*Chapter 12: A Worst Fear of All*

A sniper is on the roof of the Intensive Treatment since the building is on lockdown. Batman threw a batarang at the sniper's head. Batman uses the line launcher to get to the rooftop and knock out the man unconscious. He entered the building.
The building started to shake as Batman went through the access. Ivy's plants are taking hold of this place. Batman will have to stop them before Ivy takes control of the island. Batman crawled through the vents to enter the lobby. Batman could see one of Joker's goons planting a bomb on the gargoyle.

"Are they ready? Have you planted the explosives yet?" Joker asked throughout the lobby.

"Done!"

"Razor's just finished his off now."

"Good! Let's test 'em out!" The man, Razor, hears his bomb make a sound. His eyes went wide.

"No! No, I'm still up here!" He shouted. But, the bomb explodes and Razor's face was blown off. Joker chuckled. Batman climbed down the vent and silently take down the goons with the collars.
He entered the Cell Block Transfer to get to the elevator, but he picked up the smell again. He covered his mouth, coughing. Scarecrow is nearby with his fear gas. Whatever Batman is facing, he will be prepared.

He opened his eyes and see blood on his hands. On the ground is Mia with her slit throat, bleeding, and a knife next to her. Batman's eyes went wide. What happened?! Mia was killed. Batman fell on his knees and pick up Mia's head.

"Mia! Mia! Who did this to you?" He asked.

"What have you done?" Axel's voice asked from behind. Batman turned his head to see him and Alfred. "You killed my mom! You murderer!"

"No...it wasn't me! I didn't do it!" Batman said. A hand came up to grab him by the throat. Batman looked down to see Mia glaring up at him. "Mia...!"

"This is your fault! You have gone insane! You will kill the others you ever love!" Mia said with a look. Batman pulls her hand away and held his head. This isn't real. Scarecrow is getting to him. "I shouldn't be involved with you! It's a curse! I HATE you!"

"No! I...I would never kill you!" Batman shouted. "I didn't do this!" Then, a straightjacket is on him and he is being dragged by Joker's goons and enemies. Zsasz and Harley are dragging his feet while Joker follows with a smirk. On the other side of the transfer, there is Jim, Cash, Dr. Young, and Ben being pushed by the inmates. "Get me out of this thing!" Batman cried out, struggling.

"He's lost it. He killed the nurse. And that is what I want to do!" Harley said. "Then again, he is coo-coo." They stopped in front of Scarecrow, holding a clipboard.

"Just got to check your prisoner, dear."

"Whatever. Just be quick! He's not looking too good." Harley said. Scarecrow looks down at the retrained Batman who glares back. This is the worst fear he's ever gotten so far.

"No, he's not. We really should feel sorry for him. He never fully got over his parents' death. It left him quite insane." Scarecrow said. He is smirking behind the mask. "What is going on inside your head, Wayne? Bah, he's gone! Just a twisted shell of a man."

"Cut me free!" Batman shouted, making Scarecrow jump back in surprise.

"He's all yours, Joker!"

"Oh goody. C'mon, Mr. J. We're ready." Harley said with a smile. Joker got his gun out. He aim it on Batman's head.

"I've waited a long time for this, Bats. Let's start the party." He said with a smile. He clicked his gun. "With a bang!" He pulled the trigger and everything went black.

XX

A grave with Bruce Wayne's name on it. But Batman's hand pop out from the grave, and he dug his way up. His bat suit is dirty and ripped. He could hear Scarecrow laughing at him. There are versions of Batman going insane in the cells. But he moved up to reach the Bat Signal to stop Scarecrow like he did the last two times.

"What are you doing, little Bat?!" Scarecrow looks around the corners of the ruins of the asylum, his orange lights are scanning the dark shadows. Batman stayed still, waiting for a right moment to move. Suddenly, skeletons come from the ground, ready to grab Batman, but he avoids them. He hurried up to reach the Bat Signal as the skeletons are following him. Scarecrow turned around and the light hits him. "NOOO!"

Batman grabbed Scarecrow from the other side of the bars. Scarecrow injected him again to be free, but no enough toxin to make the hero hallucinate again.

"How are you doing this? You've ingested enough toxins to drive ten men insane. What are you?" Scarecrow asked with a glare and run off. Batman held his head, trying to fight off the toxin as Scarecrow continues to speak. Around the Dark Knight, there are Joker's unconscious men including the Titan monster. He fought them off somehow. "Why fight it, Batman? You're as crazy as the rest of us. You need us as much as we need you. And to prove it, I'll flood the catacombs with enough fear gas to break the minds of everyone in Gotham for a hundred years."

"Batman? Batman, are you there?" Mia's voice spoke from the ear comm. Batman was relieved to hear her voice.

"Mia...I'm okay." He said. "How about you? How are you holding up?"

"Well...I kinda have a little problem of my own. I don't know how, but...I'm in the catacombs. I inhaled Scarecrow's fear gas again." Mia said. She sounds scared. She must've seen one of the worst fears. "Where are you?"

"I'm not far. Just stay where you are, and hide if anyone is nearby. Stay away from Scarecrow!" Batman said. Scarecrow has gone too far. Mia was brought in the catacombs by the gas. She was hallucinating. Why didn't Cash do anything? How did Mia manage to come all the way here without being harmed by Ivy's plants? Batman doesn't want to know. He had to get Mia out of there, but Scarecrow could be there. Who knows what he could do to her?

"Mia Harlow." Scarecrow sang out, holding a bag with his toxin. "Come out, come out wherever you are. I know you are here. My fear gas brought you here, driving you insane." He heard a gunshot, and a bullet nearly hit him. He turned to see Mia holding a gun, aiming at him.

"No more!" Mia shouted. "Haven't you done enough?! What did I do to deserve this?"

"You are here." Scarecrow told her. "You chose to be in this world. A world full of fear and madness!" He laughed. He backed away to the water. Mia was about to shoot his hand, but Batman came in. He discovered Ivy's plant, but he noticed Mia.

"Mia!"

"Batman, thank god you're here." Mia said, still aiming a gun at Scarecrow. The villain held out the bag above the water.

"Too late Batman! One step closer...and this goes into the water! The cave will fill with your deepest, darkest nightmares and you will never reach your precious Venom roots." He giggled.

"Don't do it, Crane!" Batman spoke. Scarecrow continued to laugh. Suddenly, Killer Croc popped out of the water and grabbed Scarecrow and lift him up in the air. The bag fell on the ground. Scarecrow screamed as Croc roared, ready to kill him. Mia watched in fear as Batman threw his batarang at Croc's collar to shock him. Croc let out a roar of agony and dove back down in the water with Scarecrow. Mia shook a bit. Batman brought her into a hug. "I'm glad you're okay." He said. Mia embraced his warm body.

"Bruce..." Mia whispered. "It was awful. I...I watched you die. Gotham was in flames. My son was killed..."

"No. Scarecrow was getting to you. He got to me too." Batman whispered to her. "It's over now." Mia looked down at the water.

"Did...did you think Croc...?"

"I don't know." Batman replied. "But I need to go to his lair to collect plant spores." A terrifying roar echoed throughout the catacombs. Mia gripped on his shoulders. She hated the idea of him going in there, but he needs to create the antidote for Titan. They need to proceed.