The Killing Joke

Destroyer

The sun dipped behind the horizon, it was almost time to hunt down the Joker. I couldn't waste any time, I had none. I knew I wouldn't find him tonight, but I'd get leads from some of his most trusted. So when I slipped into my midnight black attire, I packed my most painful weapons, and an especially painful drug; something I had created myself. If a small dose is injected, the nerves become more sensitive to the point when a feather like touch would feel like a breaking bone.
I wanted to find my sister, and I wanted this over with. At the end, I'd give my sister to extended family. I had to many enemies, I couldn't place her life in danger anymore. It wasn't fair. I crept across the threshold, hoping Ivy wouldn't hear me or else she'd ask to tag along. Moving with feline like grace I slipped through the front door, rushing down flights of stairs.
The air was crisp with cold, I'd found the address of his first. His name was Theo, a convict charged with first degree man slaughter on 13 accounts, 4 charges of rape, 2 counts of drug handling, and 1 count sex trafficking. The man was ordered to be sent to execution, but the Joker intercepted the guards, Theo being the first man to his army. I couldn't wait to get my hands on him.
The small apartment complex was run down. White washed concrete decorated in cracks and bullet holes; a truly disgusting place. Drug addicts sat in front of the building, words slurred and eyes glazed from the poison in their veins. Other than that, a heavy silence coated the air bitterly like nicotine. My eyes wandered taking in every detail, 2 beat up cars on the right, 6 people out front, a sudden movement from the top left window. He knows I'm coming. That would mean weapons and additional people. Perhaps, I could get an estimate if I got up top. Certainly they'd be on edge, I could count how many emotional channels were coming from the room.
I need to not be seen by the company out front. I ran down the front buildings silently until out of their line of sight, and stood still. Fear and anticipation clashed violently against each other from the back yard. I couldn't help but smile. There was going to be more than one death tonight. The tang of death on my tongue was one thing I need. Flashbacks occurred to me, sitting on a roof top with a cloaked figure next to me, crossbow in hand. Those black eyes meeting mine with a wry smile, and descending on our enemies with enough power and darkness we could challenge the four horsemen themselves. Him, pestilence and famine; I, war and death. The two of us together were unbeatable. Now I was here alone ready to take on all these men on my own. The thought sent a shiver of pleasure up my spine.
I focused, counting 7 channels in the back yard, faint ones coming from the top. How will I do this? My hand drifted to my back, the sharp, jagged edges brushing across my finger tips like an abusive lovers kiss; gentle, yet harsh. The chakrams dropped into my hand, both made of the strongest iron, and sharpened to cut through metal.  
My feet were moving before I could even check to see if anyone was watching. I hurdled over the wall letting a chakram slice through the air. Surprise vibrated to my left, knife out and I ready, I slit his throat. Fear to my right, I flicked the hidden blade out of my boot, kicking up, and into the head of another body guard. Anger from in front of me, I dove under a punch coming back around with spiked knuckles. I didn't have time to memorize their faces from how fast they were falling.
They must have heard the ruckus below because Theo's fear was raw and powerful. To have such an evil man so afraid of me made my toes curl in delight. The building was even dirtier on the inside. Cockroaches grew in thicker thatches the higher I climbed. Rats scurried across the threshold in front of me; the smell of rotting flesh attacking me the minute I got to the top floor. I gagged.
4 channels linked to me, one in particular was completely blank like that I'd find in a psychopath. I'd have to watch out for that one. The psychopaths were always detached from their emotions which made them inevitable to the fear of death. With out that there was no stupid mistakes. I approached the door, the floorboards creaking underneath my weight. Theo's voice came out uneven and tense.
"She's here. Be quiet," my smile would be the last thing they'd see. I burst through, sweeping my eyes over the the place. 3 knives flew from my hand, and three bodies met them.
I stepped over lifeless bodies, "Hello, Theo. I've come to speak with you on some...particular matters."
He pulled out a knife, the pathetic piece of metal trembling in his hands, "Fuck you, you psychopathic bitch."
