A/N: Disclaimer: I don't own Tinman, DC comics, or Gotham. If I did, I would be rich, wouldn't have to work, and could post updates faster. _

Once we were safely on the ground we ran as fast as we could away from the sickening sound of chainsaws. As much as I hated those stupid turkeys, to cut down their homes, well that was just wrong!

"We need to find the brick route, and get you to central city." Penguin said as I gasped for breath. I had to admit even with the limp, this little guy was spry. And he obviously exercised more than I did. Although I felt like I was going to have the biggest asthma attack of my life, I knew he was right. We had to keep moving.

"You know the way, right?" I asked wanting to be sure.

"The shining city on the hill?, The shining city on the hill? The shining city on the hill? The shining city on the hill? The shining city on the hill?"

Well this was worrisome. He sounded like a broken record on repeat.

Tapping his shoulder strongly I yelled "Penguin! Are you ok?"

"Hmm? Yeah, why?"

"You sounded like you had a glitch."

" Oh!" He said giggling nervously, "Yeah, that happens sometimes. Side effect, thanks to Azkadellia." He continued as his eyes darkened with rage. Giving him a skeptical look I started following him.

About an hour, and 50 conversations later I looked around and began thinking about the similarities between my current predicament, the horror films I used to watch, and warnings my mother gave me about following strangers into the woods.

"I thought you knew your way to the brick route."

"Of course I do! It's only the main thorough fair in all the OZ." He chuckled nervously, "Why do you ask?"

"Because that is the same tree we started at an hour ago. We've just gone in one big circle."

"A circle! Not again." He sounded so disappointed in himself, that I decided not to prepare for the possibility of a serial killer.

"I wasn't always like this." He continued bitterly, "In my hay-day I was the numero one government adviser to the queen. My life would have been great, but her..." As the poor guy continued to ramble on from but her, to butter, and corn I started to tune him out once again. Then I heard it. Quickly silencing the glitchy penguin, I listened intently. There it was again!

"Did you hear that?" I asked even as I began running toward it. There was something sickening about the pounding and agonizing about the yelling. I'm not sure what I was imagining I would find, but what I found in the clearing wasn't it. The scene was horrendous. There was a woman being pulled in different directions, begging for the life on a man being held down on his knees as the man I saw earlier, what was his name? Oh right Harvey, beat him. Looking around for a weapon, I grabbed the only thing I could find and took off down the hill swinging the stick at the men.

"Where did they go?" I asked as Penguin walked towards a small machine attached to the pole in front of us.

"T.D.E.S.P.H.T.L., a tridimentional energy stored progressive holographic time-loop. Nifty!" He giggled, "Oh wait. I invented it!"

"So, that was all fake?" I asked incredulously.

"No, it happened, at one time or another."

"Why do they have it playing if there's no one to watch it?" I asked even as I saw the metal suit. Walking up to it so I could get a better look, I heard a tapping sound.

"Someone's trapped in there!" I exclaimed.

"Or something!"

"Help me get them out!" I looked around, there had to be something around here that could help! Aha, a hammer!

I walked back over to the suit, and studied it for a moment before hitting the bolts and releasing the door. As I did, a man stumbled out, and fell to the ground.

"Where are they?" He whispered looking up into my eyes with his own large blue ones, which stood out from his skin, which had taken on a metallic tint from the suit.

"Where are they!?" He asked again, this time in a ferocious yell, as he rose to tower over me. With Penguin hiding behind me, I was completely vulnerable to the large man walking slowly towards me. Well, not completely vulnerable. I still had my stick!

A/N I know! I know! Another cliffhanger, but how else do I keep your interest!? And to those of you who KNOW the Tinman story like I do, remember, this is an AU... anything can happen. *said ominously* This is entirely dependent on my brain, and my 'editor's.' Speaking of which, I have to give credit where it's due. My best-friend is half of my brain, and she helps me come up with my stories. She is desperately in love with her "evil little Penguin." So we shall see what character I will base her on later on.