___

When the man, who later I figured out to be The Robin, got to me, I was inconsolable. On my knees, I could feel the warm, viscous blood that had spilled from the men I had just killed. It pooled around me, seeping into my skin and worst of all, my conscience. It was the remnant of my guilt. Through sobs, he tried to shake me up, telling me we had to go. Despite his attempt to remain unphased, I could tell he was shaken. When I heard the sirens, I was able to slightly snap out of my panic, and I finally was able to follow him out of the water treatment plant. The place that became my new nightmare. We didn’t have time to talk on the rooftops of Bleake. He told me to go home, and that he would take care of what happened.

Numbly, I managed to take the Wing back without a sound coming from me. Now infinitely traumatized, I arrived back through the window of Sydney’s apartment later. I carefully opened my bedroom door, trying to locate the bathroom in the small, dark apartment doing everything I could to step quietly to not wake Bill and Sydney. I needed to clean the carnage off of me, I needed to try and wash away what had transpired tonight.

I gasped out loud in surprise when a light in the living room turned on. I froze in my tracks, quickly whipping my head over to the person I now saw sitting on the recliner by the door.

My eyes met Sydney’s, who was eating an apple, most likely as a midnight snack. The horror on her face made emotions rise in my heart like I was drowning in a tidal wave of madness. Sydney was only able to whisper one word.

“Sarah…?”

As soon as she spoke my name in utter shock, all I could feel was a breakdown beating me down to the ground. I slowly went down to the ground, beginning to let out silent sobs as tears flowed uncontrollably from my eyes. My mind, still reeling from what transpired, started to come undone.

Sydney didn’t speak another word. I expected her to just watch me lose myself in mental anguish, all while disgusted with me. I couldn’t blame her if she did. Instead, she did something that shocked me. She shot up from the recliner, letting her fresh, just bitten-into apple fall to the ground in complete disregard. She came to my side, pulling me into a deep, tight hug. She didn’t care about the blood on my suit that now coated her bathrobe and pajamas. She only cared about consoling me, while begging for me to tell her everything.

So I did. Right there, I unloaded that night's events as I broke to pieces in her arms.

___

The days that followed were as if I wasn't conscious at all. Lucius put a halt on my vigilante work, now dealing with backlash from Mayor Gordon. I felt like a failure, a letdown, and Lucius was taking the fall for me.

According to what the other vigilante, Robin, could gather, Scarecrow was planning on mixing his toxin with the water at the Treatment Facility, almost creating a catastrophe. If I hadn't been there to stop his break-in and confront him at the water plant, he would have succeeded. The outcome couldn't have been further from a victory, however. It ended in lives lost.

So, I remained at Sydney’s from dusk till dawn, replaying everything in my mind as I looked out of the window I used to sneak out of. For most of the time, I felt numb. When the weight of what I had done came crashing down, I broke down. In those moments, I felt as if the world was crumbling around me. I had failed.

I thought I had it under control, I thought.

I didn't. I hadn't changed, I only pushed it to the back of my mind. Tried to forget everyone who could never have a future because of me. Now, I have more to add to that list. Eight more people, to be exact.

Lucius also told me about who Scarecrow - or Johnathan Crane - was. Some psychopath that was infatuated with infecting people with their chemical weapons to make them face their fears, losing himself to his demented psychosis more and more each day.

The corpses I mutilated weren't there. They were never there. I was injected with his 'fear toxin,' they call it, hallucinating my subconscious fears. The people I killed were just his lackeys. When they were dead, he dosed me again. That’s when I saw myself - the monster inside me, the creature I turned into, but it wasn’t real. Instead, the last hallucination was Scarecrow. I hallucinated my most deeply rooted fear. Behind the people I’ve murdered, the creature I was remained in the center of it all. I wasn’t scared of that creature, in a way. I was scared, deep down, of letting it roam free - of losing control. A justified fear, considering the aftermath of it all. With remains cut to shreds, showcasing what I could truly do.

Sydney and Lucius both tried to comfort me, saying it wasn't my fault - I was pushed into survival mode by my fears. They said it was something they needed to train me on more. How could I train for this, again? I couldn't go through that again.

I couldn't lose control again.

Yet, I found myself losing my grip more and more each day. Not of the monster at first, but of my mind. When I cried when I tried to keep every ounce of guilt inside my being. The flashes of that night made their way into my nightmares. Eventually, when I went back to Wayne Enterprises to work, it only got worse. One day, I dropped someone’s coffee because I could have sworn I saw my undead mother staring at me through the mirror. My days continued like that, seeing flashes of that horrific day out of the corner of my eye.