"Wrong thing to say, Theo," he charged at me. Idiot. I side stepped swinging a chair up and into his head, his bulky body falling on to the rotting wood. I sighed, where did my life go so wrong to where I was in a run down meth house hunting down incompetent men? I'll find out one day. I began to drag Theo's massive body down the flights of stairs, and into the basement. It was great, these old buildings, most led straight to the sewers; a perfect place for hidden torture. I slid his body through the hole in the ground, and dropped in after him. God, he was heavy.
After a few turns, I was met with cold concrete walls. A single chair was placed in the middle, leather straps ready to bind. I set Theo's sleeping form down binding him. He wasn't very intimidating except for the clashing tattoos and lumbering form. His eyes were sunken in, and the hollows of his cheeks skeletal. The pasty skin and pick marks screamed addict.
I walked across the room grabbing my tools. I slapped him awake to start the process, grogginess clouded his eyes.
"Hello, sunshine." His eyes traveled to my bright smile, "I have a few questions to ask you, and if you cooperate I won't hurt you more than I already have okay?"
He let out a low growl, "I won't tell you shit."
I chuckled, "That's what you think. You know what? I think we should start with the teeth. That always starts getting to the business."
He began to trash a string of curse words flying from his mouth. I latched on to his emotional channel. A burning hatred filling my chest, I fed off of it, fueling the monstrosity I have become. The cold metal of the pliers bit into my skin. Anticipation washing over me.
"Do you know why they call me the Queen of Hearts?" silence met me with fear the closer I drew to him, whispering in his ear, "I can feel emotions. I know when you feel hatred, I know when you feel lust, but my favorite. Oh, that's the fear. I feed off of it, I thrive off of it."
I drew a sharp nail up his chin, "I love the way it feels. To have fear fill my body from another person. It feels like being bathed in fire and ice, so pleasant. Yours, yours is so pure, so thick. Yours feels like pure fire."
His eyes widened in terror. I jerked his chin toward me, unhinging his jaw, placing the pliers against his molar. Gripping it with the metal, and ripping out. His scream became gargled from the flow of blood. I gave a silent moan as his pain washed over me, I fed off of it.
"Another?" He shook his head violently, "I think another." I rammed the pliers back into his mouse gripping the second molar.
A muffled yell, "Wait! Wait! What do you want to know?"
I grinned, "Where's Joker hiding, and where will he be within the next week?"
"He hides in the abandoned insane asylum at the outskirts of Gotham, and he plans to go to a ball in 3 days. All of the main Villains will be there, Penguin, Two Face, and Riddler." His breath came in quick and uneven. I put my hands on the side of his head, forcing our bond to grow stronger; it was met by truth. Everything he has said was true.
"Thank you very much for your cooperation, Theo. I appreciate it, but I'm afraid I don't save coward's nor snitches." I pulled a pistol with a silencer, placing it against his head, pulling the trigger. Blood painted the water stained walls, an art in itself.
* * *
I stared at my reflection in the mirror, my pale skin glowing in the moonlight. I'd say I was quite handsome and sexy. Not many women could resist me. I shrugged on a black dress shirt, and a deep purple jacket. I had planned a heist for tonight, but my main man hadn't shown up yet. I think I'll kill him when I find him, I warned him not to be late before.
A small woman burst into my room, terror in her eyes. Just how I like them. Her voice shook as she spoke to me, "Mr. J, the drug house has been hit tonight. Theo's gone missing," her voice turned into a whisper as she pulled a small object from her pocket, "They left you this, sir."
I ripped it from her hands, a queen of hearts. I told you next time we met, one of us won't be making it out alive. See you soon. The message was scrawled on the front of the card, she'd left the card just for me. My toes curled. I wanted so badly to fight her already, to feel my knives under her skin.
"Rebecca," she peaked up, scared,"Send some of my people to the Lady's house. I know where she lives. I want to see if anyone is still there, if not search the whole place. I want to get an idea on how she thinks."
"Yes, sir," she basically ran out of the room. I grabbed my pistols and a crow bar. I needed to unwind, maybe I'll rob a place, probably kill someone. That always seems to help.