingertip and pops it in his mouth.

"J must have something big planned,"
Scarecrow smiles and rests his hands under his chin, looking at the Joker with just a little bit too much envy.

The Joker rolls his eyes at Crane. "Yes, I do have a plan."

"So why do ya need us on our best bloody behaviors?" Captain Boomerang asks and sucks down the wine in front of him, then snags Black Canary's glass when she isn't looking and guzzles it down too.

"Because I need the bat to come for me. I can't guarantee that with all of you running a muck in the city," the Joker explains.

"We have businesses to run J," Cobblepot protests with a sigh and figits in his seat.

"I don't think twenty four hours is exactly gonna make or break you," the Joker glares at him.

"No! It's just gonna cost me!" He shouts and slams his fist down on the table like the spoiled rich brat he was.

The Joker debaits leaping up from the table and marching over there to punch that limping tit right in his big pointy nose. But that would just make everyone angry with him. So he just stares at the Penguin blankly. "How much, I'll reimburse you."

"Really?" The Penguin asks in surprise.

"Yes. Now give me a number before I change my mind," the Joker growls.