Chance walks into Cranes hideout, exhausted from her ordeal with Chris and Elena. As she enters the kitchen, she freezes upon spotting Crane with his back to her, seated at the table. She spots a glass of what she assumes to be some sort of strong alcohol in his hand.
"I was curious as to when you would return. Have a seat."
"I'm really tired, could we do this tomorrow...?"
Crane turns and glares at Chance. "It wouldn't be wise to disrespect me at a time like this. Sit."
Chance gathers her nerves and walks over to sit across from Crane. Chance casts her gaze down to avoid Cranes disapproving stare. "I'm sorry, Dr Crane."
Crane takes a sip and sighs. "I'll allow you an opportunity to explain your actions, then I shall explain the consequences. Begin."
"It's not my fault. This guy threatened to kill both of us. So I went with him. I tried to play along until we were safe but he kept testing me. I had to do it. Well, I thought I did. I'm so sorry. Please forgive me."
Crane nods. "I understand. But Michelle, you've made things very inconvenient for me. In a number of ways you've put my legacy in jeopardy. You've said some rather disrespectful comments about me. You were willing to torture me. You abandoned your duties time and time again. You need to realize that your actions always affect me."
Chance feels her eyes begin to water. "Please, sir..."
"I've overlooked your infractions in the past, but it seems you need something to ensure you never forget."
Chance lets out a sob. "I'm really stupid. Please don't. I've learned my lesson. I'll do whatever you want. I'll work all night, you can bring back the electrodes, break my arm! Just don't..."
Crane takes another sip. "One test subject died due to your absence. You will replace her until I decide you've endured enough. Seeing as you're immune, you'll get different injections than the others. Otherwise you'll be treated as the same. Now, will you go with dignity or will you need to be sedated?"
Chance purses her lips. "I'm not sure I can willingly..." She squeezes her eyes shut and holds her arm out to Crane. He pulls a needle from his pocket and injects her in a vein in the crook of her arm. Chance opens her eyes and meets Cranes stare.
"You're weak. Hopefully you'll grow from this experience. This is for your own good." With that, Crane injects Chance with the sedative. As Chance drifts into unconsciousness, Crane rubs his thumb over her knuckles. "You'll need the rest."
...
Chance wakes to the sound of crying. She forces her eyes open and groans at the throbbing in her head. With some effort she pushes herself into a seated position on the hard floor. She looks around and spots a teenage girl in the cell across from her. The girl is glaring at Chance.
"I know you."
Chance runs a hand through her hair. "I'm not surprised."
The girl grabs the metal bars of her cell. "You put me in this hell!"
Chance is about to respond but pauses in realization. "The lights are on."
The girl sighs. "He took Jimmy a few minutes ago."
Chance relaxes. "Look, whether you hate me or not, we're in here together. I don't know when if ever, I'll get out. I'm not getting special treatment. I hurt him, pissed him off, and now I'm paying for it. Honestly, I don't remember you. But I've brought a lot of people here. I won't apologize if that's what you're looking for."
The girl shoots Chance a look. "Don't give me your pity. You deserve this."
Chance looks away. After a few minutes of silence, there's a loud creak as the door at the entrance to the room opens. Everyone in the room grows silent as the dread builds. Chance pulls her knees to her chest as the slow, menacing footsteps draw near. Crane passes Chance without so much as a glance her way. One of his henchmen follows closely behind, carrying a limp man over his shoulder.
Chance hears the soft creak of a cell door opening followed by a soft thud before the cell door is closed and locked. The footsteps return as Crane slowly makes his way back to the door across the room. As he passes Chances cell, he pauses for a moment with his hands behind his back.
"Sarah?"
The girl across from Chance backs away from the bars before answering. "Y...yes?"
"When was your last meal?"
"I...I...don't remember..."
"Would you like something to eat?"
The girl, Sarah, frantically shakes her head. Crane looks over at her. "Are you sure? There's plenty to eat. I'd even give you something of your choosing."
Sarah glares at Crane. "No."
"You have to eat eventually. If you don't, you stomach will begin to digest itself and your muscles will fade. You'll grow weaker and weaker until you aren't able to stand or bear children. What use will you be then?"
"Go to hell and rot! I'd rather starve than be a nutjobs lab rat."
