"You were sleeping too long..." Hands grasped the bottom of the t-shirt covering her body, sliding it up to her hips. A smirk crossed his face seeing she still wasn't wearing anything beneath it.
"Ahhh...not really. It's only been a few hours..." The pinkette sat up, glancing at the clock on the nightstand. "You don't get enough sleep. That's why you always have those dark circles around your eyes, you know..."
"Perhapsss." Moving down, the Clown Prince pushed himself between her legs, using his broad shoulders to keep them open. Kissing the soft skin along her pelvis, he felt her body jerk against his touch.
"S-Stop. What are you doing?" She giggled, trying to squirm up along the mattress. As if she didn't know..always acting embarrassed when he did this. It was endearing.
"If you don't wanna get up and make me breakfast, then I'll have to, uh...eat out some where, dollface." Dark eyes watched the woman under him turn red as she put a hand over her face. He could see her green eyes peeking between her fingers, knowing she didn't want him to stop even if she didn't act like it.
"Trying to act innocent, sweetheart? Could have fooled me if I didn't know any better..." Grasping her thighs, he pushed them further apart as he settled into a comfortable position. This way he could see everything he wanted even if she didn't like it. Always squirming or trying to move at the way he would stare or mess around, feeling self-conscious..but she would have to get over it.
Leaning down and letting her legs rest on his shoulders, he felt along the cracked skin of his scar with his tongue as he ran his fingers along the pinkette's slit. She was already so wet for him without doing practically anything.
It still surprised him how turned on Sakura could get with him. Even when his mouth was slit open and he thought she wouldn't be able to even look at his face ever again, she still did. There was definitely something wrong with this chick...and it only made him want her more.
"Good morning to you too, dollface." Glancing back up to his woman's face as he slid an index finger slowly into her entrance, he bit his lower lip watching her green eyes flutter. Her tongue ran out over her pink lips as she let out a shaky breath. Twisting his finger as he moved it in and out carefully, a groan left his mangled mouth as her walls squeezed wonderfully tight around his digit. He couldn't wait to be inside of her again.
It just wasn't enough... It was never enough. Jack thought he'd been bad when they were younger. Now that he was older, it had only gotten worse...far worse. Everything about him had to be an extreme, from one end of the spectrum to the other. It was either all or nothing.
Moving his head up, he bit the soft skin of her hip as they bucked forward, enjoying the noises filtering to his ears. Dark angry marks marred the pale flesh as he nipped and dug his teeth along her pelvis and thighs. They would be long gone soon, but part of him wished they didn't. Seeing the art he left behind filled him with a twisted sense of satisfaction. It was proof of what he'd done, leaving a part of himself on her.
The only thing he could compare it to was like an artist leaving a masterpiece under the bridge with spray cans in hand, enjoying their hard work and the creativity of their graffiti...only to go back the next day and see that someone had painted over their work.
His dark eyes enjoyed seeing his hand prints on her hips, the scratches along the pale skin on her back and his own...the red splotches on the column of his woman's neck and shoulders from him biting and sucking everywhere his mouth could reach. They didn't hurt, Sakura would have made it clear if she didn't like it... He didn't want to cause her pain, but he was a rough man. If he thought she didn't like something, he stopped. It wasn't fun if they weren't both enjoying it.
"Jack..." Her breathy moan made his ears perk up as he bit down on the inside of her thigh, running his tongue along the dark impression his teeth left behind.
The only thing that excited more than her reactions and his marks along her body, was seeing the way his greasepaint would smear all over her creamy skin. No matter how good she could heal herself, there was no getting rid of that with ability alone. It wasn't until her let her get off the bed and into the shower that could rid the little woman of the display of colors. It painted an obscene picture along her thighs, chest, and face.
Sometimes when she slept, he'd run his fingers along her lips with his own makeup, drawing a crude smile up to her cheek bones. Other times, she would wake up with a face matching his own depending on how deeply she was out of it after keeping her up most of the night. Christ...the way she angrily lunged at him in the morning was always the best part... He knew Sakura wasn't genuinely angry, more amused than anything, but he knew she didn't want to let him get away with anything he wanted.
Licking his scarred lips, he pulled his fingers out and spread her open. A hand grabbed at his hair in warning, making him chuckle. It didn't bother him, only made him go crazier when her slim fingers yanked and tugged at his curls. Teeth grazed over his bottom lip, hoping she'd tighten her grip.
"Mmmhhh." A throaty groan resonated through his chest as he buried his face into her, lapping and teasing the woman grabbing on to him desperately. It was heavenly how wet and sweet she was against his hot mouth. Fingers dug into her thighs, pushing them further apart, giving himself more room.
"Oh...Ahhh!" The moans spilling out into the dim room were like music, tugging at and exciting the clown even more.
Sakura's legs trembled against his shoulders as he moved his thumb over her sensitive nub, driving her crazy. Toes curled against the warm back they clung to, moving involuntarily.
The pressure between his legs was becoming painful against the bed, wanting more but relishing in the wait. It just made it all the more sweeter when it came. Pushing his tongue deeper into her core, he enjoyed the way her muscles contracted against him. He took their rejection as a personal challenge...
"Jack...ha...Jack, come here." Dark eyes looked up with a raised brow, wondering what this little woman was up to. Studying the pinkette's expression as she tugged on his hair trying to get her point across, he reluctantly sat up and crawled over her on the bed. She didn't often try to stop him, making him all the more curious.
"Yesss, dear? Why-" Joker didn't get to finish his question when she pulled him down, hungrily taking his lips. His eyes widened at her aggression, feeling her nails drag along the back of his neck as she held him close. Legs wrapped around his waist, pulling his body up against hers.
