Oswald AKA penguin POV.

I watch Sal as he glances at the firewood and then begin to rush around the cabin to where we hid the dufflebag full of guns. I quickly pull one out and hide it in my pocket. Then I stand in the middle of the room anxiously await his return. He returns with a bundle of firewood in his arms. "Have a seat, we have to talk." I sit down in an easy chair as he takes off his jacket and pulls up a wooden chair. "I feel the time has come in our relationship for us to have trust with each other. Real trust. Total honesty between us. No secrets."

"I 100% agree."

"So here's a secret to start off. There is no guy with the thing. I lied."

"I was beginning to wonder about him."

"Now you."

"Me?"

"We're being honest. You have to tell me a secret in return."

"Secrets from you Don Maroni? I have none."

"Please." He replies politely.

"Umm, honestly, I don't really like oatmeal."

"Good to know. You see I like this game. I'll tell you another secret. Fish Mooney is alive. I spoke to her. Good secret huh?"

"What did fish say?"

"Oh no. You have to tell me a secret first that's how it works."

"I don't really much like coffee either."

"Fair enough. What did Fish say? She said that you and Falcone have been working together all this time. She said that you've been playing me for a chump since the first day that I met you."

"She would say that wouldn't she. The Witch! You don't believe her do you?"

"Well she did put some incidents in a different and troubling light I must say."

"Uh-huh. Well that's too bad."

"Your turn. Tell me another secret a good one this time."

"I took Your gun. I have it right here."  I reply standing up and pulling it out."

"That's a good secret."

"I took it because I figured that Mooney had called You somehow. I knew that you might believe her. That doesn't mean that she's telling the truth."

"Is she? Have you been playing me for a chump Penguin?"

Instead of replying I aim the gun directly at him. "I think it's time for you to tell me a secret."

"You little dirtbag. I treated you like a friend."

"Like a monkey friend. Your the zoo keeper remember?" I reply cocking the gun. "Tell me a secret now."

"Just one more then. I'm tired of this game. That gun is loaded with blanks."

"Liar." I reply shooting him multiple times to no prevail. "You?"

"Yeah. Good secret huh?"

I immediately turn to run but he slaps me and I fall to the ground. He then pulled me up and I face collides with his fists.

Jim POV

"Hi."

"Hi. Thank you for coming."

"I was glad to get your call."

"How are things at Arkham?"

"A little less interesting since you left. How are things at the precinct?"

"Well actually, that's what I was hoping that you could help me with. Ummm. We have have this case and I can't understand exactly what our Perp was doing and our Medical examiner is kind of a clown." Upon noticing her face turn to one of disappointment I realize that maybe I've done something wrong. "Umm, is something wrong?"

"No. Not at all. It's just that the last time we met you were rather passionate so when you called I thought.... Well, whatever. I put on lipstick and you want forensic advice. Your very confusing."

"I don't mean to be." I reply closing the folder. "The case is a pre-text. I wanted to see you."

"Then why didn't you just say that?"

"I should have. I haven't done this in a while, I'm a little rusty."

"Oh, well good. I don't like to put on lipstick for a mistake. So what's the issue?"

"Oh no, no, forget about the case..."

"Please, I'm interested." Before we could discuss things my phone rings.

"Yeah? When? Okay. Take his statement I'll be right there. I'm sorry, I have to go."

"I'm fine."

"Your sure?"

"Yes, I'll bring this back to you." Thompkins replies talking about the casefile. I give her a quick kiss on the lips well, more like a peck on the lips then nod and call Harvey.

"Harvey."

"Harvey the second victim just woke up. Says he was abducted by two men. There's someone still out there."

Harvey POV

"It's kind of you to come here and tell us about what happened."

"No problem. I just didn't want you worrying so. To be honest, you don't strike me as the fraidy cat type."

"Phobics are not fraidy cat."

"I know. It's just that you seem like a strong lady is all."

