Escaping Arkham

Harleen Quinsel had been summoned into mister Gunner’s office once again. It was the third time this week. He was very much on her heels, these days. Always a « good joke » to say. Always a pat on the wrong places. Always a little word. So the summoning had been unsurprising. He had to try, didn’t he? And no was not an option, even when it was. Up till now, he had let her go with a disagreeable remark about her professional skills, and a threat. The « You can’t escape me for ever » villain line she had expected. But one day, she felt, he might end up forcing himself on her. What would she do, then? She had no idea. Yet. She had told no one, about it. She was but an temporary worker, hardly out of her internship, and trying to make a living. Mister Gunner was a respectable member of the medical staff and had been a friend of Wayne’s. Who would believe her? Still all of this was eating her up, just like the raise on her rent, just like her family relationships, just like everything. Life had not been all that bad, of course… But lately, the good had also been… Strange. And she’d wondered what to do about all this.

She knocked on the door, and heard the usual « come on in » on the other end.

« Harleen, Harleen, Harleen… » the man said.

• Mister Gunner. »

He must have been the most boring man in the world. About the exact contrary of her type, and that was not even taking into account his age. He was that caricature of a narcissistic, priviledged powerhungry boss man, with an obscure history as a baseball player. His office decoration was a mixture of his professional achievements, and his favorite baseball team tokens : a t shirt here, a bat there… A dream come true, this one.

« I missed you on the charity ball I invited you to, last time. »

• Sorry. I was sick. Couldn’t your wife come over with you? » He chuckled.
• You wouldn’t feel at ease at such an event, I suppose. »
• You suppose right, mister Gunner. Though thanks for inviting me. »

She thought to herself : I wouldn’t feel at ease in any place where I’m forced to be near you. But she kept it down, of course. She wasn’t quite ready to get fired.

« The crowd would be intimidating, wouldn’t it? You would be afraid to be looked down upon. Of course. »

• Oh, would I, mister Gunner? » Where was he going with this?
• You’re certainly beautiful, as you know. But… I suppose… Some class would be missing. »
• I wouldn’t dare pretending to be as elegant as your wife, mister Gunner. » Oh, wasn’t he agreeable.

She felt something was off, this time. More than usual. There was something up that creep’s sleeve. He seemed way too happy with himself. She didn’t like it.

…

Harleen was now ostensibly looking at the baseball bat on the wall. She was trying to avoid Gunner’s dirty gaze on her. She shuddered as her boss put a hand on her shoulder. It felt sluggish and sweaty.

« So you admit you’re not as classy as you seem? »

• Not as elegant as your wife, as I said, mister Gunner. »

Goodness gracious. Where was he going with this?

« You’ve been hiding your game, sweetheart. » he purred, getting so close she could smell his foul breath.

• Haven’t you? You seem all stuck up, but you’re actually really naughty. Aren’t you? » Cold sweat was running down her spine.
• I don’t know what you mean. »
• I figured you would say that. » he chuckled.

He retrieved his hand, and produced his phone. He placed the screen right in front of her eyes, so she could see. The screen saver was a picture of his wife and his first born son.

What will you be judging me for, now, you fucking hypocrite, she thought coldly.

She should have guessed. She should have known. Harleen bit her lips, as she watched a footage of her and Arthur Fleck, in his cell. Her heart sank, as she innerly beat herself up for not having thought that the surveillance cameras might have been everywhere.

So much for the good, she thought bitterly. It’s costing me my job. She was tired, and ashamed, and angry. She looked back up to the base ball bat on the wall, and those emotions turned into a sort of blank expectation. Guess I’ll finally know what will happen if he tries to force himself on me, now. Any minute.

And sure enough, as he put his phone back into his pocket, he grabed her shoulders again, let his foul breath spill on her neck, and whispered in her ear:

« Now, that was not very professionnal, was it? » She didn’t care to answer that statement. It hadn’t been. It hadn’t been planned either. She couldn’t feel sorry about it. It had been a beautiful moment.

