A/N – Sorry it's been so long. I got married and moved house so yea… lol. Also lost all my fan fic stuff in the move so had to do this chapter from scratch –sigh-
Spoilers – First movie and possibly second. Batman may make a cameo at some point but damn if I tell you when.
Warnings - This may turn in to slash. I'll give due warning. Mature rating is currently for language, violence and wonderful insanity.
Disclaimers – Still don't own Batman or the characters.
Normal Italics – Cranes thoughts
Bold Italics – Scarecrows thoughts
3: Test Subjects and Magpie's
Jonathan stared at the ceiling of the lab from his makeshift cot. Scarecrow had finally stopped screaming at him for being an idiot. He would have argued that he had a plan, but who was he kidding. The Narrows story was a poor idea, and in hindsight made absolutely no sense. At least it may have added to his 'I'm a nutter' plan, but that wasn't really one he wanted to go with. He found he was rather fed up with being called a psychopath. Most of all he was tired of having people push him around. He'd already done his time with this man, 'And yet he kidnaps me and demands I make him a new toxin!' It pissed him off, to put it mildly. He wanted to watch that man writhe in agony, begging Scarecrow to put him out of his misery. With that thought, Jonathan got up.
He made his way to his work bench and stared at the cocktail of ingredients on the table. He looked at the compound he had begun to work on and a smile danced on his lips. 'We could make a toxin just for him', sometimes he loved that Scarecrow could read his mind. Going against Ra's Al Ghul probably would not be the most intelligent thing to do… 'Think of the screams', the last word dragged into a hiss and Jonathan felt a shiver travel down his spine. 'Yes, the screams'. He set up the apparatus on the work bench beside him, preparing to work on his failed compound. The concentration was wrong, too potent for the Immortals liking, but with a little tweaking it could be used – at double the usual strength. Scarecrow grinned. He set up the new experiment on the table he was using as a cover. 'He'll never know.' Jonathan wasn't sure about that. He didn't have Scarecrow's confidence. The repercussions if he failed would be great and many. 'He'll never let us go. He'd rather kill us, or maybe he'll keep you as a little pet'. He heard Scarecrow roar with laughter. The idea made his blood boil. Or was it Scarecrow's? He wasn't sure anymore.
He almost groaned when the door opened and in walked the bane of his existence. Well, the most recent one anyway. Ra's Al Ghul gave the Doctor a brief glance over before making his way to the nearest work bench. Jonathan waited, but the Immortal merely crossed his arms and leant against the bench. Jonathan took a deep breath and bent his head to his work. He did his best to ignore the compound on the other table, but he knew his eyes kept darting towards it. He almost had heart failure when Ra's stopped beside it, peering down at it through the microscope. He quickly snapped his head back to his work not wishing to draw anymore attention to it than he already had.
Moments later he was engrossed in his work; all thoughts of genocide and revenge out the window. He jotted down notes, momentarily wondering if Ra's would read them, then returned to the microscope. Something was wrong with the process, but for the life of him he could not figure out what it was. It was nothing major, but the fact he seemed to have forgotten how to make his own toxin annoyed him. Granted he'd spent the last month getting his head bashed off things and he was trying to create a toxin that would override the vaccine…
The feeling of a hand suddenly pressed against the back of his neck made him pause. The fingers curled slightly; not quite a squeeze but it made him nervous. 'He could probably wring my neck like chicken.' He shuddered at the thought. Scarecrow giggled. It was an interesting mental picture, but it didn't really help him much. He felt the thumb and forefinger pinch slightly behind his ears and he swallowed hard.
"Do tell me what you are working on."
Jonathan nearly passed out as the words breathed past his ear. 'He's too close.' The words repeated like a mantra in his head. He cleared his throat and swore he felt every crease and every callus on that hand as his neck stretched. It was an odd feeling, to say the least.
"I am working on a new toxin that should make the vaccine obsolete. I have also considered trying to make the toxin react with the vaccine, doubling the dose instead of curing the victim." Speaking felt even more odd. The hand shifted slightly. He knew Ra's was against doubling the dose, but it was the best excuse he could think of for how many toxins he'd already screwed up.
