The Laughters: The Untold Origin of Joker and Harley Quinn

Chapter 18: The Dark Salvation

Ever since the warehouse incident by the docks, Julius was left alone at his house in Gotham. His mother was far away, forcing Julius to fend for himself.

He was traumatized and confused, the scene where his father died in front of his eyes, played over and over again in his mind. Blurring his memories and clouding his judgment.

Julius was looking around his gloomy house, it would never be the same. He won't ever see his father bid him good morning as he walks down the steps of the stairs, he won't ever smell the freshly fried bacon in the morning cooked by his father. Instead all he sees are lies, deception, and clouded anger.

The incident was too much, he couldn't bear the fact that his father was working with mob bosses all along, that all they did was for someone else, a pin on their back.

He couldn't help but break down knowing all they did was for not the benefit of the city, but for the ones corrupting it.

It changed Julius, he knew, he needed to bring matters into his own hands, with Batman or not. And he couldn't risk any more distractions, relations, or even connections. He needed to isolate himself from any one else, but he doesn't want to go dark all of the sudden.

Julius called Harleen to say his goodbyes. She picked up her ringing phone and greeted "Hey Julius, I heard about your father. I am so sorry." Julius stayed silent for a minute and responded "It was nothing."

Harleen became concerned "Nothing? What do you mean? He was your father." Julius' tone became stiff "He was a lying prick, corrupt and selfish like every other Gothamite." She became concerned "Hey, are you okay? I can go back there, I can be absent for a few days for you if you need it."

Julius scoffed "Don't bother, and don't ever. I'm leaving you Harleen, you were nothing but a waste of money and time." Harleen was shocked "Leaving?! What did I do?! Just like that, you think you can kick me out of your life?!" Julius was silent, you could hear his breaths down on the line "Goodbye, Quinzel." and he hung up on her, killing the line between Julius and Harleen.

Harleen was devastated, she didn't know what to do. She sat down on her bed, tears started collecting in her eyes and falling down her face, of all the pain she has felt, this was one of the worst.

She cried all night, forgetting all her plans the next day, the tests and the lectures she needed to worry about, slipped from her mind. Instead she wept hard, until she slowly fell asleep with a wet pillow full of her tears.

Now that Harleen was kicked out of his life, Julius went on with the next step. Finding Falcone.

He knew it would be hard to find Falcone ever since the incident, he got out of jail again and now, Julius wants to end him for good. But without his father and his informants, Julius might not be able to track Falcone as fast as he could.

Instead he incorporated help from his own connections, with a new mob boss on the rise, Julius knew he needed more help. This mob boss had caught his eye however, it was "The Red Hood" , a man in a tuxedo, wearing a red cylinder helmet. Going on a crime spree across Gotham as he sees fit. Julius had to choose, Falcone or the Red Hood, and he chose the man who killed his father first, Carmine Falcone.

He went around his old bedroom, where he hid weapons and ammunition in case of an emergency, and for Julius, it was now.

For days, Julius ran around the city, tracking agents of the mob and informants. He was donned the nickname "Shadow-Guard" for he was mostly lurking in the dark, waiting for his target.

He became more well known than Batman, and that made him noticeable by the Dark Knight. Julius would always wear a dark robber's mask with shades, a leather hoodie and two 9mm pistols ready to draw.

He used bizarre ways for getting the information he needed, he would break bones, amputate joints, burn skin, electrocute veins, and drown faces. He would do horrific torture, and all feared this dark vigilante rampaging around the streets of Gotham.

In one incident, he tracked an agent of the mob in Crime Alley, watching his every step and move. Following him everywhere, Julius was careful. He didn't want the mob to know his plans until he would finally strike.

He waited for 3 days, following the agent's every move, he was one of Falcone's right hand men, a very important asset to the Falcone Mob Family.

Until he saw the Agent at the diner, eating by himself, Julius went insde and sat down in front of the agent, "Enjoying your coffee?" the agent was unaware "Huh?" Julius chuckled "I said, are you enjoying your coffee?" the agent then felt dizzy, sleepy all of the sudden, he was knocked out. And awoke in a dark room, he saw the Shadow Guard, waiting for him to wake up.

"Rise and shine sleepy head. You and me, are gonna be great friends." Julius then swung a bat on the agent. The agent was scared "What do you want?" Julius was laughing "What I always want from you grunts, where is your boss?" the agent became stubborn "You won't get anything from me!" Julius laughed even harder "Good, I was hoping to have fun with my new friend."

He tortured the poor thug, you could hear the cries of agony from afar, but they were located in a far away abandoned building on the west side of Gotham, for hours he continued to make the thug suffer, Until he finally had all he needed.

The man pleaded "You'll let me go now right?", Julius laughed "Of course, you'll be free from pain." He then drew out his gun and shot the thug in the head. He brought the body to the far side of Gotham, throwing it over the bay.

Julius then went home and thought it out. His plan and his equipment were ready and after a few days, the night has come.

Carmine Falcone attended a masked ball, funded by the Wayne family. Julius went in as a guest, disguising himself with another name, he scoped around, looking for his target. And there he was, Carmine, talking to one of Wayne's guests.

He had his guards around him, but Julius could see a way to get near his target.

He went nearby the guards, who were persistent in pushing him away, but Julius got close and injected them with a toxin, one that would paralyze them. This caused them to stand stiff as if nothing happened.

Julius then saw Carmine, his prey all out in the open, and so he became poised for the kill. He slid a blade under his sleeve, whispered into Falcone "You get what you deserve." Falcone was startled "Huh?" Julius then stabbed him in the side, only, the knife was coated with snake venom. Very strong snake venom, Carmine was stiff, he laid on the ground bleeding.

Julius walked faster away, with no one noticing. He made his escape, rushing toward his car and left, he was relieved. And felt like what he did was right, but he couldn't stop thinking about how great it felt when the knife pierced through Falcone's skin, the feeling of inserting was euphoric for him. He wanted more, no, he needed more.

The once sweet, understanding and caring Julius, now has a taste for murder. He didn't want the title of Shadow Guard any more, he felt sinister. He wanted to become the retribution of mankind's misery of life, he went deep in his roots, finding a suitable name.

Julius Henderson then became the most unexpected serial killer in all of Gotham, "Victor Szasz". The name was perfect, it was unrelated to his name, and the real holder of the name, the serial killer "Victor Szasz" has been confirmed dead and murdered, he could take on the alias and make his own legacy.

A legacy in which he will purify the stench of Gotham's worst. Starting with the mob bosses. He picked out all of the mobs and families in Gotham, he made a list of who he'll target and who he'll make an example of.

Each one of his kills should be marked by a cut or a slice on Victor's skin. He loved the feeling of being stabbed, it heightens him, brings him adrenaline, and he was addicted to it.

His first kill, Falcone, became a slice on Victor's chest. As the wound opens, Victor smiles and embraces his true nature, he was never a vigilante. He was and still will be the dark salvation of Gotham.