Holding On

Gotham News was flashing different pictures of business buildings explosions and jail breaks, they were both caused by The Joker’s partners; The Riddler and Harley Quinn. Joker made no appearance for a while, and it only made Bruce’s blood boil.

Ally hadn’t eaten, much, becoming depressed and continued blaming herself for dragging Melinda along and letting her go off to get help while The Joker crashed the party. Bruce failed by leaving her alone as he went to change into the city’s Dark Knight. It’s not just The Joker that he’s wanted from; it’s the whole city and those two criminals. Not that he’s too worried about it. Right now, he needed to go to his cousin.

Bruce turned off the TV and went straight for the stairs. He went up to Ally’s room finding Alfred walking out. His wrinkled face looked up at Bruce’s rough young one, he looked tired. Bruce made himself a mental note to give him a few days off.

“How is she?”

“Still watching the news, sir. I gave her some soup but I’d doubt she’ll be eating it.” He informed.

“Thank you Alfred.” Bruce patted Alfred’s shoulder.

He nodded then began to make his way down the elongated hall. Bruce exhaled deeply, then knocked three times on Ally’s door and waited for her reply.

“Come in.” a tired voice answers.

Inside, there was Allyson, in the dark watching the damn news show the explosions. She was in her PJ’s, her hair looked like a rat’s nest and she had dark circles around her eyes. She hugged her pillow as she watched. She peeled her eyes away to look at Bruce. He was worried about her. She looked like she just got back from hell. She looked away and back at the news reporter.

“Do you think he’s hurting her…?” she sounded like a lost child in the middle of a crowd.

Bruce sighed and sat on the edge of the bed, “I don’t know, Al.”

“What if she’s…” she gulps, “Dead?” her voice raised, but she held her composure.

“I don’t think so, Al. Don’t worry, the police will find her.”

“The police can’t even keep their damn prisoners locked up for long!” Ally raised her voice.

“They try! It’s just the equipment these criminals use! We've lost hundreds of men by them and more keep adding up! Those men are heroes and they are brave enough to go up against them like this. Even just being in jail watching these monsters.” Allyson said nothing. Just continued watching the flashing screen. Running a hand through his hair in frustration. He sighed again and turned the TV off.

“It’s my fault.” She croaked.

“Would you stop that?!” yelled Bruce, raising his voice for once, but she still never moved or flinched. He bit his lip, flicked a piece of dust off his black slacks, and laid the news on the table. “I ordered a plane ticket to New York for you.”

Ally spun her head around and looked at him with wide eyes, “What?!”

“It’s not healthy for you acting like this! You need to go home, Al.”

“No! I-I can’t! Not without Mel!”

“You need to pack your bags, the plane leaves tomorrow at noon.” he stood and headed for the door. He wasn’t going to change his mind. She needed to be out of Gotham so Bruce wouldn’t worry about her so much while he’ll try and get Melinda back.

“I am not packing anything!! I’m not leaving!! I’m staying right here!!” she throws her pillow aside and stands on her knees.

“Then I’ll have Alfred pack your things for you.”

“Bruce I’m not leaving!! Bruce!!” he didn’t answer her as he closed the door behind him. “BRUCE!!!”

…

I don’t know how long I’ve been asleep. The last thing I remember seeing was the beautiful sunset from the empty cold room I was in. Now? I was tied up, with a sack over my head in a van, I presumed, and I could feel people around me. I tried to speak but I had a gag piece in my mouth.

“Now, now, doll face. We’re almost there.” Says the raspy high pitched voice that picked me up from where I was laying and sat me down beside him. I tried to speak but it only came out muffled. The vehicle jerked and a fell flat on my face. “Woopsy!” he cackles, picking me up and sat me on his lap. Someone please shoot me.

I heard a few clicking noises then a crack. Someone loaded and cocked a gun.. I didn’t mean literally!

“Ready boys?”

“Oh yeahh”

I heard the doors open and people running out and closed the doors behind them. The vehicle moved again only for a short time before I was brought up to my feet and dragged out by the Joker. He stuck something hard in my back and forced me forward. I have no idea what’s going on, but then he let go and handed me over to someone else.

“Wait till I give you the signal, alright?” the Joker informed from behind me.

“Alright boss.”

I heard Joker’s shoes tapping the pavement as he walked back to the direction we came from. The goon grabbed me by the arm and pushed me inside somewhere, I don’t know. My face hurt from the impact as the goon pushed me with his foot.

“Get up!” he snarls at me. It was difficult when your hands are tied behind your back and you can’t see anything. I rolled onto my back and sat up, scooting my feet under my rear, and got on one knee, then stood. The man grabbed my arm once again and started to drag me up some stairs. Where was I going? Is he finally going to kill me? Should I start thinking of my last words? ‘Go to hell, clown!’ That’ll do. I think my head is bleeding. I can feel warm thick liquid run down my face from my forehead. I was slammed down on a chair; they wrapped what felt like rope around my waist with my arms behind the back of the seat, and tied my ankles against the legs.

