Chapter 25: Terror in Broad Daylight

Disclaimer: read chapter 1

Lacey woke up this morning with a lousy headache.

After a whole hour of crying and waiting for Kathy to come home, she fell asleep on the couch.

She still couldn't get over what happened last night either. She hated fighting with Kathy. She hated Jonathan for being a creep. He's cancer, and Kathy needed to cut him out. Why did she have to defend him, and why couldn't she understand that Lacey wanted the job for her own benefit? Why did she have to take it personally and make it about her?

Lacey didn't want to think about last night at the moment. Right now, she had to do a few things today. One: Quit her job at Gotham Café. Two: Call Rachel, and find out when she'll start working. She was somewhat anxious and excited about starting as an assistant of an assistant district attorney. Lacey couldn't help, but laugh, knowing how funny it sounded. She didn't care what position she was at, as long as she had an opportunity to participate in cases and be in a courtroom.

Lacey grabbed her phone and saw that she had one voicemail. She hoped that it was Rachel, trying to call her back. She pushed a button and placed the phone against her ear, listening to the voicemail.

"Lacey, this is Rachel. Listen, I just your message, and I can not tell you how happy I am for having you on the team. You can start today at one o' clock. If you're late... Well, let's hope that won't happen. I'll see you soon. Okay. Bye."

Lacey smiled widely after hearing Rachel's message. She's so excited, she felt like jumping on the couch or have a full bottle of wine to celebrate. She looked at the clock on her phone, and widen her eyes in disbelief, 12:00 pm. She usually gets ready in forty-five minutes, but she won't have time. She's going to be late on the first day.

"Shit!" Lacey frowned as she hopped off the bed and rushed into the bedroom.

Once she made it there, she froze still, surprised to see someone in the room.

She saw Kathy standing by her own bed with a red, roller suitcase lying on the mattress. Kathy was getting her clothes out of the drawers and stuffing them inside her luggage bag.

"K-Kat?" Lacey asked in a whisper. It was quiet, but it was enough to gain Kathy's attention.

Kathy looked up, noticing Lacey standing in the doorway, "Oh, you're finally up."

"K-Kathy, you're here."

"Yeah. This is my home, too, right?"

Lacey nodded, "Of course, it is. When did you come home?"

"I just got here."

"Oh..." Lacey looked at Kathy's bed and noticed the suitcase, "What are you doing?"

"I'm leaving, Lace," Kathy replied sadly.

Lacey widened her eyes in shock, "What?! You're moving out?!"

"No," Kathy assured her, "No. I'm not leaving permanently. I... I just need space. That's all."

"Kat, you don't have to do that. I-"

"I do-"

"No. Let me finish," Lacey cut her off, "Listen, I have parents. They have a house, I can stay there. You don't have to stay in a sleazy motel."

"I appreciate your offer, but I can assure you, I'm not staying in a motel."

Lacey furrowed her brows confusingly, "You didn't stay at one last night? If you're not staying at a motel, then where did you go? Where are you staying?"

"I'm staying at Jonathan's place," Kathy answered boldly, crossing her arms across her chest.

Lacey unwillingly gasped at her answer, covering her mouth in shock. She didn't want to hear it. Kathy will not stay at that creepy man's place. Lacey won't stand it.

"No, you're not!" Lacey cried.

"Yes, I am!" Kathy argued, "He offered me to stay there, and I took it. We need to let things cool down before we stay in the same room again."

"Look, I'll leave! I'll go back to my parent's place! J-Just don't go to Crane's place! Please!" Lacey was begging. She wanted to protect Kathy from that man, she's not going to stand there and let Kathy put herself in danger.

"It's been decided!" Kathy declared.

"Kathy, I can't believe you want to live with that creep!"

Kathy groaned in frustration. She was feeling guilty about being so harsh to Lacey last night, but the guilt disappeared, replaced by anger.

"And I can't believe you're working for a bitch!" Kathy snapped angrily.

"Don't talk like that to Rachel!" Lacey snapped, "You have no right to call her that."

"And you have the right to call Johnny a creep?" Kathy asked.

"YES!"

"Oh, really? You're working for Rachel, the person I hate; while I'm dating the man, you hate! I don't see any difference."

"It's completely different!"

"How?" Kathy asked challengingly, "If there is some logic to all this, Lacey, I would like to hear it!"

"Kathy, I'm trying to help you. You need to open your eyes and see the big picture!"

