Chapter Seven

            Black Canary rubbed at a spot on her temple. She always used a spot of spirit gum to hold her wig in place and she could still feel a bit of residue that didn't want to come off. She'd barely had her disguise on, and was ready to head to the ground floor, when the Bat-Signal alarm had gone off. A quick change and short ride later, she was standing on the roof of the police station still trying to remove that last bit of adhesive.

            Commissioner Gordon was looking away from her, gazing out over downtown Gotham as the twilight began it daily approach. "The final analysis won't come in until the autopsy is completed," he said, "But the preliminary reports indicate the Barbers died of heart attacks brought on by fear. Dr. Rosen, the coroner, reported seeing extreme decolonization and bruising on their chests indicating a massive hemorrhaging, probably of the heart. He's seen enough of Crane's victims over the years to recognize the signs by now."

            "So you're certain the Scarecrow is behind this," she said. She almost whooped with delight as she got her fingernail under the spirit gum and managed to peel it away in one piece like dead skin.

            "I have no reason to doubt it," Gordon said, turning around. "We won't have the concrete evidence we need until Dr. Rosen is done, but if it's not Crane, someone's pulling a fantastic copy cat job." He waved some folders in the air. "Four people dead. Four people in a direct pattern pointing at Helena Kanly. He's tracking her. I don't know what he would want with her, but she seems to be hot property right now. I need him stopped before…"

            "Before?" Canary asked.

            "Before he finds out where she is."

            "And where is she?" Canary asked, playing dumb. Nothing like dropping into a stereotype, she laughed to herself.

            "That's not important right now. All you need to know is that she's safe."

            "Who would be next on his list?"

            "I've been thinking about that. I think Detective Reece would be his next target. He killed Darren Francis to find out which social worker had been assigned to Helena's case. Then he killed her to find out where Helena had originally been taken. Then he kills the couple who housed her for a couple of days. The next person in line would be Reece because he picked her up from the Barber's and brought her to me. I'm the only one who knows where she is right now."

            "Where is Reece?"

            "Downstairs. I'll get him up here." Gordon turned his back to her, pacing as he unclipped a two-way radio from his belt. Canary tapped her throat mike and whispered, "Oracle, are you there?" She was met by silence. Where was she?

            "Where did he go?" She focused back on the angry tone creeping into Gordon's voice. He'd stopped pacing and was staring at the radio like it had done something wrong.

            "He got a call about twenty minutes ago," a voice came back. "Said he was heading to Harbor Side to check on a lead."

            "Radio him," Gordon said. "Tell him wherever he is to stay put. Call any patrol cars in the area to be on the lookout for him and to give him any help he need except for getting to where he was going." He looked over his glasses at Canary and pointed over his shoulder towards the harbor. She nodded that she understood and headed for the edge of the roof. She bounced down the fire escape to where she'd parked her bike. As she was pulling out of the alley, her com crackled.

            "Canary? I'm here."

            "It's about damn time. Where have you been?"

            "I had to wait until Helena was taking a shower. I told her I was going out to get some things so I could use the main elevator to get up here. That excuse is going to wear thin after a while, so I'm going to-"

            "Oracle, we're on the move," Canary said, interrupting her. "It looks like the Scarecrow is on Helena's trail and his next target is Detective Reece. It looks like Reece might be headed into a trap. Such good little prey."

            "I've got the reports up now. It does appear to be Crane's style. But what would he want with Helena?"

            "Who knows? Who cares?" Canary said. "I need to know what I'm up against. What am I headed in to?" She could hear the clacking of the keyboard in the background.

            "Jonathan Crane, a.k.a. the Scarecrow," Oracle said, reading off the monitor. "Was a scientist…studied fear…lost wife…here we go. Primarily uses a custom gas mixture that is absorbed through the sinus walls and through the blood barrier membrane where it directly affects the brain. The gas is a mixture of stimulants and hallucinogens mixed with unique particles crated by Crane.

"After absorption, the subject quickly becomes disoriented and almost paralyzed with fear. They also become highly susceptible to suggestion. Their minds begin to visualize their worst fears. With a big enough dose, the subject's heart can beat so fast that it, for all intents and purposes, will rupture. 

            "Crane occasionally uses a powder form of the gas that can de absorbed through the skin. This, however, requires a marriage of particles and bacteria, a process that takes up to several weeks. Because of this, he usually relies on the gas form when committing his crimes."

            "Sounds like a fun date," Canary said. "I'm assuming this isn't the kind of gas you can get rid of with a can of Lysol."

            "No," Oracle said. There was a silence before she said, "Canary, we've got to stop him. If he gets to Reece, his next target will be-"

            "I know," Canary said. The motorcycle accelerated. "I know."