FRAIDY CAT
If
Golini
strolled confidently into the City Hall conference room to begin an important
meeting. Several familiar faces smiled
upon his arrival: Bruce Wayne, media mogul Bill Tate, Gotham University
President George Bethard, and Police Commissioner James Gordon.
Bruce
shook the mayor’s hand, as did Gordon.
Taking his seat, Golini put on his reading glasses and opened a folder
in front of him. “After the way last
night’s Council meeting went, it’s good to be among friends for a change.”
Everyone
chuckled.
“This
is our last meeting on preparations for the ‘Gotham Cares’ campaign later in
the month. The
flyers and buttons are being given out all over town
this week. Bruce, as chair of the Events
Committee, can you update us on the schedule?”
“Guess
that leaves me out,” Golini laughed.
“Bruce,”
Gordon said, “I missed the last meeting.
Tell me about the donation thing.”
An
attractive brunette seated to
Bruce
nodded.
“Commissioner,
I’m Sherry Miller, the CEO of Minerva Beauty Products. As Bruce can tell you, in my last few years
at Wayne Enterprises, I really yearned to do something for women. When I left to start Minerva, I didn’t just
want to sell cosmetics--I wanted to sell a message of hope and encouragement
for the women in society who end up on the short end, for whatever reason. Minerva is an affordable lifestyle, an
attitude that says it’s okay to feel good about yourself. You can look nice just for you. Our motto is ‘Minerva. Because you matter.’
“Business
has exceeded even my high expectations.
My assistant was supposed to be here to elaborate--”
At
that moment, a rather flustered raven-haired woman stumbled into the room. Gaining her composure, she walked to the
table and sat down next to Miller. “My apologies for being tardy. There was a bus accident on Fourth, and the
cab had to take a long detour.”
Sherry
smiled reassuringly. “Gentlemen, I’d
like you meet Minerva’s
“Yes.” She reached into her portfolio and produced a
red folder. “Minerva is the
second-fastest growing personal products company in the country, as well as the
most successful startup of the past two years.
Our sales are approaching…well, let’s just say
we’ve met our fourth year sales target in half that time.”
Sherry
continued. “As you can see, we’ve struck
a chord. Now, it’s time to give
something back to the women of
“Thank
you, Ms. Miller,” Gordon replied.
As
the mayor continued to discuss logistics, security, and media coverage, Bruce
looked over slyly at Selina. She emerges
again, he thought. He almost didn’t
recognize her, now that her blonde tresses were black. Had it really been two years since the fiasco
at Stump’s casino? My, time flies.
She
noticed his look and shot him a flirting glance, hoping the others were too
busy watching Golini to notice.
After
the meeting broke up, Bruce chatted with Miller and Golini. “I have seldom been more proud of a former
employee than I am of Sherry. Wayne
Enterprises could not hold her. She had
a dream and a vision that yearned to break free. So I sent her off with my blessing.”
“And
a few dollars,” she said with a smile.
“You might say he bought the first symbolic shares of Minerva’s stock.”
He
smiled back. “It was a bargain.”
She
motioned for Selina. “Bruce, I’d really
like to thank you for recommending Selina to me.”
“You
remember, Bruce,” Selina chimed in. “You
said I could list you as a reference on my resume.”
He
knew he’d never said such a thing to her.
“Oh, yes, of course.”
“When
I saw that, I had to hire her on the spot.
I knew anyone you’d recommend had to be a winner. And she certainly has been one for Minerva
and for me. Well, listen, I’ve got to run.
Selina, you’ll be back in the office after lunch?”
“Yes.”
“See
you then.”
“Lunch,”
Bruce said slowly.
“Would you care to go grab a bite, Miss Kyle?”
Her
eyes gleamed. “Why, I’d be delighted,
Mr. Wayne.”
Picking
up deli sandwiches, they went for a walk through the city plaza. “District manager. Not bad for two years’ work,” he said.
She
looked embarrassed. “Thanks for not
blowing my cover. I’m sorry about the
resume thing. I took your advice and
kept a low profile for a while. I met
Sherry when we both volunteered at the Women’s Haven. She told me about her vision for Minerva, and
I was sold.
When I listed you as a reference, it was my way to let you know I was
doing alright.
I never imagined she wouldn’t call you to follow up.”
He
put his arm around her. “I forgive
you. Again. Say, what’s with the dark hair?”
“Now
that I’m wearing it longer, the blonde really stands out against my…my
uniform,” she said with a wink.
“Ah, so the cat
still prowls.”
“Uh
huh. How have you been doing?”
“Fine. I took on a
partner last year.”
“Oh.”
“A business partner. Well, not exactly business-business. You know, my other business.”
“What’s
her name?”
“Do
I detect some jealousy? His name is Dick Grayson. Young kid, eighteen. Parents were killed by a
mobster. Sound familiar?”
“Too familiar.”
“It’s
okay. I’ve made peace with who I am and
why I do what I do. I’m teaching him the
ropes. I hope he can avoid some of the
pitfalls I went through.”
“Experience
is the best teacher. I’ve learned that.”
“Sometime
I’ll introduce you.”
“Sure.” She looked at her watch. “I’ve got to get back to the office.”
“I
understand. How about
dinner tonight?”
“I’d
love to, but we’ve got a company function.
Tomorrow?”
“It’s
a date.”
Returning
home, he went down to the Batcave. In
the training alcove to the left, Dick Grayson refined his kung fu moves by
practicing kicks on weighted inflatable replicas of the Riddler and Penguin.
“Hya! Unh! Hya!”
Bruce
studied his performance. His kicks were
consistent and accurate. His reflexes
had improved, as well.
Sending
Penguin slamming into the wall, Dick took a break and grabbed a towel.
“I
sure wouldn’t want to get into a fight with you in a dark alley.”
“Hey, Bruce! I’ve
been doing a lot of practicing with those new moves you showed me. I really like ‘em.”
“Good. I’ll teach you some more later
in the week.”
“I’m
just getting the hang of these. Can’t
you wait?”
“You
need to be as sharp as you can at any given moment. That’s why I train and exercise at least an
hour a day.”
“I’m
not you, Bruce.”
“But
you could be. That’s the key.”
Dick
sighed. “Yes, Dad.”
“Not
the ‘C’ word again?”
“It’s
time for you to enroll in college, Dick.”
“Why? I’ve learned everything I need from you.”
“No,
you haven’t. You need a well-rounded
education before you make your way in the world.”
“Make
my way?”
“You’re
not planning to be Robin forever, are you?”
“Why not?”
“You’ve
seen what having a dual identity costs me.
I can’t ask you to make the same choice.”
“Bruce,
there isn’t anything else I want to do.
I want to fight crime.”
“Join
the police. They really need good men.”
“Not
enough fun.”
“Okay,
even if you go through life as Robin, you still need a college education.”
“For what?”
“Chemistry, to study drugs, poisons, and other criminal tools. Biology and psychology, to
understand the human body and mind.
Art, history, and literature, to make sense of the
Western world. Political
science, to appreciate your role as an adjunct law enforcer. Shall I go on?”
“No. Can’t I just learn it from you and Alfred?”
“We
don’t have that much time. Besides, I
can help you apply what you learn to our work.
That way you’ll get the best of both.”
Dick
felt pulled inside. Part of him wanted
to break free from Bruce’s parental authority structure and do his own
thing. The other part immediately
understood the wisdom of his mentor’s words.
He wasn’t sure how to handle these growing pains.
“Think
about it. Enroll and take a couple of
classes at Gotham U in the spring semester.”
Looking
down, Dick said, “Okay.”
Bruce
offered a smile. “Chin up. It’ll be a good experience for you. You’ll be a better Robin when all is said and done.
That’s really what you want, isn’t it?”
“Yeah,
it is.”
Selina
came for dinner the next evening at seven.
Alfred ushered her into the study, where Bruce and Dick were reading.
Bruce’s
face lit up at her appearance. “Selina,
come in. I want you to meet my ward,
Dick Grayson.”
Dick
shook her hand. “A
pleasure, Miss Kyle.”
“Likewise.”
“Selina
and I go back...a few years.”
“Nice to meet you.