"Oh, I have seen the big picture, Lacey," Kathy said as she zipped her suitcase close, "I saw how selfish, ungrateful friend, you turned out to be!"

"Kathy, I'm not selfish! The only person who is selfish in this room is you!"

"Me?!" Kathy pointed at herself in shock.

"Yes, you!" Lacey pointed at her, accusingly, "You're the most selfish, lazy, and most hateful person, I'd known. But guess what? I put up with that! You know why? Because I am your friend!"

"You weren't a friend when you talked to Rachel."

"So what if I did?! I don't know why this would bother you so much!"

"It bothers me because she is using you to get to me! And she is doing a great job at it."

"Rachel didn't do anything wrong-"

Kathy couldn't help, but laugh in disbelief, "She didn't do anything wrong?! What planet do you live in?! She has been harassing Johnny and me non-stop! She says things that are not true!"

"I hate to tell you this, Kat, but she's telling the truth! Crane is cray-cray!"

"Why do you hate Jonathan so much?!" Kathy demanded furiously, "What has he ever done to you?!"

"He's dangerous, Kat!"

"How is he dangerous?!"

"Remember, me telling you about his time as a professor?"

"He was accused, Lace. It didn't mean he actually did it!"

"You don't know that! He's probably doing experiments in his basement or something!"

"Okay, first off: Crane doesn't have a basement. Second: why are you attacking me and defending Rachel?! Didn't I tell you what she actually did?"

"I heard it, but whether you like it or not, Kat, she's an attorney! It's her job to ask questions!"

"Let me ask you something, Lace. As an attorney, is interrogating and harassing people in her job description?"

Lacey refused to answer that question. "Okay, I'm sorry," Lacey apologized with insincerity, "I'm sorry I talked to someone, you hate. My bad!"

Kathy rolled her eyes, knowing that Lacey didn't mean it, "You know if you're not going to really apologize-"

"For what?!" Lacey demanded as she stomped towards her, "Talking to someone, you didn't like? Taking a job, I dreamed of taking? Or I made a decision without your permission? Because it seems to me that you want to control everything I do!"

"That is NOT true!" Kathy argued.

"Yes, it is!" Lacey cried, "You are a bossy, lazy, selfish bitch, I've ever met!"

The moment Lacey said the b-word, she instantly regretted it. She didn't miss the pain and hurt in Kathy's eyes. Kathy felt like crying, but the doctor was too angry to actually do it. Instead, she whipped her hand across Lacey's face. Lacey made an unexpected gasp, before placing her hand on her stinging cheek and looking at Kathy in shock.

"I... I'm sorry," Lacey apologized, finally found her words. "I... I shouldn't have called you that name."

"You're right," Kathy whispered, "You shouldn't have, but I guess I figured out what you really think of me."

"Listen, you know I didn't mean it!" Lacey cried desperately, begging for Kathy to understand, "It slipped! You said some stupid things in the past!" She gestured at herself, "I said a LOT of stupid things-"

"Save your breath!" Kathy snapped, "I think I better go and finish my packing when you're not here. Have fun with your new best friend, and good luck at the DA. You're going to need it." Kathy took her bag.

Lacey furrowed her brows, confused at her words, "Hey, how did you know I took the job?"

Kathy stopped her step short. "I didn't," Kathy whispered sadly, "until now."

Lacey's gaze saddened as her best friend moved past her. She turned around to see the back, only to find stitches on the back of her friend's head. She gasped horrified.

"Kathy, what happened to your head?"

Kathy continued walking.

"Kathy, why do you have stitches?!" Lacey chased her out of the room, while Kathy hurried to leave. Lacey slammed the door in front of Kathy before the brunette could unlock it. "Did Crane do this to you?!"

"Flass did this to me!" Kathy snapped angrily, making Lacey froze with widened eyes. "That douchebag is looking for you. Apparently, he doesn't like lying sluts!"

Lacey opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. She was beyond speechless. Kathy escaped the apartment with a door slammed shut. Lacey knew that she made it worse. Now there's nothing she could to change Kathy's mind about living with Crane. This was getting out of hand. The drama needed to end.

Lacey refused to give up though. She refused to give up on her friend. Lacey wasn't called her best friend for anything. She would not rest until she takes down Crane and shows Kathy who he really was - a conniving, manipulative terror-making punk; also the thing with Flass needed to stop as well. However, Lacey needed a lot of help from that, and what better to have support from someone, who despises Crane more than she. Lacey knew that she needed to go there and tried not to be too late.