"I am strong. I just happen to be terrified of swimming pools."

"Your kidding. I'm sure that's a thing."

"Nearly everyone has a thing. I'm sure that if you dig down deep enough you'd have issues that you'd need to confront."

"I'm a cop. The only thing I'm scared of is decaf coffee."

"Really? I've always found that the best and bravest ones are the ones that willingly acknowledge their fears."

"Maybe you've just been hanging out with too many timid and whiney people."

She sighs. "You are so bad."

"I'm scared all the time and that's something that I'd be willing to share with the group. If you think it might be helpful."

"Yes. Yes thank you. I think that it would."

I head over to the drink table. "First time?" A man with blond hair asks.

"Yeah you?"

"No. I'm a regular." He replies walking away.

Sal POV

"So this is how this is going to work. Your going to get into that car. The car is already in the crusher. You get squeezed to death. It takes a couple of minutes to die. Whatever comes out I send to Falcone. Maybe he uses it as a coffee table." I say to Penguin who is down on his knees.

"Don Maroni please listen to me."

"Oh this is the begging part? Oh good cause this is my favorite part. Go ahead and beg for your miserable life."

"Just allow me to suggest some options here."

"Mum-humm."

"Dead I'm worthless. If you factor in Falcone's inevitable retaliation killing me would be a net loss for you."

"This is not about business issue. Me and Frankie Carbone go back twenty years. You hurt me Penguin."

"You were right about Indian Hill. Falcone knows something. I don't know what but I.. I. Can find out."

"Stop it your making me sad. How did I ever fall for your crap?" With that I pick him up as he starts pleading with me.

"No, no, please... No. no." He repeats over and over again as I toss him inside the car that's in the compactor.

"Hey, say hi to Frankie for me." I say as I tap on the car window and then walk away.

Ed POV

Bella tugs on my sleeve. "Me want to punish Mr. Meanie Poopyhead fowa being so cwuel to you and getting you suspended. Me thinks me has a good ideals how." Bella whispers the idea in my ear and I nod. A little while later, I quickly enter the GCPD locker room and use a lock picking tool to pick the ME's lock. Once it is open we put operation, operation into play. Let's see Mr, so called know it all explain this...

Harvey POV

I'm afraid everyday. I'm afraid that I'm going to die in an ally. Bleeding out while some scumbag goes through my pockets and laughs at me. And I try to speak but nothing comes out. And I just lie there staring at a small piece of sky between the buildings. And then I die, alone. I don't want to die alone in some gutter. I want to die in a warm cozy bed in the arms of a beautiful woman." I say as I glance over in Miss Mullens direction.

"Thanks for sharing Harvey. Would anyone else like to share? Tod go ahead."

"My name is Tod and I've never spoken here before but I have a horrible fear of failure. I torment myself and those around me. I'd crawl on broken glass to avoid failing about anything. I inherited this illness from my father but I'm afraid that I'm passing it onto my son." Tod pauses seemingly unable to continue.

"We are here for you Tod."

"When I came home from work yesterday my precious son was crying. And he said to me.... I'm sorry I can't speak. I'm so sorry." Tod says getting up and exiting the room. Miss Mullens goes after him.

"Tod? Tod..."

Penguin AKA Oswald POV

Sal is standing a little bit away from the compactor with the car that has Me in it probably so that He can get a good view of my demise. I dial his phone in one last effort to get him to change his mind and spare my life.

I watch as he glance at the caller ID. "You've got to be kidding me. What?"

"Don Maroni, you've got to listen to me."

"No. See that's how this whole thing started me listening to you."

"I was telling the truth about Indian hill and Arkham. Whoever controls Arkham will control Gotham. I can..."

"Would you shut up and take it like a man." Sal reply ending the call.

Glancing around I spot a number on a billboard. This is possibly my last chance to ensure my survival."Hello, is this Mr. Duffy?"

