Episode 1.08 The Joker

Episode 1.08 The Joker: Prologue

Jennifer continues her studies and her martial arts training under the tutelage of the professor who is keen to enhance her strength and prowess with the Witchblades. The training is physical, tough and rigorous and the professor is more than adept to match her prowess in the confines of the training room. Her night patrols became quiet with the odd vampire encounter, young, new and seemingly let loose by their masters and once meeting the Slayer it was always the last encounter they faced.

Shikarzu continues to attract attention whenever she arrives at the university, everyone literally awed and attracted to her exotic presence and beauty. Her minder is always present therefore any approach by anyone is closely watched…and few approach her. But Shikarzu and Jennifer enjoy a couple of meetings chatting over hot dogs at Cedar Park and both times Jennifer senses she is more than human…vampiric but so different from those she has encountered before. She does not feel like killing her for one thing and Shikarzu seems more human than those the Slayer had dealt too before and of course Shikarzu was comfortable in the light…it did not disturb her at all, furthering questioning Jennifer’s perceptions of her “friend”. The conversation is pleasant and drifts from typical girl chat to what’s hot on TV and university lifestyle, notably what’s hot in E Street. As they chat Jennifer feels comfortable with Shikarzu, the senses and warning signs in no way apparent, as she would encounter with a vampire.

During conversation Jennifer asks her how she is finding America. “Is it a comfortable experience for her?”
“Oh it is very interesting…you people are so different…the culture so diverse and exotic.”
“What do you do with your spare time?” Jennifer asks.
“Study…learn more about…your society?” Shikarzu answers. “And what makes it special.” She adds.
“Is it really that different?” Jennifer asks.
“Oh yes, we may have adopted some of your ways…but our culture has not changed in many centuries.”
“Then I am pleased you are having fun and finding things interesting.”
“Yes I am indeed…especially at night.”

Chapter 1.08 The Joker: Act 1

On this night she was on patrol at North Beach along Sea Grove Avenue where palatial homes backed onto the beach some 30 yards away. The last two evenings had seen a number of police call outs to break ins that Ryan had indicated on 4 occasions had become homicide investigations. “Bloody gruesome scenes they are reporting in.” he said by cellphone as Jennifer paused from a workout to listen last evening. “Not normal for our idyllic city but talking to Gabriel they may be similar to what happened in the area before with the disappearances of the girls. Thought you might want to check it out.”

The night was cool and she could hear sirens ahead and the Slayer sees 3 police cars pull up about 200 yards ahead of her, armed defenders dressed in black moving quickly into one of the mansion styled properties. Suddenly she hears movement behind her and turning sees two figures and a dog running through an open gate and stopping one gasping for breath and seeing the police cars ahead rushes into the street and waves at them…then sees Jennifer.
“Oh my god…you are such a wow godsend right now.” The guy gasps…it is Jacob and with him is Tanya whose face, halter top and jeans are splattered with blood. Scooby barks excitedly at seeing Jennifer and rushes to her. “There is ONE BIG nasty vampire thing in there…just gate crashed the party…my god he is going crazy in there.”

I

Episode 1.08 The Joker: Act 2

Jennifer breathes deeply….thinking gross…and unsheathes the Witchblades, poses dramatically and she exclaims. “…I have always wanted to kick some clown out of a bad party. It looks like you will do.”
“But I am the life of the party.” The clown rasps, laughing hysterically. “Oh they called me to them and how could I refuse.”
The creature that looks like a twisted masque of a clown…salivates on the orgy of death before him gazing at the Slayer facing him. “Oh pity you were not here to enjoy the party. I came invited, to entertain and entertain I did, providing what they wanted, a grisly reliving of the scene from Bacchus…such a party favourite for those who love to walk the dark side of life. And I did, playing Titus in my most unique fashion, as a clown, consumate performer, host…storyteller weaving the prose of how the guests became the feast then enacted it to utter perfection. I do so love this new home I have found myself in…so much to offer my ardent tastes and entertaining prowess…” He wipes his lipstick covered mouth, the makeup on his face shedding in drips along his cheeks and chin.

Jennifer then sees his every breath is emitting a greenish smoke that is floating towards her and she sees two red eyes suddenly appearing as the head of the slowly twisting smoke takes on a snake form. She breathes in surprise and inhales a strand of thick the heady smoke, that coursed across her cheek and into her mouth and she gasps…the room beginning to twist and contort about her. Her mind in swirling…disorientated and vision blurred seemingly now seeing two of the maniacal clown before her…the room moving from side to side. Jennifer attacks with the two Witchblades and each strikes thin air where the foe should have been and then prepares to face whatever reaction is from the clown. The clown strikes laughing and with his booted heel slams into her stomach, strange music emitting from somewhere that sounded like a sideshow accordion following as Jennifer reels back into one of the sofas where 3 grizzly bloodied bodies of the victims watch on, falling to the side in deathless silence.

She gasps for breath and shakes her head rising to her feet…she can see him now better than before, the room no longer moving and swirling, though still disorientated…the room blurred about her…but HE stands out. So does something else…behind him is a painting of what looks to be a desert scene where there is a figure attired as a cowboy looking towards the Slayer…indeed Jennifer cannot recall seeing the painting before…as it was where the door is that the clown emerged from.

I

Jacob puts his arm around Tanya and pants heavily. “You are a god send…let no one take that away...that clown was utterly gross and out there BIG time.”
“So…do you guys how it got there? That thing said…said something about been called there…invited.”
“Sure was…they did not use 10800dialaclown or anything.” Jacob replies. “Some of them went upstairs and we heard some weird chanting then they came back downstairs and the rest of us were wondering what they got up too when the clown arrived…all set to entertain us.”
“That is about it.” Tanya agrees. “I mean these guys and they were all guys that went up there…are….or were, members of the Kappa Delta Phi, the Silver Skulls as they are known. Some sort of well, secret society at the university, one of a few that are known of.”
Jennifer had not heard of them before. “Sounds exclusive. I wonder if summoning clowns is their speciality.”
“If it was, it backfired.” Jacob breathes. “It got them too.”
“Perhaps the Professor might know about them.” Tanya suggests.
“Of course.” Jennifer agrees. “Perhaps we should see him and describe what had happened.”