Masquerade

Chapter 6 - Unmasked

The Joker had no idea where they were going. They passed through room after room and down corridor after corridor and once more, he was very disorientated. There was no sign of the herds of people and photographers down these parts and for that, he was at least a little glad, but up ahead, he could still see Bruce glancing around nervously as if he was frightened they were being followed. Of course, he hadn't bothered telling the Joker where they were going yet that was only to be expected. He had heard Bruce wasn't the first guy to blurt out everything about his life.

Apparently anyway. He had seemed pretty straight forward that evening...

Still, he found it exciting being led through unknown passageways and past unfamiliar, decorated walls, en route to a place that he hadn't been told anything about. Bruce had just simply got dressed back in the bedroom, signalling for him to do the same, and then without any more words, had walked out with the Joker trailing along behind. The last thing he'd said was that he was going to come with him and witness how much he trusted him but that was very vague.

And very silly.

The Joker couldn't quite believe he had managed to wind Bruce under this spell so easily. Well, it was that or Bruce wasn't quite as smart as he had originally thought. He hardly knew this 'Jack' and already he was leading him through his house on the way to obviously something important without any security or back-up or anything like that. Unless he had worked out who 'Jack' actually was. But, on the other hand, they had just had sex. Bruce probably wouldn't have done that if he knew his identity.

Unless...

The Joker had to restrain a giggle at the thought. Bruce Wayne, the famous billionaire, having a little crush on Gotham's Agent of Chaos. Now, that was funny.

But no it wasn't possible. There was no way he would have been able to tell how he was. Well, so far anyway...The Joker wasn't sure whether he was going to reveal himself to Bruce – it really depended on what on earth he was going to show or do to him on this journey to wherever – yet that wasn't a problem. Let's see how he felt later on.

Up ahead, Bruce was finally stopping. They had reached a corridor that was slightly less furnished that the other lavish and over the top ones and now he was glancing even more over his shoulder, checking if they were they were alone. The Joker almost laughed again at his nervousness. He wondered what could be so important. Gosh, this was exciting!

At last, Bruce seemed satisfied that they were the only ones about. With a look that was something between nervous and maybe anticipative in his eyes, he turned back down the hallway and walked forward again, staring at all the items stacked up on the cabinets on either side. The Joker frowned and followed obediently, even more confused as his companion stopped in front of a certain bust, carved to look like Shakespeare. Why??

'' Shakespeare?'' he asked. '' Is this what you wanted to show me, Bruce? A Shakespeare bust?''

Bruce rolled his eyes and smiled. '' No...'' he sighed. '' Just...be patient.''

The Joker crossed his arms and stood back. He didn't like being told what to do but he waited anyway, cynically watching Bruce as he reached out to the bust and it bent back slightly, revealing something underneath. Not turning to look back at him, Bruce pressed what he now saw to be a button of some kind and then stepped a few steps back. Nothing happened for a while and the Joker took this to be some type of wind-up but then, just as he was about to comment to Bruce, the bookcase in front of them began to gradually open up and the words died in his throat.

Beyond the bookcase, an unsurprisingly lavish elevator was revealed. The Joker wondered why on earth Bruce Wayne needed an elevator hidden behind things when he was perfectly capable of installing one anywhere else but before he had time to put a question together, he had been grabbed and pulled inside. In a flash, Bruce jabbed a long number sequence into a neon keypad and then there was a groan above them and the elevator started to move downwards.

The Joker had barely had time to be confused but as they stood there together, the creaking the only sound, he was widely disorientated, though not for the first time in Bruce's manor. Bruce looked almost totally calm beside him, as if nothing out of the ordinary was happening, and for that reason, the Joker didn't know whether to laugh or interrogate him for some type of explanation. Later on, when everything had finally fallen into place, he would kick himself for not realising what was going on yet then, he was still unaware.

He tried to ask Bruce what was going on but there was no answer from him, not even a request to be patient. The Joker attempted more times than this but then the elevator suddenly stopped and Bruce finally turned to him, the only recognition of his presence he had given since stepping into the lift.

'' You want to find out what's going on?'' he asked and the Joker had to restrain a crazed giggle. Had he just become invisible on that ride down?

'' That'd be nice,'' he said instead, lowering his voice into Jack's tone.

''...then follow me.'' And the elevator door slid open.

The Joker didn't think he'd ever been so surprised in his life. That wasn't an emotion that usually registered with him but what he saw made his heart skip. It was a large cave, cold and dismal yet half-furnished with sophisticated technology, beeping and flashing all over the rocky walls. Codes and numbers sped across the screens, meaning nothing to the Joker, yet what really made his head spin was much more than that.

Directly opposite them, looking a little more beaten up than when he'd last see it (he had a feeling he might have done that...) was the Batmobile, the neon green and blue lights from the computers reflected in its windows. For a while, the Joker didn't understand but then he saw the Batsuit and its accessories (the ones that had made so many cuts and bruises over him) and he finally got it.

