Catspaw

Darkness shrouded the quartet of cat burglars who descended upon the Forever Jewel Company’s suite of offices from the rooftops of Gotham City. Though nestled high among the fortified offices of a prominent glass and steel monolith in the city’s Diamond District, the state of the art security system was no match for the cunning invaders. The company was easy prey.

"Tabitha," their leader whispered, "Take Hecate and keep watch."

"Right, boss," the well-proportioned, brown-haired woman responded, taking a black ball of fur from her tall, blonde mistress.

"The rest of you, search the premises." The remaining trio dispersed, moving softly about the offices as tiny lights played over the desks, walls, files, and other furniture.

A guard was surprised to discover the black cat as he rounded the corner outside the company’s offices as part of his routine rounds. More surprising, however, was the sight of the animal’s handler, who lounged against the wall beside the door, stroking the cat’s fur slowly as she regarded the newcomer with amused brown eyes.

Tabitha was pretty and knew it. She had strutted her stuff on the catwalks of a disreputable Gotham City kitten club until the malevolent Madame DeBase had discovered the girl and drawn her into the underworld. By far the most important connection Tabitha had made through the Mad Madame had been her introduction to the Princess of Plunder. The stripper’s kittenish background had impressed the villainess enough for an offer of employment to be extended. Tabitha had greedily accepted.

"What are you doing here, Miss?" the guard asked suspiciously.

"Good evening, Mr. Guard," the young woman said in a quiet voice that cut through the night like a scythe. "I was just looking for my cat. Fortunately, I found her. See."

"Meeeeow," the animal named after the Greek goddess of witchcraft yowled as she found herself flying toward the guard with her back arched and claws barred.

"Hey!" the startled guard said. Then the cat’s claws scratched him. "Ow!"

"Oh, I’m sorry, Mr. Guard. Did Hecate scratch you?" Tabitha asked, stepping toward him with confidence the concerned look on her pretty face did not betray.

The guard felt strange. As he watched, he saw the young woman with him magically transformed into a pair of identical young women before his eyes. The second stepped out of the first and both turned to him. They gestured invitingly with hands sheathed in black, elbow length gloves matching the black shorts stretched tightly over their hips. Their chests swelled proudly beneath equally tight leopard patterned halter tops, barely contained. Then, the vision blurred as the guard felt his knees buckle. He fell.

"Not so fortunate for you, fool," Tabitha said, catching him. She dragged him backward through the door and lowered him gently to the floor. "Boss, the liquid catatonia you applied to Hecate’s claws knocked this guard out in five seconds flat."

"Look what the cat dragged in," the villainess purred. "Garfield and Hobbs, make him uncomfortable. Tabitha, you retrieve Hecate."

The men wore yellow and black striped shirts, black slacks, matching neckcloths and funny hats with two triangular ears each. Together, they moved the hapless guard to a couch and began wrapping his limbs tightly and quickly with whisker thin wires. Tabitha had just returned with the cat when they finished.

"Purrfect," their leader said dreamily as the safe opened in response to her touch. The voluptuous villainess ignored the piles of petty cash stacked neatly in the safe and began pawing greedily though a file she retrieved from atop the money.

"The guard is all tied up, boss," Garfield reported.

"Look at all that money," Hobbs said, staring.

"Don’t just look at it, boys. Tabitha!"

The henchwoman pulled a cloth bag from each of her pockets. "Let’s get busy," Tabitha urged.

Suddenly the Feline Felon began to purr audibly. "This is it, my conniving kittens. The information I need to steal, something I have coveted for years."

"If we weren’t after the money, what was the prize?" Tabitha asked, stroking Hecate’s fur again as she watched the men unload the safe.

"Information," their boss explained. "The contents of this file will let us steal this year’s stock of Batagonian Cat’s Eye Opals. They are auctioned off annually from a top secret location that changes from year to year. I just found out where we’re going this afternoon to steal the jewels. It will be cat’s play."

"Aren’t the opals bad luck?" Hobbs asked.

