Chapter 11

Okay, I'm really sorry for not updating sooner, not only I butted on that chapter, but I also started having less interest for Gotham. I must admit the new teaser for the Batman sparked my interest again!

Quick summary of recent events: Bruce had asked Jonathan and Marina to help him get in Strange's office, for that they made the electricity black out in all Arkham. Jerome managed to know where Bruce's clone could be hiding, and Bruce gave that info to Lee who gave it to Alfred. At the same time, Jeremiah manipulated Silver so she would work with them against her family, and Ecco and Jeri had kidnapped Tabitha. Lee has surprised a conversation between Strange and his assistant, the director suspects that Jonathan Crane had something to do with the blackout.

Lee quickly went to Jonathan's cell under the pretext to check up on him, considering how many times he had been hurt recently. He was surprised to see her, but as she closed the door she immediately went at his side.

"Jonathan, listen: we don't have much time. I know what you did to help Bruce, you cut off the power; useless to deny, I know it, I'm helping him as well. Strange knows you turned off the power, he will come and interrogate you."

"No! No, I don't want, I don't like him..."

"Shh...I know, he is scary. What you must do, is tell him that you did it because the scarecrow ordered you to do it. Alright? If he thinks you were out of your mind, you won't be punished, or midly, he mustn't discover why you really did it, or both you and Bruce will suffer for that, a lot. When he'll come, you will wait for him to ask his questions and then you'll say the scarecrow made you do it, alright?"

"But...What if he discovered about his keys and someone going in his office..."

"Don't worry, I'll get that covered if he asks more questions."

She actually didn't know what to do yet, but she would find. Jonathan nodded and told him on a more assured tone: "I'll know how to lie."

She nodded and left. He breathed in deeply. He wasn't bad at all when it came to lies, he often used that with his father. His dad had often been tyrannical with him, and Jonathan didn't have much freedom with him. That's why he had learned to lie, and since he feared his father he knew he better had to lie well. Still, he kinda hoped the doctor wasn't right, that nothing like this would happen, but he was wrong. That unbearable nurse named Peabody eventually came and took him to Strange's office. When you were called in the director's office even though it was the evening already, you knew something was wrong. Two guards were in here, silent and still but nonetheless threatening at each side of the desk. Hugo was just smiling as if he was glad to have him here but Jonathan perfectly knew how fake it was. He was seated and he couldn't help but lower his eyes.

"Jonathan my boy…It seems like we have a problem."

"W…What?"

"I think you know what we're talking about. You see, I suspected a few days ago that someone turned off the power in the hospital. And I was right! And I know who it is."

Jonathan didn't say anything, he just looked around worriedly. He had to do as Miss Thompkins said, he had to pretend it was the scarecrow. He bit his fingers nervously, he didn't have to act scared, he really was, he knew what the director was capable of.

"We saw you, Jonathan, we noticed what you did."

"I didn't want to! He made me do it!"

"Who made you do it? Jerome Valeska?"

He frowned: "No, the scarecrow. He said he wanted darkness. I don't know why but it seems like it needs darkness."

"Why do it in broad daylight, then?"

Shit, it was true it didn't seem logical! But Jonathan didn't lose countenance, he was supposed a to be a lunatic after all, he could do illogical things: "I don't know, that's what I told him! But he was urging me. I told him I couldn't give him darkness and he got angry! So I did something, anything to appease him."

His discourse was incoherent, but to everyone in the room, it sounded like the delirium of a disturbed teen, not lies. Jonathan went on, and in the end, though Strange was dubitative. It was rare for him, but he was human too, and for once he couldn't tell what the truth was. He had the impression that the teen was hiding something, but he didn't sound dishonest.

"Are you really telling me everything?"

Jonathan looked in the corner. He was hearing voices, the voice of the scarecrow. He didn't really have a coherent speech; he was just saying horrible things to him, making threats and giving him weird ideas. He couldn't see him right now but he would eventually appear. Wait…

"The scarecrow wants me to hurt you."

