Batman: Riddled With Fear

Chapter 13

"So this is the place? Kinda.. creepy." Dick spoke softly as he and The Bat both exchanged glances before returning their attention to the house standing before them.

"SOMEONE HELP ME!" The cries of Thomas Welling exclaimed loudly from within the house as both heroes began bolting towards the front door while The Bat then roughly kicked it in.

"JONATHAN CRANE! EDWARD NYGMA! COME OUT NOW!" Bruce demanded with an aggressive tone as the sound of maniacal laughter engulfed the house.

"Well, I have to admit Batman you're a lot smarter than I once thought. No matter though, by the time you find us we'll already have injected my toxin into my accomplice's veins." He spoke followed by a soft chuckle.

"Crane, stop! You don't need to do this!" Thomas pleaded for his life as Dick and Bruce exchanged glances before slowly splitting up to hunt down the direct location of the voice.

"Enough talking! It's time to face your fears, Welling! Don't you worry as it'll all be worth it in the end. Now, tell me.. do you enjoy the smell of FEAR?!" Crane exclaimed followed by a series of maniacal laughter whilst Thomas let out a shrill cry of pain in response to the injection.

"NO! STOP! PLEASE, GET THEM OFF OF ME! DON'T LET THEM GET ME!" Thomas exclaimed out of fear as Bruce continued walking down his walkway listening closely to the man's cries for help in hopes they'd help lead him to their exact location even though the noises sounded only like echos to The Bat. "NO! THE RHYMING! THE WHISPERS! GET THEM AWAY!" Thomas continued screaming as his words caused Bruce to stop in his tracks and grasp at the wall for stability while he then knelt down to the ground helplessly. Bruce's breath caught in his throat; his heart began racing at a quickened pace as the fear within him grew.

"No.." Bruce muttered lightly as a soft chuckle rung in the back of his head.

"Beware The Court of Owls, that watches all the time. That watches Gotham from a shadowy perch, behind granite and lime." The voice spoke in a rhyme as The Bat's heart continued racing and he quickly grasped for his chest whilst in the middle of a small panic attack. "They watch you in your hearth, they watch you in your bed. Speak not a whispered word of them.. or they'll send a talon for your head." The voice continued while a figure began slowly approaching The Bat who was trying his hardest to ignore the voice in the back of his head, but was failing terribly as it wouldn't go away.

"Not here.. Not.. Not now.." Bruce muttered to himself as the shadowy figure reached toward our hero who sensed the presence of the person lurking from behind him. Without a moments hesitation, he then quickly turned to face the figure with a readied first whilst gripping the figure by their shirt collar.

"IT'S ME! CALM DOWN!" Robin exclaimed with a hint of fear in his voice. After realizing what he was in the process of doing, Bruce then quickly dropped Dick back down to his feet, stumbling backward slowly.

"I- I'm sorry. I guess some of Crane's toxin is still in my system." The Bat fibbed as he knew what had just occurred had nothing to do with Crane or his toxin.

"It's ok, I'm just glad you're ok. Anyways, follow me! I think I might've found something." He expressed lightly before leading The Bat back the direction he had originally came from, and further down to the next hallway over.

"Plea.. Please.. Make it stop!" Thomas struggled to exclaim as both heroes approached a slightly opened doorway. Dick and Bruce both slowly reached out for the door as they slowly opened the door revealing a staircase leading downstairs. Both heroes exchanged glances and nods before making their way down the steps where the gasps and groans grew louder on distance by the second.