"This black-clad cat is not at all supurrstitious." The leather-clad lawbreaker paused and laughed. Tabitha was just closing the empty safe. "Well done, all of you. Now, put on your Cat-chutes and let’s make tracks before the fuzz show to step on our tails."

The criminal quartet departed as softly as they had come, leaving no signs of their presence save the looted safe and the bound, drugged guard, who would remain quite intact until his inevitable discovery.

Shadows fell across Octavia’s lovely face as she stirred the next morning. Her movement was a response to a hand she felt brush hair away from her eyes.

"I’m sorry," the Minstrel said. "Did I wake you?"

"No.” Octavia knew that look. Something was on her companion’s mind. “What are you thinking about?"

"Catwoman."

"Catwoman!" she repeated, wide awake now. He could hear fabric rustle as it fell from her pale shoulder. He could feel her eyes upon him. The daggers behind them were about to strike.

"She did a job for me last night."

"Oh?" Octavia inquired suspiciously.

"Remember Killer Moth’s aborted theft of the Flame of Kasmir Ruby?”

She glanced across the room where the stone seemed to flicker in the pale light of dawn. "Of course. You gave that fool and his idiotic followers the means to do the job. Naturally, Batman caught them red-handed. Meanwhile, I waltzed in, stole the jewel and replaced it with a perfect duplicate. Batman never realized someone was just using Killer Moth as a pawn.” Octavia laughed softly. “To this day, no one has any idea the ruby’s even missing."

"I knew you could do it," the Minstrel said, smiling and sliding an arm around her shoulders, squeezing them gently.

"Flatterer," she accused. She looked at him more closely. Despite being several years her senior, he was still quite handsome. "Now, tell me about Catwoman and her connection to the ruby."

"The ruby was the first verse in a song of crimes I have been composing since Batman stopped our stock market venture five years ago."

"You’ve set up Catwoman to perform the second verse?"

"Precisely. Have you ever heard of Batagonian Cat’s Eye Opals?"

"They’re supposed to be bad luck, aren’t they?"

"Yes, but we know that is all nonsense."

"Of course. If you say so."

"I do," he announced, taken slightly aback. "Anyway, Catwoman tried to steal them from the Forever Jewel Company while she studied criminology at Gotham City University . At the time, she had two problems."

"Let me guess." Octavia put a hand on her forehead theatrically, paused, and said, "Batman and Robin?"

The Minstrel chuckled and rolled onto his side where he could keep her in sight more comfortably while they talked. "Batman and no one being willing to take them off her paws."

"Ah," Octavia said, "and you want them?"

"I only need one."

"Why?’’

"For the same reason you stole the Flame of Kasmir Ruby for me, of course.”

Octavia leaned toward him, interested. He felt her hand begin to play along the line of his body. "And what, pray tell, would that be?"

"To enable you and I to become rich beyond our wildest dreams."

"You say the sweetest things. So, you commissioned Catwoman to steal this opal we need?"

"Not exactly. She’ll steal a small pile of opals and we’ll buy them from her."

"Do you mean to say, we’ll take the one opal we need and leave her money and the rest of them?"

"No. We’ll buy all of them and return all but the one we need when Amber Forever or her insurance company offer a huge reward."

Octavia smiled. "We get our money back and the opal we need. What does Catwoman get?”

"Our money and police attention."

"You’re going to rat her out?"

The Minstrel put his hand to his chest and looked hurt. "I wouldn’t do that."

"Didn’t you do it to Killer Moth?"

The Minstrel laughed and stroked her shoulder. "I did not. He got caught all on his own."

"What about Catwoman?"

"We have a meeting with her tonight after she commits two crimes in less than twenty four hours. Both will bring her to the attention of the law."

"The cops will be focused on her instead of us?"

"Precisely, but the police aren’t the only ones I plan to confound." The Minstrel picked up his nearby lute, strummed an appropriate chord and broke into song:

“Three blind mice. There they go.
Three blind mice, in a row.
Marching down the street, single file,
To a calypso beat, all the while.
They’re looking for the cat, that swallowed the rat.
They want to show that cat the at-titude, of three blind mice.”

