Thank you all for the reviews, it means alot. So this story, as well as "Sunset In The Night" will be the ones I update. "Tradeoff" and "Sleepwalking" are complete. I am currently working on the next chapter for "Sunset" so expect to see that in the next few days. Please read and enjoy everything. Reviews are favored but I'm not going to be.
In this chapter there will be flashbacks of what went on during The Dark Knight. I haven't written Dom into any scene with the Joker already there so even in present time the two have never met, face to face. You'll see when it takes place during the movie and when it comes back to the present time in Gotham. Enjoy!
-Scene takes place after The Joker's first meeting with The Mob, during the movie.-
"He wants half, Dom." Maroni says as the light finishes warming the end of his cigar.
"The 'two-bit whack job' wants half of what we've worked for?" She asks as those tender lips push the cigarette smoke from the kissable lips.
"Yeah," He points with his signature smirk, "What you're fathers been workin' for.
"He claims to be able to 'kill' Batman?" She inquires, flicking her ash to the tray.
"He says 'If you're good at something never do it for free'," Maroni replies, releasing the cigar smoke.
"So he wants a fee for something we need taken care of," A drag of her cigarette, "I like this man more and more ya know, Sal?" She chuckles though he isn't sure why.
"He's like a prostitute but even better! Instead of paying him for what we want-- the batman off our trail-- he'll kill him and Gotham will once again be ours," She says with a smile before the very cherry launches into the tray before her.
"You like that freak?" He inquires blowing the thick smoke out of those sharp Italian lips.
"Don't get jealous Maroni. Hire the clown. When he does what he claims then we kill him," Sultry eyes narrowing to slits, "Understand?"
-Present Time-
Gotham City has begun to pick itself back together now that Batman's greatest rival is behind the doors of Arkham. The caped crusader is wanted for the 'killings' Harvey "Two Face" Dent committed. He stalks the roofs of building keeping the peace while the citizens sleep soundlessly in their bed. Organized crime has begun picking itself back together, controlling much of the city once again. The Joker has been in Arkham for two months, next week being three. People still glance over their shoulders at night, walking wherever their destination is. Every time a breaking story hit's the airwaves they hold their breaths and cross their fingers hoping it is anything but an Arkham breakout. Hope has returned to many but to others, they believe no building can hold the Ace of Knaves and that it is only a matter of time until he blows the walls out of the building and slips his purple jacket back onto his slouched shoulders.
On the outskirts of Gotham is the Falcone Manor, the place Dominique grew up in as well as those pesky half-brothers of hers. The home is equipped with six bedrooms and bath, an exquisite kitchen that a chef would be completely thrilled to own, a heated pool, and many other rooms and items a person would wish for. The floors are nothing but marble as the counters and tubs through the house are a deep onyx marble. Various pictures are scattered about the halls and rooms, Dom's deceased mother to thank. The outside is just as beautiful with the cool colored bricks placed strategically. The path that leads from the driveway, and street, are various sizes of cobblestones bedded deep into the ground.
Behind those large double Oak doors the sounds of barking echoes the halls. Two German Shepherds, one completely black and the other with the traditional black and brown colorings. They move through the halls as a meeting is in occurrence. Two burly Italian men stand behind a man with glasses and a smug smirk. The woman stands in front of him, a glass of wine in her hand as she swishes it back and forth in the clear crystal.
"You've got the layout for me, Dr. Crane?" The set of twin blues stare at each other.
"I do. I went through much to get these for you," His hand raises as it is clutched around the handle of the black briefcase.
"You use to work at Arkham, Jonathan. You didn't have to go through anything," She replies before taking a sip from the clear liquid.
"Use to work there Dominique. If any of the staff were to see me on the premises I'd be taken in or shot immediately," He says lowering his hand back down to his side.
"That's right. You tried to poison the whole city that one time. I remember now," She says with a smirk as she moves down to the leather chair behind her.
He scoffs as those lovely cornflower blue eyes of his roll upward. Pinching the bridge of his nose, glasses raising slightly, he shifts his weight on his feet, "I still don't know why you want to do this Dom. I really don't."
Placing the glass down, away from her lips, the Devil in Black stares at the man with the black slacks and blue button up on. Raising a heeled leg she crosses it over the other one. Why does she want the layout for the infamous Gotham Asylum? It's simple. Batman has ruined three shipments that needed to come in and that's bad for business. The winged rodent has begun to meddle in the affairs of the Mob Princess. So, why not let the Clown out of the box? He'll be busy with The Joker so that Dominique can continue with her life of corruption and manipulation.
"You know just as well as I do. I hear Batman is closing in on your trail Crane. You should appreciate this. Now, give me the briefcase," No reason in her voice at all.
"You know, your way of thinking is completely illogical. I'd love to have a sit down with you to understand the way you think Miss Falcone."
"I think our 'sit down' occurred already the first night when I told you what I wanted," She replies with a raised eyebrow.
