I STILL DON'T OWN BATMAN! I wish I did though…Anyways, here is chapter twelve, it's a little shorter than I wanted it to be, but I still absolutely love it. So, in the last chapter we learned that Jack had actually done a horrible job at keeping his secret, what kind of an idiot would sign a message with his true identity? But that's why we love him. I just wander what Jack plans to do about it all. Huh…lets find out.
And a special thanks to those who reviewed (animelimit, yer an idiot…) and those who favorited(still not a word) it. You guys rock! THANK YOU!
Oh and for those of you who don't like lemon, I'm gonna tell you, when you get to the alleyway scene, don't worry, it may seem like it's gonna turn into a lemon but it won't, I promise.
Now on with chapter 12!
Chapter 12: A Failed Secret and A Late Night Plan
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"I…I'm-I'm not-not…um…I'm not Jack," the words stagger through his lips as he was lost in a mix of fear, disappointment, and denial. He to be dreaming this; there was no way in Hell he had blown his cover after only one damn day. Did he really suck that bad? There was just no way, but there it was, the text message he had signed with his name. His real name. Something so insignificant could possibly ruin everything everyone had worked so hard, so diligently to achieve; to send the poor clown to school and give him a chance at a normal life. "I'm not Jack," he said again, this time to himself. How could she have found out? No…scratch that, he knew how she had found out, but how could he been so stupid as to let that happen? Now she was more than likely going to blow his cover, and he couldn't really blame her; he was, after all, the Clown Prince of Crime. "I'm not Jack," he whispered, his voice was barely audible now and his current state was making the studious brunette a little uncomfortable. This really wasn't a big deal, at least not to her.
"Um…are you…having a mental breakdown?" Jack's eyes, which had fallen to grassy ground, rose in haste to meet and stare at hers. His were wide, full of mixed emotions, while the rest of his face was blank. "I can go get someone," she said, pointing to the school behind her with her thumb, "if you need some help—"
"I'm not Jack, damnit!" he shouted at her, the sudden outburst caused to stumble and just about fall. "So stop calling me that."
"Yes," she said with her hands on her hips, "you are."
"No," he argued, also standing up with his fists upon his own hips, "I'm not."
"Yes…you are."
"No…I'm not."
"Yes you are!"
"No I'm NOT!" he bellowed, stopping his foot like a little kid. In one swift move, Bre grabbed the top of his hair and yanked off his wig to reveal his green and black hair.
"YES YOU ARE!" With a yelp, Jack snatched his hair out of her grasp and slapped it back down onto the top of his head, frantically searching their surroundings for on lookers. Luckily there were none.
"THAT WAS MEAN! I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU DID THAT!" Bre rolled her eyes.
"Get over it…Jackendaboks." Scowling, he blew a raspberry at the younger teen and plopped back down on the ground still mumbling about 'not being Jack.' Bre's mouth hung open in complete awe; he was such a big baby. How could a criminal mastermind such as himself be such an immature idiot?
"What are you going to do now?" he asked coldly, his voice was fierce. Bre was taken by surprise, not really certain of what he meant. "Are you going to blackmail me?" he asked, taking notice to her confusion. She crossed her arms in aggravation.
"Do I look like the type that blackmails?" she asked in return, irritated that he thought so. His glare became deadly.
"Then what?" he barked harshly, "You gonna tell everyone who I am? Get me kicked out school, and make me become the laughing stalk of the city?" Bre rolled her eyes and, dropping her book-bag beside her, took a seat in front of the mentally unstable criminal. With her arms and legs crossed, she stared back, the same glare plastered on her generally sweet, caring face. The two sat like that, one in front of the other, their eyes locked, waiting for one to say something, then Bre finally broke the awkward silence.
