Chapter 4: A Party, Arkham, and Vengeance
Disclaimer: See chapter one.
To anyone who cares, it might be a little bit before my next update. I'm going home from college on Saturday, and I live out in the boonies, which means: NO WIRELESS INTERNET!!! *Sobs* But don't worry, I'll work on it and do a mass update at some point unless I decide to drive to my aunt's house to upload stuff when I'm done with a chapter. Just stay with me.
*~*~*~*~*~*
She began to jump up and down. "Oh, oh, oh! I've got an idea. A lovely, lovely idea."
"Yes, Ragdoll?" Jonathan asked in amusement at her antics.
"We're gonna get rid of 'em, right?"
"Of course. We can't have them poking about in our business any longer. Do you have any suggestions?" Jonathan watched her as she began to let her hands flutter around in excitement.
"Well, I thought, before we get rid of them, let's see who they are. That way we can tell everyone and the other Rogues can have their turn getting revenge upon the mean, mean flying rodent that was never nice enough to sit down and talk with you all." She stopped jumping. "What do you think?"
"Wonderful idea, Ragdoll. And then we can gas them afterward." Jonathan reached out to pull off Batman's mask.
Sirens rang out as police cars neared.
"On second thought, boss, let's make a nice little get-away. They'll be here for awhile." Nadia stated.
Jonathan could see the flashing lights down the street. "Agreed. Come along, Ragdoll." He grabbed her hand. "Farewell Batman. Enjoy your time in cuffs." He tugged Nadia after him as they went to the secret escape passage.
They were two streets away when they finally emerged from the hidden underground passage.
Nadia stood on her tiptoes to see farther down the street to the warehouse. "You think they'll realize we're gone the moment they enter, or will it take a few minutes?"
Jonathan laughed. "It'll take a few minutes. Come along, Ragdoll. Time to go home."
She smiled up at him. "Okay, Scarecrow. You want pancakes for breakfast? I'm craving chocolate chip pancakes."
"Pancakes are fine."
They walked through the streets until they reached the Narrows and their apartment.
Nadia asked a question that Jonathan never expected once they were inside and masks were off. "Can I have a rabbit?"
He turned to her. "You want a rabbit?"
She nodded, her face serious. "I've only had one pet in my life and it was a goldfish. It died from being exposed to soap."
"Why was it exposed to soap?"
She looked at her feet. "He was drunk and I did something that made him mad. He grabbed the dish soap and poured almost the whole container into the fishbowl. Goldie died not that long after."
"We'll see, Nadia. Go get some sleep. Pleasant dreams."
She smiled at him. "Night, Jonathan. Pleasant dreams to you, too." She slipped off to her room.
Jonathan shook his head and went off to his room as well.
Three days later, Nadia and Jonathan were at the Iceberg Lounge.
They were surrounded by the free members of the Rogues' Gallery.
Ozzie had finally pulled together a party in which they welcomed Nadia, or Ragdoll as most of the others knew her, to their ranks.
Harley, the Joker, Two-Face, Pamela, Killer Croc, the Mad Hatter, the Riddler, and the Ventriloquist were all present. The rest were still locked up in Arkham.
Jonathan watched from by the table full of food as Nadia talked with Harley and Pamela.
Both women were excited about having another woman in the ranks and were busy telling Nadia absolutely everything about everyone else.
The Joker, Riddler, and Two-Face were standing by the bar, discussing Jonathan and Nadia's historical escape.
The Joker had even tried to get Nadia to give him some of her dolls, but she'd been very adamant in her decision that only Jonathan would be the one to benefit from her dolls.
Jervis Tetch, aka the Mad Hatter, walked over to stand next to Jonathan. He sipped from the teacup he held. "She's a treasure, March. Don't lose her."
Jonathan nodded. He was quite used to being called March or Hare or March Hare by Jervis. He was somewhat flattered that Jervis counted him as his best friend. "I don't intend to lose her. Thank you for getting her a rabbit. She'll be ecstatic for days now and you'll be counted as one of her favorite people."
Jervis smiled. "I'm glad. And thank you for telling me what she'd like. I wasn't sure I could find the proper gift for her."