~000~000~000~

Kathy was waiting for a taxi, trying not to cry her eyes out. That would lead to smeared makeup. She usually wasn't the type to be a cry-baby, but maybe it was the headache that was mixing her emotions. Just when this didn't get any worse, her phone started ringing.

"Great," Kathy grumbled, sniffing in the process. She grabbed her back and took out her phone inside it. Kathy looked at the Caller ID to see Bruce Wayne calling. He's probably want to check in to know if Lacey made it home safely or if she had a good time. She wasn't in the mood to talk about Lacey, but somehow her thumb pressed the talk button.

"H-Hello," Kathy greeted him, trying not to act like she had been crying.

"Hey, Nancy," Bruce greeted back happily.

"Hey," Kathy couldn't help, but smile. Maybe talking to Bruce would cheer her up a bit.

"I just want to check in and see how you're doing?"

"How I'm doing?" Kathy asked skeptically.

"Yeah, and I want to know how Lacey is doing too."

The thought of Bruce cheering her up just died. She didn't want to talk about Lacey, that could make her cry more. Although, Kathy didn't want Bruce to get involved with her problems, nor become suspicious with a change of subject. So she decided to suck up the tears and talked.

"S-She's doing fine. Um... S-She told me about last night."

There was a long pause before she received a response.

"She did?" Bruce asked as if he was about to get caught in an affair or something.

Kathy nodded, "Mm-hm. She told me you bought a hotel and that you had two more dates beside her."

"L-Listen, Nancy... I-I can explain that-"

"Bruce, I don't want to hear your excuses. Okay? What you had done to Lacey..." Kathy shook her head in disappointment, "not cool. No girl should be treated like shit ever. When you asked me to be your date, and I recommended Lacey; I thought you were going to treat her with respect, the same way you treated me."

"You're right, I-I'm sorry."

"I'm not the one you should say you're sorry."

"You're right. I didn't know what happened to me. You should know that's not me... at all!"

"I know," Kathy whispered admittedly. Kathy knew he could be a gentleman. She knew he could be kind and understanding. What she heard from Lacey about Bruce last night killed her.

"So why did you do it?" Kathy asked curiously, "Why did you feel the need to be a celebrity asshole?"

"I..." Bruce paused, thinking of a reason why he'd done it, "I wish I could explain. I wish I had a reason, but..."

"But you don't," Kathy said as a statement, not a question.

Bruce sighed heavily, "I-I don't, but I'll call Lacey, and apologize."

Kathy groaned in frustration, "You still don't get it."

"Get what?" Bruce asked, not sure what the problem was. He said he was going to apologize. What's wrong with that?

"Bruce, you should know that no girl doesn't want to hear an apology with a phone call. It has to be in person."

"So I should go to your apartment and talk to her?"

Kathy nodded, "Yeah. That's exactly what you should do."

"My schedule is all tied up, but... I'll do it. I'll go over there and apologize."

Kathy smiled a little in satisfaction, "That's good..."

"Listen, Nancy..."

"Yes?"

"My birthday is coming up on October 13th, but I'm having a party at my house a week early. You and Lacey are invited. You can bring your boyfriend if you like... I hope you can come."

Kathy nodded, "I like that. I will have to see the damages at work before I could make promises." Then, Kathy heard two beeps on her phone. She had another person, trying to call her. "Hey, Bruce, I gotta go. I have another call."

"Alright. I have to go anyways. I hope to see you soon."

Kathy smiled, "Me too."

"Okay, bye, Nancy."

"Bye," Kathy pushed a button, ending her call with Bruce and starting a new with another. "Hello?"

"What did they say?" Kathy recognized Jonathan's voice. It wasn't the rich, stern voice that she was used to hearing. This time was different. This voice held emotion, concern.

"I have stitches," Kathy replied, hearing his huff in the background. "Although I have no signs of a concussion, which means I can go home and sleep!" She emphasized the last word in a hiss.

"You know why I kept you up. I couldn't risk putting you in a coma."

Kathy sighed, laying her head back only to receive a sting from the stitches. "I know. It's the crankiness talking... You sure that I can stay with you-"

"Kathryn, you shouldn't ask questions when you already know the answers."

Kathy giggled, nodding her head, "True."

"You coming back?"

"I am thinking about running a few errands like getting groceries, picking up my towed car, and ordering takeout."

"That's fine. You will let me know when you made it safely?"

"You bored, Jonathan?"