"First off, you already are the laughing stalk of the city…though not in the sense you're talking about. And secondly, do you really think, I would blow your cover, reveal your true identity, and sully the name of Plio?" Jack's face fell, having not thought of that. "If I were to tell everyone that you are really Jackendaboks, then everyone will know that Plio was dating you. Even if she 'didn't,'" she used her fingers to make the quotation symbols, "know who you were, that would not matter, people would still see her has a criminal accomplice, or just an awfully bad person…and possible a whore." Jack's rage suddenly burned and tore at his chest, his fury glowing in his eyes. How dare anyone think so little of her, someone as kind and loving as Plio. He'd kill anyone who would bring disgrace to her name…but what if it was himself. Bre watched awkwardly as his emotions changed from anger to concern to shame then back to anger. This guy had some serious issues. "You, uh, you can calm down, Jack, I'm…I'm not going to tell anyone." He looked at her once more, his face softening, but he still eyed her curiously. "She is my friend," she reminded him with a sigh, "I would never do anything to hurt her…at least not on purpose," she smile in attempt to cheer him up, and Jack took a deep breath, letting his anger subside.
"You really think people would say that stuff about her?" Bre nodded, her eyes showing a bit of sorrow.
"She is the daughter of Bruce and Selina Wayne, Gotham's richest and finest people. The tabloids and news people would love to get their hands on some dirt about her. Luckily she's done absolutely nothing to bring attention to herself. Though, she did come close with the whole Andrew thing," Jack's fingers clinched tightly into a fist, just the sound of that bastard's name made the clown's blood boil. Bre's lowered her head in apology, "…and I'm sorry for that again."
"It wasn't your fault," he told her, looking away, "people can be deceiving." They were silent again, neither really knowing exactly what to say. This sweet and innocent girl had now been put into a dangerous situation that he didn't even want Plio in, because of him. For all he knew, that meager excuse of man and his despicable woman could have been watching them at that very moment. He did not wish to put anyone else in harm's way, especially someone like Bre. At least Plio could take care of herself. "Look," he told her, placing a hand on her shoulder, "you can't act like my friend outside of school, or when we're not in a large crowd. If you do, your life could be in danger," her eyes widened in alarm. "There are people watching me, trying to get me to be the villain they think I should be." He thought for a brief moment, "Actually, being my friend is bad regardless. I'm not a good person."
"Are they the ones who attacked you and Plio?" She asked, ignoring his last comment Jack nodded.
"They actually came to get me for a…meeting, and just knocked her out to get her out of the way." Bre gasped in horror, her hand clamping over her mouth. "Yeah, I know. But I've got to go along with them for her own safety.
"But I thought Plio could protect herself, I mean she beats up bad guys for a living." Jack's jaw hit the ground. "What?" Out of nowhere he jumped to his feet, his finger in her face.
"You're a little psychic freak, aren't you?!" he shouted, scaring the shit out her. "How in the hell do you KNOW this stuff?! I thought she did a brilliant job at hiding herself! And don't say she told you 'cause I know for a fact she didn't!" She gawked at him, speechless. "WELL?!"
"I…uh…I," she stuttered, trying to think of an explanation, "I'm just good…at…um…figuring stuff like that out. I mean, they do look a lot of like, her and BD." Jack dropped his arm to his side but continued to gaze at her in astonishment. "I mean, they have the same color eyes, same skin tone, and same bone structure."
"Bone structure? You noticed their bone structures?" he asked, slightly impressed…and somewhat creeped out.
"Hers," she corrected him with a prideful smile. "Now tell me I'm right. Plio Wayne is, in fact, really B—" in one swift move Jack was standing behind her while his hand had found its way over her mouth, the other clamping down on her fragile arm, cutting her off in midsentence. His unexpected action had her frozen in fear.
"Are you insane?!" he snapped in her ear, his breath sending a chill down her spine. "You can't just come right out and say that!" his voice was quiet yet loud and frightening in its own way. "Anyone could be watching a listening. And even if you don't see anyone in earshot range, doesn't mean they can't read lips. You understand?" She nodded, still frozen. Slowly he removed his hand and its grip from her face, and inched his way back in front of her. "Now that you know this stuff, you have to be extremely careful, and I cannot stress that enough. There are people who would kill to get that sort of information. Be careful. You were…are, one of the few people I can call my friend, and don't want anything to happen to you. Especially since you've got nothing to do with what's going on. But these people will have no mercy on you." She nodded once more, somewhat in a trance. "Now, where's Plio? I thought I heard the bell ring a while back."
