Jester

Assignment

It had been a few days and Joker was finally calm enough to sort through his thoughts.

"I want you to befriend this superboy. That stupid Luther can't see the potential you have, so I'll use you better. You'll befriend the superboy and manipulate him to be one of us. It won't be like that bat brat, from what I hear the big boy in blue doesn't care for the clone." Joker started to chuckle. "It'll be the perfect long term assignment. If you get the clone on our side we'll have more power on our side. If only we could get our hands on a smart one. Or at least smarter than Luther. The idiot. He doesn't realize what a rare opportunity he's given us."

"Are you sure that's a good thing though? What if the clone is hostile to switching sides?"

"My dear sweet Jester, with your personality how could anyone say no?" Joker pet her cheek with the back of his fingers, tracing just under the scar he gave her all those years ago. "I'm still pissed that Luther marked up your face." Joker glanced at the healing bruise.

"It'll heal just like all the rest of them. It'll be fine J." His eyes narrowed as of the color offended him.

"It's not fine. No one is allowed to touch you. I promised you didn't I? After making an example of the goon that raped you." She looked away wanting to forget those memories.

"You did promise. But it was only the once and he was really upset. I should have been more careful and stood further away." Joker sighed and pulled away.

"I'll need you in Metropolis. Supposedly the structure of the bridge is failing and is sure to call the Boy Scout. His brat might show up so I need you to act as soon as you can to get his attention." Joker was back to business now and sat at his desk.

"I'll try my best J."

"One more thing. Ivo is testing out a new android. Don't let it see you."

She nodded and used a pocket warp to Metropolis. She wasn't keen on being back here so soon after the whole Lex incident but she had to as ordered.

She sat by the bridge for close to an hour before the bridge groaned. She watched as the support beam shifted and the traffic going to disarray before a bus broke through the guard rail.

Five years with Joker had taught her to crush her heroic urge, so she sat there watching it unfold. If no one comes she could step in last second. She couldn't just ignore the frightened children. She'd get in trouble though, but she couldn't have the bus on her conscience. Not if she could help it.

It wasn't long before Superman showed up, flying under the bridge to fix the support. Superboy showed up a moment later, Landing on the bridge and off setting Superman's work.

She watched carefully as she approached. Asking the civilians if they were alright so she would blend in. She had gotten within hearing range as soon as Superman set the bus down on the bridge.

She listened as Superman lectured his clone, and the clones plea for help. She watched Superman fly off, glaring daggers into the red cape of his.

"Poor clone." She muttered, not expecting the instant glare she received. He stalked over and she shrunk on herself a bit.

"What would you know?" He seemed pissed, probably a trait from Luther if she had to guess.

"I-I know a lot more than you'd think." She made eye contact and he pulled back a bit.

"I know you." He muttered confused. She was equally confused, the only other time she'd been around the clone was at Cadmus. He was in cryo though. "You're from Cadmus." His tone made it seem like that wasn't a bad thing, but that could change. "The gnome transmitted your image. You said you hoped I'd be more than just a weapon." He seemed calm, for now, so she chose this as her moment to follow orders.

"We need to talk. Will you trust me to go somewhere without prying ears?" She held out her hand hoping he would take it. He seemed skeptical but took her hand anyways. She opened a pocket and walked him into it. "This is my ability." She said after he looked around. Their surroundings looked like they were looking at it through water with a slight gray tint. "As far as I know it's sound proof and conceals whatever is inside."

"It's pretty." She hesitated before smiling sadly.

"I understand how you feel." He looked confused. "Feeling abandoned by someone you look to."

"It's not a abandonment if he never cared in the first place." She looked away.

"It still huts though." She hugged her middle. It was quiet for a minute before she glanced over at him. "I'm going to be honest with you. I won't tell everything, but I'm not going to lie to you."

"Okay." He seemed skeptical.

"My caretaker has assigned me to manipulate you into joining our side. I don't want to, but I have to make a show of trying." He narrowed his eyes.

"Who's your caretaker." She looked down.

"Joker. He says Lex is an idiot for letting you go so easy, and that if I can turn you to villainy they would have a leg up during fights."

"Lex?"

"Right I guess I could tell you a little more of what I know." She took a breath to try and organize her thoughts. "Your base genetics are a mix of Superman and Lex Luther. He funded your creation and had you made to be a weapon for his use in taking down Superman. You were created without certain kryptonian qualities, like flying and heat vision. It was specific so that should you turn against your creators. Well so then they could take you down."

"So I don't have the same abilities as Superman." She shook her head.

"Unfortunately. They also ingrained a shut of phrase to make you essentially shut off."

"Shut off?"

"Yeah. When the words red and sun are said together it'll shut you off. It's a design feature with clones that have been made. They each have their own shut off words, if that makes sense."

"I'm not the only clone?" She shook her head.

"He'll have my head if I tell you who all are clones. You know they tried to clone your teammates."

"I stopped Cadmus from cloning them." She nodded and looked away.

"Cadmus isn't the only place the light has for cloning." She glanced over at superboy. "I might not be able to help much but if you need someone to talk to." He thought it over.

"I'll be your friend. After all you need to start turning me to the dark side. If that doesn't work maybe I can turn you to mine?" She smiled a bit.

"It'll be hard to juggle. But I think we can manage. I'll give you a phone to contact me with." She opened a warp pocket and pulled one of her old phones from her desk back at the harbor. "It would probably be a good idea to keep my existence in the dark with your team. I might not know much about them but I don't think Robin or Batman would be too happy with you interacting with the protégée of Joker."

"Right." She reset the phone to its original factory settings before handing it to him.

"I'll text the phone so you have my number." The phone pinged with the notification. "You're welcome to keep the phone and text me whenever you need my help or information on certain things." He nodded before getting a notification on his watch.

"I gotta go. Team stuff." She nodded and opened the pocket, before he left though she placed a hand on his arm.

"Watch your eyes." He was confused and she weighed the consequences of her choice she had. "Ivo has an android and most likely things to track him. With you being a clone of Superman people will assume you have heat vision and try and limit the amount of attacks you can deal." He nodded.

"Thank you." She smiled a little.

He left to the nearest zeta tube and looked at the phone.

'My name is Jess wonder boy. Maybe some day you'll get a name to give me.' He smiled and looked back but she was still in one of her pocket dimensions.