"That wasn't a sit down. That was a lay down," He chuckles in reply ignoring the two men behind him giving a cough.
"Whatever. Give me what I want and leave," She says with a sigh and roll of her eyes.
"As you wish Dom. I hope you know what you're getting yourself into," He steps forward, handing the briefcase to the seated woman.
"I just love that care in your voice," She smiles as she places the case onto her lap. "We'll see each other again."
It's 'Casual Friday' at Arkham. What that means is the patients get to roam around in their cells, the activity room, as they like in what they were before their entrance. For The Joker this means his face gets to be covered in that familiar greasepaint. The straightjacket is snug, almost too much for comfort, as he is led down the hall by two armed guards towards the activity room. He stares blankly ahead assumed to be under the effects of his medication. There are a few that are actually in his system. The pill he is given to actually sleep at night still causes those black covered lids to look a bit drowsy. The taste of it still embedded on his tongue as he prefers to chew it to pieces instead of swallowing it whole. The other medications as far as anti-psychotics have been kept hidden in his room. When he is instructed to take it he slides it behind that full bottom lip, his stained teeth keeping it locked in place.
"Alright Clown. Enjoy your hour of games," A guard says as the two stop directly at the entrance.
"Gonna play me some chess… in my mind," He glances back to the two as they smirk at him.
He very well can't play chess due to that jacket that is keeping his arm secured around his body. His choice in words are a given, wanting them to think that he is completely under the influence of his prescribed drugs. Taking a seat next to a man who stares blankly ahead, he glances to him. His mouth is hanging down with saliva threatening to drip down onto the Arkham ordered white pants. Brows raise as his head turns with a quick jerk to see what his neighbor is looking at. A slinky being moved back and forth by an older female patient. His gaze stays on the same plastic slinky watching as it's body moves with the tilt of the woman's hands. He blinks once and turns away.
"Stupid thing is hypnotic," He mutters under his breath.
His gaze is directed to nothing in particular. In all honesty the Joker has grown quite bored with the current happenings as of late. He allowed himself to stay put, enjoy a nice breather while he figures out a new way of taking Gotham by storm again. The people have been able to enjoy the peace and quite while the Clown Prince is hugging himself thanks to the handy straightjacket. But they know, he knows, that Arkham can't hold him forever as Gotham is destined to be his. A twitch as he thinks of Batman. That masked man must be so lonely without him out there roaming the streets. That thought alone makes him want to leap from the very seat his lovely ass is planted to but he doesn't just yet. There are enough crooked doctors, guards, and patients who could very well get him out of here in an instant but right now he has a game of chess to play.
"Alright Arty, take 176," He says watching a single man sit there moving various pieces around while Jack Napier counters each move in his mind.
-During the movie; A day before the Chase sequence for Dent-
"He wants a bazooka, Dom," Maroni says with a puff.
She glances over to him, turning Gotham News Tonight off with a flash. Rolling her head, a deep sigh given, as she looks to him fully. A finely groomed brow cocks into the air as she sees a cane being held tightly in his grasp. A closed mouth smile creeps onto her beautiful features while those icy eyes look down to his feet, struggling to keep standing. The old man must have tripped over something or another but that assumption doesn't keep Dominique from asking.
"What the fuck happened to you?"
"Oh dis?" He glances to the cane and then down to his ankles, "Batman. Made me fall from some railin' down at a club."
"Oh," She says fighting a laugh, "You said a uh, bazooka? What the hell would he want one of those for?" She asks while leaning over to grab a menthol cigarette.
"Yeah. Not sure what for though," He shrugs, helping himself to a glass of Dom's already poured rum.
"I mean a bazooka, Sal?! Unless he wanted to blow something serious up there is nothing he'd need that for," She exclaims with a bust of smoke.
"He says he lost his other one but needs another," Taking a seat into the leather chair.
"The Joker had another one? Like another bazooka that can blow up a house if aimed correctly?" Brows raise as she yanks the rum glass from the table so that he can't take another sip.
"Eh, you're as surprised as me toots. But that's what he wants and you are the one to give it to em," He replies looking down at her lengthy legs.
"Don't you have a wife to be getting home to, Sal?" She asks noticing his gaze.
"Fine. Let him know I'll give him what he wants. Give me a day, if that. Either someone can ship it in to me or someone around here will have one," She replies exhaling the smoke from the cigarette.
"He's getting testy Dominique. Wantin' to meet the person that is doin' so many favors for him," He informs her as he stands.
"Well let him get testy. There is no way in hell that I'm getting anywhere near him let alone actually talk to him in person," She snorts with a slight tremble in her reply.
"Never thought I'd see tha day," He shakes his head while she gives him a glare, "Dom is actually scared of somethin'. Smart though, scared of The Joker. Anyone that steps foot into Gotham should be. The man don't got any rules Falcone. He will bite the hand that feeds."
-End sequence-