Since the review reply feature has decided to hate me again, I'll say it here:

Sadly, this particular tale won't be a Batman crossover (if you're interested in Batsy fics, I've written four in that universe, check those out). Maybe someday I'll do an Evil Dead/Batman story (probably get bitten by the one shot bug sometime this week...I can feel a flood of stories brewing at the back of my brain, just waiting to be let loose on society), but this one will stay rooted firmly in the ED universe. Sorry dude.

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You know, I think I liked it better when I didn't know what they were up to.

It's like those prisons where they stick you in a room for God knows how long, telling you that one day they'll come for you and the paranoia and uncertainty starts getting to you.

The not knowing may be torture, but when they finally do come for you, you start missing the not knowing part.

Did that make sense?

Who cares...I sure as hell don't. Not now anyways...I got to much else on my mind to be thinkin' about stuff like that.

I can just tell that this is going to be something I'm going to regret doing later, but what choice have I got? I can't stay here forever...and they'll drag me out if I don't go willingly...maybe even drug me.

And if I'm gonna be forced out into the great unknown outside this damn cell, I'd like to do it with my faculties intact, know what I mean?

But I gotta make it look good...I gotta make it look like I'm doin' this 'cause she's tellin' me to. I can't let on that I've got any other plans brewing at the back of my brain.

-

Doctor Masi pushed open the door to the cell and stepped out. The cold, sterile metal made a thud as it hit the rapidly stiffening body of the old janitor who lay on the floor, unseeing, glassy eyes staring up at the ceiling and his neck bent at an angle that it was most definitely not meant to be.

The leggy brunette turned to look at Ash, who remained on the floor in his straight jacket, glaring at her as though he hoped he could burn holes in her.

"Mister Williams, please cooperate," she said, a slight warning in her tone, "I wouldn't want to have to get the orderlies and have them taser you."

He didn't move and if at all possible, his gaze became even more intense.

The Doctor let out a slow breath and her voice morphed to the unattractive rasp it had been before, "Now, Mister Williams. UP."

Ash's eyes flashed angrily...defiantly.

However, logic won out and he complied with the Doctor's wishes.

While she thought it was because he didn't want to tangle with two burly orderlies, Ash's reasoning was his own.

After all, there was a better chance of getting his hands on something that he could possibly use as a weapon out there...staying inside this cramped, claustrophobic cell wouldn't advance his plans for escape at all.

If there was even hope for escape, of course.

Doctor Masi smiled eerily and held the door open a little wider so that Ash could pass. Stepping gingerly over the body of the dead janitor, she saw with satisfaction that the shadow of disgust flitted across his features.

"You killed him," he said hatefully, not bothering to phrase it as a question.

"Indeed I did," she replied carelessly.

He turned burning eyes on her, "Why?"

A chuckle rumbled deep inside her chest, "He was becoming sympathetic to you. We couldn't have that, now could we?" Doctor Masi gestured to the left, "This way."

"What are you going to do with me?" Ash asked suddenly as he followed behind the Deadite.

"I thought we discussed this already, Mister Williams...we intend to test you until we find what breaks you." She turned a corner, "We don't want to run the risk of coming up against someone else like you without being prepared."

"The Deadites I've gone up against before were nowhere near as sharp as you are."

The doctor grinned as though flattered, "I'll take that as a compliment, Mister Williams…but to be honest, we have you to thank for that particular change in our pathology."

Ash stopped dead in his tracks, "What the hell are you talking about?"

Doctor Masi, aware of the fact that Ash had stopped following her, turned to look at him, "Your evil counterpart, of course. Before Evil Ash came to us, we were without direction...without a leader...left without logic and organization. We merely killed for the sake of killing...but after..."

Her eyes sparkled maliciously, "He was like you...strong of will, with the need to survive and overcome. He taught us the value of strategy."

Ash's eyes went cold, "So you're sayin' this is my fault?"

"Not in so many words, but yes...if you want to blame yourself for our evolution, by all means, do."

-

A/N: And so the Deadite's evolution from unthinking brutes to calculating villains is explained. Makes sense, right?