Breaking off, both panted hard as they stared at each other. Sakura pushed against his roughly as sat up, getting the Clown Prince onto his back. His brows flew up as he sucked in his lips, shocked at how strong she was for such a small woman. If he'd been anyone else, it probably would have scared him how much strength she was able to give off these days.
"WOOHAHAHAHOO!" He couldn't help laughing at the irony and how deceiving her looks were compared to what she could actually do.
'It must be be from her ability... I'm going to have to watch myself...'
Sakura climbed on top, straddling his waist. Biting her bottom lip, she raked her nails down his scarred chest as a smirk played along her mouth.
"Something funny, huh?" The way she smiled as she traced her fingers along the harsh marks along his skin made the beating is his chest race faster. He liked this playful side of her. "I know how exactly how to wipe that smile off your face."
Sitting up and shifting her hips, the pinkette slammed herself down onto his cock. Just as she said, the Joker's grin fell, twisting into a grimace as he growled out of his clenched teeth. Hands reached out and gripped her hips tightly, nails biting into the soft skin as he held her still.
"Fff...shiitttt..." Licking the corner of his bottom lip, deep pants left his mouth as his brows furrowed. Dark orbs watched the woman on top of him heatedly through heavy lidded eyes, trying to keep himself still despite the incredible grip around him.
Sakura leaned forward, placing her small hands against his chest as she steadied herself against him. Her breathing was just as ragged, moving her knees out further to take the rest of him in. Throwing her head back as teeth bit into her lower lip, green eyes closed tightly enjoying the sensations from the different angle. He rarely ever let her get on top of him for this, preferring to be in a dominant position.
Joker grunted as the hot wet walls surrounding him trembled, making him want to flip her over and go crazy. Having someone on top of him and leaving himself open was against every instinct he had after living the 'lifestyle' for so long. It took every ounce of patience and self control not to throw her off and to punish her for putting him in this position in the most delightful way
"Jack...Just relax..." The Clown Prince's lips parted as he stilled at her words. Looking down at him, her hands ran across his chest, massaging the tense muscles beneath his marred skin. Warmth spread from her finger tips making him groan as his head lulled back. It was like she already knew how he was feeling and was trying to comfort him in a strange way...and it was working.
'Damn vixen...'
"Seeeee? Doesn't that feel better?" Looking back up to her smirking face, he shifted his jaw with no intention of answering her verbally. He didn't want to tell her how damn good it felt...or how great the view actually was from down there.
Pushing against his chest, the pinkette shifted her hips as she experimentally raised herself up almost to the tip of his throbbing member before dropping back down. A hiss pushed through his teeth at how hot she felt around him. Slowly she started up a torturous rhythm, but he held himself in check.
Dark eyes burned a hole into the woman riding him, watching her breasts bounce and face contort in pleasure. Her body moved fluidly, abdomen and hips in sync with one another as they rolled and twisted, thrusting herself down on him. In another life, she would have made a great dancer...he'd be damned if anyone else would enjoy this view.
'No...she's all mine...'
"Ahhhh! Hahh!" Hands left his chest and covered her face as her moans got louder, picking up the pace and riding him faster. The clown's cheeks puffed out as he took deep breaths, trying to control himself.
If felt so good...better than he imagined, but the rough side of him felt the urge to toss her around..to show her who's really in control.
"Fuuuuuck!" He growled out deeply through clenched teeth, not knowing where to keep his eyes focused. From watching his cock being impaled by her delicious body, to the breasts bouncing with every thrust... The choice was quickly made.
Lashing out, he reached forward and snatched her wrists, yanking them away from her flushed face. That was the part he always enjoyed the most, seeing her reactions to what they were doing. It brought him more pleasure than anything else. Pulling her forward, he placed her hands back against his chest, letting her feel the deep vibrations running through him from the noises he was making.
"Don't hide from me! Let me see everythingggg..."
Panting hard, green eyes stared at him full of emotion. It wasn't the took of unadulterated pleasure he expected. Hips rolled against him as they slowed down, taking him into her at a different pace. The look on her face...it made his chest tighten painfully. He knew that look...had seen it many times before in the past.
'Don't...Don't give me that look... Don't...'
Sakura pulled her hands out of his grip as she leaned forward, only inches from him. Hovering above him, she placed her hands on the sides face, holding it still when he tried to move a little. Thumbs touched the middle of his lips, gently caressing along the rough skin and jagged scars of his mouth as she stared down into his dark eyes.
'Don't...Please Sakura...'
A shiver ran down his spine at the way her usually bright green eyes had turned into a deep dark emerald. The Clown Prince tried to swallow the lump forming in his throat, her feelings radiating off of her body onto his own. As her fingers reached the ends of the discolored markings, the pinkette leaned down, pressing her lips against his own. It was almost gentle and sweet, yet full of passion as she claimed his mouth, making how she felt abundantly clear.
Even if he wanted to, the clown felt like he couldn't stop her, feeling the same way despite how he tried to shove it down.
This was so foolish of him. He shouldn't be feeling this way, not now... Not when everything was being set up so perfectly outside. For some time now, all the pieces of his plans had gone exactly the way they were meant to... It wasn't until that day he'd robbed the bank on 5th Ave that it changed... When he'd seen Sakura walking away from the scene as he drove the bus full of duffle bags of the mobs money in the back.
Despite all the time and careful planning he'd dedicate every part of him into this, he could help finding himself being pulled away from it. This woman had become such a...distraction... He had never quelled the fire burning bright for her and now it was scorching him alive.
