Disclaimer: I do not own any of the DC Universe's characters, only the ones I have created.
Chapter 6: An informal resignation
"You sure like tea, don't you, Eva," Terry said, his eyes on the teabag I was moving around in my cup before pulling it out and throwing it in the trash.
"Hmhm." I blew at the tea, before taking a small sip.
Terry shook his head and took a large bite of his sandwich. We were sitting in the cafeteria and it was too early. All night I was up pondering over the offer the Joker had made me. I knew that it was impossible for him to take out the gravediggers; they were everywhere. That was the main problem.
I was sure Eric and I could take on a few (I mean come on, regarding our powers and the fact that the gravediggers are mere humans), but there were only two of us left (as far as I know) and thousands of them still out there. Not to mention the fact that the gravediggers know all about our weaknesses and we have very little control of our powers.
But somehow there was a small hope bubbling inside me when I thought of the clown's words. I dreamed of a world where I wouldn't have to look over my shoulder anymore or the need to cover up the dark lines on my body.
"You heard about that new patient they're bringing in today?" Terry said with his mouthful and a smudge of mayo sitting on his chin. I set down my cup and wrapped my hands around it to warm them up.
"Hm, no?" It surprised me that I hadn't heard about this yet; usually, when we got a new patient, everyone was quite excited and afraid at the same time.
"Well, then again he's not exactly new. I heard he was at Blackgate before, but actually escaped," he continued. That explained it.
"I might see him tomorrow then; for the checkup."
Terry was shaking his head before I had finished talking.
"You're not going to do a checkup on him, Eva, you can't." My eyebrows furrowed and my eyes briefly flickered to Harleen walking in; she looked tired and when her eyes searched the room; they landed on me.
"You wouldn't be able to pierce his skin with a needle. He's not human." My eyes shot back to Terry when he had said that and I chuckled.
"What is he then?"
"They call him Killer Croc," he explained and his eyes grew big with excitement and I remembered Terry's obsession with metahumans and flying bats in the sky.
He once showed me a scrapbook filled with news articles about Superman. "Mister J said that his skin is like that of a crocodile and he's got these huge claws and sharp teeth."
"Mister J?" I asked incredulously. When did Terry start calling him Mister J? From the corner of my eyes, I saw Harleen coming this way.
Terry, who had misinterpreted my question, sat up straight and he forgot all about his sandwich he was eating. "Yeah, he's got all these cool stories and he told me that he's met Killer Croc before."
"What-, Terry, how often do you talk with him?"
"Talk with who?" Harleen asked while taking a seat at our table. She opened a lunchbox from her bag and took out two sandwiches.
"Mister J," Terry answered casually and Harleen choked on a bite of her sandwich. The blood drained from her face and she quickly took a sip of her coffee.
"You know him, right, Harleen? He's one of your patients. He talks about you a lot." Terry was oblivious to the way Harleen was affected by the Joker.
"Of course I know him," Harleen snapped and then she averted her attention to me.
"By the way, Eva, thanks for calling me and letting me know you were okay after yesterday." There was a hint of annoyance in her voice. Oops.
"Oh, God, I'm so sorry Harleen, things just got a little hectic." After my little incident with Frost, I went straight home and then in a spur back to the Asylum to confront the Joker.
Harleen seemed to relax after my apology whilst Terry was watching us with confused eyes.
"So, who were those guys? I take it nothing bad happened?" she asked and took another bite of her sandwich.
I shrugged. "Oh, just some old friends, pulling a prank on me." She looked suspicious and I didn't blame her; I didn't sound very believable, but luckily she dropped the subject.
She flipped her blonde braid over her shoulder and said: "So, I heard they're bringing in Waylon Jones today." Terry's confusion disappeared and he nodded fiercely.
"Killer Croc."
I rolled my eyes at his excitement. "I wonder where they're gonna keep him."
Harleen laughed at the way Terry's eyes shone with enthusiasm. An orderly, whose name I had forgotten, had overheard the conversation and leaned into our table to reply with:
"I heard they're going to clear out the sewers for him." Harleen looked surprised. "What? George, that's ridiculous." George, whose eyes raked over her body, grinned and shrugged.
I finished my tea and leaned back in my chair. "Not to mention it's horrible."
Terry moved his eyes to me and shook his head.
"No, Eva, he probably wants to. Mister J told me he likes living in water and dark places."
George had already completely forgotten about the conversation and kept staring at Harleen, probably wanting to ask her out.
I was focused on Terry, however; not liking the way he was becoming buddies with the Joker at all.
"Oh, Mister J said that huh?" My voice sounded bitter. Terry luckily hadn't noticed. Harleen however did; she pursed her lips and looked like as if she wanted to ask me something, but refrained.
Instead, she pushed her glasses back onto her nose and asked: "What else did Mister J tell you about Waylon?" George, who had grown tired of not getting any response from Harleen, walked back to his own table.
Terry had attacked his sandwich again with a new found joy but quickly started filling her in on some story. I shook my head slightly and stood up to get a refill on my tea.