"Really?"

Jonathan nodded. "Not physically, but he wants me to…"

"Torment me?"

"Yes! I don't want to do that, I don't want to torment anyone, but he keeps telling me things and he doesn't take 'no' for an answer."

"I see…Is it why you stole my keys?"

"Your keys? No I didn't do that, the scarecrow just told me to turn off the light."

Strange seemed to think over it. "Maybe spending your next day in solitary confinement would do you some good. But don't worry my boy, I'm not rancorous. We will find a way to take down that scarecrow I'm sure."

Oh no, not solitary confinement! But considering what he had done, he knew this wasn't much, he hoped that he didn't have other ideas in mind. He looked down and nodded and apologized, assuring once more that he didn't want to do that. He still went to solitary confinement, but he was relieved. Now he only hoped the doctor would find an explanation for the keys.

O o O

The flat he was living in wasn't the only place Jeremiah had to work. There was also Ecco's familial old house, she owned it and of course had allowed Jeremiah to install some of his stuff which couldn't remain in his flat. Jeremiah was almost giddy when he joined Ecco. She was also impatient, he could tell. "Is the girl okay?"

"She is sleeping. I discovered a lot of financial misdeed on his laptop, and also traces of an investigation about Bruce. Not so many proofs but still."

"Don't you think it would be simpler to leave him in Arkham? If you want him to become like you and Jerome…"

"No, I want him to owe us everything, if he has to become like us, it must be because of me and Jerome and no one else."

Her practical mind questioned that, but it was the twins' artistic side she guessed. Well, Jeremiah would be able to exercise his art on Tabitha. She was chained to a chair and was waking up. Ecco stayed before her and Jeremiah stayed behind at first. Ecco shook her and gently slapped her face to help her regain consciousness. When Tigress realized where she was and what happened she tried to bit Ecco's hand but the blond retreated right in time.

"I bet you did thought of biting me before, but with nicer motivations."

"Where is my niece? What did you do with her?"

"You'll see her soon."

Oh hell, she was pretty sure they tortured her! Tabitha had been worried about Silver being hurt by Theo but now that threat was far away. She didn't know exactly where she was, probably a cellar or something, there was no windows but electricity. Her eyes also spotted a little table with some medical stuff.

"Who do you work for? I know you aren't your own boss, I know little lap dogs when I see one!"

"I guess it takes one to know one," Ecco stated with a poker face. "But that question will be answered."

Tabitha heard slow footsteps and tried to look at whoever was coming. When the person stood before she gaped: it was like a punch in the guts! He looked so much like him but he was so different too…She knew Jerome had a twin, but she never thought he would ever do something like that! She had been told he was a little lamb compared to his brother, Jeremiah Valeska was only a meek scientist! He lowered his face to look at her.

"Hi, miss Galavan. I'm honoured to meet you, and to have a subject such as you."

Subject? "What the hell are you talking about?! Where is Silver and what are you doing?"

He laughed at this: "You seriously thought my brother would be some employee? You thought he would nicely obey?"

She narrowed her eyes: "So it's that? You are as crazy as your brother, and you're on his side. Now I know who I will go for once I'll be free. I can guarantee you that you will pay for this."

"Oh, you think your brother will search for you? Or that order of St Dumas, maybe?"

What? This was a shock for her: how the hell did he know about it?! Silver… "I'll repeat myself: What did you do to my niece?!"

"Well, I made sure she would talk and she did." Of course he wouldn't tell her they just had a chat, that he manipulated her smoothly without hurting her, no. The girl could be useful in the future. He would let Tabitha use her imagination instead and continued: "If you want to do what's best for her, you'll do something for me."

"What?"

"Give me your PIN code."

"Go to hell!"

"Tabitha…Do I need to bring you a few fingers from your niece? She still has all of those, but it can change at any moments."

