Luke's eyes rolled back and his body went limp, collapsing onto the floor.
Daniel was about to step forward when Harleen shoved him aside with her shoulder and immediately knelt beside Luke.
She checked his pulse, then lifted one of his eyelids to examine his pupils.
"Don't scare the patient," Harleen said without looking up.
Daniel blinked. "Umm... did you somehow miss the part where your patient tried to stab me in the heart?" He pointed at the knife still lying on the floor. "If I were a normal person, I'd be dead right now."
Harleen finished checking Luke before standing up. "Which is exactly why he needs a real doctor." She folded her arms and gave Daniel a flat look. "Not some quack pretending to be one."
Daniel placed a hand over his chest as if an invisible arrow had pierced it.
"...Quack?"
His face twitched. Out of all the titles he'd earned throughout his life, that was somehow the one that bothered him the most. Then again, Harleen wasn't entirely wrong — he had only opened this clinic because he was bored and wanted something to pass the time.
Mera looked around the office before tilting her head. "Are all people on land this crazy?"
Daniel gave her a helpless look. "Forget the crazy part. What are you doing on land?"
Mera blinked as if the question itself was strange. "Do I need a reason to visit?" A small smile appeared on her face.
"Atlantis is peaceful now. Orm is imprisoned for trying to wage war against the surface, Arthur has become king, and the conflicts with the other kingdoms have finally settled down."
She had originally come to thank Daniel for everything he had done for Atlantis. Unfortunately, that gratitude had been overshadowed the moment she discovered what kind of man he really was.
Daniel nodded. "That's good. At least one place on this planet is peaceful." He leaned back in his chair. "The surface is another story. There's always some crisis waiting to happen."
As if to prove his point, his phone rang. Daniel glanced at the screen before answering. "Hi, Bruce."
There wasn't even a greeting on the other end. "Turn on the news."
Daniel frowned. "I'm a little busy at the moment. If this is about another mission, just tell me — I don't usually watch the news."
"Turn it on. Now."
Hearing the seriousness in Bruce's voice, Daniel picked up the remote and switched on the television.
The screen cut to a live Breaking News broadcast. The reporter stood several blocks away from the chaos while emergency sirens echoed throughout Gotham.
"Authorities have declared a citywide state of emergency after hundreds of Gotham residents suddenly became violently aggressive."
"Numerous attacks have been reported across the city, with victims describing the assailants as laughing uncontrollably while displaying extreme violence. Officials suspect a contagious pathogen may be responsible."
"The federal government has sealed every route into Gotham, and the city has officially been placed under quarantine."
The broadcast shifted to live footage. Police cars blocked entire streets while SWAT teams exchanged fire with infected civilians. Buildings burned in the distance as terrified people fled through smoke-filled roads, screams mixing with constant gunfire and sirens.
Harleen's expression immediately changed. She recognized several of those streets. If she hadn't decided to visit Daniel today, she would still be somewhere in Gotham.
Selina quietly watched the footage before letting out a low whistle. "Even for Gotham... this is a whole new level of insanity."
Bruce's voice came through the phone. "It's spreading faster than we expected. I need every capable person I can get, and I'd rather have someone who hasn't been exposed to the virus."
Daniel's expression became serious. The Joker Virus. He had almost forgotten how quickly it spread once it got started. If they failed to stop it now, the infection wouldn't remain confined to Gotham for long.
"We need to shut this down before it leaves the city," Daniel said. "The longer it spreads, the harder it'll be to contain."
"I'll be waiting." Bruce ended the call.
Daniel slipped his phone into his pocket and stood up. "Looks like I'm going to Gotham."
"I'll come with you," Mera said immediately.
"No." He looked at her seriously. "Gotham is under quarantine because of an infectious virus. I have no idea whether Atlanteans are immune, and I'm not interested in testing that theory." His expression softened slightly. "I'd rather not watch a princess catch the virus and start laughing while trying to stab people."
He turned just in time to see Selina quietly slip out through the front door. Daniel let out a helpless sigh.
There goes the cat. Knowing Selina, she had decided that a citywide quarantine was the perfect opportunity to rob Gotham's wealthiest residents while everyone else was distracted. He wasn't even surprised anymore.
"You two stay here and watch the office," he said, looking at Harleen and Mera. Without waiting for a response, Daniel opened the window, stepped onto the ledge, and shot into the sky, disappearing within seconds.
Silence filled the office.
Harleen glanced at Mera. "So... how long have you known him?"
Mera thought for a moment. "Not very long."
Harleen folded her arms. "Then I'm guessing you didn't know he already has five women around him."
Mera blinked in disbelief. "...Five?"
"At least five." Harleen shrugged. "For all we know, there could be even more. Those are just the ones I've found out about."
Mera stood there in stunned silence. Just a few hours ago, she had been grateful to Daniel for everything he had done for Atlantis.
Now she wasn't sure whether she should thank him... or throw him back into the ocean.
*****
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