A/N Well, last chapter. Thanks so much to Black Heart of Darkness and highland girl for reviewing!

Got to Stop Spinning

Well, there you have it. My life with such a hopeful beginning, ending in this. More recently, of course, I've gotten to be more freelance than anything else. Which isn't so bad, I suppose. I kind of enjoy it: getting to argue with people whom everyone else fears, in order to get my money. But I shouldn't get too cocky. They may eventually decide I'm not worth the trouble. My morbid sense of humor, on top of cynicism, makes me not really care about that, though. After all, how could it get any worse?

I walked hastily down the dark streets to a large warehouse. I found it a little cliché that my dangerous dealings with the criminal underworld frequently took me to warehouses by the docks. But I guess it makes sense: where better to meet for smuggling stuff?

Anyway, I found myself in a bizarrely good mood. It was probably due to the fact that I'd seen few shady characters on the street on the way. Since I was in the Narrows, it was rather shocking. Perhaps they were scared home by the threat of the Batman. Or perhaps something more sinister, I reflected. Although, really, what could be more sinister than a man who dressed as a bat and came out only at night?

Arkham Asylum. It presented its bleak spires against the dark night sky, one of the largest buildings in the Narrows. It was probably quite disturbing. Terrifying to anyone forced to enter its great doors. I shuddered at the site of it. If the rumors were true, that many of its inmates were not mad but put there anyway because of connections with Falcone, that was a sobering thought for any would-be thugs for the mob. I certainly would want to avoid such a fate. Surely, jail could not be much worse?

I shuddered, and turned my back on the sinister building. Focus, Jenny. It wouldn't do to be attacked now, so near to my destination, just because I was lost in reverie. I'd lived on the edge of the Narrows most of my life, but one did try to forget its terror from time to time.

My knocking on the large door to the warehouse sounded far too quiet, but echoed. I wondered if anyone inside would know there was someone knocking, or just think it had been the wind?

The door opened slightly. Renee looked out at me, her eyes wild. I took a step back without thinking.

"Jenny! Thank God! I was worried you wouldn't come and I'd have to come out and get you. Put this on, quickly!" She handed me an odd device. I stared at it, not sure what to do. She pulled me in the door, then demonstrated with one of her own. A breathing mask, of some sort. I put mine on and took a few experimental breaths.

"What's this for?" I asked, my voice muffled, but understandable.

"You'll see. It's Henri. He's done something… terrible! I think that bat person scared him into it," she added gravely.

"What's happening?" I demanded. I considered taking off the mask, but decided to wait until I knew what fate awaited me. I'm no hero.

"Poison. He's going to poison the city with some sort of… thing you inhale that he got from some mad shrink at Arkham. It drives you mad through fear! He's decided to destroy the city at last," she said sadly.

"He gave up? Already?" I demanded.

"Well, like I said, it was the Batman that pushed him into it. Henri trained him in the mountains, but he destroyed our home! And came back here for some reason. I don't know the details. I wasn't there at the time, you know," she added. She looked quite harried, if I could tell behind her mask.

"What—what should we do?" I asked, fearfully.

"Hide. Until it's safe. He said there would be a lot of unrest for a while, a lot of people affected would wander and scream and such. They could be deadly," she said warningly. As if I'd be stupid enough to go amongst crazy people. "But it won't last. The poison will make them paralyzed from fear, so they'll probably just, I don't know, lie around and be terrified. But then it will be safe for a while. Probably safer than it's ever been," she sneered. I had never seen her sneer; it revealed how on edge she was.

"And then I can go home? And how will I explain how this didn't affect me?"

She frowned slightly at my sarcastic tone. "Well, it probably won't affect where you live, since it's on the edge of the island. But I wanted to be sure you were safe," she said gravely.

"I appreciate it." I don't know if it was sincere or not. We were silent for a few minutes.

"Well, I'm afraid I can't offer you much company. I have some things to do. Make yourself at home," she added, walking away.

I looked around. How did one make oneself at home in a warehouse? I should have brought a book or something, I thought. The next several hours passed in boredom mixed with intense dread. I wondered how my friends were fairing? Lisa would be at the Wayne's, so should be okay. Or, at any rate, she wouldn't come home from town into the small hours of the morning. Eddie and his family were probably at home, which Renee had said was relatively safe. I knew few other people. None I'd wish this on, but that meant little. I couldn't imagine who'd wish this on anyone. It was quite cruel. If you're going to kill someone, do it quickly, I thought.