Yet, today was a slight break in the routine. Lucius had asked to see me in the lab after everyone had gone home. I could only imagine it was news from Mayor Gordon. About whether or not he’d have deemed me a danger to society or not.

As I finished my last task, I waited in the lobby of the elevators. Waiting anxiously for the people to flood out, once they did I hustled to the elevator before pushing the button. I had managed to be given a temporary keycard that allowed me access to the lab, so when I scanned it, the button for my destination finally glowed. I closed my eyes as the elevator ascended, trying to push my nerves down.

When my eyes closed, I could see flashes of blood. Flashes of carnage. Gasping, I opened them, not wanting to confront what I had done. I instead, stared up at the elevator lights while choking back any tears that might have come from the sudden visions. No matter what I did, I continued to see what I had done. Nothing, not even sleep, could calm me anymore.

Tired and shaken, I exited the elevator. I was eager to get whatever my fate was over with. Panic did strike me, as the thought of going back into incarceration flooded my head. It didn’t occur to me that it could happen until now. My hands began to shake, as I entered the lab. Walking in like a defendant about to face their jury.

A bright costume caught my eye immediately, making me stagger back in surprise. A man stood, with a suit made of bright red metallic materials. Dark green metallics accented the arm and leg armor, and a long, black cape with a yellow underbelly completed the entire ensemble. As soon as I saw the familiar getup, the past and the present began to blur. One moment, I saw the large man in the red suit, staring at me with cautious eyes inside the changed lab. Then, in the flashes of my memory, the gadgets and giant monitors switched to mutilated bodies, strewn about the Water Chemical plant.

I took a giant step back, as seeing the familiar man brought back to life what I had spent days trying to push down. Whilst I stood frozen, the man could only help but stare at me with the same shock. Only instead of PTSD, his eyes swarm with caution. I couldn’t blame him. Our first meeting was less than satisfactory. When he saw me, he also saw the bodies I created.

After a brief moment, he looked over slowly to Lucius.

“Is this her?”

Lucius nodded in confirmation, and he turned back towards me. An awkward, uncertain silence filled the air before he spoke again.

“Sarah, right? Goes by Entity?”

I nodded slowly, still not breaking eye contact. His voice sounded very rough, and authoritative. Through his domino mask, I could see his eyes and how they looked at me as if I would snap at any moment.

After another silence, he walked away slightly. I wanted to scream apologies and plead for forgiveness after he was forced to see the worst I could do. The silence continued to fill the room. I couldn’t take it anymore, but just as I spoke, he spoke as well.

“Look-”

“I’m Sor-”

We both froze as he turned back to face me. He let out a small, heavy sigh, seeming to relax as he did. His eyes went from caution to concern and empathy.

“It’s okay. Despite everything, this wasn’t on you. It’s on us. We should have pieced it together quicker. Then we could have warned you about the fear toxin.

“It isn’t on you all.”

I managed to whisper out. I could feel tears well up, but I refused to let them fall.

“Maybe not. You’ve got to learn how to control… whatever you have. But it isn’t all on you. Look, I’d love to try and give you the pep talk you need, but there’s something urgent. Something that requires your attention.”

Confusion filled me, as I took a step closer.

“What’s going on? Did something happen?”

Robin looked away slowly, before asking Lucius to pull up the computer. He walked over to the system in place and plugged in what appeared to be a small flash drive.

“Last night, Oracle and I caught wind of a situation at GCPD. The incident occurred around one a.m. And this... is what was what was reported in GCPD’s systems-”

Robin pressed a button on the computer, and loud audio erupted through the lab. A frantic man’s voice could be heard speaking into the radio.

"UNITS NEEDED AT GCPD. SCARECROW IS ARMED AND LOOSE. REPEAT, SCARECROW IS ARMED AND LOOSE."

I let out a small gasp upon hearing the name.

"I-I… Did he say… Scarecrow?"

I managed to stutter out.

"Yeah, you heard it right."

Robin said, as he turned to face me again.

"That can't be... He’s… He’s dead!"

A wave of confusion caused me to draw a sharp breath inward, causing me to lose my breath for just a moment. There's no way he could be alive. I murdered him, thinking he was me.

"Are you sure, Sarah? Is there ANY chance you could have been-"

"No chance… And I’m sorry for that. I wish I was wrong, but he died there. I saw his body… He was dead.”

