Lex's roar echoed through the room, but Harley Quinn didn't flinch. She only smiled wider, her eyes sparkling with unhinged amusement.
"Mr. Luthor, you look furious," she said casually.
"Yes, I am furious," Lex shot back, his gaze hard, "because you all pretend not to see the truth. Isn't this world completely insane? Rational people locked away while the insane run free?"
Harley's smile widened as she circled him. "That's not my concern. Honestly, the world is far more entertaining when everyone goes a little crazy. People like you make life interesting."
Lex's eyes narrowed. "I'm not just a part of society's chaos—I'm one of the few who can see it clearly."
Harley leaned closer, her tone mocking yet almost affectionate. "But remember, lose control again, or try any more escape plans, and the asylum has… creative ways to deal with you. Electroshock therapy, for instance, could fry your brain a little. I promise, you'd come to appreciate the experience."
Lex remained still, studying her carefully. Her façade as a psychiatrist had begun to crumble, revealing the unrestrained madness beneath.
"You might even lose some memories," she continued, a manic gleam in her eye. "I love the torment—it's like peeling away pieces of yourself, bit by bit. One taste and you'd crave it."
Her grin widened, showing a dangerously sharp delight. "And I'll note in your evaluation that you're dissatisfied with the Homelander government. You, Mr. Luthor, remain an antisocial individual."
Lex inhaled slowly, calming himself. "I know better than to fall for that. If your goal were truly to condemn me, you wouldn't waste your time talking."
He leaned forward, voice low. "What is your true identity? What exactly do you want?"
Harley licked her lips, tilting her head. "I'm insignificant… but my psychiatrist identity isn't fake. My Puddin' is gone, Gotham's unrecognizable, and I need to stir things up. At least the Joker Gang mustn't vanish entirely."
Since leaving Amanda's X Task Force, Harley had drifted through Gotham alone. Deadshot was imprisoned, Boomerang Captain reduced to ashes, and Killer Frost vanished after her last injury. With few allies left, she wandered the city, searching for amusement. But the chaotic Gotham she once knew no longer existed.
Banks, heists, small crimes—anything to draw attention to herself or lure the Joker. Yet Adrian's presence still made her cautious.
Unable to strike in Gotham, she turned her sights on Belle Reve Mental Hospital in Metropolis. Rumor had it, many metahumans were kept there. The prospect excited her, but meeting Lex Luthor here—this brilliant, dangerous mind—was an unexpected delight.
"If I get you out, legally, with a certificate from me, what would you do?" Harley asked, letting her hand glide over his bald head.
"You want to help me?" Adrian's voice was steady, skeptical.
"Of course," she replied. "But first, I want to see the extent of your madness. How far will you go? I'm very curious."
"Are you asking about my plan, or my goal?" he pressed.
"You could say either," she teased.
He looked down at the heavy shackles on his feet, expression darkening. "I'm running for President."
Harley paused, then laughed, a high-pitched, unrestrained sound. "Running for President? Hahaha! That is… delightfully insane!"
"Insane?" Adrian repeated, tone sharp. "Nothing is crazier than the world right now, with Homelander still in power."
She winked at him. "Exactly why I love it."
"So, from this moment, Mr. Luthor, you are sane."
Lex raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"
"My report," she said with a manic grin, "will show your psychological evaluation as normal. You can leave here without needing an escape plan. Isn't that… joyful?"
Lex frowned. "You're a psychiatrist. Why would you give me a clean report?"
"Because I want to see you become President," she said, stepping closer, her hand brushing his chest in a provocative motion. "And who knows? I might even help you get there."
"What do you want from me?" he demanded, ignoring her gesture.
"I want nothing," she said, smile spreading wider. "You and I… we're the same. Insane. Insane people naturally seek more madness in the world."
Lex studied her silently, trying to see through her chaos. In her eyes, he saw only a storm—a furious, uncontrollable tide, rolling toward him with immense force.
---
Meanwhile, far away at Haibao Reef, a whaling ship struggled against the waves, smoke curling from its chimney as it followed a wounded sperm whale.
The massive creature rolled in the water, its path tracked by the ship's crew, harpoon guns at the ready. Shouts rang out as they coordinated the hunt. This illegal whaling expedition was ruthless; the whale, weakened from prior strikes, swam slower and slower.
"Speed up!" the captain barked, eyes wild. "Don't let this fortune escape!"
The whale, exhausted and injured, cried out mournfully as the crew prepared to drag it aboard. They cheered, thrilled at the capture of this living treasure.
But suddenly, a golden figure rose from the water.
Aquaman, Arthur, clad in gleaming scale armor, touched the whale's wounds gently. He felt its fear and pain, the final desperate pleas of a dying creature.
"Ah!" he roared, snapping the ropes binding the whale in an instant.
The crew froze, confused, as this unexpected figure intervened. Their prize slipped from their hands, and the ocean swallowed the tension like a wave.
===
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