Chapter 17: Hidden Dangers
Yang Xu, having shed his disguise and now going by "Binbin," easily escaped the pursuing figures after sprinting from the maze-like alley. A strange fascination pulled him toward the crime scene he wanted to watch the firefighters battle the blaze from behind the police lines, a morbid curiosity akin to a murderer returning to admire his work.
Meanwhile, Police Chief George Stancy, directing firefighting efforts, received far worse news: the New York mayor had been kidnapped.
Let's rewind to the moment every officer received Jarvis's alert. The Joker, who'd been watching the NYPD, saw officers depart in patrol cars. A wide, exaggerated grin spread across his face as he crowed to his accomplices:
"The boss's plan worked perfectly! They're all gone!"
"Time to strike!"
With manic laughter, a black-and-white police car, sirens blaring, sped from a hidden street toward the mayor's residence. A young man, wearing a police uniform and expertly applied makeup, used a forged badge to deceive community security.
They arrived at their destination. Two men and the Joker stood before the mayor's house and rang the doorbell. A tired voice answered through the intercom:
"It's late. What's the emergency?"
The Joker stepped forward, his pale face shadowed, his tone urgent:
"Mr. Mayor, this is extremely dangerous! You need to come with us to safety."
The voice on the other side, clearly frightened by the Joker's frantic tone, responded nervously:
"The mayor's resting. I'm the housekeeper. I haven't received any notification. What's the danger?"
"It's normal you haven't. It's urgent. Criminals have kidnapped several politicians at a hotel; the entire NYPD is responding. We have intelligence suggesting the mayor is also a target. Turn on your TV—it's all over the news. We have to move now!"
The Joker's anxiety was palpable; he kept glancing at his watch, as if time was running out. The frightened housekeeper turned on the TV and saw the emergency broadcast about the hotel kidnapping. Hearing distant sirens and the news report, he panicked: "Okay, okay!"
The door opened. A slightly plump middle-aged man in pajamas stood ready to greet them. But the sight of the Joker's pale, grotesquely painted face made him recoil in horror, and he slammed the door shut.
The Joker, prepared for this, shoved against the door, grinning.
"No—"
Before the housekeeper could scream, the Joker silenced him. After some forceful "persuasion," the housekeeper led them to the mayor's bedroom door.
The Joker produced a bomb, cleverly disguised as a gift box, and placed it against the door. With a gleeful shout, the door exploded with a deafening bang!
The blast awakened the mayor. Seeing the Joker calmly walking through the doorway, his face turned ashen.
"It seems, my dear Mr. Mayor, you've known about me for a while. Care to explain your source?"
The Joker's half-smile, combined with his unsettling makeup, was terrifying.
"I... I know you! George told me you robbed a bank! I have money! Please, don't hurt me!"
The mayor backed away, desperately trying to escape.
The Joker responded with a fit of wild, almost hysterical laughter. The mayor trembled uncontrollably before him.
After a long time, the Joker's laughter subsided, replaced by a grotesque expression. He addressed the mayor:
"You're right, 'I' robbed a bank, but I didn't, and I'm not sure who 'I' am! But what matters is the voice in my head..."
He paused, his eyes narrowed dangerously, then shouted in a crazed voice:
"It tells me to obey! Obey! Obey!"
He began to violently beat his head until it bled. He then grabbed the terrified mayor, pulling him close, grinning savagely:
"Tell me, what should I do?!"
The mayor shook his head frantically, protesting his innocence.
The Joker calmed down, releasing the mayor. He grabbed a cloth and a bucket of water, whispering like a devil:
"Now, let's get everything out of you! Hahaha..."
The next moment, a chilling laugh, mixed with the sounds of choking and splashing water, echoed from the room. Soon, a police car, followed by a pickup truck, emerged from the upscale community.
After checking his system panel and noting the significant increase in reputation points (eight points!), Yang Xu had no interest in watching further. He hailed a cab, gave a generous ten-dollar tip, and headed to the safe house to meet the Joker, as planned.
Upon entering, he saw a bound figure in the middle of the room a large, chubby man, his hands tied to his chest, lying on his side, staring blankly at the door, clearly traumatized. As soon as he saw the door open, he began to writhe, his muffled cries for help barely audible through the gag.