Time to be Serious

The hard part was getting started. It took a few minutes to drowned out her subconscious which was telling her to turn around and hide until the men left the room, but she knew it was only a matter of time until the Joker would go back and find his toy was missing. This might be her only chance. Her feet started to move of their own accord. She could feel them pound against the cold cement floor as her body was propelled forward, she had barely made it past the men before she could hear their yelling. It's amazing what adrenaline can make the human body capable of. Her legs steered her left of the exit as she could hear the sound of guns being pulled from their holsters almost like they were right at her ear. She dived and slid behind a stack of crates as the gun fire began echoing around the room, and she could hear one of the larger men order the scrawny guy to go find the "boss".

Shit! She inwardly cursed as her eyes fixed on the red exit sign. She was so close! Once the Joker got here it would be game over, she knew he wouldn't let her leave let alone live. Her eyes began combing the room for anything she cold use as a shield. There were crates, and there was even a garbage can. Maybe she could use the lid? It was a long shot, but she was willing to try anything at this point. She crawled to the corner pulling the trash can from the wall, the can clanking against the floor as it fell over. She fiddled with the lid a moment pulling it to her side, and grasping it like some old spartan shield. Pulling her self into crouching position she got ready to make a run for it as she could hear the men start making their way towards her, and then she saw it. The gray metal box, that had been popped open in the gun fire. Her hand flew to it pulling the door back. The power box! Could she be THAT lucky?! Her fingers started retching switches in the opposite directions, she almost laughed as she could hear the power began to turn off and the room suddenly went dark. The men had frozen in place and their cries of confusion confirmed what Arien needed to know. They couldn't see.

Once again on her feet she rushed towards the illuminated exit sign, stumbling once or twice on unseen objects that were scattered about the door. She dashed under the sign, and down the hall until she could see glass doors with light from outside lamp posts pouring in. She pushed against the doors, which to her surprise opened with ease and made her way out side. Her bare skin was immediately greeted with the feel of cold wet rain. It took her eyes a minute to focus outside, after being in the dark, but her feet had already been moving her forward, knowing there was no time for her to wait. Arien slowly began to realize that she must be somewhere around the docks, as she began weaving her way through narrow passage ways between giant steel crates. She slowed a moment hiding as she listened to the sound of passing boats and rushing water. Slowly, she began sneaking once again through the narrow ways, peering around corners to make sure no one had followed her. From where she was she could see the lights reflecting off the river water, and then…the bridge!!! She could see the bridge! All she needed to do was get that far, and she was sure she could make it. No way the Joker or any of his lackeys would really chase across the bridge, not with the constant stream of traffic! She threw her self out of her hiding place, and began running towards the bridge. It wasn't close, but she knew she could make it if she just kept moving. Keeping to the shadows she ran as quietly as possible making sure to stay close to, but off the lit path the street lamps provided.

"Arrrrrrien." Her feet froze. That was his voice! Quickly, she turned around, her eyes searching the darkness for the eerie white of his face paint.

"Arrrrrrrien." The voice was closer, but where was he?!

"Arien. Do you want to die?" She spun on her heel turning an about face. He was in front of her! How did he get in front of her?!

"Arien, Arien, Arien. Do you know what I hate the most?" She continued glancing back and forth, her back to the dock, as she slowly began to move once more.

"I hate when people lie to me." Arien kept her mouth shut as she moved as quietly as possible, her eyes still searching for any signs of the Joker. Maybe, he was just talking aloud and hadn't really found her. Maybe he was waiting for her to give away her location.

"Stealing is just as bad." She couldn't help, but let a little smile cross her face, at the reminder that she had outsmarted him.

"Arien, do you know what I do to people who steal from me?" His voice was so much closer! Why could she not see him?!

"I cut them to pieces." Her head shot forward, her eyes widening at the long purple jacket, and the carved grin. She could feel her breath quicken, and her muscles go tense, as her feet slowly began to move backwards. How did he get there so fast and without her noticing?! She could hear the splash of water against the side. She knew the river was close, and she'd been a good swimmer when she was younger. She turned her legs rushing her through the dark towards the water. She could see the edge she was almost------a gloved grasped her arm jerking her backwards, and throwing her to the ground. Rolling on her side she quickly made her way back to her feet, but not fast enough. She felt the bottom of his shoe pressing into her stomach, and knocking her back to the dock floor.

"If, uh, I were you," He leaned over placing a foot on her back holding her to the ground, "I would stay down." Arien stayed with her stomach to the ground, her head craned in order to see the Joker's leering face peering down at her. A gloved hand reached into the long purple jacket and pulled a small black handle from its depths. With the flick of his wrist the blade flicked out with a faint click. Slowly, he crouched down his hand shooting out and grabbing Arien to flip her over. Her back to the ground, and his hand holding her in place, he smiled and lifted the blade.