"She's…she's gonna stay after to help one of her teachers," Bre told him quietly, the awkwardness getting to her.
"Alright, then lets go." Her head, which had lowered so she was staring at her shoes, snapped up in complete surprise.
"What?"
"I said, let's go."
"But…but you said we shouldn't be seen together," she reminded him as she took a step back.
"Yeah, but I'd rather walk you to your mom's work than you go by yourself…actually, on second thought," he said, gazing around the courtyard, "is there any way you could stay after with Plio?" Jack's body tensed in defense, clearly ready for a surprise visit or an attack.
"Yes, I guess I could do that."
"Good. Then get inside…quickly would preferable." Not wanting to get herself into any unnecessary danger, Bre turned instantly and headed back to the school, but stopped after a few steps.
"Was it you, Jack, that attacked that man?" Jack was silent, his guilt and denial consuming his entire body. Bre glanced back, seeing his face contorted into some kind of pain. "Jack?"
"I don't know, Bre," he finally said. "I honestly don't know. But," his guilt abruptly transformed into a ferocious fury, "I intend to find the fuck out." Giving no reply other than a very nervous smile, Bre hurried to the building and disappeared behind its door. How life had gotten so difficult in such a sort period of time he would never understand. One day he the bad guy and BD was the good guy, he caused trouble and she fixed it, and…well…now he didn't know what he was: good, bad, or evil. Things were just getting to confusing. And that guy, the one with the motorcycle…he could have attacked him, Jack didn't do that sort of stuff, at least not unless he was provoked. So it couldn't have been him who attacked the poor man…but then why did he remember doing so? "Errr…DAMNIT!" he shouted to himself, grabbing his head, but he quickly recovered when he realized there were other students surrounding him. Snatching his book-bag off the ground, he, angry and irritated, stormed through the courtyard and down the sidewalk, with the feeling of being watched intensifying.
Reaching into his pocket, Jack pulled out his cell phone and quickly punched in Plio's number. "Yeah—"
"P., is Bre inside with you yet?" he asked, sounding a bit out of breath and in a rush.
"Um…no, why would she be?"
"I need you to keep an eye in her for now. Don't let her out of your sight." A strange feeling of fear began to creep its way through the young superhero's body.
"Why?" she questioned, not really wanting to know the answer.
"She…uh…she knows…"
"Knows what?" she pressed on, even though the little voice in the back of her head was already telling her the answer.
"Myentire name."
"Your what?"
"My entire name. You know, like how there's more than just Lichtenstein." Plio just about dropped the phone; how could she have figured it out. Stumbling, she reached for a chair and sluggishly and, in a daze, sat down. This was unbelievable, how was she going to explain everything to Bre or should she just act like she, herself, had no idea? Oh, what to do. "Um…P.…there's no need to freak, okay, well, maybe there is, she knows about you too. But she's known about you for a long while." Her arm, along with the phone, dropped to her side in frightful astonishment. "P.!" Jack called, but he went unheard. Plio's eyes rose when the classroom door opened as Bre stepped inside. Instantly their eyes met and, by the horrified look that had consumed her best friend's face, Bre knew her own secret was known to whom it was about.
"Uh, hey, Plio…" she said, trying her hardest to sound cheery, "um…boy do I have something to tell you," she scratched the back of her head, nervously, adverting her eyes, "…I guess."