"Yah-huh."

"Listen to me very carefully. I'm the man in the car in this ferocious machine of yours. My name is Oswald Cobblepot and I work for Don Carmine Falcone of Gotham city. Do you know who he is?"

"Ya-huh."

"Good. Well I just called Falcone and told him exactly what is happening. So Mr. Duffy you had better stop this machine of yours right now because if I die Don Falcone is going to send a team up here skin you alive and kill your family."

"But Don Maroni said..."

"Don Falcone runs Gotham and your about to murder his right hand man."

To me delight the machine stops and I'm able to get out of the car and out of sight before Maroni can figure out where I've gone.

Harvey POV

"Is it just me or have those two been gone a while?" No one in the group responds. "This has been real and fun but I've got to go." I rush outside just in time to see a van go speeding off.

Meanwhile, back at the precinct.. The ME is at his locker as he opens it tons of different body parts fall out and into his lap and arms. Just as two officers enter the locker room. "This isn't what it looks like."

"Other members say our abductor has been coming for the last month. Says his name is Tod but group policy states they remain anonymous. So no deal ID."

"And the man you shot? The one with the pigs?"

"Prints just came back. Career criminal. Probably just the muscle. The other guy was in charge."

"He knew that there was a cop there at the meeting and he still took her. That's cold or crazy."

"Either way he's probably sure to follow the same MO. He will confront Miss Mullens with her greatest fear."

"Which was drowning."

"More specifically in a pool."

"There are hundreds of pools here in Gotham. We can't possible get to every..."

"That was her mother. When she was seven Scotty almost drowned in a Lemmars park pool uptown."

"It's a start I guess."

"That's where he took her I can feel it."

Essen POV

"Boss."

"Not now Joe." I reply dismissively until I spot what's in his hands. "Wait... Tell me that's not what it looks like."

Tod Aka killer POV

"Your brave. I'd say that your an 8 on the Crain's scale. Profound fear. 12 is top abject heart stopping terror. I am surprised that your only an 8. You do understand that this is really happening? I'm going to drown you, right now. That's a 10."

"Dad."

"Help." Miss Mullens whimpers.

"Jonathan I told you to wait in the van."

"The parking meter ran out." I can see how upset my son is by seeing this young woman tied up crying. "Look son, I know that this is upsetting but we talked about this. It's for the common good. For humanity."

"I know. I just. I think..." My son replies as he stares sympathetically at my captive.

"This will be over soon. Here. Go and feed the meter. Go on go." With that I handed my son some coins. Once he was gone I turned my attention back to Miss Mullens. "Now my dear, don't think badly of me." With that, I push the bound woman into the pool so that she might experience her fear and bring her up to the 12 on the scale. I watch her struggle for a few moments. Then am interrupted by those pesky police officers. I been shooting at them and eventually am able to escape.

Penguin POV

"He's Alive. I told you he was alive. Thank the Lord. What happened to you my boy?"

"Like the prodigal son I have fallen. Like Job I've been tested in the deepest pits of the Devil's perfidy and I survived." I reply with a slight chuckle of pure happiness.

"Lord have mercy."

"Are you headed to Gotham city by any chance?" I ask as I remove the leaves from my hair.

"Why sure. Come on."

I get on the back of the bus and frown. Not even this cheerful music can cheer me up.

Jim POV

"Case files you gave me about that man thrown off the roof. Did you catch his killer?"

"No. He's still out there."

"I followed up and I had a quick look at his corpse."

"A quick look at his corpse?"

"Yeah. It's no trouble it's down in the morgue. So the killer removed his adrenal glands."

"Adrenal glands. That's strange. They don't have any value on the black market."

"No. Kidneys and livers yes but adrenal glands no. It produces cortisol. The adrenaline that produces that fight or flight reaction. Essentially it's the fear gland."

"And our Man wants to take it from the victim when he's the most fearful why is that?"

