Jon's P.O.V.

I could breathe easy once Ridley was under the effects of the Fear Toxin. Her childish naiveté was pathetic. You'd think she'd learn how to spot a liar with the amount of times she'd been lied to.

It was interesting though, the result of her being here again. Her mind broke, albeit not completely, which I suppose was good. Unfortunately for her, if recognized exactly what had happened because I'd seen it before. It was easy to see that she was becoming JUSTE COMME MOI.

Picking my way across the destroyed kitchen, I approached Ridley. She was completely out, and had I not known that is sprayed her with Fear Toxin, I would've mistaken her to be uncoincious, which was exactly what I wanted. No response at all though, which led me back to my original curiosity on the matter. I could easily hook her up to a brain scan and—

"Well done there, doctor," Zsasz said. I could see him come out of the living room in the corner of my eye. "I told Oswald that we couldn't trust you. Looks like my theory was correct."

"Nonsense," I said, not looking at him, focusing solely on Ridley.

The click of a gun made me stiffen and I slowly turned around. Zsasz was standing a few feet away with a thoughtful look on his face as he aimed a small pistol at my head.

"I do applaud you on your work though," Zsasz said, "getting her here must've been quite the effort."

"What do you plan on doing to her?" I asked with mild interest. I had to draw things out, at least until I could convince Zsasz that I was not doing what he though I was; meaning backing out of our agreement.

"Well, Oswald didn't have any plans for her per se," Zsasz said, "we never really discussed it you know. He was probably going to kill her."

"She wouldn't be of any use for leverage then?"

"Oh, she most certainly is," Zsasz said, moving to my left. I slowly matched his movements, keeping an eye on him. Zsasz rarely used guns in his kind of work, preferring the close proximity of a knife. If he was using a gun now... well, that meant he wanted the job done quickly. Who could blame him though?

The faint sounds of sirens in the distance could be heard. As part of the plan, we'd agreed that Penguin would stir up trouble on the other side of Gotham for Batman to keep him away from us.

"What kind of leverage are you talking about?"

"Ah ah ah." Zsasz put the gun away and waved a finger at me. "I see what you're doing here, and it's not gonna work."

He lunged at me and I threw a punch in defense, only for him to parry it. Trying again, he easily knocked my arm aside and slammed the side of his hand Ito my neck. I grunted in pain and became dizzy, unable to deflect the next incoming blow.

A knee to the stomach caused me double over from the pain. Gasping for air I briefly wondered how Zsasz be doing this so easily. I gave a weak swing at him, but I lost concentration as pain exploded in my knee before a got an elbow to the face.

Still keeping that grip on my arm, Zsasz kicked his foot backwards, causing me to land heavily on my back. Before I could catch me breath, he kicked me viciously in the back before stepping I've me and digging a knee into the side of my head. Of course then Ridley decided to have some effects from the Fear Toxin. On reflect, she let out a kick... Right to my face. I felt the crunch of her foot hitting my nose and pain shot through head; my nose now broken.

"H-how the heck...?" I tried to piece together what had just happened as my nose started bleeding.

"Its simple really," Zsasz hissed, "I'm simply better than you."

"I recognize t-that style.. Kali? But only the—"

Zsasz dug his knee deeper into my head and I gasped again as my vision blurred.

"There are many other people that are interested in Ridley Wayne," he said in a low voice. "Did you think you were the only one? In exchange for the marvelous fighting lessons, the League ordered me to bring her to them. Preferably alive for whatever reason, but they said nothing about her not being harmed."

It was getting harder for me to get a coherent thought put together and on top of that, I was worried that he'd kill me as well. He had no use for me, not like Ridley, so what was stopping him?

"Be glad that the League doesn't want you killed," Zsasz growled. "If it were up to me you'd be history. Unfortunately for me, and luckily for you, they seem content with watching your pathetic advancements on Riddler. It really does make me sick."

He leaned down and hissed in my ear, "Fag."

My vision turned red, but whether it was due to his words or the fact that I somehow got blood in my eyes, I didn't know. Blinking furiously to clear my vision, I found the strength to break his hold and threw him off me, jumping to my feet.

Breathing heavily I snarled, "that doesn't concern you."

"Does it though?" Zsasz asked, getting to his feet. "I make it a point to know everything I can about my victims and the people I deal business with."

"And yet you know next to nothing about your current employer," I countered.

"That doesn't matter," Zsasz said, a muscle twitching along his jaw.

"It does," I said, gaining some confidence. Analyzing people was something I could so well, and it drove Zsasz crazy not knowing anything on who he was working for.

"I would stop trying to analyze other people and start focusing on yourself, doctor." Zsasz used the term this time as a snide and jabbing remark. "Why I wonder what you'd come up with if you did so. I could set you up with someone, you know," he added, "the new boy that Oswald hired is also a Fa—"

I didn't let Zsasz finish his sentence as I lunged at him again. I froze when I felt the muzzle of the pistol press against my chest.

"I'd be careful, doctor," Zsasz said, "though I have strict orders not to kill you, I could easily make it look like an accident."

'I could use some help right about now,' I thought.

'No.' Scarecrow said with a snort. 'You got yourself into this situation, you can get yourself out of it.'

'If I remember correctly, it was your idea.'

'He does have a point though,' Scarecrow said, 'what would Grandmother think of you—'

"It doesn't matter!" I yelled, backing up several steps.

"Oh my," Zsasz said, "seems like the doctor is having his own issues."

"SHUT UP!"

"Hello, Mr. Scarecrow," Zsasz said, "long time no see."

"NO ONE EVER WANT'S TO SEE YOU."

"Come now, is that how you treat an old friend?"

"WE NEVER WERE FRIENDS."

"Stop, please."

"BE QUIET! GRANDMOTHER WOULD BE JUST AS DISAPPOINTED WITH YOU AS I AM NOW!"

"Leave me alone!" I tried to wrest back comtrol, but it was fast slipping from my grasp. Zsasz looked on, a bemused look on his face.

"You wouldn't want Grandmother to be disappointed, would you?" he taunted.

Something snapped at his comment, and disregarding everything that was going on, I made to attack Zsasz again.

Bang.