Bruce, I’ll leave you two alone.
I’m going riding with my friends.”
“Wear
your helmet,” Bruce called as Dick closed the study door.
“He
wears a helmet to ride horses?”
“Motorcycles.”
“Oh.” She snickered at her obtuseness. “Of course.”
After
Alfred’s sumptuous dinner, Bruce and Selina sat in the den in front of a cozy
fire, glasses of red wine in hand.
“I
didn’t realize how glad I would be to see you again until you walked into the mayor’s meeting.”
“When
we last parted, you weren’t so sure.”
“Time
has a way of making things clearer. And
a lot’s happened inside me since then. I
no longer feel compelled to be Batman. I
choose to. I finally discarded the false guilt over my
parents’ deaths. I’m not in it for
revenge now, I’m in it to bring justice and safety to
“You’ve
said that before.”
“I
said it because I was trying to make myself believe it. Now I do.”
“Good. You seem much more at peace.”
“I think I
am. So, how about you? You hinted earlier that you’ve still got the
catsuit and whip.”
She
laughed. “Yep. I pull them out of the closet every now and
then when I feel like doing some ‘community service’ for the girls.”
“About
nine months ago there was big drop in assaults and rapes, along with an
increase in the number of creeps arrested with cuts and bruises. The press even tried to cook up a police
brutality scandal.”
“Meow,
darling. Just the
fruits of my labor.”
“So
you’re on the side of the law now?”
“I’m
on the side of women, Bruce. Since the
majority of violent crimes occur against women, it seemed the best place to use
my, uh, talents.”
“You’ve
changed.”
“Mmm...evolved.”
“Domesticated?”
“Never.” She planted
a juicy kiss on his lips.
“My, my. District manager by day, feminist crime fighter by night. And I thought I’m complicated.”
“I’ve
done quite well, haven’t I?”
“Very, very well.” He
embraced her, and they kissed passionately.
After
breakfast, Dick started up the stairs, only to be sideswiped
by Selina scurrying down. “Sorry, Dick.”
Bruce
sauntered behind her, all smiles. “Call
me later.”
“I
will. I’ve got
to go home and change before my sales meeting at ten. ‘Bye, darling! ‘Bye Dick!”
The front door slammed.
“Wow,”
Dick muttered in astonishment. “I had no
idea you two were so serious.”
“Like
I told you, we go back.” Bruce headed to
the kitchen to get some orange juice.
“You might even say that when we first met, there was a real animal
magnetism between us.”
“Uh huh.” Dick didn’t
get the joke.
“Don’t
you know who she is?”
“Selina
Kyle. You introduced me last night.”
Bruce
raised his eyebrows. “You mean I never
told you about her?”
“No.”
“She’s
Catwoman.”
“What?”
“Yeah.”
Alarmed,
Dick said, “Bruce, if she finds out--”
“She
knows. Has for years.”
Dick
shook his head. “I’m in the twilight
zone. Batman is dating Catwoman?”
“Sleeping
with the enemy, is that what you’re thinking?”
“Exactly.”
“She’s...reformed. Sort of.”
“She’s
pulling the cowl over your eyes.”
“Remember
the Stump Casino incident? When she
turned against the Joker because he was blackmailing her, she captured him and
saved my life.”
“Do
you trust her?”
“Yes,
I do. For a long time I couldn’t have
said that. She’s kept
her nose clean, crime-wise. She has an
excellent job. We’ve both made peace
with ourselves. I think we’re making
peace with each other.”
“I
don’t know, Bruce. It still seems like a
security risk. If anyone finds out she’s
Catwoman, it could be a big nightmare for you.
‘Billionaire Dates Known Criminal’ headlines and all.”
“I’ve
thought of that. I’m working on a way to
get the mayor to pardon her.”
“Good
luck. Golini is as likely to pardon a
supercriminal as Mr. Freeze is to move to
“I’ve
documented her help. If the mayor gets a
file from Batman asking for amnesty, I think he’ll listen. Batman has a good reputation.”
“Which he could ruin with the wrong woman.”
“It’s
my life, Dick. Don’t make me pull rank
here.”
He
let out a frustrated growl as he walked away.
“I just don’t want you to wreck everything that you’ve
accomplished--that we’ve accomplished--all because you’re blinded by love.”
Though
they stung, Bruce weighed his words. Am
I losing my objectivity, he wondered?
Would this relationship truly take him where he wanted? He honestly couldn’t tell.
Over
lunch at the exclusive Green Room, he decided to lay his emotional cards on the
table for her. However, he didn’t quite
know how to begin.
Fortunately,
she gave him an entrance. “What did Dick
think of me?”
He
swallowed hard. “He thinks you’re a
security risk who can’t be trusted.”
She
gasped, almost choking on her salad.
“You told him off, right?”
“Kind of. I mean,
well, this whole thing is getting much deeper than I ever imagined. I love you, Selina. And that scares me. Not because I’m afraid of commitment, but
because I’m afraid I might be missing something. What if you are a risk? I--I just want to make sure I’m not losing my
head over you.”
“Is
that what you think?”
“No,
but--”
“Look,
Bruce. Face the facts. When we first met, we had an attraction. Before we even knew each other, something was
there. When this side of us met,
something was there. When we put
everything together, it was still there.
Time, space, distance--nothing has changed it. It’s not going away. Last night just reaffirmed it.”
“Still,
I--”
“Bruce,
you need to decide if you want it. I
do. I love you. I want to be with you. I know I first told you that a long time ago.”
“And
then you said you couldn’t live with yourself if you did. No ‘happy ending,’ you told me before you
fried Max Shreck and disappeared.”
“We aren’t the
same people we were back then. But this
attraction, it’s bigger than both of us.
Or all four of us.” She leaned
close. “Think about it. Think about everything we’ve done to try to
kill it. Good Lord, Bruce, we could
write a book on how to destroy a relationship.
If there’s a way to do it, we’ve tried.
But it hasn’t worked. And it
won’t. We belong together. All this coming in and out of each other’s
lives isn’t good. If you want it half as
much as I do, then let’s make it happen.”
“What
if I don’t?”
“Then
we cannot see each other ever again for any reason. I know you aren’t going to leave
“I
know Dick’s wrong about the trust thing.
I trust you. You’ve shown every
sign that your turnaround in life is genuine.
As far as the security aspect goes, I’m not sure. Someone could always find out who I am, they
could find out who you are. It’s an
insecure world. My reputation might help
convince people you’ve reformed.”
“Darling,
if no one’s outed me by now, I doubt they will.
The Joker swore up and down he’d ruin me for helping you, but he hasn’t
done a thing. I’m careful. Besides, it’s not like I have the same long
rap sheet as the rest of your rogues’ gallery.”
“Selina,
I want this relationship, and I want it to work. I’m just not sure how to take it there.” He breathed deeply. “Let’s stay with it, and when I’m less busy
after the Gotham Cares campaign, we’ll look at where we need to go. Okay?”
She
smiled. “Okay.”
“I
don’t want to lose you. It would be a
tragic mistake. I have to take the time
to do this right.”
“I
understand. Like Sherry says, ‘If you
don’t have time to do it right, when will you have time to do it over?’”
“That
woman is a genius. I couldn’t have said
it any better.” He finished the last
bite of his chicken. “You free tonight?”
She
gave him a bedroom eyes look. “What’d
you have in mind?”
“Champagne
bubblebath for two.”
“Sounds
delightfully…effervescent!”
Around
Several
men in overcoats rapidly moved a stack of tightly wrapped brown bundles from
the boat to the back of a white Ford van.
One of the men dropped a bundle on the dock and it split. The night ocean breeze whirled its powdery
contents into a white cloud which drifted over the dock.
“For
Pete’s sake, Joe. Be careful. That’s a hundred grand worth of blow you just
got all over us.”
“Sorry,
Mac. It slipped.”
“Shut
the freak up, both of you. You wanna
broadcast what we’re doing here?”
“Back
off, Danny. Go start the van and make
yourself useful.”
Ten
minutes later, the offload was complete.
As Mac locked the back of the van, one of
“This is the
police. Stop! You are under arrest. Put your hands behind your heads and lay down
slowly.”
