Scars We Share: Chapter 9
Yay! I updated! You know what, I'll just go ahead with the fiction, read and review please? :)
Disclaimer: I own Felipe, but not like anyone is gonna notice or care... so...
Here...
We...
Go!
It was dark, the sirens screamed through the night, everything was on alert at the news that the prime captive had escaped once again. Nicknamed 'Houdini' by the guards and always feared by the patients he had been the most famous of them all.
As the guards made their rounds around Arkham, switching shifts, he took it as his last opportunity to leave the institution for good as he forested through the trees making his way home to his city.
As the blue lights flashed in the long distance behind him, he dug into his back pocket for a small phone he had taken from a 'former' employee of Arkham Asylum. With a low amount of battery life, he dialed one number as he struggled to remember its code.
He sighed a breath of relief as it began to ring.
"Hello?"
"Kane, do you have a car?"
"Jack? I thought you wer-"
"Doesn't matter, I need your help."
"Wh-where are you?"
"Ah… the south side of Arkham, in the forest. I can't get out by myself, and…"
"Jack, what the hell is going on?"
"I'll explain later, please…" He sighs, looking around for anyone that could possibly find him. "Hurry up."
"Jesus, Jack. You almost gave me a heart attack. Come on, get in."
Looking both ways before exiting his hiding spot between the bushes, he climbed into the passengers seat, looking down at himself as he unzips a coat he had borrowed.
Halfway between driving and hyperventilating, Bill Kane looked down to see what he had feared. "You kept it…"
He nodded, laying his hands on his swollen middle. "It's not something I can let die again, Kane…" He chewed on the edges of his fingernails, avoiding gaze by attempting to find something out there in the dark to focus on. The situation still embarrassed him to no end.
Kane shook his head, unable to take his eyes off of the child inside of the man. "I'm… glad you chose to keep it, Jack."
The Joker nodded, staring out of the windows as they left the premises outside of Gotham, headed back to his home. He dug into his pockets, pulling out a manilla piece of paper and tossing it on the dashboard of the car. "It's for you, Kane. I need you to read it when the time is right.."
The old man reached for it, but a cold hand swatted his.
"Not now, Kane. You'll know."
"How can you be sure?"
Jack rested his hand on top of the older man's as he drew in a deep breath, "Trust me."
"So you knew."
"Yep."
"The whole time?"
"Well, technically up until that point…" He bit his lip, "Yes I did."
"You didn't tell anyone?"
Jack raised his hands, somewhat offended at the sudden game of twenty questions Bruce gave him after finding out about the Joker's secret life. "Obviously. You don't have people banging on your front door, do ya?" He gave an annoyed sneer, bundling himself up in the covers. "I might be this thing you guys at the MCU always talk about, but I'm still human."
Bruce caught his sarcasm, taking it in as an invitation to do so as well. "As far as we know, I mean you have been pregnant." Who knows… you could be some alien from a distant world.
He closed his brown eyes, trying not to recall those certain events. "You can trust me, Bruce. We've already been over this a billion times, I've kept my mouth shut."
The billionaire nodded in approval. "You spoke to nobody about this?"
His heart stopped, remembering it all. Oh no…
"Jack." Bruce grabbed his shoulder. "You didn't say my name, did you?"
No comment.
The billionaire could barely breathe, searching the young man's face for any answer. His only response was the pale, guilty expression written on his features. "Jack. You have to tell me."
The blond bit his lip, "Only one person knows that I'm here."
Bruce released his grip, scanning his eyes all over the room in case there were any extra visitors that the Joker had invited into his home. He licked his dry lips, attempting to keep a calm composure against the rapid beating of his heart.
He took a deep breath, "Who." It was not a question—it was a demand. He was pissed.
Jack looked down, "Kane. Bill Kane."
Bruce almost laughed, "Wh-who the hell is Bill Kane?"
"He's… a guy." Proves you pay no attention to detail.
The rage boiled deep within, erupting like a volcano. "Who the hell is he?" He stood rapidly, knocking the large chair over. Jack barely flinched, keeping it behind his teeth. "Jack!"
His black eyes shot open, boring them into the billionaire's glare. "The only man I can trust in this entire world. The man who saved my life." He broke eye contact, "I trust him to not cause any harm."
Exasperated and beyond thinking clearly, Bruce wheezed out, running his hands through his dark hair, pulling his hair back. Jesus Christ, Jack. You can't keep doing these things, one of these days I'm gonna kill you!