"You mean Batman and Batgirl," Octavia said, "Gotham’s flying mice."

"Unavoidable pieces of the puzzle, along with Robin, who also turns up like a bad penny."

"Batman and Robin should never have put you in jail."

"They'll regret it one day. If I had let that reformer Bruce Wayne give me a job, I’d have been out in a couple of years. As it happened, Katherine Kane kindly offered a few more interesting opportunities some time later." His voice then became somber. "I’m afraid it ended badly at Networld."

"How so?"

"That isn’t important right now," the Minstrel said, cheering up. "What is important is we have each other and Catwoman is working for us."

Octavia sighed and smiled at him. "So, let me make sure of something. Catwoman is stealing our opal for us this afternoon and we have nothing to do until we meet her. Is that right?"

"Well, there is nothing work related--" he admitted, slowly smiling as he felt her edge toward him.

"Good," Octavia said.

The sun was shining with all its might as Barbara Gordon ran an errand on her lunch break. "I can have this ready for you this evening, Miss Gordon," the lady clerk told her, accepting a necklace.

"Thank you. I am very pleased by the service I get here at the Forever Jewel Company," she confided, "particularly the free repairs."

"If we didn’t repair the pieces, they wouldn’t last forever," the clerk said, smiling. "It’s a lovely necklace, by the way."

"Thank you. It was a graduation gift from my father."

"I’ll see that the clasp is repaired for you by this evening. Let me get you a claim slip."

The clerk had just turned when Catwoman and her terrible trio of assistants burst into the shop. Without a word, each aimed an odd looking gun at a different jewel case and fired. A brief buzz sounded prior to the simultaneous, cataclysmic shattering of every jewel case in the shop.

"Catwoman!" the clerk said as her face went pale and her knees buckled. Barbara Gordon caught her and lowered the woman gently to the floor.

"Listen up!" Catwoman cracked her whip to get everyone’s attention. "As soon as everyone assumes a properly subservient position, I can conclude this caper and let you get on with your petty little lives unharmed. On your knees, knaves!"

Within seconds, everyone obeyed. Barbara Gordon remained leaning over the fainted clerk, being careful not to look at Catwoman.

Barbara had no doubt that Catwoman had looked at Batgirl’s unmasked face when they had switched bodies. Barbara Gordon was not a public figure, so Catwoman didn’t recognize her then, but if she saw Barb’s face now . . . .

Fortunately, Catwoman was occupied with other concerns. Once she saw that all the customers and clerks had obeyed her command, she didn’t give them a second look. "Tabitha!"

The delectable ex-exotic dancer withdrew cloth bags from her pockets and handed them to the men.

"What all do you want, boss?" Garfield asked.

"Everything," Catwoman purred. "If anyone gives you guys trouble, let ‘em have it. Come, Tabitha. My opals await us in the back."

"You heard the Boss Lady," Hobbs said. "Fill up the bags."

As the conscious clerks began to comply, the wicked women moved from the room and pointed their guns at two men preparing to place a lead box in the store’s vault. "You boys will do exactly as you are told," Catwoman said.

"It’s Catwoman!" one workman said fearfully.

"In the adorable fur. Show us the Batgonian Cat’s Eye Opals."

"How did you know they would be here?" the so-far silent workman asked. He glanced quickly at the box between he and his associate.

"Good question," the first workman observed. "We haven’t even finished unloading them yet."

"That’s my affair, gentlemen. Let’s see them!" The workmen hesitated. "Tabitha," Catwoman prompted.

As the henchkitten moved gracefully toward the box, its guardians attention remained on Catwoman as she slid her cat-o-nine-tails lovingly through her gloved, clawed hands. "It’s locked," Tabitha reported.

"Give her the keys. Now!" The crack of the whip punctuated Catwoman’s command.

Tabitha held out her hand and the scared workman gave her the key. She knelt and opened the box.

"Purrfect," Catwoman said as the opals glimmered before her eyes. "Close it up. You two can move it to the car."

Tabitha closed the box and locked it.

"I can’t do that," the braver workman said as Tabitha pocketed his partner’s key.