“Motherfreakin’
crap!” Danny stepped down from the
van. Busted!
As
the officers moved in closer, three men in the boat stood up, their hands in
the air. “No shoot! No shoot!”
Soon
afterward, Joe started breathing heavily on the ground. Without warning, he stood up, grabbed a
length of pipe, and charged at the police sergeant in front. “Yaaaahhh!”
The
cop tried to dodge, but it was too late.
Joe’s pipe caught him squarely in the temple and smashed his skull.
Four
other men jumped to their feet and picked up whatever weapons they could
find--chains, axes, two-by-fours--and attacked the officers like screaming,
savage warriors. Danny grabbed a
semiautomatic and sprayed the area.
Another officer fell.
Startled
and confused, the surviving policemen regrouped and fell back.
Shooting and
swinging, the men kept charging in their direction.
The
lieutenant in command yelled, “Fire!”
In
seconds, gunshots blanketed the dockside, and all six men were slain.
As
the lieutenant called for backup, two cops looked over the carnage. The corpses all had expressions of rage on
their faces, but their eyes were wide open in fear.
Trembling,
one officer said, “What was that all about?”
“I
don’t know, man. I don’t know, but I
never want to see it again.”
Moving
quietly, he hurried down to the Batcave, donned his black suit, and sped off
toward police headquarters in the Batmobile.
“Commissioner,
you’re working awfully late,” Batman said when he entered Gordon’s dimly lit
office.
“They
called me back in. My men made a serious
drug bust by the
“Cocaine?”
“That’s
what we thought, but the field lab’s tests showed it was not.”
“What
is it?”
“They
don’t know. It’s something new, but it’s
definitely not heroin or coke. The
regular lab won’t be open until morning, and I need to know what we’re facing
right away. Here’s a sample.” Gordon handed over a vial.
“I
have some testing equipment in the car.
I’ll run an analysis and give you a readout in twenty minutes.”
“Thank
you, Batman.”
“One
question. Why is it so important to have
an answer tonight?”
“It
just is.”
True
to his word, the Dark Knight came back exactly twenty minutes later with a
small thermal printout.
“Your
verdict?” Gordon asked.
“It’s
a previously unknown chemical compound with a fairly straightforward
makeup. It could be manufactured in
large quantities using a lab of medium sophistication. It has extremely high psychosis-inducing
properties and can probably create or intensify anxiety and agitation
levels. The granular structure is very
fine, indicating high dispersion in air or liquids. Contact with the skin would also likely
result in elevated absorption levels. A
dosage of as little as thirty micrograms would create an intense hallucinogenic
experience. Snorted or injected, this
stuff could create a ‘high’ that makes LSD look like aspirin.”
“Oh,
Lordy.”
“If
the drug spreads through the user community,
“You
don’t know the half of it.” Gordon told
him about the incident at the dock.
“So
everything was under control, and all of a sudden the creeps just went ape?”
“That’s
what my men reported. One of them said a
bag of the junk spilled open while they were under surveillance.”
“Logical. The powder contacted their skin and became
airborne. So it can also act very
quickly on the central nervous system.”
“There’s
one more bit of bad news. My men only
got half the shipment. The other half
was already unloaded and trucked somewhere else. Batman, we have to find those drugs before
they hit the street.”
“Agreed. Have you had any luck tracing the shipment?”
“Minimal. It arrived by private boat from
somewhere. The dock they used is leased
by a dummy company with phony Chinese registration. The van has expired out of state plates. VIN shows last owner was a salvage yard in
“I’ll
check them out. They may move everything
before you get that warrant.”
Sometimes,
even Batman isn’t fast enough. Reaching
Fiesta around eleven, he walked right in through the wide open loading
door. The place was deserted.
Even
the office sat unlocked. He saw hastily
emptied file cabinets, ledgers with missing pages, and mounds of shredded
paper. In one room, he found a polished
pair of men’s dress shoes. Whoever was
here departed in haste, probably within an hour after police raided the dock.
He
decided to look more closely at the dark warehouse. No vehicles, no papers, and certainly no
traces of the drugs. Nothing
except...the strong feeling someone was watching him. Standing still, he looked around. Even though he saw no one and heard nothing,
his instincts told him he wasn’t alone.
A
brief shuffling sound high above confirmed it.
“Hey,
Batman!” a voice called.
He spun around.
A
figure hidden in the shadows dumped a bucket of water on him and laughed.
Not
the least bit amused, he shook off the shower and darted up the closest stairway. When he reached the catwalk, he glanced
around. The prankster had vanished.
In
the parking lot, a car started and barreled away, burning rubber as it went.
Unable
to pursue the stranger, and with the warehouse completely devoid of evidence,
he saw no reason to remain.
“Gordon.”
“Commissioner,
Fiesta was picked clean by the time I arrived,” he explained on his car phone
as he sped home.
“Damn! Right at square one again.”
“I’ll
put Robin on it and call you tomorrow.”
“Let’s
pray those drugs don’t get out tonight.”
“Or ever.”
Back in the cave,
Bruce unsuited and began running some computer searches. Yawning, he checked the time.
“Hi, Bruce.” It was Dick.
He yawned
again. “You’re up rather late.”
“Barbara Gordon
and I went to a concert. You’re up late
yourself. Rather play with your
computers than Selina?”
“Dick, that’s out
of line. Gordon put on the Batsignal.”
“I’m sorry,
Bruce.”
“We’ve got a very
bad situation developing. A new and
extremely dangerous psychotic drug may soon hit the streets. It could turn junkies into paranoid killers.”
“So what’s she
like?”
“What?”
“Selina. Is she good in bed?”
“Dick, what is
going on? It’s not like you to be so
rude.”
“I bet a lot of
guys think she’s really hot, too.”
Bruce grabbed him
by the collar. “Shut up! You’re being very vulgar and insulting to the
woman I love.”
“I wonder who else
she’s been with. Riddler, maybe?”
“That’s
enough!” Bruce belted him in the jaw,
and he toppled to the floor. “Get out of
my house!”
Standing up, Dick
just smiled. “What’s the matter, old
Bat? Worried she might be sleeping
around?”
“Get out of here
before I kill you!” Bruce tackled him
and wrapped his fingers around his throat.
Dick set him
reeling with a hard kick to the groin and a punch in the mouth.
Leaping to his
feet, Bruce speared Dick’s belly with his head and slammed him into the
computer bank while pounding his face.
Retaliating with a
double jab to Bruce’s eyes, Dick pushed him off and assumed a kung fu
stance. He then administered a stinging
kick to the ribs.
Staggering back,
Bruce groped for a weapon. Feeling his
Batarang blade on top of a work table, he grasped it.
A panicked look
crossed Dick’s face. “No, Bruce! Don’t!
Stop!”
Bruce flung the
blade with all the fury he could muster.
Its razor edge whistled in the air and surgically sliced through half of
Dick’s neck.
Making a sick
gurgling sound, the boy collapsed and died.
A feeling of utter
horror gripped Bruce. Disoriented and
breathless, he clambered out of the cave.
Racing drunkenly through the darkened mansion, he staggered up the
stairs.
As he burst
through the bedroom door, he blurted out, “Selina! Help me!
I killed him!”
Selina bolted
upright. “Bruce! What’s wrong?”
“I killed him,” he
panted. “I killed Dick!” Bursting into sobs, he explained, “We got
into a fight and I killed him!”
Alarmed, she gave
him a hug and tried to calm him down.
“Darling, it must’ve been a nightmare.
You would never hurt Dick.”
“Yes, I did!” he
shouted. “He was insulting you. We got into a fight in the Batcave and I
killed him. Look, he hit me in the
face. My lips are bleeding!”
“Darling, your
lips looks fine.” She kissed them.
He yanked her out
of bed. “Come on, I’ll show you!” Dragging her down the stairs, he stumbled
several times and nearly fell in the dark.
The lights went
on, and Alfred appeared. “Something the
matter, sir?”
“I killed
Dick! Down in the Batcave, come on!”
Alfred looked at
Selina, who just shook her head.
The trio entered
the subterranean cave.
