Today I woke up as usual, yawned, and stretched to release all the stress from the previous day. I looked out the window for a moment.
*Sigh*
My family's words came to mind, I can't remember how many times they told me not to work at Arkham. I know it's very dangerous, and I'm aware of the kind of criminals there.
However, I have faith that I can help them. No one in this world becomes evil without a trigger, a reason, or an origin behind their actions, and of course, there should also be a way for them to abandon that path.
I walked to my bathroom and proceeded to fill the bathtub.
I was naive...
The hot water began to fill my tub, and as it did, I checked the temperature and proceeded to remove my clothes. Then I got into the water, letting out all the accumulated fatigue.
I am the kind of woman who needs to immerse herself in water to sort out her thoughts.
I opened my eyes, staring at the ceiling, and more memories flooded my mind.
I remember the first time I arrived at Arkham; I was the typical rookie, arriving excited with the illusion of changing something in this dark city called Gotham.
My first day sucked.
My first patient lost control and tried to kill me...
I recoiled when the inmate tried to reach me; he was convicted of multiple homicide cases. The reason he's in Arkham and not in a maximum-security prison is that he tended to cut off his victims' fingers and keep them.
When they arrested him, they found a profane altar made with the fingers he had stolen.
"Come here, you little b****, let me rip your fingers off!"
He shouted a slew of insults, but the guards restrained him against the table and then sedated him.
I felt frustrated but didn't stop trying. The next one was a relatively stable serial killer in speech, but his actions were horrible.
He was charged with twelve murders, all of them of middle-aged men with children who had jobs that required a lot of time away from home.
He replaced his victims and often sent letters, messages, and even gifts to the children of his victims.
I soon discovered that he did it because as a child, his father worked abroad and never paid attention to him, even when his mother fell ill, his father never showed up. This generated a trauma that he later filled with revenge on men like that and, in turn, became the ideal father figure for those children.
I thought that time I could help change an inmate... However, reality hit hard... the inmate showed no signs of remorse whatsoever.
He just kept smiling while looking at me, no matter how much I tried, he showed no sign of change.
– "I'm sorry, Miss Quinzel, I just think I did the right thing" –
It was only when I discovered that the inmate had been in correspondence with two of the victims' children that I felt it had all been a waste of time.
How could he be repentant if he had two kids calling him dad all this time?!
I had slowly lost hope of changing these people, although there were criminals who truly felt remorse, they were the inmates of blocks A and B; that's where the low-category criminals are. Most of them are no different from normal prisoners in other jails.
It was natural to find a dozen of them who wanted to reclaim their previous lives. However, they were not my target; I wanted to change this city by starting with changing its worst villains.
...
I finished my bath and stepped out while the water dripped onto the floor. I put on a towel and proceeded to dry my hair in front of a mirror, then styled it... I used to like wearing a ponytail, but lately, I feel like wearing double ponytails, although it's a childish hairstyle for my age.
Why?
Doesn't matter, I put on a set of underwear that I just bought, I don't think it's excessive; I'm an adult woman, and I like daring underwear...
I went to have breakfast and prepared to go out; today is the day to meet.
Today is Monday... today I have to visit my most problematic patient, Joker...
As I mentioned before, I had started to believe that it was all a waste of time.
I began to believe that such inmates were hopeless, but then I met one who unexpectedly could have hope.
At first, I was afraid, how could I not be when talking about the Joker, that sociopathic killer who doesn't hesitate to do horrible things?
However, he was unexpectedly easy to deal with, he never misbehaved, and he was very talkative.
– "Society segregates people who desperately seek help, huhu huhu Dr. Quinzel if I had met you years ago, maybe I wouldn't be the monster I am!" –
I have hope that he can recover, I know that even if he repents, none of his sins will be solved, and all those people he harmed will never return, but perhaps there is a better future for him...
I want to believe that...
I looked at myself in the mirror before leaving and drove to Arkham.
...
The building looked as terrifying as usual, I wonder if they'll ever remodel it.
I entered through the side entrance; it was a cold day, and my breath was visible. This place that has caused nightmares to the people of Gotham is now my workplace.
I put on my lab coat and ID and proceeded to enter.
Everything seemed to be progressing well this month, but...
"They're firing the director?!" I shouted upon hearing the news; it was too sudden, and no one was ready to hear that. Fear spread, and someone leaked the news.
I clenched my teeth; I am aware that many guards and staff, in general, receive money from the richest inmates for "benefits".
It's unpleasant, but I'm just a small therapist; I can't change that.
I went to see the director to ask for an explanation; he has been kind to me because not many therapists come to Arkham voluntarily.
...
The conversation with the director made me feel very strange; it was true that lately, I only focused on the Joker, but that's because I believe he has redemption.
I'm fine...
The Joker isn't so bad, right?
'Harleen...'
Here it comes... that voice in my head... Sometimes I hear whispers in my head due to fatigue and stress, but it's nothing out of the ordinary.
As I silently followed the director, I heard footsteps in the distance; it seemed like someone was approaching, it was a strange feeling after all, people can't have a "presence" like in the movies, right?
I feel tired; I just want to do my job, if I can rehabilitate the Joker... even if that doesn't change anything, I should be able to help a little.
'You're a liar!'
Again, a voice whispered in my ear; I'll just ignore it...
'You don't want to help the world... you're a b**** looking for excitement.'
Shut up! Damn it, I want that voice to shut up!
Just as my head began to hurt, I felt warm hands on my shoulders; it was a pleasant sensation as if all my stress and fatigue had disappeared.
When I turned around, I met the most charming man in the world; he smiled at me and greeted me. I returned the greeting, but I felt like I couldn't speak properly, I got lost in his eyes; he truly was a very handsome man in every sense of the word.
