9 The Joker Wants To Live

Damien was back in Gotham and going on with his Police duties. Two days had passed since his fight with Superman yet he couldn't keep the fight out of his head. The whole thing was him beating down Superman but Daniel knew it wasn't what it seemed. Superman was taking the punches to reduce the shockwaves from his bony fists from devastating the city! He knew if they fought more seriously, he would have succumbed to him. Sure, Superman was getting tired, but his strength was through the roof! That last punch actually drained him of all his powers due to overuse, making him only have a measley amount of strength that he used to go after Falcone.

Due to the extent of his exhaustion, he did not even look to see if the Don's daughter was guilty enough to be killed! All he felt was the desire to get souls enough to come back and in his eyes, even the smallest sins make you guilty so he took her soul! Now, souls are immortal, the amount of power they have is even coveted by the devil himself, thus his deals. Three souls was enough to make him go back to his top shape and he wasn't complaining. He came to o know one thing, though, Superman is a freaking monster!

"Patrol, you are advised to come back to station. There has been report of a suspicious saloon outside the building so all units are being called back," his radio called out.

"Received, dispatch, heading back now," he said back. He then turned on the siren, did an illegal U-turn and drove furiously to the station. He tried to think what could be going on now but nothing got into his head. Going at 60m/hr, he reached the station in five minutes. There, he found the whole building already surrounded by patrol cars as the cops were armed to the teeth.

"What's happening?" he asked one police officer.

"It appears Joker has the whole station in a lockdown and he just made a statement that he will kill every officer in there unless the Batman kills the Flaming Skull!" the cop said.

"What? Is he crazy... Don't answer that. But why does he think that Batman would kill the Flaming Skull? The guy went toe to toe with Superman!" Daniel said with wonder.

"Don't know what's going on in his head, he's the Joker!" the cop said before going on with his way. Daniel looked at the GCPD with a frown on his face.

"Why does he think Batman can kill me? In fact, the guy would die with just a stare from me!" Daniel mused before following the normal routine. He took his shotgun from his car, checked if it was armed before equipping its bullets on his vest and went to report to the highest in command.

"Daniel, good to see you. We are doing the waiting game right now. If it goes well, we can storm the place and rescue the officers. If it doesn't, we hunt down Joker and all his goons to the end of the world," Sergeant Dursely said, looking at the building worriedly.

Daniel gave a mental sigh at this. It was procedure to be present at this moment yet the Ghost Rider wanted out and kill the Joker! He was having a conundrum and the pressure of the thirty plus lives in there was not helping it.

One hour passed since the hostage situation and the first body was tossed out. The officers outside started to get itchy fingers, wanting to burst in and save their colleagues that they couldn't stand still. Some even started cursing at the Flaming Skull and Batman, hoping the former would just die faster, yet the person they were cursing at was standing right in front of them.

Daniel was looking at the building with a frown. Ever since he got to this world, his body, his fleshy body, has been becoming stronger everyday, but not to the point of Superman, rather to Olympics athletes level. He could run as fast as 30km/h, lift upto one thousand, one hundred and two pounds. His reflexes as quite impressive too but that's where it ends.

"Sergeant, I think I can do it," he said, making every policemen there look at him strangely.

"You want to get in there with that psycho?" the Sergeant asked.

"Yes sir. I promise I will be okay," he answered.

"What gives you that courage, officer Daniel?"

"I know how to get in the station without them expecting it, sir," Daniel answered.

"Really? How?"

"All I need is the firetruck, sir," Daniel answered back. The other cops started talking to themselves.

"You realize that if you fail, every police officer in there will be killed, you included?"

"There's no other way I see this going. I don't see the Flaming Skull coming out and getting ready to be killed. I bet he will wait till everyone is dead then storms inside and kills the Joker. This is the only way in and it is one hundred percent foul proof." The Sergeant looked at the building then at Daniel, his eyes appeared reluctant as hell.

"I can't be sure about this plan of yours, Daniel. It is risky and absolutely filled with holes starting with the fact that you won't tell me the idea," the Sergeant dismissed him and turned to give the building his undivided attention.

Daniel frowned when he saw this then slipped away. He went to the firetruck, his posture full of confidence.

"Hi, guys. It's one of those days, huh?"

"Yep. Heard there are a lot of you boys in there,"

"Unfortunately so. Listen the Sergeant asked you all to pull the truck closer to the GCPD just in case,"

"Sure, anything for you guys," the driver said and turned on the engine before starting to back it up closer and closer to the barricade. The police men frowned when they saw this and when they saw Daniel on top of the truck about to turn on the valve to the high pressure hose, they all frowned suspiciously. Daniel took a deep breath in before opening the valve. Immediately, the high pressured water shot him into the GCPD in amidst the states of amazement from both cops and Joker's men. Daniel crashed through a window and in order to alleviate the pressure, he sprawled on the ground till he hit the legs of a man. He looked up and saw the person he bumped into.

"Kehehehe, quit a stunt you pulled there, Mr Officer, I did not see that coming," the Joker said in amusement before he pulled him up, making him stare into the green eyes that reflected madness and some fear that was deeply hidden. "What to do with you? What to do?" His voice was grating with a sing song voice. He then handed Daniel a gun and put the muzzle on his forehead.

"How about I give you a chance to kill me? Would you like that?" he asked but Daniel felt it wasn't loaded.

"You are afraid of something!" Daniel asked him, making the Joker look up at him, his madness filled eyes looked clear for the first time.

"Afraid of something? Humans are afraid of ants because they can bite back. What I feel right now is terror!" Joker said, taking the gun back. "I never thought I would feel this way. Do you know what Batman is, Mr Officer? He is a paper tiger, all growl, no bite. When he comes to do what is necessary to do, he holds back! That's why I am still alive. But, all these time, I have been thinking that I am fine with dying, until the Flaming Skull came." The Jokar turned to look at Daniel, his ever present smile looking quite ironical because his whole body exuded an aura of sadness.

"Have you ever seen the devil, Mr Officer? The devil deals with souls and we need ours in order to be alive. Do you know what happens when the devil gets you in his sight? His is after your soul and that's dangerous from me. I just kill your mortal form, your physical body and even if it is painful, your soul stills gets out. The Flaming Skull is the devil, he will take your life and your soul for the bonus and I very much like my soul," Joker answered. He then touched Daniel's chest. "You're still calm even after hearing this, it means you are not afraid. You should be because this entity goes after everyone. Once it is done with our likes, he will go after the rest of you because everyone is evil."

"What makes you think he takes souls?"

"I am a murderer and I am proud to be one. I know how a murderer looks and what a demon feels like and this one, he is a devil. I rather not have my soul away in him so, who better to do the job than Batman?"

"You think Batman can finish the job Superman couldn't do?"

"Batman has overcome greater difficulties than this. I'm sure he will be here soon, trying to foil this all,"

"Too bad, I am already here to do that," Daniel said and released a tear gas canister right on Joker's face. The clown just laughed manically, the gas clearly not affecting him while Daniel rolled away from the psycho and armed himself.