章 10: The Long Halloween part III

One quarter hour before

The smile of the Joker then start to look more sinister "He He He. Darling, Darling, Darling. You don't know? Apart from the kind service we received, that's because it much more easier to escape of course"

Hearing that, Mallory suddenly felt like something was wrong, so she wanted to call for Batman but

BOOM!

a sound of an explosion suddenly resound in the hallway. "What's happening upstairs?" cried Mallory surprised by the noise. She then noticed Batman pulling out his grappling gun as he ran to the exit door. More worried by the words pronounced by the Joker and reassuring herself that he could handle it by himself, Mallory reported her attention on the other.

"So, what was you trying to say by much easier to escape? Preparing a breakthrough from the asylum? Not happening under my watch Joker. Hear me?"

But like the destiny wanted to mock upon her, a snort suddenly resound from the wall leading to sewers behind, getting her attention. As she was turning her head to the wall, a transparent door like a ghost appeared in front of and pass through her without making any harm to her.

Reacting quickly, Mallory jumped Next to the range of that door who already vanished like it didn't exist, but next second after, the door of Joker was opened violently and mysteriously traced the exact same path with the exact same speed of the previous ghost door.

Seeing that Mallory was totally unharmed, the Joker chuckled and said "I never understood how you always seem to be able to guess what I will do to you. Question is, did we know each other before the chemical facility? That would explain why you know me so well hehe"

Mallory took one of her blowpipe from her back and and shoot a dart from it to the recently free Joker "You wish!"

But the dart was stopped by the pillow Joker was holding in his hand. "You miss darling!" said mockingly Joker as he was rushing to her. Not afraid of confronting him, Mallory took a fighting stance and at the same time her second blowpipe to use them as stick. CRACK CRACK CRACK

The wall near her suddenly started to Cracked all over. But then it's stopped when a voice was suddenly heard behind it

"Hey are you even sure this is the right wall?"

"Solomon Grundy know all the sewers" replied a heavy voice "Great than blow that wall for us, would you?"

Following that, a silence cover the place for a few second before BOOM! BOOM! BOOOM!

The wall was blowing up. Rubble started to flew inside the asylum and nearly touched Mallory who was seven meter away from the walls. In fact, the rubble was going to hit her, but before it could do so, Mallory start to see the ghost image of them like earlier with door and just avoid the path were they landed.

For the Joker, it only seems that she took three steps aside randomly and when the rubble landed she just happened to miraculously be in the only place were no rocks land.

When Mallory gaze on the newly create entrance, her body tensen up and eyes became more sharper. Behind the hole, 5 people start to slowly walk inside.

The first one was a big man int the 2 meter tall with grey skin. Looking like a zombie out of a Frank Einstein movie. The second one was a slender and voluptuous woman dress in green tight suit and surrounded by many vines and plants. The two next people who came out were at the same size of Mallory who was 1.50 meter tall. One of them was dressed in a green costume with a big Hat in the head, while the other was less humanoid and look like a heap of clay with two eyes and a mouth. The last one, was too in a green costume and a hat, but he was much more taller and his costume had question mark all over. Besides he was holding a cane with a question mark on the top.

"Oh am I seeing things? Isn't that the little ninja who follow Batman sometimes? What are you doing here cutie?" Said Poison Ivy while searching for something. Noticing her behaviour Joker intervened while pouting "Don't bother looking everywhere, Batty went upstairs to play with others. He don't even consider us" hearing that, the face of all the vilains clear up and Poison Ivy did a sign to Joker to come over and said to the Riddler "Free the others" and immediately return from where she went.

Not wanting to let them go, Mallory shoot seven darts in a row to them aiming for riddler and the other. But sadly only one hit the mark knocking out a Mad Hatter unprepared, the others were all deflected by Poison Ivy's vines.

Seeing that, Mallory prepare to engage the enemy face to face, but before she could do anything, a sound of alarm resound in the hallway and a second after all the room were opened.

"You gotta be f**king kidding me here" muttered Mallory remorseful as she thinking that she should have followed Batman instead of staying here.

Don't be wrong, Mallory love fighting, but when she saw the thirty and plus crazy inmates going out of cells, knowing that the level - 2 was were the most madmen and dangerous people were here she started to have a headache. But this was only the beginning.

______________________________________________

Back to the present

Batman and Mallory were now putting the sleeping patients back to their room. While doing so, Batman suddenly noticed that in one of them a man was already inside and awake. Seeing that, Batman deduced that he didn't even bother to try to escape.