Crane glances at the henchman stand behind him and nods. Without a word, Crane unlocks the cell and the henchman grabs Sarah by her arm. Chance watches as Sarah is dragged out of the room kicking and screaming. Chance winces as she hears the door slam shut. The people in the other cells begin to speak up. Chance is unable to see them from her cell.
"You put us here?"
"What the hell?"
"Let us out!"
Chance sighs. "I'm stuck here too, genius. At least you know what's going to happen to you."
...
The door creaks open once more as Crane and the henchman return Sarah to her cell. Once her cell door is locked, Crane turns around to face Chance. She gulps in dreaded anticipation.
"Michelle. It's your turn."
Chance stands and crosses her arms as Crane unlocks her cell. He steps aside to allow her to exit. She hesitantly exits the cell and Crane tightly grasps her arm and pulls her out of the room. The henchman closes the door behind them and waits patiently by the door. Crane silently guides Chance into his lab and stops at the chair bolted into the ground. He relaxes his grip and motions to the chair.
"Have a seat."
Chance nods and climbs onto the chair. Immediately Crane begins securing the wrist and ankle restraints.
"I'm so sorry. You don't need to do this! I swear I'll never leave you again."
"I'm well aware. But words are worthless without meaning. There's no point in begging and groveling. I have no more mercy. You've wasted it. I extended more mercy towards you than I've given any other and you disobeyed my most basic orders. Save your energy."
Chance takes a shaky breath as Crane secures the final restraint and steps back. Once satisfied, he walks over to the table and picks up a syringe. He taps it to ensure there aren't any bubbles before he grabs an alcohol pad and slowly walks over to Chance.
Chance feels her heart race as Crane comes closer. "What's that?"
"Don't you recognize it?"
Chance pushes herself further into the chair when Crane gently touches her arm. Once he finds a vein, he sterilizes the skin and slowly inserts the needle into her vein. He pushes the white liquid into her bloodstream then removes the needle. Chance furrows her brows.
"That's not so bad."
After a few seconds the pain gradually gets worse. "My back hurts."
"Really. It really hurts!"
Chance grits her teeth before screaming in agony and arching her back against the chair. Crane watches her closely.
"How much pain are you in?"
"KILL ME!"
Crane pats her head in a condescending manner and leans in by her ear. "No."
He places a hand on her chest and forces her to straighten her back by pushing her roughly against the chair. Chance whimpers for a moment before she resumes her screaming. Tears stream down her face as her neck strains at an unnatural angle. After a few minutes, Chance slips into unconsciousness. Crane moves slightly away from Chance to confirm that she's still breathing. Once satisfied, he begins undoing her restraints.
...
Chance wakes to a soreness across her body she tries to yawn but is met by pain around her mouth. She lifts a shaky hand to her mouth and carefully feels the stitches. She tries to look around but finds herself in pitch black darkness. In defeat, Chance lays back down and closes her eyes.
...
Chance is woken to the sound of screaming. She jolts awake and struggles to see in the darkness. The screaming is replaced by frantic panting.
"I can't take it anymore!"
A soft voice to her left calls out. "It's just a nightmare, calm down. Some of us are trying to get some sleep."
"Don't you get it?! We're going to all die here!"
"You don't know that. Someone will find us. Just wait."
"WE ARE CATTLE IN A SLAUGHTERHOUSE. You think he's going to just, let us go tell the cops where he's killing people?! He's waiting for us to die."
"Batman will save us."
"Oh yea, because this abandoned warehouse stands out so much from the others. I have to have been here for at least three months and nobody has saved me yet. I doubt it's gonna happen."
"He might have mercy..."
"The psycho who tortures his own girlfriend? Go back to sleep. I'm not going to beg for scraps anymore."
...
The light turning on forces Chance awake. She wipes the sleep from her eyes as slow footsteps slowly draw closer. As she looks out of her cell, she grows wide eyed at the sight of the cell across from hers. Sarah lays limp in a pool of her own blood, her throat horribly mutilated. Crane stops in front of the cell and sighs before unlocking the door and motioning for the henchman to carry the body.
The henchman gulps before hesitantly grabbing the body and carrying it in his arms. Crane examines Sarah's bloody nails.
"Dump her in the usual place. Then find her replacement."
"Yes boss."
Chance looks away from the scene. Crane notices this and sighs.
"Speaking of which, you need to keep your strength up Michelle. You should eat something."
Chance raises an eyebrow and points to her mouth. Crane smirks. "I have no intention of removing those."