“Right over there,”
Bruce yelled. “I threw the Batarang and
it nearly cut his head off. Over there,
by the…. Where is he? Where’s the body?”
Alfred and Selina
could see some sort of struggle had taken place. Overturned chairs and papers scattered all
around spoke of a great commotion. But
there was absolutely no blood and no body anywhere.
“Come, Master
Bruce. Let’s go back. I’ll get you some water.” Alfred gently urged him out of the Batcave.
Covered in sweat,
but breathing more slowly, he made his way to the study and fell on the sofa.
Selina accompanied
Alfred to the kitchen. “Does he ever get
like this?”
“No, Miss
Kyle. I’ve never seen anything like it
before.” He poured a large glass of
water.
“What do you think
it is? Stress, maybe?”
“He has had a lot
on his plate this week.”
“I hope it isn’t
me.”
“Miss Kyle, you
are the brightest spot in his life of late.
He seems so much more energized when you’re around. Still, I have occasionally worried that all
this Batman business might one day make him go over the edge. One can’t be inside the criminal mind as much
as he is and not be affected.”
“Oh, I hope you’re
wrong, Alfred.”
“Give him
this. It has a mild sedative in it.”
She took the water
and handed it to Bruce, who sat up and guzzled it down.
Dick appeared in
the study doorway. “Hi, everybody.” Noting the scene, he asked, “What’s going
on? Is Bruce alright?”
“Master Dick! We were wondering where you were.”
“I just got back
from taking Barbara Gordon to the symphony, Alfred. What’s wrong with Bruce?”
“Nothing.”
Dick frowned. “I think I just got in on the third act of
this play. Can somebody clue me in?”
“Master Bruce had
a very bad dream.”
“It wasn’t a
dream, Alfred. I was wide awake.” He dried his tears. “Dick, I thought I killed you in the Batcave. We had an argument that turned into a fight,
and I killed you. It seemed so real....”
Selina said,
“Well, whatever it was, it’s over. Go
back to bed, sweetie. I’ll be up in a
few minutes.”
“I can’t. Dick, we have work to do. A new drug threat is facing
“Darling, I’ll get
you to the bedroom. Just put your arm
around me. Careful.”
While Selina
climbed the stairs with Bruce, Dick turned to Alfred. “Did he get hit in the head, or something?”
“I really don’t
know. The Batsignal was on earlier. He went out with the car, so he could’ve
gotten involved in almost anything out there.”
“What was that
about a drug?”
“Must be something
he learned tonight. I’m afraid you’ll
have to wait for him to tell you in the morning.”
Before he slipped
off to sleep, Bruce had one final, terrifying thought: Am I losing my mind?
Alfred’s sedative
did the trick. After sleeping restfully
for nine hours, he awoke feeling clear headed.
He showered, grabbed a bagel and some fruit, and headed down to the
Batcave. It took him ten minutes to
clean up the damage from whatever had transpired the night before.
Dick came down to
see about him. “Morning, Bruce. How are you?”
“Better. I still don’t know what happened to me.”
“Tell me what you
remember.”
He relayed
everything from seeing the Batsignal to the hallucination of killing Dick.
“You must have
come in contact with the drug somehow.”
“I was very
cautious when I tested it. I didn’t
spill any in the car. There wasn’t a
trace of it in the warehouse. Wait--the
bucket of water! Whoever dumped that
water on me put the drug in it.”
“Man, it must be
some drug. Six guys go into a homicidal
rage. Batman imagines murdering his
partner.”
“That’s exactly
why the commissioner and I are so worried.
It won’t take long for the drug to get on the street, and once it does,
any junkie could become a freaked out killing machine.”
“I would’ve
thought even the drug lords wouldn’t stoop that low.”
“I don’t think
they did, Dick.”
“What do you
mean?”
“I think there’s a
twisted mind behind this whole thing.
Last night was a warning.
Commissioner Gordon said the tip about the smugglers came from an
anonymous phone call, not their normal network of drug informants. Somebody wanted the police to find it.”
“And they probably
knew the Fiesta warehouse would be checked out.”
“So they sent a
message. Even Batman is powerless against
the drug.”
“So what chance
does the rest of
“Not exactly. If they wanted to target the whole city, they
wouldn’t begin with a small subset like the junkies. They’d taint the water supply, or do aerial
spraying. No, this is something more
insidious.” He pondered everything for a
moment. “Bring up the map of
Dick complied.
“Now, think about
this. Junkies are all over the
city. If just one freaks out here, and
here, and here, and here, you have the potential for a terrorist-type incident
in four parts of town. What might the
people think in response?”
“It could happen
anywhere. When will it be my turn?”
“Precisely. Then imagine someone putting a cupful of the
drug in the Mercantile Exchange ventilation system. Next week, at the museum. Then City Hall.”
“Those kinds of
attacks are nearly impossible to prevent.
The city would be paralyzed with fear.”
“Yes. Fear--the most powerful weapon in the
criminal arsenal, and the favorite tool of--”
“The Scarecrow!”
Dick blurted.
“It has to
be. The psychotic drug, fear-inducing
random attacks...Dr. Crane’s M.O. for sure.”
“How do we stop
him?”
“By thinking like
he thinks, and he’s thinking like a terrorist.
Go beyond streetcorner addicts dishing out random violence. What kind of targets do terrorists really
like?”
“Big ones. Symbolic things.”
Bruce said,
“Things like the upcoming Gotham Cares campaign.”
“Whoa! As my friend in the Air Force says, that’s a
‘target-rich environment.’”
“The city has too
much riding on the campaign to cancel it.
That would send a whole host of negative messages. We’ll have to stop Scarecrow before he acts,
whatever his plans may be. Dick, I want
you to follow up on the results of those searches I ran last night. I’m interested in any other buildings owned
or leased by Fiesta Importers or Crane.”
“What about the
risk to the campaign?”
“It’s only a hunch
at this point, but I’ll send a message to Commissioner Gordon, anyway.”
Gordon called an
emergency meeting of the Gotham Cares planning committee that afternoon at
three. “I’m glad you all could come on
such short notice,” he said right after Bruce took his seat at the table.
Mayor Golini
replied, “I know you hate meetings, Jim, so it must be important.”
“It is, indeed,” the
commissioner replied. “I received a very
disturbing note from Batman this morning.
Based on my department’s recent investigations, as well as information
he’s uncovered on his own, he believes the Scarecrow is planning a series of
terrorist-style attacks on the city using a deadly new psychosis-inducing
drug. These attacks may--may-- target one or more of the Gotham
Cares events.”
“What should we
do?” Sherry Miller asked.
“I think it’s
obvious. As a precaution, we should
cancel the whole thing. For a possible
attack of this type, I cannot guarantee the security of your events, even if I
had twenty thousand men. And those
events would certainly be a juicy target for a mastermind like the Scarecrow.”
“That’s it,
Commissioner?” Bill Tate asked, not believing what he heard. “That’s your response, to cancel Gotham
Cares? Mr. Mayor, the city needs this
campaign. Are you seriously going to
consider scrapping everything and waste tens of thousands of dollars, all on
the word of a recluse who dresses like a bat and comes out only at night? We’d be the laughingstock of the nation.”
“Batman provides
an invaluable service to
Gotham University
President George Bethard tapped his pen on the table. “I agree with Mr. Tate. I’m not disputing the help Batman provides
us, but to cancel an entire week’s worth of events that will be so beneficial
to the city is madness. Even if Batman
is right and this Scarecrow is going to do exactly what he says, we should
never retreat. It’s what he wants. Terrorists want you to be afraid. If we give in, it only strengthens them and
weakens us.”
Tate asked,
“Commissioner, have you received any tangible threats directed at Gotham
Cares?”
“No, sir.”
“Then it would be
ridiculous to cancel even one event. We
just can’t.”
“Mr. Tate,” Gordon
said with clenched teeth, “this city has seen before what Scarecrow can
do. He’s not to be taken lightly. Batman--”
“Batman, Batman,
Batman. Mr. Mayor, maybe if Commissioner
Gordon and his police force did a better job,
“Tate, if you
think you can do a better job of protecting--”
“Alright,
alright! Everybody just calm down for a minute,”
Golini shouted. “We’re not here to throw
insults or debate the merits of Batman.
