"If there are loose strings, we have to tie them up," Belle, third in command in the squad to The Joker, declares through gritted teeth. "He's been useless so far. Raymond hasn't told us anything."

"I'm called Rehan," Rehan utters, hanging his head in defeat. We've reached headquarters and are in the interrogation room which can be said to be interchangeable with the torture room. So far, it's just been interrogation much to my favour. He sits in the chair with his hands tied behind it looking regretful of his whole life. 

Belle, gripping the halt of the knife strapped to her grey cargo pants so tightly that her knuckles change to white, turns to him to silence him, "Shut up," before turning back to me. She pinches the bridge of her nose that is scattered with brown freckles that compliment her hazel eyes, straight brunette hair and tanned complexion. Belle inhales then exhales slowly, probably trying to control her waning impatience.

"Wait! But what if the loose strings knows more than they're letting on. We just have to get him to trust us," I say in a hushed tone. For some reason, I felt sorry for Rehan. Maybe it was to do with the fact that he seemed innocent. Maybe it was to do with the fact that he was the same age as us, which Belle discovered from research. I don't know why I felt pity for him, but I did so I was trying my absolute hardest and failing miserably to convince Belle to not- well- murder him. 

Belle does not bother to lower her voice. "It would be a waste of time. Ramon is clearly withholding information and is therefore not valuable to us. I'm going to tie up loose strings."

"My name is Rehan," he pipes up again.

"Come on Belle, look at him. He's probably scared right now but give him time and he'll get comfortable with us and reveal something," I speak quietly again, contrary to Belle.

"I'm not going to allow Reyland-"

"It's Rehan," I correct for him this time.

"-to have power over us and drop feed us information whenever it suits him!"

"Belle."

"Jacklynne."

"Belle. Please. He looks around my age," I beg her. Belle is tough, stubborn and stone-faced but I know this will get her since she sees me as a little sister. It works because she eventually sighs, rolling her eyes and leaving the room which is her way of saying that she's left the situation up to me. Rehan's shoulders visibly become less tense and he gives me an appreciative look.

"Thanks," he mumbles. 

"You weren't exactly helping yourself there. Correcting her and all that," I say as I start untying the technical knot.

"If I was going to die. I'd rather die with my name being known properly."

"To each their own." 

"Jackie what happened? I saw Belle leaving." Orabelle enters the room since Aasim is with Leyna now. I grin in response.

"You managed to persuade Belle? Damn girl. You realise you owe her now in case she gets in trouble."

"Well at least if I owe her, he now owes me." I point in Rehan's direction. Realistically he doesn't since we did kidnap him and bring him here in the first place. So the cause of his death would have been our fault really but murder overrides our kidnap so in conclusion, he should be grateful!

"That I do," Rehan chuckles. Orabelle looks at him carefully, studying him.

"Do I know you?" she questions.

"I don't think so." Rehan frowns.

"Come on let's go. We've made him jittery enough." I encourage. I walk fast to guide Rehan to a temporary guest room and leave him with Orabelle before going to see Leyna. Leyna's become my favourite person in the world!

As soon as I enter her room, Leyna squeals and jumps up to hug me and Aasim's head shoots up from where he is lying down on the floor. I have a sneaking feeling that Leyna was braiding his hair whilst he was knocked out. Her broad smile confirms it and I see a sparkle of mischief in her differently coloured eyes. 

"Have you been plaiting your brothers hair whiles he's sleeping?" I pinch Leyna's small cheeks and move my fingers up and down to wiggle them causing her to giggle. When I let go, she scratches her hair pretending to think. 

"Nooo," Leyna lies, swaying side to side on the spot.

"You cheeky monkey! I don't believe you!"

"I'm not lying!" Leyna stamps her foot and crosses her arms to appear serious.

"Okay okay. You should be following the example of your brother and be tucked into bed by now." I guide her to the bed and launch her onto the covers causing a cute, heart-warming fit of giggles to erupt from her. Then I tuck her in. We exchange goodnight before I walk with Aasim out of the room, closing the door gently.

"Goodnight I guess-" Aasim turns to leave but I drag him to the bathroom close by.

"Take off your hoodie." I command, going into nurse mode. Aasim obeys. Someone passing by whistles and I recognise Zeth's voice.

"It's getting freaky in here," he comments.

"No it isn't!" I shout at Zeth. "I'm just checking his injuries."

