Crimson X

Chapter 16: Exhaustion

Shar hummed "You Spin Me Round" as she watched Edward walk round and round with a helmet of dynamite strapped on his head. She did her best not to burst out into a fit of laughter whenever he passed her - begging her to get him out. The psychiatrist simply shook her head at him. He wasn't in any danger, but he didn't know that.
"What was the last time you got any sleep, Edward?" Shar questioned as the master of riddles began to stagger in his steps.
Edward glared at her, "Two days."
Shar gulped. It's one thing to be OCD and have episodes of rage, but being sleep deprived and having both of the stated is another.
"Cash," Shar looked over at the officer. "Should we let him go? I really don't want to get his brains on me, no matter how great they are."
Cash's eye twitched - how could she so willingly stroke his ego?
"Sorry, Channing," Aaron tapped the detonator, "Nygma's not getting off the hook that easily. He's walking until he drops."
Edward glared at Cash, "Then, I may as well stop now!" He looked at Shar, "Good bye."
Edward took a deep breath and stopped dead in his tracks. Odd thing is that he didn't end up dead. He blinked for a minute. That minute turned into two and then five as his exhausted mind tried to calculate exactly what was going on. His most brilliant brains didn't splatter against the wall. His trap would most defiantly work - but it didn't! Why?!
Shar pulled out some batteries and strode over to him - a wide smirk on her face. She weaved them in between her long fingers in a teasing manor.
"Just keeps on going and going," Shar laughed lightly. "Sorry, Edward, but you had to learn your lesson."
Edward weakly tried to protest, but collapsed. Shar ran forward and caught him before he hit the ground. His eyes were closed and his breathing slowed. He passed out and his brain shut down on him from lack of sleep. Shar chuckled lightly and motioned to Cash to carry him to the back room; so he could sleep easier.
Once the two were out of the room, Cash turned towards Shar with a stern look, "What's up with Riddler and you?"
"Hmm?" Shar tilted her head slightly, "What do you mean?"
"I mean why is he so friendly with you?"
Shar crossed her arms and leaned against the wall peering into the bedroom, "He told me I was the only psychiatrist he could stand." Shar chuckled lightly, "Believe it or not, he even admits that I'm not a complete idiot. I guess everyone needs a friend." She paused, "That reminds me, do you know where Bane is?"
"Bane?" Cash thought for a second, "He's not supposed to be here, but there are Titan containers and rumors from the prisoners that he is here."
"Then he's here," Shar sighed.
"You want to actually go find him?"
Shar shrugged, "If something happens, then I will. Until then, I'll stay here," she paused. "If that's okay."
Cash shrugged, "The way I see it, you're the one that will keep Nygma in check, you saved our lives and by the sounds of it someone else's, and you're on our team when it comes to Arkham City and Strange."
"Protocol 10 will commence in five hours," Strange's voice sounded through the speakers.
"What's protocol 10?" Shar questioned Cash.
"No idea."
"Whatever it is, I don't like it," Shar glared at no one in particular. "You should all get out of here. You're not inmates, you can escape. Too bad it's not the asylum. I can't tell you how many times I snuck in at night to spy on Strange." Shar laughed until she saw Chash's glare. "I was trying to stop Arkham City. He was working with someone named Ra's al Ghul."
"But Ra's al Ghul's dead."
Shar shook her head, "His body was missing from Arkham Mansion and I saw him talking to Professor Strange a little bit after Joker took the asylum over."
"Well, he'll have to get through me if he's going to get in here."
"That's what I'm afraid of," Shar muttered. "That's why you need to leave, now!"
"If we leave what about Nygma?"
"I'll watch him," Shar glanced into the bedroopm as he turned in his sleep. "He won't be a problem."
"Alright," Cash nodded. "Come on, let's leave this Hell hole!" He helped some doctors up and began walking out of the lair. Stopping, Aaron Cash turned back towards Shar, "Be careful!"
"Don't worry," Channing nodded, "I will."
--Time Skip--
"Protocol 10 will commence in two hours."
Shar gulped. Protocol 10 couldn't be good.
--Time Skip--
Shar glanced at Edward, he was still sound asleep. The woman bit her lip as she pondered about whether or not she should wake him up. Shar stood up and moved some stray hairs out of his face.
The earth shook. Shar fell onto the bed and screamed. She heard a crash in the other room, followed by multiple explosions. Her hand clung onto the nearest thing.
Other hands grabbed her in a panic state, "What's going on!?"
