Scaring The Crows

Chapter Seven

"Hand over the money, Crane. I won again" Edward smiled, showing Jonathan the completed rubix cube. "Yet again, the bets you set for me are far too easy and at this rate, I'll have all your money" he teased, sticking his tongue out. "Because I'm amazing"

With a sigh of defeat, Jonathan walked over to his office desk and eyed the wallet that was mixed in with some of his unfinished papers. Edward watched with a beaming smile, as he always did, in a taunting way. He knew that Jonathan had a soft spot for Kristie and now he could see why. Crane's hand twitched towards the wallet, but instead he pushed the papers aside and pulled the burlap mask on.

"Oh, hey Crow" Edward smiled. "It's been a while since I talked to you in a civilized way. The last time you had my head held to the floor with a gun. Oh, good times" he chuckled.

"Want to experience that again?" Scarecrow snarled.

"Oki-Doki!" Edward replied chirpily. He clearly wasn't intimidated by Scarecrow at all, and the threat (to him) was almost non-existent. Jonathan would never shoot him and he was forever holding Scarecrow back from what he really wanted to do. Edward knew he was safe. He really liked to test whether the Crow would listen to what the good doctor had to say, or whether Scarecrow would shoot endless rounds of bullets straight into his head.

"You seem to forget, Riddler" Scarecrow chuckled. "What's green and screams until it cried?" he asked, ready to spray some of the toxin straight into Edward's face. Before Edward was given the chance to answer, he prepared by placing his thumb over the button. "I'll give you a clue"

After listening in on the conversation, I ran in at the wrong moment. Me and my amazing timing. Scarecrow pressed the button and a shot of the gas went straight into my face, causing me to choke and convulse, sobbing in pain. Edward quickly picked me up and ran out of the office, slamming the door behind him as he did. He cradled me like a mother with a crying baby. Scenes of fire played over and over in my vision and my eyelids were struggling to stay open. "Stay with me Kristie!"

Scarecrow smirked. He'd given them enough of a head start already. He ran out of the office (the slammed door didn't really slow him down) and followed the distinct smell of my perfume. It didn't help by the fact the fear toxin was odorless, it would've made it easier to track. Edward ran down one of the abandoned corridors and tried to keep himself composed as I felt myself drift from consciousness. Although Jonathan knew his way around this asylum, Scarecrow didn't.

Edward quickly rushed into an open cell and slammed the door shut, listening for the clunk that signified we were locked in. I held my head and a groan of pain escaped my lips. "Shh!" Edward hissed at me, peeking through the dirty window slightly just to see if he'd followed us enough. He quickly ducked down as footsteps echoed in the corridor we were in. "Scarecrow doesn't know where the keys are...Jonathan does. Hopefully he won't tell him"

I gulped and shuffled into a shadowed corner of the cell as Scarecrow found the cell we were locked in and he peered through the window. He then went on to the next cell looking for us, repeating the same procedure. I knew that even though Jonathan wouldn't tell Scarecrow where the master keys were, he would still find out. I heard Edward yawn and I shuffled into a more comfortable position before drifting off to sleep.

I woke up and rolled my head, as you do in your sleep to get comfortable, to find my head rested on Edward's chest. I'd question myself about it when we weren't in danger. Turning my head, I rolled it off his chest. Edward whimpered softly in his sleep (his chest was moving in a slow rhythm that I associated with sleep) and reached for my head. With a sigh of defeat I put my head back where it was and clutched his hand tight as the cell went pitch black.

The toxin took a hold of my dreams though. I pictured myself strapped to a chair, the straps so tight I was in excruciating pain, as Scarecrow chuckled and circled me messing with a lighter as he did. "Why are you so scared of fire?" he chuckled, hovering the flame close to my face. I struggled in the chair and scrunched my eyes shut. "TELL ME!" he commanded.

"I was in a house fire when I-I was little" I sobbed. "I was in there for like an hour before they rescued me. It was horrible"

"And spiders" he chuckled, placing a tarantula on my knee. I watched in horror as it crawled up my thigh and over the straps and restraints. "They're such beautiful creatures yet you scream or cry at the sight of them. Fascinating. It's so funny watching you suffer, Kristie. You are one interesting test subject"

I woke up in a cold sweat, now shuffled away from Edward. I felt my eyes well with tears and I was so close to crying, but he looked at me with wide eyes, and mouthed the words 'Don't make a sound'. I nodded and quickly wiped the tears away as they rolled down my cheeks silently. The footsteps were there again and I clenched my fists to suppress my fear, finding myself clutching his hand again. There were three little clicks from the door and it swung open slowly, as if someone had been checking all the cells to find us.

I shuddered as I saw who was at the door. Jonathan. His eyes looked worn and he was breathing slowly, as if to calm him down. But something didn't seem right. Edward stumbled up and helped me, but I pulled him back away from Jonathan. Edward rubbed my knuckle with his thumb and placed his hands on my shoulders in a re-assuring way. "Don't worry...it's ok. Crow doesn't know where the keys are"