Harley Quinn, armed with the weapon Mr. J had provided her, approached the entrance of the ACE Chemical Plant.
Joker had not sent her alone. A group of Joker Gang members was already stationed near the gate, forming a loose perimeter around the entrance.
Harley's eyes drifted over the damp ground, then toward the boots worn by the men around her. The moment she noticed the faint water stains spreading across the floor, her expression changed.
She quickly understood the setup.
The water was connected to hidden electrical wiring beneath the surface. One switch would turn the entire puddle into a live trap. Anyone stepping in without protection would be instantly electrocuted.
Harley pouted, clearly displeased.
Mr. J had thought ahead for everyone else, but not for her.
Her gaze shifted to the closest guard, a large Joker Gang member wearing a mask.
"Hey, you, big guy," she called out lightly, tilting her head. "Would you mind coming over here? I want to tell you a story."
A confused silence followed. A question mark almost seemed to hang above the man's head.
Regardless of his reaction, Harley continued speaking as though he had already agreed.
"Not long ago, I was on a rooftop. It was a beautiful night. Mr. J and I were dancing under the moonlight. Violinists were playing around us, and then, he proposed to me."
Her voice softened with a dreamy tone.
"Till death do us part, he said. Then he pulled out a diamond ring."
She smiled faintly, as if lost in the memory.
"When we get married, we will charter a yacht to Barbados, or maybe stay at a private resort with everything included."
The Joker Gang member stared at her in silence.
He did not know whether to respond or pretend he had heard nothing.
He chose silence.
Harley leaned in slightly and waved a finger.
"Do you want to hear what happened next? Come closer."
The man hesitated, then took a step forward.
That was the moment Harley moved.
Her fist snapped forward, striking his nose with a sharp impact.
Before he could react, she followed with a second strike to his abdomen.
A pained groan escaped him as he doubled over.
Harley lifted her knee and drove it upward into his face. The force sent him staggering backward before he collapsed unconscious onto the ground.
Without hesitation, Harley crouched and removed his insulated boots.
Looking down at him, she spoke casually.
"Sorry, I lied. That story was not as romantic as it sounded."
Her tone turned colder as she gestured toward the plant.
"Those violinists were Joker Gang members holding guns. And that ring he gave me was actually a grenade. He told me to stall Batman while he escaped alone."
She shrugged slightly.
"Till death do us part, right? He ran first."
She glanced at the unconscious man.
"This is what happens when you believe every word a woman says. Be more careful next time."
The remaining Joker Gang members watched in stunned silence.
They had already come to a conclusion.
Harley Quinn was just as dangerous, if not more unstable, than Joker himself.
Meanwhile, outside the plant, Gordon had followed the trail and confirmed Joker's location. He had brought Cyborg, Nightwing, Black Canary, and Zatanna to the perimeter of the ACE Chemical Plant.
Nightwing's anger had not cooled.
"I still cannot believe it, Gordon. You handed Batman over to Joker."
He grabbed Gordon by the collar and slammed him against the outer wall.
A heavy impact echoed.
Dust fell from the cracked surface.
Gordon grunted but held his ground, his enhanced strength from the serum preventing serious injury.
"Why did you do it?" Nightwing demanded.
Batman had been taken from the Tower of Fate under Gordon's actions. Black Canary had already formed an alliance with Barbara, and Gordon had used that connection to track Batman's location. With Cyborg and others distracted, he had moved quickly and extracted Batman.
"I had no choice," Gordon said, lowering his head. "Joker kidnapped my ex-wife. He threatened Barbara's life. If I had refused, she would have been next."
He clenched his jaw.
"She has already suffered enough."
Nightwing's fist slammed into Gordon's face.
The impact sent Gordon's head sideways, but he remained standing.
"I know Barbara," Nightwing said sharply. "If she knew what you did, she would never forgive you."
His voice rose again.
"There were other options. You chose the easiest one. That is not protection, Gordon. That is surrender."
Gordon wiped blood from the corner of his mouth.
"If hitting me helps you, I will not stop you."
He pulled out a small device from his pocket.
"I did not trust Joker. I injected a tracking device into Batman. It sends his coordinates every minute."
He adjusted his glasses, now cracked.
"This ensures we can locate him at any time. Joker cannot hide him forever."
Nightwing's expression tightened but his grip loosened.
"Then you better hope Batman is still alive."
Black Canary lowered her binoculars.
"If you two keep fighting, you will get him killed before Joker does."
Zatanna stepped forward, her expression serious.
"We need to move. There are enhanced patrol units nearby. If they detect us, Batman will not just be in Joker's hands. He could end up under Adrian's control as well."
At the mention of Adrian, her tone grew heavier.
He was not just another hero.
He had consolidated government forces, metahumans, and intelligence networks across America. Even the magical community had felt the pressure of his influence.
Since the Fairytale Queen incident in Smallville, Adrian had intensified operations against magical factions. Many had been arrested or forced underground.
John Constantine himself had fled to London after being implicated in an incident that was labeled as an attack on government forces. In reality, it had started as a simple magical transaction that spiraled out of control.
Zatanna exhaled quietly, pushing the thought aside.
Black Canary's voice cut through her focus.
"Report. What did you see?"
Zatanna turned toward Cyborg.
Cyborg's red optical sensors flickered.
"Twelve guards. Mostly concentrated at the main entrance. Their positions are confirmed."
Black Canary nodded slightly.
"That is manageable."
Twelve enemies, with known positions, gave them a tactical advantage.
Still, Zatanna felt uneasy.
Something about the chemical plant felt wrong. Not in structure, but in intent, as if the situation itself was misaligned.
She did not voice it.
Instead, the team moved forward with the plan.
Cyborg took point.
Inside the ACE Chemical Plant, Harley was boredly stretching when glass shattered above her.
She looked up immediately.
Cyborg dropped through the broken window and locked onto her position.
Without hesitation, he fired a concentrated shockwave from his mechanical arm.
Harley dodged instantly to the right.
She responded by pulling out a submachine gun and opening fire.
Bullets rained across the room in a dense barrage.
Cyborg raised his arm to block the incoming fire, absorbing the impact.
At the same time, another window shattered.
Black Canary swung in on a line, landing smoothly inside the facility.
She moved immediately into combat, striking two Joker Gang members with precise kicks to the jaw.
Both men collapsed, their masks flying off as blood splattered from the impact.
===
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