"Now that we are out of the public eye, Mr Wayne, would you tell us what is so important about these blueprints?" Harvey sighed as he leaned back into the cool metal chair of the police station.

"Let me get this straight. You tell us to stay out of your investigation, and now you want our help?" Alfred quipped back before Bruce could answer the detectives question.

"Subtle." Bruce mumbled to his butler.

Bruce Wayne looked calm, with his butler sitting rigid next to the boy. The millionaire clenched his jaw at the question and clasped his hands leaning forward on the detective's desk.

"Those blueprints show the exact location of every Wayne corporation building, including the homes of some of our chief members of staff. They also show where future buildings are as well as our warehouses." Bruce explained, his tone matching his expression.

Harvey stared at the two blankly before sighing as he took in the information.

"So the craziest man in town now knows where all your secrets are?" Jim quipped.

"Not only where they are, Captain, but how to access them," Alfred snapped back, seemingly annoyed at Jims lack of urgency.

This made him purse his lips. Jim had a deep frown on his face, it was an expression which didn't seem to ever change, not since Rory had been stolen from him. Harvey collected himself, trying to ignore his Captains harsh attitude before he spoke.

"We have reason to believe those blueprints were instrumental in finding a secretive member of the Wayne staff, which your father met with," he paused for dramatic effect, shifting in his chair, "a man named Xander Wilde."

Bruce tensed at the name.

"Xander Wilde, he is an architect and a very secretive one. Those blueprints not only reveal where he is staying but how to enter into his home." Alfred said slowly, surprised that the two had found the name of the Wayne employee.

"Wilde knows more about the corporation than I do, if there was one thing that Jerome would want, aside from me, it would be him." He continued sternly.

"Can you tell us where to find this Xander Wilde?" Jim asked.

"I'm sure my father has met him. He was a meticulous notetaker, he organised everything by project. If he has met Xander he would have documented his location." Bruce interjected matter-of-factly.

"If the information is there, Jim, I'll take you to him. But first we have to stop off at Wayne Manor and check my fathers files."

#

It was the only moment of sleep which Rory had managed to get since she had watched Lola die. Finally she had found comfort, or she had simply reached a point of physical exhaustion, but the lull of sleep was something she had forgotten. It was a short, sweet moment before she rudely pulled away from its warmth and was thrown back into the cold arms of Jerome. He was standing over her, stroking her cheek gently.

When he saw her eyes open he smiled, his touch light and soft against her cheek. This gentle second was quickly shattered. Jerome harshly gripped Rory's wrists and heaved her out of the bed.

Rory, who was still shaking off the mist of sleep, let out a low groan in protest, weakly pulling back from Jerome's grip.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart, but we have to go," he spoke, letting her go abruptly. The sudden realise caused Rory to fall awkwardly out of the bed.

"Ow," she muttered as she picked herself up from the floor. She pushed her self onto her knees and slowly rubbed the last of the sleep from her eyes.

Jerome flung open the wardrobe and started to throw clothes in Rorys direction. One of the clothes hangers hit Rory on her back and she quickly turned around to defend herself from the sudden shower of fabric.

"You need to get dressed," Jerome ordered as he tossed a pair of underwear at her, which Rory caught. She looked down at the pants and frowned, fiddling with the fabric.

"Why?" she said groggily, slowly collecting the fabric surrounding her.

Jerome turned quickly from the closet, slamming the doors of the cabinet as he did.

"We're going on a trip. Get dressed." he spoke sternly. She sniffed as she slowly stood up holding the items. She dropped them on the bed and looked at him and blushed. She started fiddling with her hands as she looked at him. He was simply standing in front of her, watching her.

"Could you- could you turn around?" Rory asked meekly hoping that Jerome would respect her wishes.

He blinked, he seemed surprised by her and with out any kind of sarcastic quip turned to face the wardrobe. Rory's chest seemed to relax as he did this. For a moment, the thought of escaping crossed her mind. She could use one of the clothes hangers, hit him on the head and make a run for it. She looked at the pile of clothes crumpled on the bed and slowly reached, unhooking the shirt from the hanger. Her grip tightened around it as she wrestled with the temptation to make an escape.

"I'm going to count from 10, Rory, by the time I reach 1 we are leaving, it won't matter if you're dressed or not." His voice broke her dangerous train-of-thought.

"10."

With that, the thought of escaping vanished and she quickly undressed, her hands fumbling over the buttons of the shirt.

"9."

Two seconds was all she needed. She pulled up the skirt and tucked the shirt in, quickly slipping on the stockings and wriggling her feet into the shoes he had thrown at her.

"8-"

"Okay, I'm dressed!" she interrupted, smoothing down the skirt as she stood from the bed.

Jerome turned quickly and looked her up and down. She felt uncomfortable from the gaze, her hands fiddling with the sleeves of the top as she tried to avoid his eyes. He took a step towards her and grabbed her wrist tightly. She flinched at his approach and when he started to drag her out of the room she started to wriggle to try and get him off her.

"I can walk by myself!" She exclaimed. The sparks from his touch zooming through her, causing her chest to tighten up again. He merely let out a laugh and pulled her into him, his hand moving up to her forearm.