Jonathan looked at him for the first time since he'd walked over. "You must be somewhat pleased that you have someone who knows that story almost as well as you do and seems to get your references."
Jervis nodded. "It is a pleasant change from all the strange looks the others give me, but she is your Alice, not mine. I heard that she knows The Legend of Sleepy Hollow as well."
"She's an omnivorous reader. You should see the bookcase she has. It's jammed with books. I just hope her rabbit won't attempt to eat any of them."
Thoughts of both men turned to the fluffy little white dwarf rabbit with one gray spot around its right eye that was being stored up in Ozzie's office until Nadia and Jonathan went to leave.
Nadia had been greeting Harley and the Joker when Jervis showed up with a wire mesh cage with a red bow tied around the handle in one hand and his top hat in the other.
He had politely waited until the Joker and Harley had given Nadia their gifts (a whoopee cushion from the Joker and a joy buzzer that actually shocked people from Harley) before bowing gallantly over her gloved hand and presenting her with the cage.
Jonathan couldn't help but smile when Nadia had squealed in joy, put the cage on the floor, dropped to her knees beside it, opened the cage door, and pulled out the rabbit to cuddle it close.
"He's adorable! Thank you very much, Mr. Hatter." She stood up and kissed Jervis's cheek.
Jervis had blushed. "Pish tosh, my dear. It was nothing."
She held up her rabbit so she could touch her masked nose to its nose. "He's absolutely perfect. I shall name him Ears in honor of the Marvelous Mad March Hare. Oh, but he's missing his waistcoat. I shall have to fix that once I'm home tonight." She turned to Jonathan. "What do you think of Ears, Scarecrow? Isn't he just darling?"
Jonathan looked the rabbit over. "It'll do, I suppose. It will probably make a very nice guinea pig for our toxins."
Nadia had gasped in horror and held Ears close. "No. Absolutely not. We are not using Ears to test our toxins. I will go out and find people to test them on, but we are NOT using my rabbit for any experiments."
Jervis had smiled. "A noble sediment Miss Ragdoll. And I'm sure Ears will be very thankful for such care."
She turned to him. "Thank you once again, Mr. Hatter. You got me exactly what I wanted."
He had picked up the cage for her to put Ears back in it. "Please my dear, call me Jervis or Hatter."
"Very well, Jervis." She gasped once more. "Oh, I am a terrible hostess! Allow me to get you a cup of tea. Scarecrow, would you talk to Ozzie about storing Ears in his office until we leave? I don't like the looks Croc is sending poor Ears."
Jonathan had nodded and taken the cage from Jervis and set off to find Ozzie.
Nadia bound over to Jonathan and Jervis. "It's a wonderful party, don't you think? And everyone's been so nice to me."
Jonathan put an arm around her shoulders. "That is because you are impossible to hate, Ragdoll. What do you think of everyone?"
Nadia's eyes looked around at those gathered.
"Harley is going to become one of my best friends. If you'll pardon me saying, I think she'd be better off without the Joker. She's got a duality that would make her perfect for Harvey. You know how I feel about Pamela since she and Ozzie met me when we came to get help finding the perfect hideout and some willing henchmen. Harvey's great and I really like him. I'll have to see about getting him a small case for his coin so he doesn't lose it, or perhaps make a small pouch for it. Edward is nice. He's got some nice riddles and he's offered to make me some logic puzzles to figure out when I told him I like to mess with them. Croc's not too bad; I still don't like the looks he was giving Ears, but he's got a soft heart underneath his scaly exterior. And Scarface seems all right." She looked at the Joker for half a minute and then at Jonathan. "The Joker's not all that bad if you can get past the murderous tendencies." She leaned forward to look at Jervis. "And of course, we can't forget Jervis who is just utterly frabjous. One day Jervis, and you mark my words, you will have someone who will understand you and is just as obsessed with Lewis Carroll as you. And she will most definitely be your Alice and your true and proper Alice."
Jervis smiled at her. "Perhaps one day."
Nadia smiled at him before she got a strange feeling in her gut that told her to leave, taking her bag with her. She stared off into space for a moment, eyebrows drawn together as she thought about it.
Jonathan looked at her. "Something wrong, Ragdoll?"