• Cat got your tongue? » Gunner seemed surprised and slightly disappointed to see she didn’t try to justify herself. She guessed it sounded less fun.
• I should fire you for sleeping with a patient. Oh, I suppose he’s been much quieter since you offered him your… Services. But it’s still deontologically questionable. You would agree, wouldn’t you? »
• Of course. » she sounded detached. She was slowly drifting out of herself. She could feel it.
• Luckily for you, I like you. » A little too much. She felt nauseous, as he closed in, letting her feel his crotch against her rear.
• I’m going to let this pass, Harleen. People do make mistakes… » Of course, there was a price. He leaned in to whisper again:
• But you see : I too would like to benefit from your talents. Should you be nice, the surveillance tape could mysteriously disappear. Should you be very nice, this video would have less risks to be shared. I hope we have an agreement. » She could hear him smile. He’d played all his cards, here.

He grabed her breasts. The nausea had turned to ice. She was beyond disgust. Beyond any kind of shame, fury, fear. Beyond any heavy sensation. This wasn’t real. This was comedy. Her life was comedy. So, why would she let the scenario unfold without having any fun?

When his hands started to go down to her hips, she pushed him slightly as she turned around. She hadn’t thought about it. It had just happened. She had been looking at that base ball bat, and next thing she’d known, it had been in her hands. And she was facing him, now. He looked taken aback. She saw herself, felt herself lick the bat from top to bottom, as though she were hungry for lust. The old, dusty wood felt wild on her tongue.

« Oh, but I am a naughty girl… » she teased. She could hardly recognize her own voice.

She knew, deep down, that she was going to make a decision, in the next few seconds. But her feral self was dominating her, and there was no past, no future, anymore. Only the moment. She smiled, and stared. As she licked her lips, she noticed an exciting spark flicker in his eyes. Fear. When he started taking a step back, her reptilian brain screamed : prey. And she snapped.

Heart thumping, ears ringing, head spinning. That was a red, sticky, breathtaking, sensational kind of fun. She was no longer that good old Harleen. She was something else. Like a beast had been released from her chest. She was that beast. Gone way past civilization. Now, wasn’t that nice to have crossed the looking glass? To gaze at the world from the other side of fear? Finally? She had just lost her place, as a respectable citizen. She had just gained everything. Gunner was now a bloody mess. There was no such thing as Gunner, anymore. Only some gorish, rubber like human sized puppet, on the floor. A disposable, horror movie accessory.

« But I’ll be nice, mister Gunner. » she chuckled.

« Very nice. I promise. »

She noticed the phone that Gunner had droped, when she had smashed his skull. She hit it hard, until there was nothing left of it but phone dust.

Then, she walked to his office, and opened the drawer where she knew he kept a gun.

« You were really slow to draw out your gun, for a man called Gunner. » She put the gun in her pocket, and walked out of the room with the bat on her shoulder.

Where’s my baby? She thought to herself. Someone would be pleased to see her.

---

Arthur Fleck was positively bored, in the usual support group. There was something soothing to routine, he guessed, in the mind numbing, soul sucking sense of the term. He’d been invited to share, again, and he’d looked at the attending nurse in silence, mournfully. Two guards were at the door, for security’s sake, of course. Else, he would have already been out of here. The only thing that was keeping his spirits up, on this dull occasion, was thinking about her. His personal angel. And thinking about his bastard lying father Wayne, dying in the gutter. Wish I had killed him myself. He smiled to himself. How’s little Bruce, now? He wondered.

« Oh, you seem to be in a good mood, now, mister Fleck. What were you thinking about? Are you ready to tell us? » Arthur rolled his eyes.

• You wouldn’t get it. »
• That’s what you always say. Why don’t you still give us a try? »
• No. I’m good. Thanks. »

Unexpectedly, there was a loud BANG on the door. The guards fell, in a dampish THUD. And the smell of blood filled the room, as she stood, fixing her hair at the entrance. Everyone was mute with shock. Was it a dream? Was he hallucinating, again? Then why was everyone else also reacting? She looked like a goddess, untamed, unbothered. Unreal. When her scrunchie was in place, she swang her baseball bat back to her shoulder, and threw something in his direction :

« Hey, catch. »

It was a gun. He’d never been this excited, in his entire life. It felt real. It was real. He knew that. What had just happened? Was he in heaven?

Then, she looked at the nurse, who was staring at her with a horrified expression :

« Hello, Betty. I met mister Gunner in his office. I think he’s unwell. You should really check on him. » Her incredible green eyes darted back to him.

• You ready to go, puddin’? »

He laughed, as he shot at the ceiling. Everyone freaked.