Chapter one

In a small one room apartment deep in the Narrows a creature is readying to pounce on the unsuspecting inhabitant of the room. Growling the creature creeps up the shelf over the bed and without moment's hesitation pounces.

"AHHHH!" Screams the girl, jolting to a sitting position and ripping the cat from her face. "Geez, Chester are you trying to give me a heart attack?" the cat purrs and rubs against the girl's leg. The girl sighs and strokes the tabby

"Awww…its ok I guess, just don't do it again, ok buddy" She glances at the clock 6:08. Time to get up Kiki she thinks as she gets out bed. Crossing the room her long black hair swishes back and forth over her Phineas and Ferb jammies. She picks some clothes out of the dresser and enters the small bathroom.

The apartment is small yet clean and organized. The bed is in the spot a couch would be, pushed up against the back of the kitchen counters. The kitchen has a mini fridge, a two burner stove, a sink and a microwave. There is one cabinet and in it are two glasses, a plate, a bowl, and a cat dish. A transitor radio sits on the counter.

Across from the bed is a bookshelf full of books, cat food, and a small, unlabeled, cardboard box. the box contains a small teddy bear, an unusual fun-house shaped music box, a photo of a pretty young women and a handsome young man holding a small girl and laughing at the camera. Also in the box is Kiki's birth certificate which says her name is Kiki Midnight and the last name line has been carefully cut out.

Kiki exit's the bathroom dressed in ripped low rise jeans and a purple and green stripped belly shirt. "What do you want for breakfast, Chester? I think there's still half a can of tuna in the fridge "

"Meow"

Going over to the fridge Kiki pulls out the half can of tuna sets it on the counter and then pulls out a muffin. Sitting on the bed to eat her muffin, she turns on her small radio to Gotham City News

"The Joker strikes again. Last night the Joker held up a local restaurant Prince Al's Arabian Palace. Several people where injured and there was at least one casualty. This is the third time since he broke out of Arkham asylum last month, that people have died in other news… Bruce Wayne is curr-" Sighing Kiki turns the radio off.

Glancing at the clock which reads 6:39 Kiki grabs her backpack that was at the foot of the bed.

"Bye Chester, I'll see you after school ok?"

"Meow"

She locks the door then starts off toward school.

Kiki

Walking down the already crowded street I can't help but think of what happened last night. I was working, like I do every night at Prince Al's Arabian Palace, a seedy little restaurant in the Narrows, that offers ok Middle Eastern food. The pay is less than minimum wage but as I don't have a workers permit I take what I can get.

I was in the back room putting on my costume; all the waitresses are supposed to dress like harem girls in itty bitty tops and very low cut pants, when one of the other waitresses, Rhonda, comes in.

"Hey Kiki, Mr. Maroni here"

I turned around "Where? Has he ordered yet?"

"Nah, he's waiting for you to take his order just like always. He's in the private dining room"

Sal Maroni the only reason Prince Al's is still here. Sal Maroni has a taste for Arabic food and he claims that this the best place to get it. Sal and his gang are in here once a week, in the private dining room and he insists that I'm the only one to serve them.

I asked why he only lets me serve him once and he told me "'Cause you're the best looking one here sweetheart and if I gotta sit in the narrows to get this grub I at least need a little bit of eye candy."

So I do my job, let him stare out me and always go home with a tip larger then my paycheck and last night was no different. After I was dressed, I walked through the main dining room and pause outside the curtain that separates the private room. One…Two…Three with a deep breath I push back the curtain.

Mr. Maroni looks up with his badly disfigured face; I think it happened in a car crash or something "Ah, Kiki, there you are"

"Hello, Mr. Maroni, Can I get you and your" I'm never sure what to call the men he eats with "…friends anything?

"A couple of beers and a large appetizer plate for now, ok Doll?"

"Of course Mr. Maroni" I turn to go place his order when he stops me, "I'm expecting someone in a few minutes, Doll, would you mind waiting for them and showing them in? Have someone else bring in the food, 'k."

"Yes, sir"

I leave, and walk into the kitchen where Rhonda is. After placing the order I ask Rhonda if she'd mind bring in the order and she says sure but she wants some of my tip. Then I head out toward the hostess station to wait for Mr. Maroni's visitor.

After twenty minutes I've spaced out completely and am jerked back to reality when the door bangs open.

A man, his face painted white with greasepaint, eyes lined with black and a huge red smile that covers the scars on his face, walks in. He's wearing a green and purple suit and is holding a knife. Behind this man are six men wearing clown masks and purple suits with machine gun. The Joker Gotham's biggest terrorist. I was terrified but I spoke any way "Can I help you, sir?"

He glances sharply at me then stares appreciably at me while licking his lips, "Yes, you sure can beautiful, I'm looking for Sal Maroni is he in?

I nod "Follow me, please" and start walking through the dining room, feeling the eyes of him and his men on my back. I hoping the tattoo on my back is covered by my shirt. I've had it ever since I was two and its of a playing card with a joker on it. My dad gave it to me right after my mother died so he would never lose me and then a year later he disappeared. I haven't seen him in person since… well until tonight