"Ready to go, Batman!" Robin said into the radio as
he hopped back into the Redbird. "I've got the info; let's
roll!"
Batman's voice crackled over the radio. "Robin, NEVER take
unnecessary chances! You will not question my leadership next
time. Next time, I - "
Robin sighed. "You sound just like Jean-Paul, Batman,"
Robin said, "after he took up the Mantle of the Bat."
Batman became silent, sullen.
"Okay, track me. Got it? Good. Now, from what I could gather,
Fifth Street runs down by the Gotham Pier. One of Two-Face's men
told me that that's how they shipped and received the 'poison',
as you call it."
Batman clicked on his tracer. It was locked on the Redbird, which
was speeding down Highway 47. "Robin, slow down!" Batman
cried into the radio.
"Okay," Robin said. "Fifth....street....runs....down..."
"No!" Batman said. "You're driving too fast! Slow
down!"
"Oops, sorry," Robin said. "Okay. Listen, I rescued
Catwoman from a building that was set on fire. She was bound and
gagged. I think the men that held her there died in the fire."
Batman let the information Robin was telling him sink in. "So
what you're saying is that the building we're trying to find is
the one that you rescued Catwoman from?"
"How did you know?" Robin almost shouted.
"I'm a detective," Batman said.
They both drove on in silence, neither uttering a word to the
other. Until they arrived at the still-smoldering building. Robin
got out of the Redbird. "Whew," he said. "What
a mess."
Batman soon joined his side. He looked down at the five-foot-five
Robin. "How do you know that Two-Face is the one we're after?"
"Because," Robin said, "I dropped in on Tony Moroni,
smuggler, thief, et cetera. Anyway, I entered his apartment through
the window. As I dropped to the floor, I noticed something shiny
on the carpet. Well," Robin said, pausing for effect, "it
was a dime. Scratched on one side, clean on the other. Two-Face's
old calling card."
Batman was amazed at the boy's detective skills. 'Perhaps I was
too hard on him earlier,' Batman thought. Aloud, he said, "Congratulations.
That was an excellent deduction."
"And that's not all," Robin said. "Remember Butch
and Red, Two-Face's men? Turns out that Red and Moroni are one
and the same."
"How did he make himself out to look like two different people?
Stage makeup?" Batman thought aloud.
"Something like that," Robin said. He looked into Batman's
eyes. "How did you know that the scientists were poisoned?
You gave me a vague answer before."
"Actually," Batman said, "I've dealt with a poison
that had some resemblance to the one we're talking about. In that
instance, the victim choked on his beverage, or whatever it was,
because the poison was in a liquid form...clear and tasteless,
just like water. The victim choked and water sputtered out of
his mouth, much like the fire did with the scientists."
"Wow," Robin said.
"Let's get moving!" Batman said. "We've got a two-faced
rat to catch!"
"C'mon, Boss," Butch said. "Lemme rough 'em up
a little bit."
Two-Face flipped the coin he always carried. The coin was perfect
on one face, and the other face had a long scratch on it. He flipped
it, caught it. "Scarred side," he said. They all knew
what that meant.
"Moroni," Two-Face called. Red walked into the dimly
lit room. "Moroni, my friend," Two-Face said. "You
will capture Batman and Robin. I don't care what you do with Batman,
but leave him alive. And leave Robin here with me." He rubbed
his hands together. "I've got some surprises in store for
the young brat."
Batman and Robin ran through the building's entrance. Two-Face
watched them on a monitor in the room he was in with Butch and
Moroni. He grinned as the duo walked right into his trap. This
was exactly where he wanted them.
Robin gestured toward the elevator he had taken earlier* and they
both stepped into it. "I think he's in the basement,"
Robin said. "Because last time I was here there were two
floors above this level, but they were ruined by the fire."
He sniffed, and smelled the slight odor of the smoke that still
lingered there. He knew Batman smelled it too.
Batman pressed the "Basement" button. The elevator descended.
Suddenly the elevator stopped with a jolt that sent the two sprawling.
An evil voice came from the speaker that was inset into the elevator's
ceiling.