She shook off her feeling and looked at him. "I don't think so. I'll be back, gonna make a quick trip to the ladies' room." She grabbed her bag (which held a change of clothes) and went to the bathroom.
For reasons unknown to her, she changed into her 'normal' clothes and out of her Ragdoll outfit.
The Rogues were still mingling with each other when Batman, Robin, and police burst into the room. Their first thoughts were escape and they tried their best to get out of the room and building.
No one succeeded.
Batman went straight for Jonathan. He pulled off his mask. "Where is your friend?" he demanded sharply.
Jonathan just smirked. "You won't find her. And only I know who she really is. Ragdoll won't be caught."
The Joker looked around. "Where is the little doll anyway?" He began to struggle. "Damn it Crane, you brought a traitor into our midst. She's betrayed us!"
"No she hasn't. Ragdoll just happens to be smarter than any of us know, and perhaps more gifted than even I thought she was." Jonathan had a theory that Nadia had a sixth sense about capture and didn't know it.
Batman tossed Jonathan's mask down in disgust and strode off past the crowd that was gathering outside the doors to the private dining room.
Nadia was in that crowd and watched with everyone else as Batman and Robin passed and the Rogues were led out.
Jonathan met her gaze for a brief moment, an insane-looking grin splitting his face. He conveyed his pride over her escape in the few seconds he let himself catch her eye.
Nadia entered the room once it was empty and everyone had dispersed. She kneeled down and picked up Jonathan's mask.
Running fingertips over it, she vowed that she'd do whatever she could to make Batman's life a living hell.
She put the mask in her bag and decided to go see Ozzie.
*~*~*~*
Batman stood on the other side of Ozzie's desk, his fist clutching Ozzie's shirt front. "Tell me who she is." he demanded.
Robin just watched on in slight amusement.
Ozzie blinked up at Batman in fearful surprise. "I don't know who she is. Jonathan only referred to her as Ragdoll when they came to a few days ago. It was the only time he came to me for help since he'd broken out of Arkham."
"Liar! Who. Is. She?" Batman pulled Ozzie further across his desk.
Ozzie's eyes widened.
He swallowed sharply. "I don't know. Really I don't. Just some girl he found I think. I didn't ask."
"One of your old 'friends' stops by with a girl dressed up like a ragdoll and you didn't think to ask about her?! Not your style, Penguin." Batman hissed.
Ozzie held up his hands. "He's never worked with anyone before, but there's plenty of times Edward shows up with girls all the time."
"The Scarecrow isn't the Riddler." Robin put in helpfully.
Ozzie shot him a cold look. "Of this I am aware." He looked back at Batman. "He mentioned that she had created a paralytic gas. I figured that he was going to convince her to give him the formula and then dispose of the poor girl. How was I to know that she would help him escape your clutches? The party was arranged by the others in order for them to meet her. I merely provided the room and such."
Batman saw the cage with Ears in it. "And why is there a rabbit in your office?"
Ozzie looked at Ears. "It was a gift from the Hatter to Ragdoll if I'm not mistaken. She was not pleased with the looks Croc was giving it and asked that it be placed here until she and Crane were ready to leave. Though, as the girl is probably long gone, I shall now have to find a home for it."
A timid sounding knock came from the door.
"Mr. Cobblepot, sir? Are you busy? I'd like a word if possible." came Nadia's voice softly through the door.
Batman looked from the door to Ozzie.
"One of my employees. If you don't mind, I have a business to run." Ozzie straightened his shirt when Batman released him.
"I will be back." Batman warned.
Ozzie cleaned his monocle. "I expect no less."
The knock came again.
"Just a moment my dear Miss Holmes." Ozzie called. He put his monocle back and looked around the room.
The Caped Crusader and his Boy Wonder were gone.
"Come in Nadia."
Nadia entered, aware that Batman had just been in the room. She was going to be very careful. "Good evening, Mr. Cobblepot. I was wondering if I could start my shift a little early tonight. I'd like to either get some overtime or get off early. I need to go over some papers regarding the majors offered at Gotham University."
Ozzie smiled at her. "Of course, dear child. Schooling is very important. Do you have any idea as to what you'd like to do?"
