Chapter 18 - Reality or Illusion? Does it even matter

(AN: Sorry for the shorter chapter I ended up having to work an extra 3 hours yesterday and I didn't want to delay posting.)

Jessica 1st POV

Releasing a groan as I slowly come to, I half expect to see Kilgraves smug face standing over me when I open my eyes. When he doesn't appear, I don't know whether to thank or curse the bastard for leaving me in this shitty simulation. Slowly raising myself up into a sitting position I canvas my surroundings. I'm in what looks like a hotel room. The floor is covered with a red burgundy carpet that looks like it hasn't been vacuumed in a decade. The walls are covered in a similarly red wallpaper that gave the room a hideous appearance. Dotting the wall and carpet are stains and holes, the wood underneath looks rotted and it's surprising the floor hasn't caved after the obvious years of neglect.

{click} Hearing the sound of the door open I turn and see Reaper walk through the door. I still can't tell whether it's human or not. Yesterday it entered the hotel with a human appearance but that could have just been a disguise. "You're finally awake, good. Clean yourself up in the bathroom and then get dressed were leaving in half an hour." Finished speaking he threw a duffel bag at me before exiting the room.

Watching him leave I briefly considered trying to fly away out of the window. He wouldn't be able to keep up with me while were in the city, but I'm not confident I'd be able to get Trish out of the city before he got to her. And if my mom really is still alive then I don't even know where to start looking for her. Sighing to myself, I slowly climbed out of the bed allowing the moth-eaten sheet I had been covered with to fall on the floor as I slowly made my way to the bathroom hoping it was at least somewhat clean.

Entering into the bathroom my hopes were crushed at what I saw. The whole place was covered in a layer of filth. Hair and toenail clippings were clogging the drains in disgusting heaps, and I felt skeptical that the water would even be able to go through the rusted pipes hanging from the ceiling. Dropping the duffel bag on the cleanest spot I could find I crouched down and unzipped it. Inside I saw soaps, shampoos, and different kinds of brushes along with a set of clothes I'm pretty sure I had seen someone wearing at the party yesterday.

Taking out the brushes and shampoos I entered into the shower before reaching forward and turning on the tap. Listening to the loud rumbling sound of water and the squeaking of the pipes I prepared myself to jump out of the way should a pipe burst but luckily the water started to flow out just fine. The water was freezing cold against my skin, but I couldn't be bothered to care. In an almost wild fashion, I began to scrub all over my body with the brushes. Watching as the ink writing slowly started to fade from my skin, I felt a sense of liberation that no amount of denial could stop.

Kilgrave had always been careful to make sure the ink wouldn't fade from my body. The bastard got off on seeing the writing covering my skin. The fact that he left a mark on my body, and I wouldn't ever be rid of it. Pushing those thoughts away I grabbed the soap next to me and began cleaning my hair. I don't know how long I've spent but I should make sure I'm presentable in public. If I gave Reaper away by accident, I'm sure the punishment wouldn't be any more lenient.

{bang bang bang} "You have 5 minutes hurry up." Shaken from my thoughts by Reapers abrupt interruption I quickly turn off the water and step out of the shower. Drying myself as best I can I got changed and exited the bathroom.

Upon entering into the room, I could see Reaper sitting on one of the beds staring out the window into the streets of Hell's Kitchen. Sensing my approach, he turned his head towards me and I could finally get a clear picture of the mask he wore. It was old, the bone white color fading over time into a duller color of grey. Covered in cracks, scratches and sewing marks. The mouthpiece and nose piece were one going up in a demonically wide smile while the eyes were somehow obscured by his hood even in broad daylight. Staring at where his eyes should be felt like staring into an empty void of darkness.

"Well, I can certainly see why you were Kilgraves favorite trophy." Reaper duly remarked as he did a once over of what I was wearing. The clothes he had given me were a few sizes too small so the amount of emphasis currently being placed on the more intimate parts of my body was more than I would have liked but I had gotten used to being dressed skimpily and being eyed by hungry men.

Reaper slowly stood up from the bed, his body rising up to its full height and then some of his presence filled the room with a suffocating darkness even as light continued to leak into the room through the blinds.

"We need to leave soon. The police will be aware of the fact that the water in this room was used." As he spoke, he started to walk towards the door and made a gesture as he passed to follow him. Exiting the room, he made his way towards the staircases but instead of going down he went up. Curious as to why I followed him till we reached the door to the roof that was padlocked. Approaching the door in a relaxed manner, Reaper's gloved hand sliced right through the lock and continued towards the edge of the roof. Stepping up behind him as he stood there I waited for his next words while constantly looking for a sign of trouble. On the roof my escape options were practically limitless.

"And yet you're still just standing there." What?

"Limitless options to escape, to go find your friend, to run to the authorities, to try and find out if your mom is really still alive and yet you're still standing there waiting for me to give you an order. It seems Kilgrave was far more through in breaking you then I've given him credit for."

What is he saying? Why would I run if I know there's no way I could ever get away without having to sacrifice Trish and my mom.

"But you don't know. Can I stop you before you get to them? Maybe there's a restriction you don't know about on my powers. Maybe yesterday with Kilgrave I was using a drug to enhance my abilities. You know nothing about me yet all the same you've surrendered to me. Kilgrave has destroyed your concept of resistance. For you now there are only two types of people, those you can destroy and those who your too scared to fight."

What!? How dare he! He has no idea what it was like living under Kilgrave's thumb. How dare he try and hand out some shitty analysis of who I am. What is he even trying to do? Does he want me to fight him? Does this sick fuck get off on convincing people they have a chance against him before brutally murdering them.

"As you are now you won't be much help with anything I have planned. Therefore, with the constraint of time I will go for the simplest solution to your problem." Turning to face me Reaper tilted his head slightly as if to consider something before continuing "We will simply increase the amount of people you include in the destroy category."

Huh?! What the hell does he mean by that? Seemingly aware of my confusion Reaper held out his hand and spun it around to show me a picture. In the photo was a clearly deceased man with a prominent tattoo of a half-moon with a skull shaped arrow piercing through it.

"This man is part of one of many small gangs that infest Hell's Kitchen. The leader of this small group of retards has decided to post a video online challenging me to try and destroy their gang. Clearly the idiots have gotten their hands on something they think can deal with me. I don't have the time nor will to deal with every insect in this forsaken city. So, I will lead you to the gangs most frequented locations and you will kill all of the members you find in my place. If you refuse my request, I will keep my promise and kill Trish Walker and your mother."

Listening to the Reaper as he told me I'd be going around killing people to protect his reputation. I felt a familiar numb feeling begin to overcome my senses as my mind started to sink into a haze like the one, I had entered after my first year of obeying Kilgrave. However, just as I was about to fall completely into my haze a sharp sting from my left cheek brought me back to reality. Looking up I looked at Reapers raised arm and realized he had just slapped me. Before I could start to yell at him because terrorist or not you don't get to just slap my face, he cut me off.

"You're not allowed to run away from this. I am not after a machine, if I was, I'd just pay someone else to make me one. I'm after Jessica Jones and you'd do well to make sure Jessica Jones sticks around while we're working." Turning his back to me and stepping onto the ledge once more Reaper leaned over the edge and glanced back at me before falling while quietly whispering "Follow."

I don't know what compelled me but before I even knew what I was doing I jumped off the roof without looking back and free fell after Reaper. As I approached the ground the only thing going through my head was. 'Yep. I'm definitely in an illusion.' And unconsciously a smirk began to grow across my face.