Instead of spending his nights carrying out what was intended, he always found himself walking back to her building, sometimes without even realizing it. Drawn like a moth to the flame and it burned... After all these years, the old part of him that he thought he'd killed off yearned for human interaction with someone who could climb over that wall he'd carefully constructed.
Just wanting to be able to relax...even comforted. It was the only time he could lay next to anyone and feel like he could actually sleep peacefully, knowing someone wasn't going to stab him or get hauled off back to Arkham. The only place he could take his mask off and hear the name that had been lost to time and his own handiwork.
This was the closest thing he'd ever consider what people would call 'home'. It wasn't the apartment that made him feel this way, but the woman that lived here. It wouldn't matter where they stayed, not as long as she was with him...
Joker just hadn't expected it to go this fast and deep so soon...especially when her memories had been lost. His Sakura had clawed out so quickly and now she was giving him that look, the one that said a million words without saying a single thing. How he fantasized about it so many times...even more so in the last few weeks.
It was just...he hoped to draw it out of her when she was safe away from this city and they could do as they pleased... Out of harm's path and tucked away where no one's hands could reach them. If she kept looking at him like that...everything was going to be ruined. He couldn't let that happen, not now. There was a job to finish and he had to stop her from dragging him away.
Leaning back, Sakura ghosted her lips over his, her hot breaths caressing against his skin as her hips trembled against his pelvis.
"J-Jack..." Fingers grazed against his scars lovingly, making his chest hurt. "Jack..I-" He couldn't let her finish whatever she was going to say.
Sitting up faster than she could blink, he smashed his mouth against hers, pulling her shaking body tightly against his own. Gripping her hips and yanking the pinkette up just enough, he started pounding into her roughly, trying to desperately make her forget what was about to be said.
Breaking away from his lips, she threw her head back, crying out as her nails dug deeply into his shoulders.
"Ahh! Aaahhh! Oh my GOD!" Hands reached around, grabbing her ass as he lifted her up to wrap her legs around his waist. Planting his knees into the bed, he threw his his into her hard as he pulled her closer with every thrust. She was so light it didn't even faze him, holding up her weight like it was nothing.
Licking his lips and muttering to himself, Joker's face twisted in agony watching her lose her mind as he impaled her roughly onto him. The screams and fluids running down his shaft as her core trembled made his eyes roll up, feeling the tightening in his gut as her body brought him ecstasy.
"Fuck! You're gonna end up tearing my cock off!" Her walls were squeezing him tighly, almost painfully as her orgasm made her walls clench down hard on his member. It was heavenly... Slim hands grabbed at his hair as he attacked her mouth, swallowing her cries as he viciously powered through the muscles trying to force him out. He wouldn't let anything stop him from getting what he wanted.
Sakura's back arched against him as she pushed away from his mouth, desperately needing air as she cried out into the dim room.
"God! Jack! Haaaahhhh! Ohmyfuckinggod!" Her body stilled as he felt her coming against his hips, relishing these moments when she would lose control.
"Haha...I'm starting to...hah...get jealous of this god person, sweetheart..." Slamming hard into her as he gripped her ass tightly, he worked her over trying to find his own release. Kissing her roughly as she groaned into his mouth, he kept his eyes open as his balls tightened, feeling his own end just seconds away. It was always hard trying to hold on until made sure his woman orgasmed first, refusing to leave her unsatisfied.
Moving down, he latched his teeth into the soft skin of her neck as he came hard, groaning against the pale flesh in his mouth as her body milked him for everything he was worth.
"It feels so hot..." Sakura's soft words made him buck against her, breaking the hold his teeth had on her skin.
Shifting on the bed to lean against the headboard, Joker held her against him as he tried to calm the pounding in his chest. Running a hand down her back and the other through the long pink locks that fell against his chest, he relaxed as much as he could in the current situation. If only it could last longer...
Tomorrow was going to change everything... If he didn't play his cards right, it could be himself that ended up dying. He just needed to make sure Sakura was far from Gotham before that happened. If something were to happen and get her caught up in his mess... He'd never forgive himself.
Pushing up against his chest, Sakura sat up and looked towards the clock on the nightstand. The Clown Prince groaned knowing what she was thinking.
"Shit... I need to start getting ready for work soon. At least I got up early..." A smile spread across her face as she pecked him on the lips before trying to get up. Hands grabbed at her hips not wanting her to move, especially while he was still inside of her. If only for a while longer, he wanted to enjoy this little reprieve.
"Ya mean at least ya got off early...HAHAHAHA!" A toothy smirk tugged at his scarred lips as he watched her trying to stifle her laughter. At least someone appreciated his crappy jokes.
"I guess you can say that." Trying to move again, he pulled her down refusing to let her go. "Jaaack... You know I want to go to work today. Its the last time I'll probably get to see Bruce and I have some things I want to bring home. I won't be gone that long. Besides, didn't you say you were going to be busy today?"
Joker clicked his tongue, smacking his lips in agitation. So she wanted to go to work to see the playboy one last time? Ignoring the rest of what she said, he looked away giving the wall a nasty look as if it just said something offensive.
Grabbing the sides of his face, she pulled him back, kissing him tenderly. "Come on... Don't sulk!" The indignant 'hmph' left his throat before he even thought about stopping it. "Jack... How about I make you something to eat? Hmm? I'm sure you're hungry."
"Trying to win me over with food, huh? Clever woman..." A grin spread across her face as she saw his temper melting away. He couldn't stay angry too long around her. Letting go of her hip, she pecked him on the mouth and crawled to the edge of the bed.
The Clown Prince shifted his jaw, watching her gracefully move along the sheets and enjoying the view she was giving him.