I must have fallen asleep, because suddenly Renee was shaking me. I jumped violently, and leapt to my feet, putting the chair I'd be in between us.

She raised her eyebrows. "A bit jumpy, aren't we? Would you like me to walk you home?"

"No, I'll be okay," I said, forcing a smile.

"If you're sure… you can stay longer if you like," she said. She looked almost pleading.

"Has something gone wrong?" I asked.

"I don't know. Henri was supposed to be back by now." She looked terrified. It occurred to me that, should something happen to him, it would break her.

"I'm sure he's fine. I'll see you later," I said softly.

She nodded. Then, to my surprise, hugged me. I hugged her back, then let myself out of the warehouse.

I was unprepared for the world outside. It was very misty. I found myself glad for the mask. There was no way breathing this in could be avoided. The light was obscured, and made the landscape terrifying without any form of poison. And the people. There were people strewn here and there the whole way home. I didn't know if they were alive or not.

Rather than return by the back roads, by which I came, I went by the main road. It passed Arkham, and I usually avoided that place if I could. This time, however, I wanted to be on a wide street. And someone with authority might find me there, not just any crazies who happened to be out and about.

I looked up at the dark building as I passed. It was more terrifying close up, I thought. Then, worse, I saw a hole blasted in its side. They were loose. All the criminals who had been kept there for unspeakable crimes were loose. I looked around. I didn't see anyone in orange jumpsuits. Still… I had freaked myself out enough on the walk. I decided to run.

I bolted for about a block. Then, to my shock, I nearly ran into a horse. "What the hell?" I cried.

Someone groaned. The horse whinnied, and reared. I wondered if the poison worked on it, too, or if it was always that skittish. I leapt back, away from the horse, who calmed down. Apparently, I'd invaded its personal space. I backed up to try another way around. But the horse jumped in my way, rearing again. I heard a groan again, and looked for the source.

A figure lay on the other side of the horse. It moves slightly with the groan, then was still. The horse barred my way. I wondered if it was protecting the figure, which struck me as odd. I didn't know horses did such things. Not that I knew much about them anyway.

"Don't worry, horsie. I'm not going to touch him, if you let me by," I said soothingly. To my utter surprise, it calmed and nuzzled my shoulder. I petted it haltingly, not sure how to pet a horse. It then knelt on the ground. I stepped around it, not sure what else to do.

It rose suddenly, and I nearly tripped over the figure. I paused to study him better. He was wrapped in a straitjacket, but appeared to have a suit on underneath. Which was quite odd. It was a nice suit, too, so far as I could tell. He was pale, and seemed quite tall. It was difficult to tell lying down, though. He had dark hair that hung in his face. A burlap sack was clasped in his hand. That's weird, I thought. Steeling myself, I pulled his hair out of his face. Something seemed familiar… I got a good look at his face, and started. I'd seen it just that day, at Lisa's house, on tv. It was Dr. Crane, the head shrink at Arkham.

"How weird is that?" I murmured. "What are you doing out of your office, Dr.?" I sat back on my heels, thinking. Did he have any part of this? Was he the "mad shrink" from Arkham Renee had mentioned? If so… Henri would want him. The police certainly would. Perhaps even the batman might be interested, though I didn't know how well he might pay me. Regardless, having such a high-ranking criminal practically fall into my lap was hard to pass up. I leaned forward to get a better look at him.

He wasn't particularly muscular. That was good; I wouldn't want him in my home if he were strong. There was an odd sort of injury on his face. I looked at the sack, pulling it from his grasp. It was a mask. With a breathing apparatus inside. "Mad shrink, hm?" I murmured. It had a sort of device stuck in it. A tazer, I realized. I wondered who had tazered him in the face. Not very nice of them, I thought.

I stood up. But how to get him home? I didn't want him to get to wait until he woke. I'd want him safely tied down or something. My eyes fell on the horse, which was again kneeling. It looked at me intently. "Creepy horse," I muttered. But I managed to pull him by the shoulders until he was sort of draped over the animal. It didn't move throughout. When he was fairly secure, the horse rose and peered at me.

"Well, follow me, horse," I said, grabbing its bridle.

Thus, with my prize, I was able to get home safely from one of the most terrifying events in history in Gotham. And I'd even profited from it! Well, not yet. But soon. I smiled at the strangely pretty man on my couch. Soon, I'd get quite a reward.