Robin looked a Lucius, before pulling up another tab. I came closer to the screen, only to see a security feed pop into view. The room under surveillance displayed dissection tables, and body refrigeration units in neat rows. One refrigeration unit was opened, with the empty tray pulled fully out. I wrung out my hands anxiously as Robin pressed a few more buttons, making the name slate on the fridge known.

In sloppy handwriting, it read: Johnathan H. Crane.

It dawned on me, that the room was a coroner's office, and that I was staring right at the unit that housed the former Scarecrow. My face turned pale, as I took a deep breath in. I could feel my heart beating faster, and my hands shaking slightly.

“This… is security footage from last night.”

Robin said, as he input a command which sped up the video.

Everything appeared normal on the screen. That was until the screen flashed, revealing an oddly shaped, glowing. red orb that appeared in front of the refrigeration units. When it did, Robin stopped, and let the video play normally. A few seconds went by with nothing to cause alarm. Suddenly, and with no warning, the door to Johnathan Crane's unit burst open, causing me to jump from the harsh noise it made from being violently thrown open. The tray containing his remains slowly pulled out on its own, making a loud screech as it did so, drawing on supernatural suspense. I watched the tape in horror, not knowing what was taking place before our eyes.

What was that thing? That figure? Its essence floated above the ground, glowing red with a powerful aura. It only took the shape of a large sphere, looking like it was made out of a viscous, dark liquid. Suddenly, the silence in the security footage was broken, as faint whispers played through the recording, echoing in the examiner’s office. I leaned in, trying to hear what it was.

Before I could uncover the whispers, the video suddenly revealed something truly horrifying. Slowly, the head of Johnathan Crane’s corpse turned towards the direction that hosted the security camera, making his disfigured face visible. A bright red mist emitted from his facial orifices, seeping into the dead man. The mist slithered into his body like serpents, going through his eyes, nose, and mouth. The sight was truly horrific, as the body of Johnathan Crane began to shake violently as if it were having a seizure.

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

The sudden urge to throw up arose in my body, as now I was disturbed by the imagery. I continued to face the large holographic screen displaying the surveillance, looking to see what would become of Crane’s corpse.

What in the hell was happening, I couldn’t help but ask myself.

Without warning, the whispering got louder, before the surveillance abruptly cut out, turning to a black screen. Static crackled on the video for what seemed like hours, but in truth, it was mere seconds. I was still but snapped out of my shocked trance to try and figure out what happened. From the looks of it, the camera and audio malfunctioned, due to an unknown cause. Robin then slowly skipped ahead to when the CCTV began to work again. The shortage only took ten minutes, before the image of the medical examiner’s office returned, revealing a man in a white lab coat dead on the clean, white floor. No blood presented itself, yet his eyes stared up lifeless in the direction of the CCTV camera, indicating a body void of a soul.

I couldn’t help but look at the screen in a horrified shock, while I let out a small, sharp gasp. The refrigeration unit that once contained Scarecrow’s remains now revealed the silver body tray, without a body lying on it.

Crane was gone, along with the mysterious, glowing red orb. I jerked my head towards Robin and Lucius, in complete disbelief. We all looked at each other as if pleading for answers. Yet, none of us could give one. Instead, we stared at each other in silence.

The questions of who, what, and why began to brew violently in my mind, trying to comprehend or rationalize what could have occurred. Nothing made any sense, as the scenarios presented themselves in my head.

Robin was the one to break the silence after he shut off the security footage from the night before.

“After that pause in the video, someone resembling Crane killed a medical examiner before assaulting two police officers and taking their service weapons. All reports say it was Crane. But-”

“That can’t be possible!”

I interrupted, confused by everything I had just seen.

“Exactly. I was hoping you’d have the answers as to why he’s still alive. It looks like you unfortunately do-”

“Alive…? What do you mean?”

My voice cracked, in desperate confusion.

“Last night, I was the one who brought him back to GCPD. It wasn’t a copycat like I thought… It was Johnathan Crane. And we have him in custody.”

The silence was all that filled me after hearing the news. The man I murdered was alive somehow. Fear crept up my spine, like the coldest chill. My brain was trying to process what was happening. Processing what my reality really was.

“Sarah. I tried to get him to talk. I tried to get answers for all of us, but-”

“Answers?”

I asked looking down at the ground, my mind taking in the information as fast as I could interpret it. I could feel my mind stretching trying to figure it all out.

“Yes. But he refuses to speak to anyone. The only person he would talk to, he said… Was you.”

