Just another day in the park

[alicelogan]

Sure it was chilly, but that's what gloves are for. Yeah the park bench was cold, but it's a small price to pay to get inspired. Alice Logan, junior reporter for the Gotham Gazette was going through her notebook trying to piece together a story. She often wandered through the park, usually after work so she could think. She wasn't used to being

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[scream_and_cry]

It was just by sheer luck... or bad luck... that Crane was also in the park at this time. He desperately needed to clear his head after the Ivy incident, and had just finished dealing with a potential client. Some sob story about her husband cheating on her, but Crane could smell the paranoia. From the way she described it, it was nothing but a delusion of the woman. Still, immediate diagnoses does not earn the dollars. Ask any psychiatrist

[alicelogan]

"Mmm?" She answered without looking, still working on a paragraph. She finished it and looked over at the person she had apparently interviewed.

"...Dr. Crane?" She returned his smile, though hers was more genuine. "How have you been?"

He had been one of her first interviews. She was nervous as hell but enjoyed talking to him. He was very intelligent. Stupid people just made her angry.

[scream_and_cry]

"Oh..." He puts his paper down, and keeps smiling at her. Alice Logan. A nervous, young, girl. Clearly somewhat in awe of one of the *Gotham Freaks* and no doubt proud to interview him for her rag of a paper. "I'm well, thank you."

His eyes don't travel all over her body like other men perhaps might. They just look into her eyes. "How did your newspaper sell, after the interview? Have you had a chance to talk to more redeemed criminals?"

[alicelogan]

"It did very well. That article actually got me my own desk." And a much more dangerous job of trying to track down criminals that were still wreaking havoc on the city.

"As for more redeemed criminals, I'm afraid I don't have the contacts for that. It's not going so well. Not all of them want to talk to a novice reporter."

Her smile turned sheepish as she silently thanked him for that opportunity.

[alicelogan]

It had been almost twenty-four hours and Crane had still not returned. Alice had given up trying to escape within the first five hours and had really started to worry by the seventh.

It was apparent that the hobo and the dealer were not getting up, so they were no help. She didn't want anyone from this neighborhood to help her, either. Her only option was to wait in silence.

There was a very tiny tinge of fear in her eyes, but she wasn't scared out of her wits. She was just annoyed, hungry, tired, and very uncomfortable. Not to mention, a bit of a mess. She was starting to think that he wasn't coming back which lead to a train of thought ending in how long it takes to die of starvation...

If anything, her current mindset was: 'What a stupid thing to do.'

[scream_and_cry]

A few hours later, around twenty seven hours since she was originally tired to the chair, the sound of the front door being unlocked can be heard. Then there's the sound of shuffling feet, and the front room's door is also pushed open.

The doctor is in.

"Good evening, Miss Logan." The Scarecrow speaks through the filter on his mask, and unrolls a leather belt equipped with scalpels, knives, syringes, and other, less-recognisable implements. "Tell me truthfully..." He pulls one of the syringes free and tests for oxygen bubbles. "Are you scared yet?"

[alicelogan]

Truthfully, hmm? Well, the fact that he was wearing his mask and had quite a few tools with him was an unnerving sight.

"A little..." She croaked, her voice hoarse from lack of use. It was a truthful answer. She was still mostly just sore.

[scream_and_cry]

"A little really isn't good enough. I'm going to test your limits. I'm going to see if I can break you without the toxin... If I can't, well... No matter." He shrugs stiffly, and pokes the syringe into her neck.

"This serum is not fear toxin, it's something Poison Ivy made up for me many many moons ago. It's derived from the sap of fire flowers. Unimaginative name, but their effect speaks for itself. You may well feel like you're on fire." He stands back and watches, a big smile beneath his mask.