She spat at his face and he was startled but simply wiped it away before slapping her hard. "You shouldn't do anything stupid. You know your problem, Tabitha? You and your brother think you're the only ones who can fool people. You're arrogant, and that will lose you."

"The hell…"

"My brother and I are fooling this city since years, even you fall for it. I bet you never thought that I could do anything against the law. But I did. You thought you could just wave some money at Jerome and have him do whatever he wanted, make him kill Bruce. But you don't get one thing: my brother will never kill on orders, he will kill because he wants to. And I can tell you that he is starting to like Bruce Wayne a lot. Do you know what he promised him?"

Tabitha didn't answer, starting to realize that Theo did a mistake indeed. If Valeska had decided to turn against him…Jeremiah smiled and murmured: "Your brother's head."

Though she tried not to show anything, she really started to realize the danger: a plot had been organized against them, the Order of St Dumas had been discovered and everything she and her brother did would be destroyed, and now Theo and Silver were both in danger, just like her! Jeremiah stood up:

"You know, it's too bad that this guy, hum…Peter Tobias? Yeah, it's the name he has now, it's too bad that this Bruce Wayne's clone had escaped you. I mean, if he was found, well…Same with Maria, poor her, she was terrified when we got our hands on her."

"How?!" This came out by itself. "How did you discover that?"

"We didn't, Bruce Wayne did. You didn't think he would just stay nicely in Arkham swallowing pills?" He laughed at this: "Of course not."

"Maria told me everything," Ecco stated. "It was a good way to soil the Wayne's reputation before killing the last one of them. But I must admit she was an easy target, brainwashing her was easy."

"Too easy. And we appreciate a challenge, don't we?"

"If you think you'll be able to brainwash me, you're dead wrong? I know everything about it."

"There is only one way to be sure of that," Jeremiah murmured while Ecco gave him a syringe. "Let's start with some chemicals. And also a little message, from your niece."

"I told you that you would see her," Ecco reminded her. She installed a stool before Tabitha and put a touch screen tablet, and at the same time, Jeremiah lifted Tigress's sleeve. She tried to struggle and her bound were tight, and in the end, she felt the needle's sting.

"What are you giving me?"

"You don't need to know that."

She was about to yell at him when she heard a familiar voice: "Auntie, please, you have to stop all this." Silver! That was Silver's voice! She saw her niece's face on the screen, she didn't look hurt, but now she could only see her face. "You must do everything to stop uncle's projects, you must stop those, and this war against the Waynes has to end. I beg you: stop Theo."

The message was repeated again. "We put it on a loop. You can close your eyes, but you will still hear her voice."

"Novice's methods…"

"Patience, it's just the beginning."

She was about to answer something but her mind was starting to get confused and foggy. Damn! What did he give her? All she could do was hear her niece's voice repeating the message. Jeremiah looked at her and smiled. Breaking Silver would have been no fun at all, but that one would be a delight!

O o O

Selina was waiting in an alley, hanging on the fire-escape. She and Alfred had found two possible places, and the man had insisted that he would go and interrogate them alone, in order to have a card in his sleeve in case something was suspicious. She actually wondered whether or not he was trying to protect her, she remembered after all how he hit one of the two guys who had been cat-calling her and all. She hadn't told him but she had actually been a bit touched that he would help her. Not that she needed to be protected, no! But it was nice to see someone cared a bit.

She saw him coming back eventually. She got down and he summed up everything immediately. "One of the two owners didn't seem to know him at all, and I'm pretty sure he was too old to have a friend as young as that guy. The other was quite nervous however."

"Where does he live?"

"Don't know, I couldn't ask directly. We'll have to wait and follow him."

"Maybe it won't be necessary, I'll pay that guy a visit and we'll see what I can get."

Alfred showed her the shop, there were other flats above. She entered at first, pretending to be a simple client.

"What kind of knives do you have?"

"A lot, what are you thinking about?"

"Something for defense, a girl should always be prepared."

"You've encountered bad guys?"

"More like creeps. Thank God some other are cute."

