Darling Paranoia {DISCONTINUED PLEASE READ DESCRIPTION FOR DETAILS}

Chapter Three

-One Month Later-

"Mr. Scarface doesn't care if your boys are scared of a vigilante," Paranoia sneered under her mask as the man, an out-of-towner, nervously explained why the drugs he was providing for sale would not be coming in on time, "You said it would be here. That was the deal. If not, then, I'll need the money back."  She had met with this coward of a man before in her last couple weeks working for Scarface.

"I'm sorry, Miss Paranoia, but that simply cannot be arranged," the man sniffed.

"Oh, it will be," Paranoia growled. She stood up on her two strong legs, the dress she wore showing their shape. "This was the deal, sir. We paid your boss so the drugs would be in in one week. It's been six days. Unless it is here tomorrow, the deal is off, and Mr. Scarface wants his money back."

"And I told you, with the Batman patrolling the streets there is absolutely no way my boss will risk the product and my men for the sake of being on time. You can understand that, can't-" His words were cut short by the gunshot that ended his life. From beneath her mask, Paranoia's dark eyes watched the man choke and then his shirt turned crimson on the chest.

"I can't," Paranoia sighed. She walked over and picked up the suitcase beside the gasping, dying man. "It was a pleasure doing business with you, sir. I'm sorry we won’t be able to work together again." With that, Paranoia turned and walked out of the private dining room she had been eating in with the man. People stared as she walked out, but only a moment. Crime was no matter to any of them- they were all criminals in their own way. Murderers, thieves,  gangsters… It was her favorite place because whenever she walked through she heard the news that she cared most for. News of Jonathan and Zsasz.

"Still hasn't been caught, neither of them," she heard a piece of conversation as she passed, "Zsasz never should've come out of Blackgate. That madman Crane isn't going to stop 'til he's dead." Paranoia smiled a little. She knew Jonathan was gone with good reason- he was avenging Shannon's alleged death. It was sweet in a way.

Paranoia felt another part of her whimper.

"Shh, girl," she mumbled, "You're okay. Once he's done, he will come back. He always came back." Still she felt some piece of her was very sad. That was Shannon trying to take back over her emotions, but Paranoia pushed her back where she belonged. Until Jonathan was back, Paranoia was in charge. End of story.

"Paranoia," Billy greeted as Paranoia walked out of the restaurant.

"I got the money. We need to scram before this place is crawling with cops," Paranoia told her companion. Billy was her body guard for all purposes. He went with her to all of her jobs, and when necessary, he'd be the one to pull the trigger. As Scarface said, Billy was there to do the heavy lifting and all Paranoia needed to do was look pretty… But sometimes just looking pretty got boring.

"Well, let's get out of here," Billy nodded, leading the way back to the van, "By the way, Dr. Fries is back at the hideout. He wants to see you."

"Of course," Paranoia nodded, getting into Billy's van as soon as it was unlocked, "Have you heard anything new about that Crane man? I heard it mentioned he's still running."

"Well, apparently he's not the only man in Gotham missing," Billy told Paranoia, knowing her interest. He knew who she was, and while he had once debated selling her out, had decided against it in seeing what all use she was. "There's a suspected robber missing, goes by the Riddler. Edward Nigma, ya know? They are starting to think the two might be together."

"I wouldn’t doubt it," Paranoia sighed. She had known Nigma as her other self. He had been Jonathan's best friend, supposedly. "Have they found out where they are?"

"No telling," Billy shrugged, making the van screech away from the restaurant  as sirens picked up somewhere in the city, "You really shouldn't worry about it, though. You work for Scarface."

"I do, but she doesn't," Paranoia said in a whisper so Billy couldn't hear her words.

"What was that?"

"Nothing for your ears."

"You know, when you came around you were pretty normal. Scared and panicky, but otherwise," Billy faded off, but then kept on, "I honestly don't know what happened. That doctor came, gave you a mask and fixed your leg and it's like you’re a different person."

"Maybe I am," Paranoia hinted, brushing her hair back off her mask.

"Your Shannon Crane," Billy said flatly, "We both know that."

"Shannon Crane is dead. For now, at least," Paranoia replied in a way that made Billy, a killer and all around bad guy, worry.

"What's that supposed to mean?" he asked. But for a reply, he got absolute silence.

~-~-~-~-~-~-~

"We are close," Jonathan whispered, rubbing his hands together slowly, "This is it, Edward. This is the night."

"You said that last night," Edward muttered, leaning back in his chair and closing his eyes. It was the same routine. It had been ever since the third hit. They would sit in this low income neighborhood all night, waiting. If there was a massacre somewhere else, Jonathan would get out and cause mayhem himself, just to make sure Zsasz wouldn’t go where they had already been. But until something happened, they would be there all night and possibly the next day.

"And I'll say it tomorrow night if it doesn't happen tonight," Jonathan grumbled, glaring at Edward, "Either way, he's running out of options to kill."

"That he is… Everywhere he hasn't been, you've gassed or shot at…" Edward sighed, "Honestly Jonathan, it's beginning to-"

"Shut up! Look!" Jonathan hissed, pointing out towards a man walking up the sidewalk in the darkness. The two were safe with the van's one way windows, so instead of ducking, they leaned onto the dash to try to see the figure better in the dim lighting the one street lamp provided.

"It's… it's him," Edward whispered, seeing the glint of a knife in a very scarred hand, "Jonathan what's the plan?"

"The plan," Jonathan started, grabbing a long knife from the glove box, "is to kill the bastard who killed Shannon."

"What about me?" Edward asked.

"Your job is done. This is my fight, Edward," Jonathan told his friend, about to open the door, "But, if he kills me, you shoot him between the eyes." With that, Jonathan opened the car door and stepped out, holding the knife tight in his hand. He slammed the door behind him, causing Zsasz to look at him. The man smiled, and started off the sidewalk toward Jonathan as Jonathan too went towards Zsasz.

"Well, well, well," Zsasz cackled, "It's the lover of the zombie who just would not die. Come to join your wife?"

"Don’t talk of my wife," Jonathan growled, quickening his pace, "But while we are on the subject, your right. She isn't dead."

Then, the bloodshed began.  

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A/N: ITS BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK! I know it seems really soon for them to find Zsasz, but his part is mainly done. Which is good. I hate him (in this book at least). 

Sooooo, what do you all think? Is Shannon... er, Paranoia crazy enough for you? Believe me, it'll get worse.. Dang Jonathan why'd you have to experiment on her! That is the cause of this, good purposes aside! And- OH MY GOSH EDWARD SHOOT HIM!

Edward- JONATHAN TOLD ME NOT TO UNLESS HE DIED!

Me- HE IS BLEEDING EVERYWHERE!

Edward- WHAT DO I DO?!

Me- SHOOT HIM! SHOOT HIM NOW!