Whispers in the Dark: Arkham Asylum

~Eleanor Wayne/Nightshade's POV~

Batman and I entered the corridor. Up the stairs, to the Upper Corridor, there were several dead medical doctors lying on the floor with fear in their eyes and bodies bent in morbid angles. Pieces of medical supplies and Joker's equipment scatter the corridors.

Joker's been busy.

What was peculiar of the deranged scene are three colored lines that lead to Observation, Surgery and X-Ray. Blue, red, and yellow.

The two darker lines were lined together up the stairs, at the left side before they separate to their destinations at a crossroad. The yellow one is the longest and the loneliest.

Batman and I followed the blue and red one that leads to one of the rooms. Unlike the chime, there were several monitors mounted on the ceiling, with the announcer speaking its daily speeches.

Batman and I followed the red and blue lines that are parallel to each other in the corridor before they are separated horizontally to separate rooms.

"A happy Patient is a quiet patient." The announcer stated.

I shook my head at the statement. I wish they changed that phrase. It sounds creepy and apathetic. Like the doctors don't care about their patients. Let me tell you, there are good doctors here. It's just a matter of finding them.

Then Warden Cinch appeared on the monitor screens, "Let me introduce you to the sterling work of our new head of research, Dr. Rachel Redheart. Since joining our team two years ago, Arkham is now the full research of understanding the human mind." Warden Sharp announced.

The monitor switched to a familiar Earth Eponian with light pink mane and sapphire eyes. I recognized her as the doctor that cowered behind the guards when Joker arrived. Dr. Rachel Redheart.

One of Joker's well-known psychiatrist amongst the others and the most persistent of all, demanding Joker's treatment unlike the other psychiatrists. She actually believes she can cure him.

Batman and I reached the crossroads, as Dr. Redheart started her introduction. I turned to my father, "Dad, I'll take care of Observation and Surgery. You go back to X-Ray."

"Are you sure you can handle yourself?" He asked me.

I nodded, "I'll be fine. The apple never falls far from the tree, remember?"

With that, I followed the red path to Surgery and entered the large room. Inside, there was a staircase to my left leading to an upper level of the room.

It was very small and in front of me is a human doctor that has a very distinct foreign look, most likely Japanese or Chinese. It was a senior male with a gray hairline and he looked frightened.

Dr. Chen.

He appeared to be strapped in a gurney in front of mounted television monitors that were showing his face. He was amongst an IV machine with bags with various blood samples, but they weren't tied to him. Good. He struggled to get free of the gurney’s strap but to not avail.

I walked towards him to help.

Dr. Chen glanced over and saw me approaching him, "Nightshade! How did you get here?"

"Don't speak, doctor. You're safe now." I assured him.

"But… It’s a trap!" He told me.

I nodded, "I know. It's for my father, not me."

I looked up expectedly and saw the screens switched to my deranged former adopted father.

Joker gasped, "It's true! You really are the daughter of the World's Greatest Detective! How did you do that, Nightie?" He scratched his head, then sighed, "Oh, what the hell. Get down there boys. See if she can detect being punched in the face."

I looked up at the upper floor and spotted several Blackgate inmates looking from the railing. Four of them jumped over and landed in front me, ready for combat.

I took out all four of the inmates with a fast and fluid combination of martial arts and teleportation.

"What are you waiting for? April Fool’s Day? Get down there now!" Joker shouted as I took out three of the inmates.

Four more inmates jumped down and fought me. With ease, I took them out too.

Once all of the inmates were down and out for the count, and I adjusted my gauntlets, Joker spoke up, "Don't get too full of yourself, Nights. I'm just softening you and Bats up! Think of this as a preview, to the main event. you'll see!"

Then the monitors switched back to stand-by mode. I tilted my head at his words. It sounded like a warning with a tease. But, I couldn't be too sure. I shook my head and rescued Dr. Chen from the gurney. He rose up from the gurney, still laying down, but relaxed.

Dr. Chen looked at me, "I'm sorry. I tried to tell you. I couldn’t speak." He apologized.

I waved my hand, "It's okay. You're safe now. Batman and I can handle these thugs easily."

With that, I left the Surgery Room to make my way to the Observation Room.

Back in the Upper Corridor, I spotted a box laid out in the middle of the hallway. It was very obvious it was left by Joker. It was purple with light vertical pattern straps and it was wrapped in green ribbon.

As I walked towards the box, it burst open. A light purple gas spewed out, with three chattering joke teeth, and a small party horn played when it opened.

Annoyed, I snapped my fingers and shadow matter destroyed the three joke teeth at once. Then I made my way down the corridor to follow the blue path to Observation.

"A happy patient is a quiet patient." The announcer repeated.

Then Dr. Redheart appeared on the monitors, "Our findings make debates about whether psychosis and its self-neurotoxin, and it whether potentially damage the changing of the brain relating to psychotic excess. 'Project Titan' allows us to strengthen the individual's abilities to cope with such changes. Earlier results were promising but it was only after the arrival of 'Patient X' that our expectations were raised. Patient X was the catalyst that leads to the full scale adoption of the Titan Project. We must all thank our benefactors for this opportunity."

I remembered Dr. Redheart mentioning something about Project Titan. It's suppose to be a mental enhancement drug designed to help inmates cope with their diagnosed psychosis. 'Patient X' was the catalyst for the drug.

Who is Patient X? I wish I didn't know, but I do.

