Freedom

Part 14: Infamy

Danica spent the rest of her solitary confinement in a deep sleep. Three days. Aside from going to the bathroom and a shower, that was the detox method of methamphetamine. Her body didn't take as hard to heroin; she was an addict that was wired with a hardcore attraction to stimulants, despite all the negative consequences that followed it. She had been doing this since she was eight; she knew the routine, of what would come—But logic stated that addicts recovered to return as functioning members of a society of normies.
Arkham Asylum was a different playing field with a garden-variety of psychopaths. Different people, different rules. Different socially acceptable habits and vices. Many of them were comfortable with torture and murder; so when Danica returned to general population, she was greeted with positivity and acceptance. She could wear her new line of murders in the asylum as a badge of honor, gaining infamy amongst her playmates. The comparison between her demeanors while dry or high were recognizable by her peers; and she was well-liked whether sober or fucking crazy.
Jerome's liking of her didn't decease when she was sober. He knew what she was capable of. Unlike the normies, he was fond of both her Dr. Jekyll and Ms. Hyde—which is what they referred to her states of mind, albeit with respect.
She sat in the lobby, musing with Aaron about the ability to kill a family with his bare hands—a feat that he achieved with his own family.
Danica laughed as Aaron described a personal event of a particular homicide that went cold. How amusing.
Jerome sat down beside her and landed a kiss on her cheek politely. Danica grinned.
He was right. When she had followed his lead, and just let go—she felt as if this was her home. The need to leave had ebbed away, not so destructive as before.
It was more or less like sitting down with family at a dinner.
"Darling," Danica greeted him.
"Gorgeous," he returned.
In Arkham, it was not uncommon for inmates to pair off. It was necessary to mark territory to avoid confusion of what was on the market and was better off left alone. Danica grew accustomed to him sitting beside her, either with one of his hands on her thigh under the table or an arm around the back of her chair.

"Honey," Danica turned to Jerome, "have you ever killed with your bare hands before?"

"Uh, no," Jerome answered. "I have not. An axe, I can tell you, is very handy to keep around. A knife...potato peeler." He  thought a second more. "A key."

"A key?" Danica remarked with a grin.

"Yeah," he affirmed. "You hold it like this—" he mimicked holding brass knuckles "—hold it like that with a key between your fingers and..."

"Does that work?" Danica said, intrigued.

Jerome shrugged,
"Well, when I obtain an officer's key, I'll pick a test subject and see if that actually works."

He and Danica exchanged glances and chuckled.

"I'll do it, though," he added delightfully serious. "Now I'm really curious."

Danica gestured to one of the guards.
"I recommend him."

"Why?" Jerome drawled, smirking.

Give him a reason.
Danica's grin became devious.

"Newbie."
"Ooh, the help," Jerome squealed with excitement. "But you know what, I think this could be a lot of fun."

Sionis sat across from them, having overheard their conversation. He glanced at Danica with a keen eye.
"I need a favor," he said.
Danica raised an eyebrow.
"You?" She exclaimed. "You need a favor from me?"
"Yes, actually; that guard you're thinking about making miserable. I'd like you to leave him be."

Before Danica could speak, Jerome interjected,
"Well, doesn't sound very fun at all."
Sionis looked at him.

"He's a man on the inside."

"A mole?" Danica asked.

"No, " Sionis clarified, "not like that. He's one of us."

"I highly doubt that," Jerome sighed, glancing at the nervous number standing by the door. "He looks like he'll fall over if you poked him too hard..."
He made a small chuckle.

Danica assumed he had a few ideas with what to poke him with, most likely all of them resulting in a blood bath.

"I can't guarantee anything," Danica said smoothly to Sionis. When he gave her a look, she kissed her teeth, and replied, "I can guarantee that I won't do anything; but you do see where we are, right?" She gestured to the community. "Maybe you should talk to them.

Sionis resolved that she was right, stood to his feet, and strode away. Jerome watched his back for a good minute. He tapped his fingers on the back of Danica's chair thoughtfully. She glanced at him.

"I'd hate to upset my friend," Jerome said sarcastically. "But perhaps I'm right."

"Right about what?" Danica asked.

"What's the fun in it if the old boy is just gonna keel over?" He glanced at the guard again. "Guess we'll have to wait for the new flood of employees to make waves."

"I know you're disappointed," Danica turned to him with a smile. "We'll have some fun of our own later tonight. How about that?"

Jerome  patted his hands together.
"Oh, goody!"