"P.!" Jack shouted for the umpteenth time, but to no avail. Slamming the phone shut, he shoved it back into his pocket and continued on his way. Turning the corner onto a usually unoccupied stretched of road and pulled off his long-sleeved shirt, revealing the black t-shirt with the dragon beneath it. Stopping behind a trash dumpster, Jack dug through the book-bag until he found the stupid make-up remover and took off the annoying yet necessary concealer with alacrity. Then, tearing off his shoes and pants—glad he had remember the shorts covering his boxers—and dragged out his purple and black pants, pulling them on quickly. "Damn, I gotta find a better place to change…maybe a phone booth…"
"Yes, you most certainly do," came the most devious voice in the city of Gotham. "The again, I didn't really mind the view." Lithe jumped down from the roof behind him, her body but a couple of inches from his back. "I like your butt," she whispered into his ear, he felt her smirk in her breath, "it's kinda cute." Jack spun around in a flash, grabbing her throat and slammed her harshly into the wall behind her, pulling her katana out at some point and now held it at the nape of her neck. "What the fu—"
"Why do you keep following me?!" he asked her unsympathetically, pushing further into the sharp brick. Lithe smiled that irritating demented smirk that made his skin crawl. "You're absolutely insane, aren't you?"
"You have to be to do the things we do." She managed to say in a raspy voice as her windpipe was being crushed.
"Why are you following me, Lithe?" he asked again.
"Jeez, you act like I've been doing it for a while, it's just been a day. And Penoso just wants to know as much about you as possible. You can only learn so much from newspapers and whatnot." Jack's grip grew tighter.
"Then why don't you just ask?" Lithe—clinching his arm—rolled her eyes at the apparent obvious answered question.
"Would you really have just told us? Besides, this is much more fun." The clown eyed her curiously and a little bewildered.
"What's more fu—UH!" Like she had done the night before, Lithe dug her heeled boot deep into the teen's gut and pushed as hard as she could, sending him flying backwards into the cold, hard metal of the dumpster. Taking a step forward, not saying a word to the moaning kid before her, Lithe bent down and retrieved her katana he had dropped. Holding it so that the blade was pointing up towards the sky, she examined it's magnificence and made sure it was still in absolute perfect condition before slicing it through the air and pointing it in Jack's face.
"You should never, EVER touch my blade, Jack," she warned him with, "…I've killed for less…" she stopped for a moment in deep thought, "Actually, I'm more up for torture rather than killing. But not that horrific torturing, you know where you take off people's extremities one by one, but more like taunting. That's fun."
"You're a sick human being," Jack told her as he tried to get up, rubbing the back of his head, but she pushed him back down, sticking a needle into his shoulder. "AH!" he cried out as he entire body became numb. "What the fuck, you bitch?!"
"It's just a very weak tranquilizer, it'll just make you limp for about ten minutes, and then you'll be back to your old annoying, stupid-ass, fucking self. Now shut the hell up and just listen to me. Damn." Placing her katana back into her sheath, Lithe crouched down and took a seat next to an exceedingly pissed off, and scowling Jack, whom was trying to keep his calm. "Penoso…would like for you to…meet his crew."
"I did yesterday. Did you forget, or are you just that fucking stupid?" Furious, Lithe grabbed a handful of his green and black hear, and yanked his head toward her.
"I'd really watch my mouth if I were you, Jackendaboks, you're not exactly able to fight back at this very moment, and I have absolutely no problem killing you."
"You wouldn't dare," he grinned, mocking her, "considering who my mother and father are, and what they would do to you. Not to mention, what your 'beloved' Penoso would do." The glare Lithe's face bore would make even the evilest of beings' skin crawl, but it only amused the maniacal clown prince. "You're nothing but a dog and a sex toy," she yanked his head harder, bring her face to his.
"When you finally break your alliance with us, I will truly enjoy torturing you."
"What makes you think I'll break it off?"
"Because you're a loner, you hate working with others." Jack smiled, feeding her insane like temper.
"Then I'll make sure Penoso and I stay exceptionally good friends just to piss you the hell off."
"You'd better prey you don't," she finished and let go of his hair. "Now, what I was trying to say was that Penoso would like you to see his men in action. He wants the Night's Misery to assist you in a bank robbery or something to that affect."
"The Night's Misery? Really? Sounds like some kind of reject rock band. Where the hell'd you get the name?"
"Think reeeally hard, what does his name, Penoso Soffrire, translate to in English?"
"Um…" he closed his eyes, pretending to think, as his fingers began to, very slowly, inch they way to her over coat. "They mean, 'pain' and 'suffering'…oh wait, I get it. 'Cause the two of them equal misery for a person. That's cute…and clever."
