Black Eyes

Chapter 8: Arkham Asylum

True to Dr. Crane's word he was waiting for me at the front gates. After entering multiple security checkpoints I was finally at the sign-in desk. There was a little bit of a nervous flutter in my stomach, but in all I was excited. The only thing that weighed on my mind was of course the Joker, but I successfully locked him in the back of my mind for the time being.

I signed in with the woman at the front desk and after talking with her for a bit Dr. Crane led me to where the inmates were kept. "Its safe to enter now. Mealtime and recess doesn't happen until midday. Follow me."

The door beeped green after Dr. Crane pressed his thumb to the pad and swiped his card. The amount of prison cells, offices, and rooms in this building was unbelievably high. "Each patient has their own cell. We make exceptions for those who don't have intense emotional reactions- which is very few. Some inmates do well with others and can share with one other inmate. We have another wing for patients who are usually unstable and need to be secluded, but we always allow for recess. Socialisation is necessary for every human being. The only patients who don't get to mingle with other inmates are the ones kept in solitary confinement or permanent confinement- those like the Joker." I gulped at his name.

"How did he escape?" Dr. Crane pressed a button to the elevator which opened immediately.

"He's clever. Much more clever then we anticipated, actually. Its only now that he is showing his true colors to Gotham which we believe was his plan all along." He pressed a button on the other side and the doors closed. "I suspect that he wanted to be here for as long as he was. We have no idea why, but when we found out how he escaped we realised just how easy it was for him to do it. He could've done it months before, but he didn't." Dr. Crane looked me seriously. "Iris, he cut a guards finger off with a blade made from his mattress in order to get past the thumb lock. The guy's a loon. Even I knew from the very beginning he wasn't fixable." The doctor's words seemed a bit harsh. I mean, if you think the guy is unfixable then how can you expect him to get better if he sees you don't have any hope in him? Then again, some people just don't care and the Joker was one of them.

The elevator dinged and opened up to another white hallway. "This way." He keyed into a door labeled Dr. Jonathan Crane, which opened to a cluttered room. "Pardon the mess, I believe in organised chaos. Come in, this is my office."

I tried not to pry too much and took a seat in front of his messy desk. "You've got a lot of paperwork." I stated.

Dr. Crane chuckled and rolled his seat over, sitting to face me. "Lets just say I do more then just be a doctor. There's a lot of research that goes into working with patients like these. The Joker inspired a whole new line of research and the project is going considerably well. Maybe one day you'll be able to take a look. As for now, how about we talk?"

"About what?" I asked.

"About you. It only seems fit that I get to know a possible candidate for the next internship we have available.

I shifted uncomfortably in my seat. All of this was coming a little too easily. "Doctor Crane... Why am I here? I barely did anything to deserve a chance like this."

Dr. Crane sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He seemed very anxious and the bags under his eyes spoke of long nights and stressful work. He gently took his glasses off and looked at me with a strange look in his eye. "You know, when I first met you I was just being nice. We were the only two in the room and your place of prior education was impressive. However..." He hesitated. "I know about your contact with the Joker."

His words hit me like a ton of bricks. I could feel my face burn hot. How did he know? Was I that transparent? "How-?"

"Don't worry, I'm not turning you in or anything. Only I know and it's good you didn't tell anyone. They'd take you in and question you for sure. The fact he let you live would be suspicious enough to have you locked up in interrogation for a long time. Your secret is safe with me."

"I-I don't understand how-" I shook my head in disbelief as he rose from his seat, handing me a paper with a bunch of blanks to fill in.

"I have eyes everywhere. After I heard about your little meeting and how he let you live I knew I couldn't let you slip away. This is your resume. It starts as a rooky position where you are by my side at all times, taking notes and essentially being my secretary: I require someone to help me with organising my work. You also would be able to see the special project I'm working on." Dr. Crane handed me a pen. "Fill it and the job is yours. Anyone who can get that close to the Joker and somehow convince him that he has a use for you must have some sort of potential. Forgive me for my direct approach, but I've never been one for beating around the bush. Can I ask you something?"

I nodded silently. At this point I was at a loss for words, though I understood his approach. I was the same way.

"Are you afraid of him? The Joker I mean?"

I furrowed my eyebrows and looked at him curiously. "What does it matter if I'm afraid of him or not?"

"Fear is my specialty. I want to better understand it. I'm just curious about what it is I'm studying, that's all."

I bowed my head in thought. "Its odd really... When I realised he was the Joker, I almost felt... inspired. I'm not necessarily afraid of him. I suppose curious is a better word... I think?"

Dr. Crane looked taken aback as he leaned into his seat in deep thought. "You really would do nicely here." He mumbled. To me or himself I wasn't sure. "If you agree to help me with my research, I will make sure you get a job here and not just any job, a very secure one. One that will take you places."

"Are you bribing me?" I raised an eyebrow as he shrugged with a smirk in reply. "How do you know I don't work for the Joker? Everyone else would be so quick to assume that." My hands were shaking as I brought the subject back to the Joker. It didn't add up that he knew about us meeting at the bus stop. Did he know about our second meeting too? Are no secrets safe in Gotham?

"Like I said, I have eyes on the streets. Word is: he likes the way you talk." A smile crept up his lips and into the wrinkles around his eyes. Dr. Crane was definitely all too amused.