"A little. Honestly, I am not sure what to do with myself."

Kathy smirked, "You can take me out on a romantic restaurant, not have to worry if no one is watching us. It can be our first date out of that lame apartment."

Jonathan breathed out with amusement, "Gee, thanks, Kathryn."

"I love your lame apartment. I do. A lot."

"You better, because you are living there."

Kathy giggled.

"Pascuales? 8:00 PM?"

Kathy's smirk widened, "I will be back to change."

"Very well."

Kathy perked at the sound of the honking horn, the taxi driver she called for arrived, "Gotta go. Taxi is here. I love you."

Jonathan didn't reply to those words, only bid goodbye and hang up. A part of her wished that he had said the words. She understood why from the loveless abuse he was bestowed upon all his life. Yet, they have been going out for nearly six-seven months. He was bound to know what love was by now. He cared for her, he admitted as much. He told the truth about their relationship to Arkham, even when they had no choice. He was genuinely worried about her minor injury. He had to love her. He had to.

~000~000~000~

Jonathan hung up the phone, revealing that he wasn't bored to death in his apartment. He was in a lab, watching his victim strapped to a chair with an IV inserted to the antecubital region.

The victim's own belt was stuffed in his beard mouth. By the time he woke up, he was withering against his restraints, weirded out by the mask that Jonathan wore.

"A little early to be doing this, Crane? I mean not that I mind the risk, but couldn't we wait till nighttime?"

"People are too busy to notice anything that makes the early morning perfect."

Jonathan smirked, tapping the syringe, approaching the victim, "Officer Arnold Flass, I presume?"

The cop stopped moving, gazing up at the crazy masked man with widened eyes. Who was he? What did he want?

"I think you made acquaintance with my girlfriend last night - Doctor Knightly?"

The cop's eyes were so extensive, they might fall out of his sockets. He muffled out his pleas, begging for mercy. The words were unclear, but Jonathan understood him nonetheless. The same words that Jonathan heard from his past victims many times.

"You should know better to keep your filthy hands to yourself - especially when approaching women like my Kathryn."

Arnold Flass cried, struggling against the restraints, scared to death of what Crane was going to do with the syringe.

"But..." Jonathan sighed dramatically, "I suppose we should learn these simple lessons the hard way."

Flass shook his head in refusal, continued to struggle with no avail. His screams muffled against his belt as Crane stuffed the toxin into his bloodstream. He saw them again. His fears were flashing before his eyes like last night.

Jonathan watched the torture with satisfaction. He turned to his loyal men - four of them.

"Once he calms down, remove the body and take it somewhere, he cannot be found."

The men chuckled, nodding their heads in understanding.

Little did the men know that a camera zoomed on them through the small glass framed window, taking in every detail of the scene. This would show proof that there's more to the good doctor than it seemed.

~000~000~000~

Lacey cursed herself when she finally made it to the DA, twenty minutes late. Lacey was dressed up, trying to look professional for her first day. Her curly might be a little crazy, but she didn't have time to work on perfecting her hair.

She looked around frantically, walking around the building as quick as possible. That task was difficult because she was wearing high heels. She tried to remember the place where Rachel and Lacey talked a few days ago.

After going around in circles, she finally found Rachel walking in the office, holding a folder.

"Rachel!" Lacey called for her frantically, "Rachel!"

Rachel finally heard Lacey's call and looked up at her with an expressionless face.

"I am SO sorry, I'm late!" Lacey apologized, "I overslept, and when I tried to get ready, I got held ba-"

"Lacey, it's alright," Rachel said with a smile, "Since it's your first day, and Carl isn't around, we can let it slide."

"Really?" Lacey asked.

Rachel nodded, "Mm-hm. You're just in time too, because I need your help."

Lacey smiled, relieved that Rachel wasn't a strict boss. Maybe this job would be better than she expected, "Well, whatever we're planning on doing, I'm ready!"

"That's great," Rachel said, "Now before we get to the task, how about I show you around?"

"That'll be great."

"Then follow me," Rachel ordered as she started walking, while Lacey followed right behind her.

~000~000~000~

Falcone was lying down on the bed, staring at the ceiling above him, humming to himself. No one knew what he was singing, but for an old geezer like Falcone, they assumed it was Frank Sinatra. His song was interrupted when he heard his cell door slide open.

"Let's go!" a guard ordered Falcone.

Falcone chuckled, "The trial started already, Officer?"