"Damn succubus..." Muttering under his breath so she wouldn't hear, he folded his arms behind his head as he relaxed, watching her padding across the carpet.
"Ya got some coffee, dollface?"
The pinkette whirled around as she pulled a shirt from one of the dresser drawers, giving him an incredulous look.
"Did you forget already? You broke my coffeemaker two days ago?... I think I might still have that old percolator, but still... Another victim to that nasty temper of yours, hahaha..." Sakura pulled the fabric over her head, covering herself from his view.
Smacking his lips and sticking the tip of his finger against his ear, he feigned trying to remember the incident. It was better than showing his irritation at her hidden nakedness.
"Me?... Did I do that? Hmm... I suppose I'll just have to buy you a new onnnne..." He'll get her a nice, expensive one to enjoy, knowing she loved drinking coffee. Always had.
"How about just not breaking my stuff... Sound good? Otherwise I'm going to have to punish you.." Joker grinned at the challenge, liking it when she threatened him or acted fiesty.
'Let's see you try, sweetheart...'
"That seemed to go well, I guess..." Bruce held the door open as the pinkette walked through, looking at the paperwork in her hands. "Seoul would be a great spot to open up a branch of the R&D Department."
"Oh, I'm surprised you could hear anything over all that snoring." Without looking up, Sakura shot back with a small grin. "Korea has some of the top of line technology in the world. It would be a smart move..."
Dark eyes watched the woman curiously. There was something definitely different about her. The way she acted, spoke...her attitude.
'She must have gotten more of her memories back more than I originally thought...'
Thinking back to the night he saved her after falling from the bridge, she had said her name wasn't Tasha. It was worrisome to think about. They shouldn't have come back at all, but part of him hoped it was only her name that came back. After watching her closely at work, there was no doubt it had gone much further than that.
It should have been impossible...then again, any seemed possible these days.
Bruce couldn't help but admit that he enjoyed the change, in a way. She seemed much happier these day, laughing and smiling far more than he could ever remember. It was contagious in its own way, a pleasant reprieve from the feeling bubbling inside of him from the last few weeks.
Tomorrow would be the press conference... The one he implored Harvey Dent to set up, despite both of their reluctance. It was tomorrow that his world and Gotham would be changed...forever.
In less than 24 hours, the infamous playboy billionaire image that he carefully crafted would be shattered for the world to see. In front of dozens of reporters, journalists, police officers and politicians...he would reveal his identity as Batman. There didn't seem like any other choice, but to give in to the Joker's demands.
With no leads or a way to track down the murderous clown, the options he thought he had vanished. There was far too much blood on his hands to keep this going. The whole reason he even put the suit on in the first place, was to inspire good in a seemingly lawless land. After bringing down Falcone and Crane, things seemed to get better for a time. Normal, everyday citizens had some hope that the city would begin to heal itself under the caped crusaders watchful eye.
That didn't last long. After the breakout at Arkham when Crane's fear gas had been spread throughout the city, most of the criminals and patients had fled and it took the Gotham police force and himself quite a while to track them down.
It took almost a year just to find the Crane himself... The Bat found him in a parking garage having a dispute with the Chechen over drugs when two copycat imposters had tried their hands at the vigilante life...with guns and hockey pads...
This hadn't been the kind of inspiration Bruce had been going for. Not at all. He had hoped for the citizens to try their best to live honest lives, not to dress up as him and take the law into their own hands.
They just didn't understand...
He had been trained under Ra's Al-Ghul in the art of the ninja, leaning the secrets of one of the largest underground organizations of the world. It was only just to learn they were terrorists who didn't share his ideals in how justice should be handled...
Unlike them, he had billions of dollars and an entire R&D department at his beck and call, making him new suits and weapons with the world's best materials... Some of the military and world's best technology at his disposal. Even with all of that, he had limitations...faced foes that eluded him time and time again...and some that were difficult to handle no matter how hard he trained. How could ordinary citizens hope to combat forces that even Batman himself had a hard time with?
It was because of this, that some of the imposters had been killed. Brian Douglas had become a symbol of what would happen to those who tried to wear the cape. The video the Joker took of the former police officer had been spread all over over the news.
"Be aware...the image is disturbing." The man's voice warned as the camera cut from the news anchor in a suit and tie to a gritty video broadcasted by the Clown Prince himself.
The news station had been reporting on the body found outside the window of Mayor Anthony Garcia's office building who had been meeting with the District Attorney, Commissioner Gillian Loeb, and Jim Gordon. It was right after the initial hearing of over five hundred people who were arrested following Lau's return to Gotham. The dirty accountant had given the names of all his clients to protect himself from going to county, where there would be no protection from the mob's wrath.
Only Lau had knowledge of the location where the entire savings of the head mob families of Gotham had been stored. He had worked as their accountant, being the only big time money launderer left after Dent put the Chinese mob boss' competitors behind bars. After a series of robberies from the Joker on the banks where the funds had originally been held, it became apparent to those involved that their money was being tracked through radiated bills that had gotten mixed in thanks to the late Jim Gordon. Those were the only thing the clown had left behind after raiding the place.
This forced the mob heads into a secret meeting during the day to discuss what happened and what to do next. To everyone's surprise, Lau had already moved the remaining money to an undisclosed location, refusing to even tell his own clients its whereabouts out of fear if any of the men were caught and talked. He spoke through a screen on his way to Hong Kong, where he would be far out of Dent's jurisdiction and even if a warrant had been put out by the D.A., the Chinese would never extradite one of their own.
According to one of the men who was in police custody who worked for Maroni, it was during this meeting that the Joker appeared and told the heads that Lau's plan was foolish and that the real problem was Batman, who had no jurisdiction.