"All I can think of is at the moment of death the body would produce a highly elevated form of cortisol. Fascinating huh? This is one weird dude. A doctor or a nurse most likely. It takes some skill to remove the adrenals as cleanly as they did."

"You really like this kind of work huh?"

"I do."

"Good. Maybe there will be even more for you. A full time job even. Put ME has been fired for stealing body parts. Can you believe that?"

"Only in Gotham."

"So what do you say we discussed this potential job over diner?"

"Nice Segway Mr. Smooth."

"Thank you."

"Diner sounds good are you going to bring your casefiles?"

"Go ahead mock my crude dating skills. I'm
doing my best."

"Your doing fine."

"I have a powerful urge to kiss you right now."'

"So why don't you?"

"Because I am on duty and there's about fifty people watching us."

"Scaredy-cat."

"I have an image to keep up."

"The heartless by the book hard man."

"Kind of."

"On the count of three I'm going to lean in so that it will be subtle and your going to kiss me on the cheek or no dinner."

"Come on."

"I'm serious. 1, 2, 3."

Suddenly I don't care who is watching I kiss her directly on the lips.

"Hey. Genarld Martz. 63, single High School English teacher. Same medical incision as the last victim."

"What's the odds that he's got no adrenaline glands?"

"So what does he do with them?"

Crane POV

I pull the glands from my latest victim from my refrigerator and then proceeded to put it in a grinder and in a small dish and add a special
chemical. I then mix it together and pour it into a vial. I put the vial into a machine that spins it around and after a few minutes pull the vial out. It is now a yellow liquid.

I then place a small amount into a syringe and go to the area of the house that I'm the most afraid of. After inserting the mixture into my blood stream. Within seconds I begin feeling the effects of the serum. I start having visions of my worst nightmare. My wife standing on the stairs engulfed in flames "why? What's the matter with you? Why won't you help me Gerald?!"

Bruce POV

"Do you have everything you need Master Bruce?"

"Yes."

"I can still come with you if you want me too."

"No. It wouldn't be right."

"No. Of course."

"I'll be fine Alfred you don't have to worry."

"Who said that I was worried."

"I'll be back before dark. I've been on this hike before you know."

"Not without your father." I reply quietly. "Come here. He would approved you know. Carrying on the tradition like this."

"My father and I stayed overnight. We woke up early to watch the sunrise. It's not the same."

"Well maybe next year then. Well off you go then."

Falcone POV

We are entering Fish's nightclub while Oswald whines to me about what Maroni has put him through because he discovered the truth. In all honesty, I really didn't care.

"And then the worst of it Maroni had me locked in a sudan and tried to crush me alive. So well, you can imagine my concern. Maroni's not a man to let things go and I fear that he will
come after me in retaliation."

"Were you planning to clean up the place?" I ask completely ignoring his whining.

"What? Oh uh, I can if you like."

"It needs it. Is that blood?" I ask pointing to a spot on the floor.

"Perhaps but Don Falcone..

"While your are at it maybe you could do something about the design."

"The design?"

"It reeks of Fish Moony. What do you think about the lamps?"

"Don Falcone, maybe you didn't hear me. I need your protection. Maroni will surly try and kill me."

"Yes, the lamps should go."

"Don Falcone, please....Maroni wants my scalp and you'd have me redecorate?"

"This nightclub makes a lot of money. Without money we lose influence. Without influence we lose control and without control Maroni killing you is no longer a hypothetical. It's a forgone conclusion. That's why I want to re-open it under your care."

"I can have the club? It's mine?" He replies in disbelief.

"You've earned it. Your days of sneaking around spying on Maroni are over. Your with me now. Publicly. Things are going to be much different. So spruce up the place. Get it open. As for Maroni, leave him to me."

Jim POV

"What do you got?"

"The yearbook where the victim taught English. I'll tell you one thing, girls didn't look like this when I was back in high school."

