Siren

Equilibrium - Chapter 2

I was welcomed by a guard at the main entrance of the asylum. I hastily pulled it from my sweater pocket and handed it to him. His suspicious look was replaced by a look of concern when he took it and read it. The identification badge I'd received in the mail a few days ago revealed a lot more than I feel the patients should see. Maybe the guards, too. He swiped it.

"You're checked in. When you leave, you can come to me to check out or check out on your computer. You'll have to do this for a week or two. Once we get an average check in and check out time, you don't need to do it. Unless you arrive or leave over an hour early or late, then you've gotta check in or out." He sounded as if he had practiced that.

"Alright, sounds easy. I can do that." I smiled and assured him that I understood.

"Aren't you a bit young for this job? I mean, you've got so much innocence. You're still a teenager." I bit my lip, feeling a bit guilty for no reason. I shrugged. "Well, be safe. I'm Tate, but most of the people here call me Tree. If you need anything, I'm here." He is tall and buff, I can see why they call him Tree.

"Thanks, Tree." I laughed with him as I walked off to the receptionist's desk.

"Hello, I'm a new psychiatrist and am to meet with Dr. Sinark, could please you direct me?" I greeted the receptionist lady.

"Oh, you're here! I'll take you right to him, come." She gestured toward the mini café and I followed. "Henry, here she is. Take it away!" The strangely happy woman waved bye and went back to her work area.

I looked back at the man. Henry Sinark. My new boss. "Hey there, small fry! I'm Dr. Sinark. You could call me Henry if you prefer. You must be Ashangeline...Soren?" He seemed so comfortable. Could this place really be as calm as everyone makes it look? It can't be. These people are weird. I corrected him. "Siren. Ashangeline Siren."

"My bad! Say, how about I show you to your office and then to your patients' cells?"

Patients' Cells? On the first day? Okay then. "Sure, that'd be helpful."

"Alrighty then. Off we go!" He tossed his remaining coffee and English muffin into the trash. Food waster, I thought with squinty eyes. I was still hungry. That made me resent him a little.

He led me to an oak door, polished and topped with a silver plate engraved with my name. A. Siren. No Dr or anything of formality. This place is more casual than I expected, I thought. He unlocked it and handed me one of his two keys. "I have a copy just in case. Here we go." He pushed the door open and we went in.

My own workspace. Cool! "I'd leave you to explore, but we did agree to let me show you around to your patients' cells. Get comfortable." He pointed to the coat hanger and left. With that, I put down my bag, swapped my itchy cardigan for a white doctor's coat, and caught up to him.

He stopped in his tracks. "Your job here is to help maintain equilibrium in Gotham. Do your due diligence. Keep files on your patients, don't let them get to you, and watch your back. I'll have it, but don't depend on anyone else for anything. Not here." I nodded and he continued. We walked on, as he spoke less inconspicuously.

"These cells belong to some of the least dangerous criminals we have here, such as Calendar Man, Quilt, Prometheus, Cheetah, Condiment King, and Humpty Dumpty...Just to name a few," he started.

"Anyways. Usually, the more experienced doctors work with higher profile criminals, though that's not always the case. Depending on your past experiences and what you've graduated with, you could be treating patients like Penguin, Killer Croc, or even Scarecrow on your second day." He winked, then chuckled and finally stopped to breathe. Was he hinting at me? Sigh. I hope not. I just want him to hurry this up so I can get to work, if I have any today. The only possible excitement in my life will now consist of having conversations with deranged people.

"Wow. Calendar Man sounds like a fun guy to treat." I said, trying to sound intrigued.

"I used to treat him when I was a newbie here. I wasn't his psychiatrist for long, however. I quickly moved up - and gained more importance - when it was discovered that my mother has had..." he looked disturbed. "...some affairs with ol' Dr. Jeremiah."

"Woah. So are you his son or..." I asked.

He gulped and looked plainly down at nothing in particular. "I wished it was none of anyone's business. But it is, because yes, I am the son of Jeremiah. And my mother worked here, too. Dr. Alyce Sinner. That's the business, and everyone here knows it. They're all waiting for me to become Black Mask; the third." He pinched the bridge of his nose for a moment before crossing his arms and looking around. "But I won't. I will not be the foolish man my father was. I will not be pulled into the madness like my mother was. I absolutely will not."

I felt bad for him. Both of his parents ended up being bad people. "Oh, I'm sorry...if it makes you feel any better, I don't think you have evil in you." I thought of when I was in math class, the teacher saying that 'negative x negative = positive'. "Hey, you said Black Mask is still alive?" Okay, I admit. I am intrigued. I also wanted to change the topic.

"I don't recall saying that, but yes, somehow. He's right in there." He walked ahead and pointed to a dark cell, permissibly decorated with nostalgic masquerade things. I wondered how he convinced the asylum to allow that. "How'd you know that?"

"Lucky guess?" Black Mask shifted in his bed. "Alright, I think I'm ready to move on." I spoke when Black Mask looked up at me. Goosebumps prickled my skin.

Henry walked me through more of the asylum. We agreed to take a break for lunch, so he took me to meet some other staff members along the way to the food court. Later, he walked me through the rest of the place.

I came face through glass to face with some of the inmates. Some inmates were revealed to be my new patients. I would be treating four for now. The four were Calendar Man, Harley Quinn, Riddler, and Black Mask. I didn't want to treat Black Mask. Although I was interested in his story, he frightened me and I decided then that I would avoid and have nothing to do with him.

I was oblivious to the fact that right now, it wasn't a choice. My boss said that GCPD desperately wanted more information on him if and before anything happens with him, like an escape. After all, he knows this place better than almost anyone here. Well, second to the Joker. He supposedly knows this place like the back of his facepaint. I'm betting Black Mask knows this place like the back of his mask.

People say that the two of them both know this place so well, they could tell their henchmen where not to dig if they wanted to build an underground escape tunnel. Meaning, they know where are the water mains, the electrical wires, and even the sewage pipes. It's insane, but it makes sense. Because only in Arkham Asylum, insanity can make sense.

I heard a knock on my office door and pushed away what I was thinking about. "Come in," I invited.

Sinark walked in and sat down, sliding a packet in front of me. I took it and read it to myself.

Elizabeth Arkham Asylum
Patient Treatment Schedule for:  Dr. Ashangeline Siren .

I gulped as I'd almost forgotten what I was here to do. I thanked him and he left me alone to sort things out. Tomorrow, I will start treating patients.