Watching news

Friday afternoon, October 31st, The day of the Scarecrow…

Kara and Dick knew exactly what was going to be announced at the press conference before it was called. Lucius and Bruce had been brought in along with about a dozen lawyers and a bunch of other key managers from the Bio-medical divisions.

“Ladies and Gentlemen,” Commissioner Gordon said from the desk in the front of one of the briefing rooms, “Today, Gotham was subject to a new form of bio-chemical terror attack. One person used and abused their position to orchestrate a crime without president and used the victims of their attack against each other and the city…”

*

“I want to shake his hand,” Patient J said calmly, “And then rip his throat out!”

“Well,” Harley Quinnzelle took a deep breath, “That is a bit extreme.”

“The weapon was a psychotropic drug that activated the fear centers of the brain and induced a panic driven violent frenzy in many of the victims…” Gordon said on the TV.

“Oh my,” Professor Strange noted.

“The gas has been contained and the man responsible has been arrested,” Gordon continued

“I hope Johnathan is safe, he had the day off,” Strange noted.

“The man behind the attack was Doctor Johnathan Crane, alias the Scare Crow,” Gordon stated.

“Johnny boy?” Joker shouted with glee, “He took my advice to go with the Scare Crow name!”

The nurse and Strange both gasped. Patient J noted no reaction from Harley…

*

“Turn off all the recorders,” the voice at the door shouted.

The door to the interrogation room opened and in walked old man Arkham himself and Doctor Leland came into the office. Doctor Leland put her finger over her lips and pulled a speaker out of her coat pocket and put it on the table. A screeching noise started. Doctor Arkham and Leland grabbed chairs and sat next to the restrained Crane.

“I don’t know what I am supposed to have done,” Crane pleaded.

“Johnathan, you are accused of sending a man with a can of psychotropic drugs to leave it in a dinner to make everyone kill each other panicked freeze,” Leland said.

“What?” Crane gasped as all the color left his skin.

“Johnathan, what do you remember about this morning?” Arkham asked.

“I woke up this morning and went by the hospital to grab notes to put together a letter to the Wayne board that my project was a failure....” Crane said.

“And?” Leland asked.

“I got out of my car, went and got the notes and then went back to my car…” Crane said, “But then the next thing I remember is waking up in this get up with police in my face.”

Leland and Arkham looked at each other and then looked back at Crane.

“Please, I don’t know what happened,” Crane begged.

“John…” Leland said, “I believe you, but the police have a pretty tight case.”

“John,” Arkham intoned, “The manufacturers are saying that you are the one that ordered the manufacture of the compound.”

“I also ordered them to destroy the compound and reject any more orders that came from my work email. Someone was using my email to send out fake requests,” Crane said, “I know my formula failed.”

“John,” Arkham leaned in, “We believe you. But the problem is that too much is stacked against you.”

Johnathon looked at Arkham and Leland.

“I know the police are going to use concerns in your peer reviews against you,” Leland hung her head and looked down at the floor, “Everyone has been concerned about you lately… now they are going to use it to put a noose around your neck.”

“Joan,” Arkham said, “please leave me with John.”

“The guards said, two of us have to be in here or they would come in,” Leland reminded the doctor.

“Then please stand by the door,” Arkham said.

Doctor Joan Leland got up and walked towards the door. Arkham leaned forward and whispered in John’s ear.

“John, I believe you. I believe you when you say that you didn’t do this. I believe that Johnathan Crane is innocent… However, the state has a solid case. And unless we find someway to divide Doctor John Crane from the Scarecrow, the state is going to give you the death penalty. Now Cash has already started a complete review of all security camera footage of your office hallway to try and find someone else to name as the Scarecrow… but I am told the state has a witness that will mark you by voice. The only option is to create a psychological distinction between Johnathan Crane and Scarecrow,” Arkham continued to whisper, “I am ready to provide testimony that you in the course of your duties and your research suffered a temporary stress induced psychological breakdown that resulted in a temporary case of disassociate personality disorder.”

“That would…” John started.

“You would loose your licenses and be remanded to a behavioral health facility, but you would not be able to be criminally charged,” Arkham said, “If we can argue that you had a breakdown and suffered a temporary bout of insanity, then maybe we can get you remanded to a mental health facility.”

*

“Oh boy,” Kara said reading the message, “What few of the Stromwell family is left is talking about killing ‘Scarecrow’ in revenge for the loss of Boss Stromwell.”

“Where is that coming from?” Alfred asked.

“Barbara is checking intercepts from the taps she put on various underworld people,” Kara said, “A bunch are saying that they will leave Gotham, others are saying they are going to have to fight back against Thorne and the Falcones families.”

“That is going to be a headache,” Dick said from the main terminal.

Alfred didn’t say anything but looked at poster mounted on a wall of They Flying Graysons. Kara saw and knew. The man that had killed the Graysons had been Stromwell’s nephew and helped Stromwell take over what had been the Maroni crime family. She knew that Dick would be felling a lot of conflicting emotions about Stromwell’s death right about now.

“What are you thinking Dick?” Kara asked as she walked over and put a hand on his shoulder.

“I don’t know,” Dick breathed, “Doesn’t this all just seem a little too neat and tiddy?”

“What do you mean?” Kara asked.

“Scarecrow hires a thug to deliver his gas bomb and the takes a nap in his costume and is found by the police in a cot not twenty feet from the evidence?” Dick said.

“Yeah,” Kara agreed, “That is nice and neat for the cops…”

“Preliminary forensics didn’t find a trace of finger prints on the inside of the box or the gas canister or the rigged nozzle…” Dick continued, “So who ever did that isn’t a complete criminal idiot. Yet they find Crane wearing the suit taking a nap at the meeting place for the runner.”

Kara nodded. Alfred came over.

“Alfred what is the proper Latin pronunciation of the question we should be asking?” Dick asked.

“I believe you are looking for ‘Cui Bono?’ master Dick,” Alfred said.

“Right,” Dick said.

“Who benefits?” Kara said, “I remember that much of Latin.”

“I think there is a bigger concern,” Alfred said, “If someone else is the Scarecrow and is setting up Doctor Crane, what are the chances that Doctor Crane embraces being the Scarecrow and decides to have his revenge for his framing?”

“Shit…” Kara muttered.

*

“Shit…” Little Barada said as another Lex Corps drone came out.

“Now, lets see who can handle themselves,” Helen called.

The Lex Corps Drone came to life and turned and started targeting the young heroes.

*

“Oh dear lord,” Dick chuckled looking at the phone.

“What?” Kara asked.

“That picture…” Dick laughed.

“Well at least Tula is safe,” Kara rolled her eyes.

Tula had sent her a picture of herself in the sealed Atlantean Hydro Armor the entire embassy’s staff was wearing while the threat of a gas weapon was in the air. The fact that they were molded like lobsters and crabs did make them somewhat comical.