Without a word Catwoman lashed out with her whip and backed the man toward the open vault. Once he was inside, Tabitha closed the door. "Now," Catwoman purred, regarding the remaining workman as he quivered with understandable fear, "where should I put you?"

The man hefted the lead box. "Where do you want it?"

"In the car. Tabitha will show you.” Catwoman turned to her assistant. “If he makes one wrong move, you know what to do"

"Right, boss." Tabitha motioned the guard forward. "Move it!" she ordered.

Catwoman returned to the front room. "Finished?" she asked her burdened henchmen, continuing to ignore the cowed customers and other clerks.

"We’ve got it all, boss," Hobbs said.

"Yeah," Garfield agreed, "every last bauble."

"Purrfect. This caper will have been concluded in a total of twenty-four hours. It started and will be finished at the witching hour. Come on, cats! Let’s shake a paw."

When Catwoman and her men reached the Kitty Car, Tabitha was still covering her prisoner from behind the wheel. "Scat!" Catwoman told the workman.

The man dashed off.

"Wait!" Catwoman commanded.

The fleeing man froze.

"In exactly fifteen minutes you may release your partner from the vault. Not one second before. Understand?" Catwoman’s sultry voice dripped with menace as she coldly regarded the man.

The guard bobbed his head vigorously.

Catwoman dismissed him with a wave of her hand.

"Go, Tabitha!"

Barbara Gordon was dialing her father’s private number on her cell phone before the criminals’ escape had even begun. "Catwoman just robbed the Forever Jewel Company’s Midtown showroom!"

"I’ll inform Batman immediately. Coincidentally, we were just discussing a break in at that company’s office suite last night," Commissioner James Gordon said.

"The offices and the storefront were both hit within twenty four hours?"

"I’m afraid so. Perhaps this isn’t such a coincidence."

"I have to go, Daddy. An officer just arrived to take statements." Luck was with her. The young officer recognized her and took her statement quickly. She called her assistant, Myrtle, at the library. Barbara explained she had been the victim of a crime and would be back late from lunch. Myrtle was amazed she would be back at all and encouraged her not to rush, to be sure she had pulled herself together. This excuse gave Barbara the chance to return to her apartment and undergo the tantalizing transformation into Batgirl. She was also relieved to see the press had arrived at the scene of the crime by the time she slipped away.

When Barbara’s alter-ego joined the crime fighting conference, Batgirl was delighted to learn Amber Forever herself, who headed the Forever Jewel Company, had graciously come in to give her insights.

"You were right, Batman. Catwoman came after the Batagonian Cat’s Eye Opals. It was probably inevitable," the businesswoman was saying.

"Yes," Batman agreed. "Thanks to your help, Robin and I were able to treat the opals with a trace amount of mostly harmless, radioactive mist. Now we can home in on them from the Batmobile."

"Right! We’ll follow Catwoman to her lair and nail her with the goods!" Robin said, slamming his fist into his palm.

"But won’t the lead box the opals are being transported in interfere with your equipment?" Amber Forever asked.

"Only when it’s closed. Most criminals look over the fruits of their felonious labors once they feel they are safe at their hideouts. Robin and I will take advantage of this tendency," Batman explained.

"How quickly would you expect Catwoman to begin trying to unload the opals, Batman?"

"I don’t know, Batgirl. Most criminals would lay low after committing as many crimes as Catwoman has in this short space of time, but Catwoman tends to commit a series of crimes, each one bigger and more daring than the last."

"Like hitting my offices for petty cash and my showroom for its inventory?" Amber Forever suggested. "What could she be planning to do next?’’

"You think Catwoman has something big up her paw, don’t you, Batman?" Robin asked.

"It is a distinct possibility, old chum. Still, Batagonian Cat’s Eye Opals have a reputation that may influence how a criminal like Catwoman handles them."

"What makes you say that?" Chief O’Hara asked.

"There is a legendary curse on Batagonian Cat’s Eye Opals," Amber Forever explained. "Possessing them is supposed to be bad luck."