"No," The guard roughly pulled Falcone upright and placed the handcuffs around his wrist. "You have a visitor."

He escorted Falcone to the visitor's area. Falcone was led to a stool and looked up to see who's sitting on the other side of the glass. He smirked and chuckled wickedly, seeing Kathy all dressed up with a scowl on her face. They both took the phone on the side panel and placed it on their ears.

"Well. Well. Well," Falcone smiled, "We finally meet. At last. You are a lot more beautiful in person."

"Thank you," Kathy said bluntly, "but I'm not here for compliments."

"What's a pretty face like yours doing here in this prison? You've been dying to see me, as much as I'm dying to see you?"

"Oh yeah. I'm also dying to give you a piece of my mind!" Kathy was so proud of herself for standing up to Rachel. She now had the confidence to face Falcone. She really wanted to confront Falcone for everything he had done.

Falcone scoffed, "Just like every other citizen in Gotham."

"Be lucky that the there's a glass between us, 'cause if there weren't, I would've slapped that smug look on your face."

Falcone frowned, "Sorry to disappoint you, Dr. Knightly."

"However," Kathy continued, "instead of violence, I do have some questions to ask you."

"Like what?" Falcone smirked, "Like going out on a date, once I'm out of this joint?"

Kathy rolled her eyes at him, silently rejecting the idea.

Falcone's smirk fell, and his facial expression turned annoyed, "Then why the hell are you wasting my time?"

Kathy scoffed, "Please. You have nothing but time. I did you a favor and got you out of your little cell. Tell me. What is it like behind bars?"

Falcone shrugged, "Different. Different than my home in the penthouse." Falcone narrowed his eyes at her, suspiciously, "Does Crane know you're here?"

"No," Kathy replied honestly. "What he doesn't know won't kill him, right?"

Falcone chuckled, "A schemer. Kinda reminds me of myself. You're also risky too. You do realize that we can't have a..." Falcone pulled the phone away from his ear and looked around the area, before turning back to Kathy, "private conversation, right?"

"Speaking of Crane," Kathy began, "why?"

Falcone furrowed his brows in confusion, "Not exactly sure what you mean by that."

"Why would you threaten Jonathan? There were other doctors in Arkham Asylum, why choose Crane?"

"Crane is the top dog in Arkham, is he not? He is the one who evaluates my men and puts them in Arkham. I need him to keep me out of this cell."

"That's not going to happen."

"It will, if he knows it's good for him... and you as well."

"You have nothing on Crane or me. He is a good man."

Falcone chuckled, amused at her statement, "Wow, you really don't know about him, do you?"

"I know him. I know that he's nothing like you!"

That comment made Falcone burst into laughter, "HA! HA! HA! T-That's! HA! That's! Ha! Pretty funny!"

Kathy rolled her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose.

"I would be cautious if I were you, Dr. Knightly," Falcone warned her, "because you never know if you're sleeping with an enemy."

Kathy furrowed her brows, confused about his words, "Excuse me?"

"Trust me, Dr. Knightly. I know him, more than you ever did. I know everyone, and everybody's dirty secrets..." Falcone smirked at her, "including yours..."

Kathy tightened her grip on the phone nervously. She now regretted coming here. Her confidence was getting smaller and smaller.

"Pretty girls like you always hide an ugly secret like a pretty little liar." Falcone laughed at that statement, "You know they should make a show about that."

Kathy rolled her eyes, leaning forward slightly, "Okay. I'll bite. What secrets do you think Jonathan is keeping from me?"

"You know some, I know a lot! But there's no way I'm going to say them out loud because this isn't a safe place... unless of course, you want me to expose them right here and now?" Falcone raised a suggestive brow. Kathy narrowed her eyes at him.

"No? Well, okay, then... You do realize that the truth won't stay buried forever. Once I'm out of here-"

"That's where you're wrong," Kathy cut him off, "You're lucky that I'm not the one evaluating you. Because if it were me, I wouldn't have to evaluate you; cause I would say the word and keep you behind bars in a heartbeat. Either way, you will stay in a cell for the rest of your days. You're not going anywhere. You have nothing against Jonathan and me, and I don't appreciate you sending Henri whats-his-face to threaten Jonathan and me!"

"Henri What?" Falcone asked, his turn to be confused.

Kathy paused, "Henri. Henri Ducard. The man in your payroll like Vicki Vale."

Falcone snorted, "True. The lovely Vale is indeed working for me. She indeed told me about your relationship with Crane. But I never met a Henri Ducard in my life!"