She hoped Ozzie would get her request that she was about to ask in a sort of code. "I was thinking architecture and architectural design. Would it be possible for me to get a look at the blue prints to your club? The design it just fascinating." She pulled out Jonathan's mask a little bit.
Ozzie knew she was really asking for blue prints of Arkham. "Of course. In fact, come up after your shift and I shall give you a copy."
She smiled. "Thank you, sir." She turned to leave.
Ozzie stopped her. "Miss Holmes, do you have a pet?"
She turned to face him. "No, sir. But I've always wanted one."
Ozzie grinned. "It seems that I have been left a rabbit by an acquaintance and simply have no time for it. Would you be a dear and take it off my hands?"
She smiled. "Of course, Mr. Cobblepot. I'll be up to get it once I'm off as it's no doubt the lovely little fellow in the cage over there."
"Very observant, Miss Holmes. Yes, that is indeed the fine fellow of which I spoke. He and your copy of the blue prints will be waiting for you."
Nadia nodded and went downstairs to get to work.
The hours flew by and Nadia was once more standing before Ozzie's desk after her shift.
Ozzie handed her a roll of papers. "I took the liberty of marking the room they've placed him in on the blue prints. You can speak freely. I've turned on the device that negates Batman's listening devices."
She put them in her bag. "Thanks Ozzie. Is there any way I can get a message to him?"
He picked up a pen. "Of course, my dear. And the message?"
She picked up Ears' cage. "Tell him, Ragdoll will be coming for him as soon as possible and to stay away from outside walls. He should understand what I mean by that."
Ozzie wrote it down. "He shall have it in the morning." He looked up at her. "Will you be all right on your own, my dear?"
Nadia gave him a smirk. "Trust me, Ozzie. There's not a thing to worry about. Just make sure Jonathan gets that message and all will be fine." She left.
*~*~*~*
Jonathan sat at the table with the chess board on it, staring sadly at the pieces.
Jervis sat on the other side of the board. "You know, Jonathan, usually it is me that needs to be reminded to go. Whatever is the matter?"
Jonathan moved a piece, not really in the game. "I miss Ragdoll. It just doesn't seem right without her around."
The Rogues had been in Arkham for five days already and Jonathan had barely been able to sleep. He'd refused to eat the food given to him, just pushing it around his plate as he thought of what Nadia would have cooked for that meal.
Jervis studied his friend before just quietly moving one of his knights. "Check."
Pamela looked up from the old gardening magazine she was reading. "You know, I think you've finally found a little ray of sunshine to brighten up your dark little world."
Jonathan sat straight up and fixed Pamela with a look that normally froze people where they were. "I will have you know, Miss Isley, that I do not need her like you are implying. My world is just fine just the way it is. Ragdoll is merely good to have around because of her usefulness to my plots. She is a minor inconvenience that shall be disposed of once I have her formula."
Pamela rolled her eyes. "Whatever you say, Jonathan. But I think you're deluding yourself."
Jonathan said nothing, but threw himself into the chess game.
Jervis still beat him.
He stalked away from the table, seething because he couldn't seem to concentrate because Nadia wasn't around.
Harley was sitting by the radio on the other side of the room, trying to find music that fit her mood.
Jonathan perked up when the beginning strains to a song Nadia had blasted from her room since the day she'd gotten a new wardrobe reached his ears. He'd never paid attention to the lyrics since he preferred classical music, but now he actually listened to it.
Harley went to change the station. She jumped when Jonathan yelled 'don't change it!'.
He drew closer to the radio, humming the tune under his breath.
Two lines spoke to him more than the others.
She is everything I need that I never knew I wanted. She is everything that I want that I never knew I needed. (A/N: I do not own the lyrics or music or anything related to the song She Is. It belongs to the Fray. And if you've never heard the song, you should find it.)
Jonathan sank into a chair and stared at the radio as the truth of the lyrics sunk in.
Harley looked at him in concern. "You all right, Dr. Crane?"
He sighed and smiled at her wryly. "I'm fine, Miss Quinn. I've merely come to a conclusion that has no doubt been staring me in the face for over three or so months."
Jervis shared a look with Pamela. "I take it, March, that you have realized that Ragdoll is anything but an inconvenience." he stated as he reset the chess pieces.
