CHAPTER 75

Deep within the shadows of his hideout, the Joker sat twirling a pen between his fingers, feeling the weight of boredom suffocate him. The afternoon was still and quiet, leaving him with an insufferable feeling of monotony. He wondered how people could tolerate such a mundane existence for prolonged periods of time and concluded that it must be another form of torture.

But suddenly, a brilliant idea struck him like a bolt of lightning. Why not bring some excitement to the dull lives of Gotham's citizens? Why not make them laugh until their sides hurt and their faces ached? The mere thought of causing chaos and spreading joy through the city sent shivers down the Joker's spine.

A sinister grin crept across his face as he began to imagine the possibilities. "Perhaps we should destroy the library," he mused to himself. "Those boring bookworms will have to find new hobbies."

As the Joker pondered his latest perverse idea, he was suddenly interrupted by a familiar presence. Twirling and giggling, Harley Quinn made her entrance into the room, her playful demeanor adding to the Joker's already mounting excitement.

"You seem happy about something, Puddin'," Harley observed, noticing the sinister grin plastered on the Joker's face.

"I just had an idea, sweetheart. A way to make Gotham a more cheerful place," the Joker replied, turning away from Harley and heading towards a nearby wardrobe.

"Really?" Harley asked, her tone brimming with enthusiasm as she skipped over to join him.

"A lot of people in Gotham don't know how to have fun. They spend too much time in libraries reading boring books instead of engaging in some real excitement," the Joker continued, the wicked glint in his eye growing stronger. "If I can give joy to the most uptight people in Gotham, then the city will be filled with smiling faces."

Harley let out a laugh as she realized the Joker was planning on infecting a bunch of people with his infamous Joker gas. "That's a wonderful idea, Mr. J. We need to teach those bookworms how to have some fun!"

"I knew you'd like it, Cupcake. Now, let's dress up and round up the boys," the Joker said, rubbing his hands together in anticipation.

Harley Quinn made her way over to a nearby vanity, where she began to freshen up her makeup. The Joker, meanwhile, donned his signature purple suit with a green vest and bowtie, his hair dyed a brilliant green and slicked back. His chalk-white face was accented by ruby-red lips, creating a striking contrast.

Harley, dressed in her classic red and black jumpsuit, accessorized with a matching jester hat and a mallet that she could swing with deadly precision, tied her long blonde hair up into pigtails. Her face was painted with white foundation, red lipstick, and a black mask over one eye, completing her signature look.

The hideout itself was decorated in the Joker's signature style, with neon-green lights casting a sickly glow across the room. Photos of the pair's previous escapades adorned the walls, and an array of deadly weapons and gadgets were scattered across the tables and shelves.

The Joker cackle with glee as he imagined the chaos they would cause. "Imagine the looks on their faces when they realize what we intend to do!" he said.

Harley Quinn laughed along with him, twirling her bat in her hand. "Yeah, let's give them something to laugh about!" she said.

The Joker and his men set out that afternoon, making their way to the library to cause chaos in the name of brightening the gloomy faces of those with a lifestyle he deemed boring.

… 

Barbara had been tailing Tom for some time, intrigued by the mystery of his personal life. She made a plan to get to know him better by striking up a conversation with him during his regular Saturday visits to the public library.

As she entered the library, she spotted Tom browsing the bookshelves, his eyes scanning the titles for something that caught his interest. With a friendly smile, Barbara approached him, hoping to break the ice.

"Hey there, I'm sorry to bother you, but I couldn't help but notice you here every Saturday. Do you come here often?" she asked.

Tom turned to her with a slight furrow in his brow. He didn't recognize her from the library, but he decided to give her the benefit of the doubt. "Yeah, I do. It's a great place to read and escape the noise of the city," he replied.

Barbara nodded in agreement. "I come here to study sometimes. It's so peaceful and conducive to concentration."

As Tom continued to browse the shelves, Barbara couldn't help but notice his preference for mystery novels. "So you like mysteries?" she asked, attempting to keep the conversation going.