Kathy's face fell. Henri wasn't working for Falcone? Judging by his face, Falcone was genuinely confused, not sure what she was talking about. If Ducard wasn't working for Falcone, then who was he? Doubt that Falcone will tell her anything about the guy. Might as well end the conversation before he asks questions.

Kathy sighed heavily, before whispering, "I'm done with this."

"Leaving already? Fine then. But you can't get rid of me... no one can. Not even the Batman-"

"Batman is the only reason you're behind bars. If I were you, I would be afraid."

"And if I were you, I would be careful with who I'm sleeping with," Falcone hung up the phone, and before the guard took him away, he mouthed out his last words.

"Goodbye, Mrs. Crane!"

Kathy hung up the phone and groaned in frustration, exiting the prison.

Meanwhile, the guard returned Falcone to his cell. Once Falcone was alone, his plan to get out of Blackgate was set in motion. He stared at his reflection in the mirror, before he slammed his fists against it. Glass was everywhere. Falcone took a piece of glass, rolled up his sleeves, and pressed the sharp edge of the glass into his skin.

~000~000~000~

"So do you have any more questions?" Rachel asked, finishing up the tour.

"No," Lacey replied, "but I'm dying to know about the lead on the Falcone's case."

"Right now, we're investigating Falcone's shipments," Rachel explained, "We want to know what else Falcone had in his crates besides drugs, something the police might've missed."

Lacey nodded.

"Carl is checking out the docks, tonight."

"Speaking of Carl," Lacey smirked as she talked about this subject, "did you talk to him after he stood up the last date?"

Rachel sighed, "I talked to him on the phone last night, that's why I didn't answer when you called."

"What did he say?" Lacey asked curiously.

Rachel rolled her eyes, "Mostly, begging for my forgiveness, and how he'll make up for it the next date night." Rachel frowned, and Lacey knew that look.

"And you don't believe him?"

"I... I know he tries to be there. I understand how busy, he is with this case. I don't blame him, but-"

"You also want him to be more," Lacey presumed. As they finally made it to Rachel's desk, Lacey found a vase filled with red roses, attached with a small note tied around the stems. "At least he doesn't forget you."

Rachel followed Lacey's gaze, seeing the flowers as well. She sighed as she looked back at the papers on her desk, "He's sweet, I'll give him that. He needs to realize that it takes more than flowers and chocolates to earn my forgiveness." Rachel received the flowers this morning. She found them at her desk already set up, but they weren't given by Carl directly. With work in the way, they were having a hard time connecting and having a real relationship.

Lacey nodded, "True, but you're lucky to have a guy, who gives you flowers. If he screws up the next date (and I'm not saying he will), but if he does and gives you chocolates; can I have them?"

Rachel couldn't help but made a small laugh at her question, before nodding, "Why not?"

"Great."

Rachel looked back at her new assistant questionably, "Hey, Lace, I've meant to ask you."

Lacey turned her focus on her, curious of what her question was, "Yes?"

"How did it go?" Rachel asked.

Lacey knew exactly what Rachel was asking. She really didn't want to talk about it, but Rachel was her boss. She had no choice. On the other hand, maybe talking about her problems with Rachel might make her feel better.

Lacey sat down on her chair across from Rachel, laying her head on Rachel's desk, "Rachel... I-It's bad, really bad."

"Really?" Rachel asked, surprised that her plan for Lacey to talk sense into Kathy failed. "I-I thought she would understand, coming from you."

Lacey shook her head, "That's not the case. I slept on the couch, waiting for her to come home last night."

Rachel furrowed her brows at Lacey confusingly, "What? Why? What happened?"

Lacey sighed heavily, "S-She knows that I told you about her and Crane. She also knew about the job offer you gave me."

"I'm not surprised that she didn't take it well."

Lacey widened her eyes, shaking her head, "Oh! Hell no! She didn't just get upset, she was furious."

"How furious?"

"The conversation was heated. I said things about Crane, and she didn't want to hear it. She bad mouthed about you, and I told her to stop."

"Wait!" Rachel raised her arm up, silencing Lacey and looking at her questionably, "You... defended me?"

Lacey nodded, "Yeah."

"Even if Kathy was your best friend, you still defended me?"

"Rachel, you're my friend too. Kathy has to deal with it, whether she likes it or not."