"Really? Well that does put my mind at ease." A slight pressure and the hand was gone. He felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand to attention as the skin cooled. Jonathan turned and was surprised to find the man was actually still behind him, though thankfully a little further away. He stared at the ever present smirk and decided to smirk right back. He opened his mouth to tell the man to fuck off – though hopefully in a more intelligent and dignified way – when two of the non-descript men entered the room. A brief, hurried conversation and Ra's and one of the men left. Jonathan found that annoyed him.
'Upset he didn't kiss you goodbye?'
Scarecrow could be a git. Jonathan decided to ignore him. He went to work on the "failed" compound, and wished he could triple the potency. Whatever was going on he knew the Immortal would be back sooner or later and he'd be waiting to throw the compound in that damn smirking face.
Unfortunately, it didn't take him long to complete and Jonathan found he had very little to do. He'd almost forgotten what boredom felt like. He was nearly tempted to actually do the job he was "hired" for. Usually he could distract himself, but recently he found it harder and harder to make his mind work. 'It's the toxins fault', he gritted his teeth and cursed Batman, Ra's and anyone else he could think of.
He stared at the toxin, willing the Immortal to appear. He knew it was both futile and slightly worrying to wish for one's enemy to appear… but dammit, he wanted to know what the great Ra's Al Ghul feared.
'And escape?'
Jonathan ignored him. He knew escape was the main objective, but not without bringing that man to his knees first. He drummed his fingers on the desk and wondered where the Immortal could have gone. He heard a whisper of movement. He looked up at the nondescript man. He looked down at his toxin, and then back at the guard. He shrugged, 'Why not.' He walked over towards him and smiled. He looked up at the nearest surveillance camera and raised the beaker in a mock toast. "Thank you so much for your generous donation." The nondescript man blinked. Jonathan threw the compound at him.
For the first few seconds the man wiped blindly at his face; then he started clawing. Scarecrow almost melted when the screaming started. Jonathan watched mesmerised as the man attempted to remove his own face with his fingernails. He'd never used something so potent before. Not intentionally anyway. Then he realised he'd probably never get to again; Ra's would make sure of that. He bent down towards the man writhing on the floor. "What do you see?"
The guard garbled something he couldn't quite make out; then he was airborne. Jonathan collided with a stainless steel table and ended a crumpled heap on the floor. His body screamed but he quickly moved and slammed his back into the nearest wall, just as one of the microscopes smashed into the floor where he used to be. He looked at Ra's and froze. His face hadn't changed, but the eyes… Jonathan blinked and the look was gone; molten steel cooled to silver and the Doctor shuddered. It was unnerving to see.
The Immortal picked up the writhing guard and pinned Jonathan with a look, "Do not move", then he left. Crane did not move; he didn't dare. He looked at the work top and started to shake. He'd used the wrong toxin. "Fuck", he muttered. He started to rock. He was no fool. He knew Ra's would test the toxin and realise what the good doctor had been up to. Sparks flew across his vision; or were they bats? His body felt like it was on fire as he twitched and shuddered and rocked. The bats blurred his vision. Fear. What had the guard said? He felt his body jerk as his head hit the floor. He saw a splash of white in the darkness. He smiled, "One for sorrow."
Ra's Al Ghul was a patient man. Yet he found himself pacing in his quarters, flexing his fingers, willing himself to focus on something – anything – other than the Doctor. He couldn't remember the last time he'd been tempted to squeeze the life out of someone. What was worse was knowing that Crane knew he was pissing him off; knew that he was pushing him. 'But why?' The Immortal paused in front of one of his many monitors and stared at the dark haired man shaking against the wall. He watched as the Doctor started to rock, hands over his ears and muttering to himself and turned up the volume.
"Bats."
He cocked an eyebrow at that and smirked. He found the idea that Crane was suddenly scared of bats rather than himself rather amusing, albeit a little annoying. He watched the man crumple in to a heap on the floor and sighed. Sometimes he wondered if there was any merit in the story Crane had told him about the Narrows. He was very certain it was a rouse, yet there seemed to be something behind it. He had seen where Crane had ended up, so it was safe to say the Doctor hadn't done too well in the aftermath of his scheme. Never-the-less, the Immortal decided it was time to remind Dr Jonathan Crane who was in charge here.
