Cool night air slapped at his face, already a little swollen from the beating The Batman had given while playing the good cop bad cop routine. And now the Bat was on his way to Avenue X. Where he would find- no one. Not Rachel, like the Joker had said, and not Dent, like he had intended at first. It was tempting, to let him go after Rachel, as he knew he would, and save Dent. But, the battle for Gotham's soul would not be lost if the cops moved too fast and managed to save both. Instead, at the last minute the Joker had changed his little scheme. It was no a plan, per say, as he was not a planner, not a schemer. He laughed at the schemers.<br/><br/>He laughed at everything. Even the dark side roads as his more then willing newly freed partner drove to the location of Rachel, and Harley. Dent was elsewhere, for now. He would be brought into play about this entire thing, but not yet. At a later time. And hopefully The Batman would learn to play along- or perhaps not play the game. Maybe break his rule. Another cold cackle escaped his deep red lips. In the reflexion he could see that his makeup was almost all gone, he would fix that.<br/><br/>Finally the car parked, and the goon who had joined up popped out, excitement seeping from his very pores. The goon was tall, beefy and lacking any hair. The Joker had only chosen to keep him because he didn't want to drive, he wanted to be able to really watch the excitement as Gotham sunk deeper and deeper into his own little chess board. The Goon turned to him "Where to now, Boss?"<br/><br/>And then, for the first time in minutes, his eyes became focused on something. The Joker's head cocked to the side, just sightly. "You remind me of one of my first- partners." He spoke with an amusement in his voice. His tongue slid out of his mouth, over chapped lips that were slowly losing the bright redness he had applied just earlier that day, before the big chase scene.<br/><br/>The Goon seemed to take this as a compliment, following in close stride and beaming "Yea? Really, Boss?" Then the Goon stopped instantly, his thick neck caught to the left, cupped in the smaller more lanky man's grasp. His lips were still open from the question, and between the thick lips a thin metal blade pressed itself.<br/><br/>The more nimble man now let his voice grow a little darker, his head tilting to match the angle of the Goons. "He was a big guy- like you. Back, way way back- before this, before Gotham. When I was just a little thing- He wanted to rob a store, see. And I knew it would be hard. He was having tough times- gambled big and got in with the sharks. One night, he comes to me and says he needs money. I don't want the job- too stupid- but I agree." He lent in, the knife pressing, biting slightly into the soft flesh at either side of the mouth. "We go- break in- get caught. No surprise. But he makes a run for it- stops me- pulls out his knife. Sticks it in my mouth- like this, see? He says 'Why so serious?' Cops burst in, and my friend does this." The blade grew tighter against the skin, small drops of blood sliding down old laugh lines, the large man quivering slightly. Trying to hide it. A coward, it seemed.<br/><br/>And the Joker laughed, high pitched and cold, ringing out over the otherwise silent night. "By the time I could talk properly, the trial was over." A sudden knee found itself in the Goons crotch, and the large figure keeled over instinctually, the knife bite into his skin even more. At this sight the Joker squirmed happily, chuckling and laughing "Hahaha! Ooo now we're talking!" Again the knee came up, faster and harder. Again the body bucked forward, the knife slicing more flesh, warm blood spilling onto the Jokers hand. After a few rounds the Goon learnt not to buck forward, but it was too late by then. The joker stood back, letting him fall to the ground. A quick thrust of his wrist caused the body to stop moving, a deep gash exposing flesh and bone, and what looked like nerves and small wires, the spinal column at the back of the neck laid gushing.<br/><br/>As the Joker made his way into the building, a few dying twitches stayed in the background. He walked in, flicking the blood from his hand onto the floor unceremoniously. He stayed in the dark to Rachel's view for now. But he spoke. "Honey- I'm homee" A dark laugh echoed in the nearly empty building. The Joker made his way to the corner, where his most recent member sat. A female, finally. But he ignored them both other then that one call, for now. He made his way to a small mirror, on an upturned barrel nearby was make up. He lifted the white powder and began to dab it onto his face, covering the places sweat had washed away.