Wanna Know How I Got These Scars?

~~~~~ 2009 ~~~~~

It was early morning. I’d spent all night at the library. I’d made copies of all the information I needed, and I’d used the library’s equipment to make a fake ID for myself. I didn’t need my real name in any visitor’s logs, and just because I hadn’t been carded at Arkham didn’t mean I wouldn’t be. Until I could get Jack out of Arkham I wasn’t Rebecca McClure. I was Dr. Rebecca Duncan.

I’d gone home long enough to shower and change into a skirt suit. I debated buying a wig to cover my distinctive red hair, but I hadn’t worn one last night or on my fake ID. I made my way to Blackgate Prison to see Manuel Chavez. He’d been charged with a grocery list of crimes in connection with the Joker. Unlike some of the mob connected goons, he’d not had a good lawyer to get him a plea bargain. Getting in to see him was almost too easy. I claimed to work in the D.A.’s office, and I was here to tie up some loose ends in the Joker’s case. They’d barely glanced at my ID, waved a metal detecting wand over me and taken me to one of the private interrogation rooms. Moments later, a short, Latin-American man was brought in and manacled to the table, much as Jack had been the night before. Without a word the guard stepped out of the room, but he stayed with his back to the windowed door. "Look, lady, I already told you guys, I ain’t ratting on the Joker. I’m safer in here than I am out there if I rat on him." Manuel told me, refusing to make eye contact.

"You’re that scared of him?" I asked, a little turned on by the idea. This guy may have been short, but he was built like a tank. That Jack was so powerful was sexy.

"You didn’t see the stuff he made us do. The stuff on TV was nothing. I seen him gut a guy like a pig and let his own dogs eat him alive." The man paled at the memory.

"Manuel... I’m not really from the D.A.’s office." I smiled at the look of fear in his eyes.

"Shit... please lady, you gotta tell him, I never said a word. It was those other pieces of shit, the ones that got parole."

"Shh, I’m not here to punish you. I know you’ve been loyal. I need you to continue being loyal."

"How? What can I do in here?" He asked.

"I need you to tell me what you wouldn’t tell the cops. I need to know where his safe house is. I need to know where he keeps his weapons. I need names of men who can help me get him out of Arkham. If you give me good information I’ll make sure he knows how loyal you’ve been. We’ll get you out of here."

"I’ll tell you everything I know on one condition. You don’t mention me to him. Leave me in here. I’m safer in here than I ever was working for him." Manuel bargained, making it even easier on me.

"Done. Now, the information." I said, holding a pen poised to write on a legal pad. Manuel licked his lips and told me what he knew.