Title: House of Cards
Chapter Completed: April 19, 2004
Insane giggles travelled through the night as the purple convertible flew down the road.
"At least you have a passion for purple," The Joker was still trying to size up the woman who had sprung him.
"I have many good qualities," Star flashed him a bright smile, "and maybe you'll get to see them."
He threw his head back and propped his lanky legs up on the dashboard. He took a moment before breaking into laughter again.
Star rolled her eyes at the demented clown, but all this had a purpose. Those who had hurt Sara were going to be punished. However, the moment Sara and Star had evolved into two separate people was unknown to her, the distinction just seemed normal.
"Where are we going exactly?" the most logical question came randomly from the clown.
"Far from here," she replied almost cryptically as she turned the car down a dirt road. 'Now Exiting Gotham' declared the sign.
"Why?" he sounded like a child.
She replied to him as if he really were, "So, they won't find us until we're ready."
The violent bumps of the road made the Joker sit up and pay attention, "Just what do WE have to be ready for?"
Sara turned to glare at him, "Just a little case of revenge." Her smile spread into a twisted grin.
He raised an emerald green eyebrow at her.
"Haven't you always wanted to play with the Bat?" she sing-songed, turning the car on a sharp corner into the parking lot of an old motel.
"Batsy?" The Joker replied like a happy child, "Just what do you have against the caped critter?"
They made no move to leave the car.
Star turned to stare at him seriously, "It's for a friend. Both internal and external friends." She then flashed a bright smile and hopped out of the car. "Stay put," her voice became musical and he obeyed, which she had no doubt about. "Behave," she called over her shoulder as she skipped across the dirt car lot to the manager's office.
Star swung her tightly clad hips and clinked the heels of her boots on the dingy titled floor. Sauntering up to the counter she leaned across it, ringing the tired bell.
After a undesired amount of time a burly man staggered out from the room, grunting as a form of greeting.
Star went stiff for a moment, jumping back from the counter, from him. Sara crept to the front of their collective mind. The man behind the counter looked far too much like the living shadow that had created the pair of women in one body. He had the same build as Billy and the same sick fear began to creep up from her stomach. The fear was still fresh.
"Need a room?" his gruff voice asked as his eyes attempted to drink the young woman in.
Sara looked like a deer caught in headlights. Star was desperate to regain control. Pushing forward a smile spread on her face.
"Hiya doll," Star began turning her voice in her skilled way. She fought the sick bile rising in her gut as she read the sick thoughts filling the man's mind. They were all really the same, just different levels of depravity.
"Need a double room," the music appeared in her voice, "Number twelve," she pointed to the key to the most isolated room, "No change."
"Number twelve, no charge," he parroted, handing over the key adorned with a large wooden tag.
"Just forget we're here," she instructed, snatching away the key and turning on her heels; the clown was waiting in the car.
Star walked back to the car, no increased hurry in her step.
"Back?" Joker asked sounding groggy as she slide back into the car.
"Aren't you observant," she laughed, reaching over to pinch his cheek; laughing harder when he slowly flinched away, scowling at her.
She drove the obvious purple car around the long building complex, tucking it in away from the sight if the road.
"Honey, we're home," she teased, gaining a more characteristic grin from the clown. As she slid out of the automobile he followed. The effect of her 'gift' was like a thin veil over one's mind – slowly lifting as the action progressed. When under the influence of her musical suggestions, one could see what was happening but take no active part in it. Yet waking was as if that person had acted on pure, personal instinct. And leave no clear memory of the girl who had put the ideas into their head or that she had been there at all. It may have been like a dream, but Star wasn't really sure.
That was the only thing Star could thank Billy for. But forcing him off of a roof wasn't really a thank you of sorts, as much as it was revenge, but it certainly got the point across.
Ignoring the throbbing reminder in her memory, re-locking that part of her brain as she unlocked the motel door. The door swung open to reveal an outdated, cliché room. Tacky wallpaper clinging to the dingy walls, a pair of faded and stained bedspreads draped over the lumpy looking twin beds and an ever present bible sitting on the bedside table.
"Charming," the Joker whined, looking over the new surroundings. He was used to less than luxurious hideouts, but there was always a certain charm to rundown toy factories. A charm that this place lacked.
"The first place they'd look for you is a factory," she chided his thoughts and justified her choice. Hiding out in the open was perfect. Sure she was new at this costumed villainy, but she still had an idea of what she was doing. "No one will find us here, no one would think of looking," Star continued her self-confident justification as she pushed into the room.
The Joker trailed behind, an almost snobbish sneer adoring his grinned face.
"Oh," Star groaned, "entertain yourself while I have a shower." She pushed the television remote against his chest, forcing the suggestion onto him, "There has to be something on."
He shrugged, taking the remote and bounding over to the bed.
She simply rolled her eyes but was thankful he was distracted. Being honest with herself, this little exertion wasn't going particularly well. Although it was flawless in execution so far, she had no definite plan for her new companion, just a raw desire for revenge. For Sara, but mostly for all women. For all of those that were failed and left twitching in the wind. She was going to name a new age for women by bringing down the main figure. By bringing down the false idol that all of Gotham seemed to worship, by bringing down the Bat.
She smiled at that. Content with her goal, even without a plan, renewed the spring in her step. Star gathered up the needed provisions from her own duffel bag and headed for the shower.
