Chapter 14 - The Smile to End it All
(Note: Warning of sensitive subjects)
"Jack?"
…
"Jack?"
…
"JOKER?!"
He sharply woke up from his stupor upon Ivy's voice shouting nearby. She was carrying Maria outside towards the peach coloured car and placing her carefully inside. He ran across, choosing to avoid eye contact with Maria in her brutalised state. It was a CLEAR reminder of a memory far worse than what the devil himself could conjure.
"We can't take her to the hospital. We'll be too exposed otherwise. Any ideas?" Ivy asked.
"Yeah there's one place." He said, before taking the driver's seat and heading out as fast as possible in a cloud of smoke and dust. He manoeuvred past cars with agility and speed, as if a flood of recollections from his training and past all resurfaced from their graves. The city was a blur. The colours and lights beamed past like a whirlwind and Ivy was more than concerned about being road kill on the account of his driving. She began to wonder whether he actually would of gone to help Maria right away despite everyone else's judgement. The Joker would never do something like that. His persona wouldn't dare let it be consumed by the mere folly of an injured woman familiar or not. Nevertheless, he had changed. No matter how many times he denied it, something inside was fighting against him.
They were soon out of town and outside a familiar, old house. The heavy rain and lightning intensified the eerie scene, and Ivy was unsurprisingly a little apprehensive to leave the car.
"So the only solution is a spooky, creepy, house in the middle of nowhere?" She remarked.
"Well… It's what's on the inside that counts." He got out of the car and picked up an unconscious Maria. Ivy hurried onto the porch and knocked on the door repeatedly until an answer came. Joker felt the ice cold of her skin as a reminder of that loathsome day; trying his best to block out the horrors he rekindled of holding her frail, lifeless frame.
"ALRIGHT! ALRIGHT! I'M COMING! GODAMN SALESMEN!"
"Salesman?" Ivy responded, before stepping back with her arms in the air at a loaded gun pointing at her.
"What in the HELL do you w-"
"Roma, you seriously need to stop greeting people with that thing!" Joker commented, storming inside.
"Oh my god! What on earth happened?!"
"We have no idea. She just turned up looking like this."
"Come! Bring her upstairs, she's as cold as the wind and rain outside!" She lead them all to a big open bedroom, gathering as many blankets as she could before heading downstairs again to find her medicine kit. Luckily, care and health were her speciality.
"So why have you brought us to an old woman's shack? It's giving me some voodoo vibes here."
"She's a very old friend."
"I can see that. But what could she possibly do?"
"I'm a frickin' miracle worker! That's what." She smirked, going to the bedside and examining Maria's injuries.
"Well… this isn't the introduction I expected when I thought I would meet her one day. You say you don't know how she ended up this way?"
"No."
"My guess is someone knows who you are… And found a way to get to you. Thankfully, nothing is broken, but she does have a few cuts and a lot of bruising. Its a bad beat up and gonna take a while for things to heal."
"Uh well! I don't think you need me here any more so… I'll just check myself out." Without giving them a chance to speak back she left, and once outside held her gaze to the light in the bedroom, hoping, praying Maria would be okay. She grew found of her since their strange acquaintance, and even admired her. Heck! If a woman as influential as Maria could sway the Joker, then there was hope for everyone.
An hour later…
The Joker looked out through the window and beyond; transfixed by the pouring darkness. The clouds and lightning seemed to have altered into figures and swirling patterns before his eyes. Green flashes burst out like fireworks and transformed into misshapen scenes before him.
(Flashback)
Tires screeched to a holt as Jack's fellow gang members, and Georgia desperately got out of the cars, running over to them after receiving a distressing call.
But it was too late…
They saw him, walking forward slowly through the haze in the distance. He was mournfully holding his very life, his very happiness, and source of love within his arms.
Dying. Dead. Just like everything else did in this black, odious, repulsive world.
Jack's eyes were hollow and dull. They lost all feeling, all shine.
A vacant, unfocused, abysmal stare which cut right through them all.
"Oh dear God…" Georgia muttered, putting her hands over her mouth to silence her inner screams; accompanied by a pouring stream of tears.
None of them knew what to say, do, or how to react. Nothing would make a difference. He proceeded right passed them, as if they were only ghosts.
Unseen. Unheard.
He placed Maria in the back of Georgia's car and walked over to the other, opening the door. Georgia and her boyfriend Leon quickly went over to him.
"Jack… please. Please, say it isn't true?" She sorrowfully wept. There was a moment of silence before he replied in a impassive tone, "Take her to the hospital… make sure she gets the burial she deserves. I don't want to keep her waiting any longer…"
"W-What?… what do you mean?"
"Ricky, Stan, Carl… Let's go."
