Nine: Have You No Mercy?

"But I'm innocent!"

Blackgate was dismal. Everyone with two brain cells knew that. It was also not the place to be shouting about your innocence. Firstly, no one gave a damn. Secondly, everyone used that excuse. And thirdly… what are you, stupid? You've just made yourself a target.

Nick shot an irritated glance over her shoulder, across the quad. What was up with that new guy? Didn't he get it? 'Shut up.' Nick snapped mentally in the distressed man's direction, scooting forward a bit on the metal bench she was sitting on. It wasn't often that the guards let her ward out into The Yard, because of their threat level, but one of the gang bosses wanted a day out in the sunshine. Pity it was overcast.

"I swear to you, I didn't do it!"

Nick hunched a little, making the action look like casual laziness. Inside she was cringing. 'Shut up.' Her ears tingled as she waited for the familiar crunch of booted feet. If he insisted on being a pussy, the guards would take him to solitary. If not… something much worse would happen.

"I was set up!"

'You and me both, buddy. Now shut up.' Nick closed her eyes resignedly at the slam of a gated door, inwardly shaking her head at the now silent Yard. Something was building in the air, a tension, dark and thick. Too late. She mouthed. Turning so that she straddled the bench, she let her sight land on the idiot who was too stupid to know not to disturb the peace.

"Please!" The scruffy man shouted at the observation deck, trying it convince the uncaring guards, "I'm telling the tru-"

He finally seemed to notice that he was surrounded in a loose circle, other inmates glaring and some even smiling sickly. Nick glanced over at the gate, spotting the three muscular inmates blocking it. She sighed audibly this time, lifting her other leg over the bench and leaning her elbows on the metal table behind her. Now even she couldn't go back to her cell. But like the few other inmates staying out of the fray, she could watch.

"So you say you got set up, eh?" One of the local gang lords had stepped into the ring, all greased hair and slick strength. He was European; Greek, Italian, a distant relative of the Falconies, maybe. She hated his guts.

His tone was friendly, concerned even. "Me too."

The man smiled hesitantly back. "Oh, then you know what to-"

There was the sharp sound of flesh meeting flesh. The scruffy mans' face was turned to the side, eyes wide with shock. The Boss shook his hand out.

"I wasn't finished."

A swift movement and the man was doubled over, gasping from a punch to the stomach.

"They told me that I'd murdered someone, more like someones, and that I'd raped them first." Another hit and blood went flying, the crowd around them growing restless at the sight.

The Boss crouched next to the beaten man, lifting him by the hair. "Now, would I do something like that? Especially to all those, lovely, beautiful girls?" He let go, standing and looking at the people around him. His arms lifted to pacify.

"But I'm not bitter. I say: shit happens."

His foot shot harshly into his victims' side, making him try to roll away. Another kick stopped the movement and the Bosses voice dropped dangerously, eyes hard.

"What do you say?"

The man on the ground flinched, fear and anger warring on his features. He spat blood, then rasped.

"Shit happens."

The Bosses head bobbed in a nod. "That's right." Turning, he prowled out of the circle of blood thirsty men, past Nick sitting on her bench and through the gate, walking muscle leaving with him.

And then the real beating began.

Later, when all the other inmates had grown bored of the game and left, Nick rose from her seat and made her way to the body. She was surprised to see him breathing, if only faintly, but the wounds were too severe; if he healed he would never be the same again. She looked at his face, bruised and blackened, seeing the man he could have been, the honest goodness that he might have actually had.

Then she stepped on his neck until the breathing stopped and made sure his heart beat had ceased before the guards showed up to move them back to their cells.

That night, fire broke out within the prison, spreading faster than they were able to contain. Whole Wards had to be moved, inmate records getting misplaced as the authorities scrambled to transfer as many as possible to Arkham Asylum for temporary housing.

And if a certain Greek-Italian rapist turned up dead in the confusion? Well, it had been a crazy night.

AN: Eh, kinda a filler chapter. What do ya think?

Review Please!

~Delgodess