Black mask paced back and forth in his warehouse at the docks. He was expecting Scarecrow after they had made a deal. He’d splice a bit of that fear toxin Scarecrow was so well known for into the drugs that he was so well known for. What was he getting in return? Power. Plant these tainted drugs in other cartels supplies then… boom. They get all the credit and Black Mask's supply becomes the best in town. Win win for both of them really. That is if Scarecrow ever decides to show up!
Just as he was about to call this meeting off, the doors opened at the far side as a figure came in.
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“Scarecrow, you’re late!”
“We agreed on 2:30, it’s 2:25. I’m on time, Blackmask. But we aren’t here to argue. I brought the toxin you so desperately need.”
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Crane tossed a vial filled with a clear liquid at him which Blackmask almost didn’t catch.
“Are you crazy!? Can’t just hand it over like a normal person?”
“Neither of us are normal. But you know that already. Now where are those parts?”
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Blackmask smirked.
“Why should I give them to you? I already have what I need. And you really shouldn’t have come alone.”
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As the two men stood facing each other, the warehouse door opened and some of Blackmask’s goons stumbled in hacking and wheezing, an intense mist seeped into the room.
A voice rang out through the mist as Scarecrow tapped a section of his hood.
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“He didn’t.”
“What!? Who are you?”
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A slim masculine figure cloaked in a strange garb with a plague doctor mask with a digital screen for the eyes approached the two men. A censer tied onto his hip with chains jangled as he walked on the concert flooring.
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“I’m the Fear Doctor.”
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Blackmask began to cough and sputter.
“Who? Are you Scarecrow’s lackey?”
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“Something like that.” There was a pause as he looked at the man topple to the ground before him. “Good it’s kicking in faster than I thought.”
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He turned to a man with a gas mask. “Grab the parts.”
With a robotic nod the man walked to go grab the box of supplies that Blackmask had promised them. Scarecrow walked to his unconscious body and retrieved his fear serum.
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“This was quite productive. I’m going to take my leave. Make sure the parts get delivered to the hideout.”
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“Will do.”
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Scarecrow left after inspecting one of the crates that he took from the warehouse while Fear Doctor sat up on a pallet of boxes waiting for the lackeys to finish moving the parts.
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The silence was broken by the noise of a latch on a window squeaking open. He stood up on top of the pallet listening for any other noises when he saw one of the lackeys get strung up with a batarang.
Batman dropped from the ceiling, clearly wearing a slightly different cowl to filter out the incense in the air.
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“Doctor Fear.”
“It’s Fear Doctor.”
“You’re about to be the next inmate at Arkham.”
“Oh making jokes now? You must be quite confident.”
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His HUD alerted him to a presence behind me and he ducked just missing the punch from Red Hood.
The second one connected. Mask flying off they came face to face with Zennaire Crane.
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Using his mask as a weapon, he caught Batman off guard hitting him in the face, shattering the respiratory in his cowl. Blood leaked from his face as glass pierced it. Zennaire earned one last punch, tasting blood, from Batman before said man started to cough and gasp; the effects of the incense began to take effect as Zennaire was hit again but by Red Hood this time. Once he was face to hood, his training kicked in as he began to deflect and dodge punches as best as he could.
A well timed punch caught Red Hood off guard and the two of them toppled to the ground with Red Hood losing his helmet into the fall.
Zennaire having seen his face angered Jason and gave him the strength to win the struggle of power and punch the other man in the face repeatedly until he stopped moving.
He promptly cuffed the villain before redon his hood only to notice a small cut on the back of his hand. Thinking nothing of it, he went to Batman’s side; he seemed to be stuck in a deep nightmare.
GCPD was soon on the scene loading the barely conscious Zennaire Crane into a cruiser to take him to Arkham for further questioning. Jason took care of Bruce taking him back to Wayne manor where they both had horrible nightmares.
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Zennaire woke up in a start as his head was submerged into something liquid.
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“What is Scarecrow doing with those parts!?”
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Another dunk.
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“Where is he!?”
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Dunk.
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“Well!?”
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On the next time he was submerged, Zennaire took a mouth off of water and spit it at the man across from him screaming at him. He laughed as the officer looked horrified trying to get the water off himself.
That is of course when the gag came. Zennaire didn’t struggle against it. They were scared. Of course they needed to gag him.
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They dragged him out of the room and into a bright sterile looking area. Zennaire knew it was Arkham. He’d never been there before sure, but all ‘mental hospitals’ look alike. White. Everywhere. The photo on the wall of some nature scene. The waiting area for people coming in.
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Most of the people didn’t interest him, but there was one. A tall lanky guy with brown hair. Both his hair and eyes looked dull but Zennaire recolonized the look behind him: fear, anxiety, paranoia. The clothes were disheveled and he wouldn’t stop bobbing his knee up and down.
Finally the man looked at Zennaire, feeling his eyes on him. Zen could feel the man analysing him, making sure he wasn’t a threat. Before he would see the man’s decision however, the handler pushed Zennaire’s head into a down position; the only thing Zennaire could look at now was the repeating white tiles, his face barely reflecting back up at him.
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Once he was in the back half of Arkham, the guards became less kind, if that was possible. They stripped him naked, making sure he didn’t have any hidden weapons, before they put him in a sterile white jumpsuit with a number plastered on the back. Soon he was uncuffed and shoved into a cell with another man.
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This one was nothing but muscles and a bad crew cut. He looked at Zennaire, sizing him up before talking to him.
“Listen here you little maggot, don’t touch my stuff. That’s everything in this room.”
