The Skin That Crawls From You [A Jonathan Crane Fan-fiction]

Panic.

My world is soaked in black, I can't will my eyes open, and my body refuses to move. Yet the drugs send a panic spiraling so deep inside of me; I don't know if I'll ever be able to get it all out.
I work to take a breath of air, but my lungs refuse to supply it. I'm suffocating.

"Trust me."
I hear Crane say, but it's rather difficult to do since he's drugged me yet again. he puts a thick face mask around my mouth and nose and presses it down hard, strapping it around my ears. A machine within it whirs and a puff of air pushes into my nose and down into my lungs, flooding me with relief.
Then it's the sound of the elevator's ding.

He promised he would get me out, that he would prove my innocence. Is this it? Is this the escape? Or did it all go wrong?

"Who's this?"
A gruff voice asks. This utter helplessness is sickening, I know the man is talking about me.

"The weapon."
Crane's voice replies.

Weapon?

"Alright."

Footsteps ring out just in front of me.

"No, don't touch her."
Crane commands sharply.

The gruff voice mutters something and his footsteps pound away.

"Did he tell you anything about her?"
Crane hisses, hauling me back over his shoulder; my stomach aching with the pressure of his frame pushing into my gut.

Two doors slam behind us as I'm escorted out, I hear a gun cock and in the distance, sirens wail.

"Put her in the van, we'll drive you up to the boss,"
Another voice says.

I'm laid down onto a cold floor, two car doors slam faintly and the ground momentarily lowers as someone jumps into the van beside me. It's Crane. I can smell his citrus metallic trail. He slams the back doors closed.

"I gave you a neuromuscular blocking agent, you're only momentarily paralyzed. That mask is keeping you alive."
He says, his voice lowered, he must be sitting beside me.

"You're going to hear a lot of things that don't make any sense, but I'll explain them all, when we're safe."

My mind feels like screaming, like yelling and pounding on the cold steel of the van I'm riding in. But my mouth won't move, and my vocal chords won't utter a sound. I have so many questions but no way to ask them.

He puts a hand on the side of my face and strokes his thumb across my cheekbone.
"I'm not going to hurt you , and neither will they."
He says.

But I had heard that before. As much as I want to trust him, to trust this, it's virtually impossible to do without being given any information.

"I know you're afraid."
He says quietly.

"I'm putting you on the Gotham Monorail. It's going to take you to Wayne Tower. I will meet you there."
He whispers.

"We're releasing my toxin onto the city, I was hoping it wouldn't get to this- but your mask will protect you."

The van comes to a stop and I hear the door handles rattle.

"It's going to be okay,"
He finally whispers, before grabbing my hand and giving it a gentle squeeze. He lets go and I hear the doors open; a thick garbage smell hits my nostrils. A familiar garbage smell.
Distinctly, sewer and seawater- I'm back in the narrows. I'm back to where it all began.

"We need you to check something out, it's your serum."
One of the men say to Crane. The van bumps up and down as he exits; and i hear him take a deep breath.

"Dont touch her,"
He warns again, and I hope to god that his command is enough for them to stay away from my helpless husk of a body.

My surroundings are loud. A dull roar of protesting screams and lowered voices; not unusual for The Narrows- simply louder than normal.

"I can't find my mom,"
A small voice says, followed by a faint smack.

"Hey!"
A female yells, a familiar voice.

"What the hell are you doing?"
She yells, her voice so angry so familiar- it's the Assistant District Attorney Crane had taken to the basement only a few days ago. I remember her voice.

Before anyone can answer the woman, a crisp masculine voice speaks up.

"Gentlemen- time to spread the word."
He says, followed by an electrical purr. It's the sound of a small engine powering up.

"And the word is... panic."
He says-  a chill shooting down my spine.