Falling || Scarecrow

Ch.10

Maria pulled her tan trenchcoat around her tighter as she entered the police building. After asking for the Commissioners office, she was led to a small office room on the second floor.

The officer who took her there, knocked twice, and asked if she could come in. Of course she could.

The officer left as she entered and closed the door behind her. "Are you Commissioner Gordon!?" She asked hurriedly. "He knows I'm here. Please, you have to call the Batman!"

"Calm down miss-?

"Maria Gardner. The Batman said to come to you if he came back..." She sat in the visitors chair as she spoke.

"Of course." He nodded. "He told me you might show up. Just give me one second to call... And it's the Scarecrow after you, right?"

She nodded frantically. "I don't know why..."

Commissioner Gordon nodded absentmindedly as he started to talk to someone on the phone. It only took a minute before he set it down.

"He'll be here soon." He promised reassuringly. "Just stay calm."

Shots were suddenly heard, and then the screaming started. One bloodcurdling scream after the other. Crashing noises followed shortly after with anonymous thuds.

Maria stood up as the Commissioner went around her to lock the door, lodging a chair under the door handle. He was faced away from her as she took off her coat calmly, revealing her outfit of a ratty brown dress with leather gloves. She left her long hood down, that would have covered her face like the Grim Reaper's.

The Commissioner turned around as she cleared her throat. He held the gun loosely in one hand that was pointed down.

"I suggest you put down the gun." She said smoothly. "Don't want any of your fellow officers to get hurt by my partner."

Commissioner Gordon reluctantly dropped his gun on the floor and pushed it towards her with a foot. "Don't do this." He said gravely.

She ignored him as she grabbed the gun. "Hands on head, down on knees."

He wisely listened as she removed the chair from the door, rapping twice after unlocking it. The door opened revealing Jonathan wearing his usual mask.

"Commissioner Gordon." He said delighted. "Isn't it nice to know that you will lead the Bat into a trap?"

"He'll know your here Crane, since I told him."

"Of course he'll know." Jonathan said dismissively. "After all... The cops in the other room are showing clear signs of having fear toxin in their system."

Gordon glared.

Maria looked at Jonathan as she held the gun loosely. "Do we kill him?"

"No." He handcuffed the Commissioner. "Just a sedative."

With that being said, Jonathan injected Gordon and he soon lay still. "See I can be nice." He stated.

She shook her head smiling. But frowned as a loud sound of shattering glass came from the bottom floor.

"He's here." Jonathan whispered while she crouched behind the desk. "Remember the plan?"

Maria nodded.

They waited in silence till the door was knocked down with a boom. The Batman surveyed the scene, eyes resting on Gordon's still figure.

"Batman, it's so nice to see you here." Jonathan said amused.

"Where is Maria Gardner?"

Jonathan laughed. "All in due time."

Maria could see the Batman pass where she crouched and stop two paces away from Jonathan.

"What do you want Crane?"

"To show everyone how easy it is to make Gotham fall. And that even you can't save it. Because one day everything will just. Fall. Down."

Maria took that as her cue to stand up and go behind the caped crusader. "Hello Batman, I'm right here."

The Bat turned and shock spread across his features... then nothing. "Maria. Don't do this."

She smiled. "Its Reaper."

Jonathan took that moment to inject the Bat. Who wasn't able to fight back, as the sedative mixed with the toxin, started to take effect.

"Let's see who the Batman really is." Jonathan leaned down to grab the mask when a loud commotion sounded outside.

"Jonathan, we gotta go." Maria stated. "SWAT just arrived, and I don't think we want to use all your toxin."

He nodded in agreement. "Let's go."

...

When they finally arrived at their base, Maria collapsed exhausted on the couch. "That was fun." She stated.

Jonathan smiled amused. "Only to you it would be fun."

She smiled in reply.

Jonathan sat next to her, putting his mask on a nearby table. He also took off his glasses, staring thoughtfully at the ceiling. "We almost had him you know."

"I do know." She leaned against him, head on his shoulder. "Mainly because of you."

"And you. You distracted him, so I could inject him."

"True." She mused. "Let's do it again sometime."

He laughed lightly. "Again it concerns me how much you enjoy this."

"Just because I look like I'm glass, doesn't mean I don't have an evil side. Everyone has two sides."

He ran a hand through her hair, which she had pulled it out of a french braid when they had arrived. "Very true."

She nodded happily and soon drifted off to sleep, feeling safe in the presence of Jonathan.