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Taking the gag out of his mouth, Zennaire just nodded. He didn’t want to be in the same cell as this guy when he was freaking out, so he’ll deal with this one later.
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He sat silently until it was meal time and they were transported to the cafeteria.
It looked like some kind of tomato based soup, but who knows what it could be. Either way, it was the first food he’d had in quite a while, so he began eating.
That was when Mr. Don’t touch my stuff came over and promptly took Zennaire’s food.
“By all means, go ahead.”
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The man grunted and began slurping down the food right in front of Zennaire, a twist grin on his face before it slowly shifted to one of terror. He pushed up and away from Zennaire. Suddenly desperate to get away screaming most incoherently though he did catch the words ‘monster’ and ‘stay away’. While everyone else looked on at the screaming ball of muscle, Zennaire picked up his spoon and began to eat the untouched spoon. Once the man was taken away by guards, there was a hush in the cafeteria.
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He returned to his cell to find it empty. With a sarcastic tone, Zennaire climbed up the top bunk.
“Sorry for touching your stuff.”
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It had been a week since Zennaire had gotten locked up and he had a visitor! His older brother, Jacob, waiting for him on the other side of the plexiglass, phone already in hand.
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“Hi big brother.”
“Are you okay Zennaire? Are you hurt?”
“Nope.”
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Jacob looked closer at him before his eyes widened.
“Did you shave your head?”
“This? Yeah. The guards like to be grabby so I gave them less to grab.”
“They’re manhandling you!?”
“That’s not new Jacob. But most of them leave me alone. I’m scary to deal with.”
“Because of the experiments.”
“Tests. Which I passed.”
“Zennaire, we need to talk about that really…”
“There’s nothing to talk about. Also, don’t visit me again. I won’t be in here much longer.”
“You got a life sentence.”
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Zen hung up the phone and gave his brother a wave before retreating back to the common area where the patients got to exercise. He saw a large man by himself in the corner. He knew him from tv broadcasts he had seen.
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“Hi Bane.”
“You are Scarecrows boy.”
“One of two.”
“Why are you talking to me?”
“I just want to give you a friendly heads up is all.”
“Oh?”
“Yeah…” Zennaire shifted and looked away. “I’m not really a good cook and um… well. Don’t eat the food tomorrow okay?”
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Bane looked at him with an unreadable expression before he nodded.
“I will remember that.” He paused before motioning for Zennaire to sit down.
“Would you like to play a few games of chess with me?”
“Of course. Though I’m not much good.”
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They did play a few matches with Zennaire winning each and everyone.
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“I hope you were just being modest about your skill level.”
“I didn’t think you’d play with me if I said I was good. But thank you, Mr. Bane. There were a few times I thought you had bested me.”
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Zennaire stood up, a smile on his face.
“We should play again soon. Once we’re not on such a tight time schedule.”
“I agree.”
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After their ‘free time’ ended, he headed back to his lone cell, no longer having a bunk mate. He climbed up onto his bunk; after all, he had a very big day tomorrow.
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______________
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The next day Zennaire did indeed find himself on kitchen duty. And even better, it was soup day. The staff put him on chopping duty. That made it easy to just at the last minute cut himself, and just dip the finger in the pot. What was a little burn for his beautiful escape plan to come into effect? Though, this will only work once.
That just meansI won’t get caught again.
He handed the pot off with a smile, waiting for the chaos to start.
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Sitting down across the room from Bane, he flashed a smile at him as the people around the room began to eat and enjoy themselves. Scanning the room, he noticed an extra person not eating anything, a guy a bit younger than himself. He didn’t look good in his white jumpsuit, it clashed with his extremely pale skin and hair; in fact the only thing that wasn’t pale on him was his eyes. They were a startlingly red.
This guy reminded him of the fawns he would see on the farm in the early morning. Something that was in need of protection, constantly on the lookout for danger.
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Without thinking, Zennaire moved over to where this mystery man sat.
“Not hungry?”
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His voice seemed to shock him as the albino guy went rigid.
“Ah, I’m sorry. I’m guessing you helped in the kitchen today? I… don’t like soups.”
“That’s fair. I don’t really like them either…”
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This got a small smile out of him before he started to look around the room, his eyes widened in panic.
“What’s wrong?”
“Something’s wrong. Everyone’s heart rates are…”
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He didn’t have a chance to finish before the dining room went crazy. People screaming, attacking one another, the guards couldn’t handle everyone as they smashed up windows and attacked them as well.
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Zennaire took the mystery man’s hand and almost dragged him to where Bane was calmly sitting.
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“Hi Mr Bane. Ready to relocate?”
He looked at the white haired boy before speaking.
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“I wasn’t aware you knew each other, Lesley.”
“We just met…”
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The boy's voice was nearly unhearable in the loud cafeteria as glass shattered nearby them.
Zennaire took this chance to launch himself and his new found friends through the window to the outdoor world.
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Once they were outside, it was easy sailing; that is, until they needed a place to go…
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They stood in a back alley trying to figure something out; Lesley, spoke up.
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“Um.. I have a place we can go, I just need to make a quick phone call.”
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They watched as Lesley politely got someone to lend him their phone before he returned to the other two.
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“Okay… Help it’s on the way.”
He flashed an unsure grin at the two men and Zen felt his heart just melt.
This is it. I think I love him.
Before he could stop himself, their lips were touching. He finally pulled away when he heard Bane give a slight cough.
“Maybe after we escape?”
“That’s an idea, Bane.”
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Zennaire grinned at Lesley, whose face was as bright as his eyes.
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