Commissioner, can you provide extra security for Gotham Cares,
especially for the park and the charity ball?”
“I can double the
detail, yes, sir. But I reiterate: I
cannot guarantee the security of either event from an airborne or waterborne
drug.”
“Commissioner,”
Bruce said, “I have had certain security measures in place for years at Wayne
Manor. With your increased presence, I
think we can make the ball safe.”
Golini said, “I
appreciate your concerns, Jim. But in
the absence of a specific threat, I see no reason to cancel Gotham Cares. If something should change, I’ll reconsider. Meanwhile, let’s focus our energies on
finding the Scarecrow and his new drug before the campaign. Jim, that gives your men less than three
weeks.”
“We’re already on
it.”
“You know,” Tate
said, “we should all come to the costume ball dressed as scarecrows to thumb
our noses at him and say we’re not afraid.
In fact, that’s just what I’ll do.
Is anybody with me?”
Miller said, “I
like it.”
Bethard
nodded. “Not just Scarecrow, but how
about Joker and Penguin as well? We can
give a good old fashioned middle finger salute to all the criminals in
Although he shared
the sentiment, Bruce thought it was the worst idea he’d heard all week.
Dick was waiting
for him in the Batcave when he returned.
“I found something.”
“Good or bad?”
“Good. Dr. Crane’s old office has never sold. It’s been closed and boarded up for years,
but it’s still in his name. Here’s what
really curious. The abandoned law
offices next door were purchased five months ago by Fiesta Importers.”
“Great work,
Dick. Tonight we’ll make a doctor’s
appointment.”
Crane’s former
office was located on a derelict block half a mile south of
Sending Robin
around to the law offices, Batman stealthily entered the side door of Crane’s
place. Although the front of the office,
visible from the outside, was deserted, he noticed that its appearance seemed
somehow staged, as if it were a carefully constructed movie set. The disorder was not random, and it looked
far too clean to have been empty for a number of years.
Going down the
hallway, he saw light escaping from under a backroom door. Moving to investigate, he heard the floor
creak behind him.
“Boo!”
Whirling around in
the dark, he found himself facing the Scarecrow.
Dressed in a brown
coat and trademark floppy hat, Crane concealed his face behind a hideous burlap
scarecrow mask which also served as protection against his own powders and
gases. “Did I scare you, Batman?”
“No. Try harder next time.”
“I wondered how
long it would take for you to track me down.
Did you like my little surprise last night?”
“The water laced
with your LSD knockoff?”
“You insult
me! My drug is much better than
LSD. That’s child’s play. Did you like the hallucinations? Feel like killing anybody?”
“I’ve had better
nights.”
“How about another
surprise?”
Before Batman
could react the Scarecrow flung a handful of powder in his face, then darted
away.
Sneezing and
coughing, Batman dropped to his knees.
When he could see again, he charged after Crane, but the man could not
be found. Turning a corner, he ran
through a newly-cut doorway that connected the old law office to Crane’s.
Robin jogged to
meet him. “Nothing over here. What did you find?”
“Scarecrow. He threw his drug in my face. Drive me home quickly, before it takes
effect.”
Both men hurried
to Crane’s office and retraced the route back to the door where Batman had
entered.
“Did you get
anything useful?” Robin asked when they reached the street.
“I didn’t have
time to look before--”
Crane’s office
building exploded in a flaming ball. The
blast’s force pushed the Dynamic Duo to the ground. A few seconds sooner, and....
Picking themselves
up, they trotted another half block to the Batmobile. They were about to climb inside when they
heard a scream.
Across the street,
two hoodlums roughed up a young Hispanic hooker. “Help!”
Batman raced over
to her. He grabbed the first mugger and
threw him to the pavement. Picking up
the second, he hurled him down a large manhole.
The girl
disappeared.
The man on the
sidewalk produced a gun and fired point blank at Batman’s chest.
The Dark Knight
kicked the gun out of his hand and smashed the man’s face into the wall. It felt so good, he did it again. And again.
And again.
Robin pulled on
his arm. “Batman! Stop!
He’s out. You don’t need to kill
him.”
Batman angrily
flung the creep to the ground and turned on his partner. “Leave me alone!”
Robin ducked as
Batman swung at him. He narrowly escaped
a left hook, but Batman’s right cross connected with his chin. Stumbling backward, he slipped on a patch of
oil and fell hard, striking his head on the curb.
Looking around,
Batman saw two black clad figures in scarecrow masks carrying clubs. A third appeared behind him, swinging a
length of chain. A fourth walked up
slowly, his hands holding a blackjack.
Trying to steel
himself for the fight, Batman noted a strange fear and disorientation surging
through his body. He swung limply at the
man with the blackjack. “No, please
don’t hurt me! No! Don’t hit me, please!”
A blow struck his
head, and he lost consciousness.
When he awoke, his
mind felt groggy, and he had no idea where he was. A single soft light shone overhead.
Unable to move his
arms, he realized he was tied to a chair.
The unmasked Scarecrow stood in front of him.
Smoothing his
hair, Crane smiled. “Twice now, you’ve
had the privilege of experiencing my Phobos drug. What do you think?”
“You’re insane.”
“It’s so easy to
dismiss what we don’t understand, isn’t it?
You have no idea the power this drug has. You’ve only received mild doses. Imagine what it’s like at full strength.”
“What do you
want?”
“Such a pedantic
question. I want revenge--against you,
against this city, against all the arrogance and pomposity of people who live
like they’re better than everyone else!”
“Revenge is a
costly pursuit.”
“Some things are
worth any price.”
“I will stop you.”
“No. No, I’m afraid you’re quite wrong there,
Batman. Oh, I know you’ll try. But you won’t succeed. You see, your enemy is not Scarecrow. It’s the tiny little grains of Phobos
powder. Anywhere my darlings go, Phobos
can go with them. And I have several
variants, each creating slightly different symptoms. Variety is
the spice of life. And death.” He laughed.
The Caped Crusader
made no reply.
“Isn’t this where
you’re supposed to say, ‘You’ll never get away with it, Dr. Crane?’”
After a few
moments of silence, Batman replied, “I like playing against type.”
A light came on in
front of him. He saw an observation
window which revealed a room on the other side of the wall. A pair of teenage boys were shoved into the
room. Another man dressed like the thugs
who captured him threw steak knives in and locked the door.
“A demonstration,”
Crane said. “Two adolescents, each given
a soda laced with full-strength Phobos half an hour ago. What do you think they’ll do?”
“The twist?”
Crane struck his
cowl. “Shut up, you Batbrain! Someday, I will kill you. I’ll find a glorious way to frighten you to
death. But not tonight. Tonight, you will be my messenger. Observe.”
At first, the boys
eyed each other suspiciously. Then they
exchanged words. Progressing into an
argument, they began getting physical.
Punches and kicks led to stabbings and slashings once they picked up the
knives.
Unable to watch
any more, Batman closed his eyes.
Within four
minutes, the boys were mortally wounded, yet they did not stop fighting until
they died from loss of blood.
Grinning at the
sight, Crane turned off the light in the death room.
Batman opened his
eyes to the dark. “You have to be the
most reprehensible man on earth.”
“Your opinion
means nothing to me. I want you to
remember what you just saw. Remember how
you felt tonight and last night.
Remember your thoughts, and tell the mayor and Commissioner Gordon, because
that is what’s coming to
Batman began to
struggle with his bindings.
“Relax. It’s not Phobos. Just something to put you out for a little
while.”
Batman came to an
hour later. He was lying on his back
between two dumpsters in an alley on the other side of town from where he’d
been captured. Although tired, he seemed
none the worse for wear, considering all he’d been through.
He noticed a
folded piece of paper between his utility belt and suit. Pulling it out, he saw it was a Gotham Cares
flyer--with one letter added. “GOTHAM
SCARES,” it now read.
Removing the
transmitter from his belt, he called the Batmobile. It was too far to walk home.
Selina, Dick, and
Alfred all met him when the car pulled in.
Quickly shedding his Batsuit, he embraced Selina tightly.
“Thank God you’re
okay. We feared the worst after Dick
said you disappeared.”
