Evil Intent Part 1

Adrian awoke to the sound of sirens and quickly leapt to her feet before leaning over and hurling into a nearby trash can. It was only an ambulance heading out of town.

"Fucking pregnancy…" she muttered and stood up once more, using the door frame of her new office as a brace.

After her "successful" rehabilitation of Dr. Crane (at least rehabilitated enough that he was able to carry on conversations with other patients without trying to kill them over her), Hugo Strange (with a little convincing from Bruce Wayne) had recommended her to a local college where she was currently finishing her doctorate. Hugo had finally agreed to allow her to fill Dr. Crane's position until she had finished her doctorate at which time he would hold a fair interview for anyone to hold the position.

Although Hugo was unwilling to pay for her college time at first he was eventually persuaded by Bruce who offered to pay for her schooling and a new security system if she was allowed to hold Dr. Crane's former position until a replacement could be found or she completed her schooling and earned the position herself.

Hugo however seemed more interested in the prospect of Adrian's working around Dr. Crane and was eager to keep her on board provided he didn't have to pay anything extra to keep her at Arkham.

Adrian was now a little more than eight months pregnant but had refused to take maternity leave for fear that another candidate that would take her position would likely keep the position. For the last eight months and in the last few weeks especially, she had been careful to avoid certain cells… namely those of Jonathan Crane and Haley Riler who seemed very distant lately and had started giving everyone the silent treatment, including Zai.

Detective Yin had released her name after recalling a statement the girl had made while under the care of Gotham General Hospital following her stabbing.

Normally Hugo would have taken her case himself but due to the fact that they had "history" together, he felt it better to leave her under Dr. Adrian Davis' CAPABLE care… AND watch the after affects later of course.

Needless to say that both parties objected to the agreement but neither had any say in the matter and so carried on with the current arrangement.

"Miss Riler." Adrian greeted as she entered the room but Curiosity merely glared at her and remained seated in a straightjacket.

Adrian frowned and sat down at her desk.

"Not very talkative today I see. You've been quiet this week. I don't think you've EVER been this quiet. You haven't even smarted off to Joker this week and we both know he deserved it." She started but Curiosity remained silent, "Haley?"

At this Curiosity's eyes flicked over to Adrian and her expression grew dark.

"If you weren't pregnant you'd be dead by now or writing in excruciating pain. Lucky for you I don't kill children." she growled, "Don't ever call me that again or I might reconsider."

Adrian paused at this and simply stared at Curiosity for a moment. The girl looked the same but something was definitely different about her. Her eyes were dark and cold, the energetic innocence in her eyes seemed to be gone all together. Though Adrian knew the girl was far from innocent she still managed to fool those who didn't know so into thinking she was through her playful mannerisms. Today however it seemed that even those unaware of her history would be able to tell what malevolence lurked within the confines of her mind merely by looking into her now soulless green eyes.

When Adrian didn't look away Curiosity gave her a disgusted look and got to her feet, turning around to pace behind her chair slowly as if she were waiting for something to happen and yet knew it wouldn't because she wouldn't let it.

After a few moments she finally spoke in the same even, but hateful, tone she had before.

"Talk about sleeping your way to the top. You've got Crane's job and Wayne's money. You really hit the jackpot when Crane snapped didn't you? Brucie boy pays you off so you don't squeal, Crane spends his days locked up while you take his job, and everyone looks at you like you're a hero."

"Why are you so angry all of a sudden? The orderlies told me you haven't even spoken to Zai this week and yet now that you ARE choosing to speak you're being as hateful as possible."

"Already calling them the orderlies are we? I wonder if they would offer you such condescending terms in your position." She said callously, avoiding the question.

"Fine, you want to play that way, I'll play that way. Gabe told me you haven't been speaking to Zai or anyone for that matter. Neither of us like this arrangement but we don't exactly have a choice now do we?" she snapped, thinking quickly and assuming that Haley was acting this way because she was upset with their being paired together for therapy.

"I know we don't." she said callously, seeming suddenly bored with the conversation, knowing Adrian wouldn't understand her reasoning for things when even she didn't understand it all herself.

Adrian stared at her in confusion once more and Curiosity let her eyes wander around until they found Adrian's stomach.

"How far along are you?" she asked quietly, "About 8 or 9 months now?"

"Eight months and one week." Adrian answered, leaning back in her chair a little, "Why do you care?"

"Why DO I care? That's a good question." She mused, plopping back down in her chair and facing Adrian, "It's coming soon. That's all I really have to worry about. You'll be dead soon enough. The only thing I'm really concerned about at the moment is where the kid will go AFTER I kill you. Are your parents nice?" she asked seemingly lost in thought until after she asked the question.

This stunned Adrian for a moment and she was quiet before Curiosity stood up again and turned around.

"In any case I suggest you find a good home for the kid. He's going to need one after he's born." She said quietly and started to walk out to meet the guards.

"She…" Adrian corrected, "And she isn't going anywhere and neither am I." she said a little more forcefully.

"We'll see…" she said in a monotone, almost sad voice before leaving with the guards, "We'll see…"

Adrian stood in silence for a moment before swiping her hand across her desk and running the hand through her hair.

"Shit…" she muttered, leaning all the way back in her chair, "Shit."

When Curiosity returned to her cell she sat down in the corner opposite the bed and moved her shoulders in a practiced manner until the straightjacket was loose enough that she could move her arms up to her mouth and bite the cuffs free from the jacket.

She didn't feel like escaping at the moment but she wanted to have her arms free. She sighed and leaned against the wall and looked up at the ceiling for a long time before closing her eyes and drifting off to sleep.