Halloween at the Stacked Deck, Chapter 5

By Sunflare2k5

A quick flip of the Coin, and Harvey took Ivy's wrist. "We've got to get you out
of here!" he told her firmly. She took a look around for Harley, but the blonde
was already trying to catch up with the Joker. Ivy nodded and took Harvey's
lead. They hurried backstage, to a small emergency exit. "This may still be
guarded." he warned her.

In response, the vines on her dryad costume began to writhe around her body
snakelike. "I'm ready… and you?" she asked. He draw the nightstick. "Just enough
force to get them away from us – agreed?" Ivy nodded; she wasn't that fond of
brute force, herself.

The police already had their hands full with catching the mob trying to rush out
of the main doors; only one pair was guarding this neglected-looking doorway.
Ivy's vines whipped out, pulling the police off balance… and two quick blows with
the nightstick finished the fight. Harvey rushed Ivy along to his car; between her
pollen attacks and a few shots meant to keep the police's heads down, they
finally made their escape.

Meanwhile… the Joker, Harley, and their henchmen and hyenas were making a
break for it through the kitchen. "Stooges time!" Joker grinned, hefting a cast
iron skillet and testing it for balance. Chico and Harpo, being more pragmatic,
helped themselves to the knives. And Harley was busy trying to keep Bud and Lou
from raiding the fridges. "Not now, babies… we gotta get outta here!" she scolded.

Joker peeked through the greasy windows, and saw the police lying in wait for
them. As Harley and the hyenas finally reached the doors, Joker shoved her as
hard as he could, sending her flying outside! "Catch!" he yelled as he shoved
her, then he darted to the side as she and the leashes got tangled up with the
police. Chico and Harpo tried to keep up, but their boss was quicker. At the
nearest police car, he gassed its driver with Joker venom… then hijacked the
vehicle to make his escape!

Harley was trapped! The police had untangled themselves first, and had their
weapons trained on her and the hyenas. But then, with a few small pops, small
clouds of greenish-yellow mist appeared around the policemen's heads… and
they dropped their weapons and started screaming! The Scarecrow, still in his
Red Death costume, offered Harley a hand up. "That formula's heavier than air;
you don't want to be down there…" he warned.

They ran past Killer Croc, who was busy trying to jackhammer Batman's head
into the parking lot. Two women in scanty leather outfits and a multitude of
tattoos and piercings were also in the fight, kicking at the Caped Crusader.
"Ya &!$#*!^ JERK! I was gonna get laid!" Croc roared at Batman, slamming
him into the asphalt again. "You're so masterful…" one tattooed twin cooed
to Croc. "And so powerful!" her sister agreed, aiming another kick.

"…go figure…" Harley muttered, as Scarecrow pulled a small remote from his
shroud. With it, he popped open the rear door of a hearse. "Get in; I'll drive!"
he told her. "I had this armored to protect my supplies; we should be able to
break through the barricades!" Harley and the hyenas scrambled in, and she
locked the door. Just in time, as the hearse shot forward for a small gap where
the police cars had their doors open. Though they shot at the hearse, it had
little effect, and Scarecrow ended up tearing their doors off as he smashed
through!

Only those five criminals escaped. Batman, though battered, finally managed
to overcome Killer Croc with some blows to the scaly villain's knees. And once
he was down, the girls were easy to subdue. The police herded the criminals
off to jail, or Arkham Asylum, as needed. And Gotham City was much safer
for that Halloween…

(The End)

Author's Notes: Well… not quite the end? I've got sequels for what happened
with our two pairs of Arkhamites – coming soon!