Bruce looked up at
Dick, who sported a bandage on his forehead and an ugly bruise on his
chin. “I’m sorry, Dick.”
Grayson put his
arm around his mentor’s shoulder. “No
apology necessary. I know you were under
the influence of Scarecrow’s drug.”
“May I get you
anything, sir?”
“A hot cup of
coffee, Alfred.”
Selina helped him
to a chair. “What did they do to you?”
Bruce spent the
next fifteen minutes describing his two encounters with the Scarecrow.
Frowning, Selina
said, “I’ve heard of evil, but this takes the cake. Making two kids kill each other to
demonstrate the power of his drug? How
sick can a man get?”
“When the man is
Jonathan Crane, there’s no limit.”
“Can you stop
him?”
“In theory,
no. He has all the advantages: method,
location, time, manpower.”
“But in practice?”
Dick asked.
“Yes. We have to draw him out. We have to give him something so tempting, he
feels compelled to do the job in person.”
“What could that
be?” Selina wondered.
“Batman.”
“You?”
“He hates me. Tonight he even reiterated his threat to
frighten me to death one day. I’ll just
become a visible, irresistible target.”
“How?” Dick asked.
“By surrounding
myself with everything he hates:
“The costume
ball!” Selina said.
“He may already be
planning to strike it, but the presence of Batman should guarantee he’ll be
there.”
“You want him to attack here?” asked Dick.
“The city may
suffer some small incidents between now and then. That can’t be helped, and we need to prepare
for it. But forcing him to focus on the
ball may spare
“You’re taking a
big risk, sir. Someone will almost
certainly get hurt. Or worse.”
“I don’t like
exposing my friends to danger, Alfred.
You know that. But I’d rather
have it happen here where I can control the environment, rather than a crowded
bus or a packed office building.”
“What if Scarecrow
smells a trap?”
“His ego makes him
think he can outsmart me, Dick, so he probably won’t care.”
“How do we let him
know you’ll be at the ball?”
“Publicity. We put the word out in the media that the
benefit is such a worthy cause, even Batman will be there.”
“I’ll prepare a
press release for you in the morning, sir.”
Before the sun
rose, Commissioner Gordon was at his office.
Golini’s refusal to cancel Gotham Cares left him with a huge security
headache. He’d never had to deal with an
invisible enemy who could strike anywhere, anytime. Worse yet, no one might know an attack had
occurred until the victims became violent.
Batman did not
help matters when he showed up with confirmation of Scarecrow’s plot. Nor did Gordon like the sound of his
solution.
“That’s mighty
expensive bait you’re proposing to dangle in front of Scarecrow. Everybody who’s anybody in
“Commissioner, I
don’t take the notion of playing with people’s lives lightly. But if we don’t lure Scarecrow out and take
the best chance we have of apprehending him, he and his men can ultimately
threaten every resident.”
“You’re asking the
folks who make this city what it is to be on the front lines of a crime
war. That’s the job of my men.”
“They already are
on the front lines. Every inch of the
city is a front line. But think about
this. The theme of the event is ‘Gotham
Cares.’ We’re trying to send a message
to the citizenry that the city is concerned for their lives and well-being, and
that they should care for others. Isn’t
it in keeping with the theme for the people at the ball to put their mouths
where their money is?”
“You’re putting
them at risk without their consent.”
“Scarecrow’s
already done that. I believe he intends
to target the ball anyway. But if we put
out the word that I’ll be there, maybe we can beat him at his own game.”
“Will Robin be
there? I’d certainly feel better if you
had some inside backup.”
“I wouldn’t do
this without him. And I think I can
count on help from another old friend.”
“Who?”
“Catwoman.”
“Catwoman? The last thing we need there is another
criminal.”
“When she save the
day for me at the casino two years ago, I told you I believed she was trying to
reform. I can tell you with confidence
that she has. I’m working up a petition
for clemency from the mayor.”
“Really? All right, if you trust her, that’s good
enough for me.”
A red glow
appeared on the horizon outside Gordon’s window. Dawn was minutes away.
“I wonder when
it’s going to start. I briefed my
lieutenants on what to watch out for during patrols. They’re nervous, Batman. After the dock incident, they don’t know what
might happen out there. Every call could
be the one.”
“If your men are
afraid, Commissioner, it’s already started.”
The Dark Knight
was right, if not prophetic. In the
following week, four incidents involving street people or addicts
occurred. A homeless man with a baseball
bat demolished a sidewalk café, severely injuring three women. A vagrant pushed a tourist in front of a
speeding train. A junkie near the
The public began
demanding answers, and a day after the fourth incident, Mayor Golini summoned
Gordon to his office. Shoving the
morning paper across his desk, he said, “Look at that headline. ‘
“It’s the
Scarecrow, sir.”
“Yes. You as much as warned me. But what are you doing about it? People want reassurance. An editorial on page thirteen says, and I
quote, ‘Are Gotham’s police powerless to stop this outbreak of violence among
the city’s downtrodden? If
“I have men
sweeping through every part of the city trying to get that new drug off the
street. But it’s kind of hard, since
cops aren’t exactly a junkie’s best friend.
We’re closing up every shooting gallery we can find, confiscating
needles and syringes, but it’s going to take a lot of time to cover the entire
city.”
“I’m having a
press conference at ten, and for the first time in my political life, I’m going
to stand there and lie through my teeth about all this so we don’t send
everyone into a panic.”
“There are going
to be more of these incidents, sir.”
“I know that. And to anticipate your next question, no, I’m
still not canceling Gotham Cares. I want
you to catch the Scarecrow.”
“Batman and I are
working on it.”
“Crap, we’re down
to Batman again?”
“He’s planning to
be at the charity ball as an added security measure. He thinks the ball is Scarecrow’s most likely
target, as well as our best chance to stop him.”
“What about your
men?”
“We are going to
surround Wayne Manor with officers and plainclothes.”
“Good, because if
any of those moneybag guests get hurt, you and I will both be in the hot seat.”
As glibly as he
could, Golini prepared to tell lie after lie to the people who elected him, all
for their own good. Has it really come
to this, he asked himself.
He began his press
conference with a prepared statement.
“Good morning, citizens of
“Mayor Golini, do
you have any idea what caused these homeless men and drug users to become so
violent?”
“Yes, we do. It appears that a new type of hallucinogenic
drug, similar to LSD, has hit the streets.
From what I’m told, its side effects include a strong tendency toward
violence. We are working even as I speak
to sweep the drug off the streets and locate its source.”
“Mr. Mayor, are
these attacks connected in any way?”
“Not that I’m
aware of, other than, as I said, they seem to involve a new drug.”
“Any chance that
terrorists are behind this? Could they
be creating new footsoldiers out of addicts?”
“We have no
evidence of terrorism or any other organized plot.”
“Will Gotham Cares
be cancelled or postponed?”
“No. We do not see this as related at all to the
Gotham Cares events.”
Bruce turned off
his television. “I feel sorry for Mayor
Golini, Dick. But he’s doing the right
thing. Keeping the public’s level of
fear down is the best way to thwart Scarecrow right now.”
“It’s going to get
worse before it gets better, isn’t it?”
“Most likely. With only ten days to go until Gotham Cares
starts, Scarecrow will probably keep the heat on. But he can’t go too far, or the mayor will
cancel it, and he’ll lose the target he’s been hoping for.”
“I bet stopping
the campaign would make people more angry than scared.”
Bruce
chuckled. “I know a lot of folks who
will be furious if it’s cancelled. What
are you going to wear to the costume ball?”
Dick waved an
imaginary sword around. “Zorro.”
“Just keep your
Robin suit close by. You’ll need it
before the evening ends.”
“What’s Selina
coming as?”
“I don’t
know. We haven’t discussed it. She could come in a paper bag and still look
smashing.”
“You really love
her, don’t you?”
“I’m going to
propose after the ball.”
“Uh-huh.” Dick felt like he’d just lost the big
game. “That’s going to change things for
us, isn’t it? With Catwoman as your new
partner, it won’t leave much room for me.”
