Revelations

Jerry didn't move for a second. As we stood in the hallway staring at each other, I was hoping he wouldn't ask for an explanation as to why I wanted to go outside after he warned me once already that that was not a wise decision. "Uh, Violet, are you sure?" Normally, I would be second-guessing myself at this point, but not today. I had had enough of everything and everyone.

"I'm sure. I want to go outside." To drive my point home, I started moving towards the double doors that led out to the yard. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little afraid to go outside. I didn't have an intimidating presence though and as long as I didn't try and mess with anyone out there I doubted they would want to come after me.

"Okay." I could tell Jerry was still hesitant. It was nice that he really did seem to care that I could potentially get the shit beat out of me, but really, nowhere in this place was 100% safe. Especially since I almost just got knifed in the cafeteria. "Do you want me to stay out there? I could get one of the other guys to cover my duties today."

I shook my head. He really was worrying too much. It couldn't be that bad out there. "No, you don't have to do that. I'm always surrounded by dangerous people, Jerry. The only difference out there is that they have bigger muscles." That wasn't a good argument and I knew it, but I didn't feel like explaining myself to him. I honestly just wanted to be left alone. You're never alone now though-and you never will be. I rolled my eyes.

"Oh, okay. Well, if you decide you want to come back in or whatever, there's a buzzer outside this door here. It's technically for emergencies, but I mean, I'll respond before anyone else. So don't feel bad about pressing it." We were at the doors now. They weren't the standard steel double doors that scanned your body before opening. They were just regular looking doors you'd expect to find in a prison or school. I didn't wait for Jerry to speak again before pushing through them and out into the yard.

The sun glared bright in my eyes for a moment. I brought my pale hand up to shield my face from the harsh light. It was another unusually nice day out in Gotham. Once my eyes, which had grown so accustomed to the darkness inside the asylum lately, had gotten used to the light, the sight that surrounded me immediately put me on edge. The yard itself wasn't all that big. About 50 yards deep and 25 yards wide maybe. There wasn't a lot of grass, just a lot of concrete. To my left there looked to be some exercise machines. Further back, against the far wall of the yard was half a basketball court. To my right were some benches and tables. All around me though were some seriously beefy men who all seemed to be staring me down right now. I was also the only female out here. Great choice coming outside, Violet.

I didn't really look around too much after that, not wanting to make eye contact with any of the large men out here. It had gotten considerably quieter once I had stepped outside of the doors however. I could tell there were whispers being passed around about my sudden appearance. This was just like being back in Arkham City: surrounded by men, defenseless, and oh yeah, not a damn guard in sight. Maybe they'll kill you quickly. Maybe you should really just shut up for once. Nope.

There was a knocking sound from behind me. I turned around, expecting to see Jerry knocking on the door or something-there was a little window next to them- but there was no one standing by those doors. The knocking came again. This time however, I looked up and realized it was coming from a window. My heart sank when I saw one of the men I was currently trying to avoid on the other side of it. I hadn't realized the windows in the rec room overlooked the rec yard. There's no hiding in this place. Roman's masked face was close to the window and I could see his arms gesturing wildly as if he was asking me what the fuck I was doing out there.

"Hey sweetheart," I looked over and saw a gruff looking man with dirty brown hair and serious pit stains approaching me from over by the workout equipment, "it ain't everyday a bitch comes out here. Especially not one with a sweet little ass like that." I am not going to be harassed out here. Actually, it looks like you are.

I was thinking about booking it back to the doors when a shadow fell over me and the gruff looking guy stopped in his tracks. "Leave." My body stiffened at the sound of his voice. As soon as the word left his mouth, the gruff guy practically ran back over towards his buddies though.

I turned around and saw Bane standing much closer than I would have liked. For a big guy, he moved pretty quietly. I looked up into his face and saw his cold gray eyes staring down into my hazel ones. Almost reluctantly, I looked away and back up to the window Roman was in. I really didn't know what to do now. I couldn't tell from his face obviously, but Roman's body language was stiff. He knows you're screwed now too.

Bane seemed to have followed my line of sight and sneered when he saw who I was looking at. There must be some bad blood there too. Roman had bad blood with everyone, it seemed. Before I could contemplate this further, I felt Bane's massive hand close on my shoulder and, without effort, he started dragging me away from window, out of sight. Roman was banging on the window harder now.

My heart was pounding out of my chest. This guy could literally crush my skull in his hand; I had no doubt about that. Why, why did I have to come outside today. Because you're nothing but a stupid, scared little girl. Bane took me over to the area to the right of the doors, by the tables. I hadn't noticed before, but he must've been sitting there this whole time. Not only that, but he seemed to have a group of men with him.

"Make sure we aren't overheard." Bane had a certain accent to his voice. I couldn't figure out what kind, but it was there. All at once, his men jumped from the tables and formed a circle around us. "Sit." He kind of pushed me onto the bench on one side of a wooden picnic table while he walked around and sat on the other side. I didn't know what he could possibly want to talk to me about. I knew next to nothing about the guy, but somehow I didn't think this was going to be like a Two-Face conversation, with flirty overtones.

I sat there for a second, weirded out by his piercing stare and hulking figure. "Um…do you need something?" I tried to be as polite as possible to this giant of a man, but my confusion overruled my manners.

"You are getting injections of some serum from Strange." My body stiffened, "Are you not?" Well how did he know about that?