"Easy."

"I'm just saying."

"Hello Detective."

"Lee." I reply rising from my desk. "She's our new ME."

"Your kidding."

"No."

"Oh good you've met." Essens replies.

"We know each other from before." Lee replies.

"Oh right, Arkham."

"Yes, Arkham."

"You can fill her in on your cases later. Follow
Me."

"It was nice seeing you again Detective."

"It was nice seeing you too Doctor."

"You've got no luck at all do you brother?."

"What do you mean?"

"You find a fine girl like that and then she comes to work here in the building, it's a shame."

"Why?"

"Office romance. It always ends in tears. In tears." Harvey warns.

"It's not going to be like that."

"Trust me, I know. There. Holy mother Mary."

"You've got him?"

"Staring right back at me. That's him. That's the guy from the pool. His name is Gerald Crane he's a biology teacher."

I look at my watch "school doesn't let out for hours. Let's go."

"Gerald called in one day and said that he wasn't coming in. That's the last I've heard from him."

"Let me guess that was about three weeks ago?"

"That's when the neighbors said that he up and moved out. Unis searched the place, nothing."

"So what can you tell us about Crane?"

"He was a good teacher focused, and he was good father. He was very protective of his son Jonathan. Be he could be quiet too. Somber. I think it had to do with his wife. She died six or seven years ago."

"She died? How?"

"Car accident."

"Did Crane ever talk about fear, or phobias?"

"Why? Is someone targeting phobics?"

"Yeah. Does this mean something to you?"

"Killing them? These victims were they missing their adrenal glands?" 

"How'd you know that?"

"This is an academic paper that Gerald wrote months ago he asked me to proofread it. Gerald had a theory that fear is an evolutionary flaw in humans. That war, rape, theft, murder, it was all caused by fear. He was obsessed with it"

"So Crane killed these people and took their adrenal glands to test a theory?"'

"No. Gerald was trying to prove that he was right about fear. He was trying to cure himself of it."

"Cranes idea of dealing with fear was to inoculate himself against it."

"Like a disease."

"Exactly but in order to do so he needed a condensed source of the hormones that cause fear."

"Phobics."

"Crane's praying on them? Spiking their fear by scaring them and then killing them in order to harvest the hormones? How much of this stuff does he need?"

"What do you mean?"

"How many more people is he gonna kill?" Harvey replies.

"Oh of course. Good question. Depends on how scare he is I guess. What's he scared of?"

"Scottie phobia support group said that he was scared of failure."

"Who isn't. There's got to be something else."

"Did you hear?"

"Hear what?"

"Hear What?"

"That we got a new medical examiner. Much better then the old one and she smells nice."

"See? Competition already." Harvey states with a chuckle.

"Look at this, Crane developed material for two inoculations. One for himself and someone else. Subject B."

"I wonder who that is?" Ed replies.

Crane POV

I groan in pain again as the inoculation takes effect. Once again I see my wife engulfed in flames coming towards me. However, this time I focus my energy on slowing my heart rate making it return to normal. "Dad? Are you okay?" Jonathan asks.

"I'm glorious. It's working Jonathan. I said that it would and it's almost your turn. You'll be free of fear forever. You'll be cured. Are you ready Jonathan? Are you ready son?"

Falcone POV

"Thank you for having me." Sal says.

"My pleasure."

"We are friends right?"

"Of course."

"Then let me talk to you as a friend. You want to have lunch, take a walk, I'm happy too. But a sandwich and a stroll ain't gonna keep me from killing Penguin. That little rat is dead."

"So be it."

Bruce POV

I arrive at the area where my father and aI would pile stones on top of each other. I place the two stones on the different piles. One says Thomas Wayne the other says Bruce Wayne. see the one that has my father's initials on it.