Rachel smiled a little, happy that Lacey was finally standing up for herself and Rachel. Lacey didn't let Kathy run over her. Rachel now knew that Lacey was the right candidate for the job after all.

"You mentioned about you waiting for her to come home?" Rachel asked, "What happened?"

"Kathy left the apartment and didn't come home."

"Did you see her today? Have you heard from her?"

"Oh, I saw her at the apartment this morning, packing her things."

Rachel narrowed her eyes at Lacey, "Packing her things?"

"Apparently, she is currently not living with me anymore."

"So she's staying at some motel?"

"No."

"Hotel?"

"Nope."

"Where did she go?"

Lacey pressed her lips together, shaking her head, "I rather not say."

Rachel widened her eyes, realizing where Kathy might've gone to. Some place that belonged to the enemy. "Oh, no."

Lacey nodded, "Yep."

"She didn't?"

"She did."

"She isn't..."

"It's true," Lacey repeated, "She is living with Cray-Crane."

Rachel shook her head, "What is that woman thinking?!"

"Nothing, that's what."

"Did you try to stop her?"

"I tried, but I said things that made her berserk. Because of that, I earned a slap in the face."

"She hit you?!" Rachel asked in shock.

"Yeah," Lacey said as she placed her hand on her slapped cheek, "I'm lucky that she's small and not that strong. Otherwise, it would've been excruciating."

"It doesn't matter if she's small or big! She hit you! She can't do that to you for being a friend!" Rachel stood up from her chair, placing her purse over her shoulder.

Lacey furrowed her brows confusingly, "Rachel, where are you going?"

"To find Kathy!" Rachel answered, "I'm going to give her a piece of my mind. You don't deserve this, Lacey."

Lacey shook her head, "No, it was my fault. I called her a bitch!"

"I hate to tell you, Lacey, but you're right! She is a bitch! You're trying to help her, and she just slapped you! That's not right!"

Carl made it to Rachel's desk, smiling at the young women, "Hello, ladies. Lacey, how's your first day going?"

Lacey waved at Carl, "Hey, Carl. The job is going very well. Thank you."

Carl turned back to Rachel, who was the complete opposite of Lacey, "So how did you like the flowers, Rachel?"

"I have to go," Rachel kissed Carl in the cheek before she took off. It didn't take for Carl and Lacey to follow her.

"Where are you going, Rachel?" Carl asked worriedly. He knew Rachel's determined look anywhere. He knew she was up to something, something terrible.

"Lacey, is Kathy working in Arkham, right now?" Rachel asked, ignoring Carl's question.

Carl widened his eyes, realizing what Rachel was up to. Before she could step away, he stepped in front of her, blocking her way.

"Get out of my way, Carl," Rachel commanded.

"Rachel, you can't go find Dr. Knightly!"

"Relax, Carl, I'm not going be doing anything violent... just having a very loud confrontation with her."

"You don't understand, you can't go near Kathy nor Crane."

"What?" Rachel furrowed her brows at him, questionable, "Why not?"

Carl sighed heavily as he looked at the papers, he was holding, "I was going to wait until you were in a good mood. I guess now is as good as time as any."

"Good time for what?" Lacey asked curiously.

"What are you talking about, Carl?" Rachel demanded, trying to hold back her temper.

Carl handed the papers to her, "The reason you can't go near Kathy and Crane is because of this."

Rachel looked at the papers, she was holding and widen her eyes in disbelief, "What?!"

Lacey rushed to Rachel's side, dying to know what Rachel was holding,

"Rachel, what is it?" Lacey looked at the papers and widened her eyes as well. She couldn't believe it. Lacey didn't know that Kathy would go that far, but she did.

"A restraining order?!" Lacey cried in shock.

"They filed a restraining order?!" Rachel asked Carl in shock.

Carl sighed sadly, "Rachel, I warned you not to go too far, and now look what happened."

"This is ridicules!" Rachel cried, "Carl, you know I have to have access in Arkham. Dr. Crane is evaluating Falcone, I need to see his report on him!"

"You will see the report, Rachel," Carl assured her, "but you won't be seeing Dr. Crane unless you're willing to risk getting arrested, and that, I would never let you do."

"They can't do this! I'm an attorney! They can't do this!"

Lacey sighed sadly, not taking her eyes off the papers, "Well, apparently, they already did."

Rachel glared at Lacey before she set her eyes back at the papers. This can't be happening to her.

