The ride back to the studio is solemn. But as soon as the van squeals to a stop in front, we forget what happen and work to get the studio 'ready' for the police to show up. It only takes a couple minutes and we retreat back to a safe distance. Joker, Dani and I hide behind a bush a couple miles away.
'See, the plan is Gordan and Batman will enter the building. They'll think they've got us, that we're in the rafters talking to them. But those are dummies strategically placed in the rafts. One of the two will get testy, shoot blindly into the rafters, causing a dummy to fall to the ground. While they check it out, the timer will stop. They won't know what hit them!" Cooed Dani. As she explained this, the cops surrounded the place. Surprisingly, she was dead on. We silently cheered and high five each other. But our little celebration was cut short when batman unexpectedly swung in. The three of us stand up, staring at batman.
"Well, if it isn't the batman!" Laughs Joker.
Batman scowls at us, "I didn't see that coming, I'll give you that. Now you're all going to jail." Growls Batman, as he lunges at us. He grabs Joker by the collar and holds him up against a tree.
"Oh what, you're going to kill me? But that would break your one rule." Said Joker, a smile planted on his face. Batman's glare deeps as he tosses Joker into another tree. Batman's attention is them drawn to Dani who is pointing the gun at him. But before she can pull the trigger, batman pulls something from his utility belt and tosses it at her. It explodes and ropes appear from it, tying up both of Dani's arms in front of her. Dani struggles hard, trying to escape. The ropes suddenly shock her, knocking her out. I now realize it's just Batman and me. He glances at me with a cold stare. The stare suddenly reminds me of the guy I killed in the first episode. My whole body freezes, my eyes wide open. He advances towards me.
MOVE, DAMNIT, MOVE!! WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING JUST STANDING THERE!?! GO GET DANI'S GUN, RUN, JUST DO SOMETHING!!!
There goes the voice in my head again, and it's the only thing that snaps some sense into me. Thinking fast, I dart over to Dani. I fumble with her gun and when I finally get it, I point it at Batman. But he's gone. My fear suddenly turned into rage, "WHERE ARE YOU?! COME ON, BATSY! IT'S NOT MORNING ALREADY! OR DID YOU SEE A TASTY MESQUETO YOU WANTED TO EAT?!" I shout as my eyes dart around the darken forest; "COME THEN, HAVE AT IT!! WHAT, CHICKEN? A LITTLE BATTY?" Suddenly, I hear the sound of air ripping through fabric. I spin around and am face to mask with batman. He knocks the gun from my hand easily and I see it skid away under a bush. Without thinking, I start throwing punches. He easily grabs my wrist, forcing my arm behind my back. I try punching him with my opposite fist over my shoulder, but he stops me by grabbing the wrist. It's one of the most awkward holds but it works and I'm stuck.
"Now are you ready to give up?" Batman gruff.
My eyes dart to Joker and my heart stops. He's gone, that bitch just up and left me to take the fall for him!! But then, Batman his hit from behind and he releases me, collapsing on the ground out cold. I look and see Joker, smiling wide, with a tree branch. Dani has escaped from her bonds and stands next to him.
Dani Walks up to me, "You OK?" She asks.
I frown, rubbing my wrists, "Yeah." I mumble, "I thought you guys totally left me."
"Now why would we do that? Then the Dani and Erin show wouldn't be the Dani and Erin show." Said Dani, as she went over to a bush, searching for her lost gun.
I gaze up at Joker, and then down at Batman, "….We should probably get out of here before he wakes up." I said.
The Next night…
Dani and I walk in the slums of old abandon buildings. Or what use to be them. Now commercial buildings were being built and it seemed there was no place to call 'home'. Discouraged, disheartened and simply out of options, Dani and I sat on a curb.
"Erin….Today you get to say I told you so." Sighs Dani.
"Today, I don't think I want to. But since you offered….I TOLD YOU SO!" I snap.
Dani sighs in exasperation, "SORRY! I didn't realize there weren't a lot of old building around here, OK?" she hisses.
I place my head in my hands, "This city has finally started doing something about the old buildings, Dani. And the crime and criminals too. Soon, we'll be next…because there's no where to hide. Face it, we've reached the end. Where everything starts falling a part, where the villin starts slipping up, where we either go to jail or…die." I said, mumbling the last part.
At the Police station
Gordon sits in his office, rubbing his face. Batman stands, concealed, in the dark of a corner in the room. "Why is it so hard to catch those three!" growls Gordan.
Batman answers, "They know they face extinction, all that matters now is where they make their final stand. All criminals get caught in the end. It's only a matter of time before those three get caught."
Back in the slums
Dani is silent for the longest time. Several times she opens her mouth to speak but can't figure out what to say. Unexpectedly, Dani jumps up. "I know a place." she utters. She then runs off. I run after, trying my best to keep up with her. She finally slows to a stop in front of a gate. Behind the gate, standing on a hill, is an old looking building. Parts of the roof look as if they have caved in. I feel like I've been here before. But I can't put my finger on it.
I look at Dani, "What is this place?" I ask.
Dani smiles, "Our new studio!" She chimes.
Frowning, I say, "No, I mean what was this place."
Dani walks over to a plaque on the gate. She wipes off some of the dust to reveal the name, Arkham Asylum. That name…how do I know THAT name?! Suddenly, rain began to fall. "Come on, let's get inside." She said, shivering. She opens the gate, the gate answers with a low creak. I follow after her, running to get in the building and out of the rain.
"Dani, isn't there an Arkham in the city? Why did they have two?" I ask, following as she led me down some winding corridors.
She glances at me, smirking, "Well, you are correct. They did have two Arkhams. See, the one in the city was for the more, milder criminals. While this one was for the more…crazy and out of control inmates. They legal system thought it would be a good idea. That if an inmate escaped from this prison, they couldn't go very far. But what they didn't account for…was the opposite factor for the guards in the prison. Since this building is on the other side of the city, and the police station on the opposite side, the police tended to forget about here. They were already short handed in a city full of criminals. So they didn't come around here. And, well…it didn't turn out well for the guards stationed here." Said Dani, smiling.
I slow my breath shortening. "W-what do you mean by that?" I asked, but I didn't want to know the answer.
Dani stops and looks at me, "You don't know the story? Oh I love to tell the story!" She cheers, clapping her hands. "Alright. So Arkham was run by this warden named Jerry…Pesota I think. He's wife also worked in the prison. She was a physiologist. Named, Ginger. Together, they had a kid, a girl whose name escapes me. She always went to work with them, in the prison. Anyway, the warden was a nice guy. But not everyone is all nice. He got angry sometimes and he let it out on the inmates. So, story goes, the inmate had had enough. They organized a riot. Somehow, they all escaped. They went on a murderous rampage throughout the prison. The kid, young and innocent, was there that day. She was ten, poor thing. So the-"she said.
I interrupt her, my eyes wide, staring off into space, "Pesita…That was their last name. They kids name…was Erin. She was in her father's office, playing, when the riot happened. Her father went to try and restore order. She became scared and went to find her mom. She went to her mom's office and saw the door wide open. She looked in and saw her mom, dead. Her throat sliced wide open. Terrified, she ran to find her dad. She ended up on one of the cell blocks. There was a group of inmates a-and they were killing her dad. She couldn't help her self, she screamed. The group's attention switched to her as they surrounded her. She had no where to go, the railing separated her from a fall to the bottom. She thought it was the end for her…." I said, fading off. Tears ran down my face.
"Erin…how do you know that?" Dani asks, putting a hand on my shoulder.
"Because" I said, looking at her, my eyes full of surprise, "I was that girl."