His Domain

Chapter 20

"I know what he wants me to do I am just not sure why," Mark said, looking across the breakfast table at her. A few days had passed and Leila wasn't exactly privy to what Mark's purpose was. She hadn't been clued into it and she knew that there had been some extensive time spent in the deadlights for Mark. She could only assume what was being done in there was some sort of explanation for what Pennywise wanted him. He seemed to know it well, but he hadn't said much about it. At first, she figured that he would just tell her when he was ready but he hadn't. He also hadn't really left the penthouse, not yet. Eventually, it became maddening enough that she had to ask and so that's what she'd done over breakfast.

"Does it matter?" She asked, "You agree to do it, eventually, got us out of there. He's also left us alone for a few days and honestly, I needed the peace and quiet."

"It's not going to be that way for long if I don't do what he requested." Mark sighed and finished his last few bites of food. He set his fork down and then reached for his cup of coffee. "You know...I was thinking something."

"And what is that?" She asked after a moment. She grabbed the plates from the table and started to walk them into the kitchen to set in the sink.

"The whole reason I'm in this mess in the first place is that I decided to join John Kramer and do what he wanted instead of saying no." He replied. She turned to look at him and couldn't deny that he had a point on that. "This situation is very much the same except he's some kind of demonic clown, but to protect you once again, to keep you safe, I have to listen. Do you really want to go down this path again?"

"How bad is it?" She asked. It was apparent that it would be bad though, there was no way that Pennywise wanted anything less than that. Whatever this task was, it was something he either couldn't do on his own or even possibly wanted Mark to do in order to prove some kind or loyalty, use, or skill. Possibly all three of those things. Could even be a fourth that she hadn't considered because Pennywise wasn't really all that he ever seemed to be. She was still trying to get used to that giant spider form that he had. His true form. At least, more true to what he was than just a clown.

"Have to kill a bunch of people," He said.

"No offense, you never really had a problem with that before." She said.

"Those people were criminals, all of them." He replied and took another sip of his coffee, "These people really aren't. Not sure how I justify that."

"You killed a bunch of people to get to Jill Tuck." She said.

"True, but Jill tried to kill me and I wasn't going to let her get away with that. Also, one of the guys I killed put me in a position to get caught and I just plain didn't like him." He said, chuckling darkly right after. "The point is that the reasons those people died, criminals or not, I had a personal agenda. I agree, completely, that it wasn't the best thing to do or even a good idea but I did have my own reasons."

"What you're saying is when you have a motive or personal vendetta, it doesn't matter?" She asked and came back to the table to sit down.

"I'm saying that these people he wants to kill they...." He leaned in and opened his mouth to speak when Pennywise appeared right behind her. She wouldn't have even known had she not heard the jingle of his bells as he did and Mark hadn't reacted to it. He wasn't afraid he just suddenly stopped talking and looked slightly upward like someone was there.

"This is a dangerous path to walk...yes...I would say maybe do not tell her." Pennywise insisted, starting to stroke her hair very possessively like he had done many times before. She didn't bother to try to stop it either. She'd gotten used to it.

"Why can't he tell me?" Leila asked, "Does it matter? I mean, he already told me the part where he has to kill people for you. Who are these people and why does it matter?"