I didn't answer at first; my mouth was hanging open a little. But I could tell he was getting impatient so I nodded, "Yeah. I have been since I was moved up to category nine." I paused looking at him, and scrunching my face up in confusion, "How did you know about that?" Everyone knows you better than you know yourself.

"I heard it from a reliable source." He elaborated at my still confused look. "Word spreads quickly through this prison. And lately, a lot of talk has been centered around you."

I swallowed, suddenly unable to talk. How did someone who had never even really spoken to me know so much information that I barely had an understanding of myself? About myself, no less. Let's see, who knows you're getting injections? Eddie and Roman? One of them blabbed. They had to have. I was suddenly so angry. "I still don't understand the point of this conversation. Do you know what he's injecting me with?" I felt something akin to hope flicker inside of me, which now overpowered the anger. Maybe he knew what was really going on here.

"No. I do not know what he is giving you. I was hoping you could enlighten me there." Just like that, the flicker of hope was extinguished, "However, you wouldn't be the first person in this asylum who was being experimented on by the doctors. Before Arkham City was opened, there was a doctor here who used me as a means to further their own experimental exploits."

Had the same thing that was currently happening to me happened to him as well? "I'm sorry. Do you think that has something to do with what Strange is using on me?" Bane was a pretty big guy, who would have looked healthy if it weren't for the glowing green tubes coming out of his back. You're going to end up just like that. I really hoped I didn't.

Again, he shook his head. This time he seemed to loosen up a little from his stiff posture. "I'm not telling you this because I want pity. I am telling you this because I know what it feels like to be used as a disposable experiment." He spoke with hatred in his voice. "I believe that is what is happening to you. Strange has little regard for his patients, which should be obvious by now. However, I do not believe he is working alone on this. There are some patients who were conveniently never recaptured. Patients who I have a strong suspicion are working with him on this." My brain started going through everyone I had known from Arkham City who I hadn't seen here. The list wasn't long: Penguin and Joker. One was supposed to be dead and the other just flat out didn't seem like he'd work with Strange.

"And you think these people have something to gain from working with Strange from the outside?" It didn't make much sense to me. If they were already outside of the asylum, what difference would it make? They didn't need a reason to get on his good side.

Bane laughed bitterly, "An insane asylum is the perfect place to make people who are already legally insane become even worse. No one cares about anyone in here. It's the prime place to perform whatever experiments they can think of." That didn't sound like something Penguin would do. My mind suddenly flashed back to the night I had been shot in the steel mill and I remembered Joker had been messing with some liquid in a test tube. "I know of a few other patients who are receiving these injections. Victor Zsasz was one of them."

He said this like it was supposed to mean something to me, "Who's that?"

The look he gave me made me immediately feel inadequate and stupid even, "The man who almost stabbed you today." Oh. Him. I guess I never did ask what his name was. "He is admittedly insane, erratically so, but lately he had been more reserved. Like I said, I don't know what the serum is supposed to do, but judging from his ramblings during the attack, I would say it has something to do with altering the way your brain rationalizes." Like hearing voices in your head. So it was true, I did have reason to worry after seeing Zsasz attack that man. I knew there was something similar in our faces. I was going to become nothing more than a babbling psychopath.

I had a lot to think about now. Slowly, everything was coming together. Strange was using the serum on me, like Zsasz, to test its effects on me. I didn't know how far along the road to insanity I was, but hearing voices definitely wasn't a good sign. Strange did say I had a strong will power. So whatever this new "treatment" was going to be, it would have to be something focusing on breaking my will. Something that affects your brain. Remembering Bane was still sitting across from me, I looked up, "Thank you. You didn't have to tell me that." I was still wondering why he told me at all.

He nodded his head slowly, "I don't like being in this place anymore than you do. I'm working on figuring out what Strange is up to, especially if he is using what the other doctor was using. Something they took from me." He glanced around the yard, lost in thought it seemed.

"Do you think I'm going to end up like Zsasz?" It left my mouth before I could help myself. I knew Bane didn't care and I knew he wouldn't care about my worries. "I mean, Zsasz was already unstable, so what would be the purpose of trying this drug out on my brain? Why choose me at all for that matter, I'm no one special?" That was the biggest question right now. I wasn't special, so why did it seem like I kept getting sucked into things that shouldn't concern me at all.

"If you continue getting injections, yes, you will end up like him. The drug is already taking a toll on you." His steely eyes scanned over my face. I knew he was referring to my less than attractive looks at the moment. "You may have more sanity than Zsasz ever had to start with, but that will disappear soon enough." He stood up suddenly, his towering height engulfing me in a shadow once again, blocking the afternoon sun. "As for why he is using you, it is because you have no one here. No one would miss you."

Behind me, I heard the other inmates start moving back toward the doors. Bane walked past me without another glance. This wasn't a meeting done out of the kindness of his heart. He simply wanted to find out what I knew about the serum. I figured I wouldn't be hearing from him again here, since I knew just as much as he did. Probably less actually. He's right though, no one cares about you here. Not a single person would notice if you just died.

I stood from the bench, noticing now that I was one of the last to go back inside. Hearing Bane tell me that no one would miss me was hard, but what was even worse was that I was beginning to think it was true. After my outbreak the other day at the visiting center, Harper probably wanted nothing to do with me for sure. She'll go running back to her mommy and daddy-who actually love her, unlike yours-and forget you even exist. As for your mother, don't expect to see her again here soon. For once, I was starting to believe the voice in my head.