Jonathan glared at him and reached out to turn off the radio. "I haven't any idea what you're talking about."
Harley grinned. "Sure ya do! Doll is one of us now. And it's all 'cause you found her."
Harvey spoke up from the couch where he was watching the TV. "And she is giving the Bat hell judging by what I see."
In an instant, Jonathan, Jervis, Pamela, and Harley joined Harvey and the Riddler before the TV.
On the screen was a picture of the roof top of the police department.
The Bat Signal was a mass of smoking metal that had apparently been quite gleefully blown up. There was a swarm of police on the roof and some were zipping what looked to be a body dressed up like a ragdoll into a body bag. The camera zoomed in on a message that had been written on the roof in what appeared to be blood.
It read 'CATCH ME IF YOU CAN'.
The Riddler gave a low whistle. "Girl's got guts to taunt him like that. She's brave, I'll give her that. Destroying the Bat Signal in broad daylight like that; dangerous move."
"What does she think she's doing?!" Jonathan hissed through clenched teeth. "She's just begging to be caught."
"Chill, Doc. I think Doll knows exactly what she's doing." Scarface told him. "She's getting revenge for what Batsy has done. He and his friends did crash her party and arrest her guests after all."
Jonathan gritted his teeth. He was going to have a very stern word with Nadia when he saw her next.
A guard walked over. "Break it up. Time for dinner anyway."
Everyone groaned. They hated the food served at Arkham.
It was a well known fact among the Gallery that most of them escaped just to get away from the food. The only one who really didn't care what was served was Killer Croc since he'd eat just about everything put before him.
Those in the Rec Room walked as slowly as they could get away with to the Mess Hall. They lined up and got the slop that was being served that night.
Jonathan carried his tray to the Rogues' table and wrinkled his nose at what was on his tray. "I bet Ragdoll made a stir-fry tonight. It is Thursday after all and she always makes an Oriental dish on Thursdays." he muttered.
Jervis poked the glob of gelatinous material on his tray that was supposed to be the main course with his fork. "Jonathan, if you're going to lament the cook's lack of cooking skills, could you please not mention food that is actually edible? It makes one lose their appetite. And as the rest of us have not had the pleasure of tasting Ragdoll's apparently delicious food, do us a favor and just think your hypotheses of what she has cooked for the meal we are tempting to eat."
There was a loud bang from outside that sounded like a bomb exploding in the employee parking lot.
Guards went running and all the inmates of Arkham were immediately taken back to their cells.
Jonathan laid down on his cot and stared up at the ceiling.
There came a tapping sound from his window and he looked up to see Nadia.
He jumped to his feet and ran over to the window.
The glass was too thick to talk through, so she pointed at him once and then pointed at the farthest corner from the window.
He got the message and huddled in the corner.
Nadia placed a bomb doll on the outside windowsill, quickly climbed up the rope she'd used to descend to his window, pulled it up, and pressed the button that detonated the doll.
A large hole was blown in the side of the building and Nadia lowered the rope before she began to climb down it.
Jonathan reached the ground before she did and grabbed her hand. "What you did was entirely foolish."
She handed him his mask. "Save the lecture until we're home, 'kay? We need to get out of here before the Bat realizes that my distraction on the other side of town is just that, a distraction, and decides to come crash this party. The others will be getting out tomorrow when the virus I put into Arkham's computer system goes into effect and opens all the doors" She tugged him after her once he put his mask on.
A few guards attempted to stop them, but Nadia just gassed them or incapacitated them with a few punches or kicks.
A car was waiting for them outside the gates.
Nadia tossed herself into the backseat, dragging Jonathan with her. "Drive!" she exclaimed to the henchman in the front seat.
He floored the gas pedal and off they shot, the car door slamming shut.
Nadia leaned back in her seat and smiled over at Jonathan. "Well, whatcha think? Was my method effective enough?"
He glared at her. "You taunted him! He's going to go out of his way to find you. Who was that person dressed up like a ragdoll anyway?"
