chapter 17

Chapter 17: The Mask of Fear

The grand ballroom of City Hall was a spectacle of opulence. Crystal chandeliers glittered from above, and the walls were adorned with luxurious tapestries. People mingled in elegant attire, their voices blending with the soft notes of a string quartet. Bruce Stark, dressed in a sharp, black tuxedo, walked with his usual calm, surveying the room with the ease of a man who had attended hundreds of such events. But his mind was elsewhere.

Tonight wasn't just a birthday celebration for Kate, the mayor's daughter. It was an opportunity—a chance for Bruce to dig deeper into the city's undercurrent of fear and crime. The fear toxin cases had spiked, and he suspected there was someone behind it. Someone who understood fear too well.

He sipped his drink, eyes scanning the crowd, when the mayor himself, a robust man with an easy smile, approached him. "Bruce! Glad you could make it."

Bruce gave a practiced smile. "Wouldn't miss it. It's not every day your daughter turns twenty-one."

The mayor chuckled, then leaned in. "She'll be happy you came. Just be ready—Kate has quite a few friends who want to meet you. You know, the 'genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist.'"

Bruce's grin widened as he responded, "I'm always up for new introductions."

After a few more minutes of small talk, the mayor excused himself, leaving Bruce free to explore the room. His sharp eyes noticed a group of professors from Columbia University gathered around the far end of the ballroom. Their suits were less polished, their conversations more subdued, but their intellect was evident in their expressions.

Bruce made his way over, catching the eye of Dr. Phile Johnson, the head professor of physics at Columbia. "Dr. Johnson," Bruce greeted, extending his hand.

"Mr. Stark," Dr. Johnson replied warmly. "A pleasure. It's an honor to meet someone with your...reputation."

"Likewise," Bruce said with a smile. "I understand you're Kate's professor?"

"Yes, indeed," Johnson said, beaming with pride. "A bright student, full of potential. She has a brilliant mind for quantum physics."

Bruce nodded, half-listening as Johnson praised Kate's academic accomplishments. But his attention shifted when he noticed someone standing alone in the far corner of the room, almost hidden in the shadows. The man was tall, with an angular face, his posture rigid, his eyes cold and detached from the rest of the party.

"Who's that?" Bruce asked, his voice low, nodding toward the man.

Dr. Johnson followed Bruce's gaze and his face tightened with discomfort. "That," he said quietly, "is Dr. Jonathan Crane."

Bruce raised an eyebrow. "Crane? The psychology professor, right? I've heard about him."

Johnson's lip curled with distaste. "Yes, he's the head of the psychology department at Columbia. He's also Kate's teacher this semester. But between you and me, Stark, the man's...unhinged."

Bruce's interest piqued. "What do you mean?"

Dr. Johnson leaned closer, speaking in a hushed tone. "Crane is obsessed with fear. Out of all the topics in psychology, fear is what he fixates on. It's not healthy. A few months ago, he even brought a gun into one of his classes and fired it into the window. Said it was to teach the students what real fear felt like."

Bruce's eyes narrowed. "He shot at his students?"

"Not at them—just near them. But still, it's insane! Of course, the university covered it up. But Crane...he's dangerous, Stark. There's something wrong with him."

Bruce excused himself politely, his mind already racing. He moved toward the corner of the room where Dr. Jonathan Crane stood, as if detached from the festivities around him. The closer Bruce got, the more he could sense something unsettling about the man. His cold, calculating eyes locked onto Bruce as he approached.

"Dr. Crane," Bruce said with his trademark charisma, extending his hand. "Bruce Stark."

Crane hesitated for a moment, his sharp eyes scrutinizing Bruce before shaking his hand, his grip icy. "Ah, Mr. Stark. The city's golden boy." His voice was soft but had an eerie undertone. "What brings you to me?"

Bruce smiled, playing it casual. "I've heard about your...unorthodox teaching methods. I wanted to see for myself if the stories were true."

Crane's thin lips curled slightly. "I see my reputation precedes me. But what is teaching without a bit of...experience? One cannot understand fear without truly feeling it."

Bruce's expression remained calm, but his mind was already racing. "Fear can be a powerful motivator, sure. But terrorizing students—there's a line."

Crane's eyes gleamed with something dark, his smile widening just slightly. "Fear is the most primal emotion, Mr. Stark. It strips us bare, reveals who we really are beneath the masks we wear. To know fear is to understand true power. You can control anyone... if you control their fear."

Bruce remained silent, letting Crane speak, knowing he was revealing more than he realized.

Crane continued, his voice taking on a more obsessive tone. "Fear is not something to be resisted, Mr. Stark. It's a tool. The one true force that governs all human behavior. And the funny thing is..." He leaned in slightly, his voice almost a whisper. "...I can see it in you. You hide it well, but there's fear in you. Something from your past, perhaps?"

Bruce's jaw tightened. "I've faced my fears. I don't let them control me."

Crane smirked. "Ah, but you're wrong. Fear never leaves. It lingers, shapes you, drives you. Even someone like you—rich, powerful, seemingly invincible—carries the weight of it."

Bruce stared back at him, his eyes cold. "You seem awfully sure of yourself, Doctor."

"Because I understand it. I've studied it, lived it, controlled it. And soon, everyone in this city will understand it too."

Bruce felt a chill crawl up his spine, though he remained composed. Crane's obsession with fear was far deeper than he had expected. And now it was clear—Crane wasn't just a professor. He was something far more dangerous.

"I guess we'll see," Bruce said, his voice low, his expression unreadable.

Crane's smile remained as he gave a slight nod. "Oh, I think you'll see much sooner than you think, Mr. Stark."

Bruce took a step back, keeping his eyes on Crane before he turned and left the conversation. As he moved back into the crowd, his mind was already strategizing. Crane was planning something—something involving fear. And if Bruce was right, the city was in more danger than anyone realized.

As Bruce rejoined the crowd, his smile returned, but his thoughts were far from the party. The shadows of fear were creeping into the city, and Bruce Stark knew it was only a matter of time before those shadows overtook them all.

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To be continued...

(A/N): Please leave some power stones if you can. But, also again I am doing Q/N so you can ask any thing about the story. So, ask anything.