Chapter 7: Down the Rabbit Hole

Authors Note: Thank you to everyone who reads review alerted or favorite my story Srgt Surge I'm looking at you. Also like how with each mission Batman's suit gets torn up that will happen to Jayden.

Disclaimer: I do not own Arkham Asylum.

(Main Courtyard.)

After ditching Batman and Gordon I was on my own again, that battle with Bane did wonders for me as I stretched my muscles out. I looked at my outfit to see that the knees on my jeans were torn and that there was a gash on the right shoulder on my coat.

"Ah dammit," I sighed making my way towards Arkham Mansion where Young's office was.

I overlooked the courtyard to see that the Jokers men have done a little redecorating. Most of the previous security guards were lying on the ground dead as Jokers men patrolled the grounds wielding assault rifles and taking position at the watch towers. I looked over to the center of the courtyard to see the statute of Quincy Sharp covered in Christmas lights and his face painted with a smile.

"Okay, Joker may be a crazy bastard but he has good taste in makeup." I said to myself.

I moved in closer to the mansion and pressed the small button on the side of my lenses to zoom in on the mansion. I activated the detective mode to see a man taking point on the top of the balcony on the roof with a sniper rifle and to make things worse he also wore thermal goggles.

"Well this will be difficult." I said as I moved towards the mansion. I ducked pass a few guards before moving close to the mansion doors and activating my camouflage. Using my new found strength I ran towards the wall and ran straight up until I reached the balcony. I took one gig jump until I landed on the roof and a knocked out the sniper. I turned off my camouflage and proceeded into the building.

(Mansion)

I jumped across the ledge I just climbed on and onto a nearby air duct and scaled the walls looking for an opening. I eventually found one and made my way to the main corridor of the mansion. Inmates were tearing apart desk, book shelves and anything behind glass covers looking for Dr. Young's lab notes. As I scaled the ceiling I heard the PA system jingle come on as all the inmates below stopped in their tracks.

"Joker here," He announced. "Just so you know aside from Batman we have another newcomer here tonight. You know he dresses in black uses a sword…oh and that reminds me. He wants me dead." He snarled. "But it's not my problem I mean after all I heard he's already in the mansion," He chuckled as his men down below started muttering. "You know I've seen both Bats and this new guy who calls himself Shadow in action and let's just say in comparison if I were in your shoes…I would be on my knees praying Batman would get me before he does." He then let out his signature laugh as he went back into his normal calm voice. "So don't let that distract you from finding the good doctor good luck!"

I rolled my eyes at his arrogance as I climbed through another ventilation shaft. I made my way to another hall trying to find Dr. Young but was having no luck. As I walked down another hall I realized that something was off. I looked around to see that there were no thugs in sight, they weren't patrolling the halls or in any of the offices they were nowhere in sight.

"That's odd," I said as I continued looking.

As I walked I went pass a dining room I started to smell something…sweet. I walked into the dining room to see that no one was there and that it was surprisingly still intact. I walked over to the long dining table to see a tea pot with steam coming out of the spout with a fine china tea cup sitting right next to it filled to the rim. I took a whiff and smelled the sweet liquid as its warm scent flew into my nose. It was funny I never really cared for tea and yet I couldn't put it down.

"I really shouldn't," I said to myself. I had no idea who made this tea or what was in it. Truth be told I really can't stand tea it leaves a bad taste in my mouth. "Eh, the staff probably made it before the riot." I reassured. I placed the edge of the cup to my mouth and slowly sipped the tea. It actually tasted pretty good, and for so much steam to come out of it, it was surprisingly warm. Like Goldilocks and her porridge it wasn't too hot or too cold it was just right. My entire body started to get warm as the tea slid down my throat then my entire body started to feel relaxed as I finished the tea. I felt pretty good right now, I was warm, relaxed and…sleepy. My eyes started to feel heavy as I tried to walk out of the room only to stumble onto the ground. I tried to get to my feet but suddenly my arms felt weak and I couldn't pick myself up. As I lay there on the ground I saw a pair of ratty shoes stand before me before my world turned to black.

I was dizzy.

I was confused.

I heard…ticking?

My vision slowly came back to me as I saw the tea cup from before sitting right in front of me. It was sitting on a fine table cloth and surrounded by other tea cups and snacks. The guests were no better as they were clearly thugs but they were all wearing rabbit masks. I shook my head of sleepiness and looked up as my vision was blinded by a bright light.

"More tea Mr. Shadow?" A high pitched voice asked as the figure before me poured another cup. The light was too bright making it hard to see who it was but the shape of the top hat gave me a clue as to who it was.

"Where the hell am I?" I demanded.

"Oh you see like dear Alice you've stumbled into a world beyond your imagination," He explained. "You should have been more careful, then again Batman would have seen that coming a mile away."

"I'm not Batman." I growled.

"Oh, yes, yes, yes, I know that dear boy," He chuckled. "You're just another pour soul who's confusion led him astray into the rabbit hole," He said poetically. "But this world will not be as nice as Wonderland."