"Let's put a smile on that face!" Arien squeezed her eyes closed, awaiting her final blow, when to her relief with a slight grunt the weight on her chest was quickly lifted. Her eyes shot open searching the scene around her, and she saw the Joker sliding on his back away from where she was on the ground. Movement drew her eyes to the large black form standing in the shadows. The Joker turned on to his hands and knees, and laughing as he pushed himself back to his feet, flexing his wrist with still had a firm grasp on the knife.

"Drop it, Joker."

"Aw come on, Batsy! We're just havin' a little fun!" The Joker's cackle echoed around the docks. Slowly, her eyes still focused on her assailant Arien climbed to her feet backing herself behind the cape of her winged crusader.

"Stay back," The raspy voice commanded her.

"Now now," The Joker's face sneered, his eyes darkening as his play thing backed behind his nemesis," thats not fair. I don't show up and take your toys from you." Arien glanced back and forth between the psychotic clown and her masked vigilantly. She had a chance with Batman distracting him to make a break for freedom. Turning, she began running back for the bridge.

"Boys!" Arien's head turned back mid-run, as the Joker's knife aimed in her direction, while he threw himself forward to swing at Batman. Her body smashed into what felt like a brick wall, sending her reeling back. Regaining her balance, she looked up to see that the "brick wall" was a rather large creature, that she would assumed to be male. His skin was covered in slick looked light scales that almost glittered under the dock lamps. Her eyes could detect movement behind him, as a large scaled tail swung in and out of the lighted area. His mouth cracked open in what could only be described as a smile is sharp jagged teeth jutting out almost as a warning. Hands wrapped around her arms, dragging her behind one of the storage units. One hand firmly clasped around her arm the other, tore through her clothes like wet paper. Flipping her around he held her against the cold metal of the building, his tail swinging back and forth in excited movements.

"Come'n man!" A man shouted as he and another lackey ran up to where they were reaching out and pulling Arien from the monsters grip. "Get a move on! Wait--hey!!" The large scaled man, grabbed his shirt pulling him up and flinging him across the length of the dock into the water, while the second man stumbled back out of the giants reach.

"I'll move when I'm good'n ready." The creature turned his eyes back towards Arien, his grin sending shivers down her spine. The second man then tightened his grip on Arien's arm, pulling her past the creature which turned to follow.

"Gotta get out of here, Boss's orders." He turned back to the man following them. "Bats back there too, did ya see'm Croc?"

Croc snorted in response, obvious the threat of Batman was not enough to scare him into quickening his pace. Waiting until the lackey had drug her far enough ahead of Croc, Arien grabbed her assailants fingers bending them back, and causing the man to let out of cry of pain, as his grip left her arm. As soon as his grip was gone, Arien dashed ahead once again, trying to make it to the bridge where someone would surely see her and help. From behind her should could hear the enormous pound of the monsters feet racing towards her, and a roar that could only be believed in movies like Jurassic Park. It wasn't long before she could feel the rush of air on her neck. Massive clawed hands wrapped themselves around her neck, pulling her off the ground. Her fingers pulled at his hoping loosen their grip as her feet kicked blindly beneath her. She could feel her body struggling to find air, her vision going hazy as her strength slowly began to leave her. Her vision began to blur as her eyes rolled back, her mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. With a loud roar from what she was sure would be her murderer, she felt the grip loosen and her body toppled to the floor.

Arien had mouthed a hundred prayers and a hundred 'thank you's in honor of the man who had saved her, and she knew it would never be enough.

Arien's unconscious body had been located in the mouth of an alley right out side the hospital. Needless to say, she had been rushed immediately into extensive care, where they repaired her cracked trachea, and patched up her skin which was riddled with gashed and bruises. Her family and the doctors chocked it up to luck for her reason for still being with them, but Arien knew better. Had it not been for Batman she would not be alive. The news over the next few days had been nothing, but updates of her return. Nothing but attempts by the media to fill in the blanks and explain what had happened. Thanks to Batman the Joker, and her final attacker, Waylon Jones, better known as 'Killer Croc', were locked away, although not in prison, Arkham Asylum was better than them running the streets.

After being questioned by the police, and talking relentlessly with the commissioner, Gordon, they were able to track down the Joker's hideout, at which point they discovered the where about of more than 5 other missing girls, all of them pregnant and killed before they ever reached the end of their first trimester. Arien just like the other girls Connie Brown, a 24 year old business major, or Jessica Thompson, a 17 year old getting ready to finish her senior year, were all assumed to be dead. Yet here she was four months after her disappearance, alive and 9 weeks pregnant. She wasn't showing, but the tests all confirmed what she already knew. The councilors, the doctors, even her parents, all pleaded with her in different ways to come to her senses, to abort the child and start over. You'll have another chance, when your ready, with someone you love. Although she knew that to be completely true, this child was as much hers as it was his. This baby knew nothing of the Joker, nothing of murder, kidnapping, or rape. All it knew was that in order to live, in order to survive someone had to love it enough to give it a chance, and Arien was willing to do that.