"I don’t know," Batgirl said. "Catwoman uses superstitions about black cats and the like to enhance the aura her victims perceive surrounding her. If I were to speculate, I’d say the stories of a curse associated with the opals would have little influence on her plans."

"Speaking of speculation, Batgirl," Commissioner Gordon began, "what prompted your appearance? How did you know Catwoman was once again on the prowl?"

"Well, Commissioner, I think I may have a few advantages over you gentlemen when it comes to anticipating some of Gotham City’s female criminals’ schemes."

"Your female intuition," Chief O’Hara said, interpreting her remarks superfluously.

"This time, however," Batgirl continued, favoring Chief O’Hara with a dazzling smile, "I saw the news coverage of the robbery."

"Oh goodness, I have to schedule a press conference!" Amber Forever exclaimed. "If you, Batgirl, Batman, and the rest of you gentlemen will excuse me."

"Thank you for coming, Ms. Forever," the Commissioner said, escorting his guest to the door and ushering her out. "So," he said once he had returned to the group, "how do we go about catching up with Catwoman?"

"Robin and I will patrol the city and try to pick up the trail of the opals with the Batometer," Batman said.

"I’ll start with this afternoon’s robbery and see if I can pick up a hint of Catwoman’s plans," Batgirl said.

"We’ll use Commissioner Gordon’s office to coordinate our efforts, if that isn’t a problem," Batman proposed.

"By all means, please do," Commissioner Gordon invited.

"Let’s all check in this evening," Robin suggested.

"I’ll talk to you then," Batgirl agreed. Having personally witnessed the robbery, she had some theories as to Catwoman’s plans. She needed to protect her secret identity, though. The scenario evolving from their conference would give her a plausible means of explaining how she had obtained Barbara Gordon’s knowledge of the robbery. Batgirl knew Catwoman’s next move would come that night, and she expected the Feline Felon to conclude business before midnight.

Between now and then, she would change back to Barbara Gordon and finish her work day. While crime fighting was important, she refused to get into the habit of using it to evade her professional responsibilities.

"We’re awfully early for a late night meeting, Minstrel," Octavia said.

"Catwoman and her gang will be early, too. To protect ourselves, we had to arrive first," the Minstrel replied.

"If we’ll be in danger, why didn’t you have a few Songbirds come along?"

"Showing up with an army of thugs would only provoke violence."

"I know you aren’t fond of fighting, Minstrel, but if you’re sure Catwoman plans to double-cross us, shouldn’t we be protected?"

"I detest violence, Octavia. With a little preparation, my brains will overcome whatever brawn Catwoman brings with her. Besides, you’re forgetting the wild cards in our little game of cat and mouse."

"What do you——Wait a minute. We’re at the Forever Jewel Company’s warehouse. Catwoman hit their offices to learn where the Batagonian Cat’s Eye Opals would be delivered and then stole them before they could be auctioned off. Having the exchange at this warehouse will cinch the case against Catwoman when the police catch up with her."

"Not the police, my dear."

"You mean Batman and Robin."

"Almost." Minstrel grinned and took out his lute. He strummed a few notes to be sure the instrument was in proper tune. Then he performed another rendition of "Three Blind Mice:"

“Three blind mice, here and there.
Three blind mice, everywhere.
Searching the town for the Cat.
All over Gotham to attack.
They’ll make an arrest and show puss who’s best.
The puss will get a stretch in jail, ‘cause of three blind mice.”

The Minstrel concluded his song with a bow.

"Ah, ha," Octavia said, smiling. "Batman, Robin, and Batgirl."

"Precisely."

"And just what is your interest in Batgirl?" Octavia asked, letting her hands settle on shapely hips.

The Minstrel shrugged. "I think she may have a few advantages over her gentlemen crime fighting colleagues when it comes to anticipating some of Gotham City’s female criminals’ schemes."

"Maybe. What makes you think Batman will go after Catwoman?"

"I can’t imagine why a real man wouldn’t and Batman is almost as smart as I.”

Octavia moved closer to him and grinned. "Are you saying Batman is in your league?" she asked teasingly.