~000~000~000~

At the Blackgate Prison, Jonathan had arrived to evaluate Falcone, who apparently cut his wrists, at least that's what Jonathan heard from the phone call. He returned to the apartment, helping Kathy with groceries until he received the call. Even though he was suspended in Arkham, it didn't mean that he was suspended being a doctor.

Jonathan walked down the steps, only to be greeted by a woman in a brown suit.

"Dr. Crane, thanks for coming," she said, leading Jonathan down the halls, heading to the interrogation room.

"Not at all," Jonathan replied with a smile, which was abnormal for him. Perhaps, Kathy's sweetness was rubbing off on him. He averted his eyes on the floor, focusing on the case at hand.

"He cut his wrists?" he asked.

The woman shrugged, "Probably looking for the insanity plea. But if anything should happen..."

"Of course," Jonathan nodded, "better safe than sorry." They stopped in front of the door. The woman punched the code number, and the door unlocked. Jonathan stepped inside to see Falcone, sitting behind a white table. He noticed that there were a bruise and scratch marks on Falcone's face and bandages around Falcone's wrists. It looked like Falcone was desperate to take the insanity plea.

"Yeah, Dr. Crane," Falcone said, "I can't take it anymore. It's all too much. The walls are closing in - blah, blah, blah!"

Jonathan closed the door behind him. He walked over to the table and set his briefcase down before sitting on a chair across from the crime lord.

"A couple of days of this food, it'll be true."

Jonathan sighed, raising his eyes across the inmate.

"What do you want?" he asked.

"I wanna know, how you're gonna convince me to keep my mouth shut," Falcone replied.

"About what?" Jonathan asked, "You don't know anything."

"I know you don't want the cops to take a closer look at the drugs they seized. And I know about your experiments with the inmates of your nuthouse. And not to mention, you dating a coworker, and a pretty one at that. See, I don't go into business with a guy without finding out his dirty secrets. And those goons you used. I own the muscle in this town."

"I don't need to worry about you trying to blackmail me again, Mr. Falcone," Jonathan said with a tiny smirk, "You have nothing on me."

"Well, what about the fact that you broke into my house?"

Jonathan tensed up and raised a brow at his statement. How did he know about that?

"You're probably wondering how I know about that, huh?" Falcone chuckled, "It's simple, really. There's a hidden fly in the wall, watching your every move. The evidence may be gone, but I've got proof that you broke inside my house. Now, I've been bringing your stuff in for months, Crane. So whatever this Henri Ducard person is planning - it's big, and I want in." Falcone finished, leaning closer to Jonathan.

Henri Ducard? How did Falcone know about the name? Nobody knew about it except...

"Well," Jonathan whispered as he leaned closer to Falcone also, "I already know what he'll say... that we should kill you."

Falcone chuckled wickedly, "Even he can't get me in here, not in my town."

'We can't let him blackmail us again, Johnny! May I have the honor of testing our toxin?'

After careful consideration, Jonathan gave in.

Jonathan inhaled deeply, letting the Scarecrow take control. He licked his lips and removed his glasses. He stuffed his glasses in his pocket and turned back to Falcone.

"Would you like to see my mask?" Scarecrow asked, changing the subject. Falcone's smirk fell, he was confused at his statement. Scarecrow continued as he opened his briefcase, "I use it in my experiments." He pulled out a burlap sack, that was actually his Scarecrow mask. He reached inside and turned the breathing filter on, "Now, I'm probably not very frightening to a guy like you, but these crazies, they can't stand it."

He put on his mask, while Falcone looked at the doctor before him as if he was crazy, which he was.

"So when did the nut take over the nuthouse?!" Falcone wondered.

Instead of answering his question, Scarecrow pressed a button in the briefcase and smoke appeared. Once Falcone inhaled the toxin, he started screaming in terror.

Scarecrow stood up from his chair, staring at Falcone, while Falcone stared back at him in horror.

"They scream, and they cry!" Scarecrow hissed at him, "much as you're doing now!"

Falcone continued screaming, even when Jonathan left the room with the mask off. Jonathan was back in control and faced the woman outside who looked confused to what's happening.

"Well, he's not faking," Jonathan informed her. "Not that one. I'll talk to the judge and see if I can get him moved to the secure wing at Arkham. I can't treat him here."

Jonathan walked away, listening to Falcone's screams echoing behind him. He couldn't help but smirk that he finally got rid of the crime boss. Falcone would no longer be a problem.

He stopped his tracks from feeling his phone vibrated against his pocket. He pulled it out to see the phone call that he had been waiting for.