The One They Know (Batman) (COMPLETED)

Chapter 23: A Surprise

"Shit."

I was tied to a chair, hands behind my back. I couldn't move. 

"No. No. No no no."

I could feel it. I needed another pill. Everything was sore, I felt dizzy, I had pins and needles in my fingers. I struggled, the rope burned my wrists and my ankles. I couldn't die right now, not yet. I wanted to throw up. How long had I been asleep?

I thrashed, getting desperate. The chair was rocking violently. I pushed it to far and I started to fall. I braced myself for impact, body clenched and eyes closed. There was a jerk but I stopped falling. 

I opened one eye first, then wished I hadn't. 

Bane pushed the chair to its original position and my head snapped back. 

It must've opened a recent head wound because blood started dripping past my eye, over my mask. I tried to assess the situation. Bane was in front of me, looking angry. I glanced sideways and caught a flash of a purple coat. So Joker and Bane were here. Damn.

The silence was irritating me. The long ringing of it gave me a headache. 

"So, did you find an effective way to ventilate the poison?"

My head was flung to the side. A large bruise formed on my cheek. At least I know Bane isn't afraid to punch girls.

"Where is she?"

For the first time, his metallic voice gave me chills. "I'm afraid you're going to have to be more specific."

Something cool rested against the nape of my neck. A knife.

"I knew you were here, Joker."

He gave a short giggle. "You know-ah, just like you know where Lily is-ah. But it doesn't matter what you know." He pressed the knife gently into my skin, drawing blood. "Only what you tell us." 

I licked my lips. "So you lose the voice when you're serious. I never thought I'd see you serious."

Bane's fists clenched and Joker moved the knife to my throat.

"If you kill me you'll never see her again." 

Joker moved some bloody hair away from my neck. "We're more resourceful then you think."

"Okay." My mouth was dry. "But how do I know you won't kill me after I tell you?"

Joker laughed. "We do if you don't. We do if you do." 

I looked at the pouch around Bane's neck.

"Did she give that to you? She talks about you, you know. Begs me not to hurt you. It's pathetic what she'll do to protect criminals."

Bane's fist closed around my neck, squeezing tighter and tighter the more I resisted. 

"She'll starve if I don't feed her." I managed to choke out. 

He let go and I coughed until I could breath again. I hope they don't notice that my bruises are already healing. 

"Your friends will feed her. They won't let her starve."

I looked up at him through my hair. "My friends will be looking for me. And they'll put me before a mindless criminal sympathizer." 

Bane frowned. "And you would let an innocent die?"

I gave a shaky laugh, still out of breath. "You would. Wouldn't you?"

He stared into my eyes. "But you're not like me."