….Is what I'd really like to say.
"I'm just gonna pretend that I trust you right now. He won't do any harm?" He repeated.
Jack rolled his eyes, "He's a 70 year old man, for fuck's sake. He wouldn't hurt a fly."
"And how can I be sure I can still trust you?"
He shrugged, staring up at the billionaire. "I've told you the truth the entire time, Bruce."
Bruce strode over to the glass door leading to the balcony, still unable to meet his gaze. "But there are things you haven't told me, correct?"
Jack stared at him.
"Tell me right now, Jack. What the hell happened that night…"
"You're gonna have to be more specific…"
Bruce twisted around, "Don't pull that shit on me! You know which night I mean."
A deep growl erupted from Jack's throat as he stood up, nearly barking out loud. "What, like you think that night is something easy to talk about?" He stood his ground as he walked up to Bruce, coming face to face with the brunet man.
"I would expect so, yes. As you've already been courteous enough to share every other story with me."
Jack shook his head in disbelief. "You think it's so simple… is my life a fucking game to you? A bedtime story?"
Bruce waved his hand in defense, "Now, I didn't mean it like that…"
"Then what…?"
About to burst into a rage again, his eye caught Jack's deep brown eyes, seemingly softer than before. His mouth hung slack, as he stared at Bruce. It was not anger, rage, or even content. He was…hurt. "You don't understand anything…" He muttered, sitting himself on the edge of his bed.
He swallowed the lump in his throat, looking down at Jack, softening. He knelt down and rested his hand on the blond's knee, attempting to give a small smile. "Then help me understand…" Jack avoided his gaze. "I can only judge by what you tell me, Jack. It's not my fault I don't understand because you do not tell me. How am I supposed to know?"
Jack sighed, shaking his head. "No, you're right…"
I'm sorry, Bruce…
But there are some things you cannot know.
"My wife is on vacation in Portugal for the next three weeks, could you drop by at some point today? I would like to speak with you."
"Y-yeah, that's fine. Quarter to six."
"Fine."
The young man flipped his phone off, replacing it in his coat. He glanced down at himself, taking a deep breath at what he saw. The past few months had definitely changed his physical appearance and no longer merited him the image of his feet. The impending weeks to come had arrived too fast, too quick to adapt and get ready.
For once in his life, he was unprepared and anxious about the end and what he had to do. Briefly adjusting his clothing and untucking his shirt, he stared at himself in the mirror, twisting and turning around.
Great. I look pregnant.
He patted himself down, and leaned in close to get a look at himself. He traced the bare scars on his face, debating to cover them up or let them be the last memory Mario Falcone would see…
Jack leaned back, attempting to stretch his sore back and looked at the time.
5:10.
Showtime.
He rocked back and forth on his heels, heart on the verge of exploding from his breast and stomach churning. In hindsight, he wonders where the giant German bodyguard had been. It had certainly been months since he last visited the youngest Falcone and the inevitable was about to happen. He gripped the knife in his pocket tightly, ready for anything.
He bit his lip, and knocked twice, heart stopping.
He waited the longest thirty seconds of his life before a young Italian opened the door for him.
"Go on, Felipe. He's fine."
Jack glared at the tan boy, taking note he would not be alone at this certain time. Fighting the urge to look around, he relied on his gut feeling. There were three—no, four men in the room, excluding Falcone and himself.
He stole a sudden glance at the kid's waist, noting a strange bulge on the side. A gun.
"Ah, hello Jack!"
He flinched at the mention of his name, giving a faux smile in acknowledgement. The man was dead to him.
Just get straight to it.
"What did you need this time?"
Mario escorted him to the couch, barely noticing any change in the blond's figure. He looked to his men, giving them a signal to leave.
Perfect.
Jack watched them leave the room, fingers never leaving the cool metal concealed within his palm. He leaned forward, attempting to camouflage his obvious weight gain. Mario took a seat next to him, draping his arm over the young man's shoulders.
He tensed under the Italian's touch.
"Well, Jack. Has nobody told you?"
"Told me what?" He faked interest, rolling his eyes.
"My father died last week."
Jack blinked. Well, that would explain the extra security…
"He died?"
"Mmm. Carmine fought cancer for two years and you are currently looking at the President of the business, Jack!" He grinned widely.
Jack's expression did not even twitch. "President of mercenaries is more like it."
