Author's Note: Here's Chapter 4! Yay! Anyways, here's a dramatic, frightening part where Anya's past catches up to her.

Please read, review, and comment. I appreciate love 😊

I do not own DC comics or their characters. I just own Anya Martinez.

Chapter 4 I'm Trouble Now

The lights began to flicker repeatedly. The crowd on the dance floor began to whisper and panic. The lights turned completely off and turned back on within seconds. The stage was ambushed by men wearing dark sacks over their faces and they held big guns in their hands. The men divided to one or the other side of the stage, so someone can enter directly down the middle.

He looks like a scarecrow; a very frightening one with the scariest mask I've ever seen before.

"I'm looking for someone," he finally speaks, his voice is strange, and it must be because of fumes. He moves towards the edge of the stage and searches around everyone. "I said I'm looking for someone. If you tell me where she is, then I'll make sure none of you choke to your deaths."

"Who are you looking for?" a man asks at the bottom front of the stage. "Tell us who and I'll tell you."

"Her name's Anya Martinez. I want her now and preferably alive and unharmed. I shouldn't be too picky, though. If she's hurt or lost an arm or leg, I'll take her anyways," he answers darkly than earlier.

I swallow hard. My breathing deepens, and I fear this will end badly. A dark backpack I placed on the roof of the plaza has my gear. I've always made it my business to be prepared for anything. I must make an escape to change into my costume. I run to the nearest exit without making a scene.

"Like I said before, if you hand her over to me now, I may spare all your lives," the scarecrow looking man says. I can hear him use the microphone as I finish up on the roof. I slip on my domino mask. It never takes me long to get ready. If he wants me, then I'll let him have me. "If your truest fears don't eat you alive first."

The window ceiling is the only way down quicker. I jump through it and land on the stage as the glass falls below like rain. I raise my bo staff that meets the scarecrow man's neck. It's obvious he wasn't prepared to meet me.

"I must have hit the jackpot. This is…much better than what I imagined," the scarecrow speaks lightly. For some reason, I feel like I know this man. The familiar tone despite the voice being altered by something.

"Whatever you had planned, it's over. Leave these people alone," I threaten. I jam the bo staff harder into him. I refuse to show any fear or intimidation.

"I must say, you came along very nicely, Nighthunt," his low, raspy voice compliments me. His hand reaches out to stroke my cheek. I slightly tremble from his touch. "I trained you very well. I made you better than you ever were, buttercup. I picked you up like the trash you were; I cleaned you, polished you, and reassembled you into a bigger, better product. In a way, I am your creator."

Jonathan Crane?

"Come with me, Nighthunt. The two of us will rule Gotham, and together, we will drown this city into their worst fears. Imagine…that this city can be ran by nightmares, and fear will be the only common emotion. The other emotions will die with the humanity they all lacked. The fear we'll have will never, ever compromise our strength," he explains proudly and runs his gloved fingers along my jawline. "We will be Gods, Nighthunt."

Superman slams down on his knees in front of the stage. He rises and glares at the scarecrow man. "I don't think so, Scarecrow," Superman says angrily. "Get away from him, Nighthunt. Now!"

I find myself jumping off the stage and landing beside Superman. Scarecrow chuckles manically, and withdrawals a needle from his costume. He points it upwards, as a signal to someone, and a red gas enters the room from all the air vents. The gasps, screams, and the panic from the people takes over the room. The scarecrow's henchmen lock all the doors from the outside. The Scarecrow makes his way off the stage and comes closer to us.

"Then you choose fear, Nighthunt. Your fears will indeed, betray you and no one will be able to save you," Scarecrow screams louder than I imagined. "Not even Superman can save you! Not even Batman can save you! I won't even save you!"

Superman growls with rage and grabs Scarecrow by his neck and flies up towards the ceiling before throwing him down onto a table. I race over to the table to fight Scarecrow but Batman flies down from the roof.

"Help Wonder Woman and the others. You need to get these people to safety," Batman orders. I nod my head and head to the exit that Wonder Woman made.

Kid Flash, Robin, and Superboy were guiding people out while Green Lantern and Flash were fighting Scarecrow's henchmen. I run over to help them, but the red gas fumes hit my face. The toxin is spreading faster now. The smell is strong, and I can feel the poison affecting me more.

"Go on, seek your most terrible fears. Embrace the nightmares. Live in the fear. Use the fear's strength and take what you want. Do what feels natural to you," the scarecrow's voice echoes in my ears.

I cough hard. I practically choke on my own blood. My vision's blurry; all my senses are being compromised. My head and body ache horribly from whatever fumes I'm inhaling. The red thick cloud that the scarecrow man leaked into the room surrounds all around me. The superheroes I saw just a while ago are nowhere to be found. I fear I'm giving into my fears because my heart rate is high.

A screeching, high pitch noise booms in my ears; I can feel my mouth open but I'm not sure if I'm screaming, though. A large, dark shadow comes out from the heavy fog. I stumble backwards as I attempt to grab my bo staff to fight.

Live in the fear.

My grip on my weapon feels natural. A hunger comes from within me to fight. To kill. A big, monstrous bat with sharp fangs and claws comes closer. I strike it hard first. I jump on it and choke it with my bare hands. The savage thirst I have is fulfilling. The fear I had becomes a strength; Scarecrow was right.

I suddenly feel my body being lifted as if I weighed nothing. I'm placed on a table and a hand comes into my view and I'm sprayed in the face with something strong. A minute must have passed, and my vision clears. Superman and Batman were looking down at me. The red gas is gone.

"What happened to me?" I ask quietly. My throat hurts terribly.

"You were infected with Scarecrow's toxin," Batman says, and moves away to search around for clues to find Scarecrow. "You're extremely lucky I had an antibiotic serum to cleanse the toxins from your nostrils. Just to be on the safe side, you better come with me to make sure the toxins are complete flushed out.

"But the important thing is, you're okay, Anya," Superman says, and kisses my forehead. How dare he unmask me in front of Batman, though. I let it slide, simply because the other heroes were gone. "You're going to be okay."

"Where are the others?" I ask, hoping the worst hasn't happened. I sit up despite Superman holding my forearms for my safety. "Where's Jessica?"

"She left with the others to make sure those who inhaled Scarecrow's toxins made it to the hospital safely," Batman answers promptly.

"And Jon? Where's he?" I ask Superman.

"With the others as well," Superman responds thoughtfully. "Which reminds me, I need to lecture him about running away…"

I run a hand through my hair and exhale. "Did the toxins infect you guys? Did it infect anyone else?" I ask dreadfully. I want to know, but then again, I don't.

"From what I discovered, the toxin only infects those who are vulnerable to their own fears. It didn't affect me. It didn't affect Superman. It didn't affect the others. Just you," Batman replies darkly. He turns to look at me; it appears like he's trying to dissect me. "But what I can't figure out is how your connected to Scarecrow. Would you care to tell us how you know him, Anya?"