Get Us Into Arkham.[Iris Ledford]

[agape]

It was raining in Gotham City. A light drizzle. The rain brought out a different crowd. Fewer seniors, less couples, more kids, more people walking alone, and hopefully she was alone this evening.

A yellow taxi cab pulled up to the residence of the target in question. The driver's seat was piloted by a Ratso. A gentlemen with a long noise, dirty whiskers. No one knew his nickname, but he resembled a rodent so much it quickly became his moniker.

dcanimated.wikia.com/wiki/Ratso

"Geee. I think this is it boss." Ratso said without looking over his shoulder.

The back seat to the taxi cab was dark. Just the way They liked it. Having the inside of the cab pitch black made it difficult for people to look inside and easier for Them to see out of it.

"It g'etter g'e Ratso, otherwise yer fired!" Scarface exclaimed.

The Ventriloquist looked out behind Its beady glasses twisting his head to and fro to catch sight of Ms. Iris Ledford. A employee of the Arkham Asulym. Mugsy had provided Them with a photograph of the woman. A successful recon mission for the henchmen.

The Ventriloquist had found her quite attractive. She had a intellectual appeal to her and a demur that dare It say 'geeky'. Thus It kept It's eyes on the street, looking, and spying for when the woman would return to her residence, like a sentry on their first guard outpost or trying to find someone at a party that you have been thinking about all day.

Meanwhile, Scarface rested on It's lap. Motionless after the abrasive order to Ratso. Was the mannequin alive? Was it a mystical creature of simply a wooden manifestation of the villains insanity.

Time would tell.

[Deleted]

Indeed Iris is alone. She usually is during this part of her day - a sad side effect of living alone. Fortunately this isn't generally a bad enough part of town for the walk from the subway to her apartment building to be hazardous. And she's hardly bothered by the rain falling this evening - in fact she somewhat enjoys it. It cleanses the normally polluted air and does pretty much the same thing to the people on the street by encouraging everyone who doesn't need to be out to find somewhere else to be.

Shielding herself from the weather with a small umbrella, she whistles as she walks, and eventually she draws near to her apartment building. She notices the cab stopped nearby, but she only gives it minimal attention. Likely is merely waiting for someone. That it could be waiting for her and not someone who called ahead for a ride is of course not something she'd guess.

[agape]

Because Arnold Wesker had been keeping an eye out for Doctor Ledford, They were able to spot her when she was still a block and a half away from where the cab was parked. With a flick of the wrist from the Ventriloquist, Scarface came back to life.

"MisterScarface, the doctor has arrived."

"G'out time!"

It twisted the head of Scarface around so that it would be facing toward the street.

"Give Rhino da cue."

Inside the lobby of Iris Ledford's apartment building was a behemoth of a man. Charles "Rhino" Daley was a former football linebacker who turned into a professional wrestler. Struggling to make money on those fields, he turned to a life of crime and was quickly recruited by the Scarface who hired him as a bodyguard of sorts. Rhino stood roughly 6'5 and weighed over 300 lbs. Not someone to take lightly. Rhino was dressed like a professional with a black duster over a grey suit.

batman.wikia.com/wiki/Rhino_and_Mugsy_(Batman:_The_Animated_Series)

"Are you sure that is her boss?" Asked Ratso who looked through his rearview mirror to catch a glimpse of Ledford approaching.

"Sure, ah'm sure. Even though da Dummy is da Dummy, he's gotsa cruch on this one. Heh. Good for her dat he ain't good with people."

As usual, the Ventriloquist pretended not to here this. It merely just sat focused straight ahead. Not looking back at Iris Ledford after she crossed the half a block distance.

"Ratso. Start da engine."

Ratso gave a slight nod and the yellow cab came to life with a loud thud followed by a soft hum or a stationary engine.

When Iris is about to enter her apartment building, Rhino steps out of the glass revolving door, having to duck his head to avoid hitting it against the ceiling. Rhino's body cast a large shadow over the doctor and if the sun was out, he would have blocked any for of light from hitting her body like a eclipse.

"Excuse me m'aam." Rhino began in a respectful, polite, and even tone. "Would you be so kindly as to come with me, the boss would like to request a favor from you."

Rhino motioned to the yellow cab that had just pulled up to the front of her apartment building. From the street it was possible to see that Ratso was the driver, but impossible for the normal human eye to see through the tinted windows in the back.

The Rhino did not smile. The Rhino did not scowl. He merely made a statement, and it was clear he was not asking Doctor Iris Ledford to come with Them without a fuss, rather it was implied to be a forgone conclusion.

[Deleted]

It isn't until the shadow of some massive person falls on her that Iris is in any way aware that her evening is about to become abnormal in any way. And for a moment even that doesn't seem very alarming at all except for the fact that, though her building is too large for her to keep track of all the other residents, she'd think that she would have remembered if one of them was a man that big. But perhaps he was simply there visiting someone?

But his words immediately confirm that alarm is a perfect acceptable emotion for her to be feeling just now. There's a slight hesitation before she responds. First she reflects upon how loudly she's able to scream, how many people would hear her, and how quickly they'd be able to respond. And how effective her knowledge of women's self-defense would be in this situation. And how quickly she might be able to run away verses how fast this guy can would be able to stop her. But she also measures the exact tone with which he's speaking and comes up with a rough guess on how likely he is to be telling the truth and how much danger she might therefore be in at this point. Hmm...

Fortunately, she's rather quick at this sort of thing, so the pause only amounts to a few seconds before she nods and says, "Alright." That answer wasn't exactly a foregone conclusion that he implied it to be, but it does currently appear to be the option most likely to result in her remaining in one piece at this point. She turns toward the cab, allowing him to lead her there without offering any resistance.

[agape]

The Rhino smiles not at Iris, rather towards the car window.

"She played it cool boss. Even though it looked like she was about to scream," Ratso makes an obvious statement from behind the steering wheel. "Want me to?"

"Nope, let da dummy do it!"

Iris begins to approach the car with Mr. Rhino standing behind her, still casting the shadow. Before she can reach it, the back door of the car opens and out steps a small man.

The Ventriloquist is adorned in a tan tweed blazer with matching slacks. Underneath the blazer is a un-ironed white dress shirt that has a button missing. On this night It is wearing a pair of large coke-bottled spectacles. In the Ventriloquist's left hand is a small pistol, in the right is Scarface.

"Well----Good eve-A-ning Doc.Ah' reckon ye know who I am. If ye don't, my feelings would 'ge hurt, We would feel insulted, and ye would 'ge dead, so if ye don't. Then pretend ye do capiche?"

The Rhino walks up, and opens the passenger side door. The large man then grabs Iris by her bicep. His grip is iron tight and with a simple squeeze, there is a good chance he would be able to conflict serious harm upon her.

The Ventriloquist begins to lightly chime in a high pitched voice.


"Little Nancy Etticoat
In a white petticoat,
And a red nose.
The longer she stands
The shorter she grows..."

The Ventriloquist and Scarface enter into the passenger seat, while Rhino shoves the good doctor into the back seat and slams the door shut behind her. The large man then slaps the trunk of the automobile twice to signal that things are ready.

"Drive."

From the front of the car, the Ventriloquist and Scarface turn their bodies around so they are able to look and face the doctor. In the hand of the mannequin is a medium sized hold-out pistol which is directed in her direction.

"Now," Scarface said.."Do ye know who Ah' am? Or am I going to have to shoot you?"

"Heee." the Ventriloquist chuckles.

[Deleted]

The man who steps out of the car is not unfamiliar to Iris and her eyes flash in recognition, even though she's never met him before. Though of course her eyes quickly focus more on the gun in his hand than the man himself - her breath catches for a moment. But Iris is a tough woman mentally and outwardly remains composed, even if the overly observant might notice her breaths deepen considerably.

She doesn't respond to his initial statement, if only because of how the large man grabs her. At that point she's forcing herself to refrain from making a comment about how unnecessary it is to manhandle her, which she suspects would do more harm than good if she were to actually voice it. Instead she hastily closes her umbrella and does her best to go where she's being pulled in order to spare her arm of any damage.

Once inside the car, she quickly settles herself. Though she hardly has a moment to mentally readjust to what's going on before she's looking at a gun again. Lovely. Still, she forces her eyes to lift from that, and she focuses her attention on Scarface. "Of course I know who you are, Mr. Scarface," she says very politely, "You're infamous. I heard about you even before I moved to Gotham."

Of course, that's because she'd looked up one Arnold Wesker along with a long list of many of the other more colorful recurring patients at Arkham Asylum back when she was merely considering getting a job there. But she knows it's best to strategically omit that particular detail. "What can I do for you?" she asks, remembering that the big guy had said something about a favor. On the surface she appears to be quite calm, though her current heart rate has a different opinion about her current mood.

[agape]

The cab begins to drive off. Scarface radiated a beaming smile.

"Ye hear that Dummy? OF COURSE she's heard 'of ME! Heh. Mister Scarface. Capo de Capo. Tewror of Gotham! G'oss of 'Gosses. Hah!"

"Of course she has boss." Ratso chimed in.

Scarface had his neck turned toward Arnold Wesker and then to Ratso. Grinning like only a mannequin could. Meanwhile, Wesker kept It's eyes fixed on Iris, holding the gun casually, motioning the weapon in a light circle.

Scarface quickly turned back to the Ventriloquist and headed butted the puppeteer.

'G'ut dat away! Can't ye see da lady came willingly?"

The Ventriloquist nodded in an apologetic fashion, lowering the gun, but not dropping it.

"Sure thing Mister Scarface. Right away."

Scarface shakes his head...'Ye can't find good help nowadays. Hopefully things 'are a'gout to change! How can ye help me? How can ye help me?"

The Ventriloquist re-adjusted the tie of the mannequin and re-adjusted the fedora on the crime bosses head. The route Ratso uses is around the outskirts of Gotham South, closes to the South East portion of the city.


"Are ye familiar with da name, Pamela Isley?"


Scarface managed to raise one of his eyebrows when asking the doctor if she knew the name of the red-headed beauty. The question was trying to gauge any type of allegiance, feelings, or opinions Iris Ledford might have for Poison Ivy.

The Ventriloquist begins to scowl at the reference to the plant lover.

"Rain, rain, go away,
Come again another day;
Little Johnny wants to play....Booooo"

[Deleted]

Though she remains stoic on the outside, Iris has to smile to herself inwardly. Yes, she's in a car full of dangerous people with guns, but she rather doubts it will be that difficult for her to get out of this safely if that's the way that they're going to react to her. She just has to play her cards right, and she happens to be extremely good at this particular card game...

She nods politely to Scarface as he shakes his head over the gun as if she understands completely about having inept employees and doesn't mind the gun, even though she does mind quite a bit. And she's very quick to answer his question. "Poison Ivy? Yes, I know of the woman. I've never actually had the misfortune of meeting her, but I understand she's currently being held at the asylum," she replies, rather neutral but with just that hint of dislike. Though that may very well not be her actual opinion, as Scarface's attempt to hide which way she should lean in her answer didn't succeed as much as he might suppose.

[agape]

"Heh. So 'she is there! Good good, good. Ah' must tell ye dat We would like to pay Doctor Isley a visit in da near future. G'ut, Arkham ain't exactly da easiest place to g'reak into if ye catch mah drift.."

Scarface bobbled his head up and down and the Ventriloquist brought up a cheap cigar to place it in the mannequin's mouth. The Ventriloquist then lit the cigar for the dummy. Moments later the Scarface mannequin took an exaggerated inhalation of the recreation item and the Ventriloquist promptly removed the cigar from his mouth.

"It also ain't a place where Ah'm welcome. That's where yer good help will come into play. G'reak me into da Asylum sometime in da next forty-eight hours Dr. Ledford..."

The Ventriloquist quickly moved Scarface to the left side and popped It's head through the glass cabby window.

"Please? Pweause? Pretty please? Heeee.."

[Deleted]

"Oh, no, it wouldn't be," Iris agrees immediately. Though her workplace in infamous for its inability to keep hold of its patients, that's entirely due to the skill of the people escaping or the corruptness of the system and not the quality of the security in place. Even someone trying to break in rather than out would have a gauntlet of security to run in order to make it in, and there's be a very high probability of being caught if something went wrong... well, she thinks that she has her plan for getting out of this, then.

A smile comes to her face at his request, though it turns quickly into a thoughtful frown. "Well, I could definitely do that - if you're so interested in seeing her then I don't see the harm in helping you pay her a visit," she says with a slightly careless shrug. But then her expression grows more serious as she adds, "The question is how though. I may work there, but they're not going to ignore someone wandering around the asylum with me just because I work there, especially in the high security wing. I wouldn't be expected to be there - I'm new, still working on my license, and at the bottom of the totem pole among the doctors, so to speak. People would think it odd for me to be snooping around there even alone." Her expression becomes almost apologetic as she makes that last point, as if were terribly inconsiderate of her to not be someone more prominent.

