THE FEAR PROJECT ? jonathan crane

a poisoned kiss

"You're back!"

Theo stumbled as Isaac enveloped her in a tight hug. The wound on her neck ached faintly, hidden behind a navy turtleneck. She hoped he wouldn't notice it.

"You're making it sound like I was gone for years," she scolded. "I'm fine, Isaac."

"Look what the cat dragged in!" Theo turned her head to see Dana walking over, a clipboard in her hand. "This one" — Dana jabbed a thumb towards Isaac — "couldn't shut up about you. Is Theo okay? What happened to her? When is she coming back?"

Isaac wrinkled his nose. "I did not sound like that!"

"Did too!"

Theo cleared her throat loudly. "I appreciate the concern, guys, but I'm alright. Really."

Dana grinned. "Are you going to tell us what happened with Crane?"

"No," Theo decided, "because nothing happened."

Isaac seemed incredibly content with her answer. It was the glint in his eyes that betrayed him. It made Theo uneasy; this felt a lot like the beginning of a competition she wasn't ready to oversee. She'd have to tell Isaac to put an end to his affection — though she knew very well that was not how attractions worked. She'd been trying to tell herself all night since her talk with Professor Harrell that she should cease her infatuation with Jonathan, and it hadn't worked at all. What was that saying — the heart wants what it wants? Hers was undoubtedly the most naive.

"What are you guys doing in Intensive Treatment?" she asked, changing the subject.

"We just came to drop off some reports for Dr. Whistler," Dana said. "Had to do a medical evaluation on Edward Nigma."

Theo's breath faltered. "The Riddler?"

"Yeah." Dana leaned in closer. "Get this. Dr. Young is having him transferred to Dr. Whistler. Apparently, he spooked her a lot during their sessions."

"Serves that frigid bitch right," Isaac muttered.

Theo laughed. She was glad to not be the only one who thought so. "Careful, Isaac. You don't know what friends she's got in here."

"She doesn't have friends," Isaac protested. "She's literally getting on everyone's nerves. And then she had to go and run her mouth about what happened to you and Dr. Crane at Blackgate—"

"Which we agreed not to talk about," Dana said pointedly.

Isaac frowned. "Yeah, but she keeps trying to bring it up to anyone who'd listen."

Theo gave a half-hearted shrug, though she could feel her blood start to boil. She couldn't wait for Dr. Young to be hit with a healthy dose of karma. "People like her will get what's coming to them," she stated. Then, she smiled. "I wonder if Dr. Whistler will let me assist her with the Riddler."

Isaac snorted. "I wouldn't count on it. Surveillance on him increased a lot." His voice dropped to a whisper. "People are saying he's had contact with the Joker."

Theo blinked in surprise. "How did he manage to talk to another patient?"

"No, Joker's not a patient. Well, not anymore," Dana explained. "He broke out a few weeks ago — before you got hired."

The thought chilled Theo to the bone. How many people had died that day? There was no way Joker would not leave a high body count in his wake. She had no doubt he would eventually be caught by the Batman and brought back, but she was also certain that he would find a way out again. If he did it once — and he'd done it many times, from all the news reports she remembered seeing — he would do it again.