A Clever Fascination

Chapter 29 - Denial

Kit had it all figured out and now she was bored. There wasn't anything else to investigate after the chemicals, just locked draws and cabinets. She had also failed to find anything she could reasonably arm herself with whilst she'd been alone. The two men had wandered off to Crane's office, excluding her from their 'terms'. She certainly wasn't happy about hearing that Ed had made Crane an offer that had something to do with the toxin. She wasn't even sure that Edward would still be serious about it, given his reaction to the idea of even seeing The Scarecrow again. But she would find out as soon as they had finished up here.

It had been a little too long for her now.

There was a ridiculous thud that came from the corridor Crane had led them down a while ago, but Kit wasn't sure if she ought to investigate it. It could be anything. She didn't know who or what he was keeping down here and Kit didn't care to find out while she was alone and unarmed.

A door opened and closed, the echo rang from down the hallway that alerted Kit that someone was coming back. Except she had the worst feeling that it wasn't Ed.

Her feeling proved correct as it was Crane that re-entered the lab. He seemed calm but Kit knew better than to assume all was well, especially after that loud noise. There was no sign of Ed anywhere either, which set her into a small internal panic, one that prompted her to let Crane be the first to speak.

"So, what's your conclusion?" He asked.

"It's certainly original. I've never even seen these sorts of combines in any lab I've been in before. How long have you have you been studying fear?" Kit questioned, aimlessly walking the length of the table.

Jonathan took a moment to analyse her and then the question. Almost as if he were not expecting her to ask anything personal. Though it likely only seemed so personal as it was his obsession, his life's work. Whatever it was, it came and went in a moment and he remembered to cover up any wavering.

"Since I was a boy."

"Never thought of getting a bike?"

Surprisingly he did that brief nasal exhale that many would consider a laugh. Quietly and only once. But Kit definitely caught it.

"I get the sense that you weren't the most average of children either." He bluntly commented, tucking his hands into his pockets and glancing at the floor.

"One or two hyper-fixations that could be considered questionable, but in-depth study of primitive human emotions? You certainly take the cake for weird kid," Kit quipped, unsure whether she ought to appear unaware of any kind of trouble or to just face it head on. She absolutely couldn't keep skirting around it forever but she would sure as hell try to. "I'm not trying to mock your beginnings. You clearly turned your passions into a living, doctor."

Kit didn't know if he could tell she was trying to keep him talking.

Ed, the one with the gun, the one who said he wouldn't leave her, had buggered off and gotten himself into god knows what. He could be dead for all Kit knew. He could be seeing his worse nightmares, drugged out of his mind. Wherever he was, he wasn't here. And that little liar had the gun. They weren't getting out of this easily, he'd been right about that much. Oh, Ed was going to get an earful if they made it out here alive. Though, with what he'd said about Crane, maybe death would be kinder. They were in for a long afternoon, that was for sure.

"You aren't mocking, no, but I can tell that you disapprove of my work."

"Most would. You aren't the most ethical practitioner. Could use some work on your bedside manner, so I hear."