"Yes, now, tonight we will have our men meet you at Gotham's main bank, and—"
"Not tonight, I'm too tired; I haven't gotten any sleep in forever."
"Fine. Then tomorrow night, at two a.m. and you will see just how in handy we come." With a pat on his head, Lithe began to rise from her seat beside him, but she did not get too far before something sharp was jabbed into her thigh. The fiery redhead cried out in pain as the needle sunk deep beneath her skin and her limbs were suddenly paralyzed. Falling back to the ground, she watched as the clown prince rose instead, standing, towering, over her. In his left hand sat one of the syringes she had used on him, the ones filled with her very own tranquilizer.
"There's something you obviously failed to find out about me, Lithe." He knelt down in front of her, his eyes moving from hers to the syringe—of which he was fiddling with—then back to her. "You see," he began, holding the needle up so she could see it, "I've always had this unique…immunity to suppressants. Nothing you come up with can stop me. Not even an elephant tranq." With a smile, he tossed the thing at her, hitting her in the chest, and stood to leave. However, she wanted the last word.
"I like that little brown haired girl you were talking to." Jack froze, his fury reigniting. "She seems like quite the interesting person. I couldn't quite make out what you two were talking about, but judging by your reaction I think it must have been important. Wait," she said with a gasp of over done sarcasm, "could it be that she knows who you really are? And if so," she continued, "then perhaps she has figured out who that whore of pest with the ridiculous name, BD, really is." A laugh of unadulterated malevolence rippled through her body, and she spoke as if she were out of breath "I haven't preformed a good torture in soooo…daaaamn…long. Maybe I can squeeze some information out of her pretty little self. What do you s—" Jack's foot was pressed hard against her throat, cutting off her sentence and air. Lithe gasped and choked unable to defend herself—her body being temporarily paralyzed—while Jack watched in amusement.
"If you ever touch that girl, I will not think twice before I kill you. She does not have anything to do with me or you, and she is to stay OUT of it. Do you understand?" She gave no indication of understanding, but she did sneer, smirking as if her current predicament was humorous.
"Your threat means nothing," she croaked out, "since it's coming from a person that would do what they did to that poor man in the alley." Jack's foot dropped, slowly, and he backed way, but kept his eyes on hers. "It's truly…is amazing…he is…awake," she said between pants. "If…I was…him…I would…pray for…it to end…He's…in so…much pain." She began laugh once more, only this time, it had nothing to do with humor, only insanity, "Oh, such pain, such wonderful pain. You truly are one of us, Prince Jackendaboks, a low evil person." He charged her, his hand grabbing a fistful of her top, and yanked her forward.
"Don't you EVER say that again! I am NOTHING like you."
"Keep telling yourself that." Snarling, Jack pushed her back against the wall and walked away, picking up his bag and pulling out his trench coat and gloves. "I'll see you tomorrow night!" she called out.
"Hell no you won't!" he called back. She smiled.
"Sure we won't." Suddenly something sharp was jabbed into her collarbone, but a gloved hand clamped down over her mouth, preventing her from screaming. When the needle was removed the hand followed, as did Lithe's gaze. "Penoso," she breathed, "my love." The cloaked man held out his hand and—the feeling slowly coming back—she reached out and took it. He pulled her up too him, holding her close, keeping her still jell-o like legs from buckling and causing her to fall. Leaving one arm around her waist, he used his free hand to brush the hair from her face, and he kissed her softly, almost lovingly. "So I guess I did a good job?" she asked, her eyes closed.
"You did a magnificent job, my darling, but…" her eyes snapped opened, "next, I would greatly appreciate it if you did not over do it." Lithe's brief happiness instantly switched to her infamous fury, and she shoved him back, almost falling herself.
"You fucking asshole, I didn't over do a DAMN thing!" Penoso grabbed her by her face, holding her jaw firmly in his gasp.
"Don't you ever talk to me like that." He growled, and she rolled her eyes.