"Protocol 10!" Shar shouted at Edward. "It's started.
Edward jolted out of his room - dragging Shar with him- and opened the door to his lair. Shar clung onto his arm as both of their mouths were held a gapped.
Helicopters shot by. Missiles shot and hit nearby buildings, destroying them completely. A missile hit just above them, glass shattered. Edward pushed both of them inside and they fell onto the ground. His body covered hers in a protective manor.
"Are you alright?" He questioned and got up once the debris stopped falling.
Shar nodded slightly and held her head, "Aside from the ringing in my ears, fine. You?"
Edward winced slightly as he pulled out some smaller pieces of glass out of his back, "I've had worst. From the Dark Knight in particular and walking around thinking I'm going to blow up any minute. When did you take the batteries out?"
"When they first started walking," Shar raised her hands defensively at his glare. "I couldn't just sit aside and let people die, Nygma."
"Edward," he corrected and shook his head. "That's not the point! They were idiots and they deserved to die. If only they thought a few steps ahead then they wouldn't have been in that situation, would they? No! They wouldn't! They're morons, complete morons!"
Shar watched him as he ranted even more. Rolling her eyes, she leaned forward and pecked him on the cheek, "Shut up, Edward."
He blushed slightly and looked away, "Fine! But only because I'm done talking about those idiots!"
Shar winced as another explosion sounded, "We should get out of here, before we're caved in...Even if Deadshot is after me."
Edward thought for a moment before running off into the bedroom. Shar watched him, flabbergasted, before he came back out with a jacket - green with question marks - and a green wig. Shar quirked an eyebrow before he tossed them to her.
"Use these, it'll help hide who you are. For now at least."
Shar put the jacket on. It was a little big - assuming it was Edward's - but it did hide the top she was wearing. Her pants were black - so it didn't matter all that much. She then put the wig on and looked at Edward - as if asking how she looked.
"You should be called Emerald X from now on," He smirked and took hold of her hand before dragging her out of the lair.
The two ran and ran through the bowery. They dodged Two-Face's thugs and the remaining Penguin thugs that somehow managed to stay out of harm's way. An occasional pay phone would ring - causing Shar to jump - but that was about it. Strangely enough, the helicopters seemed to have retreated to Wonder Tower. Assumingly this was Strange's base.
Nygma slowed to a stop as he watched the helicopters circle the tower. The two looked up just in time to see it explode. They both jumped back and covered their eyes from the sudden intrusion of light onto their pupils. Though, once their eyes adjusted they saw two men free falling from the building. The silhouette of one appeared to have driven a sword through their body. The other one was a giant bat.
"We have to help him!" Shar shouted realizing who it actually was.
"Oh no we don't!" Nygma tugged on her arm. "We're getting out of here! A little kitty told me that there's a great escape route somewhere around here."
"Eddie! Is that you?"
"Oh dear God..."
Shar and Nygma turned around to see a hyperactive blond pounce Edward. She laughed in a giddy mood. Harley Quinn stood in front of the two of them.
"Are ya goin' to see Mistah J finish off the Bats?" She questioned looking back and forth between the two. "Hey? Ain't ya Eddie's girl that snuck into the Steel Mill?"
Shar nodded slowly, "Try and keep that to yourself. A certain assassin is after me."
"Ah! Got it!" Harley zipped her lips. "So are you gonna go to the theatre later to see Mistah J kill the Bats?"
"As appealing as that sounds," Edward looked down on her - in more ways than one - he continued, "We have some other places to be. You know how it goes."
"Oh, I know!" Harley skipped away. "Well, I gotta go! Don't wanna miss Puddin's big finale at the theatre!"
Shar’s eyes twitched at the ditzy blond. How could one get so attached to someone like the Joker, get abused on a daily basis and still be like that? Shar glanced over at Edward. Sure he had a temper, but he hadn’t be abusive…Yet. She wondered if he would ever be.
“Come on,” Edward grabbed Shar by the wrist. “We need to get out of here.”
“But Batman,” Shar tugged against him. “We need to let him know! He can’t die!”
“Do you think I’d really care about a rogue that spoils all of my plans?” He snapped at her.
Shar shook her head, “I don’t care!” She escaped from his grasp, “I have to let him know!” She looked at him, “I’m sorry, Edward.”
He scowled and turned his back to her, “You’re an idiot. Don’t blame me when you get yourself killed!” With that he ran off to assumingly escape Arkham City.
