Jon's P.O.V.

I tapped my fingers against the steering wheel as Ridley made her way into the house. I hoped that Penguin would hold up his end of the bargain, but I had doubts. For one thing, it was Penguin, and for another, the car had been out front.

We'd talked about how it'd only be there if Penguin and Zsasz ran into a problem and needed me to stall. Everything had been planned down to the very last detail, with it being finalized earlier this morning.

'What does it matter?' Scarecrow said peevishly. 'It's none of your concern. What are you still doing here anyways? You should've left as soon as she entered the house.'

"I need to make sure that Penguin holds up his end of the bargain," I said, having no issues with talking aloud to my other self. I was, after all, alone.

'Penguin's a businessman,' Scarecrow said, 'and like any good one, he'll do what is necessary to stay within his clients good graces.'

"Even so," I said, "his loyalties lie with who ever has the most money to offer."

'Regardless,' Scarecrow said with a touch of annoyance, 'what about Edward? He's bound to find out about all of this, with watching this house like he does.'

"If worse comes to worse, I can always say that I didn't know that Zsasz was here," I said, the idea sounding flimsy.

'Edward is not an idiot,' Scarecrow said, 'he'll figure it out eventually, especially if you continue to sit here like lump.'

"What do you propose I do then?"

'Why go rescue the girl of course, or at least pretend to. It's really that simple.'

"Well..." I chewed my lip and glanced down at my mask sitting in my lap. I'd grabbed it when Ridley hadn't been looking. It wouldn't hurt anything to pretend, after all, everything would end up the same; but...

'You're not afraid are you?' Scarecrow said scornfully.

"Of course not." I snorted, appalled by the very idea. Even if I was afraid, it wasn't because of that. The very idea seemed ridiculous. "I'm cautious, there's a difference."

'If you're not scared, go in there,' Scarecrow challenged.

"Fine." I got out of the car and hid my mask. I wasn't stupid enough to put it on right away. The neighborhood may have looked deserted; in reality it was anything but. I could feel a few curious eyes on me as I stalked over to the house, it's pale grey trim drab under the murky sky.

Picking my way over to the side of the house, I peered carefully through the half open kitchen window. From my vantage point, I could clearly see both Ridley and Zsasz.

A flicker of excitement flared trough me as I beheld the terror on the girls face.

'Yes,' Scarecrow said gleefully, 'such terror from someone who barely knows anything.'

'That's what makes her even more afraid,' I replied. 'Fear of the unknown is quite a powerful thing.'

I ducked under the window as Ridley began to glance around frantically.

"Seems so fitting that we're once again here together, hmmmm?" Zsasz asked, his voice floating through the window. "It was such a disappointment that we weren't allowed to continue previously."

I looked through the window again to see her reaction. Things couldn't have gone better, especially with my brilliant idea of adding the picture of her family into the mix. It was almost Edward worthy. Almost. I did frown slightly though. Scarecrow did not spy, and he most certainly did hide from things. Hiding went along with fear, and I was most certainly not afraid.

I studied Ridley's face as Zsasz continued to talk. She'd transitioned out of her psychogenic blackout to psychogenic shock, and while her going into another blackout would've been interesting as I hadn't expected something quite as drastic, I was glad. Fear was much better to see when someone was conscious.

'Are you going to go in there yet?'

'No. Be patient. Nothing good has ever come out of being hasty.'

Scarecrow snorted, but settled down.

Ridley scrambled around for anything to protect herself against Zsasz, sweat beading on her suddenly pale skin. She finally got her hands on a knife, but it wasn't very big, most likely something used to cut fruit. I wouldn't have been surprised if she accidentally dropped it and ended up impaling herself, she was shaking that badly.

Zsasz gave an amused grin. Such things were child's play to someone like him.

"Is that how you'd like to play?"

He pulled out his own blade, a wicked double edged hunting knife that made Ridley's fruit knife look like a toy.

I wondered if Ridley would do anything irrational. It was most certainly something of interest if she did, fear did that to people on remarkable levels. To observe something in such a way, in a natural setting, was almost too much.

Ridley inches away from Zsasz as he advanced on her, scooting over to the refrigerator. Like that'd do anything to help.

"Come now pet," Zsasz taunted, "showing such fear isn't good. You don't want ol' Jonny boy coming, do you? He can probably smell your fear."

A scowl crossed my face. We'd agreed that I'd stay out of this. In event if Ridley did somehow manage to either escape or got rescued, I'd taken to protect myself and advised to keep my name out of it. Obviously that wasn't going to be happening.

Ridley gave Zsasz a defiant look and brandished her knife. Zsasz chuckled and knocked it out of her hand.

"I admire your courage Plum," he said, "but it is futile."

He flicked his weapon carelessly but with a purpose. Ridley flinched as an inch long cut appeared on her arm, through the fabric of her shirt.

"Oopsies," Zsasz said, "you know what they say, have one cut, you're bound to get another."

I bristled at that. I had specifically said no harm was to come to Ridley until she was in full custody of Penguim, meaning she was at whatever sort of place Penguin wanted to keep her at. Is been right with my suspicion of him not going along with what we'd planned.

"I think I'll enjoy this a lot better than last time," Zsasz mused. "While attacking a child may have been easy work, now however, the prey will be all the more enjoyable to hunt. It never shouldn't be easy. If it is, you're not having enough fun."

Scarecrow stirred impatiently and I knew that he wanted something to be done, and quickly.

'Soon,' I told him.

'You're going to miss the opertunitly!' he snapped, grabbing for control.

It took some mental effort, but I managed to keep him away. There was no clue as to what would happen if he gained control over the matter. While my other half was sometimes sensible, more often than not, he was a pain in the butt. There was no denying that he got things done though.

I needed to stop this before it got too out of hand though. Killing Ridley here, while be the opportune time, it wasn't ideal. Not when I was certain that Edward had cameras inside the house. He'd didn't have to see it play out, as it most certainly would if I didn't step in.

'Why protect him?' Scarecrow said with a hiss. 'After everything he said to us, you still act like this?'

'Its not just something that'll go away within a few hours!' I turned and glared at my feet. 'Several years worth of feelings won't just disappear.'

'We agreed that we wouldn't interfere with anything!' Scarecrow said. 'Why risk Penguin's wrath over something as trivial as her death!? You don't even like her.'

'No,' I thought guiltily, 'but I like the person who likes her.'

'You've grown soft,' Scarecrow spat, 'it's disgusting and sick of it.'

Scarecrow slipped on his mask and shifted through some pockets before pulling out a few vials of Fear Toxin and a lighter. Chuckling, he flicked it on and tossed it, along with the Fear Toxin, into the house.

"Time to lighten up the party."

He ducked for cover as the explosion rattled the windows.