“Nonsense. She’s not going to be my partner like you are
now. She doesn’t want to fight crime all
the time. Dick, you’ve been an enormous
help to me. I want that to
continue. You have so much left to
learn, so many ways I can help you be what you want to be.”
“Bruce, for a
while I’ve been thinking about going out on my own. Maybe do for some kids what you’ve done for
me. If you guys get married, it would be
a logical time to bow out.”
“I knew this would
come up someday. I don’t think you’re
ready, but I can’t force you to stay.
Let’s take a little time to think it over and discuss it after Gotham
Cares.”
“Yeah. With Scarecrow on the loose, it’s not a good
time to make changes in the team.”
Over the next
seven days, three more incidents occurred, though they were not as bad as the
first ones. A college girl high on
Phobos smashed plate glass windows of several boutiques downtown. A homeless man in the
The third report
was different. Several pimps and pushers
got roughed up by a mysterious figure in black.
Two prostitutes reported having their lives saved by the same shadowy
creature.
Folding his
newspaper, Bruce smiled at Selina over the breakfast table. “I wondered how you were spending the nights
you didn’t spend with me.”
“Meow,” she
purred. “Gotham Cares just has me in a
charitable mood, I guess. Besides, the
exercise is good for me.”
“Just be
careful. There’s a lot more police
around now, and I don’t want you to get caught.”
“You know I can
take care of myself.”
“I like to take
care of you, too.” He stood up and gave
her a kiss. “What are you wearing to the
costume ball?”
“I counted on
coming as Catwoman. You’ll need me
against the Scarecrow.”
“Don’t you think
that’s a little risky? The police are
more apt to mistake you for Scarecrow’s ally.
Your reputation isn’t exactly clean.”
“It’s a costume party, Bruce. Come on.
It’s no more risky than you dressing as Batman. Why not just yell out, ‘Hey everybody, I’m
really him’? Once the Scarecrow attacks
and you leap to the rescue, they’re going to figure it out, anyway.”
“There are still
things you don’t know about me. I have a
foolproof way to do it, one that’s worked before.”
“You need me ready
to pounce as your backup.”
“There’s more than
one way you can back me up. What I
really need is someone in the Batcave to keep an eye on all the cameras. Alfred will be busy serving, and Dick’s going
to be covering the ballroom with me. How
about you being my eyes? Get suited up
and watch everything in the cave. At the
first sign of trouble, come join us.”
“Okay. In case Scarecrow seals off the ballroom,
that leaves me free to move around and save your Bat tail. Again.”
She kissed him.
“Selina Kyle, what
would I do without you?”
Another kiss. “Don’t even think about it.”
No more incidents
occurred in the week leading up to Gotham Cares. Each day of the campaign passed in agonizing
slowness for Gordon and Golini. The park
event went without a hitch. So did the
lecture series and the Women’s Haven donation.
By the time Saturday morning arrived, they both sensed that Batman had
been right all along. Scarecrow was
drawing a bead on the costume party, yet they had no idea what sort of heinous
attack he planned.
At
Noting the heavy
police presence, Selina asked, “Makes you feel like a prisoner in your own
home, doesn’t it?”
Bruce replied,
“I’ve felt that way for more than half my life.”
Festively attired
guests began arriving at seven. Bill
Tate made good on his promise to come as a scarecrow. His wife ran with the idea and dressed as
Dorothy.
Commissioner
Gordon came as a Keystone Cop, prompting the Abe Lincoln-clad Golini to chide,
“Jim, that’s how a lot of people in
Wearing his full
Batsuit, Bruce greeted the guests as they entered his lavish, cavernous
ballroom. Two other scarecrows also
passed him, along with Peter Pan, Humpty Dumpty, and three Elvises.
In a move that
stunned him, Sherry Miller appeared as Catwoman.
After greeting
her, he glared in Tate’s direction. With
the way things were shaping up, the idea of people dressing as criminals had
become downright idiotic.
Adjusting his
Zorro hat, Dick approached Bruce. “Where
do you want me to be?”
“Wander around the
back half of the room, by the balcony.
I’ll cover the front.”
For the next hour,
Bruce walked and talked with the partygoers, all the while wondering about
Scarecrow. Would he make a dramatic entrance,
or was he already there in some other disguise?
Maybe the fellow in the clown suit?
Nah, too chubby. Perhaps one of
the scarecrows. But which one?
If he wasn’t
already there, Bruce knew with so many police around, he’d have a tough time
breaking in.
Two hundred feet
above Wayne Manor, a man in a black bodysuit hovered silently over the
estate. Thin hoses from the wingtips of
his black hang glider sprayed a fine mist as he flew along. The electric motor hummed softly in the
breeze.
No one heard a
thing, since noise from the party carried out to the lawn.
The sharpshooters
on the roof yawned and fought to stay awake but dropped their weapons and
slipped into deep slumber.
Police on the
ground lost consciousness two minutes later.
The mansion now lay completely unguarded.
Two dozen armed
thugs in black ninja uniforms swarmed out of the darkness and surrounded the
house. Quickly opening their knapsacks,
they set about barring doors and windows.
Stopping the
engine of his glider, Jonathan Crane landed softly on a flat section of
roof. Unstrapping himself, he shed his
ninja suit and donned the familiar Scarecrow mask and hat. Already he could see his men pouring into the
house. Perfect.
The flashing
intruder alarm caught Catwoman’s attention.
Scanning the bank of Batcave
monitors, she saw ninjas with AK-47s running down the north hallway. “So… it begins.”
Staccato bursts of
gunfire brought the ball to a screeching halt as two ninjas on the balcony shot
out the chandeliers. Within seconds, the
room fell silent and all eyes gazed up at them.
Unnoticed in the commotion, a second Batman slipped into the room and
blended with the crowd.
Dick scurried out
a side door and dashed to the Batcave to don his Robin suit. Passing Catwoman on the stairs, he said,
“They’re already in the ballroom.”
“I’m on my way!”
Scarecrow posed on
the balcony between his henchmen. “Happy
Halloween, you sniveling sophisticates!
A great man once said, ‘The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.’ Tonight, the only thing you have to fear is
each other!” With a sinister laugh, he
began lobbing small balloons into the air.
Each one exploded with a loud pop, releasing Phobos powder everywhere.
The guests rushed
en masse toward the ballroom entrance, but found the doors locked. As panicked screams rose throughout, several
men tried futilely to ram them open.
“Get down!” Batman pulled a gun from his belt and fired a
projectile at the center of the doors.
It blasted them apart, knocking one completely off its hinges. “Everybody out!”
While Scarecrow’s
balloons continued to unleash their deadly contents, people jammed the doorway
trying to flee.
Gordon managed to
squeeze out. Shooting the lock off the
mansion’s front door, he led a coughing and wheezing group out on the lawn,
where the cool night air made breathing much easier.
Catwoman kicked in
a door and immediately confronted one of Scarecrow’s men. It was no contest. She flipped him, and he went crashing into
the wall.
With the crowd now
half gone, Scarecrow’s two men opened fire.
Everyone who remained inside lunged for the exit in desperation. It was total, noisy chaos.
Hearing the shots,
Batman grabbed Catwoman’s hand and ran toward the wall under the balcony, where
the gunmen could not see.
“Give me that!” Eyeing the Caped Crusader, Scarecrow snatched
one of the guns away. He sprayed the
area in front of the balcony with bullets.
Batman made it
under the balcony’s shadow. Catwoman did
not. Two rounds pierced her chest a
second before she reached safety.
“Ahhh!” she cried
out, then dropped to the floor.
“Nooo!” Batman
yelled in anguish.
Outside, the
guards slowly awoke. Gordon called for
reinforcements and ambulances on his radio.
“They’ll be here soon,” he told Golini.
The mayor looked
around at everyone who had escaped.
“Jim, if that’s the real Batman in there, where is Bruce Wayne?”
Emerging from
behind a bush, a Batsuited Alfred replied, “Right over here,” in a flawless
imitation of Bruce’s voice.
Tears welled up in
Batman’s eyes as he cradled the dying Catwoman.
“I’m so sorry, Selina. I failed
you.”
With blood on her
lips, she tried to speak, but no words came.
