Last time: Two-Face and his main Hench-man Sam, tricked the other men (Bobo, Wheels, Rattlesnake and Scar) into going into a rigged bank to distract the police. Tetch was supposed to be working on a mysterious device for Two Face (watched over by Sam) but instead he worked on making his own mini-control devices and went after the men. He controlled Bobo by putting a device on his wrist. Wheels disappeared down the sewer to escape both the police and Tetch. Scar was forced to stay behind to make the drain hole big enough for Bobo to get through. They made it into the sewers just as the bank exploded.

xxXXxx

Tetch didn't think that anything could smell worse than the decay and death that lingered in Gotham's streets, but now in the sewer he discovered a whole new level of filth and rot.

His skin was scorched by the heat of the explosion, and now in the dirty atmosphere he could feel his skin tingling unpleasantly. He brushed his hand through greasy, blood-streaked hair, a headache developing; he hadn't slept in hours and it was catching up to him.

Smoke from the drain above billowed into the sewers, making them cough and retch. It yellowed curiously, as if the stink had stained it. Their eyes began to water as they waded through the filth and mire.

"There will probably be some police down here," Tetch said, his voice hoarse from the unhealthy atmosphere, "so we need to be vigilant and quiet."

"Thank you Captain Obvious," snarled Scar, "believe it or not I have been in the criminal game for a while now. I know how these things work."

"And yet you were nearly tricked into getting yourself blown up," said Tetch tartly, his tiredness and evident penchant for survival giving a new confidence.

He walked forwards, not sure which direction to go in, but knowing that right now they just needed to get as far away from the Central Bank and all the smoke as quickly as possible. He pulled Bobo along, the heavy man making ponderous progress, following like a faithful mule.

In the darkness, Scar pulled a face, "aren't you going to free him?"

Tetch did not answer.

"We're away from the police now," continued Scar, pausing briefly to add in a muted tone, "I think you prefer people like this don't you? Like mindless dolls..."

"I do!" snapped Tetch, feeling the man getting on his last nerve and sensing something blue and cold and evil stirring inside him, "I do prefer it, now shut up! I don't care so much about you."

He could tell in the taut silence that followed that Scar had wanted to say something in retort, but for some reason had stopped himself.

He continued to lead the way, uncertain of where exactly he was, but feeling confident as the smoke and noise of the Central Bank began to dissipate into the ether. Likewise darkness began to set in. Soon they began to smell sea salt. They were going towards the docks.

"Are we going back to Two Face?" Asked Scar with surprising politeness.

Tetch paused, "no-no I don't thionk so. We should go elsewhere."

"He'll kill us."

"He already tried to kill you, why would you want to return to him?" He peered at Scar, "are you really that loyal?"

Scar never answered and Tetch found himself looking at the Golem that was Bobo. Maybe Scar had been right to criticise him earlier on his using the chip to control Bobo? That wasn't the behaviour of a friend. Tetch certainly wouldn't like someone to do it to him, and his teachers had always taught him to treat others how he had wanted to be treated.

Cautiously he leaned up and snapped the control device off Bobo's neck. The dullard's eyes immediately cleared from their previous darkness. He looked around, confused.

"Don't worry," grinned Tetch, "you're safe now."

"Not quite," snarled a nasty voice from the darkness that Tetch dimly recognised.

From out of one of the side tunnels stepped out the gangly form of Jonathan Crane. He had the hangman's knot around his neck, but not the mask. A wicked smirk was on his face and a vial of green liquid was in his hand.

"How fortunate," he continued, his Gotham accent strong and mean, "I need some guinea pigs, and here you are! I didn't even have to search very far."

Scar put out his hands defensively, "we work for Two Face Sir, we're his men."

Crane let out a small incredulous sigh of a laugh before saying quietly, "I don't care." He looked around the now ashen Scar to see Tetch standing, looking impossibly small, besides Bobo. His eyes lit up greedily.

"You again!" he cheered.

Tetch felt his heart jump into his throat. "I remember you as well…you were in Arkham."

"Where's your friend?" said Crane is response, "the one so fond of quoting?"

Tetch frowned. What was he on about? However, he felt his fear peeking, and then slowly dissipating into something colder and calmer.

"I don't know what you mean, Sir," he said, his voice oddly flat.

Crane gave another short, cruel smile and stepped out fully into their tunnel. He was thin and lanky but neither Scar nor Bobo were stupid enough to try and attack him. It was like staring down at a rattlesnake- it might be smaller and slimmer than you, but it had a bite that'd kill you in moments.

Tetch remained very still, even though he could see Scar in front of him taking a few nervous steps back, and beside him the large gelatinous frame of Bobo was beginning to shake.

The murky green eyes of the Scarecrow stared right into the pale blue ones of the Hatter. Tetch found a smile pulling against his lips. Crane's smile changed now, it seemed warmer and more familiar.