Ra's marched into the laboratory and stared down at the still quivering mass that was the Doctor. He was tempted to stomp on the little bastard until he stopped moving but he settled for reaching down and slapping him awake. He enjoyed the look of absolute terror immensely. It was about time Crane learnt his place in life and Ra's was all too willing to teach him. He'd had many vagabonds and egotistic morons turn up at the temple believing they had what it took to join the League of Shadows. It was honestly one of the things he did not miss. He would have to thank Bruce Wayne for forcing him underground. After he stabbed him in the back of course. But this man was not the type of idiot he usually found himself dealing with. Crane's intelligence, and madness, made him dangerous and Ra's knew he had failed to recognise that. He had proof of what the Doctor could do, and proof that the young man had a tenuous rip on sanity at times. 'And this Scarecrow'. He wasn't sure what to make of that. He'd heard rumours of the man turning into this entirely different persona. Either people were exaggerating or his alter-ego had come to life when Batman fed him his own toxin. "Scarecrow" would turn up with some persuasion he was sure. For now he still had the Doctor himself to deal with.
"My Dear Doctor, whatever are you up to?"
Jonathan opted not to answer. He was quite sure talking would only make things worse.
"Very well, I'll sum things up for you, shall I? I've been quite lax and let you believe that you are allowed to do whatever you wish while you are here. I'm aware this is not the most pleasant situation, but I had mistakenly thought you could be civil through out what I had hoped to be a short transaction. The toxin you tested on my guard was meant for me, of that I am certain. I do not know why you attacked the guard instead but I am guessing patience is not one of your virtues."
Jonathan clamped his mouth shut praying Scarecrow didn't make a sudden come back. One snide remark and he was pretty sure the Immortal would beat him to death.
"Although you have been confined here I had hoped to treat you as a guest."
'Liar.'
"I gave you access to my laboratory as a sign of good faith."
'Liar', Jonathan could feel his jaw throb.
"I left a guard with you to assist you if needed and as a means to reach me if you required anything."
'Liar!' His head throbbed.
"But now I see that was a mistake. You are not a guest, you are here to work. You will stay in this room, but your access to any materials will be severely limited, unless I myself have allowed it. Your only guard from here on shall be me."
Jonathan breathed hard as Ra's hunkered down and grabbed his chin, forcing him to look into those steel eyes.
"I am in charge here. You will do as you are told or there will be consequences. The guard was my failure, so you may breathe Doctor."
Jonathan let out a shaky breath and quickly sucked it back in.
"But I will not tolerate anymore of this nonsense."
He felt like a five year old at that comment; except most five year olds don't have the threat of torture and death hanging over their heads. He was starting to hyperventilate.
"I suggest you get some sleep Doctor. We have much work to do."
The moment the Immortal left was the moment Jonathan was able to peel himself from the wall. He stood for a moment, taking in as much air as he could in large, deep gulps. Then he ran for the door. Locked. 'Shit, shit, shit.' He spun, his body shaking as the panic set in. 'Have to get out, have to get out, have to get out, was that a bat?' He froze and stared at the ceiling. He spotted a vent at the top of the wall. He started pulling tables and chairs over to the wall, ignoring the noise of apparatus smashing on the concrete floor. He grunted as he slammed his shoulder in to one of the work benches and wanted to scream at it. He wasn't going fast enough. His muscles felt like they were on fire. He still wasn't going fast enough. He was going to get caught. 'Need to go faster. Must go faster.' He slammed the table into the wall and started pilling the chairs on top and whatever else he could find on top, including his cot. He hauled himself up until he was level with the vent. He pulled and pushed and tried pulling out the screws. He needed a screwdriver. 'Why don't I have a screwdriver?' He started punching it. He could feel the skin rip and the blood drip down his fingers. 'Why don't I have a fucking screwdriver?' He kept punching. He tasted blood. He felt his teeth bite down hard on his bottom lip. He paused, breathing heavy, trying to think. He had to get out. His vision was fuzzy.
"Doctor."
A/N – Finally. Sorry I took so long with this. Don't know if anyone's bothering with it anyway lol. I know it's a lot of dialogue and randomness and mostly from Jonathan's P.O.V but that just seems to be the way it's going at the moment.
As for the possibility of Slash, I'm really not sure. I'll make sure to warn you.