"Sure," Zeth's voice fades as he makes a turn at the far end of the hallway. Of course we're eighteen now, Aasim only being a few months older than me but Zeth's insinuation still causes my cheeks to tinge pink and I struggle to make eye contact with Aasim because of it. Instead, I focus all my attention on his lower stomach and wrist where there are some cuts. 

I pour alcohol on a cotton pad and dab it on Aasim's wrist, making him grimace. "When throwing one of my punches he took a broken glass and fucking slit it." He says referring to his wrist. "Hurt like hell." 

I throw the cotton pad into the toilet before taking another one to pour alcohol on. I dab it on his lower stomach and he hitches his breath as his abdominal muscles shift a little. He's still on the leaner side but he has grown taller so that my forehead reaches his collarbone. However, he's gained some muscle and build from intense training including abs from physical exertion since Aasim usually is the one we depend on the most in the squad to engage in contact and combat on jobs. I finish up, applying the plasters gently, my knuckles brushing his skin minimally. 

"Alright I'm going to leave you to shower now. The plasters are waterproof."

"Is that your way of saying I stink?" Aasim smirks, narrowing his eyes at me. I stand on my tiptoes and wrap my arms behind his neck to hug him.

"I wouldn't hug you if I thought you stank. Now hurry up. Both you and Leyna are horrible at going to sleep early. I'll have to check on her later. Goodnight." I kiss his cheek then shut the door slowly to not wake the others up in case they are sleeping already. I check the hallway clock, confirming my assumption that it's past midnight already. After I divert my attention away from the clock, I almost scream when I'm met face to face with The Joker. His lips curl up in amusement as I regain my wits, standing taller to hide my wariness. 

"I heard you've befriended a stray." Despite wearing a warm hoodie, his voice still instils a shudder up my spine and goose bumps prick my arms. It's like his words slither into my ears and stroke my brain unpleasantly, evoking discomfort in me. But I manage to look straight into those menacing, calculating eyes of his. I choose my words carefully for the sake of myself, Belle and Rehan's life, trying to think of something to say that The Joker would interpret as benefitting him. I'm not exactly used to seeing him in person. No one is particularly. He usually sends us a letter from wherever he is in an envelope stamped by his blood to prove that it's him. Personally I think it's a little extreme but I would never vocalise that out loud. 

"I haven't exactly befriended him I would say. I just think...he could be of use."

"Hmm," is all The Joker conjures up.

"Walk with me?" Although the tone is like a question I know he's actually ordering me so I fall into step beside him. We walk painfully slow and I question why we couldn't just have stayed standing. But I won't complain since it means I do not have to worry about looking into those empty eyes of his.

"Tell me about the last job." 

I disclose the events of the night to him. At the end there is a long silence, as if he is waiting for me to fill it.

"So you just left."

"Huh? Left where? What are you-"

"You don't just leave. You destroy. You hurt. You make sure they remember. You make sure they fear."

"B-but," I begin.

"But! But!" The Joker mocks me. "I got a call."

"Yes I left your card-"

"And I didn't hear crying. I. Did. Not. Hear. Begging." 

"We got the cigarettes and he can't profit off your product anymore."

The Joker guffaws as if what I said is the funniest thing in the entire world. 

"It's not about money...it's about sending a message. Everything burns!" He continues to cackle loudly, turning down the hallway and leaving me in it. I make my way to my room and slump down onto my bed, trying not to think about the night three years ago that got us here in the first place as I drift off to sleep.

For Aasim, staying at Miss Landry's son's apartment was always going to be temporary, it couldn't work out in the long term and tutoring Spanish would never generate enough money for his age with inexperience. The Joker offered accommodation, food, money and opportunities that provided better options for us than what we thought we could get. Zeth thinks this is his opportunity to stray away from the perfect image he has curated for his adoptive parents. In my head I don't know who wouldn't love Zeth as he is. If he had a conversation with his parents I'm sure that he will find they accept him for his true energetic personality. For Jiaying, this posed as a chance to escape the pressures of her parents and especially the expectations of her older brother who she looks up to. Orabelle has her reasons which she has not told us about yet.

Perhaps there was a form of manipulation since we were all underage but it was an option that gave us hope. We're all older now; we're at the start of adulthood and have weighed our options. What The Joker offered was an option that we thought would only be momentary. An option that now... I saw as permanent for myself, unbeknownst by the others.

******

Did y'all recognize another one of The Joker's iconic quotes?