Chapter XXVIII

"Scarecrow . . ."

Torchwick had been whispering what word to himself on repeat. It was strange to watch for Weiss. She knew he wasn't insane, and yet nothing she was seeing in that cell looked fake, or like a performance. Roman was always smarter than he looked, but this was different.

She turned to see Doctor Crane approach her.

"Miss Schnee, this is most irregular," he said. "How did you get past my staff?"

Weiss lifted her identification. "I didn't. I'm the heiress to the Schnee Dust Company. It's not hard to go where I want."

Crane nodded. "Well, I'm not sure what brings you here. I have nothing to add to the report I filed with the judge."

"I have questions about your report," Weiss stated matter-of-factly.

"Such as?"

"Isn't it convenient for a 31-year-old man who has no history of mental illness to have a psychotic breakdown just when he's about to be indicted?"

"As you can see for yourself," Crane said, gesturing to Roman, "there is nothing convenient about his symptoms."

Weiss looked into Roman's cell, and she heard him whisper that word again.

"Scarecrow . . ."

"What's 'scarecrow'?" she asked.

"Patients suffering delusional episodes often focus their paranoia on an external tormentor, usually one conforming to Jungian archetypes. In this case, a scarecrow."

She turned to him with a glare. "He's drugged?"

"Psychopharmacology is my primary field," Crane explained. Neither noticed the bat-shaped figure watching through the window. "I'm a strong advocate. Outside, he was a giant. In here, only the mind can grant you power."

"You enjoy the reversal."

"I respect the mind's power over the body. It's why I do what I do."

"I do what I do to protect people from Grimm, and to keep thugs like Torchwick behind bars, not in therapy."

Weiss walked away, making her way to the elevator.

"I want my own psychiatric consultant to have full access to Roman, including blood work. Find out what exactly you put him on."

"First thing tomorrow, then," Crane said, stepping into the elevator with her.

"Tonight," Weiss corrected. "I've already paged Dr. Lehmann at County General."

Crane scowled. He pulled out his scroll, and scanned his ID on the elevator. "As you wish."

Weiss watched in confusion, and the elevator doors closed, heading down. It took a moment for her to realize they were going below ground.

The elevator doors opened, and Crane stepped out, gesturing for her to follow.

"This way, please," he said. "There's something I think you should see."

Weiss followed him hesitantly, a hand on her rapier, Myrtenaster.

Crane opened a door, and led her to a balcony, which looked over the asylum's cafeteria. Weiss looked down at the inmates below for a moment, wondering what Crane was trying to show her.

Then, she saw them spilling something into an open sewer pipe.

"This is where we make the medicine," Crane said.

The "medicine". The medicine he'd drugged Roman with. They were pouring it into the water supply.

"Perhaps you should have some," Crane said as she turned around and ran. "Clear your head."

Weiss ran back into the elevator, and desperately pressed the buttons to get away from this floor. The doors closed slowly, but the elevator didn't move. She slammed the buttons, but still it didn't work.

A ding sounded in the elevator, and the doors slid open to reveal Crane wearing his scarecrow mask. Weiss pulled out Myrtenaster, but before she could do anything to defend herself, he sprayed his toxin at her.

Like his other victims, she felt the burning sensation  as the toxin was inhaled, and the fear instantly settle.

Crane watched as her legs immediately gave way beneath her, and he caught her before she could hit the ground. This was a far more concentrated dose than the ones he'd sprayed Batman and Torchwick with.

In two hours, the effects would be permanent . . .

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