Chapter 5
I patiently waited for through the next few days for the inevitable attack. Now armed with this information, I was constantly on high alert. I hated not being able to bring my weapons into the asylum, as their metal detectors and constant checkpoints would surely spot them. How lucky the actual super criminals had a secret set of passageways in which they probably smuggled countless contraband, as well as themselves. Considering that Ozzy intercepted the daggers, that's probably how they made it into the asylum in the first place. I sit down across the table from my next patient, trying to clear my mind so I could focus on the task at hand,
"So, Mr. Thorne-"
He raises his hand, "Please, call me Matthew. Mr. Thorne is my brother."
"Yes, your brother is the infamous politician Rupert Thorne with whom you worked for after you lost your license."
"Don't patronize me doctor, that is myfile you're summarizing to me." he points out.
"I'm just curious as to the relationship you two have held over the years. If I'm correct, he is now also a patient here at Arkham, am I right?"
"Yes, that's correct. Serves him right too."
I raise an eyebrow, "So I take it you two don't get along?"
"No, we get along swell-of course we don't! The man practically forced me into this silly 'Crime Doctor' business in the first place. I got in trouble covering for him, and then he tries to murder a colleague of mine!" his calm demeanor suddenly becomes more violent, as he bursts up from his chair towards the end of his rant.
"I can understand why you're upset, Matthew." I assure him.
"Then tell me, doctor: why am I still in this god-forsaken place?!" he shouts at the top of his lungs.
He reaches into his prison uniform and pulls out a medical scalpel. Brandishing it, he comes at me head-on, swinging the scalpel.
I duck backwards, watching the blade swipe inches under my nose. I take this opportunity to grab the weapon, stepping on his foot so that he'd let go of the knife, even just for a second.
I hear a slight crunching sound as my right foot digs into his left. He squeals in pain, allowing me to snatch the blade from his hands.
The interview door flies open, "Dr. K, are you alright?!" the security guard asks, running over to secure Matthew by slamming him onto the interview table.
"I'm fine. He had contraband on him though." I present her with the scalpel.
"Wow, that's the fifth one I've seen today." she observes, taking the weapon, "Wonder what's got the inmates so riled up."
Matthew then begins to chuckle under his breath. The security guard notices this and slams him further onto the table, "What's so funny, huh?"
He continues to chuckle endlessly, until the security guard is forced to carry him out, "Sorry about that doctor, hopefully your next one will go a little better."
I hope so too. Luckily my next patient doesn't require me to bypass a checkpoint. I feel the real scalpel in the pocket of my white doctor's coat. That security guard's right, the patients are quite restless today. Nothing wrong with taking a little precaution.
I look at my clipboard and see the name for my next patient: Edward Nigma. The big one. Is he truly that insufferable? Dr. Leland and Dr. Whistler couldn't handle him, but can I? It's quite the test, but somehow I feel I'm up to the task.
It takes two security guards to bring Nigma in, what with him being a slightly higher security prisoner. His brown hair is neatly combed back, and I can already tell he carries an air of arrogance just by the way he proudly saunters into the room and smirks at me,
"Good evening doctor."
The two security guards leave the room, quietly shutting the door behind them.
"So, where would you like to begin?" I ask him, relinquishing control of the conversation to him, he'd like that.
"I start all things the same way: with a riddle. Riddle me this doctor: what goes up when rain comes down and what goes up a chimney down but can't come down a chimney up?"
I pause for a second, "...an umbrella. The first one I think I've heard before, and the second clue is a little outdated."
He slouches back into his chair, "Expressing knowledge of the arkane only further proves my superior intelligence. Would you like to know why I bring up the umbrella, doctor?"
"I'm assuming you're referring to the Penguin." I play this card carefully, taking great care to choose my words wisely.
"Oh, so you know? Very good, doctor." he claps slowly, his slender hands crawling up around each other, "Then I assume you also know he's coming here, tonight, after a very specific patient."
Should I play dumb here? If I show I know too much, he might suspect something's amiss, or realize that I'm the person Penguin is after. Then again, too little, and I might come off like I'm bluffing.
"Yes, but I've never heard of this patient before. Must be in Intensive Treatment." I come to my conclusion.
"Trickstess? Ha!" he chuckles, his crisp and clear voice ringing throughout the room, "Hardly so. She's just a squeeze that he had back in the good old days."
"Back when you wore spandex?" I ask jokingly, hoping he'll elaborate on his past, and also a little offended he referred to my alter-ego as Ozzy's "squeeze".
"Pardon me, but spandex was in at the time." Nigma defends, "And besides, it was much easier to hide under my civilian disguise. You know, back when I still cared."
"You used to work for the Gotham PD as a…?" the file just said he'd worked for them at one point.
"I started as a coroner, and then I worked my way up to become head of IT. I'm very good with computers, you see." he explains.
"I know, I've seen your handiwork."
He sits up in his chair, "You know something doctor, I think I might actually stand you...just a little."
I roll my eyes, "What an honor."
He suddenly lurches out, grabbing my right hand and balling it into a fist under his own. He uses this hand to pull himself closer, so that his warm breath could graze my left ear, "And I'd hope a woman such as yourself would have a taste for intelligentmen."
