Chap. 10 “ I saw her”

In order to do what I wanted I had to figure out a way to keep up and understand the villainous attributes the Joker had, I had to study it. I consulted one of my well known recently gone bad colleagues Dr. Pamela Isley. I called her and she was surprised I even knew her number. I had snatched her number from the bat cave when Bruce had me working with him at one point.

“Hello?” She answered.

“Hi..Is this Dr. Pamela Isley?”

She was surprised. I could tell no one had called her that in a while.

“Yes, this is. Who’s asking?”

“It’s Nicole Robinson.”

“Nicole?” she chuckled. “How the hell did you get this number?”

“Oh don’t worry about that. Listen Pammy, you owe me a favor.” I wondered if I was being too direct

Her tone got serious. “I don’t owe anyone anything darling. Make it quick before you press the wrong button.” She fired back

I got a little scared and took a deep breath. “Listen, I don’t want you to think i’m crazy. I’m not, but I have a crazy idea that might make you laugh.”

“Okay..”

“I’m going to try and cure the Joker.”

She was quiet, then erupted into a sexy laugh. “Oh sweetie you’ve always been a dreamer but this one is really out of your league. you’re better off working on two-face.”

I didn’t reply. I could her breathing slow.

“Oh my God, you’re really not kidding are you?”

“No Pam, I’m not.”

“Are you insane? Absolutely not. How dare you even ask me for help.”

“Please Pam. You owe me and you know it. I stayed up for hours with you on your trials.”

“Darling, Please. I never once forced you. I also told you I don’t owe you anything” she hissed.

“Ivy come on.”

“What would I even get out of this? We were friends once sure, but you know my motives are different lately.”

“I don’t believe that Pam. You’ve always been passionate about nature. So much you’re willing to do what you have to for it. You haven’t changed much, you’re still just as passionate about your work as you used to be. Just consider this a favor for someone, for an old friend.” I reasoned.

She sighed.

“Look Nicole, I can’t help you with this. You’re asking way too much and I honestly have better things to do.”

“Like what? Hide from batman and the GCPD. I’ll even help you with your plants. Please, I really need this from you.”

She sighed again.

“I just need to understand you. Understand what makes you, you. Understand where the line that separates us from you blurred.”

…..

“Fine, Nicole. Only because you offered to take care of my babies.” She let out a deep breath. “I’m warning you though, the last thing I need is a war with the Joker.”

“If all goes to plan, He’ll be completely out of the picture.”

She thought about that carefully.

“That is true… Very well, I’m sure if you found my number you can find my location. See you soon.” she hung up.

~

I had to find a way to find Ivy’s location. She would require plants and a good amount of sunlight but I needed help. I know this was cheating but I called Commissioner Gordon. Nobody knew Gotham better than him, I lied of course and told him Bruce needed the current where about of Pamela. Or as her criminal name was, Poison Ivy. He cooperated and I finally pulled up to the slums of Gotham, at least the Old Gotham. There were abandoned ware houses, museums, movie theaters, perfect for the homeless and drug addicts and low life bums that camped out here. Also Perfect for a criminal trying to stay under the radar. I stepped out and wrapped my scarf tighter around my head and looked around. The smell of gasoline and gun powder was strong. I coughed a little and saw a group of people staring at my jacket hungrily. I cleared my throat, then found exactly what I was looking for. A abandoned greenhouse behind the old Gotham museum. “Perfect” I whispered. You could see Ivy’s vines wrapped around the windows.

I knocked lightly and one of Ivy’s plants opened the door. I hesitantly walked in and her deep voice filled the greenhouse as if she was speaking through a microphone.

“Well, took you long enough.” She spoke

I hadn’t seen Ivy since her accident. I wasn’t sure what she looked like or what she could do, I had to admit I was insanely scared.

“Hi Pam.” I replied softly.

“Honey, i’m going to have to ask you to call me Ivy now. I don’t go my Pamela anymore.”

A huge flower laid in front of me, It’s petals appeared wrapped around something.