Mario stoked his blond curls, ignoring the previous statement and leaned in close. "Be honest, Jack. Do you really come for the money anymore?" He was a sleazy, mad, disgusting man.
He growled, "Get your hands off of me."
The Italian blinked, removing his hands, only for a second. "I beg your pardon?"
"You heard me the first time. Get your fucking hands off of me." His poisonous eyes dug into the dark haired man's black heart, causing him to withdraw. He stood from surprise; no, he couldn't! Not now!
"You mean… to leave again?"
Jack looked up to him from resting upon his elbow and nodded, "Yes."
"That is non-tolerable, Jack. I will not allow it."
Jack giggled, suddenly becoming amused and leaned back against the couch just to watch Mario act as if it were a bad soap opera. "Oh, really then. How so?"
"You need me…"
He burst out laughing, shaking his head. "Need you? Oh, please. I haven't used your money for anything but supplying my men with alcohol and prostitutes, only indulgences. You believe that I need your money? I could walk down the street earning more than you do in a month."
His expression switched quickly from shock to rage, reaching for the gun in the back of his trousers.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you…"
Mario took a sharp breath inwards, cold steel pressed against his throat with the Joker mere inches from his face. He winched as Jack yanked his hair back, attempting to find those black eyes. "Y-you know I could call my men in an instant and your blood would be my new wallpaper."
He mouthed an 'oh', finding it all very funny.
"I made you. And I can break you just as easily." He yanked the gun from his pants, pushing the younger man away from him and cocking his pistol. Jack recoiled in surprise; his reflexes slower than a few months before. Mario felt a warm liquid drip into his collar, wiping fresh blood off of his neck.
Jack shook his head, blinking his eyes quickly; the world seemed to fog rather rapidly, but he had succeeded. Mario's blood glinted brightly upon his knife.
"How… dare you…" He exasperated, rage tinkering into madness as the blond's actions got too hasty.
The thing inside him kicked out, momentarily stealing his focus from the oncoming blow to the back of his head. The butt of the pistol cracked and he fell to the floor groaning in response.
"You come here… to leave, to betray…" he walked up to the man on the floor, wiping the blood away from his neck—a mere scratch to what he had in mind for the boy. "and to admonish me of your powers? Look at you…" He shook his head as Jack struggled to regain full consciousness, head pounding.
"Take a goddamn, good look at yourself Ja…" he trailed off, noticing something… different. As he wobbled to his feet, Jack subconsciously held his middle, much more protruding and rounder than usual…
He rubbed his eyes, intent on the strange thing, and followed up Jack's body till he met his stare.
"You…"
Jack gritted his teeth together, knowing he made a mistake in coming to the office.
"What the hell is this?"
Shit.
"I SAID-"
A bodyguard peeked his head in the doorway, "Is everything alright in here s-" He was immediately interrupted by a butterfly knife embedded in between his eyes, falling to the ground.
Jack's mind caught up to him; Mario's rage was just the glint of distraction he needed to catch them all off guard. He reached for the nearest object—a letter opener upon the president's desk and stabbed it into the Italian's hand and into the hardwood floor they stood upon.
He screamed in pain, but cut short as a combat boot met the side of his head, knocking him sideways and yanking the pistol from his fingers.
As the body guards were immediately alerted by their master's screams, they pooled into the place, guns wielded. He yanked back the hammer, firing two rounds into the youngest's throat and shoulder, the next dead on, and the other fired one shot before being greeted by lead in his chest.
"Ahn!" Jack winced, dropping the pistol as he gripped at the side of his arm. The round grazed deeply, singing his skin in the process.
He clenched his teeth tightly looking down at Mario.
He panted out, "You were saying?"
Caught between hyperventilating and dialing his phone for help, he screamed. "I'll have you.. and that fucking thing killed before you can blink!"
Jack nodded, shaking the blood from his new jacket. "Thought so…" he muttered before taking his leave, stepping over the bodies.
TEE-HEE! We're caught up. I had no idea the last time I updated this was such a long time ago! I'm so sorry! Haha time flies, eh? Well let me know what you think, check out moonstruck because its got a new chapter as well and I hope you guys enjoy this chapter so review please! More stuff will be revealed. We are in the second half of this fiction, only a few more chapters left and we'll be done!
Ps: yes, I know it jumps around from time to time. Months passed within one chapter, but don't worry you'll get to know what else happened those few months as well!
Love you guys, thank you~!