"Why didn't you try to escape Alberto?" asked a curious Batman. "Why should I?" replied Alberto "They plan put an end to a Holiday, why should I help them doing it?" what he said make sense, but being the only one who could lead him to Holiday batman keeps asking questions.

"Who is the second Holiday?" he asked with threatening tone but Alberto just replied calmly "Wrong question Batman. What you should ask is why did that person become Holiday? I become Holiday because nobody, not even my parents could remember my birthday, but what about that person? Even I don't know it but that would explain many things" said mysteriously Alberto making Batman think more intensely before asking again "Then who is the next victim?" this time Alberto sigh heavily and shook his head "Still wrong question Batman. I'm not that Holiday, how should I know? But if you really want information about Holiday, I know someone. Tony Zucco, the Mafioso under Maroni. It was him who introduced me to the True Holiday so that I can become a Holiday too"

"What? There is more Holiday except for you two?" Asked Batman frowning. "Well, there's not just one holiday in the calendar, so why should we be the only Holiday? Anyway, don't bother asking me who is the True Holiday because I never met him in person, but Tony Zucco may know him."

"And were do I find Zucco?" asked Batman

"I don't know, but normally he had a business tomorrow with C.C Haly the guy who managed the Haly's Circus. I know that because I was supposed to come with him so I could finally met the True Holiday" hearing that, Batman couldn't help but asked "Then why didn't you escape to do it?" "Because, Batman my Holiday is finish" replied mysteriously Alberto.

An hour later, on the road inside the Batmobile, the atmosphere was heavy.

"So, we're not fighting against one or two Holiday, but as many holidays there's in the calendar?" Resume Mallory sighing, before suddenly laughing "I'm glad that they didn't take the calendar of India or Colombia as reference. Or else, their would've been a never ending amount of Holiday. Imagine, 18 people like Alberto...." thinking of that, she start to shook her head as a headache was coming. "But still, what a coincidence that I've happened to plan with auntie to go tomorrow in the Haly's Circus because my friend will perform for the first time" "Yes what a coincidence. But like that, I'm sure that you will not be able to mess up with the mission" said Batman with smile. That sentence cause Mallory to pout "I already told you that it wasn't my fault! How should I know that they plans to made everyone escape?" said Mallory refusing to take the blame cause the smile of Batman to grow wider. "Well, wherever they are now, we wouldn't be able to found them for the moment. Dawn is coming soon, so I'll take you home and take the time to call your friend Grayson to ask him for two tickets for tonight"

"What?? The great Bruce Wayne don't have the money to afford two place in a circus?" Said Mallory teasingly. "Of course I do" replied Batman "Bruce to keep being rich, you have to keep your money by your side right?" "Stingy" said Mallory by pulling her tongue.

At the same time, in Haley's Circus. A young boy in his 12 who just wake up, was now wandering around in the Caravans in the circus. Because he was excited that today he will finally make his first entry in the show, Dick Gayson couldn't sleep well. Having nothing better to do, he start jumping from caravan to caravan without making a noise so he'll no wake up the others.

Even though it was the night, but everybody knows that in Gotham, night was when the city was really active and no sound in the night doesn't meant that there was no one.

As he was keep jumping around, he suddenly heard some noise coming from C.C Haly, the director of the circus.

Curious, Dick went to see what was happening. As he was getting close, he start to hear furious voices coming from the caravan

"Haly, think very carefully about it. All I ask, is to you to keep a dozen of box, until you get out of the city. You will even be paid for that, so why do you refusing my offer?" said the angry voice.

"...Bu..But I don't want to involve my employees with that "replied the trembling voice of Haly. Following that, a sigh was heard before "Haley, you concidere everyone here like your own family hun? And if remember correctly, the Flying Grayson are the main star of your circus right?" "Y..Yes..." replied Haley. They do something really dangerous as job, not surprising that they are so loved by spectators. I even heard that they child will perform today" Said the man with low tone in voice before saying coldly "A dangerous job like that, for a hole family. What will very tragic if they happen to have an accident"

After saying that, the man went away with a "I will come back tonight, think about it a little" as threat planing above Haley head.