"If you think that you can get away from me, you are wrong, baby. I'm not letting you out of my sight, do you understand?" His grip tightened, pinching her skin. She winced and scowled at him. He glared at her, expecting her too retort. Rory simply glared back, tensing her jaw at the pain from his hold her.

"Good," he spat, before opening the door and pulling her out into the hallway.

When they exited the room, Rory realised that if she had tried to hit him over the head and make a run for it, she would have been met with a small hoard of his goons, who were standing outside of the door waiting for Jerome to leave.

She cursed him in her mind as he dragged her through the corridors of his lair. Every single insult she could think of she was hurling at him, biting the inside of her cheek to stop her from saying any of it out-loud. Jerome was silent as they walked through the halls, his expression was serious. He seemed irritated.

Suddenly he threw her forward. Rory stumbled into a wide, decrepit room. It was a garage and there were several vehicles surrounding them. In front of her was a van with the back doors opened, she saw two figures, one sitting inside and one standing on the ramp that lead up to the back. She managed to keep her balance and stilled her self, rubbing her arm trying to ease the bruise that Jerome had just inflicted.

"Prick," she whispered under her breath as she re-composed her self.

"Gentlemen!" Jerome boomed as he walked in behind her, it seemed that the irritation she thought she had seen was gone and the manic persona of the psychopath was back. He was addressing the two figures by the van. They had turned at Rory's entrance but it was only now which she had recognised them. It was Tetch and Scarecrow. The Mad Hatter smiled at Jerome's call, while Scarecrow seemed to gaze at Rory.

Jerome picked up on Crane's leering and placed his hands on Rory's shoulders, standing closely behind her.

"Sorry we are late, the wife took too long to get dressed!" He said through an insincere chuckle, squeezing her shoulders. Rory winced again, trying to hide her cringing at the title of Jerome's wife.

He then re-gripped her arm, causing her to hiss at the pressure on the bruise. He pulled her closer to his wingmen.

"Tetch, before we get started, I was wondering if you could do me a favour," he said, his grip on his wife tightening.

"Of course, anything Jerome," Tetch grinned.

"I need you to use your persuasive skills to make sure that my darling wife won't try to sabotage this little adventure of ours," he ordered, his stern expression creeping through his crazed persona.

"What?!" Rory exclaimed, her nerves suddenly resurfacing. She started to struggle against Jerome's grip. The tight knot in her chest started to move up into her throat as she realised what Tetch was about to do to her.

"It'll be my pleasure," he smirked, looking down at Rory, matching her gaze.

Rory cringed at this and started to panic.

"No Jerome, don't do this," she pleaded trying to get him off of her, using her free hand to claw at his. Jerome pulled her arm behind her back causing her to cry out in pain. Tetch grabbed her face, stilling her.

"No." she cried as he looked at her with a creepy, unnerving grin. She squeezed her eyes shut. She was terrified of him and what he would make her do.

"I don't need your eyes, Aurora," he whispered. Rory winced at this, her breath quickened with anticipation. She could feel his face close to hers and she flinched when he heard him speak.

"I just need your ears." he chuckled. She stifled in a scream, trying to swallow her fear.

"You're going to listen to the sound of this clock, let the rhythm of the second hand calm you," he whispered, his words were quickly followed by the gentle ticking of a pocket watch. Don't listen to the clock Rory! She thought, trying to distract herself from the ticking. No matter how hard she tried, she found herself slipping under the same blanket of sleep which she had been torn from minuets ago.

"Thats it," Tetch's voice started to float through her as she reluctantly gave into him.

"Although the urge is strong; too run would be wrong. Stay with your husband, Aurora, don't ruin our fun." He sang, his words burning into Rory's brain. "When I click my fingers the command will be complete, you will stay Jerome and and the urge to escape will deplete."

Tetch clicked his fingers and Rory was back in control. Both Tetch and Jerome let her go. Her cheeks were wet from tears, the aftermath of her terror was still buzzing in her bones like pins and needles.

"Lets test your magic words shall we, Tetch," Jerome smirked. He stepped up onto the van's ramp. Scarecrow was sitting in the van, the event of her brainwashing didn't seem to entertain him, Tetch and Jerome were watching eagerly, waiting to see the hypnosis in full effect.

"Through those doors is your freedom, Rory."Jerome spoke, pointing towards an opening which the vehicles came in through.

"No one will stop you if you run." He commanded, dramatically.

Rory looked over to the doors, her chest burned as she wrestled with her self. Just start walking Rory. She thought as she tried to make a move towards the doors. Her hands balled into tight fists as she plunged her nails into her palms, trying to fight against Tetch's hypnotism. She felt as if she was stuck to the ground, if she were to move she would burst into flames. I have to stay. An un-familiar voice echoed over her attempts to move. She looked back at Jerome and his associates.

"I-" she spoke through her tears.

"I have- I have to stay," she choked out, the words stuck to her throat. As soon as she spoke, her hands relaxed and her palms started stinging, the crescent moon cuts in her hands tingling at the movement.

Jerome's eyes sparked with excitement.

"Brilliant!" He exclaimed, he stretched out his hand, waiting for Rory to take it.

"I think it's time for you to meet your brother-in-law!"