"Sad, I hear Oz is nice this time of year." I said sarcastically. Jervis growled in anger as he stood up on the table.

"You'd best watch your tongue," He snarled. "I've seen you around and I also saw your battle with that behemoth Bane, you have a unique gift tell me what your secret is."

"Never."

"Oh no, you see you have no say I make all your decisions now." He said in a cocky tone of voice. "It matters not what your secret is the point is you are mine now, and with your talent I will escape this wretched place and find my dear Alice." He said as he stepped closer and closer to me.

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"Oh just let me put this on you and all your questions will be forgotten." He said as he revealed a watch in his right hand and then put something over my head and blocked my vision. "Your mine now boy."

"Shadow, you will do everything I say." His voice was so guiding.

"Resist his voice," My inner voice said.

"You will do anything I want you to do." He said again as I wanted to agree with him.

"You will not, you are a lone warrior you do not obey or do anything for anyone."

"You will obey me and me alone."

"Never, you are nobody's pawn!" I started to feel my strength return as I tried to wiggle my arms.

"You're on a carriage moving through the forest at night admiring your shadow casted by the moons light and you feel very…sleepy."

"Your eyes are heavy and they feel like lead, you want to keep them open but you just can't find the strength."

"Almost there you can do it!"

"Imagine you are far away in a distant land."

"NOW!"

With all my strength I opened my eyes and broke free of the Hatter's mind control trick. I looked around to see that I was in some sort of dark void and standing on a clock. I looked down at the glass and started to see a faint reflection of myself. I gasped in horror to see that my face was now a deformed rabbit head with large crooked buck teeth, long disgusting crooked ears and glowing yellow eyes.

"What that's impossible," Hatter shrieked. "You can't do this you're supposed to be under my control."

Before I could say anything his goons appeared out nowhere his goons came out of nowhere and started to attack me. One threw a punch at me but I grabbed his wrist and with all my strength threw him at a couple of other thugs. Another tried to kick me and I grabbed his leg and slammed my elbow down on his knee and broke his leg. Three more walked up to me, but I held my fist back and delivered a haymaker to the three bringing them all down. A puff of red smoke appeared out of the corner of my eye to reveal it to be The Mad Hatter.

"Such exquisite strength it will be mine." He gloated as he waved his watch back and forth trying to hypnotize me. I drew my sword and charged at him and brought my sword across his neck hoping to take his head off. But before I could land a hit he disappeared and eight goons jumped me from behind. They all started pounding into me as they were punching my head and kicking my body. I shot up off the ground and sent them all flying across the clock as three men with daggers approached me.

I picked up my sword and took my stance as they all charged at me. I blocked one attack with my sword as I kicked an oncoming thug in the stomach pushing him back. The other one actually managed to land a gash on my arm as I was unable to move from the other thug's blade. I growled in pain as I grabbed the thug I was locking blades with by his collar of his uniform and smashed my head into his face knocking him out cold. The remaining two stood before me with their knives pointing at me as I readied my blade. They both came at me with ferocious speed and attacked me. I was blocking their oncoming attacks as fast as I could, trying my best not to get cut again. When I blocked the last attack I pushed the thug off me and punched him hard in the face throwing him across the clock. The last one screamed in anger as he charged at me but I swiped my sword across his chest and he fell to the ground.

"Just give up its pointless to resist." Hatter said as I threw my sword at him only for him to disappear again. I snarled in annoyance as more thugs appeared. I charged at all of them and unleashed hell upon them.

I ran towards one thug and jumped high enough to deliver my boot to his face sending him across the clock. I landed on my feet as two men approached me at both my sides, they tried to punch me but in an instant I ducked causing them to hit each other. I then shot back up and delivered a series of blows to each of them and as a finisher I grabbed them both by their throats and choke slammed them on the ground. Another guy came up from behind and wrapped his arms around my chest holding me tight as another guy armed with a knife ran towards me. I lifted my legs up and delivered my feet to his face and flipped the other guy over my shoulder and onto the ground, I raised my fist and slammed it into his face knocking him out.

I don't know how but as I kept beating the crap out of Hatter's men the clock started slowing down and I could see patterns through the air. Without even knowing I ran over to the air pattern and grabbed it reviling it to be the Hatter. He waved his arms around trying to beg me to spare his life but I didn't bother to listen. First I wanted to add insult to injury for trying to make me his slave. I grabbed his stupid top hat and threw it on the ground before stomping on it with my foot I then raised my fit and sent him off to la la land.

After I knocked him out I saw that I was still in the dining hall with multiple thugs wearing rabbit mask lying all around me. I let out a whistle as I grabbed Jervis and dragged him over to an old heater I pulled out a pair of handcuffs I found on a guard and cuffed him to the heater.

I saw that the tea pot was still intact as I walked over to it and picked it up. I held it back and threw it against the wall shattering it to pieces as the contents of the tea spilled to the floor.

"Well that's the last time I drink tea." I said as I made my way out into the halls.