"Aahhh, I knew I would get you two one day," Two-Face
said. Batman cocked his ears. He wondered what Two-Face had in
mind for them. "Aahhh," he said again. "In a way,
it's a shame...I was just sending out my left-hand man Red to
capture you. But it seems you've already done that job for me.
"Batman, I have a little...proposition for you. I'm sure
you won't want to refuse. Then again, I hold the trump card."
He paused, as Batman and Robin exchanged glances. "I know
who you are, Batman," Two-Face said. "You're Bruce Wayne,
millionaire and playboy. And the boy is young Timothy Drake. Tell
me if I'm correct." He paused. "Then again, don't bother.
I already know I am."
"What do we do?" Robin asked. He was understandably
nervous.
Batman silenced Robin with a look. "What do you mean, you
know who we are?" Batman said as he looked up at the speaker.
"Actually, Batman," Two-Face said, "it was rather
simple. You see, my man Red gave your Robin a scar on his right
temple. We happened to be watching a baseball game**, where we
saw Timothy with the scar in the exact same place."
"I'm not who you think I am, Dent," Batman said.
"You cannot fool me, Batman. I know who you are!
"I have no demands; I just want to see your faces when I
announce to all of Gotham your secret identities."
"What role did Elisha play in all this?" Batman asked.
"She was a loyal WayneTech employee...that is, until I offered
her
her life for helping me...or death for not.
"My agent oh-oh-four hit you with an invention inspired by
the Joker's old design...his joy-buzzer integrated into a specially
designed conductor rod. Made the pain, I'm sure, triple than the
Joker's model."
'So THAT'S why I became unconsious,' Batman thought. 'I didn't
think that a simple punch would fell me.'
"What did the scientists have to do with this?" Batman
asked aloud.
"I bet he was gonna use the fuel for poison! That's why he
killed those scientists!" Robin said.
"Oh, they were making a fuel substitute I thought I could
make some money on. They wouldn't give me the...recipe...so I
stole it and made a poison with it. I also poisoned Vice-Mayor
Griswold, if you had read last week's Gazette. And now, after
I reveal your identities," he said, "the victims of
the poison will be you two."
'So that article about an automobile accident killing Griswold
was phony! Dent probably made a bomb of some sort, placed it in
the car, and when Griswold started it, the car blew up.'
"Griswold," Batman repeated. "Of course! He was
Assistant DA under you a while ago...and he was just in the running
for Mayor! Of course you'd want to do away with him, for his tougher
policy on crime, and Arkham in particular! But that still doesn't
explain how you acquired the poison.
"Dent...your and your pals's brains put together couldn't
figure out how to make a poison!" Batman said. "What's
the REAL story?"
"The scientists refused to give their secret to me, so I
had to kill them." Two-Face paused. "But then again,
I'd have killed them anyway!"
Poison hissssssed into the elevator. Batman and Robin fell silent.
Taking two moist cloths from one of his glove pockets, Robin handed
one to Batman, the other he kept for himself. However, in a matter
of minutes the duo was unconsious.
* Last issue - Reminiscent Steve
** Also last issue - Redundant Steve
Two hours later...
Robin awoke. He groaned. Still quite groggy from Two-Face's poison,
he barely had enough energy to sit up.
Suddenly he noticed Batman slowly getting to his feet. Batman
stretched a hand to Robin, who gripped it and was pulled to his
feet by Batman.
"We've got to get out of here." Batman looked anxious.
If that word could actually describe the stoic Dark Knight.
"But what can we do now?" Robin asked. "I mean,
he's gonna spill the beans later today. It's not like we can stop
him, much less get out of here."
"You know, that's why I'm glad you have you as my partner.
You're always so optimistic." Batman sat down.
"Speak for yourself," Robin said.
Batman tried prying the doors apart, which didn't work. After
half a dozen tries, he finally gave up. Next he kicked the doors,
but to no avail. He thought about knocking the ceiling out, but
since the speaker was there the wiring might spark a fire. Basically,
there was no way out.
"Didn't you grab another belt from the Cave?" Robin
asked very quietly.