My eyes snapped back at Robin. Confusion turned to panic, as his words hit me like a punch to the gut.

Scarecrow was alive, and now he only wanted to speak to me. Maybe to tell me off, or to curse me for maiming him. Either way, the shock of the situation made my blood run cold.

“I’d hate to ask, especially after what he put you through. But… You’re our only hope to figure out how he’s back. Maybe you can get some answers out of-”

“Mr. Drake, I don’t think it’s wise to ask that of-”

I cut in, letting my heart speak before my mind could stop me.

“No, I’ll do it.”

“Ms. O’Harren, I don’t think that’s a-”

I looked over at Lucius with my eyes reflecting the fear I was feeling. Despite it, I knew we needed answers. I needed answers.

“I don’t either, Lucius. But I need to know how he’s still here. I saw him… I saw him dead… I did that to him, and I know there was no way he survived. So I need to figure out how he’s alive.”

Lucius looked at me with worried eyes, trying to silently get me to back down. Robin looked over at me, before placing an unsure but firm hand on my shoulder.

“I’ll be watching over you. So you won’t be alone. You still got your suit?”

I nodded, closing my eyes and sighing.

“Good. Meet me on the GCPD’s roof tonight. I’ll take you to Crane.”

___

Once I had made my way to the GCPD, I awaited on the rooftop, pacing back and forth. I felt the rest of my body turn to stone, unable to move any limbs but my legs. Paralyzed by the thought of having to see Scarecrow again, and be face-to-face with him.

Since the night of the massacre, I hadn’t worn my suit. Sydney helped me get the blood off, but some remnants of the carnage remained. When I slipped into the suit again, the feeling of the sturdy material against my skin made me feel like I was whole again. As if I was homesick for the fight. Part of me still missed the work, the fight against crime.

I took deep breaths, collecting myself as an unfamiliar but expected form glided from the sky. From a distance, it looked almost like a giant bird. When the figure got closer, I could see it wasn’t one at all. Instead, it was a man, using the massive black and yellow cape he adorned to glide down onto GCPD’s rooftops gracefully, and swiftly. Shiny red metal reflected in the moon’s light, with green accents elsewhere. When I saw the suit he wore, I knew who it was.

Robin landed on the roof, landing lightly on his feet. He looked up to greet me, but both of our eyes were grim due to the nature of this visit.

“Are you ready?”

“Yeah. Let’s do it.”

I managed to speak, but my voice still trembled slightly in uncertainty.

“Alright. I’ve gotten a word in with Commissioner Cash. He’ll grant us access below.

After he spoke, Robin then hopped off of the roof, landing right in front of the doors to the GCPD. I watched as he looked up at me, waiting. With a deep breath, and some mental convincing, I aimed my bracers at the light post below before squeezing the trigger. As I went flying below, I swung myself up to give me momentum. When I landed on the asphalt, I caught myself in a crouch for balance, before standing up.

The GCPD was now in full view, and I swallowed my fear before entering the building. I expected a struggle to get into the building, as some of the officers didn’t know me well, but one was waiting in the lobby, expecting Robin.

“Evening Robin. You finally got what’ll make Scarecrow sing?”

“I hope so. Let’s get her to interrogation, Cash. You and I can talk privately.”

“Copy that. Brinke, escort this one to room five.:

The Commissioner, a tall, well-built man, whom I recognized from my brief run-in with him months ago, motioned for another officer to come forward. A larger, more athletically declined man came forward. The large man only looked me up and down before grunting out harshly toned words.

“This way.”

Doing everything I could to control my breathing, and keep my heart rate from racing, I followed the man. Passed different holding cells, in which I was catcalled more than twice. When we finally reached the interrogation corridor after numerous twists and turns and a couple of flights of stairs, the man led me to the end. The door we happened upon had multiple locks on the surface, along with a keycode. The large officer unlocked them all and imputed the numbers to the keypad quite secretly. A large, metallic click echoed through the corridor, and the man opened the door slowly, holding it for me.

A small hall-like entrance greeted my arrival, only being illuminated by the blinking red of what looked to be security cameras. The dark room only had a small piece of light, and as I wandered closer to it, my face distorted in horror when I saw its resident.

Sure enough, the figure that was revealed to me in the light was none other than Jonathan Crane. In a hellish repeat of the past, he wore the very clothes he had on the night I killed him, all with his excessive blood dried into his tattered coat and jeans. His threaded twine mask wasn’t anywhere to be found, meaning his face showed plainly. His features were sharp, and triangular, wrinkles seeping into his skin. His eyes sagged and sunk into his face, making him appear gaunt.

