Between Stripes

T H I R T Y S I X

So Victor and I had a delay...not too long though. After the delay we headed to Penguin - wherever he was.

Victor lead me into a tall building and pulled me along behind him as we weaved our way to Penguin.

We came to a stop in front of a large door which had large windows either side of it - it reminded me of the GCPD and the captain's office. Inside Penguin was sat on a plush leather chair, with one hand he held a phone to his ear while the other flapped around in the animatedly.

Victor knocked on the door, drawing Penguin's attention to us, and opened in. He gestured me to go inside so I did. As I stepped inside Penguin's mouth blossomed into a smile, he rose from the large chair.

"Oh Georgia, it's been far too long! Where on earth have you been my dear?" He held out a hand to me which I took, shaking it lightly before we both sat down. He slid one leg over the other, sliding back into the chair which almost enveloped him.

"I've been... away, to put it simply."

"That is a shame, I've missed you my dear my friend. But, that's in the past and we're here now. I'm king of Gotham and you're back in business." He said with his signature, devious smile. "I presume you'd like a license to commit crimes?"

I paused before nodding.

"Happily Georgia! But it does come along with a contract which you'll have to sign, it includes things such as you doing the occasional favour for me and such. I highly doubt you'd mind that though. It usually is a tax instead of doing favours, but because we're good friends Miss Fishwick, I'll tweak the rules a little for you." He beamed, sliding several papers towards me and handing me a fountain pen which had 'Penguin' imprinted on one side.

"Thanks Ozzie, you're the best." I let a sliver of a smile show and he beamed back at me.

"I've also recently found there's a circus, of some sort, in town which has a lovely freak show who've been murdering or injuring the audience. I was thinking, perhaps you'd want to be their ring leader? The ring leader of the Freaks?"

Opportunity of a lifetime right there.

Oh I agree!!

I didn't even need the voices persuasion; his idea was music to my ears. I'd be the boss for once. It sounded beautiful.

"I'd love to Ozzie!"

"Brilliant! Here's their file, there's four freaks and I cannot say you won't love them." he smirked and slid an old yellowing file to me across the desk. I scooped it up and opened it.

On the first page there was a picture of a boy and a girl who were joined at the shoulders. Menacing smiles shone proud on their faces; their eyes twinkled with the similar sparkle to Jerome's; a ragged scar lead from beneath the girls left eye to just above her jaw; her dark hair was messy and plaited, sharp twigs stuck out; splatters of blood decorated the boys face; his hair was dark and stuck out in all directions. They definitely fit the menacing looks they both wore. To the left of their photograph it read: Sally and Sidney the Siamese Twins. Then plenty of information was listed. Apparently they'd murdered their parents (same kids, same) and been discovered by the circus, roaming the streets covered in blood. All before the age of 10. Somewhat impressive.

Next in the file was a man. Looking at his photograph, I couldn't see anything wrong. He looked normal enough with his shaven face, neatly parted honey hair, bright blue eyes and dimples which indented either side of his smile. If anything he was rather handsome, like a model. But in the information listed below his name (which was Frederick Keane) bizarre details were listed. One which stuck out was the fact he was 'immortal'; he'd been alive since 1930 and every decade he killed 5 women at the minimum; along with the immortality he had fire in his veins. There wasn't much about it but a photo was paper clipped to the bottom of the sheet. It was of him. His head was tilted forward,  a dazzling smirk in place, a small ball of fire in his palm. He'd joined the circus long ago and, bizarrely, found the lifestyle 'fascinating'. Interesting to say the least.

After that in the file was another man, he was the polar opposite of Frederick Keane though. He had a dark beard which was so long it surpassed the bottom of the photo; a wide flat nose; dark golden skin which was covered with tattoos till his neck; but nothing else really stood out apart from the second pair of arms which jutted out from each side of his ribs. To the left of the photograph it read his name: Jackson 'the Machine' Charles. Below that only a little information on him was stated. His previous jobs, which included bouncer, boxer, wrestler, mafia member, bar man and Fish Mooney's first husband (which debatably wasn't a job). And for once, his crimes weren't listed but it simply read 'takes many drugs to remain calm, once angry: a ruthless killing machine'. Pleasant. How he'd wound up with the circus, it wasn't known.

On the final page, was a familiar photograph of a girl who had a very impish features; her eyes were deep violet; her hair was a variety of magentas and purples; her skin was a light cocoa colour. Jutting out from her back were two wings. They looked similar to a fairy you'd see in a children's story book. Mostly transparent, tinted dark purple, still undeniably pretty. Her name read Jasmine Jones aka 'the Fairy'. Beneath that read that she'd been an assassin for seven years, since she was fourteen and a stripper since seventeen. She notoriously killed men and had killed over hundreds and wounded thousands - and that was only in Gotham! The men would meet her expecting a lap dance and they'd never leave the room they'd entered. Whoever hired her each time sent her all around the world and she was banned from dozens of countries. Yet her downfall was when she'd failed to do a job, apparently falling in love with a target wasn't a good idea. The circus had found her curled up in a ball whilst they were touring.

I was gonna have a helluva time with these guys...

A.N.

SO THIS WAS THE IDEA! YA LIKE? I'M EXCITED TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS! WOOOO! Took a while to get round to though, so sorry as usual. Also sorry that there's not much action going on here. But I'm super excited to get Georgia leading the Freaks - kinda reminds me of the Maniax. Good times, ay?

See ya'll soon!