"Yes," Batman said, just as quietly. "I've tried
my acetylene torch, but the walls and door are fireproof, and
I'm nervous about fire, ever since I found out that the poison
is flammable."
"Oh," Robin said, thinking. "What do we do?"
"Well, the electricity's out, except for the light in the
ceiling."
"Is it possible that if we sapped some power from some of
our gadgets, we could sort of jump-start the panel?" Robin
asked thoughtfully.
Batman stood up. "Robin, you're a genius. But we'll have
to work quickly."
Robin joined Batman in front of the panel, Batman dismantling
smaller gadgets, such as penlights and the torch. In a matter
of munutes the panel was working again.
Robin then pressed the "Open Doors" button. The doors
parted. "After you, sir," Robin said, bowing and holding
his arm out in front of him in an exagerrated pose.
"Nice job," Batman said as he walked out. Robin followed
suit.
A speaker on the wall next to them crackled to life. "You
escaped," he said. "But if you try to touch me, even
get in the vicinity of one hundred yards of me, a bomb will totally
obliterate this building and downtown Gotham. Do you want to take
that chance?" Two-Face asked.
Batman sighed. A hard decision to make. But it would be even harder
for him to let millions of innocent people die. No, he couldn't
let that happen.
Two-Face began to speak again. "In fact, as of right now
I am on Gotham Parkway, heading toward Gotham's Financial District.
If you try to stop me, I will explode the bombs. Happy trails
to you and your little brat, Batman! Oh, and by the way...turn
on and tune in, 'cause I'm gonna tell everyone who you really
are! Give Gotham a nice surprise. It'll all happen at five-fifteen...rush
hour traffic." He paused. "I am quite the genius,"
he said.
Batman ran to where he had hidden the Batmobile. He entered his
code on a hidden panel. There was a click as the doors unlocked.
Batman hopped inside, slamming the door behind him. He revved
the engine.
Robin ran to where he had parked his Redbird. Noticing that his
tires seemed a little low, he unlocked the driver's side door
and hopped inside, slamming the door behind him. He revved the
engine...
...And the building went up in an enormous explosion! Not much
more damage could have come to the building because the recent
fire had taken care of that. However, Robin was concerned that
downtown Gotham had also been the victim of a bomb, a much larger
bomb, of course, than the one that had demolished the crumbling
building that had been Two-Face's headquarters.
Batman saw the explosion and immediately his concern turned tosward
Tim and downtown Gotham. He gritted his teeth and peeled out of
the drive.
He entered Route sixty-seven. 'Good,' Batman thought, 'no traffic
today.' He zoomed toward the exit to Gotham's Financial District.
In his rearview mirrors, Batman could see Robin going in the opposite
direction.
Batman hit the comm button. "What do you think you're doing,
Robin?" Batman asked.
Robin's voice crackled over the radio. "I'm gonna see about
rescuing those hostages," he said.
"The hostages that were captured yesterday by Two-Face?"
"Yep. Oracle's told me that he kept them hostage on a bus,
of all things. Seemes he wanted to make sure they didn't go anywhere,
and this way he could keep a close camera-eye on them.*
"I'm checking with Oracle on where they could be located
now. You going to the Financial District?" Robin asked.
"Yes. Hopefully we'll both find what we're looking for. Batman
out." He shut the comm unit off.
* All of this happened between issues 4 and 5 - Always-mindful
Steve
The Redbird sped down the long, winding road into downtown Gotham,
where the people and the shops flourished. It was a Saturday;
Two-Face had played his cards perfectly. More people would be
shopping and hanging around Gotham's mall; more people to die.
Robin gritted his teeth as he pressed the gas harder, trying to
reach downtown Gotham in time. He clicked on his comm unit and
typed in a five-character code. "Oracle," he said. "Robin
here. Any word on that bus?"
"I've been keeping tabs on it," she said. "I've
had it monitored from the JLA Satellite...I'll send you its position
now. Its position will change as it moves. My computer will automatically
forward you the updated position on the map provided." Oracle
paused. "It's sent. Got it?"
Robin turned on the screen, where a map of Gotham City was. "Got
it," he said. "Thanks a bundle, I really owe you one."