"Well, did someone not enjoy their tea party?" An all too familiar voice asked over a radio on one of the thug's belts. I walked over to him and retrieved it as I hit the talk button.

"I can't stand tea." I said as he chuckled.

"I don't blame you I'm more of a hot coco and Dr. Seuss man myself."

"I'm more of a coffee and Oz man myself." I said.

"I the movies so boring you should really stick to the book it's so much better."

"I was talking about the book my mother read it to me when I was a child."

"Oh, how sweet." He said sarcastically.

"What do you want?"

"Well I was hoping old Hatter there would get you to at least spill the beans about Young or the TITAN formula or even your personal formula that helped you take down Bane."

"You saw that huh, well just so you know you will never obtain my formula or the TITAN formula."

"We'll see about that, seriously though what's it gonna take to stop you?" He asked. "If not a crazy rich man or a steroid behemoth or a fairy tale creature then who I ask? Two-Face, Croc, Hush, Deadshot, Clayface, Batman, me…Harley?"

"None of the above." I snipped as he let out another dark chuckle.

"Oh trust me my boy I'm like you I will work hard to get what I want and I will have my army of monsters."

"To do what with," I asked. "Seriously I know you want the formula to make monsters but after that what are you gonna do afterwards?"

The line was silent for a moment before he answered.

"You know I haven't thought that far ahead…Oh well I'll figure something out but for now what I really want to know, is what you fear the most." He said in a low tone as the line went dead.

Confused at that last statement I threw the walkie-talkie at the wall as I proceeded to look for Dr. Young. As I walked down the long dark hall I could have sworn I felt someone following me. I was probably just being paranoid as I let out a cough.

"Hmm, these hallways sure are long." I said as I continued walking.

And walking…

And walking…

And walking…

Oh no…

It started to feel cold as snow started falling from the ceiling and with a gust of wind the hall was now littered with trash and light poles. I started running as I heard voices echoing all around me.

"You did very well in your Christmas pageant tonight Jayden." A voice said.

"Thanks daddy." A younger voice said.

"C'mon our ride is just around this corner."

I then saw footprints in the snow both big and small going side by side as I ran after them.

"This snow is really picking up, here take my hand Jayden"

"Okay daddy."

The footsteps started to pick up as I heard some of the garbage cans get knocked over.

"Make a move and I slit your son's throat." Another voice sounding scratchy threatened.

"Daddy…"

"You lay one scratch on him you pathetic bum and I'll kill you!"

"Whoa stay where you are just give me your money and you can have your kid."

"There's only one way I'll be dealing with you!" He snarled as he lunged at the man. "JAYDEN DON'T LOOK!"

Suddenly there was a rustle of bottles and garbage can's as the father wrapped his hands around the other man's neck. Just then there was a sick sound of metal piercing flesh as blood lay all over the ground and the father fell on the ground.

"DADDY!"

Just then a dark figure came out of nowhere and knocked the murderer out. I fell to my knees crying over my father's body as a gust of wind covered over me. I went from a young adult in a dark coat to a ten year old boy wearing a classy winter coat and gloves as a dark shadow in the shape of a bat towered over me.

I slowly got up and looked down at the bloodied knife and my dead father. It wasn't fair, he killed my father and yet he was still allowed to live if he had any real strength he would have avenged my father's death instead of being a coward and not having the backbone to take this freak out.

Voices started to echo around me again as tears stained my cheeks.

"I must say Mister Wayne you have quite the heart of gold," A snooty voice said. "With all the money his father left him he could easily by his own family."

"Will you knock it off he's just a child and he has no family, money can't buy love."

"I beg to differ his father was the second wealthiest man in your company next to you of course. It will be difficult to find a suitable replacement. "

"And he was also a good friend of mine, so show some respect."

"As you wish."

"I'm sorry about him, he grew up with only his wallet are you okay do you need anything?"

"Why did Batman fail to save him mister?" I whimpered.

"Listen, I can't speak for Batman but he is really sorry for what happened. I know he tried his best to save him."

"But he should be dead mister he killed my father he deserved it."

"I know that's what you feel now, but deep down you know if he killed him he would have been no different than that criminal and I know that deep down your father would not want you to become that."

"What do I do now?" I asked.

"You're gonna live with me for a while okay, and listen call me Bruce mister makes me sound old." He joked.

I looked down at my shadow it was so dark and bleak, there was no real emotion in it at all just like me. From that day forth I swore I would do what Batman failed to do I would craft my own blade much stronger than that killer's knife and dress myself as dark as the night. With my blade of justice I would eliminate the evil of this world no matter what the cost. I don't care if it cost me my mind, my sanity my soul or my life I would do what I could to destroy the evil of this world.

Hell I would become evil for the sake of good…

I would be wrath and would show no mercy…

I would become the Shadow of death.

A/N: Another chapter down I'm glad I was able to get this out Christmas Day. Next chapter eascaciing another nightmare and going blade against blade with Zasz until then Happy Holidays everyone.