Aero *Completed Story*

Chapter 7

"My heart won't let you go
And I need you to know
I miss you"

Hugo Strange gasped for air and his vision started to get blurry. He clawed at the arms in front of him, hoping it would help him to be released from their painful grasp. But instead of loosening, the grip on his neck tightened and he was pushed hard against a wall, his head slammed against it with an obvious thump and immediately he felt hot fluid dripping down his neck.

"What did you do to her?" Batman growled.

Hugo couldn't see the man's eyes clearly through the cowl, but he detected an unbridled passionate anger from them. For the first time since becoming acquainted with the Dark Knight, he truly felt afraid of him.

"What any good genetic engineer would do when given a chance to explore the genes of those who in every sense of the word are superior to you or me." His voice trembled as he hoarsely tried to explain himself. "You can't blame me; the genes are so fascinating." A small smile came to his face after he finished explaining things, despite the obvious uneasiness he was feeling.

Disgusted, Batman let Hugo drop to the ground. He rubbed the back of his head only to confirm what he already knew, a big gash was made when he hit the wall. There was more blood running from it then he had thought, dangerous levels almost. He hurriedly tore a piece of cloth from his coat and bunched it up into a ball. But before he could place it on the back of his head, Batman grabbed him by the neck again and threw him on the metal table in the room. Then he took the arm and leg straps attached to the table, and bound Hugo with them. Batman then started walking around the room, examining each vile of serum, note, or tool that was left in the room.

"Which one of these did you inject her with?" Batman's voice was eerily calm as he picked up a vile of orange tinted liquid. In is other hand he had picked up a syringe and was now filling it with the orange liquid. He walked back towards Hugo, who was trying with what little strength he had left, to get out of the straps on the table.

When he looked back up at Batman, he seemed like a different person. There was a look in his eye that Hugo could only describe as deranged and unbalanced. "If you don't tell me exactly what you did to her, this," he looked at the syringe in his right hand and made a point by squirting a little of the liquid out, "will be injected into your veins."

There was no doubt in Hugo's mind that Batman would do it. He knew the Dark Knight was unorthodox normally, but hurting this girl, Aero, must have been the catalyst that broke his control. When he looked at Batman he could tell that he was not thinking rationally. And any sign of the usual calm and controlled man he had grown to expect, was gone.

The needle was a centimeter away from the skin on his arm, he could almost feel the cold of the instrument as it got closer. He tensed up, and squinted his eyes, waiting for the slight sting that associated a needle in the arm. It felt like hours passing waiting for it to penetrate his skin. Strange opened his eyes, thinking maybe he was more immune to a needle prick then he thought, only to notice Batman looking back at the equipment on the lab table. Batman looked from the table to the needle in his hand then back to the table again. It seemed like he was having a fight with his conscience, a debate whether he should go through with injecting Hugo with the unknown substance or not.

A contented sigh escaped Hugo's mouth as someone else entered the room.

Batman looked up at Green Lantern, syringe still in hand. "Batman, we have gathered all the prisoners up and loaded them up on the jet. They are all in need of medical attention."

Nodding Batman looked down at the syringe in his hand. He trembled in fear at his loss of control. He dropped it on the ground and took a step forward, crushing it. "Let's get all the research we can grab here, I have a feeling we will need it." He shot an angry glare at Doctor Strange. "And get him out of here."

Feeling frustrated with himself, Batman stormed out of the room and walked down the hall to try and calm his nerves. He leaned his back against a wall and pushed his fist back. He hit the wall so hard you could hear his knuckles crack under the pressure.

"Batman," He looked up to see Deep Magnitude standing a few feet away from him. Rubbing his hand to alleviate the pain he nodded for her to speak. She looked at him questioningly "Should we interrogate Strange before we lock him up?"

"If he had any information that we could use, he would have told us by now." He paused. A shutter ran up his spine thinking of what he might have done to Strange had he lost control. "Trust me." His words came out with bitter disdain. He could taste the anger and loathing on the tip of his tongue.

Deep Magnitude nodded in acknowledgement. "Alright, I'm almost done storing things in my dimensional pockets. I think we only need a couple more minutes to finish up."

Batman sighed and stood up straight again as she walked away. He shook his feelings off as best he could and got on the communicator. "J'onn, how far are you from the mansion? What's her condition?"

"I'm about ten minutes out. I called ahead to Alfred. Aero is alive, but I don't know for how long. When I arrive, I can give you more information."

Batman turned off the communicator and opened up a pouch on his belt. He pulled out a handful of charges and started making his way through the facility, placing a charge every ten feet or so. As he placed the last one, he pulled out the detonator and took one last look around, the disgust rising in his throat again.