"I'd love to take your brain apart," the tall man said in the same tone that others would express their deepest romantic love of another, "I'd take it apart, looking at each piece, analysing each synapse. How do you work Mr. Tetch?"

"I don't even know myself!" laughed Tetch. Scar had now reached him and was standing on his other side; Bobo was on his left, Scar on his right. "We must be getting on now," continued Tetch, "we've got places to be you know."

"I quite respect that," smirked Crane, but he lifted the vial and shook it tantalisingly, "but Science waits for no man. I need a brain, or two, or three…"

Tetch was about to say something when Bobo, high pitched and terrified, said something stupid which changed everything.

"You want the hat!" He screeched. His eyes were wide, the whites showing all around his irises. Spittle flew from his lips.

Crane looked at Bobo and his eyes widened in glee and his pants tightened as he observed the fat man's fear.

"Mr Hat is smart, right?" Bobo continued. Scar stared from Crane to a furious Tetch and realised that his colleague was sentencing himself to death; he decided to remain silent during for the remained of this scene. "You said you wanted to see his brain. I can crack it open for you! It's only thin and little. I'm good at that sort of thing, Mr Face wanted me to hurts people like that all the time!"

He stared imploringly at the cold Scarecrow who, instead of answering, turned his amused attention back onto Tetch.

Bobo followed his gaze and looked down at his side to see an incandescent, betrayed rage on the face of the little man. Bobo frowned in confusion. As far as he knew Tetch was a little, innocent dweeb. But now he almost looked threatening. Feeling disturbed he did what he always did and looked for help. Bobo looked up almost automatically at his only long-term pal at this point, Scar. Scar was looking back, his eyes saying it all, 'you shouldn't have done that Bobo…'

"Wait!" he cried, "I'm sorry Mr Hat!"

But it was too late. Tetch had realised that Two Face had been right from the start; there was no loyalty amongst thieves. Clamping his hands together he swung hard and hit the knee cap of his former giant friend. Bobo screamed and fell to the floor. He wasn't badly hurt of course, Tetch was only small, but the knee cap is a sensitive thing and it becoming weak and making him loose his balance was natural.

As the giant fell, Tetch, as fast as always, swung around and grabbed a stick of dynamite hooked onto Scar's belt. He turned back and leapt onto the chest of Bobo. The two men looked at each other for just a moment. Bobo's eyes were small and stupid, but they widened with knowledge when they saw the wild, blue craziness within Mr. Hat. Bobo opened his mouth the cry out, but that gave a nice opening for tetch to jam the dynamite. He shoved it in so far that all of his hand and some of his arms vanished into the hole. The dynamite was lodged into the throat. Bobo began to move automatically, both to shake off his attacker and to cough out the dynamite, so Tetch yelled behind him, "keep him pinned down!"

Scar jumped to instruction, pinning Bobo's short, fat legs by lying upon them, then stretching up his arms to keep Bobo's pinned down. Scar didn't have Bobo's weight but he was strong. Also, Bobo's weight was now working against him; it was helping him stay down, obeying the law of gravity, and Scar was making it impossible for him to wriggle about too much. All this gave just enough time and stillness for Tetch to light the dynamite. He put his hands on the jaw of Bobo, pushing it up and closing his mouth. Bobo gave a chocked, terrified scream deep inside just before his entire head exploded. Blood and gore sprayed the walls of the sewers and all of Tetch. It rained down upon him and Scar…mostly on him.

Tetch looked down at the headless body, limp and soft, beneath him. 'We could have been friends,' he thought, feeling as though he'd just gone through some rite of passage, 'we could have been friends…'

Scar got up, retching and gagging and the stench of burning flesh and human fat. The sound of the explosion echoed through the walls. But soon it faded away and silence ruled. Everything was calm.

Crane was leaning against a wall, his legs crossed and his tongue prodding his inner cheek. "Well," he straightened up and the two surviving men looked at him, "that temper tantrum cost me a perfectly good brain. I'll let you go Tetch. You and your manservant," the two men blinked in response, "but you owe me." Crane stared into Tetch's eyes again, "remember that Tetch. You. ."

Tetch nodded and Crane stepped backwards into the shadows. They didn't even hear his footfalls as he slowly vanished. It was as if he really did turn into shadow.

After a few minutes of staring after where the man had gone, Tetch blinked and looked away. He was in some shock, but felt able to cope. He slid onto the floor. "We got back to Two Face," he said in a low, defeated voice, "like you wanted."

Scar stood up, "sure thing Boss."

Tetch looked up in shock at the title Scar used, but the taller man simply looked back as though this was natural. Tetch rolled his shoulders and walked past him up to the sewers where they could smell salt. "We'll exit as soon as we can," he ordered, "I don't want to stay down this shit hole much longer."

"No Boss. Understood."