After Bruce had gone to Hong Kong and forcibly brought Lau back to deliver him to Gordon, it didn't take long for a deal to be struck. Rachel had sat in a room with the Chinese national and his lawyer, using her experience as a lawyer to back him into a corner while Dent and Gordon oversaw and recorded the exchange. The accountant knew that as long as he didn't give away the location of the money and took a deal, that was his only chance of making it out alive. Without Gotham PD's protection, all the mob families would be after him to keep his mouth closed and to get their money back.
In exchange for immunity, a plane ride back to Hong Kong, and not disclosing the location of the mob's savings, the accountant would reveal the names of all those in Gotham he worked for. That was more than enough to arrest well over 500 men on dozens of charges, including the head bosses. Gambol's body had been discovered not long after word on the street was that he'd put a hit out on the Joker, leaving only Maroni and the Chechen as the only big time threats. Realizing the clown had been right and were backed into a corner, the bosses agreed to hire him to take care of the current predicament...
What they didn't expect was HOW he would take care of it... It was surprising how much mob thugs were willing to talk when you hung them upside down in their cells after a few good punches.
"Tell them your name." The voice behind the camera sounded amused as it zeroed in on the man tied to the chair, dressed in a Batman suit with a bulletproof vest over his torso.
Bruce's eyes widened recognizing the man as one of the imposters he'd run into when he busted Crane in the middle of a heated drug deal gone wrong. Despite his clear warning to stop, the man must have continued his activities with the group that called themselves 'The Batmen'.
There were large slabs of what looked like cows cut down the middle hanging from hooks against the white walls in the background. A cart with trays containing God-knows-what was to the right. A meat packing plant? The back of a butcher shop? Where in Gotham was this place?
It wouldn't matter anyway now... The man's body had already been recovered and the clown was smart enough to not return to a place he filmed at, incase anyone located it.
"...Brian...Douglas..." The reluctant voice said behind the mask. The chuckle in the background made the billionaire's skin crawl.
"And are you the real Batman?" The camera moved shakily as the clown laughed, amused at the man's real as he questioned him.
"...no..." Brian's voice was so low and small from fear and shame as he revealed himself, not having a choice in the matter. Who knows what led to being captured by the madman interrogating him...
"No?.." As the man repeated himself, the Joker's voice grew with feigned confusion and excitement. "No?!"
"Hehehaha! Then why do ya dress up like him?!" In seconds it had gone from laughter to a deep gritty growl as a gloved hand reached forward, snatching the mask from Brian's face.
"Woohohohoooo hehehaha!" Holding the tip of the bat man mask by the ear, the maniac shook it in front of camera, laughing as he tossed it away.
"H-He's a symbol...That...we don't have to be afraid of scum like you." Brian's voice trembled as much as his words despite trying to be as brave as someone could in that predicament. His sweaty face gave away everything, fear etched across his face as he tried to stay strong... The way his hero would have.
"Yeah you do Brian..." A gloved hand grasped the man's jaw, gripping his face tightly. "YOU REALLY DO!" The Joker growled out viciously shaking his victim's face and reached up to grab a tuff of dark hair, yanking Brian's head back hard, making him whimper as he trembled in the chair. "HUH?...YEAHHH..."
"Ah..sh,sh,sh, shhhhh." Running a hand along the side of Brian's sweaty hair and face, the clown suddenly smacked both of the man's cheek, making him jump from the unexpected strike. "So you think Batman has made Gotham a better place? Hmm?"
The camera moved back as the Joker took a few steps away from the chair, giving the viewers a better look at the imposter tied up. It went without saying, this was a clear warning to all that this would be the fate of anyone else who dared to put on the cape.
Look at me." The camera angle shuffled around with the clown's erratic movements as he stared at Brian, who was too afraid to even raise his head at the command. "LOOK AT ME!" The way his tone turned into an animalistic growl from the almost entertained way he spoke showed his moods were just as erratic as everything else about him. Amused one second, completely murderous the next.
The camera spun around, showing off the painted face as it shook, dark eyes wide and wild as it looked into the lens. "Ya see, this is how craaaahzeee Batman has made Gotham!"
He breathed heavy between his words, bringing the camera closer to his mangled greasepainted mug. "You want order in Gotham? Batman must take off his mask and turn himself innnn..." Smacking his lips together, the camera spun as he twisted around, not taking it off his face for even a second. "Oh! And everyday he doesn't, people will die...Starting tonight...I'm a man of my wordddd...HEHAHAHA!"
Laughing maniacally as his smile pulled his scars tight against his face, the clown's horrid teeth showed as the camera spun out of control. Brian's screams were all that could be made out as everything went black.
Brian's body had been found hung by a noose in his Batman outfit with his face slashed and painted identically to the Clown Prince's right outside the mayor's window during his meeting with Dent, Loeb, and Gordon.
This was only one instance... So many more people had been killed in similar fashion, not including from all the billets and explosions throughout the city. Imposters, mob heads, police officers, judges, even Commissioner Loeb himself had all become victim's to the clown's rampage. Even longtime friend, Jim Gordon, had been shot down in broad daylight when he threw himself in front of Mayor Garcia when the Clown Prince had impersonated a group of the honor guard with his men during Loeb's funeral.
Turning himself in at the press conference seemed like the only thing Bruce could do at this point to try to stop the massacre and make up for all the blood the Clown Prince put on his hands...
"Bruce? You okay there?" Looking up, the woman's green eyes stared at him curiously as she waved the pack of papers in front of his face.
"Y-Yeah... I guess I'm still a little tired." There was no way for Sakura to know that he'd barely slept much these days, if at all... Not for the last few weeks anyway. Not a day went by where he wasn't scouring the streets and using every means available to try tracking down the clown. The little nap he had during the meeting was the only shut eye he'd had in the last two days alone.