“Okay. No problem Ivy.” I gulped and pulled out my Notepad and wrote that down. I wondered if she could tell I was shaking in my boots. Suddenly the petals opened, giving the appearance that it was blooming and Ivy was in the center of it. I gasped and my eyes opened wide. She yawned and stretched as she took a step out from the center and landed gracefully on one of the petals. Her red hair was flowing and her green skin was glowing. Her blood veins appeared to be a glowing green. Her eyes also green, however her features were still just as beautiful as before. If you could ignore the roots and leaves popping out of her skin, Ivy was still beautiful. I still couldn’t talk though. She was still green and controlling plants like animals. She smiled though, probably used to the look and I felt embarrassed. I was a doctor for crying out loud. So I cleared my throat and straightened my posture.

She smirked seeming almost amused at how crazy this was for me. My fear and uncertainty made her feel satisfied. I wrote that down. “Ah so it begins..Tell me deary, can you cure me too?” she reveled in my hopeless goal.

“Let’s start with one at a time..” I replied sarcastically.

“Well come now.” She began walking away from me and towards the back of the greenhouse. I followed and looked around. The windows were humid and filled with Moss and dew. The place smelled like dirt and flowers and her huge vines were literally everywhere. However the greenhouse was truly magnificent. Ivy had every type of plant you could imagine. Palm trees, Shrubs, normal flowers, roses, even ones that weren’t supposed to survive in Gotham, and they were all healthy and alive. Thank God I had taken my allergy medication. It still didn’t stop me from feeling drowsy though, and I kept sneezing every 5 seconds. When we got to the back room I found that it was a small 1 bedroom shed, obviously where Ivy was staying. She tussled her hair and sat down on the couch, the little shed was surprisingly decorated very nicely like a boudoir. Obviously some of the things were stolen as the price tags were left on. I wrote down that she left price tags on her more expensive findings, which strongly suggested narcissism. All the nice furniture made me think of Bruce.

“So Nicole. How have you been? Did you make medical history yet?” Ivy teased as she placed her feet up on the couch and laid back, her long curly red hair falling down the side. I sat at the table and crossed my legs setting my notepad on the table.

“No Ivy. I started working at Gotham General.” I shamefully admitted.

She laughed. “And oh,how the mighty have fallen.”

“Well I don’t steal things like you. I actually work for my money.” I had to admit I started pretty strong. But I couldn’t be scared.

“You would if you could, and don’t deny it either.”

“What makes you so sure?”

“Trust me honey, People are able to destroy the very thing that gives us the ability to breathe! If people aren’t sympathetic to that why wouldn’t you be able to rob things?”

“A conscious. Even when I was a little girl, stealing a pack of gum, my head would shout at me not to. I have to admit, even being in front of you my head is telling to me turn around and leave.”

“Maybe you should.” she smiled and sat up, she was obviously intrigued.

“Ivy, those people are able to destroy nature because we all need money Ivy. Some of us don’t want to go to jail.”

“Who says I don’t either? I need money. How else would I survive? I just have a different way of getting it. I am able to steal because I can. It’s as simple as that. If it wasn’t for the god damn batman, I would get away every single time.”

I wrote down that she steals because she can. Maybe lack of conscious? Did she even care that things had values? She was hurting the business when she stole.

“Do you care at all that people actually use real money to buy the things you steal? That maybe you are hurting the person or business.”

“No. Not in the slightest way or form.” She stood up and walked to the fridge.

I paid no attention. “Why? Why do you not care?”

“Why should I? No one cared about me. You know that damn well Nicole. When we did the clinical trials we suffered. Did anyone help us? Did anyone give a damn to call me and see if I was okay? Of course you always got calls when we were camped in for weeks in our lab. But I never got any. Not even one. We didn’t even have a place to sleep Nicole. We went days without eating and no one gave a damn! So I don’t either!”

I looked at her carefully. Her eyes rolled and it looked like she didn’t like feeling vulnerable but her fists stayed clenched, her knuckles turned a different hue of green. Noted. I couldn’t help but remember those days though, they seemed so far back but it really wasn’t even that long ago. We were trying to find the cure to Alzheimer's through plants and we almost had it. But Ivy had gone a week without sleep. That was when her accident happened and she literally became her life’s work. We were young and had big dreams. Now, maybe if she didn’t, at least I would’ve known better. That made me sad. Ivy was my friend and we were brilliant together. I let out a huge sigh and kept writing things in my notebook.