"Welcome to my parlor said the spider to the fly."

[blindingtrust]

This was not going to be the easiest thing she had ever done. But she had been asked to do this because of the District Attorney. Ivy is many things after all. he is young and idealistic. She is also very brave and no one can deny that fact. She has a mind like a steal trap locking onto things that few others would. She had the makings of an excellent lawyer.

They wanted to see though how she would deal with the more dangerous persons in Gotham City. It wasn't just for that reason though that she was asked to go interview one Jonathan Crane, known as the Scarecrow. She was asked because they were trying to uncover the full details of the latest crimes that the police suspected him of doing and he had clamed up with every single cop that had tried talking to him and the psychologist couldn't even get him to breath a word.

So she dressed primly in a dark suit with a crisp white shirt. She left her almost but not que black hair loose and sat waiting for him to be brought in. The one thing that would set her part was her dark sun glasses. The guards hadn't wanted her to have her white stick 'just in case'.

Comments

[phear-itself.livejournal.com]

He cocks his head curiously. "And why are you here, Ms. Weaver?"

[blindingtrust.livejournal.com]

"You wouldn't talk to anyone else," she deadpans in a dry tone. She could be frank enough and she was not about to say that she was supposed to be fine-tuning her interviewing technique.

Isn't this a job for a police officer? Not that she's going to complain. After four years of nearly killing herself with work she's finally being treated like an actual lawyer.

"And I hope you will at least feel free to say something. I don't bite and this will go a long way to you actually seeing a trial. Due process is important. It's not right for you to just be floundering."

Which meant they needed a statement. They also needed the cops to finish processing the evidence. It irked Ivy that it was taking so long. But then Doctor Crane had used some rather exotic items this time.

[phear-itself.livejournal.com]

"Ah, Ms. Weaver, none of this is right, but I accept that I must break a few laws in the pursuit of scientific understanding, and that some feel this means I must pay a consequence." He looks at her with a tiny smile curling the edges of his lips.

"So very well. You wish me to say something... and I assume you are referring to my recent gassing of the ballpark. I am quite proud of my work there; I have nothing to hide. Ask me anything you like."

[blindingtrust.livejournal.com]

His experiments were both illegal and unethical. She was secretly disgusted by his actions. Everything he did spat in the face of true scientific pursuit and research. But her expression remains emotionless about that.

"All right, thank you." She gives him a slight nod. "When did you place the canisters in the heating and coolant system? It was rather.... Clever to place it there, I suppose. But we'd like to know just when it was down."

[phear-itself.livejournal.com]

He sighs. "The specifics aren't important. How I gained access to the systems might be of interest to those who work security, but neither of us do that, Ms. Weaver." He gives a slight tsk with his tongue. "You may as well ask me what I had for breakfast this morning. Such banal details are beneath us both."

[blindingtrust.livejournal.com]

"Both of us?" She raised an eyebrow. "I'm a lawyer, Doctor Crane. I deal in details."

Have them check the security tapes. He almost outright told her that. Hadn't the detective in charge of the case already done that? She hoped so or she would be very cross.

"Well, what about the dosage of the drug you used? It was fairly wide spread over the ballpark; sadly science isn't my strong point. I had difficulty with the books." She smiles in a somewjat ironic manner. Her father was a chemist but she would never be good with chemistry.

[phear-itself.livejournal.com]

"Yes, you are a lawyer -- but one who appears to have a sharp mind, from what I've learned about you. Indeed, a sharp enough mind to graduate near the top of the class, yet willing enough to question the status quo to prevent you from taking the very top position." His eyes look through his glasses over his hooked nose, carefully examining her reactions to his observations. "That's why I agreed to speak with you, instead of with these morons in the police department, or that mewling 'psychologist' they sent to interview me. I was hoping you would have more interesting questions."

He raises one finger. "Now, the dosage question... is at least getting more interesting. It's on the border of what I find interesting, but I will entertain it, if you like."

[blindingtrust.livejournal.com]

She had always thought it was because she was blind. She had been a very diligent student working very hard but her belief system was very firm and hard to shake. Some called it being stubborn she called it knowing what she believed in. She was frankly surprised he knew anything about her it was both flattering and worrying all at once. "You know more about me than I'm normally comfortable with but a man of your intelligence would be able to ferret out whatever you wished to know."

Everyone had a price after all; she thought he would be more likely to meet that price with fear.

"It would be handy for me to know. Would you be so kind as to indulge me? I promise I'll ask something more interesting." That was a dangerous thing to do but with him she would need to be a little bold.

[phear-itself.livejournal.com]

He raises one eyebrow a hint at her comment.

Truth be told, he hadn't learned that much about her. He did make it a habit to keep up on the important players in the Gotham legal system, and he was able to piece together a few things about Ivy from public records. Still, though, best not to tell her that -- for the moment, he can use it to keep her off-balance somewhat.

"I determined the proper dosage through seeing the chemical react to a test sample. I believe the police took copies of my notes; it should be noted in there, though in my cipher, of course."

[blindingtrust.livejournal.com]

"A cipher." She pursed her lips thoughtfully. So far she had done a good job of keeping it not quite so obvious that she was blind. But of course people knew it just wasn't talked about that much.

"That explains why I haven't gotten a copy of your notes just yet. They must be working on it," she said in a faintly dismissive tone. Though her expression had changed from almost blank to interested. She leaned forward folding her hands in front of her.

"What kind of cipher do you use? It seems unusual for a man of science to use one." She didn't think him a true scientist. "Of course I've heard through the grapevine you guard your research rather... Jealously. I do understand though. It would be frustrating for idiots to be seen 'playing' at your work."

She is walking a very fine line here.

[phear-itself.livejournal.com]

"True scientists don't hoard their secrets," Crane scoffs. "But there are those who would use my work against me. Such as the legal system." He smirks at her. "Or the Batman." He shrugs. "It is in my own best interest to protect my work. Upon my death, my research will be revealed to the world, for anyone to use as they see fit. My work will change the face of society, Ms. Weaver... and give me the only immortality worth having."

[blindingtrust.livejournal.com]

"But while your work itself is good your methodology is horrific, Doctor Crane," she said simply. "Science needs to follow a standard of ethics because it serves man and society."

He has likely heard this before. So being smart she quickly backpedals. "But I am not here to discuss ethics or philosophy Doctor. Are you certain you won't discuss the cipher?"

[phear-itself.livejournal.com]

He scoffs at the concept of scientific ethics. "Ethics are a concept invented by the fearful of what true change can bring. A social construct that is utterly meaningless. The human race is hardly endangered, Ms. Weaver. A few more going missing here or there will hardly harm the advancement of scientific understanding.

"As for the cipher, I'm sure they'll figure it out soon enough. Perhaps the Batman will provide them with what they need to solve the little puzzle."

[blindingtrust.livejournal.com]

She can feel a twitch of annoyance run through her, thankfully it isn't visible. She will not discuss ethics with an amoral madman. "As I said I am not here to discuss ethics."

She shouldn't have brought it up. That was her own fault. "Why the ballpark? It wasn't very full yesterday. It was just a practice game. I would have thought you would desire a wider sampling."