"Don't worry about it, Boy Wonder," she said, and his
thoughts became of Catwoman. "It's okay. Good luck...Oracle
out."
Batman sought out the precise point where Two-Face would be broadcasting
from. After all, he had said that he would broadcast their identities
during rush-hour traffic. He checked the chronometer. Ten minutes.
And he couldn't get near Two-Face unless he wanted Githam to go
up in an explosion.
Driving down Gotham Parkway, Batman noticed a costume shop. Then,
he had an idea.
The owner was just locking up. Pulling up to the curb, Batman
hopped out and asked, "May I buy something before you close?"
The storekeeper nodded his consent, so Batman rushed into the
store as soon as the storekeeper had unlocked the door. He grabbed
a rubber-latex face mask, one that would mold right to his face.
He put it on the counter.
"How much?" Batman asked, not having much time to spare.
"For you...nothing."
"Thank you!" Batman said over his shoulder as he dashed
out the door. "You don't know how good a service you've done
for Gotham."
Robin located the bus. He calculated he time to reach it and
eventually overtook it. Ramming the Redbird into it, wincing as
the grill CLANGed, he stopped the bus.
He hopped out of the car, knocked on the bus doors. "Open
up," he said. He took a golden, pointed "R" from
a pouch and held it at the ready.
"No!" the driver said. The driver was agent oh-oh-four!
Robin tapped the "R" on the glass, which shattered.
"Now you will be very sorry, friend," Robin said, as
he held the "R" to the driver's throat. "Out of
the seat." The agent readily complied, his life being at
stake. Robin dispersed of him with a swift kick to his midsection.
Taking control of the bus, he drove it to Police headquarters,
which coincidentally was literally right around the corner.
The hostages had been saved.
Batman turned on his "tinter". Suddenly all of the
Batmobile's windows turned black. He sklipped his cowl on and
put the mask on. The mask had blond hair, much different from
Bruce Wayne's almost jet-black hair. He slipped two blue contacts
into his eyes and replaced his mask. Tightening his grip on the
steering wheel, turning the tinter off, he turned on his audio
wave tracer and zoomed off toward what he believed to be the source
of Two-Face's transmission.
He pulled into the parking lot of radio station WGFN - Gotham's
Financial News Network, located in the Financial District. Slamming
the car door behind him as he exited the Batmobile, he hurried
up the steps that made up the fire escape. His tracer had pinpointed
exactly where the transmission was coming from - a room on the
fourth floor. Batman checked his watch. Five fourteen. In one
minute, Batman and Robin's secret identities would be in jeopardy!
Slipping slightly, he caught himself, gripping onto the handrail.
But unnoticeable to him, he had pressed a small button in the
wrist of his glove. That button alerted Robin to Batman's location.
Batman crashed through the window, shattering the glass, which
flew in all directions. "Batman!" Two-Face cried. "Now
I will destroy Gotham's Financial District!"
"Not so fast, Dent," Batman said. "I don't think
you'll commit suicide."
"So, you've called my bluff. Fine." He pulled out a
gun, which emitted a strange ray. "But you will still die!"
"Wait, Dent!" Batman said, yanking off his cowl. "I'm
not the man you think I am!"
As Two-Face stared dumbfounded at Bruce Wayne's mask, Batman lashed
a kick out, aimed for Two-Face's midsection. But he was not fast
enough. Two-Face pulled the trigger of his gun. Batman felt the
ray's power course through his body, deadening his nerves. He
was immobilized!
"What's this?" Robin asked aloud as he received a transmission
in the Redbird. "Batman's signalling me? He must be in some
sort of trouble!...I hope I can make it in time!" He revved
the engine and was already on his way.
"Good thing the coordinates aren't that far from where I
am right now," Robin said. "I can be there in one, maybe
two minutes."
In one minute he had arrived at WGFN. He parked his Redbird in
the almost-deserted parking lot, next to Batman's Batmobile. After
finding the main doors locked, he dashed up the fire escape. He
peered around the corner of the broken window. He was Batman,
unmoving, staring into space, while Two-Face taunted him. Robin
grabbed another "R".
"HYAAH!" he yelled as he jumped through the window.
