PART ONE: THE INTERNSHIP

CHAPTER 1: To What Goes Unseen

"Two more hours." The old guard said while sipping on his coffee. "Two more hours and I can turn my uniform in for a tropical shirt and loafers. No more badges, no more bed checks, no more crazies..." A snicker came from the opposite side of the guard station.

"Dream on Frank! You may leave this building, but after being here for thirty years even retiring won't erase the memories of what you've seen. I wouldn't be surprised if you still slept with your gun under your pillow."

It was true, Frank Jameson had seen many things since he joined the ranks of Arkham's finest, but it was time to put all that behind him. He and his wife were going to pack up tomorrow and leave for Jamaica and nothing the other boys could say would stop him. "Just keep flapping your gums Percy. Nobody is going to forget this place quicker than me."

The younger man smiled briefly before extending his hand. "Well, it's been amazing getting to know you. I hope you won't forget me when you get to paradise."

Frank clasped the man's hand in a hearty handshake. "Alright Percy, it's been a ball, but it's not like this is a funeral. Come on, you still get to talk to the nuts."

Percy rolled his eyes, "Great, next thing you'll say is 'Percy, you get to have dinner with the psych ward.' Whoopty freaking doo."

Jameson laughed heavily and looked up at the clock. "Hrmph, I've overstayed my break. I guess that until I finish this shift I am property of the state." Jameson grabbed his club and cap and opened the door to the hallway. "Here I go again."

Elsewhere...

"Dr. Carter...Dr. CARTER..."

"Oh, Ben...there you are," the old man said in surprise as his eyes fell upon who was shouting his name. "You're a tad late for your next shift...family troubles?"

"I'm really sorry, sir. You know how it is...mothers...can't ever seem to cut those apron strings," Achgrove replied. The two men shared a laugh at the expense of the younger man's mother.

"Aye, I may not look it, but I too had a mother, hehe. Well, now to business. Did you check on those files I asked you about in the tech lab?"

"Yes sir, Dr. Carter. I brought a hard copy as well; I hope you don't mind." Achgrove retrieved a few pieces of paper from the folder his folder. "This is merely so that I may see how everything is applied and taken into account. As soon as we're done I will take them to personnel and have them shredded immediately."

"Patient confidentiality first..always," Carter said with a wink. Indeed, the old doctor had grown quite fond of Achgrove. The kid had an incredible head on his shoulders-bright...top of his class in fact with an inquisitive personality, light sense of humor, and punctuality that demanded notice, which led Carter to find it strange for Achgrove to be late today; he never had been in the past.

"Today is your day, Ben," Carter announced as he slid his id badge into the seriously outdated card slot.

"My day?" Ben asked, slightly unsure as the door opened before them.

"Yeah. Level 4, Ben...Level 4. It'll only be brief. I have to stop there shortly, and then we will proceed immediately back to our rounds on 2. Ben, you'll be the first intern to go down there. Normally, that's unheard of, mostly for your own safety and ours. You understand right? Anyways, well Ben, you are the best intern I've ever had and that deserves rewarding, however brief it may be."

Achgrove smiled widely acting a bit embarrassed by the doctors compliments...acting. He knew better, old fool. Quinzel was down on Level 4. One thing the ol' doc failed to notice was that Achgrove was extremely observant and had reading people down to an art form. Like clock work every night, Dr. Carter would go down to Level 4, room 8 and look in on Miss Quinzel, only briefly as to not arouse anything beyond professional interest. Then, he would proceed to the faculty men's room on Level 2 for a few brief minutes...you know..a little "self-indulgence" before actually doing some work. Hey, he had to keep up appearances, right? What would people say, if they found out? I mean, seriously, who's crazier...the people in here...or the doctor claiming to be treating patients while ogling Harley Quinn?

Soon they reached the doors before Level 4 and Carter buzzed the guard. "Wait here at the guard station," he said as he flashed his badge and began walking down the corridor.

"Right, Dr. Carter. ...take...your...time...I'll...be here..." Achgrove trailed off. He put his hands in his lab coat and propped himself against the wall with one leg, looking out at the "freaks." "Pretenders," he thought to himself. "Quinn's the only enlightened one among you." As always, Achgrove surveyed his surroundings, attempting to look like nothing more than the eager intern exploring what could one day be his domain. Really, though, he was committing the level to memory...every door...every cell...every camera. Level 4 was quite different than what was shown in the blueprints he had managed to pull up on the computer; so many renovations. They had to be done. In the past it was learned the hard way that cleaning chemicals and the psychotic do not mix well, especially when the Joker is involved. Problem is only so much can be done with Arkham's budget. The rooms were as Achgrove expected them to be. Still, it would take more than just a spike in the power grid to bring about the desired effect, and he had little time-tonight was his best chance and he knew this...the policemen's ball. Every criminal...every piece of scum in Gotham knew that on this night less police were out on the streets; this included guards in Arkham. Tonight, there would be a skeleton shift. Tonight, freedom would become merely an illusion to the people of Gotham and the Painter would create his next masterpiece.

A grin, almost evil, crossed Achgrove's face as he caught a glimpse of Dr. Carter approaching out of the corner of his eye. He moved to stiffen himself upright, and as he did the side of a tiny jar lifted just slightly out of his pocket and then sank back again. The label read Daggett Industries, but no one saw it.