The Minstrel kissed her deliberately. "You tell me."

"It isn’t possible," she declared and kissed him back slowly to confirm her assessment. "But, I’m glad I asked."

"We’d better get ready for everyone."

"Now?" she asked, pouting.

"You’re insatiable."

"No. We just make such beautiful music together."

"Suppose I promised you an encore performance after we deal with Catwoman?"

"I’m sure you could persuade me. What exactly are you going to do about her if she shows her claws?"

"I’ll show you."

Batgirl called Commissioner Gordon’s office that evening. "Can you put me in touch with Batman?" she asked. "Of course," Commissioner Gordon said. He called the mobile Batphone in the Batmobile and patched Batgirl through.

Parked at the side of the road, Batman held the receiver so Robin could hear. "Yes, Batgirl?"

"How goes the hunt?"

"Holy Dead End!" Robin lamented. "We’ve been searching all day and haven’t picked up a trace of Catwoman. The Batometer can pick up the radiation tainted opals anywhere within a fifty mile radius."

"Catwoman has either taken the opals out of our range or resisted the temptation to open their lead box," Batman deduced.

Batgirl considered Batman’s theories. “How long before the radiation decays and we can no longer track it?"

"We’ll be able to keep looking until well after midnight tomorrow," Batman replied.

Suddenly, Batgirl recalled Catwoman’s parting words at the jewelry store. ‘"Purrfect. This caper will have been concluded in a total of twenty-four hours. It started and will be finished at the witching hour. Come on, cats! Let’s shake a paw,’ the Feline Felon had said.

"Something a patron at the jewelry store overheard Catwoman say makes me think she plans to unload the opals tonight. If we meet somewhere, we can cover more ground once your Batometer detects the stones."

"Good thinking, Batgirl. Where are you?"

Batgirl grinned. "I’m in Midtown. Where are you?"

Batman realized the reason for her evasiveness and smiled to himself. "Close by. Why don’t we meet at the foot of Big Benjamin?"

"Big Benjamin?" she inquired. "Oh, the clock in the Wayne Memorial Clock Tower. Okay. I’ll be there soon. Goodbye." She hung up her cell phone and pulled her Batgirl cycle into traffic. "Nice try, Batman."

Shortly thereafter, Catwoman swept into the Forever Jewel Company’s Gotham City warehouse with Tabitha following closely behind.

"Good evening, ladies," the Minstrel said, stepping into sight with a flourish.

Catwoman regarded him coolly. "You’re early, Minstrel."

"So are you, Catwoman."

"I see you’ve purrfected the security evasion techniques you boasted about when we set up this meeting."

"The alarms here were child’s play. So, do you have the Batagonian Cat’s Eye Opals?"

"Naturally. Do you have my money?"

"Show me the jewels."

"Purrhaps I will. First, show me the money."

"I’m the buyer, Catwoman. Of course, if you don’t want to do business, you can always try to sell them to someone else. Whether you’ll find someone who can pay what I will is questionable." He began to turn away as he spoke.

"Wait!" Catwoman commanded. The Minstrel stopped. "Tabitha," Catwoman continued, "have the goods brought in."

Tabitha tapped a key on a cell phone and brought it to her lips. "Bring it in," she said simply. Moments later, Hecate walked into the room. Catwoman picked up the cat and began to stroke her as Garfield and Hobbs pushed the lead case in on a flatbed cart.

The Minstrel nodded. "Octavia," he said. His comely confederate stepped into view and presented a leather briefcase. "Simultaneously?"

"Agreed."

"Ladies," the arch criminals said together. Octavia opened the briefcase to display several piles of neatly stacked greenbacks, while Tabitha unlocked the lead container holding the Batgonian Cat’s Eye Opals.

"I trust you’ll want to count it."

"There is no honor among thieves, Minstrel," Catwoman said.

"Then we’ll have a look at the opals." As Tabitha counted, Octavia picked up one of the larger opals and watched the light shimmer over it.

Suddenly, the Minstrel felt a vibration at his hip. "Hey! One of the external alarms I set has just been tripped. You wouldn’t be planning to double-cross me?"