What unsettled me more were his eyes. They weren’t a normal color. Bloodshot, the color of his irises were red, matching the sadistic madman he was at heart. Despite how threatening his eyes looked, they remained fixated in a calm, tranquil expression. His hair was black with streaks of grey, shooting up from his head in frizzy, matted locks. He was the textbook definition of a mad scientist. Only he wasn’t funny or cartoony like the shows you'd watch as a child. He was very real, and downright disturbing.

“Hello, Entity. Or, should I call you by your real name… Sarah?”

I let out a slight gasp. How did he know my name? I tried to hide the fact my hands were shaking, keeping my body as still as possible. I could feel my heart pick up its pace. His creepy, low, and tranquil voice sent shivers up my spine. Everything about him, his voice, and his appearance reminded me of our last encounter.

“Well?”

He responded softly, waiting for me to talk, but I didn’t. I just stared at him, my mind racing.

“I bet you’re wondering how I’m still alive, Sarah.”

“Y-You couldn’t have been ‘still alive.’ You were dead… I know you wer-”

“Ah, poor choice of words on my part I’m afraid. Yes, you’re quite right… You killed me.”

He paused after his last word, his voice rumbling quietly before he continued. My lip lowered in confused panic, as I listened to his words.

“It was quite violent if I remember correctly. Now, that causes most to have quite a grudge..."

"I-I wouldn’t have done what I did if you hadn’t-”

I was cut off before I could finish.

“- Now, don’t be mistaken. I, for one, hold no such grudge. You were an exemplary experiment. The fear that took over you, made you lose yourself. Cutting down everything in your path. Piece. By. Piece… Fighting to make it out alive. To survive. You proved even heroes have their limits.”

His last word sounded almost like a hiss. A vague whisper, disappearing into the air.

I couldn’t help but clench my fist hearing his words.

Those lives I took. HIS life. None of it would have happened if I hadn’t been infected with his vile, invasive toxin, I thought.

Every emotion I felt after, every breakdown that resulted after that night. I didn’t mean to take lives. I thought the threat was real, that it was killed or be killed. Only it wasn’t. It was all an illusion. Caused by him. My fear turned to resentment in that moment.

“I am NOT your damn experiment. What is this, a sick game to you? Do you enjoy this?”

I stood there, with my fists clenched. My voice almost pleaded angrily with him.

“What scientist doesn’t enjoy his work?”

“You’re not a damn scientist. You’re a monster…”

My voice quivered while finishing the sentence.

I looked into his red, bloodshot eyes trying to find any ounce of humanity. None remained. He stared back plainly, remaining soulless and void of emotion. My emotions, on the other hand, were about to explode. The anger and guilt in me, rose till it almost boiled over.

How could he be so calm, when I was about two seconds from screaming at the top of my lungs?

“Then what are you, Sarah? If I’m a monster, what does that make you? You're supposed to be the hero, the daring vigilante to keep this city safe… You are a shining example of my philosophy. You and your masked crusaders masquerade around this city as saviors. But the reality is - when pushed to your limits… when forced into that desperate corner of darkness, you will destroy everything around you. Like everyone in this city, you are a slave to fear. You are no savior. You only pretend to be.”

His words stung, echoing in my head. They grew louder as I looked at my warped, blurry reflection on the table. I shut my eyes briefly, trying to shut out my guilt - my burning regret. My fists slowly unclenched, with my fingertips slowly relaxing.

“Maybe you’re right-”

I said, with a sigh of defeat before finishing.

“But it doesn’t change the fact that I’m still here. And I’m only here to figure out one thing.”

I opened my eyes again, staring into Scarecrow’s soul through his demented eyes. His pupils were like pin needles, full of madness. I could feel every fiber in my being shake, but I forced myself to straighten up. I had to be strong. I had to figure this out.

I won’t let him get to me, not this time. Not again.

Pulling out the metal chair across from Scarecrow, I slowly took a seat. I leaned forward, not breaking my gaze. My facial muscles tightened, displaying my angered, grim expression. My glare never yielded as I began staring into his eyes, searching for the truth.

“How are you here Crane?”

I asked, bluntly, trying to convey an image of fortitude.