Thanks to him, I felt better, and even the voice in my head faded away, or rather, it was as if she were hypnotized like me.
He left me and headed towards the entrance to Block A.
I don't know what to say... I reached out, trying to grab his clothes, although I didn't understand why I did it, but he continued forward, although perhaps it was my imagination, I saw a small smile on his face.
I remained stunned, feeling my heart racing until the director's voice snapped me out of it.
"He's... he's..." said the director next to me with a pale face; he seemed to know that young man, I was very curious, but when I was about to ask, a loud thud sounded from further ahead.
I felt like my perception of reality had been altered; the charming young man had started pounding on the two-inch steel door until he knocked it down.
....
After that, I discovered that the charming young man was a vulgar guy and that he would be our new director.
I don't know what to say; I feel like the previous illusion was shattered when he spoke like that, but at the same time, I felt closer to him.
I don't know what awaits me in the future, but I am optimistic... I remembered my mission, I must rehabilitate the Joker!
It's strange, but now that I'm not stressed and tired anymore, I feel a surge of motivation, and I can also feel the warmth of his hands on my shoulders. Yes, I feel like this eccentric director isn't so bad...
*End of POV*
...
...
...
Everyone was in absolute silence; while the initial impact of Allen's arrival was overwhelming, what made the criminals quiet was that sense of death that Allen gave them at that moment. Of course, this is due to Alastor's powers and the pressure generated by Allen's pure power at that moment.
...
Allen ended up becoming the director of Arkham Asylum, the place that housed the sickest, most ruthless, and cruelest criminals imaginable.
The reason? Well, it has to do with Batman, that's for sure; in just a couple of hours, Allen completed the paperwork to become the director at Arkham Asylum. Many rich and powerful people pulled strings for this.
...
Allen walked back to his new office, where he crossed paths with the former director, who was surrounded by armed guards, but none of them aimed at Allen; they were just there, frightened.
No one can blame them; they have the spine to work at Arkham. They are generally accustomed to dealing with lunatics, but if, in addition to being crazy, they have powers, things get complicated; none of them wants to become minced meat.
Allen stopped and raised an eyebrow. "Are you done loafing around? There's a door that needs to be fixed!"
Wednesday appeared on Allen's shoulder in a black dress. "You broke it," she said indifferently.
"First, nice to see you, Wednesday," Allen used his finger to stroke the doll's head on his shoulder. She didn't reject it, but she didn't show any emotion either. "Second, that's bullshit4"
Allen noticed that everyone had thousands of questions, and he looked at them with exasperation. "Have you never seen a talking doll before?!"
The former director took a step forward. "Walker, are you the villain known as Walker?" he asked, with a drop of sweat on his forehead. He has seen countless dangerous criminals, but none could level Arkham to the ground with an attack.
"Yes, and I'm also the new director..." Allen declared, causing a series of negative reactions: anguish, fear, anger, confusion, and disbelief.
"That's impossible!" a guard shouted.
"A villain being the director?!" a therapist felt that Arkham's madness had hit rock bottom.
"This goes beyond madness..." the former director murmured.
"Shut up...." Allen said in a low voice that sent chills down everyone's spine. Allen looked at everyone with disdain. "Six times..."
No one understood what he meant, but they weren't going to ask.
"Six times, this year, there have been escapes on six occasions..."
"That..." the director couldn't respond to that.
"Scarecrow... sent six guards and two nurses to the hospital when he escaped using fear gas; who knows how he got it."
Someone gave it to him; that was the answer, but no one dared to say it.
"Riddler staged a game while escaping, where twenty guards participated..."
It was not voluntary because Riddler put explosive collars on them and threatened to kill them if they did not participate, in the end, Batman had to intervene, but Riddler managed to escape.
"Two-Face – Harvey Dent walked out the front door after paying three million to six guards who escorted him out the front door... wearing his black and white suit and all!" Allen was angry at this point, and no one dared to interrupt.
Half of those guards have already been arrested, but the rest escaped out of the country.
"Let's face reality, Arkham has failed, it's a mockery that Batman catches the same villain every week because the justice system can't keep him locked up." Allen paused and looked at everyone while a slightly charming smile appeared on his face. "You should be grateful..."
The former director looked defeated by Allen's words, he should have said that, so he gathered his courage and looked at Allen gravely.
"Why would the government let a villain take charge of Arkham?" The director was out of breath, but he managed to continue, "What are they aiming for with this?!"
It didn't make sense no matter how you looked at it. Allen remained silent for a moment before shrugging.
"Let's just say I requested it, and believe me, your words are a thousand times more convincing when you've fought with Superman around the world."
Allen smiled confidently and mysteriously. "Don't worry, being a villain, I can use methods that you can't; perhaps it will work better."
"You mean something illegal?" the former director asked.
"Hahaha, of course, I'm a supervillain! My methods are anything but legal, but maybe that's what this place needs to flourish."
After Allen's words, everyone swallowed hard. No one imagined what Allen was about to do; he would simply demonstrate the monstrous creativity that a content creator of his caliber possesses.
Before leaving, Allen looked at Harley Quinn, or rather, the girl who was before she became Harley Quinn.
He was pleasantly surprised; it seemed that Harley hadn't received the brainwashing from the Joker yet. Harley's story is very miserable, but unexpectedly, Allen receives the gift of being able to prevent her from falling into the clutches of the Joker.
'However, isn't she looking at me very intensely?' Allen thought, noticing Harleen's strange penetrating gaze.
She hadn't realized that she was looking at Allen like that, but she felt that she couldn't stop looking at Allen with curiosity.
===
A/N: Yesterday a lot of things happened, I fell asleep writing a chapter, I didn't leave the chapter scheduled to automatically post on Webnovel, and I realized it too late, it just wasn't my day hahaha.
Patreon.com/mr_aizen