"No."

"Then I’ll let you deal with the interruption. Come, Octavia." Octavia grabbed back the money while Tabitha retrieved the opals. Then the Minstrel and his lady stepped out of sight.

"Get ready for a Bat-attack, boys. We’ll be having company any second," Catwoman said.

"Right you are, Catwoman!" Batgirl said, striding into the room and placing her hands on her hips as she stopped before the villainess. "I’m going to clip your claws."

"We’ll see who gets clipped, Batgirl," Catwoman said.

"Indeed," Batgirl said, lowering herself into a fighting crouch, preparing to meet the voluptuous villainess’ attacking henchkittens. The attack that came, however, was launched by the Catwoman herself as she flung Hecate at the Dark Knight Damsel.

The cat flew toward her with claws barred and her back arched. "Meeeeow!"

"What’s happening?’’ Batgirl asked as she began to feel the effects of the drugs on Hecate’s claws seconds after they impaled her.

"You’ve been given a very strong dose of liquid catatonia. It will drive you batty and knock you temporarily out. When you come back, we’ll play a little game in which you will be the mouse and I will be the cat. Once we’ve finished, so, too, shall you be," Catwoman said, laughing.

"Not if we have anything to say about it, Catwoman," Batman said, appearing as if by magic.

“Ah, Batman!” Catwoman sighed.

"Right," Robin agreed, slamming a gloved fist into his gloved hand. "We’re going to clip your claws."

"Is there some kind of delayed echo in here?’’

"Only the echoing clang of what will be the proverbial final bars of your criminal career closing on you., Catwoman," Batman answered.

"Men, once again I find two things standing between all of us and a life of splendor and plenty. Eradicate them!" Catwoman gestured at her enemies as she and Tabitha backed out of what would be the combat zone.

Her men charged the Dynamic Duo. Garfield came at Robin and blocked the blow the Teen Thunderbolt fired at him. Robin blocked the counterpunch and slid in a right cross. Batman, meanwhile, traded punches with Hobbs in a similar manner.

"Bam! Pow! Look at them go!" the concealed Octavia said later as the battle raged. "Batman and Robin are going toe-to-toe with those cats."

"Yes," the Minstrel agreed. "They are impressive, aren’t they?"

The Dynamic Duo had maneuvered the cats back to back and shoved them into one another. They pressed their advantage as the henchmen recovered their balance.

"You realize Catwoman is improvising,” the Minstrel explained from their hiding place. “While I’m prepared, neither of us anticipated the Terrific Trio interrupting our negotiations."

"That would mean she brought along the extra manpower to deal with us," Octavia reasoned.

"Right you are, Octavia." Octavia was truly a gorgeous creature and also offered so much more. "I suppose Batman and Robin are saving me the trouble of dealing with Catwoman’s thugs."

"Could you have beaten them, Minstrel? If not, what do you imagine they would have done with me?"

"I shudder to think, my dear. I suppose it’s time we deal with them all." Garfield and Hobbs had been pummeled fairly thoroughly once the Dynamic Duo had worn down their defenses.

"You’re talking about the equipment we installed this afternoon?"

"Precisely. You realize it will effect Catwoman and her other assistant as well?" the Minstrel pointed out.

"We were just saying she planned to double-cross us. So, who cares what happens to them?"

"Would you like to do the honors, then?"

"With pleasure." The Minstrel produced two pairs of ear plugs, handed one to Octavia, and inserted the other in his ears. His lady crossed to a panel of switches they had left on a handy shelf and inserted her ear plugs along the way. She glanced at the Minstrel, who nodded. Then, she flipped a switch. The Minstrel grinned wolfishly.

Instantly, catcalls began to sound from tiny, hidden speakers, accompanied by blinding flashes of light. The subsonic waves the source had been imbued with began to take their toll on the combatants, Catwoman, and Tabitha. Only Batgirl, who remained unconscious due to Catwoman’s drug, was spared. Blinded, the victims began to hold their hands to their ears, vainly trying to block the Minstrel’s sinister sound waves. