Running away from your fears [Scarecrow]

[Lara Allen-Benedetti]

"Are you sure I am in the right place?" she asked pointing the camera towards the sewer she was in "Yes, we have positive informations" a guy replied from the camera "Listen, I shouldn't be here in the first place..." she had studied Crane reading info about him from the Military records, but she couldn't find info about him at the University because at the criminology class a student studied one like Crane at the last years and she was still at the first years. So yes, she was prepared, but not so ready like the one who should have been here in the first place, but something happened to this person in the last mission so Lara was here.

Lara fixed her wig. She was wearing a disguise that in truth was a Faith's cosplay costume, but that made her another person really. She was wearing a black wig, brown lens, black sport shirt, white trousers, red runner shoes, red gloves and a yellow shoulder bag. "He said..." Lara sighed "...yes, I know, listen I'm here, but..." she was wearing a gas mask for prevention, but it wasn't so quiet, every breath she took a noise came from the gas mask...like Darth Vader...and the sewers were noisy too because of the water on the floor so the steps made splashing sounds "...someone is here" she said and closed the camera.

She looked from a corner and saw some men walking by...she didn't know if they were Crane's henchmen, but they were someone with guns and everything for the basic henchman stuff. She crouched and started approaching one of the henchman from behind, at first seemed that he wasn't on alert, but suddenly he stood firm and started turning around. Lara stepped back behind the corner again and frowned then she understood: the breathing was too loud. Stupid gas mask in a quiet place like the sewers.

She took off the gas mask and put it in the bag while the man was walking towards her hiding spot. Quickly, she took a truncheon out from bag. She prolonged the truncheon ready to hit the henchman. She pressed herself against the wall and the henchman walked over the corner. He didn't see her right away, but it was a matter of time. Lara stood up and pressed the truncheon on the man's throat. He started choking and tugging. She hit his cavity behind the knee and the man fell on his knees. She kept pressing on his throat and he passed out at some point.

Lara quickly took the truncheon away from his throat and he fell down, she tried to hold him, but he slipped from her grip. The noise called other henchmen, she sighed and walked the other way around. Luckily the sewers had more than one way to go where you wanted to go. So she passed around them and continued on her way.

She opened the camera, at the base there was a small keyboard and she clicked some options. The sewers were wet and smelled bad, this wasn't a nice place to get lost. She clicked on the caption "map" and a virtual map appeared on the camera's screen. The map was green and a red point was displayed, some circles were expanding meters around that red point, it was a radar and it wasn't revealing any movement, maybe the henchmen were too far away.

She looked the map and saw were to go, according to the infos she had to go right and then left. So she did, but something in her hoped to find nobody...was she ready to face her fears? A Clue: No. She was a runner, she was supposed to run away from her fears.

[Jonathan Crane - Scarecrow]

The sewers was never the first place that he would have chosen if he had any other option, but sometimes to avoid detection it was the best place for his experiments. There were certain things he had been working on of late that required that kind of discrepancy. He had been found in the sewers before by Professional and Vigilante alike, but it was deep and twisted enough to where he could always move. It was the other residents of the sewer that were more difficult to deal around. Fortunately his run ins with the Killer Croc had been minimal since his problems with the Scarebeast. If he were to run into Mr. Jones he would come up with a way to get around having to leave. The beast wasn’t exactly on the highest intelligence scale, give him what he wants and he’ll go away.

Dr. Crane had been working on a lab table in one of the far corridors that split into a water trap below. It was the same place he had held Starfire and housed VerMillion before. He was familiar with the surrounding and there were plenty of ways to get out if he had to. There were still signs of damage all around him from where the fight had taken place but he paid it no mind. In the end he had still come out the victor even if he had went to the asylum.

This mind was wrapped in his work and with the new order that he’d been given he had a lot of work to do. It was something that he wanted to keep from Miss Glass….For several reasons. She didn’t know about his dealings with Ra’s and he wanted to keep it that way. Regardless of whether she knew or not she would still be a target for other professionals, but in that case whatever she did or didn’t know would still kill her. He would rather it be kept to himself. Not that he would be afraid if the information ever got out, there was nothing to fear. But Dr. Crane was smarter than to give the information up freely, it was something to protect and there was a costly difference.

He watched the serum bubble and move through the tubes, creating steam and heat around its surface area. He followed it, captive to its movements until it sunk into place in its vial. The doctor let it cool and removed it gently with tongs to examine it. There was nothing more precious in this world. Gently, he set it to rest in its stand. Before he could start on another he heard echo’s from the hall. The doctor turned around to see the woman at a fair distance. He wasn’t fond of visitors, being a solitary person, he worked alone and he made sure it stayed that way.

From her expression he could tell immediately she was under a state of anxiety. Her breathing was elevated a sign that she had either ran here or was met with resistance along the way. He had seen more and more activity in the sewers lately, other professional’s men might have been using the sewers to move shipments of guns and drugs through. Ever since Dr. Arkham’s disappearance the gun trade in the city had somehow managed to increase heavily and he didn’t believe these shipments were coming from the Penguin. He saw them move far too much in these sewers. Whoever owned them was not his business and he stayed out of it as long as they stayed out of his.

The doctor removed his gloves and casually adjusted his glasses as he took slow steps toward the woman. “I would direct you to the exit but you don’t seem to be lost.” He lifted his hand away from his frames and tossed the gloves to the side of the room. He halted in front of her about an arm’s length away so he could study her further. It certainly wasn’t an accident that she was here, seemingly she had come far too prepared to get lost. “So I can only assume….That you’ve found what you’re looking for…” He edged her on further as he continued to study her movements and reactions while never removing his eyes from hers.

[Lara Allen-Benedetti]

Lara opened her eyes wide without realizing when he saw the Scarecrow in front of her. That wasn't right. She must have followed the map in the wrong way. It couldn't be possible. They couldn't have given her this path...the path that ended up straight to him. No, she had followed the instructions right so they wanted her to face him. Lara knew that she had to gain his fear toxin, but she couldn't believe that the army wanted to make a deal with him. What was the army outcome? Because if she was here in front of him then the army wanted to make business with him and avoid the stealing of the toxin right away. The General didn't talk about it, he didn't warn her or anything. He said to her that she had to steal the toxin for the lab guys and not that she had to deal with the Scarecrow...or Dr. Crane...was he Scarecrow or Crane now? She couldn't tell.

What was happening here? She was supposed to not face the Scarecrow and instead the map's path brought her in front of him. They gave her those instructions, maybe they just got the wrong path, she hoped so because she couldn't, or better, she didn't want to believe the other reason. Lara watched the Scarecrow take off his gloves and adjust his glasses then he got closer. Lara's heart was beating fast in her chest, but not for excitement, but for fear. She was afraid of him and his toxin because she believed that she couldn't fight her fears, she could just run away from them. So she felt the urgency to step backwards and grab the taser in her yellow shoulder bag. However, she didn't because she remembered to herself that she had been trained to deal with these situations. She just hadn't to think about the possibility of facing her fears. It wasn't simple with the Scarecrow in front of you.

Lara started feeling her Faith Mirror Edge's costume out of place and her black colored glasses were starting to bother her even though the lens weren't giving her problems actually. Lara felt this way when she thought that she couldn't finish the mission "Datti una calmata...Lara...get yourself together" she thought, her mind tried to stay logic, but when Dr. Crane talked to her, the mind was all about to go illogic again, her hand almost went inside the bag to take the weapon. However, she succeed to keep herself from doing that, she didn't know how, but still, apparently the training was working.

Lara didn't know how to answer to his first sentence, she still couldn't believe that she was talking to him. This shouldn't be happening. Only a mistake could you lead to the death's path in dangerous situations...or to the fear's path in this specifically occasion. Lara must have followed the path in the wrong way, she must have done the mistake because Mark couldn't have let this happen. She opened her mouth to talk closing it right after when Scarecrow spoke again then she opened the mouth one more time, but she closed it again when some noises came from behind her. The henchmen.

Their footsteps could be heard getting closer and their voices' echo too "...saw her..." another one "...go this way...you...other..." Lara hadn't been so sneaky after all. The woman hadn't paid attention to the surroundings because her attention was all focused on the Scarecrow. They were staring at eachother like predators. However, the eyes were the mirror of the soul so Scarecrow, or Dr. Crane depends on who was who right now, could see her fear and after her surprise when the echos showed up and sooner the henchmen too. Lara wanted to do something about it, but she didn't dare to move still staring at the Scarecrow "If they are your henchmen..." she couldn't finish her sentence because the echo came again "Here!" then running footsteps, after few seconds they showed up with their guns and everything, only now Lara turned breaking the eye contact, however she didn't give her back to Scarecrow, she just stepped to the right. Lara could have took her taser, but the henchmen were too much, maybe just the presence of the Scarecrow could scare them off.

[Jonathan Crane - Scarecrow]

Dr. Crane continued his slow walk to the woman, slipping his hands into his pockets as he did. He expected her to lose her words as she did. It wasn’t the first time her had been invaded upon by a wanderer but normally her had more room to ‘accommodate’ new patients. This time in particular she had caught him in a bad spot. He was already working on someone and there just wasn’t any more room for another patient. He could always fit her in somewhere, but it wouldn’t be here and it wouldn’t be now.

The noises caught his ears but they didn’t seem to phase his attention away from her. Instead he continued to come forward as they came closer and her own anxiety in the situation became clearer. This woman wasn’t a professional of any kind and the more she moved and twitched the more information she gave him. When the henchmen made their way around the corner Dr. Crane was already ready for them, but he didn’t seem to be bothered by it.

The doctor stopped in his tracks and observed the men with guns coming their way. He had seen them before; for the most part they left him alone but got bolder in groups. The woman was probably enough to insight them to come even further forward. He took his right hand out of his pocket and moved it around his belt to the back. He pulled out his mask casually as the men yelled and cursed. Casually he clicked the fans to start and the yellow light blinked from the lenses around the eyes. The doctor put the mask on and raised his hand. He motioned for the woman that stood so trapped in her fear to come to him. Whether she would listen or not would be her problem. He had given her the opportunity but that was all he was going to do.

Quickly, he took out a canister from his other pocket and popped the top. The click echoed through the sewer as he turned it and threw it far down the sewer toward the other men. The further they ran forward the worse it became as the gas poured out of the canister and hit them. One dropped and started screaming immediately, muttering something about being on fire. The man next to him dropped his gun and kicked it away from him as if it was something about to bite him. One by one they fell to the power of his toxin.

The Scarecrow walked forward toward them, not gracing the woman with his time as he was focused on his work that he had produced in front of her. It wouldn’t take long for the gas to reach the chamber they stood in, but he would deal with it when or if it caught her after he was done here. She knew he had come to see him, it wasn’t unbelievable that she had her own protection. “Look into abyss that holds oblivion. Stare into your terror and succumb to it!” The Scarecrow indulged as the distortion from his mask clicked and scratched his voice. He was focused on the men in front of them. He walked into the thick of them and turned his palms to the yellow smoke around them. It was if he was basking in his creation, completely enthralled with it.

[Lara Allen-Benedetti]

Lara put on her own gas mask, sure it wasn't as strange as Scarecrow's, but it worked so that was enough. She listened to him and followed his instructions, not so surprised that he was helping her, he wanted answers, right? She saw him enthralled in his work without paying her attention or at least it seemed so, she had to be very suspicious, her senses all on alert. Lara wanted to take her truncheon, but she remembered that the army wanted to make business with him...or something.

Goosebumps went down her spine when Scarecrow talked...one thing was studying him and another thing was living the situation in front of her. She could try to stop him and steal the toxin do it now, it's your chance...just do it and steal the toxin...business with him...the army is going crazy! There he was...all captured in his toxin world, maybe she could have really a chance or maybe not. She was afraid to operate, do something, because she wasn't ready for this, but the army wanted the toxin so she had to stay here.

Her reaction to what happened to the men was cold despite everything and that was surprising at least for her, she thought that her reaction would have been running away as quick as possible. Instead there she was, watching them and hoping to not live the same experience.

Actually, the army put her in this situation, making her appear in front of him with those map's instructions. Mark said that if they wanted to face crazy people then they had to think like crazy people, but there was a problem...they weren't crazy especially Lara so now she was in this crazy situation and she had to face it with a crazy-attitude that she hadn't. She wasn't prepared for this, yes, she was trained and all that, but she felt that heavy sensation inside her chest, it weighed a ton. It was a fact that she was unprepared, but the improvvisation was the right card to use with crazy people...she hoped.

Lara kept observing him and noticed something because of what she studied about him "He knows" she thought "He reads me like an open book" her thoughts weren't helping her feel better. The so-called-agent put the idea aside about taking the toxin and running away. Business. She hated that word, she couldn't even pronounce it right. Lara didn't dare to take off her gas mask and she forced herself to have a stady voice tone "Excuse me..." she started looking at the enthralled-scarecrow "...I have an offer" her voice was muffled because of the gas mask.

He wasn't immune to his own venom, or at least that was they knew, she could use his weapon against him...How could the army make business with him anyway...it was impossible...they just had to observe him...unfortunally his mind was plagued with craziness. She had to continue "I can give everything you want for your toxin" and that was true, the army needed the toxin so badly, she didn't know exactly wahy, but Mark talked about a mission in a foreign country and the army's soldiers there wanted to use a different approach...a different weapon. They had to study it, but they needed to use it right away too...so Lara had to convince Scarecrow to make enough toxin for the arm'y soldiers there...taking a little part for studying it of course.

[Jonathan Crane - Scarecrow]

If she thought for a moment, that his gesture to take her from the other predators was an act of kindness she was mistaken. If that’s what she was looking for here she wouldn’t find it. He had no sense of it in his mind while he worked, but he knew that she wasn’t here by accident, however much she tried to make it seem so. He put himself at a distance from her….a distance that he was willing to close at any moment. It didn’t surprise him that she had an offer, it was exactly as he thought.

It was her request that was rather unusual. He would have expected a Professional to ask for his toxin but someone like her wasn’t working for the gallery….And to offer him everything he wanted? No professional would have offered him so much for something they could get with relative ease. The Scarecrow didn’t make it a point to make his toxin unobtainable by those that wanted it. On occasion, to fund his research he resorted to selling his toxins. Which is why this would greatly depend upon exactly what she wanted. But to give him everything he wanted?....It was a promise she couldn’t keep.

“You want my toxin? Or do you want the secret of how it’s made?” The distortion cracked as he spoke. They were two very different things. He wouldn’t have a problem giving her his toxin, people asked for its use all the time. The Scarecrow didn’t have a problem issuing it to those that needed it. How to make his toxin or what it was made out of? That was a different story. He wouldn’t give that to anyone and there was nothing anyone could give him to make him give it up.

“You can’t give me what I want.” He finally answered her other statement. If she wanted the toxin she could have it. He never worried about people being able to reproduce it, unless they watched him work and knew exactly how to do it they would only make something similar and never exactly what he had. But she could never give him what he truly wanted. Could she give him his life back? His job back? His asylum back? His patients back? No. She couldn’t do any of these things….Everything was a statement meant to lure him, but she clearly didn’t know who she was talking to.

[Lara Allen-Benedetti]

Her voice and breath sounded like Darth Vader because of the gas mask, but really, maybe she could take it off now. If Scarecrow really wanted to use his toxin on her then a gas mask could help until at some point. The gas mask gave troubles with the running business too and if there was something that Lara could do well then it was the running and maybe she will need it at some point because this meeting wasn't going so well from her point of view. However, her point of view was set by her fear too. Lara wasn't so comfortable here with him. The Scarecrow or Dr. Crane. The reason why was obvious.

"No" she answered to his question "I don't want to know your secret ingredient" she said as if she was talking to a chef "I just want the final product" Lara moved her gaze to look at him and she felt her hearbeat go faster for a little followed by an ache in her chest. That was fear, Lara could recognize it and wasn't fine. If you were afraid of your enemy than you had alredy lost.

"You didn't declare what you want so no, I can't" she pointed out, there was a little bit of sarcasm there too, she couldn't hold it, but if she said that she could give him everything he wanted then there was a reason. The army needed that toxin and they had a lot of manoeuvre to gain it, apparently the situation was desperate there for the soldiers, apparently the army thought that Scarecrow's toxin could be a very powerful American weapon. If the country had to deal with these lunatics then the army felt that they could use them at least.

"A large amount of your toxin is needed and not only gas" she was talking about the liquid version of it too "That's why I'm here to ask you some of your time so you can make the toxin for me" that wasn't for her, but for the army, however she couldn't say it.