He gave a little flattered huff, thinking it was for him. She flirted a bit with him like that, never going too far because she didn't want him to be too enthusiastic. He gave her a dirty eye, he was probably around twenty, he wasn't that old compared to her, but he still gave off old-perverted vibes. He told her how he got the shop from his parents and all, how badass he was at handling it and she eventually heard something really interesting: he lived in that building. She stole a knife while she was at it and eventually pretended he forgot her money to leave.

"He does live in here," she told Alfred, "if he is that clone's friend, that's where he is hiding."

"Okay, let's go."

The owner being at his work, getting in wasn't that difficult. They entered thanks to the fire-escape and got into the small and dirty living-room. It stung and it was messy, and she could see there was nothing interesting to steal. Didn't matter, they weren't here for that. Alfred noticed the awful smell, but soon forgot it when they heard some noises coming from a room. They looked at each other as they advanced. It was coming from the kitchen, it sounded like someone was washing something. Selina took out her knife and Alfred was ready to use his fists. They advanced slowly and saw a young man with their back at them. He had dark hair.

Immediately and with all the stealth he had, Alfred rushed to him, roughly grabbed him and pushed him against the kitchen's counter. The unknown guy yelped and looked at Alfred with stunned and fearful eyes when the man forcefully turned him round. The older man's jaw dropped as he saw it.

Bruce. That was his face.

He could see right away this person wasn't Bruce, but it was just like a twin. His boy's face on some impostor…Selina was baffled as well, she could have mistaken him for Bruce if she didn't know the real one was in Arkham. Galavan definitely did everything to bring the real Bruce down!

"You…Who the hell are you?"

The guy suddenly punched and pushed Alfred away, taking advantage of his bafflement.

"HEY!"

Selina's yell echoed though the kitchen and she tried to grab him but the guy struggled violently and tore himself from her hold before Alfred could come and grab him. He ran toward the fire-escape but the butler suddenly grabbed his jacket before he could pass through the window and Alfred violently threw him down. The guy hit the ground violently and Selina kicked him hard in the ribs as he tried to get up. She put the knife right under his throat and tears started to appear in his eyes, making her snort in spite: he looked like Bruce but he didn't have his courage. The real one would have kept level-headed and given a defiant look. Alfred closed the window and turned to the guy who was still down and didn't dare to move.

"Now, you're going to confess to the police, got it?"

"Please, don't, they'll kill me…"

"We will kill you too if you try to run away. The police is your best option," Alfred threatened.

"I'll make sure he remains nice while you call them," Selina growled, still keeping the knife under his neck.

Alfred did take his phone and called Bullock. This time there was no way the man could deny what would be under his eyes. Adrian just cried.

O o O

Strange wasn't here today, and Jonathan was relieved of that. He had been in solitary confinement for the whole day but strangely enough, the man had been lenient for once. Yet he didn't want to take a chance and cross the man somewhere in the corridors. Of course Marina and Bruce were happy to see him again and she even kissed him before everyone. He allowed her to do so, it was agreeable to kiss someone. Weirdly he wondered what it would have felt like if Bruce had kissed him too. When he explained them why he had been in solitary confinement yesterday, Bruce was obviously guilty.

"I'm sorry it's all my fault…"

"It's okay, I should have been more discreet. And it was worth it, for once that I could do something against that fucker!" He looked around worriedly when he said that, still hoping no guards heard.

"Still, it's my fault, I shouldn't have involved you in my plans."

"Bruce, considering all the times you stood up for me it's the least I could do."

Although it made sense, it couldn't work that way for Bruce, he had decided to protect his new friend and that's what he would do.

"It was still dangerous."

"I'm not that weak you know, I'm not good at fighting and defending myself but I can at least help my friends."

He realized this could be offensive toward Jonathan; he didn't like to be treated like a fragile thing either. "Well, I just…"

Suddenly Bruce was interrupted by the loud sound of the alarm. He gaped and everyone's attention was reported on the ruckus it made. Some lunatics laughed and got agitated while others protested and put their hands on their ears, and some reacted calmly, simply confused.

