Chapter 72
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Blane waited with his "guests" while his friend Don-E looked for their loved ones.
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Liv: So you and Don-E apparently worked things out.
Blane: We have you to thank for that actually. He was, justifiably, angry with me for murdering his fiancee. So he threw me into that well, then you threw him in. We had time to reconcile, bond over our fears of turning into full Romeros. And now, we have little choice but to work together. Make the best of a bad situation.
Liv: What about your father?
Blane: Having been a corrupt businessman, then a religious fanatic, he's naturally a televangelist. I forget what mini-kingdom he represents now, hard to keep track, but encouraging people to wage war on their neighbors. Some religious b.s. that people are desperate enough to believe.
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When Don-E returned he informed them what he'd learned. He had a tape, Blane showed Teri what was on it. It was the Joker, along with four masked clowns. The clowns were holding guns on four bound and gagged women. Teri didn't recognize four of the women, but one was clearly her daughter Kimberly. All women were scared of being shot, winding up in a much worse place than this. The Joker was enjoying the entire situation, he was one of the few who genuinly seemed to enjoy Hell.
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Joker: Attention loved ones of these four, you know who you are. You have exactly one hour to come here, or they all die. Oh, and in case you're wondering, yes this is a trap. Hope to see you soon.
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The group then contemplated what to do next.
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Clark: I can rescue them, faster than those clowns can murder them.
Blane: The Joker just said it's a trap.
Clark: Short of kryptonite, what can he do?
Blane: Him, I don't know. But with the Joker things are never as they seem.
Teri: Clark if you don't want to go I'll understand. But I'm going either way.
Clark: Who says I don't want to go. Just come with me so that you can drive Kim and the other three women away to safety.
Teri: Deal.
Blane: Roland Freisler.
Clark: Why does that name sound familiar?
Blane: He was a judge in nazi Germany, an intregal part of the nazification of Germany's court system. He died in an allied bombing raid near the end of the war. Had he lived, he likely would have been executed for crimes against humanity.
Liv: I take it you two are friends now.
Blane: No, but he is one of the judges who determines how long people suffer in the much worse place. Not suprisingly he gives much harsher sentances to jews, african americans, aliens like you Clark. So if somehow the Joker kills you, Freisler will be the one who decides how long you suffer.
Clark: I'll take my chances.
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Teri and Clark went to the area where the Joker was holding the four women hostage. Clark scanned the buildings looking for kryptonite and other potential dangers, nothing. He could see the four clowns and the four hostages, all eight seemed scared. Perhaps the clowns were not sociopaths, maybe just trying to survive in Hell. But the Joker was nowhere to be seen, perhaps he was giving the clowns a chance to prove themselves. Clark used his super speed to quickly rescue Kim and the others. But as he rescued them he heard one of the clowns, ask for help. This was unusual. But after he delivered the four to Teri, and saw mother and daughter reunite, Clark went back. He unmasked one of the clowns, it was a woman with a gag over her mouth. The gun was plastic, and tied to her hands. And Clark recognized this woman, it was Alicia Baker, a woman he'd briefly dated, before she was killed. Alicia had been mentally unstable, tried to murder Lana Lang, but seemed to get better after spending time in a mental institution. But someone felt she didn't deserve a second chance, murdered her. Clark nearly murdered this man, Lois talked him out of it. Clark took off Alicia's gag and untied her.
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Alicia: Thank you so much Clark.
Clark; You didn't join the Joker's team willingly, did you?
Alicia: No, I tried to do better, but apparently it wasn't enough. The Joker forced us to stand here, made it seem like we were the bad guys.
Clark: He expected me to kill all of you.
Alicia: More than that. He knew you, or someone, would come for those women. Their plan is to murder all of you.
