"About what?" I asked, caught off guard by the seriousness of his voice.
"Well," The Joker started, pausing, as if thoughtful, "I did a little, uh, digging, and found some pretty interesting things about you, Gina." I didn't reply, it didn't see any reason to. "At first, it was just ,um, little things, like school records, well in you're case, lack there of." He grinned at me.
"I was home schooled." I shrugged.
"But you did." His grin grew wider, and my heart dropped when I realized what he had found. "You see, your dad's license threw me off, I was looking for Gina Carson, when I should have been looking for Gina Maroni. Little Gina Maroni was pulled out of school in first grade."
I opened my mouth, but couldn't figure out what to say, but of course the Joker had plenty to say. His smile dropped off his face, as he lurked closer. There was no amusement, just the deadly look in his eye, "I don't like liars." He hissed, our faces close together. I stood my ground, not daring to look away from his eyes. Weakness does not lead to survival, a lesson I learned long ago.
"You didn't ask. I would have told you." I said, keeping my voice steady, even though my insides were shaking. The sharp click of a knife springing to life made my blood freeze.
The metal pressed against my unmarked cheek, slipping into the corner in an unpleasantly familiar way. "Would you like to, um, redeem yourself?" He said softly, I simply stared, "Well start sharing."
"My mother was a Maroni. I was illegitimate, she married my father when I was seven. She died when I was 9. I never found out the name of my real father." I said bluntly, not flinching as I felt blood trickle down my chin, or as the blade continuously dug at my lip. He lowered the knife, staring at me, his tongue flicking at his scars.
"So, what's a little mob princess doing with a big mean step-daddy." He mocked, his tone vicious. He wanted to hurt me.
I scoffed, "I'm a bastard child, the mob doesn't give a shit about me. I haven't seen that side of the family in a very long time."
The Joker didn't say anything for a long time, just glared, after a minute he continued, "Well, it's time for a family reunion, don'tcha think." Before I could answer, he was pulling me out of the room, down the stairs, and out of the house. "Get in." He barked as we reached a van, I didn't say a word.
The car ride was silent, until we pulled into a back alley, the breaks screeching to a halt. "Where are we?"
"Behind Luigi's. There's a meeting in the back." He said, as if commenting on the weather. Luigi's was restaurant known for it mob connections, you only ate there if you knew somebody. Or somebody knew you. "Listen, whatever I, um, do. You need to go along with." He looked at me, "Things might get a little crazy."
I just nodded and followed him out of the van and into the back. No one was guarding the back door, because, well, nobody was stupid enough to sneak up on the mob. Except, I guess, the Joker. We walked into a kitchen area, behind a group of men watching a little TV screen. My uncle Salvatore sitting amongst them. Apparently the man on the screen took the mobs money.
The Joker laughed, as I stifled a giggle, that man was an idiot. The Joker grabbed my arm suddenly, yanking me along beside him, "I thought my jokes were bad." I kept the scared side of my face away from everyone, since the joker held my right arm.
A black man, eyed me, before threatening The Joker, "I'll take that girl off you're hands too."
The Joker just laughed, "Wanna see a magic trick." He really was crazy, I thought, as I watched him stab a pencil into the table. The black man motioned for his lackey to get him, "Now you see it." He cackled, letting go of my arm as the man came up behind him. The joker grabbed the back of the mans head and slammed him down over the pencil, then throwing him to the ground. The pencil disappeared from the table, and from where I stood I could see the tip sticking out the mans eye. "Tada!"
He had their full attention, so he sat down in a chair, grabbing my wrist and pulling me closer to him. My scar flashed to everyone. The grown men flinched back and stared at my face, as the Joker started talking about killing the Batman.
"If it's so simple why haven't you done it?" My uncle Salvatore smirked.
"If you're good at something, never do it for free." The Joker stated.
"What's you're price?"
"Half."
Everyone laughed at that, "And why would you ever think we'd go for this deal?" Uncle Salvatore chuckled.
"Well, her of course." The Joker smirked, his hand running up my thigh. Involuntarily I shivered, the other men saw it as fear, however that wasn't quite right.
"Why would we care about your whore?" One man snapped.
"Ah ah ah," The Joker snickered, staring at the man who had called out, "Don't let Ole Salvatore hear you calling his niece a whore." His tone was light and playful, scolding the muscular thug. All men's eyes were on me, and the Joker turned to Salvatore, "Don't you remember little Gina?" He asked, caressing my cheek, as my uncle and I stared at each other across the room. "She looks much better after my little, uh, modifications." He traced a finger lightly down my stitched up cut. What? The it dawned on me, he wanted me to act like a hostage.
I sent a pleading look at my uncle, hoping that would suffice. I don't think the Joker understood my standing in the mob. "Kill him." Salvatore snapped, I guess it worked.
As everyone jumped the Joker pulled back, "Ah, ah, ah." He taunted, jumping up, and pushing me back to the door. Opening his jacket he revealed several grenades, attached to strings. He shook the strings, "Let's not blow things out of proportion."
The black man stood up, shooting a look at me, before glaring back at the Joker. "I'm putting the word out. 500 Grand for this clown dead, a million alive, so I can teach him some manners."
The Joker turned to the others, "Give me a call when you decide. Here's my card." He pulled out a regular Joker card, before backing away, pushing me out the door. Once we were out the door, he dropped the strings and pulled me all the ay back to the van.
Instead of getting in, he pressed me up against the van. Before I could ask what he was doing his lips met mine. "The was great" He grinned as he pulled away, walking around to his door. Did the Joker just kiss me?