Sorry about the long update time! I've been a bit busy with school and all, so I've been a little negligent to my writing as of recent.

Thank you Brenediction and Storm-Shadow for the very kind reviews! I hope you enjoy! Oh, and thank you to the hundreds of readers I had around Halloween! Your support really helps me keep writing!

57. Sacrificial

Dr. Penelope Young was absolutely certain about one thing, and that was that some patients needed an increase in their medication. And some needed a lot more than others.

Take her current patient for example. Mr. Victor Zsasz was in dire need of a medication increase, especially after this little…incident. Young tried not to act afraid as the sociopath killer broke from his bonds and put a knife to her throat. What Zsasz's purpose behind this hostage taking was left Penelope confused. If Zsasz truly wanted to kill her he would have done so earlier in their 'session' when he first put the knife to her throat. Instead, he just stood behind her with his blade ever so close to her jugular for the past forty five minutes, slowly going through his own tragic and twisted tale of how he came to have all the scars notched into his skin, how he came to be the sick being he was.

The orderly that brought Zsasz there was cowering in the corner of the room, Zsasz having 'suggested' that he stay. Young felt disgust at the man. What idiot would forget to have Zsasz of all people in a straightjacket?

Ignoring the sniveling man in the corner, Young was worrying that no-one was coming to help. Zsasz had cut up the two guards outside, both still alive but badly wounded, and neither Penelope nor the orderly had any chance to have a call for help. So what was Zsasz planning?

"I see that you are growing curious as to why I am taking you hostage Dr. Young. Don't worry. This doesn't concern you, at least not directly dear doctor. So don't worry…well, unless someone decides to not keep his appointment."

Still confused, Penelope kept quiet so as to not provoke the mad killer into doing anything. If she just kept quiet, maybe someone would bring her next patient and realize her situation-

Her thoughts stopped right there. Her next appointment. Did this have to do with whatever inmate was about to arrive?

Young had been extremely busy and had not checked what her schedule was like this week, ever since it had been changed to accommodate some of the newer inmates. Who was it that was next on her list? That had to be why Zsasz was doing this.

More minutes passed as Zsasz continued to tell his tale, intermitted stories about how he carved up innocent people also told throughout the tale. Despite the fact that her patient was 'opening up' to her, it was not the ideal type of doing so…there were much easier ways, like how Crane was slowly opening to her, like a big clam.

Wait she thought, had she met with Crane ye-?

There was a cry of surprise from outside the door, a cry that sounded like one of the orderlies who brings inmates to their sessions. The door, having not been locked due to Zsasz's own intrusion, slammed open and Zsasz laughed crazily.

"It's nice of you to show up Dr. Crane…if you had taken another minute I may have just grown bored of this game and my hand may have just slipped a little. Oh yes, the feeling of dragging cold steel across a nice, warm throat would be just wond-"

Penelope gasped as Zsasz's grip tightened on her, the blade pressing right against her throat.

Jonathan Crane walked into the room, straightjacket undone, his face neutral, "So, dimwit, what is this about?" Behind Crane in the hallway Penelope could see the orderly that escorted him on the floor, unconscious, "I heard that you were complaining about me yesterday and I was curious what the killer with no MO would have in store for me."

Zsasz let out another laugh, "Well my fellow rogue, I've been itching to carve another notch ever since I've been put in here. But killing orderlies and guards just isn't doing it for me…then I had a wonderful idea! What if I killed another rogue? That must be the thrill I've been missing!"

Jonathan shook his head, "Why couldn't this take place in a less…public space? Victor, I am a little disappointed that you have dragged others into this. What need have you of these hostages?"

Zsasz pulled his knife off of Penelope's throat and pointed it at Jonathan, "Oh, I just needed to make sure I would have an audience with you, and I knew you would be here at this time, right after me…I have to say though, they are like poor, sacrificial lambs in the scheme of things. They won't last much longer than you will."

Jonathan's brow creased the slightest amount, "I wouldn't be so sure about that. Now, Victor, I am sure that you had a visit by Eddie recently. Surely, you must have learned a few of my tricks by now…what do you think was on his gloves when he ran a hand over your scars when he asked about them?"

Zsasz only had a second before he started to shake uncontrollably, dropping his knife and screaming. Jonathan looked down at Zsasz as he rolled around on the floor wildly, screaming in pain, "Keep your mouth shut next time and maybe you'll have a bit more luck. Mentioning that you would attack me when we changed sessions to Calender Man was quite a poor mistake...you could not imagine what types of things go through the grapevine. It took a little convincing to get Eddie to poison you, but he saw you as the smallest threat out of the rogues and so it wasn't the hardest thing in the world. He hates simpletons, and your own lack of IQ was a key part of my argument. Then I just had to concoct just the right thing to go off at about this time…see why these games are played by us adults Victor?"

Guards rushed into the room, having heard the orderly scream before. Jonathan turned to one who was checking on the convulsing Zsasz.

"You're welcome."

Young had a guard who was talking to her at the moment, asking if she was fine, but she paid no attention to the guard who took his sweet time to arrive.

Had Jonathan Crane, the infamous Scarecrow, just saved her life?