Tom nodded, a faint smile creeping onto his lips. "Yeah, I love the suspense and trying to figure out the clues before the big reveal at the end."

Barbara smiled, impressed by his enthusiasm for the genre. "That's really cool. I don't  think I have the patience for that kind of thing, but I admire people who do."

Their conversation was interrupted by Tom's abrupt shift in tone. "What's your endgame?" he asked, suddenly suspicious of her.

Barbara was taken aback by the question, unsure of what he meant. "Endgame? I'm not sure I understand."

Tom's expression turned cold as he leveled a penetrating gaze at her. "You claim to see me here every Saturday, but I've never seen you before. What's your angle? What do you want?"

Barbara's mind raced as she tried to come up with a plausible explanation for her impromptu approach. Before she could answer, however, their conversation was interrupted by a loud commotion at the entrance.

They turned to see the Joker, Harley Quinn, and his goons entering the library, causing chaos and destruction in their wake. Barbara's heart raced as she realized she was caught in the middle of a dangerous situation. What would happen next?

The Joker strolled into the room with a grin on his face, looking around at the group of frightened individuals huddled together. "Shhh...remember, we're in a library," he whispered, his voice dripping with dark humor. "But don't worry, my dear friends. I'm here to liven up this dreary atmosphere and give you all something to smile about." 

With a wave of his hand, his men brought in a few large canisters. "Now, let's see who's brave enough to stick around for my little surprise," he said with a chuckle.

Harley Quin chimed in, her voice light and playful. "Don't be shy, folks. We're just here to check out some books...and maybe some heads," she added with a wicked grin.

The Joker laughed at her joke before continuing. "I promise you, my gift will be one for the books. There's enough to go around, so no need to make a run for it. After all, a good book is always better when shared with others."

Barbara's fingers trembled as she fumbled for her phone, trying to contact Jason. She needed backup and fast, but as she pressed the buttons, she realized with a sinking feeling that all forms of communication to the outside world had been cut off. The Joker must have jammed the signal.

Panic set in as Barbara realized they were completely cut off from the rest of Gotham City. Her mind raced as she looked around frantically for a way out, but the Joker and his men had sealed off all the exits.

Tom could sense her fear and put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Relax, nothing good ever comes out of panicking," he said, his voice surprisingly steady given the circumstances.

Barbara looked at him in surprise. She had always known Tom to be level-headed, but his calmness in the face of danger was almost unnerving. Meanwhile, the Joker and Harley Quin continued to laugh as the men prepared the canisters.

"It seems you don't know what's in those canisters, do you?" Barbara asked, her voice trembling.

Tom shook his head. "Not really," he responded, his face serious.

"It's called Joker Venom," Barbara explained, her eyes wide with terror. "But it's dispersed as gas. Contact with it causes uncontrollable spasms of laughter, and then...death. Prolonged exposure to the non-fatal forms can cause permanent brain damage. And there's no telling how concentrated these batches are."

Barbara knew they were in serious trouble. She couldn't access her hero costume, and she couldn't call for backup. At that moment, Tom was the only person there who could possibly do something about their predicament.

As the group of hostages nervously looked on, Harley Quin whispered to the Joker, "They're starting to get antsy. Some of them might try to make a break for it."

But the Joker simply smiled and pulled out a book from his pocket. "Ah, the classics never get old. Let's see...what's a good quote for this situation?" he mused aloud. "Ah, here it is: 'If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.' Isn't that right, my dear hostages?"

The tension in the library was palpable as The Joker ranted and raved, his mad eyes darting from person to person. The hostages huddled together, fear etched on their faces as they tried to make themselves as small as possible.

With a sly grin, he motioned for his men to approach the group with the canisters. "Now, let's see if we can plant a few seeds of chaos and watch them grow," he whispered to Harley Quin.

The group of hostages let out a collective gasp as the canisters were opened, revealing a cloud of colored gas that enveloped them all. And as they began to cough and sputter, the Joker and his henchmen cackled with delight, their laughter echoing throughout the silent library. 

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