She waved her hand airily. "An annoyance. He said something he shouldn't have and paid for it. And taunting him was the only thing I could think of to get his attention so I could divert it from the Asylum. I have no wish to fight him at the moment." She pulled out a Tupperware dish and a fork from a bag under the seat. "Here; I brought you dinner. Pamela and Harley told me that the food in there sucks."
He took both, removed his mask, and took the lid off the dish.
The smell of a spicy chicken stir-fry over rice wafted up to his nose.
"I knew you'd cooked a stir-fry." he told her before he took a bite.
She chuckled. "Of course I did. It's a Thursday, isn't it?" She turned her attention to the driver. "Pull over here please."
He complied.
Nadia grabbed her stuff and got out, leaving a toxin doll in the back seat.
Jonathan had an idea as to what she was going to do and joined her outside the car.
She made the doll explode to release the toxin and then opened the car door. "I'm sorry to do this, but I cannot risk our safety.
The guy stared up at her in fear as she held out her arm and pressed the lever that released the fear toxin she carried. He began to twitch slightly.
Nadia had come to find out in the last few days, that when exposed to the toxins in the order of her toxin and then Jonathan's toxin, people would go incurably insane and sometimes attempt to commit suicide. She knew it'd be enough to protect her and Jonathan, even though it would deter people from becoming their henchmen.
"People aren't going to want to work for us if you do that to everyone." he told her after swallowing the bite he had.
"That's why I shall only do it to those who help me free you from wherever you're being kept. And those who are disrespectful to you, but they shall get the toxins applied in the opposite order like Raggedy Andy almost got earlier today." She began to walk away from the car containing the guy.
Jonathan followed. "What did he say that made you kill him?"
She looked at him. "Oh, no. I didn't kill him. One of Ozzie's men did. They laced his drink with a poison that turned his insides to mush. Luckily it didn't go into effect until after we were on the roof." She disappeared into a large shed that couldn't be seen from the road.
He followed her in and turned his back to her with a slight blush when he realized that she was changing from her Ragdoll outfit to her 'normal' clothes. "What did he say?"
"Said you probably deserved everything you got since you and Jervis were sissies compared to the rest. That you two relied on your gases and mind control devices too much. I will not stand for my friends to be called weak, and I will not tolerate someone saying anything bad about you." She put her bag in the back seat and handed him some clothes. She took the fork and Tupperware dish and turned her back towards Jonathan as he changed. "We'll have to show them that you no longer are as defenseless as they think. And Jervis isn't completely reliant on his cards; they just choose not to see that."
Jonathan turned to her once he was done changing. "Let's go home, Nadia."
She saluted him and climbed into the driver's side door of the car.
Once Jonathan was in the car, she backed it out of the shed and drove towards Gotham using the back roads.
Jonathan studied her as she drove. "You said that you had a distraction set up across town. What was it?"
She smiled. "You know how I got his attention, and even though you aren't pleased with how I got it, it meant that he'd be searching the city for Ragdoll and not watching Arkham. So I had a couple henchmen kidnap Commissioner Gordon and the mayor's daughter. They were to take them to an abandoned toy factory that used to make Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls. I made a plain scarecrow doll, fit it with a tiny transmitter so we can find Batman's hideout, and told them to tie the doll up with them as it was a bomb. I was careful and used scissors to cut the thread instead of biting the thread like I normally do so he can't trace my DNA."
"Won't the henchmen become suspicious if you don't show up?"
She laughed. "Jonathan, I set up a mannequin in an office on the second floor to look like me. I set it up to a pulley system with very thin wire to make it a marionette and closed the shades. Batman will kill the lights like usual, and no one will be any the wiser. He'll find my lovely little gift on the desk and be pissed that he fell for my ploy."
Jonathan smirked. "What did you leave him?"
"Oh, just a little box with a pressure sensitive button inside that will release both toxins from two small canisters hidden under the desk. And on top of this button is a tape recorder with a message from yours truly stating that he's easy to fool since I had only been there earlier that day and had left to achieve my true goal, freeing you from Arkham. The message then becomes laughter before I warn him oh so casually about the toxin being leaked into the room. Then a small bomb will explode, setting the building on fire, and he'll have to get out of there."
"Won't that make him leave the doll behind?"
