* J *

Part Twenty-Five: Chapter 182: Switched

Basil Karlos was a metahuman that was known amongst the Rogue Gallery as Clayface. His metahuman power was that he could transform his appearance to be anyone he wished, like moldable clay. No one could ever distinguish him from whomever he copied. It was as if he became that person. He's even successfully fooled Batman on more than one occasion. A truly amazing feat against Batman's great detective skills.

Ivy had been successful in convincing Clayface to take the job. What was the job? The job was to take the Joker's place so Harley and Ivy could get him out of the penthouse without Jason knowing. Harley had arranged for the Joker to be transported to Victor Fries's. Once there, the Joker would be cyrogentically placed in a state of homeostasis. It would provide the time Harley required for her plan to work. It would also give Ivy more time to try to come up with a medication to help, should Harley's plan prove to unsuccessful.

Clayface would then stage the Joker's death. Ivy had a concoction that would make the heart rate and respiratory go so low and intermittent, that it would be easy to mistake one for dead. It would also make it to where Clayface could survive being buried alive, because he wouldn't require very much oxygen. He could probably go four hours, maybe more without depleting what oxygen would be in the buried coffin. Then he could be dug up and allowed to go about his merry way.

In order for Clayface to take the Joker's place, the security feed would have to be looped to show no activity as the switch was being made. That way if Jason looked, he would see nothing out of place. Jason would also have to be out of the penthouse while the switch was being made. Harley knew that the only way to get Jason out of the penthouse, was to agree to going out with him. Which meant Ivy would have to get the Joker to Mr. Freeze, but she would need help.

Harley knocks on the door to the Joker's office. She can hear Jason inside as he walks across the room and unlocks the door. He sticks his head out. He seems surprised to see Harley standing there. Though he was quite pleased to see her.

"Harley," he says her name and smiles.

Harley gets a chill seeing her puddin's smile on Jason's lips. "I wuz thinkin bout what ya said earlier. I do need ta get outta here for a while. So if yer offer still stands..."

"Yeah," Jason quickly says, "of course. In fact, I got a call from Penguin. He invited me to the Iceberg Lounge. I should probably make an appearance. I'd feel a lot better with you there, you know, in case I make a mistake. It'll be my first time impersonating J."

Harley forces a smile to her face. "Gimmie half a hour to get dressed."

"Ok," Jason smiles big. Every time he smiled it made Harley think of her Mistah J.

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Jason took the opportunity to drive he and Harley to the Iceberg Lounge in J's Vador. Jason had wanted to drive it since the first time he lay eyes on it, and now, it was pretty much his. He was dressed in one of the Joker's tuxedo's. His hair was slicked back, his eyebrows freshly shaved off. Tonight, he was the Joker.

"Ya nervous?" Harley asks as Jason pulls up in front of Penguin's club.

Jason nods as his hands grasp at the wheel, "The Penguin knows J pretty well. I'm afraid of screwing up. What if I say things differently than J would?"

"Oswald invited ya cuz he wants sumbody ta get high with," Harley tells him, "He probably ain't gonna notice little slip ups."

"You think?" He swallows.

"Don't worry," Harley nods as a valet opens her door.

Jason gets out and tosses the keys to the valet. He then walks around the car as he pulls at the tux, straightening it out. He approaches Harley. She reaches up with a sad smile and straightens his bowtie. She then slips her arm into his. Jason takes a deep breath as they walk up the red carpet to the door.