I was halfway down the double-colored path, as Joker appeared on the monitors again, "Oh, I'm not sure I could keep it a secret any longer! I've got two old friends coming to the party!" He exclaimed, giddy with excitement, "One of them is just terrified you'll leave without saying hello! The other…well, let’s just say he's going to be as surprised when he sees you, as you will be to see him."

I tilted my head in slight confusion. My best guess was that the message was meant for Batman. Two more guests to the party? Wonder who they could be...

"When Amadeus Arkham built this fine institution, few would have believed it could be the premiere psychiatric evaluation and rehabilitation center it has become. Everyone knows the stories of the various so-called 'super criminals' who’ve been treated here, but that’s only half of the story. Our low security wings offered normal but troubled individuals a safe haven for recovery. We represent all medical specialties and offered a wide range of medical, surgical, diagnostic and wellness programs."

I followed the blue path and heard a rough voice at the end of a corner that lead inside the Observation Room.

"Who’s the guard?" A thug asked.

"That mean son of a bitch is Cash." Another answered.

"How'd he get the hook?" The former asked.

"What's wrong with you? Don't you know nothin'?" The latter exclaimed, then answered, "Cash had a disagreement with Killer Croc a while back. Croc got free, and chowed down on Cash's hand."

"Jeez..." The former sighed.

The latter nodded, "Yeah. So if you see a giant monster running at you, just shoot it! Or you'll be next on the menu."

I teleported between the two inmates and knocked them both out by bashing their heads together.

I entered through the double doors and found two more inmates outside of Observation. The other side of the glass, I could see an African-American security guard with a Unicorn Eponian doctor. The guard had an iron hook for his left hand.

Aaron Cash.

"Boss, it's done. The room is full of gas and Captain Hook is stuck in there. Thing is, Razor didn't get out in time, he stuck in there too." One of the two inmates calling informed over a walkie-talkie.

"Well, that will teach him to dilly-dally." Joker answered from the other end of the talkie, "Don't let anyone out of there. Even Razor. He's failed me and I don't like failures."

The inmate nodded, "Yeah, sure, boss. He was slowin' us down anyway!" Then he lowered the talkie and looked at Cash, "Don't cry, Cash. You're right where we want you."

That only agitated Cash, as he shouted, "I'm gonna get outta here and you're gonna wish you were back in your cell."

I snuck up behind the two inmates and did the same thing I did to knock out the previous two inmates.

Cash looked at me with surprise, "Nightshade? How did you get here? I thought Joker said to Gotham to stay away from the island."

"I was already here when all this happened." I answered, then asked, "What happened, Cash?"

"There was an alarm in Medical. I heard someone shouting and found the Doc lying on the floor. When I went to help him, the room was flooded with gas. These doors are locked down. We can't get out. Don't know how long we can last." He explained.

"How brave! Let's give Mr. Cash a great big hand! He could use one." A familiar voice on the intercom joked horribly.

"You'll be laughin' out of your butt when I get out of here!" Cash barked.

"Lighten up, homes. I'm just messin' with you." Joker reassured, trying to imitate an African-American accent.

That did Cash's temper, "Can’t wait to return the favor!"

I shook my head, "Leave it, Cash." Then asked, "Can you control the ventilation system in there?"

"Tried, it’s a no go. He's disabled remote access." Cash answered.

"I'll find a way." I assured him.

I looked above my head and spotted a well-supported ledge. Using my parkour skills, I climbed up the walls and made it to the ledge. There was a ventilation grate in front of me. The shaft lead straight to the Observation room.

"Joker's filled the room with gas and we're trapped in here. I can sit in here all night, but the Doc over there ain't looking too good." Cash exclaimed.

I pulled the grate off and crawled through the shaft. On the other side, the Observation Room was completely hazed over in a cloud of Joker Toxin.

I walked across the catwalk and was able to see a power switch through the gas. I grabbed a bat-a-rang and threw it toward the switch. Direct hit with the sound of machines powering up.

"Nightshade, I don't know if you can hear this. Board's showing power to Fan One." Cash informed me, as the cloud of toxin cleared on that said level.

I used the wall and jogged to the other end of the room and landed on a cage that is protecting smaller fans. I spotted another control panel on my right side on the bottom with more of those teeth chattering. I threw a batarang at the panel. Another direct hit and the cloud cleared again.

"Power to Fan Two. Nightshade's doing it, Doc! We'll be out of here soon. Stay cool." Cask assured Dr. Kellerman.

With one panel to go, without a doubt it's gonna be tricky. If I recall, the last panel was inside a small room just on the other side of the observation section.

Here's the problem, the door was locked on both sides and the only way in was through the roof. And Razor was hanging above the room by a rope.

I can't believe I have to do this...

"I'm sorry, Razor." I whispered, as I snapped my fingers and shadow matter cut the rope.

Razor fell through the roof and into the gaz. He died with a loud maniacal laugh, until it faded to silence. I threw a bat-a-rang at the control panel inside and the filter started working.

The gas was completely cleared.

"All three fans are green. We've got full power. Room should be empty any time now." Cash stated, as any signs of green gas faded away.

Inside the booth, Cash and Dr. Kellerman exit out to breath the clean air. Dr. Kellerman leaned on a pillar nearest to him, gasping for clean air. He'll be fine for a few minutes.

"Surprise, surprise, Nightshade arrives just in the nick of time. Next time, Cash, I'll just shoot you and be done with it." The Joker spoke up in a sarcastic tone, then added the last part in a bored and dark tone.

With Dr. Kellerman and Cash safe and well, I left the Observation Room to meet up with Batman back in the Sanatorium.