She shook her head. "Oh no, I have a feeling that leaving behind the doll would be the very last thing he'd want to do. It might have a clue as to who I am. And the transmitter is a teeny-tiny chip hidden among all the stuffing in little Crow's hat."
"He'll attempt to trace the signal once he finds it." Jonathan pointed out.
"Fail-safe virus embedded in the chip's program. Anyone attempts to trace where the signal it gives off goes to, chip's circuits fry themselves and sends a nasty little virus into the computer system it's attached to. And by nasty, I mean the computer equivalent of the HIV virus. It's constantly mutating."
Jonathan threw his head back and laughed.
Nadia turned up the radio some and sang along with the music.
Jonathan just watched her.
*~*~*~*
The apartment was dark and snoring came from the bedroom.
Jonathan slipped through the darkness, a grim smile on his face.
The man in the bed slumbered on, unaware of the danger he was. He instantly awoke when Jonathan stuffed a gag in his mouth and tied him down.
Jonathan leaned over the man after turning on a bedside lamp. "Hello."
The man tried to scream for help.
Jonathan continued in a kindly-sounding voice that meant trouble for the man. "Oh, no one can hear you. They're deeply sleeping thanks to the wonderful new toxin Ragdoll has created. Knocks you out and makes you completely oblivious to the world."
The man stared up at him.
Jonathan grinned darkly behind his mask. "No doubt you're wondering what I want. Does the name Nadia Holmes ring a bell to you, Mr. Finnegan?"
The man's eyes widened.
"So it does. Wonderful. Do you know what you've done to her, Mr. Finnegan? How you've made her think she wasn't beautiful, when in fact she is the most beautiful creature that graces this Earth with her presence? I simply cannot allow for what you have done to slide." Jonathan pulled out a knife. "And so, I am here for vengeance, Mr. Finnegan. It shall be slow and it shall be painful, for you anyway. For me, it shall be quite fun and satisfying."
The man screamed through the gag.
Jonathan took off his mask and leaned down to whisper in the man's ear. "And do you want to know what the best thing about this vengeance is? You won't be walking away from it and you shall become that which you called her, ugly. Your own mother won't be able to recognize you." He pulled his mask back on and sprayed the man (one Vincent Finnegan, Nadia's worst tormenter) with a very concentrated dose of his toxin. He sat back to wait while the toxin went to work.
Vincent began to fight his bonds and scream as loud as he could through the gag. He eventually choked and stopped moving.
Jonathan felt for a pulse and grinned when he found none. He pulled the gag from the now dead man's mouth and cut out his tongue.
It was placed on the nightstand and Jonathan set about cutting Vincent's face with random knife strokes.
When he was finished, you could barely tell that the face had once belonged to a human.
Jonathan wiped the knife clean on the sheets, untied the body, and left.
Nadia was still up when he walked in. She was sitting on the couch in a pair of light green silk pajamas and a long soft bathrobe the color of dark emeralds with her legs drawn up to her chest.
He locked the door after him. "You should be in bed."
She fixed him with a look. "And we're supposed to be keeping a low profile for awhile. You went out and could have been caught."
He tossed his mask down next to hers on the table by the door and crossed over to her. "But I didn't get caught. If I had, it would have been my own stupidity that allowed that to happen."
She flung herself into his arms. "I was worried about you. Where'd you go?"
He hugged her close and stroked her hair. "Don't worry about me, Nadia. Just worry about yourself. I have no wish for anything to happen to you, and I was careful so that no one could follow me."
She looked up at him. "You've only been out of Arkham for four days. I don't want you to go back."
He smiled softly at her. "I'll try not to. Harvey merely wanted to meet for a drink. One of Ozzie's bartenders created a new drink and named it after a motive many of us Rogues have for doing what we do."
She smiled. "Revenge?"
He escorted her to her bed room door. "Close. Vengeance. Now, you get some sleep. I know you planned on cleaning the whole apartment tomorrow and you'll need plenty of rest."
She smiled at him. "Okay, Jonathan. Goodnight." She rose on her tip-toes a little bit and kissed his cheek. She shut her door after her.
Jonathan reached up and touched the spot where her lips had touched. He smiled slightly as he walked smugly to his room.
Vengeance was very sweet.
*~*~*~*~*~*