Eyes lighting up, he stepped into the cave and bit his lip to restrain the loud laugh rising in his throat. This. Was. It. The Batcave. And it was Bruce Wayne's. Ah ha ha ha, ha ha ha....

The laughter in his mind gradually started spilling out of his mouth before he could stop it and Bruce turned to him, looking halfway between amused and confused. The Joker immediately slapped a hand over his mouth to stop himself but Bruce seemed to ignore it.

'' So you know how much I trust you now?'' he asked instead, walking back over to take his arm. The Joker nodded innocently. Oh silly, silly, silly Bruce. '' You want a guided tour?''

Another giggle escaped him. He could barely contain himself anymore. '' Yes please...'' he purred, the ecstasy making him dizzy and delirious. ''...Batman...''

Bruce smiled and then led him forward, unaware of the click of the camera phone behind him.

***

Bruce still had absolutely no idea. He led the Joker around the cave with a proud smile on his face, pointing out anything and everything and soon, the Joker was becoming quite familiar with the boasting side of him. He knew he had probably paid for all this flashing and beeping technology – most of it he was pretty clueless about, he had to admit – but it was still unbelievable that he had that amount of money. But Bruce Wayne was the Batman! That was....brilliant!

As Bruce stopped in front of yet another computer of some sorts, the Joker grinned maliciously out of his sight and glanced behind him quickly to check he was getting all of this on video. For some reason, no one ever seemed to believe him with some things so he wanted to get proof. Then he'd ruin Bruce Wayne's life. Sounded good.

He didn't really have a reason of doing this and finding out who the Batman. It upset the whole way Gotham worked and that also sounded good but he was doing this to the Batman because...Well, it was just too fun to stop now!

He had hardly been listening to Bruce as he guided him around yet when he came to the end of another gloating description, he finally turned to him with a big, overly proud smile on his face and asked him what he thought. The Joker grinned, trying not to seem too menacing, and then walked around him in an almost animalistic way, as if he was stalking his prey. Bruce watched him, that bragging look still in his eyes.

He never saw it coming when he was pushed viciously backwards into the cave wall, immediately disorientated. Finally able to let out a wild, high laugh, the Joker stepped over him and looked down, making sure his confused companion couldn't try and escape.

'' Oh Brucie, Brucie, Brucie!'' he chanted through giggles. '' Poor little Brucie!''

Bruce groaned, obviously in some pain from whacking his head on the wall so suddenly, and tried his best to stare up at the still masked man standing over him. He looked extremely perplexed, unable to work out why his Jack had just shoved him to the floor so roughly and still obviously couldn't see who 'his Jack' was. The Joker couldn't help laughing some more at this.

'' J...Jack?'' Bruce managed to whimper out after a while. '' Jack, what's going on?''

Another crazed giggle. '' Jack?'' the Joker exclaimed. '' I'm sorry, Brucie, I don't know a Jack. If you mean me, I'm not Jack!''

Bruce frowned. '' Wh-what?''

The Joker sighed, mockingly crossing his arms. '' Oh Brucie! And I thought you were meant to be clever!''

Bruce still looked confused, though now a little more alarmed. Things were obviously at least starting to come into perspective. '' I'm sorry?'' he mumbled.

Yet another laugh. '' Okay...let me explain this to you nice and simply because you're obviously a little...puzzled. Right...'' And the Joker bent down so he was kneeling before Bruce, face to face with him. Bruce stared at him. ''...here goes.''

And grinning, the Joker finally reached behind him and untied the mask he was wearing, slipping it off. Bruce tipped his head, blinking heavily. '' Jack, I...''

'' I'm not Jack! Here...you're still confused. Let me help.'' The Joker smiled again, his eyes glinting in the flashing lights and took Bruce's hand, raising it to his face. His fingers brushed past his scars underneath the make-up he'd used to disguise them and for a couple of moments, Bruce was still blissfully unaware. But then he put two and two together – thinking of the laugh and the dark eyes and the smile and the...scars – and he froze. His hand dropped back to the floor and his eyes widened, shock and dread reflected in them. His mouth opened to say something yet nothing but a pathetic murmur came out before the Joker giggled again and stood up, brandishing the camera phone victoriously.

'' And I have it all here!'' he announced hysterically. '' So there's no way out! And you were the one who told me you were the Batman!''

'' Stop it...!'' Bruce tried but his voice was weakening, affected by the force of being pushed into the wall. As it was, he could barely move for sheer dizziness. The room was starting to spin around him, beginning to fade, and he couldn't do anything, no matter how hard he attempted to.

'' Aww, Brucie, you're tired...you shouldn't talk...'' And the Joker bent down, petting and stroking Bruce's hair. '' Ssh, sssh...''

Bruce's head began to loll back into the Joker's hands. He tried to kick out or do at least something but as it turned out, the last thing he saw before his vision completely faded was his hands and legs being tied and the Joker running to the elevator, his psychotic laugh echoing through his head.

TBC

Teehee, silly Bruce *.* Always in trouble ^^

Hope you like it so far! Thanks for all the reviews XD XD XD

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