The Killing Joke

Lets Dance

The two days had passed agonizingly slow. I was ready to meet head to head with the Joker. I'd been scoping out the asylum the last two days. It was a ghastly building. Green hills rolled into the distance as fog approached. 3 stories of eroded brick and boarded windows met my eyes, the wrought iron fence battered and broke. An abandoned play ground hidden from foliage. This place seemed perfect for him. I'd watched some people exit in and out of the building while hidden in a lone tree. My attention was sharp on the windows, movement fleeting, but one stopped before the window. His pale torso vivid against the stark black of the building.
My heartbeat quickened being this close to the only man who could possibly ever kill me. His eyes were distant and cold, and then I was in his mind, seeing through him. The desolate landscape from 3 stories and the tree I was crouched in. His emotions became mine like we were forged as one, one deadly weapon. Then I was seeing memories, being in this building strapped down. Screaming, screaming for them to stop because this wasn't him. He wasn't insane. I fell out of the tree with a loud thump by how fast I was cast out of his mind. What the fuck? That's never happened before, and I sure as hell didn't want it to happen again.
I'd ran as fast as I could to get away from him; I really hope that doesn't happen when I'm trying to kill him.
"Are you sure you want to do this by yourself?" Ivy crept up next to me, watching the street, "The last time you did something this big, you had Adrian, Delaney, and I." A fond remembrance washed over me, and for once it was mine.
I cut her a grin, "I could have done it by myself, I just wanted to have some fun with my friends." She slapped me in the shoulder, her pale green eyes aglow in the setting sun. I was nervous. The first time I had ever doubted a fight in 10 years. I couldn't underestimate him, and the fact 3 other very dangerous and notorious killers would be there too. Well, if I pull this off, my name will be    known throughout history. 
"I need to start getting ready," Ivy had washed my leather suit while I was asleep, and set it out to dry. I'd be clean of blood for this one, but by the end of the night I doubt it would hold true. The ball would be held at Jamison's Mansion, which is some rich guy who's been trying to get on Joker's good side. To bad I'm going to wreck his house. I walked around Ivy's place, admiring it. The paintings on cream colored walls, all red and green furniture. Plants adorned every corner; a truly homey place. I walked over to my room and took my suit down, placing it on the bed. The leather was meant to cling to my curvy frame like a second skin.
I slipped it up and over my light leggings and tank top, strapping in the buckles. Next, I went to my trunk. It was about 3 feet deep and 4 feet wide, and full of weapons.
I'd need distance weapons and face-to-face weapons, knives and a gun probably. Although, I hated using guns. To messy, not enough precision, but they were effective.
I slipped on my spring loaded boots. I knife in the toe and heel, I could say so myself how handy those were. Grabbed my belt of daggers, and locked in onto my waist. I spotted my beauties at the bottom, their round jagged black edges, so sharp they would slice through bone, my chakrams.
I was ready, and my heart started skipping beats like a scratched record. Ivy stood near the door, "Are you sure you want to do this alone?"
"This doesn't involve you Ivy. I'll be fine on my own," she sighed, worried. "Really, I'll be fine. I always am aren't I?"
Her eyes watered a bit, she knew this would be my hardest mission, and I knew she was scared. I just wish I could reassure her except all I did was put the wall up.
"I need to go," I hugged her tightly, she returned it. Then I was off. I took the sewers for miles until they ended abruptly. I should only be about a mile away from the mansion now, my heart beat through my chest, I was scared and excited at the same time. This would be one of the ultimate tests. Not because of Joker's strength and skill, but he was a genius, an absolute mastermind.
I popped the lid off of the manhole. Cars zoomed by on the paved road that led to my destination. I jumped out, pushing the lid back, and running to the side, into the lush greenery. I stayed close to the road so I didn't lose my way, following the trail of vehicles. The moon hung high in the sky, I saw lights in front me, the mansion.
I sprinted across the empty field, to its white, shamble siding, my heart racing. It was about 3 stories high and full of people. It stretched for a long distance, but all I'd need to do is get in through the top window. I pulled out my trusty hook gun, and aimed it towards an open ledge right below the 3rd floor window seal. Click. It hit its target as I locked it in place, and braced myself. My feet hit the wall hard, the impact jolting through my bones, I threw my momentum into the wall. My body thrummed with adrenaline as I shot through the window, landing in a crouch. The room was adorned with art and paints, a painting room. This held the heart of someone probably, someone's most favored passion, someone's escape. I glided across the floor to a certain piece that caught my eye, it was drawn with coal. A woman laid at the feet of a man whose eyes shone with wickedness holding a deadly blade in his hand. The woman turned away from him, her eyes meeting mine, had held evil laughter while her slender fingers wrapped around a gun. It was beautiful, a representation of evil and chaos just like the Joker and I. Reluctantly, I pulled away from the picture, and backed to the door. With a deep breath, I was in the hall, guiding myself to the thrum of music.