...
Crane holds a long plastic tube up for Chance to see. "This is a simple medical procedure. This tube will go through your nasal cavity, down your esophagus, and into your stomach. Once I decide you've earned the right to speak, you may eat normally, but until then..."
Chance pulls at her wrist restraints as Crane draws near.
"I will be honest Michelle. This will not be pleasant for you. It may help for you to relax."
...
Chance looks at Crane, exhausted. He watches her closely as he speaks. "I could do worse. I could do much, much worse for what you've done. Remember that."
Crane walks over to Chance and gently pats her hair. "You did well today."
Chance pushes her head into Cranes hand. After a moment, he pulls his hand away. "You have to earn it."
Chance narrows her eyes in. "Do you want a repeat of yesterday?"
Chance gets wide eyed and shakes her head. "Then don't get greedy. I need to get back to work."
Crane pulls a syringe out of his pocket and Chance whimpers. "It's a sedative."
...
Chance wakes up in darkness once more. She hears sobbing coming from the cell across from hers. A guy to her right calls out. "Shut up! You've been at it for hours already."
"He...that guy...shot my brother!"
"Scarecrow?"
"No...other...guy..."
"Well, sorry but it'd do you good to calm down. He likes to pick the scared ones. Be happy your brother died first."
"Oh...I'm gonna...die here?!"
"Do you even watch the news?"
"No..."
"Well, better you than me."
There's a loud creak as the door opens. Chance leans against the wall as the light flickers on. Crane slowly walks into the room. He stops before he reaches Chances cell. He opens the door to the cell and the henchman grabs the man inside. The three of them leave the room and close the door behind them.
The girl across from Chance screams out in frustration. "This isn't fair! I just went out for a coffee! I was in the parking lot for crying out loud!"
"You're lucky. He's been coming everyday lately. You might not get it on your first day."
Another guy speaks up. "What's happening on the outside? Has it been sunny?"
"Yeah. We're having hell of a heatwave. The mayor opened the new pool last week."
The man gets excited. "Yeah? What's it look like?"
"Um...a rectangle. And a diving board I guess. I'm not a fan of pools."
"Oh. Sorry."
...
Some time passes before Crane returns, missing the man he had taken with him. He stops by the cell across from Chance.
"Penelope. What are you afraid of?"
"I...don't know..."
"Would you like to find out?"
Chance watches as the henchman drags the screaming girl from the room.
...
The next time Chance awakens, the lights are on and she can clearly see a new girl in the cell across from hers. The teenage girl in the expensive outfit slowly wakes up. She rubs her head and groans as she wakes up.
"Where am I?"
One of the guys chimes in. "Scarecrow got you."
"Who?"
One man groans in annoyance. "Cupcake, you ain't at daddy's mansion anymore. Rich bitch probably thinks she's too good for this hellhole."
"My dad isn't rich."
"Could've fooled me."
The girl shuts her eyes as she struggles to remember. "I snuck out. When I got to the sidewalk, I was in the city...that can't be right. Then someone grabbed me and I woke up here."
Chance raises an eyebrow and the man continues. "Were you drunk?"
"Not tonight. I never made it to the bonfire."
"Are you in a cult or something? Why'd you make a big fire like that in the city?"
"City? What city is this?"
The man laughs. "Are you joking? Gotham."
The girl raises her eyebrows in shock. "Like batman stuff? This isn't the time for jokes. Tell the truth."
"Gotham."
The girl laughs. "Im still asleep. This is just a dream."
"Sure. Keep thinking that. The last girl only lasted a day."
The girl looks to the cell across from her, To Chance. "Elena?!"
Chance shakes her head and lowers her eyes upon recognizing the girl even without meeting her. Kate frowns in disappointment.
"Oh. Sorry, you remind me of someone. But everything will be okay. Elena will save us."
Kate smiles hopefully. "I'll get to see her again. It's been a year, but I'll be able to see her and get out of this dirty prison. Thank goodness it's not Loki."
The man speaks up once more. "I don't know what you're so happy about. When scarecrow comes back, you're screwed."
Kate smirks and closes her eyes peacefully amidst the soft creaking of the room. "He's not that scary."
A wave of silence washes over the room. Kate opens her eyes and frowns upon seeing Crane staring at her from the other side of the bars. She purses her lips and nods.
"Well...I'm dead."