Just then, the asylum alarms begin blaring, and a female announcer comes onto the intercoms, "Arkham Asylum is in lockdown. Disturbance in the Botanical Gardens, all unoccupied security personnel are to report there immediately. All non-essential staff are to evacuate the premises immediately."
He backs off, resting himself into his seat as the two security guards reenter the room, "Alright Nigma, back to your cell. And no funny business." one of them sternly tells him, getting out a pair of handcuffs.
"Do you really think you can hold me with those elementary toys? I've escaped from playhouses more complicated than those."
"Shut your mouth." the other security guard commands, before approaching me, "Dr. K, I'll be escorting you off the premises. Please, follow me."
"Oh doctor, this is your first lockdown, isn't it? I do hope you make it out in one piece doctor...we still have so much to discuss."
He locks in eye contact with me as the security guard pushes him out of the room, keeping it as long as he can until he head is obscured by the door.
I get up and follow the remaining security guard out the door. Although my interview with Nigma was cut short, I got a lot out of it nevertheless. His riddles are never completely nonsensical, they're a means to an end, trying to get a point across. Nigma, while admittedly charming, is considered insufferable and untrustworthy in the criminal world, which may explain his contempt against the other villains, especially Ozzy, since I believe that they both rose to power at around the same time. His access to the Gotham PD is probably what gave him his initial edge, as well as his aforementioned skill with computers. And finally, his interest in me...platonic at best. At least I hope so, I've never been good at evaluating romantic gestures, it's one of my blind spots. And although he's right, I do have a taste for intelligent men, but men have been suspended indefinitely on my priorities list, especially if they're super criminals.
I follow the security guard out into the hallways, where the patients are pounding on their glass windows and ominously chanting. The female announcer comes back onto the intercom,
"Disturbance in Penitentiary Cell Block A, Penitentiary doors are now locking down. All checkpoints are now closed."
I look up at the high ceiling walls and spot a dirty, unkempt sign saying, "Cell Block C." They must have gotten in from the outside, but they're still fairly far off.
I can hear the security guard snarl in protest, now that the doors are locked, we're trapped in here. Then again, that also means that whoever's on the other side can't get in...hopefully.
"Is there some kind of security booth in this cell block?" I ask the security guard.
"Yeah, good idea, it's down the hall." he replies.
We reach the security booth, where two other security guards, including the one from earlier, are working the various phones in the room, most likely trying to get in touch with the other guards and higher-ups.
Something crosses my mind, how could there have been a disturbance at the Botanical Gardens first, it's no where near the entrance to the island. They must have used those secret passageways, the personnel probably didn't get to all of them in time. Then maybe if I can find one of them in here, I can escape to the manor where all of my weapons are.
The security guards, preoccupied with the desk on which all the phones and mounds of disheveled paperwork, don't notice as I walk to the back of the room and begin feeling the pale, greenish tiled walls for any sort of give. I come to a spot where several tiles are missing, and I realize that there's one tile still remaining, and it looks like it moves through the space where the other tiles should be, like a lever.
Behind me, gunfire sounds off, and I whip around and see four armed thugs have just gunned down half of the guards in the room, who all also had their backs turned. The thugs aim their guns at us, and those of us who remain raise our hands in defeat.
"All the women are to come along with us." one of the thugs instructs.
The only women in the room are myself and the female security guard who supervised my interview with Matthew. So that's how Ozzy's trying to find me, just go through all of the women in the asylum. Maybe I should consider cross-dressing. Two of the thugs march up and grab the both of us. Just as the thug wrangles his calloused hand onto my wrist, I reach into my pocket and pull out the scalpel, stabbing him in the hand.
I pull out the knife as he yells in pain. Before the others can react, I pull the tile all the way through the space. A clicking sound comes from within, and the secret passage slides open to reveal another narrow staircase. I see on my left that the thug has the female security guard hostage, holding the gun to her head. I throw the scalpel, knocking the gun out of his hand, allowing her to kick him back and get away. The other security guards begin escaping through the passageway, and I'm the last one out. The two remaining thugs have their guns trained on me, "Don't move, or we'll shoot!"
I raise up my arms, "You really don't want to shoot. I'm the one you're looking for." I slowly reach for my hair, and carefully remove the long brown-haired wig, revealing that I'd cut my hair very short and dyed it a bright orange.
"Hey, we found her!" one of the thugs realizes, "Where's the boss? He's gotta see this!"
They begin looking out the door for him, while I use their moment of surprise to creep behind the secret passageway. On the other side, I find a small button, push it, and the entrance begins to close behind me just as a short, stout man in a tuxedo enters the room,
"Catch me if you can boys." I smirk, waving goodbye.
As the door closes, our eyes meet for a brief second, and behind his monocle, I watch as several emotions flash through his eyes at once, "No!" as the door slams behind him.
Author's Notes: Villains currently on hold for request: Harley Quinn, Poison Ivy, Maxie Zeus, Cornelius Stirk, Scarecrow, Killer Moth, Azrael, Orpheus, Ra Al Ghul, Talia Al Ghul, and Hush.