"Shut up." Holding his face between her own hands she crushed her lips against his, their tongues continuing their bitter and passionate feud. Pushing her back onto the wall, his body pressed against her as hard as it could, his pelvis grinding into Lithe's making her moan as she felt the outcome his excitement. Penoso's hands roughly made their way down her body to her hips and around her buttocks which he groped and squeeze before lifting her up allowing her to wrap her legs around his waist. Using the wall to hold her up, he quickly got to work undoing her top, ripping the annoying clothing out of the way, exposing the bosom he lusted so desperately for. Gently he kissed the valley between her breasts as she breathed deeply, giggling gleefully when he proceeded to undress her…oh how she loved when they had a fight.
Jack stormed down the sidewalk, lifting his hood over his head, not really sure where he was headed. He knew she was right, about him coming; he knew he was too, but that didn't mean he wanted to…okay he did, but not for the reasons she was thinking, though. It just sounded like fun, and he'd get to fight Plio like he used to. He kind of missed that, all the bloody noses and black eyes. The whole gender factor never came into play, they just wailed on one another. It was somewhat twisted, sure, but it worked for them.
Making his way down the side of one the main streets, Jack came across the exceptionally busy Gotham General. He knew if that guy was at any hospital in the city, he'd be at that one. Jack's stomach churned, his need to vomit growing with every second that went by has he stood there staring—almost in a trance—at the enormous building. The memory from the night before and his mugging came flooding back again. He had these memories, but…he knew they just couldn't have been real, he just didn't do that sort of stuff. Rubbing his forehead, he thought long and hard trying to figure out exactly what had caused him to react in the way he had. Normally he wouldn't even have engaged in conversation with some random person, let alone helped them. So why had he? And then to go and attack them? What hell was up with him? Jack's stomach began to ache more and more until he couldn't walk. Stopping and using the side of a building as support, Jack took a deep breath and his mind began to wander until it came upon the frightened face of the man with the bike.
"Now…" he smiled at the man once more, "let's have some fun." He raised the wrench high and brought it hurtling down onto the elder's face, causing the man to cry out in pain. Jack let go of his captive, letting him drop to the ground. "You know, I think this could be fun," he told the man, and then kicked him in his side. "Well, for me that is…definitely not for you…" he kicked him again and received a shrill of pain, "unless you're some sadistic bastard…" his foot crashed down onto the victim's ribcage, several cracks were heard, "but I doubt that."
"Pleeease…" the man begged, "stop…don't do this," Jack rolled his eyes impatiently, "you don't do this—AH!" the clown's foot slammed down onto the opposite ribcage, cutting the man off.
"Seriously, dude, enough with that shit. It's getting old." Squatting down next to the guy's face, Jack sighed and smiled. "And don't be mad at me, you were the one that pissed me off. But don't worry," he began as he arose, strolling into the blackness of the alley, "you won't die," he emerged from the dark, a Louisville Slugger in hand, "where's the fun in that." A tear fell from the awaiting victim's non-swollen eye.
CRASH
Somebody was following him; that was the third trashcan they had managed to trip over in the last 5 minutes. They did an even worst job at it than Penoso himself. Oh how he hated when people followed him, especially if they didn't know how. Keeping calm, Jack made a turn, and hid just inside a pathway. Crouching down, he listened and waited, their footprints drew closer and closer. When he was sure the perpetrator was just around the corner, Jack jumped out, ready to attack. But what he found, was not what he had expected…nor wanted, and his eyes said it clearly, 'Oh, fucking shit…not her…ANYBODY but her.' "Um…hey," Charlie smiled, waving playfully, "you're really hot."
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Okay, so there ya go, chapter 12. I really hoped you liked it. Penoso and Lithe are completely insane and she's beyond that. I wonder if that bank robbery will go as planned…hmmmm. And why is Charlie stalking Jack…not 'John' but Jack? Okay so we know 'why' but still, why? That girl is crazy obsessive…and a nympho(that would be the why). Oooo I can't wait to find out what's gonna happen next! Stay tuned to find out!!!
Luv ya!
Dyno