They all looked at each other confused and worried about why he didn't choose to go with Maria or even explain himself. But, then again, why would anyone in their right mind want to. Georgia and Leon hurried at the speed of light, dashing straight for the hospital. They had to come up with the excuse that she was caught in a mugging or a street brawl to make her injuries plausible. Georgia cradled her friend's head in her lap with grief wrapped tightly around her body, mind and soul; suffocating her in every way. Meanwhile, as they all drove down town, Jack was clearly in a state of shock and trauma. Ricky, got into the passenger seat next to him and continually tried to get through to him. However, their efforts were futile.
Only one thing absorbed his entire being.
The only choice, the only solution.
They all asked where they were headed…
He simply answered, "One last job… Ace Chemicals."
Meanwhile…
Georgia and Leon managed with all their might to race to the hospital. The doctors and nurses wasted no time in getting her to a bed, strapping on equipment necessary in an attempt to electrically shock and revive her somehow. After a couple of attempts, a pulse. A weak, faded, dim, light, creeping pulse flickered on the screen.
She was alive…
Barely. But alive.
Proceeding with surgery, they removed all the bullets lodged within, whilst stitching, sewing, mending any damages made. It would take over 3 hours until she could be able to go into recovery. Her pulse grew stronger, however, the initial strain and anguish had already induced her with a deathlike unconscious state. It was up to her how long it would last, and how long she would be able to endure, until finally resurrecting into life once more.
…
The gang reached the chemical plant. Its dark tall chimneys exhaled out luminous green smoke; choking the air and clouding the moonlit sky in a toxic gas. Valestra appointed Jack from top guard to practically being his aide-de-camp (second in command but held just as much power and authority as the leader) as the syndicate evolved. He ordered them a while back to hit and search the place in order to find information that would destroy the company and their rivals. Jack strode ahead of the others, heedless of the calls of his companions, "Jack! Jack listen to me! You need to rest! Look, I know you've just…" he forcefully grabbed him by the shoulder, making him listen, "I'm sorry. I know we can't make things right but-"
"You can't… but I can."
"By doing a heist? You're not in the right frame of mind!"
"Spread out and search for anything that might be useful… I… I'm sorry. I deserve this. Once this is over, nothing will ever be the same… not ever again."
Ricky couldn't understand his logic. Maybe it was for the best. But a sinking feeling was biting and eating away at him that something wasn't right. Even for Jack, no one would act out this way after what just happened. Why do a job now? Right after Maria's death all of a sudden? He watched as Jack seemed to be headed in the direction of the stairway, up towards the catwalks which overlooked the vats of chemicals below. A few guards were beaten up or shot down as the gang went into the offices and threw sheets of papers and cleared out as many drawers and folders as possible. There was no sign of Jack, and Ricky and Stan started to worry.
"C'mon, let's see where he his. I don't like the looks of this." They all headed out until something dark and demonic flew right into their direction, crashing down upon them. This thing… or whatever it was… appeared like a giant bat, with piercing white eyes. Carl tried to shoot it, but bullets were rendered impotent. Stan and Ricky attempted to punch and kick as best they could, but again, the creature remained virtually untouched. Suddenly, a clanking sound interrupted the brawl from above. Each turned to see Jack walking along the high bridge. Like a flash, the bat-like figure rushed towards him. "Shit… wait a second… what the hell is Jack doing up there?"
Ricky thought, and thought, ransacking his brain of all possibilities, trying to figure out what Jack meant.
Don't want to keep her waiting…
One last job…
Make things right…
Once this is over…
I deserve this…
Nothing will be the same…
…
It clicked.
The heist was just a front.
He came here to make peace.
He came here to die.
Jack climbed over the railing and stood perfectly balanced over the edge. Where the boiling, poisonous cesspit below erupted. He desired both body and soul to be erased from this world forever. To vanish. To cleanse his sins, so that they may cease and never recover. Batman managed to reach him, walking up to him from behind. Jack fully turned around, but did not shudder at such a harrowing sight. In fact, from his view, he saw death himself. Many would tremble upon his image
Not him.
Jack spread his arms apart like a welcoming embrace.
Tears trickled down his face, and a sorrowful, dejected, hopeless, subtle smile formed.
…
Falling backwards.
Descending.
Unmoved or stirred.
Until… at long last… colliding into his sweet, baptismal entombment.
Gasping.
Suffocating.
Smothering.
The chemicals scorched and engulfed his body, as it peeled away the skin, burnt his eyes, and filled his lungs with its acrid liquid. He screamed inaudible moans, groans, and wails for no one to hear. Continuing to fall, Jack opened his eyes to see a golden ring with a singular cut diamond float its way to the surface. The chemical bath concealed even his tears as he watched the circular object dissolve and perish.
He closed his eyes…
Waiting. Hoping. Praying that when he opened them again…
Maria would be right there, clothed in white, relived and reunited with him. Forever.