*J* (the continuation)

Part Twenty-Seven: Chapter 202: The Clock Is Ticking

Jason was a model patient for a few days, so the staff allowed the straight jacket to be removed. When the Joker went to eat, or shower, or to his daily therapy, he was in shackles. When he was alone in his cell was the only time he was allowed out of them. Jason had figured out by now that playing by their rules would get him out of there faster. There wasn't any resources in his cell. He needed to be amongst the trusted patients that got to roam freely. It was the only way to get things that might be needed to make his escape. Though he really hopes Frost, Ace, and Harley are out there somewhere planning his break out.

There's not much to do when you're confined to a cell for twenty one and a half hours a day. They wouldn't allow him magazines, pens, pencils, not even crayons, or paper yet. So that meant that there was even less for Jason to do. He really only had three options, counting the bricks in his walls, reading the graffiti, or exercising. Today he chose to exercise. No sense in losing muscle mass while he's out of commission. After all, physical weakness never helped anyone.

He was doing his ninth superset of push-ups when he heard the lock on his cell door click. He looks up to see two guards standing there with shackles. But it wasn't time to eat, nor was it time for therapy. "You got a visitor," one of the guards shakes the shackles.

"You know the drill," the other says, "face against the wall, eyes closed, and your hands behind your back."

Jason pushes himself up. The guards couldn't help but stare at his tattoos. Jason reaches for his shirt and puts it back on. He then stands with his nose to the wall, eyes shut, hands behind him. He soon feels the cold metal going around each of his wrists. Then he feels them go around his ankles.

"Alright, move it," one of them commands and gives Jason a little shove.

Jason hadn't exactly expected to receive any visitors while he was in Arkham. "Is this visitor male or female?" Jason asks with a smile.

"Male," comes the flat answer from one of the two guards behind him.

Jason's smile dissipates, that meant it wasn't Harley in some disguise. But perhaps it was Frost or Ace. He hopes it is, he was ready to get out of Arkham.

So they take him through the hallways, his chains clinking across the tile floor. They take him to an area where the visitations were held. They take him to a room. Inside was a table and two chairs. Nothing more, nothing less. The two guards push him down in a chair and chain him to the floor. Then they both leave.

Jason carefully takes in his surroundings, taking little mental notes of everything. His curiosity is going crazy trying to figure out who had come to see him. He half expected Bruce to come walking in. He actually hoped it wasn't Bruce. He felt very awkward around Bruce knowing how he cared for J. He felt like Bruce was checking him out or trying to touch him as he had J.

Moments later a man is shown in. Jason immediately recognized him from the news. After J killed D.A. Alday, his office went to the A.D.A. Sarah Jenkins. She resigned after only a few months, because the Mayor was pushing her to go after the Joker. A man named Daryl Dupree became the new D.A. And that's who Jason was looking at. Jason noted that his suit was cheap. The smell of his cologne as he passed smelled cheap too. He takes a seat across from Jason and tries to hide his nervousness.

"Good morning Mr. Joker, my name is Daryl Dupree, District Attorney for the city of Gotham," he says as he lays a folder on the table in front of him.

"Yes, how may I be of assistance?" Jason's green brows furrow in confusion, not knowing why he was here to see him.

"I thought I would get a jump-start on your upcoming competency hearing," he says and flips open the folder.

"My competency hearing? Whatever do you mean?" Jason stares at him playing stupid.