Crimson X

“So, Shar,” Bruce Wayne started by taking a sip of his water as the two at an incredibly expensive restaurant, “Have you heard anything about Arkham City?”
Shar pushes some of her salad around her plate, “I have.” She cleared and throat and looked at him. “Hugo Strange is behind it to some extent. I, uh, heard something else, though.” She coughed, “From a friend.”
“What is it?” His eyebrows furrowed together.
Shar scratched the back of her head, “Something about the leader of League of the Darkness – or something like that.”
“League of Shadows you mean?” Shar moved a napkin up to her face to hide a smirk – he knew things that the average civilian didn’t.
“Yes, that’s right! My friend said something about Ra’s al Ghul, though I remember seeing his body in Arkham Mansion,” She placed her napkin back on her lap, “Surely a person can’t just rise from the dead, he’d have to be immortal or something.”
“Yes, that does sound ridiculous,” he laughed it off, but on the inside he was panicking ever so slightly.
“Anyways,” Shar continued, “There’s something that’s worrying me about this whole Arkham City thing. While I was working in the Asylum I found out some things that I shouldn’t have. One thing led to another and I did some research. It’s called Titan and it was experimented on a Patient X, or Bane. What I’m worried about is that Strange is planning on fusing Titan with some thugs – making them monsters – and having an “accidental” breakout that releases them into Gotham.” She put air quotes around the word “accidental.”
Bruce sat back in his chair, one hand up to his firm jaw and nodded silently. His mind raised as he thought of Bane and the other Titan infused thugs he fought when Joker was trying to take over the asylum.
“So have you heard anything else about Arkahm, Bruce?”
“Hmmm?” He snapped out of his mind and cleared his throat, “Quincy Sharp is running for mayor, and he’s supporting it. I believe the election’s rigged, and he’ll become mayor no matter what.”
“Gotham’s pretty corrupt isn’t it,” Shar tightened her hands into fists. “It sucks that normal civilians can’t do anything to stop it.”
“Which is why you have to refuse to be normal,” Bruce chuckled and looked at his watch at the same time Shar looked at her cell phone.
“I have to go,” they both said in unison. “Right, it was nice meeting with you.”
The laughed for a moment before they paid the tab and left each other in opposite directions – Bruce in his fancy sport car with Shar in her crappy old car.
“To spy on Strange or to spy on Sharp,” she hummed to herself as she drove home. “I could get Edward to rig both of their offices…I just don’t know if he’d actually agree to it.”
---Time Skip---
“Hn,” an elderly man held his head as he sat at his desk. “Strange, these headaches keep on coming.”
“It’ll be fine, Warden,” a calmer voice sounded. “Just keep on taking the medications I gave you.”
“They don’t help, though!” He argued.
Strange sighed in agitation, “It takes time, Warden. Now, you will go home.”
Warden Sharp’s pupils dilated, “I will go home.”
“You will take your medications and go to bed.”
“I will take my medications and go to bed,” Sharp stood up and walked out of his office in a trance.
Strange simply smirked at the result, “It seems that Hatter’s medications are working well. Now, to make sure that he’ll be elected as mayor.”
“You don’t have to worry about that, Professor,” Strange turned around in slight alarm, but calmed down as a man approached. “We’ll make sure everything happens.”
Strange nodded, “Good. I don’t want anything unplanned, Ra’s.”
“Everything will go as planned,” the man with slightly glowing eyes smirked. “Then you will be the hero of Gotham City.”
Crimson X glared at the man – it had to be Ra’s al Ghul. Strange – why would he be the hero if Arkahm City was a bad thing? Can’t he see that it’s a bad idea in the first place? As quietly as possible, the red head vigilante – who may be just another villain – retreated from the area, seeing as they were done talking.
She slipped out of a vent near Nygma’s cell. Her eyes glanced inside seeing him fast asleep. Glancing around for any guards, she took out a piece of paper that was hidden in a bag – that was securely wrapped around her waist – and glanced at it.
‘Edward,
I have a favor I need you to carry out. That is if you’re willing to. I need you to bug Strange’s office and Sharp’s office – like you did with a certain doctor. If you do I’ll look into breaking you out of this hell hole.
~X’
Crimson X carefully slipped the piece of paper through the bars and climbed back into the vents. She counted her footsteps until she reached the number two-hundred seven. She opened the gate and climbed out of the vents once more. This time she was in an actual cell. The patient wasn’t asleep this time.
“Chica? What are you doing here?” an alarmed voice sounded. “You don’t work here anymore.”
“Doesn’t mean I can’t come for a visit,” Crimson X smirked and dug through her bag. “I thought I’d bring you a little something – just to remind you that there’s some good in this world.” She held out a teddy bear, “I know it’s not much, but everyone needs a friend.”
Bane took the bear and looked at it carefully. Looking back up he paused – she was already gone. “Gracias, Chica.”
---Time Skip: Months Later---
“We know what the results are going to be, Bruce,” Shar sighed as she sat on his couch, “Why do we need to watch it?”
“Because we need to make sure nothing else happens,” Bruce looked at her and back at the screen.
“What will happen? League of Shadows come out and kill him? That wouldn’t be very smart. Riddler might show up, though,” She watched the television. “He broke out last week, didn’t he?”
“With the help of someone,” Bruce ran a hand through his hair, “Though, the security cameras were down at Arkham – so we don’t know who it could be.”
“Maybe it was Scarecrow,” Shar shrugged, “They worked together when they kidnapped me. Maybe they’re working together again.”
“Scarecrow’s…” Bruce paused and furrowed his eyebrows, “He’s dead.”
Shar glanced over at him, “Just because he’s missing from the Asylum doesn’t mean he’s dead. When was the last time he was seen anyways?”
“When Joker was taking over the asylum. I heard Killer Croc got him.”
“Hmm,” Shar crossed her legs as she watched Quincy Sharp being elected as Mayor, “You never know in Gotham City. Everything’s a mystery.”
---One Week Earlier---
“Edward,” Crimson X whispered as she opened the door to his cell and walked in. “Wake up!”
The man groaned as he opened his eyes. He looked over at Crimson X and then his surrounding, slightly confused as to what was going on. He sat up and yawned. He froze while stretching, seeing that his door was open.
“Come one,” Crimson X grabbed his hand and dragged him out of the cell. “You’re breaking out, cameras are down and I made it so the tapes are just replaying everything again – but we still don’t’ have that much time.”
The two climbed into the vents and crawled their way through the Asylum. Crimson X peered through the gate and slowly climbed out. Once she was sure it was clear, she signaled for Edward to follow. The two burst out into a sprint until they were on the outskirts of the asylum.
“Alright, now I got you out,” Crimson X grinned at Edward. “Do you have a place to go?”
Edward scoffed, “Of course I do. I am The Riddler.”
“Good,” Crimson X opened the door to the car she parked behind some trees, “I’d feel bad about leaving you here with no place to go.” She shut the door and rolled down the window, “Try and stay out of trouble – for a little bit at least.”