* * *
She was here, I knew it, I felt her. I knew she was there at the asylum, and I knew it was her in my head. I just got a feeling of dread whenever she was close like she'd absorbed it from all the people she's killed. I could feel her at the back of mind, and the closer she got, the stronger it became. She was here to kill me, and all I had were my guns and a crowbar. Not a great defense.
The inside of the mansion was pearly white marble draped in red curtains and gold embrued plush furniture. Classical music floated through the room while the sound of voices thrummed like a music of its own. These people were fakes, cowards. I looked over the room watching everyone. They were all high off of the drugs the owner of the mansion had slipped into their drinks. Pathetic little man really. He was trying to hard to fit in amongst us. I should have him be my kill for the night. Dread washed over me heavy and black. My whole body tensed, she was close, very close. I scanned the whole area for her Snow White hair. Pure black caught my eye as I snapped my attention to the balcony across from me. She leaned on her elbows, and she was just sitting there, watching. Our eyes met as she slipped off her hood, they were glowing like live embers in a hearth, she was craving death. The same hunger intensified within me as I met that wicked gaze. Lucifer will offer his throne to her one day. She was evil. I knew it, I'd seen the things she's done.
Videos hidden away long ago by the government had been found by my men when I heard her name whispered in the slums. I wanted to know her, see how she operates. She was one of the most intelligent and exquisite trackers in her time. She was iron forged with hell fire by death himself.
Her gaze traveled across the room landing on a scarred face, Harvey, or someone who used to be Harvey. He likes to go by two face now. Those golden eyes traveled lazily across the room taking in the details. I saw her draw in a deep breath and smile that feral smile as her eyes darkened with madness, yet lit up with satisfaction because she knew someone would die tonight.
I still stood frozen in my place, eyes on the predator. She hopped up on the rail, taking one more sweep of the place, she jumped, landing in a crouch. She rose up slowly, the people around her in a daze. My hand crept towards my gun. Hers crept towards her back. My heart hammered in my chest. God help me. I should have been more prepared. I watched her sway slightly with the music. A dance with death it seems.
I crooked her a smile, and raised my gun, aiming it right at her chest. She just smiled and opened her arms wide, embracing it. The gun shot rang throughout the room, and she stood still. The bullet had bounced off of her impenetrable suit.
Chaos, chaos consumed me. Everyone tried to run out the to small of doors while she disappeared. I waltzed out to the center of the room.
"I want to taste your blood, Joker, to see if it's just as vile as you," her voice boomed out from above. She'd made it onto the 2nd floor in the matter of a minute.
"What's that suit of yours made out of? I'd like to get one myself," both pistols hung tightly in my grip.
A vicious laugh full of ice and fire filled the empty space, "I don't think you have the body for it, darlin'. Are you ready to play?"
Her voice kept traveling from different spaces on the circular balcony. I don't know why I stood in a clear spot when I'm trying to fight the best assassin known to man. "I've been ready to play with you since you held a knife against my throat." My eyes bolted from every vantage point on the top balcony.
"Good," her breath stirred my hair. I turned and swung. She ducked then was gone like she vanished into thin air.
"C'mon dear, come out and play," A sound like flapping wings quietly filled the room, I flung my crowbar up from where it rested in my sleeve. A circular blade ricocheted off the metal puncturing it halfway through. My eyes widened with fear at the thought that her blades were so sharp not even metal could really stop them. She stood in front of me, eyes wild, blades in both hands. She charged.
I slammed my crowbar into the small of her back as I swung around her. She used the force to spin and kick me in the ribs sending all my breath out of me.
I spun, where the fuck did she go? My crowbar was wrenched from my hands, my hand flying out catching her neck as she dug her thumbs into my eyes with gloved hands. I used my free hand to rip her delicate fingers away, the glove coming off from the force. She grabbed me again, and I was thrown into some kind of middle. Reality and imagination. Something, I didn't know what, but I wasn't here.
I stood in another dimension, it seemed like hell. Fire surrounded me, consumed me, but didn't scorch me as I walked through the flames. She screamed a hopeless, wretched scream. There she was, the Queen of Hearts, standing in the middle of hell itself watching someone burn.
Her voice was ghastly and empty as she yelled for them, yelled for her parents.
I exited her mind to collapse to my knees, the girl was twitching on the floor. Eyes rolled back into her head as she had a seizure. Shit. I ripped my belt off placing it between her teeth so she didn't bite her tongue off. She thrashed against me as I held her still. Finally my men entered the room.
"Go get the car now!" I tried to hold her still.
"Sir, are you okay?"
My temper exploded, "Does it look like I'm fucking okay? Of course I'm fucking okay! Does she look like she's okay? No! So go get the fucking car you incompetent fool!"
Spit flew from my mouth. I didn't want her to die, but I did. What the hell is going on? She finally settled down, her body no longer thrashing, but she trembled. I picked her up in my arms. She was as light as a feather. I would take her back to the asylum, and see what I could get out of her.
We floated out through the doors as I set her gently in the back seat. Her pure white hair flowing out around her like a halo of divinity.