Shar frowned. She wasn’t an idiot. No matter how many times he called her one, this one hurt the most. She shook her head. Shar couldn’t be thinking of such trivial things. Bruce – or Batman – was in trouble and she needed to warn him.
Her legs carried herself quickly to the theatre where she thought she heard Harley Quinn say where her “puddin’” was going to be. Though, her legs came to halt when she saw multiple red lasers in the distant. There were snipers set up at the theatre. Perfect…
Shar looked up at the building and her hands tightened around her hammer’s handle. She quickly climbed up the fire escape where one of the snipers was located. Catching her breath for a moment she looked up at the sniper who was pointing his gun down at the ground, still unaware that Shar was there. She stealthily made her way to the man. In a split second she wrapped her hand around his mouth and used that arm and her other hand as leverage to crushingly press the bat against his neck. Within a matter of second the man passed out from a lack of blood to his brain.
Shar looked at another building nearby and the other snipers. As she was tracing her eyes around she noticed two people run into the theatre. It wasn’t Batman, the man was too lanky. It must be The Joker! Her eyes then locked onto a sniper’s laser going out. Batman must be here!
“Well, well, well!” A ditzy voice sounded from behind Shar. “What do we have here?”
Shar slowly turned around with a glare on her face. It was Harley Quinn who was looking rather pissed. She must have figure that Shar was trying to help Batman and not her boyfriend. Shar swung the bat around in her hands.
“Hey there, Quinn,” Shar sighed. “Sorry ‘bout me having to beat the living crap out of you with your own bat.”
“What!?” Harley stomped her foot on the ground. “No one is gonna mess with puddin’! Got it?”
Shar shook her head, “Geez…Falling head over heels with a rogue. Highly unprofessional for a psychiatrist.”
“You so sure you should be talkin’?” Harley snapped back as she took out a knife from behind her.
Shar laughed, “I haven’t fallen that hard for him, Quinn. I could never do that with a rogue.”
Harley glared and sprinted forward to Shar with a knife ready to stab her. Shar raised an eyebrow and threw her bat at Harley Quinn. Dead center. Harley Quinn fell backwards unconscious from the violent hit. Shar walked over to her and sighed before taking the knife out of her hand and the bat.
“Sorry, Quinn,” Shar shook her head. “I just can’t let Batman die.”
She looked up seeing all of the other snipers were gone. Batman walked into the theatre. Shar cussed and quickly climbed down the building and ran towards the entrance. It was already locked. Shar fell to her knees and weakly beat the door. She failed, Batman could die in there. If that happened…No! She couldn’t think about what would happen. She glanced around seeing other thugs start to gather to theatre. Shar gulped. She was a female, she may not fair off well with these men. Quickly, she ran away from there, as if her life depended on it.
She glanced around the area. Shar couldn’t leave, but she needed to hide somewhere. Anywhere would do. She looked to her right into alley ways, trying to find a good spot.
She ran into a person and fell to the ground, “S-sorry!” She stuttered and looked up at the person she ran into. Her eyes widened at the figure in front of her, “B-Bruce?” She shook her head, “What the Hell are you doing here?”
Bruce raised an eyebrow, “Who are you?”
“It’s Shar…” Shar stood up and took off her wig for a brief second, “Deadshot’s after me, so Edward gave me a wig to wear. An-Anyways! I thought you went…” She turned back to the theatre. “I mean, I saw you…” She thought maybe she saw the wrong person enter the theatre. She then looked back at his face, “Why is your face all beaten up like that? Is that part of the symptoms that’s making you sick?”
“What?” Bruce raised an eyebrow, “Oh…Yes…” He turned away slightly as he thought for a second. “We should get out of here.”
“But what about Joker?” Shar turned to the theatre once more, “He’s planning on killing you! So is Deadshot!”
“That’s why we should leave this place.”
Shar looked at him confused, “But we need to stop Joker and Deadshot before anyone else gets killed.”
“What do you mean we?” Bruce walked past her. “Last time I check I don’t fight villains.”
Shar narrowed her eyes, this wasn’t Bruce Wayne. She grabbed onto his wrist, “Who the Hell are you and why do you look like Bruce?”
The fake Bruce turned around with an agitated look, “You must have hit your head to hard. Let go of me or else.”
Shar listened to her gut instinct to let go. This man obviously wasn’t one to mess with. She backed away slowly from as if he were a rattle snake ready to attack. She watched him as he walked away from her and towards the walls of Arkham City. She’d go after him once she knew Batman was safe.