The Great Escape

Tonight. She was going to escape tonight. She'd been planning it for ages, making sure everything was planned out and she'd accounted for every factor. Her gut twisted guiltily when she thought about the doctors at the church and the political prisoners who needed her but she could help them all if she escaped and could get the press' attention. She was sure they'd love to get the inside story of Arkham City without needing to get their hands dirty. Patting her mouth with a napkin, Mary looked up at the Professor, who was poring over a file.

"Professor… If you do not need me, I was wondering if I could spend the rest of the evening in the Library," Mary stated.

"Very well," Strange said and waved a TYGER guard over to escort her, not looking up from the file. Once the TYGER guard closed the door and locked Mary in the Library, she gathered her pack that she'd brought from her room, raced across the room, kneeled down, and began unscrewing a vent cover. Using the ventilation system and a map she'd snuck from the Security Control Room, she found her way through the maze and to the outside. Pushing on the vent cover and using the wall to brace herself, after much struggle, Mary was able to remove the vent cover. A burst of fresh air hit her face but her elation died down when she realized how high up she was.

Don't look down, her brain told her.

Why would I look down? Mary wondered.

It's a natural response to being in a high place, her mind reasoned. People are curious to see how high up they are but upon discovering it, often regret it.

Doesn't matter, Mary replied. What matters is getting down to the ground. Hooking her grappling gun to the vent, Mary switched the setting to lower and carefully descended from the building. When her feet touch the floor, Mary's heart burst with elation. She'd done it. She was free.

Someone knocked on Professor Stange's door.

"Come in." A TYGER guard entered.

"Sir, I went into the Library to collect Miss Noble, but she wasn't there." Strange put down the files he was looking over.

"But she was locked in."

"Yes, but… one of the vents was open," the guard explained and Strange's face went red.

"Send word to the TYGER guards currently patrolling Gotham City. Tell them she's escaped."

Mary made her way quickly through the streets of Gotham, her senses on overdrive in an attempt to try and stay out of trouble. The problem with doing this at night, she had to be more cautious about criminals. Though with Arkham City now open, the crime rates had significantly dropped. The only good thing Arkham City had done in her opinion.

Once she made it to the payphone and had made sure it wasn't ringing like the ones in Arkham City, she started looking through the phone book to try and find the number of Justin Noble. However, there seemed to be a good number of Nobles in Gotham City.

"Andrew Noble, Brittany Noble, Donna Noble, George Noble, Isabelle Noble, Nathaniel Noble." Mary paused. Right in between Isabelle and Nathaniel Noble, should've been her brother. But his name wasn't there. She began skimming the page, panicked. Where was he? The sound of a truck behind her caught her attention and she turned to see a black truck with a familiar logo on the side: TYGER. She dropped the phonebook and shot off like a gun, trying to run away. But the truck continued to get closer, unaffected by her attempt at running. Turning a corner, Mary attempted to lose them in an alleyway, but instead found herself being cornered in an alleyway. The truck stopped in front of her, blocking her exit and TYGER guards clambered out, guns drawn and aimed at her. Mary briefly considered using her grappling gun to escape, but her plan was shattered when she realized TYGER guards were looking down at her from the roofs of surrounding buildings too. Losing all other options, Mary opened her mouth and screamed.
"HELP! HELP! SOMEBODY, ANYBODY, PLEASE HELP! HELP! I DO NOT BELONG IN ARKHAM CITY, PLEASE, HELP!" she screamed. But no one helped her. No one came, and eventually the TYGER guards grew tired of her constant shrieking and fighting so one guard hit her around the head with the butt of his gun. As her eyes closed and her world faded to black, Mary knew her fate was sealed.

Professor Strange circled Mary like a vulture. Her grappling gun, backpack, and maps had been discovered and confiscated, her body was now bruised and aching from the TYGER guards attacks, and with the Professor circling her like that, Mary knew that she was a goner.

"I'll admit, I am impressed with your escape attempt," Strange commented.

"Enough to let me go?" Mary prodded tentatively.

"No." Mary slumped.

"Enough to not punish me, at least?"

"No." Mary hung her head and tears filled her eyes.

"I just want to go home," she whimpered. Strange lifted her chin up to face him.

"Don't you see child. This is your home." Mary stayed silent, closed her eyes, and lowered her head again. The Professor straightened up and turned to the TYGER guards. "Take her to her cell. I think a few weeks in the dark should change her mind." In that moment, as she was dragged back to the dark, cold cell by Strange's puppets, Mary made a vow; She vowed to herself that no matter what, she would escape Professor Strange… even if escape meant death.