It was almost comical that the meeting was happening at all... Tomorrow he would be in police custody and the plans he'd made months ago to open up a branch in Seoul would be useless at this point... However, he had to keep up his image as billionaire Bruce Wayne until then...
The door of the meeting room opened as two men walked out. An older dark man with gray hair, looked around, glancing Bruce's way as the sandy-blond lawyer talked in a low voice. The taller of the two and CEO of Wayne Enterprises, Lucius Fox, laughed at whatever was being said.
Coleman Reese shot a pointed took in the same direction, pursing his lips as his dark eyes noticed the billionaire standing there. It wasn't a secret that the man didn't care for Bruce's seemingly carefree attitude or the way he would sleep in meetings, just thinking of him as a rich snob who relied on a trust fund. WIthout saying another word, Reese looked back at Fox before walking off.
Shaking his head, Lucius walked over to the pair, a small smirk on his face. There was no doubt that Reese had been complaining about Bruce's behavior for the umpteenth time.
'Oh well...' It didn't matter anyway. Not at this point...
"Mr. Wayne... I just got a call in the meeting room that someone from the D.A.'s office is here to speak with you. They've been waiting here very patiently, saying it was important."
Bruce's brow raised in confusion at the news. Why would someone from Dent's office be here to talk to him?
"Okay, did they mention what this was about? It's odd for them to just show up without making an appointment.."
"I agree absolutely agree, it is irregular...but everything that's been going on is irregular as well. There he is... I told Marcy to send him up and I was going to speak with him, but he's being insistent on talking to you." Lucius nodded behind them towards the hall where two men walked towards them, dressed in dark suits.
Bruce turned around as the men came closer, recognizing both of them. Hyeon Choi and David Nosh... They worked closely under Harvey Dent in the District Attorney's office. When doing research on Dent to determine if he could be trusted or not, it was important to look towards the men who followed him as well.
'I've met Choi before... He's always very serious about his job. What could he want with me?'
As the men approached, Hyeon's dark eyes widened as Sakura stepped from behind Lucius, asking if she can leave.
'Oh no... I think he recognizes her...'
"Bruce, if that's all you need from me..." The pinkette said looking up at him, completely oblivious to the young Asian man's expression spreading across his face. Wasting no time, the billionaire shot him a pointed look, warning him not to say anything.
"Actually, Tasha... No... It's fine, you can go." Seeing her smile as she turned around, Bruce reached out and grabbed her shoulder before she could run off. "Wait. I changed my mind... Would you be able to wait in the office upstairs until I'm finished speaking with these guys? There's something I want to talk to you about."
Sakura pursed her lips shut as she raised a thin brow. The look of disappointment crossed her features, not caring that it was her boss she was standing right in front of her. Before, she would have hidden it under a carefully constructed mask that was lacquered with a equally sweet voice.
"Sure... That's fine..I guess I'll look these over while I'm waiting." Waving the papers in hand, the pinkette looked at Hyeon with a odd expression. Shifting her jaw, she turned away, heels clicking against the hard surface of the floor as she quickly strode away.
'Does she remember him?'
Bruce chewed the inside of his cheek watching the woman walking away agitatedly, gripping the papers in her hand. Was the change in mood because she wanted to leave? Or was it because of Hyeon?
Turning towards the two men, he motioned to the door behind them with his hand out. "Mr. Fox here will show you gentlemen into the meeting room for now. I'll need a few minutes as we just finished up."
Lucius nodded at Bruce as he put a hand on Hyoen's shoulder, guiding them away as he grabbed the handle to the door to let them in. Right now, Bruce needed a few minutes to think as he walked down the hall towards the bathroom.
A splash of cold water on his tired face should help him get his head straight. Things just seemed to be spiraling out of control every step he took. Just like the Joker had planned, everything was turning into chaos around him.
Sitting in the comfortable chair across from the older man staring at him curiously, Hyeon ran his tongue along the back of his teeth, deep in thought. This was getting more complicated with every new piece of information that was found.
Originally, he came here with David to ask about a robbery that just took place only a few hours ago at the docks of Wayne Shipping. A shipment coming from Wayne Pharmaceuticals that was to be sent to Tokyo had been robbed, the only left behind was a Joker card. It wasn't clear if the CEO of the company and billionaire who was the namesake had even been aware that the incident happened yet.
As soon as the police had been informed of the situation, the D.A.'s office that had been keeping tabs on the MCU through informants and bugging, swooped in as soon as the clown's trademark had been mentioned. Harvey had put every ounce of extra manpower available into finding out anything and everything he could about the Joker. The only way they were going to catch him was to get as much intel as possible and find a weakness or a way to lure him out. Predicting his actions were as close to impossible as they could get, so there weren't many other options.
What he hadn't expected was to see that woman here... She was suppose to be overseas living a different life, somewhere far from Gotham. Why did Wayne bring her back? Why now after all these years? He could still remember the way she looked back in Gotham General when he was still working for the GCPD.
"Brother...why did you bring me here?"
Jin walked alongside him as they went down the halls of the hospital. It was a dreary place, filled with groans and sighs...and noxious smell these places gave off.
"I'm following up on a case, Jin. I don't like the people you've been hanging out with...Yeah, I know all about it. Do you know why I work so hard all day? Hmm? I do it so that you can go to school and make something of yourself...not to waste your time hanging out with thugs and getting into trouble." Hyeon was angry. No matter what he said or how he tried to explain, his younger brother would run the streets anyway trying to make use of his ability for some extra cash. Why? They had the essentials and as the parent between them, he did his best to take care of all their needs. What did Jin need money for so badly?
