Authors note: Only two chapters away from the final chapter!
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from the DC Universe.
Chapter 35
Echo's point of view:
Leaning against the railing, I let out a long sigh but as the air escaped my lips, I suddenly breathed in sharply. My heart began to thunder in my chest, unable to breath or move. Images and voices flooded my mind; the thundering in my chest grew louder and then fell silent as I saw the future laid out before my eyes.
[Vision]
A woman was rushed into the hospital theatre, the doctors and nurses turn to stare at her appearance as she was pulled past, the gurney rattled as it was raced along the cold and clean halls of the hospital, blood dripped from the wounded woman and left splatters on the floor, leaving a crimson trail behind,
" move out of the way! She's losing more blood. Doctor! Hurry!" a nurse shouted at the doctor who was struggling to keep up.
He puffed and panted gripping his chest, his legs carrying him as fast as possible. The nurse pushing the gurney , raced into a room and placed the unconscious woman on the bed hooking her up to all the machines in a fearful and determined way.
She wouldn't lose this patient, she couldn't!!
If so, she would never be able to forgive herself.
The young nurse screamed for the doctor as her patients heart rate decreased dramatically. The patient was losing the battle of life.
Dying slowly without even knowing it.
" No! Don't give up! Please. I won't lose another patient!" the nurse cried as she performed CPR.
The patient's heart rate remained still, the monitor sounding in a long haunting beep. The doctor came running in with the defibrillator pads already gelled and ready, the machine trailing behind. The nurse snatched them off the out of breath doctor and pressed them to the patient's chest.
"Clear!" She yelled.
The patient's chest lurched forward but her heart rate didn't change.
"No! Don't give up! Clear!" The nurse screamed trying once again.
Nothing.
"Clear!"
Still nothing...
"Clear!"
"Clear!"
But it was too late, the nurse panted, tears forming in her eyes. The doctor sighed and sadly placed his hand on the nurse's shoulder. He murmured "It's hopeless. She's gone. Give it up"
The nurse shook her head, tears falling onto her uniform." No! I can't lose her, not another patient. Not again" She screamed but her grief over came her.
The nurse knew it was too late; she dropped the pads and fell to her knees before the bed. Burying her face in the bed, her small hand gripped her patients cold hand tightly willing her to respond. But whatever she did wouldn't make a difference.
The young woman was gone.
The doctor looked from his watch to the nurse and then cast a lingering sorrow filled glance at the dead young woman on the bed.
"Time of death, 10:08 pm"
[End of vision]
Echo's remained silent as the vision of death faded from her mind and was replaced with another nightmare like vision.
[2nd Vision]
A faded figure bashed her hands against the wooden door of her concrete prison.
The room was complete concrete except for the door which was a rotted away wooden colour. The woman with the faded face screamed for help but no one and nothing came, she was trapped. A gun lay tossed away in the corner of the room, the woman raced to it and cocked it, and she aimed at the door and fired. Splinters of wood flew everywhere but still the door stopped to open.
She checked how many bullets were left; her vision was blurry due to the tears spilling from her eyes.
There was one bullet left.
Her captor did this on purpose; he wanted her to do it. He wanted her to give up. She held the gun to her head and squeezed her eyes shut. She could almost her thumping of her own heart. Her finger pressed against the trigger slightly.
She hesitated.
That was suddenly all it took, her life flashed before her eyes, everything from childhood down to the present day. They all faded to black and she almost heard the quiet song of deaths piano play, tempting her to join it in its funeral song and with a final thought and scream...the woman flung the gun across the room!
It clattered louder than deaths song still singing in her ears.
They both faded away as she ran to the door, terror and panic pulsating through her entire body. Her hard beat faster and louder than ever before.
"Please you can't keep me here! Let me out" She cried punching the door in a vain attempt at breaking it down.
No sound came from behind the door, no light came in for there were no windows, she would have been in complete blackness if not for the very dim light bulb handing above her head. Casting a yellow haunting shadow as she pressed against the door.
The woman's fists and knuckles bled and stung with every punch, she screamed a final time and fell against the concrete wall. She scraped her fingernails down the wall as she slid slowly to the floor, scraping her knees and back as her body hit the floor. The woman pulled her knees up to her chest and buried her head; tears flowed from her eyes like rivers of pain and fear.
Deaths songs played over and over again in her mind, calling her with the temptation to end it all and give up. The cold and dark room seemed to close in on her as she whispered "Please, let me out....."
[End of vision]
I placed my hand over your mouth, a tear sliding down my snow white cheek.
I had to warn Ava of these visions, although I could not see who the women were, I knew she must be told of these and aided in her fight against Cassie.
Before these terrifying visions could come true!
Life is like falling through a void, spiralling downwards forever. Always confusing, dangerous and yet ever so fragile. Maybe that's what life really is, a void between two completely different worlds. Some may call it heaven and hell, others different.
But what life really could be is the balance between the two and yet in a balance of its own.
It's people never knowing the real grand design, fate and death collided into huge vision, a plan.
The Joker sets out to break plans but as a foreseer of the future, I fear even he can not break the plan of fate.
Lives hung in the balance here and soon two lives would fall and spiral downwards in a swirl of madness and death, ever too soon finding there way to maybe a better place?
or another world, a place where they could make there own fate and live on forever as whispers in the wind, fog and mist.