“Well, it’s quite a miracle you see… I remember almost nothing after you butchered me. Like a dreamless sleep. Nothing but a black, empty void. Then, I heard whispers. It was as if the voice had been trying to awaken me. I tried to understand the voice, but before I could, I woke up. Screaming, cold, and confused, of course. I realized I was in the morgue, and I remembered exactly how I got there. But you see, I wasn’t alone…”

His calm demeanor remained intact as he spoke. After his pause, he pressed on with his testimony.

“This radiant, crimson light. Glowing beside me. It spoke to me - you see. ‘You are of great importance, Jonathan Crane,’ it told me. ‘You will aid me, for we have a common enemy.’ Well, I understood that whatever this was had gifted me with resurrection. So I simply said ‘Why of course, what do you need?’ And this being, well... She gave me my terms. In exchange for immunity from the permanence of death, I would join the effort to destroy the threat growing against her. That threat being you.”

My eyes widened again. I blinked a few times, shocked by the revelation Scarecrow delivered to me. I couldn't help but lean back away from the psychopath in front of me. My angry, determined expression turned to concern.

Me? I was a growing threat? What did he mean?

“You see, she is not happy with you, Sarah.”

“W-Who is unhappy?”

I managed to stutter out.

“You’ll find out soon enough... She won’t stop until you're dead. So, you can kill me as many times as you’d like, as your insufferable alter-ego Entity. But the fact is, she’ll bring me back every time. Which means you’ll be very familiar with me. And you’ll meet the others she brought back too.”

“Others?” I said in a whisper.

I slowly scooted out of the chair. Getting up and backing up towards the wall.

What the hell was Crane talking about? What the HELL was going on? Why did this floating orb want me dead? What was it?

Nothing made sense. The only thing that I could comprehend was that it was a warning. A grave warning for me to watch my back.

Suddenly Robin came through the door, opening it forcefully. His expression was angry, enraged.

“That’s enough from you Crane! Next thing tomorrow, you’re going to Arkham. Entity, we need to go, now!”

I heard his words. The urgency of them, but part of me was frozen in place. My mind was processing, trying to figure out everything. The world around me began to swirl with confusion. I couldn’t help but blink, looking down at the metal table in front of me. My eyes darted back and forth, as my thoughts raced.

“Entity, now!”

Robin called to me, looking at me with grim eyes. My gaze met his, snapping out of my panic. I nodded slightly, before looking back at Crane. I stood frozen for another brief second, before quickly walking out of the room, following Robin. From his stance, I could tell something had happened.

Because he was ready to leave. Ready to fight.

“Robin, what was that? What did he-”

I tried to ask him desperately, but I was cut off by him holding his hand up.

“Look, we don’t know. But we got a call. Someone bombed the Gotham Tonight building, and police are in pursuit of the get-away vehicle. We need to go, right now!”

I didn’t have time to process the situation. Instead, I sprinted out of the GCPD building with them. We burst through the glass doors before Robin stopped, beginning to type on his wrist device.

“Alright, I’ll join the chase! The getaway vehicle looks like it’s heading to Bleake, right here. Entity, get to the news station! Firemen need help looking for any survivors! Head over now!”

After he spoke, he retrieved a grapple gun from his yellow gear belt. He aimed it quickly towards the roof of the GCPD Headquarters and pulled the trigger. Once he did, he went shooting upward, out of sight to rush towards the vehicle chase.

Everyone had their role now. Mine - was to help recover survivors from the bombed news station. I couldn’t waste any more time. I needed to put Scarecrow, that orb, everything out of my mind. Lives were at stake, and I needed to get back into the game. I needed to prove to myself I could be better. With a quick motion, I aimed my gauntlets toward the tallest building I could spot, and I gripped the trigger. As I went flying up, I could see where I was.

The bridge to Miagani was to the right, so I grappled in that direction, soaring through the night. Strong winds filled my lungs, stinging the skin on my face. I crossed the bridge, swinging from the support beams that towered above the crossing. The streets of Miagani soon came whizzing by, as I focused intently on where I was heading. As I made my way to Gotham Tonight, I couldn’t help but hear Scarecrow’s warning replaying in my ears.

“She won’t stop until you’re dead.”

A sinking feeling presented itself in my stomach, bringing a sense of doom with it. I didn't know what was going on. Why was it going on? I truly couldn’t tell. The only thing I was sure of was that Crane was back from the dead. If this creature, or thing, could do that, what else could they do? As my mind filled with questions I couldn’t answer, there was only one thing I was sure of:

Nothing would be the same anymore. Things were changing for the worse. I could feel it in my gut.