She moved her hand and fingered her mask. He shook his head and clasped her fingers in
his glove. “Be still, my love.”
Her eyes grew wide
and she coughed. While trying to lift
her head, she fell limp.
An unbridled fury
filled Batman as he stood up and glared at the balcony. Seeing Scarecrow holding the gun, he leaped
for the railing. Grabbing hold, he
hoisted himself onto the platform and charged after the hastily retreating
villain.
Gordon’s cops took
control of the house, killing or capturing the thugs one by one. Robin neutralized two on his way to the
ballroom and knocked out one more when he got there.
A policeman with
weapon drawn ran to him. “Hold it!”
He turned around
slowly. “It’s okay, officer. I’m Robin.”
“Where’s Batman?”
“I just saw him go
up after the Scarecrow.”
Crane had studied
the layout of Wayne Manor, but never memorized it. Knowing Batman and the police were in
pursuit, the best he could do was look for an obscure place to hide and hope to
sneak out later. He sprinted around
corners, through hallways, and down stairs, doubling back whenever he saw a
cop.
Batman followed
him through all his twists and turns like a homing pigeon. The closed doors and overturned objects
Scarecrow tried to impede him with only made him more determined. For all the misery he caused
Hearing more and
more police around, Scarecrow ducked through the closest unlocked door when a
dark figure appeared at the end of the passageway. He found himself in
Armored fighting
suits from seemingly every country and epoch were lined up on display, along
with dozens of swords, spears, and countless other weapons. He laughed at his good fortune. It would be almost too easy to eliminate
Batman in here.
The sound of boots
grew louder, so he hid behind the door while deciding which weapon to use.
Batman paused
outside. Pushing the door back slowly,
he walked in and looked around.
Scarecrow slammed
the door behind him and locked it.
Batman spun around
as Scarecrow smashed the side of his cowl with a mace. The concussion from the blow dazed him, and he
tumbled to the floor.
Standing over his
foe like a victorious boxer, Scarecrow reached into his pocket and flung a
fistful of powder into Batman’s face.
“Do you fear death? You soon
will.”
The irritation
from the powder actually helped Batman regain his focus. “It won’t work, Scarecrow. Your plan failed. I developed an antidote to Phobos and laced
the drinks with it. Nobody’s going on
your bad trip tonight.”
Crane yanked the
Scarecrow mask away and pulled a .44 Magnum pistol from his other pocket. Cocking the hammer, he said, “Be afraid. Be very
afraid!”
“Hey,
Scarecrow! Haven’t you heard, it’s bad
luck for a black cat to cross your path.”
Catwoman emerged from behind a large Roman shield on a pedestal.
“I thought I
killed you in the ballroom.”
“Well, you know
about us cats and our nine lives.”
As he aimed his
gun at her, she cracked the bullwhip.
Its tip wrapped around the halberd of a medieval suit of armor. She yanked, and the heavy suit toppled over
on Crane, sending him sprawling.
Batman leaped up,
kicked the gun away, and pulled Crane from under the armor by his lapels. He grabbed the man’s hair and began pummeling
his face. That’s for
Jumping from her
perch, Catwoman called, “I think he’s done for the night.”
Tossing the
unconscious Crane to the floor, Batman gave her a bear hug. “Is it really you, Selina?”
“In the fur.”
“I thought you
were dead!”
Looking confused,
she asked, “What did he mean, he killed me in the ballroom?”
“He did. You--you died in my arms.”
“I couldn’t even
reach you with people running every which way.”
“Then who…?” A look of worry covered his face. “Sherry!
She came dressed like you.”
“Oh, my God!”
Together, they
raced out the door.
Just missing them
by half a minute, Robin ran in and saw the motionless Crane. “He always leaves the cleanup work to me!”
The siege was
over.
“Oh, noooo!”
Catwoman sobbed. The sight of her massacred
mirror image was overwhelming. Unable to
handle the shock, she whispered, “I’ll be in the cave,” and ran away.
Battling his own
mixed emotions, Batman told a couple of officers where to find the Scarecrow.
They needn’t have
bothered. Robin dragged Crane into the
room and left him in the middle of the floor.
Commissioner
Gordon looked the groaning, bleeding psychopath over. “Once we get you cleaned up, it’s back to
Arkham. Waste of taxpayer money!”
Mayor Golini came
forward and shook the Dark Knight’s gloved hand. “Thank you, Batman. We are in your debt once more.”
“I’m very sorry
about Sherry Miller. Was anyone else
hurt?”
“A few nicks and
scrapes. One guy got a bullet in the
leg, but he’ll be okay they tell me. All
in all, it could have been so much worse.”
In another perfect
imitation of Bruce’s voice, the costumed Alfred said, “My thanks, as well,
Batman.”
“Sorry about the
damage to your house, Mr. Wayne.”
“I needed to do
some redecorating, anyway.”
Several minutes
later, Bruce disappeared down to the Batcave and got out of his suit.
Selina sat at the
computer console, crying her eyes out.
“She was like my older sister.
She taught me so much. The world
needs her!”
He put his arm
around her. “She had my deepest respect
and admiration.”
“I don’t know,
Bruce. Maybe I’m not cut out for this
life of yours. How do you live with so
much death, day after day?”
“I’ve lived with
it since my parents were murdered. I
guess you just get used to it. But in
those minutes where I thought Scarecrow had killed you, my world crumbled. I wanted to kill him and then drop off the
face of the earth. I need you more than
I’ve ever needed any woman. Will you
marry me?”
“No.” She burst into sobs again. “Yes--yes I will! I love you, Bruce Wayne. I need you, too.”
They both cried,
their tears a mixture of sadness and joy.
A few days
afterward, things at Wayne Manor had more or less returned to normal, and
repairs were underway. The police
managed to get the last of Phobos off the street, and Jonathan Crane again
resided in the maximum security ward of Arkham Asylum.
Bruce, Dick, and
Selina gathered in the study after Sherry Miller’s funeral.
“It was a lovely
service,” Selina commented.
“Yes,” Bruce
replied. “It seemed like half the women
in
“I was really glad
about that. She touched so many lives, I
don’t think even she realized how much women love Minerva.”
“What’s going to
happen to the company now?” Dick asked.
“The Executive
Vice President has taken over. She
promoted a couple of other ladies and asked me to become VP of East Coast
Operations.”
“What did you
say?” Bruce leaned close.
“I said I’ll talk
it over with my fiancé.” She
winked. “So, what about you and Dick?”
“They say three’s
a crowd,” Dick answered. “But I’m
staying around a little while longer.”
Bruce said,
“Dick’s agreed to let me give him a six-month accelerated training program,
then he’ll go out on his own.”
“As Robin?”
“Robin is a
boy. I’ll call myself Nightwing. It’s a nod to Batman and sounds more mature.”
Alfred entered
carrying a tray with a bottle of champagne and four glasses. “Rather than focus on the bad things of late,
I thought we should celebrate the happiness of your engagement, sir.”
“An excellent
idea,” Bruce said.
Alfred poured the
bubbly and they raised their glasses.
“To the happy couple.”
“To the happy
couple,” Dick echoed.
“The Bat and the
Cat, together at last. I have another
piece of good news.” Bruce reached into
his pocket and pulled out an official looking paper. “‘Upon the recommendation of Batman and
Commissioner Gordon, and in view of her changed life as evidenced by her work
in apprehending Joker and Scarecrow, I hereby offer this complete and
unconditional pardon for Catwoman.
Signed,
Selina
blushed. “Thanks, Batman.”
“To new
beginnings,” Alfred proposed.
“To new
beginnings.” Selina smiled and sipped her champagne. “Alfred, Bruce told me that you actually
fooled the mayor and Commissioner Gordon into thinking you were him?”
“Yes, Miss
Kyle. It’s something we do when Master
Bruce and Batman must be together.
Which, thankfully, isn’t too often.”
“Alfred’s being
modest. He has a background in the
theater, and voice impressions are one of his specialties.”
She shook her head
in admiring astonishment. “You were
right, there are things I still don’t know about you. But now I know one more of your secrets.”
“Just remember,
we’re professionals here,” Bruce said as he embraced her. “What happens in the Batcave, stays in the
Batcave.”