As elements of the world without boundaries of rules.
Death was of no return but I hoped now for the first time in my life, I might be able to recreate fates plans for the two lives in my visions.
How?
I didn't know but somehow I would not let two precious lives be thrown from the balance beam and be bound to another world as nothing more than a memory.
A memory that in time with wither and fade and eventually...be gone.
Pulling my hood over my raven hair and shivering through the cold night air, I began the long walk to where my mind spoke of where I would find Ava.
"I'm coming Ava. Stay where you are, you're in grave danger" I thought.
Ava/Jinx's point of view:
I glanced at the clock. 9:30 pm.
Not long now.
I sighed and leant back against the Joker's chest. He laced his fingers with mine and rested his head on top of mine. Ace came and sat at the end of the sofa opposite me and The Joker.
"Not long Ava. Are you sure you really want to save Matt?" Ace asked.
"I'm sure. After all I put him through, I can't just let him die" I replied.
The Joker was silent, which I found strange because he is always talking or even when he is, he never stayed silent for long.
"Something wrong?" I asked turning my head to look at him.
"No" He snapped.
I turned back around and sighed, he was probably just mad that I was going to rescue Matt. Looking at Ace, she cast me a small smile which I weakly returned.
Suddenly a masked clown entered the room and announced "Ready for action Boss"
The Joker pushed me off him and marched out the door to the van. I stood up straighten out my Jinx outfit, checking in the mirror that my makeup was still okay, muttering curses at the Joker as I did so.
Ace grabbed my arm as I made for the door.
She said " Ava, I'm saying this as your best friend, your going to have to be careful tonight. I know me and Joker are coming with you but its not the point. Cassie has it out for you so she will be all set for taking you down tonight. So please watch your back ok?" Ace handed me a purple switchblade and a gun.
I hugged my best friend tightly and pulled away, a smile on my lips.
"I'll watch out Ace but I can't promise I'll be good"
She grinned and followed me out the van.
The sky was pitch-black and everything was quiet except for the slamming of the door as myself and Ace climbed into the back of the van. The Joker sat upfront with the masked clown who was driving. The engine roared and set off into the night.
Jinx was ready to play for a kill and tonight blood would spill over the chessboard as the moves, plays and pieces were set in motion.
Echo's point of view:
I tucked a strand of long black hair behind my ear and took a deep breath. I knocked on the door, there was no answer. So I tried again, this time shouts could be heard from inside the house.
Suddenly the door was yanked open and two masked clowns wielding guns appeared.
" I think you called at the wrong house lady" One of them hissed
"Where are Ava and The Joker? I need to speak with them" I said quietly.
The masked clowns laughed and sneered "No one speaks with the boss and his girl and besides they've gone out"
One of the clowns pointed his gun at me and snapped "Since you have discovered our hideout, I'm afraid you can't leave knowing this information that the cops would love to hear so...say night night kiddo"
"I am no kid!" I shouted beginning to sing in a high pitched tune.
They screamed in pain and covered there ears, I continued to sing out notes, higher and higher they went, the clown's pain growing worse.
Both of them fell to the floor and writhe about in excruciating pain.
" Please no more, have mercy" One of the masked clowns pleaded.
"You would have shown no mercy or remorse in killing me. So why should I show it back to a pathetic piece of scum like you?" I snarled
I sang a last high note and there screams and cries fell silent.
The masked clowns were dead.
Glaring at them, I backed away and hissed " Nighty Nighty kiddies "
I turned and began to walk away, the neighbours began emerging from their homes to see what the screams and shouts were all about.
I turn pointedly and concentrate on each and every one of them. The people suddenly began to file back into their homes, after blanking everyone's memory of the shouts, I turned abruptly once again and walked away.
My silvery blue cape billowing behind me through the cold Gotham night air.
My mind searched Gotham, trying to pick up Ava's thoughts and pin point her exact location.
After turning a corner and almost being blown back by a large gust of wind, I found her!
She was at least ten minutes walking away if you ran.
I broke into a run.
"Don't worry Ava. I'm coming!" I called into the night.
Ava/Jinx's point of view:
The van stopped, jerking me forward to must so that I hit my head hard on the seat in front of me smudging my makeup badly.
The Joker turned and looked at me, my hair a mess and makeup now smudged terribly for a moment before bursting into his trademark insane laugh.
I ignored him and pulled out the switchblade, flicking it up, I stared at the blade shiny in the moonlight.
Stepping out of the car I slammed the door shut and began walking towards the abandoned McKinley Enterprise building.
This place was abandoned a long time ago by my parents company when they rebuilt elsewhere.
It was left here open and half demolished like a rotting wound.
The Joker and Ace stepped up at either side of me. Ace loaded her gun and smirked at me, nodding slightly in a silent agreement that tonight was a night for fun and madness.
The Joker gripped my free hand and held a knife in the other, he murmured " I love you Jinxy"
"I love you to J" I replied smiling but still staring directly at the dark building.
We approached the building and went up the stone steps. Standing before the door my heart pounded, adrenaline rushing through me. Many thoughts and emotions filled and as Ace stepped through the door that hanging awkwardly off its hinges.
The Joker suddenly pulled me to him and kissed me roughly on the lips.
He pulled back and said darkly "Its time to make em laugh Jinxy"