"Okay... That still doesn't answer my question, ya know..."
Rolling his eyes, he grabbed Jin by the arm and yanked him down the hall as the younger man drug his feet.
"I want you to see exactly what you're messing with when you involve yourself with these people. They're not right... Yes, some of them resort to violence as you saw from the last patient I showed you, but you need to realize that there's men who do much more dangerous things. A cut can heal, a bruise will fade...but sometimes, these criminals go above and beyond, enjoying the trauma they cause."
Standing outside one of the doors at the end of the hall, Hyeon already knew there was no point in knocking as he grabbed the handle. No one would answer anyway.
Opening the door, he motioned for his brother to go inside who looked at him reluctantly. Jin didn't want to see any of this, he'd tried multiple times to steer him the right way. Having his ability was making the young man arrogant...believing that as long as he had it, any situation could be turned on a dime and controlled.
It was this foolish thinking that would end up getting him killed someday if things didn't change. Despite hanging around with the wrong people, he already thought he had it all figured out. That wasn't true... Jin just hadn't run into the type of criminals that really gave Gotham it's reputation.
Walking into the room, Hyeon closed the door behind them and adjusted the front of his uniform. The patient in this room was part of a current case he'd been working on. The culprit was long gone now and there had been no leads on where to find him.
"Brother... What's wrong with her?" Jin walked up next to the bed, looking down at the girl lying beneath the sheets.
"There wasn't...originally. She came in with a head injury and some broken bones, but after surgery, the doctor's said she healed quickly and was fine for the most part. One of the doctors here had been using some kind of...drug on the patients to get a reaction out of them. It causes a severe reaction to fear."
Walking up next to his brother, he looked down at the pink haired girl. Her green eyes were staring unblinkingly at the ceiling, lips moving slowly, but not saying anything coherent. Thin brows were furrowed with an anxious look on her face, it almost seemed like she was having an worrying conversation with someone who wasn't there.
"I've been trying to track the doctor down, but we have no clue where he is. All we do know besides what he's been doing in the hospital, is that he had been in contact with the man your buddies like hanging around so much. We're not sure what he's up to, but the chief suspects that he wanted to find a place to replicate his formula on a wider scale. You're little friend has been know for having meth labs and places where someone like him could get his hands on some big time stuff..."
Jin looked up at him with a disgruntled look. "Hyeon, you know I don't get involved in that kind of shit. If you brought me here to make me feel guilty into giving you information, you're shit out of luck. Those guys don't trust me enough to bring me around THAT guy. I'm not trying to push my luck either..."
"I didn't bring you here for that, dumbass. We already know some of the locations and what's going on. The problem is that there's too many cops on their payroll that are protecting them. Every time we try to get a warrant or get close, someone alerts them to what's going on and everything is gone long before we can even kick a door in. It's this damn corruption in this city. It's like a disease that's spreading everywhere." Running a hand through his hair, Hyeon took a seat in a chair against the wall as he watched his younger brother.
"There just aren't any decent people anymore trying to do the right thing. Everyone's too scared of the consequences. Even the chief is afraid of making any big moves, worried his family could get killed if he gets involved with the wrong people. Not only that, but that masked vigilante guy who'd been running around the last couple months finally bit the bullet..."
Turning away from the bed, Jin's brows raised as shock spread across his face. "W-What? No way! I didn't hear anything about that!"
"Yep... His body was found this morning... Horrible scene to start the morning off with. Apparently Falcone was able to find something to lure the guy out with. Family member or something...found their body as well." Sighing, he tried to relax into the back of the chair, feeling exhausted.
"You want to know the surprising part? The guy was a Marine who grew up in the city. Just a regular human... With all that he's been doing the last few months, the station suspected him of being one of those meta humans. More and more of them have been showing up recently. Some woman from the government came to try to retrieve the body... Boy was she pissed when she found out he was just a regular guy...still took him anyway even though we tried to stop her. Nasty lady..."
Shaking his head, Hyeon looked towards his brother who seemed to be deep in thought. "This is why I try to show you the things I do. I'm not supposed to, but I need you to understand that there's things out there that even you can't understand or mess with. There's things out there that aren't human...not anymore. There's people out there that look like an everyday person, that are capable of doing things even beasts wouldn't do. Look at her..."
Motioning towards the bed with his chin. "She was just a normal girl until Dr. Crane started his sessions with her. Now she can't even function normally... The other patients had most of the symptoms wear off after a couple days, though they weren't the same...but she's not getting any better. The doctor's don't know what to do and because it was one of the staff that did this, they're afraid of repercussions."
Jin stared down at the woman with an apathetic expression. "What's going to happen to her?"
"Dunno... Maybe lock her away in a ward somewhere. I don't like the idea, but there aren't many options unless something changes. The hospital is afraid of word getting out about Dr. Crane. After all, they were the ones who approved his residency and hadn't been keeping an eye on him. They don't even want any of us talking about it, but I'm still going to keep an eye on the case. I don't like how everything just gets swept under the rug. It's not right..." This is what was wrong with this city. Anything that was wrong or out of place was just covered up so that everyone else didn't have to deal with it. Everyday bad things were happening to good people and the wold just turned a blind eye.
"What a shame... She's very pretty..." Jin reached down, waving a hand in front of her face.
"Ah! I wouldn't do that...She'll start screaming." He pulled his hand back quickly, hearing his brother's warning in his tone. "I don't know what those eyes are seeing, but whatever it is...we don't want to know."