"We'd need an excellent plan, and that's not something that I normally do in my line of work," she adds, before asking, "But perhaps you have an idea?"

[agape]

"So you agree! Heee." The Ventriloquist is delighted at her answer. Wesker readjusted the glasses on the bridge of It's nose and palmed the top of the head. The Ventriloquist quickly brought Scarface back into the fold, swinging the mannequin back in front of Iris Ledford.

"Grand! All we need is a pwran!"

Wesker began to stroke the chin of the mannequin.

"A pwran. A pwran. Hmmm. Tis easy enough, you'll just show us inside. In twree days we'll enter the hospital at the stroke of 3AM! From there y'ell use yer security passes to show da dummy and I through the facility."

Scarface and the Ventriloquist paused for dramatic effect.

"'Ah' see that yer thinking a'gout da security. They'll be easy to handle enough. We'll get Co'ggle Pot to lend us some muscle to take care of dem guards. It is getting through dem doors that is da tough part!"

The security would be easy enough to handle, even for the Ventriloquist. Cobble Pot might be able to loan some hired muscle. It would be the security doors, finger print scans, and voice recognition points that would be a problem.

"That is where you, Miss Iris would come in."

[Deleted]

Though Iris holds back the bulk of her reaction to that plan, she lets her forehead wrinkle a little and her lips purse slightly. "Oh, yes, that's an... excellent plan," she says haltingly, clearly holding something back.

But then a look of embarrassment crosses her face as she quickly adds, "But there's a very slight problem with it." She holds up a finger and thumb very close together to show just how slight it is. "I have this thing about blood. The sight of it... makes me faint," she says apologetically, suddenly looking very uncertain - as if worried that she might get laughed out of the car for that confession.

As if in a rush to justify herself she adds, "And I can't help it - believe me I've tried. It's not a good problem to have with my career choice, but... Well, you probably need either a different plan or a different doctor."

[agape]

The Ventriloquist and Scarface turn to look at each other. Scarface looks somewhat perplexed, Arnold Wesker appeared angry.

"Seems 'ike the doctor is trying to get out of helping us."

"It sure does Mister Scarface."

"Is dat something we like to hear?"

"Nope. Not in the least."

"G'ut, what is she is right?"

"About what?"

"Not having the accessi'gility to get into Isley's wing!"

The Ventriloquist turns to look at at the doctor. Behind the wired framed glasses, one eye begins to twitch, the other studies the woman and attempts to read her body language which is difficult to do. Without having mental powers, any training in in psychology, or experience developing empathy it is hard for Wesker to read other's emotions unless they show some type of outward ticks, fear, or nervousness. Remaining calm on the outside has been something Iris has been able to do thus far.

"Maybe she is. Maybe she isn't."

"Guess dere is only one way to find out if she's 'geen lying to us thus far."

"How do we do that?"

"Draw some g'lood and see if she faints!"

"Heee!!"

With a psychotic delight that forms in It's eyes the Ventriloquist pulls out silver pistol once again and points it at the doctor. Using the gun, the creature begins to draw circles in the air...

"Hush, little baby, don't say a word
Mama's gonna buy you a mockin'bird

If that mockin'bird don't sing
Mama's gonna buy you a diamond ring


If that diamond ring turns brass,
Mama's gonna buy you a looking glass"

Scarface turns back to the doctor.

"Here is wat Ah'm going to tell ye Doc. We 'want to get into Arkham to plug Pamela Isley with our Tommy Gun, capiche? Now, we' have a plan that requires yer cooperation. If yer statement a'gout not being able to stand da sight of g'lood is true, then we'll think of a new one. If the dummy shoots ye, and ye don't topple over and faint, then yer coming with us at 3AM, three days from now. If ye don't want the dummy to shoot ye, then cooperate with us --- or propose a new plan that ye think would be g'etter!"

After Scarface is speaking to her, the Ventriloquist resumes chiming the nursery rhyme in a harsh whisper.

