Song of a Trickster

Chapter 14

Devyn's POV

I turn as there is a knock at the front door. Alfred opens it to find Detective Wuertz, who holds up his badge. Alfred beckons him in- there is a shotgun at the back of his head held by The Joker- purple suit, makeup. With friends. The Joker smashes Wuertz over the head- steps over him, racking the shotgun.

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. We're tonight's entertainment!"Jack calls,

I hide back and shuffle as carefully as I can to the side, avoiding his eyesight. Looking around I couldn't see Wayne, Harvey or Rachael anywhere. The Joker and his thugs pour into the room, weapons raised. He moves through the terrified guests. Smiling.

"I only have one question: where is Harvey Dent?"

No one responds, just silence. He won't like that,

"Y'know I'll settle for his loved ones..."

A distinguished Gentleman steps into the Joker's path. Fear settles in my stomach,

"We're not intimidated by thugs."

The Joker stops. Stares at the man and smiles affectionately.

"You know, you remind me of my father," He grabs him, "I hated my father."

The Joker has his blade in the Gentleman's mouth. I go to step in when-

"Stop!"

I look over to where the voice was, The Joker drops the Gentleman and turns to Rachel.

"Hello, beautiful. You must be Harvey's squeeze,"

Something burns within me, anger? Why am I angry at that..surely it doesn't matter to me? I shake it off as he runs his knife across her cheek,

"And you are beautiful."

My gut burns again, I'm jealous?

"You look nervous- it's the scars, isn't it? Wanna know how I got 'em?"

Jack roughly grabs her chin as she continuously tries to look away,

"Come here, look at me. See, I had a wife - beautiful, like you - who tells me, I worry too much, who tells me I ought to smile more, who gambles and gets in deep with the sharks. Hey."

Rachael squirms, and he forces her to keep looking at him,

"One day they carve her face. We have no money for surgeries. She can't take it. I just want to see her smile again, hmm? I just want her to know that I don't care about the scars. So.." Rachel tries again to look away, he grabs her face and forces her to look at him once more, "I stick a razor in my mouth and do this¦ to myself."

Jack says while pointing towards the scars that were covered in red lipstick, "and you know what? She can't stand the sight of me! She leaves. Now, I see the funny side. Now, I'm always smiling."

Jack says as he raises one arm in the air and grins widely. Rachael knees him close to his groin but just misses, he lets go of her and chuckles,

"A little fight in you. I like that," he says chuckling,

"Then you're gonna love me."

The Joker turns and Batman catches him with a blow, spins him down and disarms him. The Joker's men jump him. Batman takes them out two at a time, disarming thugs and breaking arms. Jack looks down slightly and clicks a blade from the toe of his shoe and kicks, jabbing through the armour covering Batman's ribcage. Batman hurls the Joker across the room. I have to hold in the gasp and the urge to run to him. One of the Joker's men lunges and Batman lays him out cold. The Joker has another knife pressed to Rachel's neck.

"Drop the knife."Batman's raw voice growls,

"Sure. Just take off your mask and show us all who you are..." Jack giggles, waving his knife around,

Rachel shakes her head at Batman. The Joker raises his shotgun to the side and blows out the pane of glass next to him. I jump slightly as I'm only 2 windows down from that one. The Joker dangles Rachel out the window.

"Let her go."

Jack laughs,

"Very poor choice of words..."

He lets her drop and Rachel falls onto a sloping glass, roof sliding towards the edge Batman dives after her. I gasp and step forward. Seeing my chance I slide forward, twist and pin Jack to the floor, handcuffing him. My knee resting on his back,

"Got you."I huff,

"Hello sweetheart"

Looking up I look around, "someone calls the police, I can't take my hands off him"

Jack turns his head to look at me, a grin plastered on his face,

"I thought you weren't going to lead the police to me"

"I'm not"I whisper, "get up"

He follows the instructions as I lead him down the stairs and out the back of the building. Pushing him against the wall he chuckles,

"What have you got planned next Jack?"I hiss,

"Sorry doll, classified information"He winks,

"Argh, why am I like this?!"I growl as I unlock his handcuffs,

"I guess I'll be going then ah"

I pull his arm to me,

"I need you to hit me"

His face scrunches up, "what?"

"You getting away and me having no marks on me is not believable."

He nods, looking down,

"I don't want to hurt you doll..."

"I know, but it's okay"

He cups my face and presses a kiss to my forehead,

"I'm sorry" he whispers,

Suddenly his fist connects with my cheek and I'm knocked off balance and hit my head on the wall. He hesitates then kicks me, I lay on the floor, but a smile is on my face, the siren's become apparent in the distance,

"I'm okay, now go, Jack"

He nods and takes off. I pant and stay flat against the wall, waiting for the GCDP to arrive.