They sure do know how to treat their guests….

“Lights! Camera! Annnnnd….” I heard the Joker say, “Action!”

Oh god…

…

Alfred left an hour ago to take Allyson to the airport. She needed to go home. Right now, Gotham isn’t a good time for vacationers.

The news was on, but the news reporter; George Newton wasn’t on. Then, he appeared.

“Good morning, Gotham! As you know, the staff of Gotham News is…Taking a break for today. For today’s weather broadcast, it’s raining. ‘Nuff said. So let’s head to the good stuff and see what’s new. Well. Last night, there were some explosions here and there and a couple of jail breaks, the usual. But today.” He smacks his lips, “We’ll go over to George Newton, who desperately wanted to continue working, for an update.” There was silence as the camera tried focusing on George, “George…Tell them what’s on the screen.”

The poor guy cleared his throat and took in a shaky breath. “It has been... Three hundred and eighty seven days since we had last seen The Batman. Since then. The Gotham City department has been in search of the Bat for murdering Harvey Dent. Or…So we thought. But back to the good part.” George clears his throat and glances sideways where the Joker was.

"C'mon, c'mon!“ mutters the Joker from the background.

"There will be a game, everyone will play. It’s like barking hounds hunting for a fox. You run and hide… We chase. Till the Batman surrenders. We have a special guest, let’s turn over to The Joker.” The man sniffles and exhaled while clenching his jaw.

They turned the camera to Joker and someone sitting on the high chair next to him. The person was a female, in male boxer shorts and a red flannel shirt. She wore a sack over her head and she was tied up to the chair.

‘Oh god. Could that be?’

“Ta-dah!! Goooooood morning, Melinda!” he rips the sack off showing a disturbed Melinda.

She was dirty with grease and had bruises all over her legs and arms. Her head was bleeding and it dripped down her face. She had dark circles around her eyes, and looked a little paler. She flinched at the sudden brightness, squinting her eyes and began to look around, then up at the giggling Joker.

“Melinda, Melinda, Melinda.” he smacks his lips at her. “My new little toy. Have any of you met Melinda? She is, quite, a courageous. Little girl. Very smart-mouthed too. She lives in New York City and came with her, friend, to see her friend’s cousin. Bruce Wayne.” He growls. “Now if she is this valuable, the Bat should do something about it. He had with the Riddler and my darling Harley. You remember your Dark Knight, right? The one that dresses up like a bat, and talks in this really deep voice that you almost can’t understand and vanishes when you blink? How’s about you try saving the right one for once?" he wasn't talking to Gotham anymore, "Let me see what ‘cha got! I can take anything you throw at me, Batsy. Let’s see if you can actually, get me this time. I’ll gradually give you thumbs up when you try.”

There was a mumble coming from behind him, and in a flash he spun around and slapped Melinda out of her chair. There were some noises and the camera fell to the ground showing Mel, on the ground still in the chair and Joker’s feet.

“Boss! The cops!”

“Well, I guess the party’s over.” He cackles. “Grab her. Time is ticking Bats! Never know when I’ll break my new doll!” he laughs as they took off. Minutes later the swat team showed but it was too late. They were already gone.

“Damn it!” Bruce threw the remote at the TV. "Damn it!"

At the front door Albert arrived back from the airport. He took off his coat and hat then entered the living room to find the universal remote sticking out of the Television and no sign of Bruce. Albert had no idea what happened, but he would ask later and went to get the broom and dustpan to clean up the mess.

…

“Hee, hee, heee!” giggles the Joker like a school girl, “Now we just need to get to the next step, and then we’re on a roll.” He cackles once he got in the van.

His goons climbed in and one held Melinda over their shoulder. She was unconscious.

“Her heads bleeding boss.”

“Give her to me.”

“Boss, shouldn’t we just kill her? You got everyone’s attention and they’ll surly be think’un that she’s ali-“

He was cut off by a gunshot from the Joker and fell on the floor of the van.. “Blah, blah, blah” He had Melinda in his lap now as he ordered his other goons to throw him out.

They took the man’s body and pushed it out as the body smacked and rolled on the road with his limbs going in different directions, and not long after it stopped rolling; a few cars ran over him, one on his body another over his head. From far away, the head smashed like a firecracker. Joker made no flinch as he focused on the gashes on Melinda’s head. There was one on her forehead, then a bruise on her left cheek where he slapped her. Guilty. He grabbed his handkerchief he had in his pocket and dabbed her wounds. He would treat them properly once they returned to his hideout.

They stopped at the main hideout, while Joker carried Melinda to a beat up SUV and drove to the warehouse in the middle of nowhere and took her to the large kitchen, and set her on the long silver table. He cleaned her up, and then used sterile gauze. The wound bled a bit and he applied pressure. She didn’t need stitching, so he used steri-strips to close the wound.. He cleaned her face more, clearing the dirt from her face. He would let her use the bath tomorrow.

He took her back to her room and left.