All of a sudden I'm filled with rage. I grab the stones and begin throwing them as far as I can. I hear the one with my father's name on it as it tumbles down below. Suddenly, I slip and fall. I try to get up only to feel immense pain. I pull my pant leg up to reveal a badly bruised ankle. I know that it has been sprained.

Falcone POV

"How's a cigar sound? I have some beautiful Castro's I've been meaning to try."

"Carmine talk straight with me. Why are you doing this? Granted Penguin is a money maker but how come your laying all this grease on me to keep him alive? What's your angle?"

"He's clever. And I like to have a clever man beside me who knows his place in life. You know how that goes."

"Yeah. All day."

"He's clever enough to know that a freakish little man like him is never going to be the boss."

"True enough. So I'm supposed to give you a prime asset just like that and your going to bring out some nice old cigars?"

I give a wry laugh. "Of course I'll show my gratitude to you in a formal way."

"This is not a money thing. This is personal."

"I understand. Do you know chief judge Stanley Turnbull?"

"Of course. He's the meanest son of a mother dog in the courthouse."

"Yes. A hard and righteous man. Powerful too."

"Put down some good friends of mine. You bring me his ugly head and say 200 grand and you've got yourself a deal." Sal says.

"Oh I'll give you a better deal then his head." I reply with a wry laugh. As we walk down the corridor we can hear the sound of flesh being hit and a man whimpering. I open the curtain to reveal Judge Turnbull with a bit in his mouth whimpering. A young man's body unmoving on the floor.

"Oh my mother's life." Sal says with a chuckle of amusement.

"He was out with a young man. I had him drugged and brought here. Now he's all yours."

"Mine?" Sal replies.

"I mean we will share him of course but in sprit he's yours."

"Now smile for the camera." The dominatrix says holding the Judge's head up to face us as he continues to whimper.

"It's beautiful." Sal replies with a laugh.

Jim POV

"There's got to be something that we are missing."

"What about your Pal Penguin."

"What about him?"

"He helped us with Flask maybe he can help us with Crane. It's worth a try."

"No it's not! I'm not going back to him."

"Then we wait for another body to drop because we won't find him here." Harvey replies in irritation.

"Yeah, your right. We are never going to be able to catch Crane. We have to get ahead of him. Find out what's driving him."

"We know what's driving him. He's obsessed with fear."

"Why? What's he afraid of? What happened to him that made him this way?"

"His wife was killed in a car crash."

"Yeah, cheek that out."

"Got it, Karen Crane. Says here that she died in a house fire not a car accident. You think the co-worker was lying?"

"Three other people said the same thing. Crane must have lied about it for some reason. What happened in the fire?"

"Article says that she was sleeping upstairs when the fire broke out. Husband Crane and son Jonathan,  eight, were downstairs."

"Crane was in the house when his wife died. He didn't save her No wonder he lied."

"He's ashamed. His fear is the reason that his wife died that's why he's doing this."

"Address to the old Crane house lets do this."

Crane POV

I stare at my wife who is engulfed in flames but as I stare her down the flames disappear. "Jonathan!" I call to my son just in time to hear the door opening and closing and the sound of Jonathan running away. "Jonathan. Stop
Johnny. Stop! Stop right there!"
I command running after him. "We've started the protocol. It must be completed it would be harmful for you otherwise."

"I can't. I can't do it again."

"Think of it Johnny, no more fear."

"I'm not even afraid like you."

"We are all afraid. Every man and woman on the planet. We are standing at the edge of the abyss paralyzed by fear. Come on son. Trust me. I just want to help you and mankind. Mankind Johnny. Now you must be brave. Come on son, are you with me? Then let's go back to the house. It will be over before you know it. I promise. Come on." I had just gotten Johnny back to the house ready to give him the next dosage when we hear a knocking at the door.

"GCPD."

"Dad. They are going to arrest you. We have to go."

"There's still time to complete the protocol."

"We are coming in."

As they say this we rush out the back door and find ourself back by the scarecrow once more. "What are you doing?"

