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The slim figure of Dr. Jonathan Crane walked down the halls of Arkham Asylums

minimum confinement area. Occasionally stopping to look in on a patient inhabiting theroom. He had coninced himself to take a break from the program he was preparing for a

lecture he was deliering at !otham "niersity in a few weeks. Dr. Crane was young# too

young# some would say# to already be in the position of Director of Arkham Asylum andto already be considered one of the leading e$perts in the study of the sub%ect of phobias.

He stopped and looked in on a patient Dr. Joyce &eland# one of the staff psychologists#had been treating. The patient had been one of Cranes primary patients before he was

promoted. The girl# Cynthia Dawson# had been diagnosed with seere agoraphobia. 'he

was terrified of open public areas. (hile he had been treating her# Crane had tried seeral

e$periments employing seeral different stimuli. They all seemed to do nothing butaggraate her condition. 'ome of his methods# if they were known# would hae been

frowned upon by his peers. )inally# howeer# he managed to get her to personify her fear

into a single Jungian Archetype. (ith the use of a simple burlap sack with what barely

resembled a face and an e$perimental mild chemical stimulus# he managed to get her toiew her fear as something tangible# something she could defeat. *The boogeyman she

had called it. Though he had helped the girl a great deal# he could help but feel a sense ofdisappointment that she was making progress. A part of Crane# a deep dark portion of his

psyche# wanted desperately to know how far he could push the human mind and body

before they snapped.

+'hes making wonderful progress., The placid oice of Dr. &eland snapped Crane out of

his thoughts.

+!lad to hear it., Crane replied his usual calm melodic soft oice. +- was looking oer

your notes on your last session with her. 'he says she no longer gets isits from the*boogeyman,

+/o# no more. /ot so much as a shadow., There was a sense of triumph in &elands

oice. +Actually# - am glad - caught you here# - wanted to discuss moing forward withher treatment.,

+How do you mean# Joyce,

+(ell# - want to see how she does with a few other of the patients in the recreation

room., Joyce said as they began to walk slowly down the hall.

+Ah# direct stimulus., Crane said reali0ing what Dr. &eland had in mind# +Do you think

she is ready for such a step,

+- had Dr. 1artholomew do a secondary ealuation and he concurs., 'he paused as Dr.

Crane took a look in the ne$t room# +-t is the ne$t logical step.,

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Crane nodded turning his attention back to her# +- agree# but - want to gie my ealuation

as well# after all she was once my patient. - will schedule a session with her sometime

after my presentation at the "niersity.,

Dr. &eland nodded in agreement# +John# - know you and - haent always seen eye to eye#

but - hae to admit you laid wonderful groundwork with Cynthia. 2ou are the reason -think she will be able to re%oin society sometime soon. Thats something to be proud of#

not published papers or a position of authority# but the fact that you actually helped

someone to recoery.,

Crane smiled at her# +-snt that what we are here to do# my dear Dr. &eland,

Crane turned his slim face back to the iewing window of the door he was standing infront of. A young blond girl lay in a bed with intraenous feeding tubes running into her

arm. 'he desperately clutched a small white rabbit plush and stared at nothing in

particular with blank dead eyes.

+- only wish we could do as much for her., Dr. &eland said thinking she was echoing

what Dr. Crane was thinking.

Crane nodded absently# +-t is ama0ing though#, he said# +A complete state of catatonia

for apparently no reason.,

+All of the physicians say# medically she is perfectly fine., Dr. &eland e$plained# +-

wonder what could hae brought about such a state,

+A wonderfully horrible fright# no doubt., Crane said# his oice almost a wistful whisper.

Joyce either did not hear him or decided to get off the sub%ect as she so often did whendiscussing cases of phobias with Crane. His fascination made her uncomfortable# but she#

out of professional courtesy# allowed him his curiosities. After all he was an e$pert in the

sub%ect.

+'o hae you compiled a list of guests to your meet and greet dinner, Dr. &eland asked.

Crane snapped out of his ponderous state and pushed his glasses up on his nose# +-e leftthat up to my secretary# but so far its mainly the !otham " psychology department board#

a few alumni and top students# some stuffed shirts from the city council and the people

responsible for annual donations to the "niersity and the hospital.,

Joyce nodded# +Ah# people like 1ruce (ayne and Carmine )alcone.,

+(ell# gien 3r. )alcones recent legal problems# - doubt he will be in attendance# but

yes., Crane said in an almost humorous tone.

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+- still cant beliee he was ac4uitted., Dr. &eland declared# +- think 3r. Dent was right

in what he said. Carmine )alcone is a criminal# and he uses fear and money to sway the

courts and public offices.,

There was a glint in Cranes eye# +2es# yes he does# but een a man like Carmine )alcone

must be afraid of something., A million things and possibilities went racing throughCranes mind all at once. He shook the thought away and cleared his throat# +Anyway# -

hate discussing local politics# especially when it concerns a man who donates thousands

of dollars to the hospital eery year.,

Joyce berried her frustration# +- suppose you are right# - wasnt on the %ury. Theres no

sense in an opinion when criminals like )alcone and do5nothings like 1ruce (ayne

drown your oice. 2ou reali0e they probably make donations only because it is a ta$right5off.,

Crane smiled at the other# +2oure probably right.,

+-m sorry for ranting John. - guess - %ust get so bothered with liing in a world where it

seems that the only person willing to do anything about bad people is a man dressed in acostume that should probably be locked in here., Joyce said. 'uddenly she remembered

the manila folder she had been carrying. 'he snapped out of her anger and handed it to

Dr. Crane. +John# - almost forgot# here is a list of recent graduates who wish to internhere.,

Crane took the folder and flipped through a few of the profiles# stopping on one in

particular# +Hmm# this one looks promising# Harleen 6uin0el., He closed the folder# -will look oer this when - get back to my office# thank you Joyce.,

(ith that# Dr. Jonathan Crane left Dr. &eland and entured back toward his office#stopping by the records room briefly to pull the file on Cynthia Dawson. Once in his

office he flipped through her file and pressed the button on his intercom bo$.

+'ue#, Crane said to the person on the other end# +7lease schedule a session with Cynthia

Dawson# patient 899:;# for the (ednesday after my presentation at the uniersity.,

+2es Dr. Crane#, 'ues sweet oice bu00ed oer the intercom# +Hows ?,

+Thank you# that will be perfect.,

Dr. Crane unlocked a large drawer in his oak desk and from it he pulled a locked leather

case. He set it on top of his desk and unlocked it. -n it was seeral ials of a pale yellow

powder# a ile with a yellowish li4uid and a syringe. )rom the drawer he also pulled outthe burlap sack he had used in Cynthias treatment.

This is the perfect opportunity to test the new formula. Crane thought to himself as he

ga0ed at the ile containing the yellow powder. A wicked smile crossed his slender face#

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as thoughts of people maddened by fear ran through the streets. He shook the thoughts

from his head and put away the mask and powders. He turned his attention to the folder

of intern applicants. He flipped to the one that had caught his eye earlier# Harleen6uin0el. He scanned oer her application she was 4uite impressie. He scanned oer the

other applicants and made his decision.

+'ue#, he called oer the intercom again# +7lease gie a 3s. 6uin0el a call at 9995