Chapter 1
"Would you like to see my mask?" Dr. Jonathan Crane inquired eerily, despite the fact that accessing his burlap sack was momentarily impossible, since he was in fact in a straight jacket.
Lieutenant Gordon sighed, his patience at last beginning to grow thin. "Crane, just answer my question and maybe we'll be able to come to some kind of an arrangement regarding your prison time." As Gordon said this, he glanced towards a dimly lit corner of the interrogation room. "Please, Crane."
"You're going to help us eventually," Rachel Dawes said resolutely.
Dr. Crane smiled and began to twitch. "Scarecrow… Scarecrow…" Rachel started towards the door, annoyed. "I'll tell you what you need to know…"Crane began. "If I may receive what I want in return." Rachel turned to him and perceived that his pale features were beginning to quiver.
"We've already told you that we would work with you," Gordon stated curiously.
Dr. Crane gave him a half-smile. "That's not what I want."
"Well, what do you want?" Rachel asked irritably.
"I would like… one day… with 'the Batman'." These last two words came out mockingly. Rachel eyed him suspiciously, though Gordon was once more concentrating on the shady corner.
"If you think Batman will help you, you might as well forget about it," Rachel flipped. Dr. Crane sneered once more.
"That's not what I'm thinking, Miss Dawes, as you are well aware." The others waited for him to elaborate. "You all seem to think that I have a secret arrangement regarding plans to destroy Gotham. Well, I will tell you now that I don't have such plans… But I know who might." All eyes were now on Dr. Crane. "Give me one day, out of a straight jacket, no longer sedated, living in the outside world. To assure that I won't try to escape, send 'the Batman' with me. He's the best man you've got." The doctor paused, giving them a moment to think.
"What would be your motive for going out into the world?" Gordon asked.
"The way I see it, it will be a very long time before I see the world without prison bars separating me from it."
"Yeah, and what will stop you if you suddenly feel the need to destroy it while you're out there?" Rachel asked, not taking her eyes off of him.
"Somehow I doubt that 'the Batman' would allow that. Why? Is your faith in our friendly neighborhood bat at last wearing off?" Rachel crossed her arms and looked at Gordon, who was still thinking.
"Take him away," Gordon said to a few nearby police officers, who did exactly as they were told. As soon as Crane had been escorted out of the room, Gordon turned towards the dark corner. "It's dangerous," he said. "If you go out in the open, anything could happen. Especially during the day."
"I'll be able to control him," a hoarse voice echoed. A dark, masked figure emerged from the shadows and stood under the fluorescent light.
"He's not the only one against you. Besides… It's not a widely known fact that you're working with us."
"I can take him out of Gotham," the dark figure grumbled. "No one will have to know about it here."
"Yes," Gordon explained patiently. "But no matter where you are, people might tend to stare."
"It would be worth it if Crane told us what we need to know," Rachel interjected.
"She's right, Gordon. This could be the only way."
Gordon stared at him hesitantly. "Do you believe that he really just wants to go out for 'a bit of fresh air'? This man is dangerous."
"I don't know what his motive is. But I'll find out."
Gordon glanced from the masked figure to Rachel, realizing that he was outnumbered. "All right. Tomorrow I'll have it arranged for Crane to be brought here."
Upon saying this, Gordon lifted his coffee cup and left the room. Rachel sighed and stared at 'the Batman', disheartened.
"Are you sure this will work? He's already proven that he's not to be trusted."
"It doesn't matter if he can be trusted. Gotham has nothing to lose from this… But it has everything to gain."