Two-Face was about to broadcast. The "R" lodged itself
in the main board. It crackled as sparks flew from it. Suddenly
the entire console was consumed by flames.
Robin admired his handwork for a second. Then all his attention
was focused on Two-Face, who was ranting and raving. He aimed
the gun at Robin, and missed as Robin dived out of the ray's path.
As he rolled along the floor, he grabbed another "R"
and threw it at Two-Face. His aim was true. It knocked the gun
from Two-Face's hands, sending it into the blazing inferno. Robin
knew he had to get to Batman before the flames reached him...but
how, when Two-Face was guarding him ever so closely?
Robin had an idea. He pulled his grappling-hook rope from his
belt and threw it at Two-Face's legs, which it wrapped tightly
around. Two-Face fell to the ground. A jagged piece of glass was
in Two-Face's hands as he tried to free himself of his bonds.
Robin jumped, landing atop the trapped Two-Face. He took a rope
from a pouch on one of his sleeves and bound Two-Face so he couldn't
escape. Two-Face's eyelids closed. He fell unconsious from inhalation
of the smoke.
Next, he tried to awaken Batman from his reverie. He snapped his
fingers in Batman's face, noticing that the fire crept ever closer
to them. Finally, Robin slapped Batman hard, in the face. Batman
snapped back to reality. "What - " he said, but he was
interrupted by Robin.
"No time to explain," he said. He and Batman took either
end of Two-Face's body down the fire escape. Back on the ground
level, both Batman and Robin noticed the smoke pouring out of
the broken window.
"I want to thank you for rescuing me," Batman said.
"How did you know where I was?"
"You signalled me...didn't you?" Robin's face betrayed
his confusal.
"No, I didn't...although, maybe I pressed the button in my
glove..."
"That's got to be it," Robin said.
They both silently watched the smoke billow out for another minute
or so. Finally, Robin said, "Batman, I think this is your
cue to tell me that we should be a better team and work together...you
know?"
"Yes. I know." Batman looked Robin in the eyes. "Maybe
we should." They continued to watch the spiralling smoke
as the police and firefighters arrived. The police took Two-Face
into custody, as Two-Face ranted and raved at Batman and Robin,
for he had regained consiousness by then.
Police Commissioner Gordon stood next to Batman and Robin as Two-Face
was hauled away. "I want to thank you two," he said,
"for stopping this...fiend. Gotham owes you a large debt,
for this and all the other times you've saved it from destruction."
He paused, noticing Batman;s face. "Batman, your face...it
seems...different, somehow."
Robin now noticed it too. "Saaaay," Robin said, "he's
right! What gives, Batman?"
"Two-Face knew...er, thought he knew...Robin's and my secret
identities. I proved him wrong." He looked at Robin. "WE
proved him wrong," he corrected himself.
Batman and Robin watched Gordon and his squad leave the scene
with Two-Face. Robin turned toward Batman and asked, "What
if Two-Face spills the beans?"
"He can't," Batman said. "I hypnotized him while
he was unconsious. I made him 'realize' that he didn't know who
we really are. I told him that he couldn't remember who he thought
we were. He won't be thinking anything more about it."
"But...what if he recalls...?" Robin asked.
"I seriously doubt he will," Batman said. "But
if he does...well, we'll have to deal with him.
"Looks like we saved Gotham yet again," Batman continued.
Looking once again at Robin, he said, "Want to go out for
pizza to celebrate?"
Robin grinned. "Sure," he said. "But no anchovies!"
Bat-Signals
Finally! The thrilling conclusion to the "Science Killings"
story arc!
Well, no letters yet...please direct all correspondence to <Steve777@adelphia.net>,
subject: Bat-Signals; after all, you wouldn't want your Bat-mail
ending up in Flash or Superman, would you?
NEXT ISSUE:
Be sure not to miss next issue, which is the first part of "When
Robins Fall"! (Kinda gives you a hint of what's to come,
eh?) Will this be the end of the third Robin? Of course not! Do
you think I'd be allowed to kill off a major character? Just be
here in thirty for the first installment of "When Robins
Fall"!
-Steve Swartz