______________________________________________

"Sweetheart? Are you ready? We will be late you know? It's not like you will going on a date with him you know" Marisa Troswer said from the Ground floor complaining with a smile. Thirty seconds later, the sound of someone coming downstairs was heard, and Mallory Made his Made her entrance in an Elegant black tie dress with evening shoes and gloves. If Marisa didn't know were they were going, she would think that Mallory was going Into some Gala. But what made her laugh, was what Mallory said when she came to her side "It took me some time, only and said only, because I didn't have anything else to wear. I was looking for a better dress, but I couldn't find anything that wouldn't put Dick in shame for his first show so I had worn that poor dress. And I already told you, I don't like him! His just a friend!" said Mallory with disdain

"Sure, sure, sweetheart. That why you're wearing a dress of more than fifteen million dollars for just a show in a circus" Yes Marisa while trying hard to not laugh. "Yes, exactly. I should really had to prepare a more fine dress for the occasion that one is to awful, but what can I do? Now Let's hurry up, uncle Bruce is waiting for us that girl Selina" she said as run to the front door while her mother could but muttered with a smile as she shake her head "Youngsters of today..."

Haly's Circus

When Marisa and Co finally reach the Circus, the show being in an hour the spectators were not many at this time.

As soon as the car stopped, Mallory exited with a rush causing Selina Kyle to ask "Why is little monkey that excited for a circus show? It's her favourite thing?"

That question made both Bruce and Marisa to laugh loud making Selina puzzled "Well, you could say that, if you concidere some enchanting eyes like a part of the show" Said Marisa mischievously "Oh, so it's a boy?" Said Selina with a smile understanding immediately "No wonder". She didn't said it loud, but Mallory did heard her, and even though she start to blush, she still act like she didn't hear them walk straight to the circus in a rapid pace.

When they reach the entry desk, a boy with brown hair and blue eyes with a cute face was waiting for them. When noticed them, he was going to met them, but stopped his track when his eyes was attracted by Mallory.

Whe she that, Mallory panicked and start to explain herself "I know that it's ugly and I should have probably wore something more beautiful because it your first time but I couldn't find something worthy in time. I'm sorry" when Dick heard her apologies, he hurriedly stopped her "No, no your dress is fine and your truly beautiful, that why I was so stunned. Don't worry you look very good" Hearing the compliment, Mallory start to smile foolishly, causing the three adults behind to chuckled.

When enter in the circus, Dick propose to them to do a little tour before the show start and Bruce more than anyone agreed eagerly pretending that not doing anything for hour will make him die. During the ride, Dick almost never keep his away from Mallory for more than five minutes.

On the way, at many times, he had the feeling that they were being followed, but every time he turn his head, they were nobody behind.

When they finally finished the visit, Dick was accompanied them to the spectators place when Bruce suddenly spotted someone turning on the corner to join the staff members private area. When Bruce saw him, he's eyes wider and a thought immediately cross his mind before rejecting it instantly 'It can't be him, he's not even in America.but this feeling...'

When Dick left them, he immediately run to his Lodge to prepare himself. Half away through it, he came across the same man from this morning with C.C Haley talking this time with another man

"He refused again, so do the job but do it properly, leave no trace" said the man of the morning "But the ropes were exchanges, I saw a kid do that and even when I did it again, he exchanged it again saying that this one too wasn't great. After that I didn't have any room left to do it again" start to explain the other man with an apologic tone "I don't care of how you do it, I have reserved a place for the show so I want that to be a great show" said the man with a sadic smile on his face but when he looked away, he noticed Dick who already stop he's track to listen to him. "Hey brat! Get away!" he shout to him.

Dick start frowning but still did as he was told and went to his lodge. As he start to change himself, he couldn't help but keep thinking of what heard earlier. The more he thought about it, the more he start to feel uneasy. As he opened his door to exit absentmindedly he was suddenly woke up by the sound of the door hurting something "Aouch!"

Realising that he hurt someone, Dick rushed out to met a handsome boy in the same age with long brown wavy hair and a bump on the forehead "Ah, I'm sorry, I didn't know that there was someone behind" apologies Dick. "No, no it's ok. Rather it's my fault for daydreaming like that" said the young man with a stunning SMILE "Oh right, good timing, can you help me? I was looking for the toilet for an hour, but now is the time for the show to start but can't find my way out" said the boy scratching his head making Dick laugh. He then start to explain how to rejoin the spectator area the boy.

"Oh thank you Dick" said the boy stunning Dick "How do you know my name?" He asked with suspicion "Oh that? Well, you know someone in my family, and she told me about you and the fact that you will have you first show today. Even though at first I didn't want to come, but when think about it a little how can I not? And Especially now that I met you. I can say witho a doubt that you will do great things Boy wonder" as he said that, he raised his hand and went away. 'someone in his family? Could it be Mallory? But she never told me that she have a brother. Maybe he's her cousin' Thought Dick before walking to the stage.