A door opening as a man stepped in broke Hyeon from his memories. Looking up, his dark eyes watched Bruce walk in as he casually made his way to the chair across the table.
"So, Mr. Choi...Mr. Nosh... What brings two of Dent's big wigs into my building today? Hmm?" Lacing his fingers together, the billionaire glanced at both of them with a smirk playing on his lips. Despite living in the lap of luxury everyday, the man looked worn out...exhausted.
'Just like I am...'
"Mr. Wayne... Are you aware of the robbery that took place at Wayne Shipping earlier today?" Gauging his reaction, Bruce glanced at the older man sitting next to him and back.
"Of course, after all... This IS Wayne Enterprises. We are updated on everything that happens with every branch of our company. A report has already been filed with the GCPD, who is handling the situation. We are fully cooperating with their investigation. So why is it that the D.A.'s office is getting involved ad showing up here without even a call beforehand to let us know?" Lucius Fox questioned, pointing out the irregularities in their professional behavior.
"Mr. Fox... You are aware that one of the Joker's cards were found at the scene, no? That's why we're involving ourselves. It's our job to track his movements and try to figure out what we can before anything worse happens." David answered before Hyeon could reply something snarky back, wanting to keep this civil. Unlike him, David's involvement in this case wasn't nearly as personal.
"The police have informed us, sir. I'm sure you've already looked through the report? So, what is it that Mr. Wayne and I could help you with at this point?" The African American man's head tilted, looking confused.
"We'd like a list of was in those shipments. The report only states that it was crates from Wayne Pharmaceuticals that was to be shipped to Tokyo. There's no mention of what was actually in them." Dark eyes glanced at the two men, carefully watching their reactions.
"There's no-" Fox began, but Bruce held his hand up to stop him.
"That's fine, Mr. Choi. Anything we can do to help your investigation, right? You want to see what was in the shipment to try to figure out what the Joker might be up to, am I correct?" Nodding, Hyeon was slightly surprised at the billionaire's willingness to cooperate. Part of him thought there might be an argument, not wanting to let the D.A.'s office see what they were shipping. It wouldn't have been out of the ordinary for a large company in Gotham to be dabbling in things they shouldn't, even though Wayne Enterprises had a solid reputation.
"Mr. Fox, please take Mr. Nosh here upstairs and give him anything that may help. Like I said... We are more than willing to cooperate with the authorities." Motioning to the door, Lucius stood up with David as they exchanged glances before heading out.
Hyeon eyed the dark haired man as he heard the door close behind them. He was sitting comfortably in his chair, twisting from side of side on the wheels with a bored expression on his face.
"Mr. Wayne...Why is that woman here? I thought she was supposed to be in Tokyo?" A smirk broke the man's lax face as his brow raised.
"Ahhh... I knew you were going to ask that. Don't worry about it, Hyeon. She's working for me." Lifting his hand and inspecting his nails, it didn't seem like there wasn't a care in the world in this man.
"You do realize that Crane is out on the run, right? And Dr. Wells has been missing? Don't you find it strange?"
"What are you trying to say, hm? Besides, it's not all that strange. Crane broke out just as others have in the past and Wells use to work with him. Perhaps they had a business spat or something. You never know what those men are up to. Besides, aren't you suppose to be worrying about the Joker? If you have time to waste here and on other criminals, then maybe you're not putting in enough effort in finding him..." Hyeon grit his teeth, watching the playful expression on the billionaires face. How dare he say that when he's been spending every waking moment trying to find a lead?!
"I'm taking every avenue I can to find out anything! You have no idea how I've been running around, doing everything I can. No one has been able to find out a single thing. I won't let Dent down, he doesn't want to do this press conference tomorrow. If I can find out something...anything, I'm willing to do what I can."
"Snooping around here won't help...Neither will worrying about my employees. I gave you what I can and that's all I can do. Now if you'll excuse me, Mr. Choi... I'm a very busy man. Mr. Fox will be back with your partner to see the both of you out." Without another word, Bruce scooted his chair back and stood, making it clear he was done talking.
Dark eyes watched the billionaire walk out of the room, shifting his jaw as he bit the inside of his lip.
A/N: Thank you to everyone reading and reviewing! I love reading people feedback and the PM's you guys send. Makes me want to write more in my free time. Thank goodness I'm a fast typer or I'd barely get anything done, haha. Well...that and a terrible case of insomnia... Anyway, next chapter will be A LOT more Joker and Sakura so I'm looking forward to writing that.
I'm almost done the next chapter for QofR, hopefully I'll have it up by tonight. I've been having a problem focusing the last few days because of work and 'ahem' having my attention divided between my real life man and my husbands...it hard to decide who to give my undivided attention to (joking...sort of).
It's funny... On Valentine's Day, my fiancé got me "The Killing Joke" DVD and card with the Queen of Hearts on the cover that said "Happy Valentine's Day to the Queen of my heart..." and on the inside a pop up clown came out and it read "From the joker who's wild about you XOXO". I stared at it for a few minutes, then turned to him and said, "Bitch, have you been going through my IPad?". You bet your bottom dollar I don't talk about the shit I write to barely anyone, especially my man. He gets jealous and I'd hate to tell him he just couldnt compare to my husbands (fufufu). All jokes aside, he is actually a wonderful guy. I've been with him since I was 15 and we've only been with each other for the last 12 years, even with his military time. That gave me experience with understanding love and separation which also helps with my writing.
I know I need to go over the chapters and edit them... It drives me nuts when I see mistakes, but so easy to do when you're typing fast on a magnetic keyboard. I'm seriously my own worst enemy haha.
Edit: I realize I made a mistake with Bruce not calling Sakura "Tasha" so I fixed it. Whoops...