"What's going on?" Asked Marina

"I don't know, maybe someone's trying to escape?" Jonathan suggested while Marina took his head for reassurance.

Bruce had a really bad feeling about this. The guards ordered them all to go back to their room and Bruce obeyed, watching his surrounding carefully when a voice spoke through the speakers very loudly through the entire asylum.

"Ladies and Gentlemen! Good Afternoon, we have an important announcement."

His stomach churned as he recognized Jerome's voice. What the hell? Oh God Jerome had a plan to escape! Oh no, he had to stop this!

"This will be a great day today, a day of freedom and fun! Don't hesitate to disobey orders and go for it! The guards will have a lot of difficulty to hold you back, if only they remain alive! GO FOR IT AND RUN OUT EVERYONE!"

This was enough: one guard suddenly hit another one and yelled: "JEROME RULES!" This was followed by crazy cheers and it all went into chaos. Bruce immediately ran to get Jerome, he knew he was probably in Crane's office to make this announcement, he had to catch him! He couldn't stop them all but he had to stop Jerome from escaping! And there would be a phone in the director's office, he could call the cops from here!

As he was running, pushing everyone who could try to stop him, someone suddenly slammed him against a wall. He yelped and was punched in the guts before feeling a gun against his temple. He saw one guard with a demented smile holding him against the wall;

"You aren't going anywhere! I'll bring you to Jerome and you will obey! Come on, walk!"

He was pulled by the arm and at first didn't resist. He paled and felt a shiver of fear as he saw people in here, not employees, not patients but cultists. He could recognize them anywhere! The guard pulled him closer and smiled to the newcomers: "I'm bringing that one to Jerome, is the way free?"

"All free, dude! Is Jerome gonna have some fun with that one?"

"Probably!"

They laughed and continued their way, and the man looked behind for just a second. It was all Bruce needed. The cultists had already passed before them. His hand flew toward the gun and he pulled the man's wrist down to disarm him. The guy yelped and Bruce elbowed him hard in the face. They struggled, Bruce refusing to let go of his arm, and the man trying to push him against the wall again. Bruce kicked the back of his shins and roughly pushed before hitting him in the guts. The guy lost balance and the teen ripped the gun away from him before kicking him in the face. It was enough to knock him down.

He ran once more to the first office he could find and called 911 immediately.

"911, what's your emergency?"

"I'm in Arkham Asylum, you must come there is an attack…"

Pain suddenly spread in his jaw s a punch landed against his bone. The phone was ripped from his hands and he was punched again in the stomach. He stumbled a bit and dodged the next blow just in time. It was an old but big man with a demented smile. He went to attack again but Bruce dodged and hit the back of his neck with the side of his hand before kneeing him in the belly. The man lost balance and fell against the closest wall. The teen took occasion and gave him a hard kick in the ribs. As Bruce was about to give one last punch, he suddenly felt a cold barrel against his temple.

He froze and stopped any move immediately.

"Now, now, Bruce! You're going to follow me like a good boy this time." Jerome's voice, sultry and threatening at the same time. Strangely it was almost reassuring.

"What now, Jerome? You're going to kill me?"

"No. I'll kill the twink and the pretty doctor! Turn around."

Bruce paled and turned as Jerome ordered to see Lee and Jonathan held by cultists with guns pointed at their temples. Lee was keeping countenance even though she was scared but Jonathan was breathing hard and trembling. He was terrified of course and he was looking at Bruce pleadingly, and there was no way he could save him without endangering him. He would do as he was told, he had no choices, there was no way he would let Jonathan down. Jerome lowered his own weapon and took Bruce's neck. "Of course I wasn't going to kill you, not yet. Now, we're gonna have some fun outside!"

This time, he couldn't escape from Jerome, but Jerome would escape from this place. Oh Lord, this was going to be hell!

Okay, I hope you enjoyed!