"We have to complete the protocol." I reply as I fill the syringe.

"Dad that's too much."

"It's the only way."

"Look dad, there's not enough time." Jonathan replies.

"It'll be fine. I love you son." I reply.

"Stop!" Jonathan tells but it's too late I have inserted the entire syringe contents into his neck. All of a sudden Jonathan starts screaming in terror and sobbing at the same time.

"Hands where we can see them. Don't move or we will shoot."

"Do you think I'm afraid of you? Of your guns?" I reply shooting at them. Eventually, I am shot and I die.

Jim POV

"I'll get the kid. Call an ambulance. Call an ambulance. It's alright son. It's alright." I say to him as his body continues to convulse.

Bruce POV

After lying there for a while, I make myself a splint and struggle to make my way up the hill. Upon reaching the top I am surprised to find Alfred sitting there with a roaring fire going. "Hello Master Bruce. Well, you certainly took your time down there. What did you do? Stop
for a pie and a pint on your way out did you?"
Alfred asks.

"How long have you been there?"

"Oh I don't know. About an hour or so. Just when you started struggling up that very nasty hill."

"Thanks for the help!" I reply in irritation.

"Well, I never got you down there you know. Are you alright? Come here." Alfred says as he helps me up and closer to the fire.

"I'm cold, I'm tired, my ankles sprained and I just want to go home."

"Do you want to go home. Or do you want to wait and watch the sunrise just like you did with your dad?"

"Well Alfred, we can only  stay if you can think you can handle it." I reply.

"If I can handle it? Man this place is positively cushy compared do some of the places that I've slept in. Cup a tea you cheeky monkey? Now, we need to have a little chat about Bella."

"Alfred, I'm cold, I'm wet and I'm tired. I really don't want to discuss this right now."

"I just have one question for you, how do you think your parents would feel if they could see and hear how you've been treating Bella ever since their deaths?"

"Him? Do you think they'd be proud or disappointed in you? Sleep on it will yah and we can discuss it in the morning. After all, your right it is getting late. Have a good night Master Bruce."

Oswald POV

It's the grand opening of my new club and guess who decides to crash the party. None other then Don't Maroni. "Penguin. Where are you going?"

"Don Maroni. Such a pleasure to always see you."

"Look at you, from the trunk of my car to running your own club. The place looks great. Hell of a turnout.

"How about a table. Drinks? My compliments of course."

"Expansive stuff. Let me see."

"I came here to tell you I spoke to Falcone. All is kosher between us.
So long as you don't go spilling to Falcone, any more of my secrets."

"No. Nothing like that."

"Grab a glass. You had better hope Falcone lives a long and healthy life because the second that he's out of the picture so are you." Sal whispers in my ear as he continues to over poor my coffee cup.

Later at the precinct I visit Lee. "Lee we can't kiss while at work."

"Is your reputation as a heartless man that important to you?

"I am serious."

"There is nothing wrong with a police officer showing that he has affection for someone."

"Yes, there is, at least that kind anyway."

"Fine! Whatever." Lee says irritatedly.

"Lee."

"I'm just kidding. I've got tickets to the circus you want to go?"

"Huh?"

"The circus its lots of fun except no sad elephants. So do you want to come?"

"Yea sure. Sounds great..."

At the hospital. "The boy received a massive dosage of cortisol, adrenaline and some other compound we are still trying to identify. The combination nearly killed him."

"But he's gonna live?"

"Yes. But we ran a cat scan to see if he suffered any brain damage. The results are like nothing we have ever seen before. The hormones have long since worn off but the effects seem to still be lingering."

"What are you saying that he's still in fear?"

"Not just fear. Jonathan's brain waves indicate that he's in a constant state of intense terror."

"How long until this goes away?"

"Well, that's just the thing Detective, we can't be certain that it ever will. Imagine the thing that you fear most in the world, imagine that's all you see.'every waking hour."