Somehow I didn't think much of the tingling in my fingertips while I poured hot water into my cup. Since my blinking accident at night, it happened a lot and I had tried to ignore it as best as I could. Right now, however, I wished I hadn't ignored it since it was a clear warning.
I glanced at the clock; it was eight in the morning. Not a lot of other colleagues of mine had gotten the strength to get up this early to be here.
Only George and one other guy, who I didn't recognize, sat at a table, drinking coffee to keep their eyes from drooping.
It was only later that I figured one of them must have spilled the beans to the media about what had happened here today. I could only imagine the sincere look on of their faces at Gotham Gazette while they expressed their shock at seeing me sprint from the cafeteria; leaving everything behind.
"Eva, your phone's ringing," Terry remarked. I removed the teabag from my cup and turned around.
Harleen handed me my phone with a smile and continued her talk with Terry; this time it was about Batman and I could still remember wondering how Terry's eyes could be this big when talking about his favourite thing.
I glanced at the screen of my mobile, Eric, and frowned; he never called this early. I should have known by then that something was wrong.
"Hello?" I answered.
"Eva, they're here."
It was indeed Eric, but his voice was hollow. It reminded me of a long time ago in Paris where we had a similar sort of phone call.
I didn't remember dropping my cup of fresh tea. It clattered to the ground. I also didn't remember the confusion on Harleen and Terry's faces. I could see their lips moving, but my ears were ringing and my body was frozen.
My gaze dropped to my spilled tea; the cup was broken and I wondered if Arkham would make me pay for it. Seemed like the kind of thing he would do.
"Eva? I need you. Lisa is dead." I closed my eyes and felt tears burning behind them. It was definitely just like Paris.
"Meet me at the airport. Don't go home." I took a deep breath and opened my eyes; suddenly gaining control of my body again. I needed to move.
I sprinted to the door, on my way there I threw my phone in the trash. I didn't look back and I didn't see the bewildered looks on my colleague's faces.
Out in the hallway, I slowed down; my legs felt like jelly and my stomach clenched painfully. I tried to force down the bile quickly rising in my throat but I threw up anyway; my body convulsing all the while.
With one hand against the wall, supporting my shaky legs, I wiped my mouth with the other. Vaguely, I heard someone calling my name and when I looked up, I saw a concerned guard, whose name I couldn't remember.
He wasn't alone; he stood with two other guards who each held the arm of a beast. At least, that's what he looked like to me. He was big and burly; his muscles stretching the hoodie he was wearing. His skin was that of a reptile and had a dark green colour. My eyes then connected with his yellow ones.
There was a deep sadness in them and it pained me to look at it. He must be Waylon Jones, Killer Croc, or whatever his name was.
"Eva, you sick? You should go home." I removed my eyes from the metahuman to the guard, who had addressed me and now laid his hand on my arm. I quickly shook him off. "I'm fine."
The guard frowned and looked irritated. "I'm only trying to help. Let me take you home." He placed his hand on my arm again and Waylon suddenly growled; baring his sharp teeth at the man.
My skin started itching and I pushed the guard, who stumbled to the ground.
"Bugger off," I sneered and walked past him. I rubbed my fingertips to my thumbs to lose a bit of the prickling feeling underneath the skin. The other two guards, who were still holding the croc, looked dumbfounded.
My eyes connected with the metahumans yellow eyes once more and they now held a curious hint in them.
"One word of advice," I said to him, "Don't give your autograph to Terry if you want to keep him off your back."
With that I walked away, leaving behind my medical career, somehow also knowing that I wouldn't return to it.
I was sick of it, sick of the lies and the need to hide. Eric and I had suffered too much; it needed to stop.
Before I knew it, I was out the door into a world where a different order ruled the streets.
An order I was quickly getting sucked into and it wasn't going to let loose anytime soon.
A/N: Guys, school is killing me. I'm free on Tuesdays and Thursdays and at first, I was like fuck yeah, but now I realise they gave us those days off to get all the work done they're piling onto us and I'm so, so tired... Anyways, thanks everyone for reading! And for the favourites, follows and reviews! I get a goofy smile on my face when I see them. As for this chapter, yeah, it's the last one at the asylum... Boo, I really liked writing Eva here haha. I still don't know how I'm going to handle the rest, but I got a few vague ideas so bear with me! If you have any comments or tips, please let me know!
IamTheDoctorsDaughter: Aw yiss, I love your name!
luna lily moon: You're so sweet, thank you! And well, I've thought about that actually (about doing different povs) but to be honest it kinda freaks me out too haha. I'm always scared of not being true to their character and write them the way they are without altering it too much... I'm already scared of not writing Harleen and the Joker properly... But maybe I will do some povs in the future, who knows! Also, thanks for making me realise I was indeed making it a bit too much about Eva and the Joker (wasn't my intention at all) I just really, really like writing him haha. But for the next few chapters he won't be in it as much as he has been now.
gossamermouse101: Haha! Or maybe he's just out on getting her on his side so he can use her powers? ;) Who knows.
Guest: Gahh, I'm excited too! Not sure what I'm going to do with Eric though, but yes he is her immortal companion. I like the way you phrased that haha!
