The Intern

Showdown

"NO DAD." Annie struggled from Harley's grip. Harley herself looked shocked at the sudden move made by Joker.

"No sweetie." Harley said quietly grabbing Annie whose eyes started to flood with water. Harley brought her close and Annie started to sob. She could not help it. Looking up, Harley could see Batman rushing towards the warden. She watched as he checked his pulse and though his serious expression never changed, his eyes narrowed in anger towards the Joker.

"You murdering scum." Batman seethed.

"Oh Batsy. I was wondering when you would show up. A little late you know. I expected you earlier. I just could not help myself. How many people had to die tonight before you showed your big bad demeanour? Who told you anyway?"

A dark and sinister voice came from behind the curtain. "We did."

Both Two-Face and Roxy Rocket emerged from behind the curtain looking grim. Harley gasped.

"Look Harley." Roxy pointed to Annie's dead father. "See what this has done? You cannot look after her. Not with him around at any rate." She glanced at the Joker. The Joker himself noticed his clown princess glaring at him.

"You did not have to do that puddin." She quietly stated. It was a struggle for her to speak up to her lover but after seeing the devastated look on Annie's face, she could not help herself. Looking at Annie's strained and tearful face, she felt an uneasy feeling in her stomach. Perhaps guilt. It was not the first time but it seemed to be the worst.

"I am sorry sweetie. I will look after you I promise." Harley almost spoke in her Harleen Quinzel voice. The Joker stood up.

"Now Harl, let's talk about..."

BANG.

Harley used her punching glove to hit Joker backwards sending him into a pile of cardboard boxes.

"Let's not." She said softly hugging Annie tighter. "I am sick of you treating me like a guppy. Your on your own puddin." Harley was about to run out of the door with Annie but Two-Face blocked her exit.

"Your not going anywhere lady." He shook his fists at her threateningly. Roxy ran up the stairs and stood beside him. "Annie." Two Face-held out a hand to her which she took. His eyes filled with sorrow. "I am sorry. I..."

Harley took out a gun and pointed it at Two-Face, Roxy, Joker and Batman who were all starting to crowd around her. "I said back off." She seethed. Annie tried to get away but Harley's grip was too strong on her.

"Harley..." Batman tried to reason with the deluded clown girl. "You can't do this. Think about Annie. She has just lost her father."

"But she has me B-Man."

"I know." Batman waved Two-Face and Roxy back a little as they were getting Harley more agitated. "Someone you feel close to. A close friend. You need help Harleen. Maybe Annie could..."

"DON'T CALL ME HARLEEN." Harley yelled at Batman. "I am no way as hell going back to Arkham."

"That's it. I have had it." Roxy lunged at Harley knocking the gun out of her hands.

Through the commotion, the Joker decided to make his escape but Batman got to him first. "You are going to Arkham Joker." He then noticed a jet pack on Joker's back.

"Funny things what you find in hidden cardboard boxes. Toodles." He laughed as he activated a button and directed himself towards the exit. Along the way, he knocked both Roxy and Harley who had engaged in a fight. Batman went running after him determined to not let his arch-enemy escape. Meanwhile Two-Face grabbed Annie's hand and together they ran out towards the Asylum's car park. They could see the Dark Knight gliding away in the night sky after a flying Joker who cackled.

"Can't catch me Bats. WOO HOO." He shouted out over the streets of Gotham. "If I had a few bombs and a gun right now." The Joker sighed watching people gasp up at him and pointing. He screamed as he saw Batman getting closer and closer.

"Help HELP." He started to laugh. "This costumed lunatic is after me." He started to wave at the crowd of people who had gathered to watch.

Batman threw a batarang at the Joker's jet pack which started to sizzle. "ARGHHHHHHHHHH." The Joker tried to steady himself but the jet pack was going out of control. With it's last ounce of strength, the Joker tumbled down. Quickly, Batman took out his grapple and shot it down near Joker.

"JOKER CATCH." He proceeded to tie it to a gargoyle's wing on a nearby building so that once the Joker had caught it, his strength would not be as great as the marble stone gargoyle perched up high.

The Joker did indeed catch the handy gadget and Batman landed next to the stone gargoyle to pull him up. "Just in the nick of time Bats. I thought I would go splat." The Joker laughed making a quick swing at Batman's stomach. He missed. Hitting his fist against the gargoyle he yelped.

The police were called by the bystanders below. They arrived in a helicopter and shone a bright white light on both the Joker and Batman. One of the police officers held up a megaphone.

"Thank you Batman. We will take it from here."

The Joker gave out a sob. "Are you really going to let them take me?"

Batman thought for a second. Surely the Joker would just escape again and hurt more people. Why should he be given the opportunity to create havoc? It was a long way down to the ground below and yet seemed fitting for this maniac.

"Pencil me in Bats. What are you thinking? Should I or should I not?" The Joker laughed. "Why am I worried? You would not kill me. You need me. Aside from these clowns in uniform who quite frankly do nothing, you and me have a connection. A bond if you will. You know I will just break out again? Why not?"

Batman snapped out of his dark thoughts and grabbed the Joker closer to his face. "Because unlike you, I have one rule."

"Not to kill?" The Joker asked.

"Right." The Batman nodded to the police officers. He wondered sometimes if there would ever be peace in Gotham. Cleaning up everybody's messes was not easy.

"You did well tonight you know." A voice called out from behind Batman as the police lowered him down.

"Jim." Batman nodded to his friend and police commissioner "I..."

"Say no more. Frankly, it is you and me in this together." They both gazed out at the Gotham skies. "Time and time again we do this. Why? It is like a never-ending cycle. If it was not for you, Gotham would be...."

"Gone. As long as there is hope Jim. Goodnight. Until the next time."

On that note, the Batman glided off the building leaving Jim to be alone and hear the cackling laughter from down below.

............................................................................................................................................................................................................................

"We have to be careful. Who knows where that bitch is?" Two-Face was still hiding behind cars with Annie. "Where is she?"

"Who?" Annie asked.

"Roxy. She said to me that she had the vehicle covered."

Suddenly, they saw a red-haired biker chick running to them in the distance. "GUYS. SHE'S COMING."

Two-Face and Annie saw no-one but decided to take Roxy's word for it.

"In the car" Roxy waved them over.

Two-Face got in the front with Roxy whilst Annie sat in the back seat. "I thought you had a rocket." He mumbled.

"Ahem...It got damaged. Let's go." Roxy smiled a familiar grin. Her blue eyes glinted as she drove out of Arkham.