The Killing Joke

Abduction

It was dark around the small townhouse I'd inherited from my family. It's smooth brick sidings, and clean windows; a wrap around porch that stood stark against the darkness. We'd just repainted it, my sister and I. She must be asleep then. I crept through our yard, the damp lawn squishing underneath my feet. Dread washed over me clear and foreboding; the taste of fear bitter on my tongue. I could see glimpses into the past and feel remnants of it: a light breeze on the skin, pain, fear. No, this was new, it was fresh.
I barreled through the door, the lock had been torn off.
"Caroline!" I stumbled at the sight of broken furniture, and pools of blood. God no, please no. My feet carried me blindly to her room, everything was demolished. Pain registered in my head and whole body like I'd been hit by a car. My body went cold with icy rage any humane instinct in me vanished into the deep void I will forever carry in my chest. Murder, murder was the only image in my mind. I walked to my room taking in the shattered pictures, broken chairs, and oh god, a bloody handprint that had been drug all the way down the hallway.
I moved lifelessly from room to room. I stood in front of theirs. The smell of dust always lingering. I pushed it opened, whoever had come had been in here too. They ruined the only pristine thing I had left of my parents, a bloody message haphazardly scrawled above our family picture.
The girl dies in three weeks if the Joker is not dead by then. See you soon, Queen of Gotham.
           Love,
                 Your best lover, Adrian.
My teeth clenched together so hard, the slightest  breeze would shatter them. I'd left him long ago to come take care of my sister. He'd been my partner in crime, but this was it, this was personal. I'd kill the Joker, and then I would hunt him down. I would make him feel paralyzing fear. I would make him beg for mercy in the eyes of God. I would make him weak. I would destroy him, and I'd relish every moment of it.
Satisfaction crept into my body, someone else's. I swung before he grabbed the back of my neck, connecting with his jaw. I could feel the bone give way under the pressure.  This is the first time I'd seen him in a year. His tall, muscular frame covered in black material. Adrian still had the long scar that stretched from his bald head, down his olive covered skin, slicing his neck.
He growled, "You've gotten stronger, Elenore. I've missed you." He leapt at me, slamming me against the wall, his breath hot against my face as he pinned me there. "I thought I'd pay you a visit myself."
"I don't want to see you. You don't mean a thing to me anymore," I stomped on his foot, and slammed an elbow up into his chin. I raced to the front door only to be ripped off my feet.  I landed on the coffee table; the wood flying around in splinters. Enough is enough. I can't try to save you anymore.
I flipped onto my feet, ripping out dual fighting knives, I was still in my suit. His obsidian blacks eyes lit up with murderous hunger. Every time we sparred he would look at me like that, with lust for me and for my blood. I pounced sliding under his swing, and wrapped a leg around his neck, twisting my legs around and choking him. Game over. Ripping his arm out of its socket, I stood over him, knives in hand.
"I will find my sister, Adrian, and I'm afraid to say you won't live to see it." I placed a foot on his neck.
"You thought," he chuckled, and slammed a needle into my leg. Burning ran up through my veins; my muscles began to seize and my vision blurred. Goddammit, no. Everything was fading fast, but I managed to stomp his teeth into the floor before I hit the ground.