"If that looking glass gets broke
Mama's gonna buy you a billy goat


If that billy goat don't pull,
Mama's gonna buy you a cart and mule


If that cart and mule turn over
Mama's gonna buy you a dog named Rover


If that dog named Rover won't bark
Mama's gonna buy you a horse and cart


If that Horse and Cart fall down,
Then you'll be the sweetest little baby in town"

The Ventriloquist offers her a creepy smile, as it stops the circular motion with the pistol. It then holds firmly onto the handle of the gun and aims the weapon at her left shoulder.

"So doc, what will your choice be? Shall we draw some g'lood to see if yer lying? Will ye Ye cooperate with us three days from now? Or do ye have any 'getter ideas? And I'd hurry, the Dummy hasn't g'een fed into four weeks."

Scarface then looks back at the Ventriloquist.

"So what is it going to be? Heeee!"

[Deleted]

The moment that Iris sees how what she said is being taken, she protests, "What?! No! That's not what I'm saying at all!" But the man seems to insist on jumping to his own conclusions. Even if he was very good at reading emotions he'd hardly see anything but a woman growing rapidly more frightened. Especially when the gun gets lifted to her again - her eyes go wide and her breath catches.

And when Scarface talks again she is naturally all ears until he finishes. And when he does she's very quick to speak up. "No, Mr. Scarface, you're misunderstanding me completely! I'm not explaining myself very well. Please, a moment of your patience? I always heard that you were a very shrewd and prudent man - let's not be too hasty?" she quickly pleads, before adding, "I did not say that I don't want to help - quite the opposite. Ms. Isley is a very unpleasant woman - I don't care what happens to her, everyone's better off that way. And I also didn't say that I couldn't get you into the high security wing, only that it would look suspicious if I did.

"And you should know that I wouldn't lie to you; I have way too much respect for how dangerous you can be. But if you please, I can hardly think well enough with a gun pointed at me to come up with a different plan - I only know that my problem with blood is easily avoided if we simply took a more subtle approach than charging in with guns blazing. And that strategy would have other advantages as well - it would be easier to make a clean getaway if you didn't announce your presence from the beginning. And given how long a firefight with the guards could take, you risk having Batman show up before you've gotten to Ms. Isley," she says rapidly, before pausing to swallow, "And in any event, if you need me to prove myself I'm sure that there's a better way than shooting me - that could so easily harm me to the point of uselessness, and then where would we be? Especially when it would only take a little scratch." She stops there, hoping that her words are being listened to.

[agape]

“Heh.” Scarface bobbed up and down in a motion of laughter or chuckle. Her response was amusing and something to be savored. Earlier in the year, the Ventriloquist and Scarface had been one of the lords of crime in Gotham City, but numerous setbacks, defeats, and humiliations had weakened their powerbase and knocked them a few notches on the totem pole of respect.
Her reaction represented an individual who was not trying to move chess pieces across the board. This surprised ‘Them’ especially since she was a psychiatrist. Psychiatry was the art of studying the human mind, and one with the degree was privy to some weaponry when it comes to manipulation and invoking a degree of coercion. Yet it appeared this woman was not using her knowledge of how the human works in this instance because of the fear she was showing…fear of the armed gun. Scarface made a mental note of this. In this conversation, the gun was power.

“G’ut da gun away.”

“Awe, but you’re ruining my fun Mist---“

“Ah’ said G’ut da GUN AWAY! Comprendez VOUS?!?! Don’t make me say it thrice…”

The outburst made the Ventriloquist frown. It also made the sociopath flinch a bit.


Heeee. Whatever you say capo,” Wesker responded by lowering the gun but still kept it dangling at the side of his body.

Scarface shakes his head.

“Sorr’ a’gout that. Good ‘mooks who know how to take orders are ‘ard to find! G’ack to g’usiness. Ye make some good points. Charging’ da front door, alg’eit fun, would not ‘ge the smarted move. De guards would be alerted and dey in turn would notify da ‘gat or any of them other ‘crime fighters’.”

The car started to slow down. Outside, they had entered they were still in the southern area of the city, but close to the eastern border. Ratso pulled the cab up to a small, one story recreational center for children. Unconventional for a base, but it was one of the last places the police would search to find a known Gotham gangster.


“Ah’m glad dat yer not a fan of Isley. We hate dat woman for knocking us off the pedestal. Ah’ ‘ave a plan. If da dummy and I inten-tion-ally get caught and sent to da Asylum, would ye be a’gle to help us get to Isley from da inside? ”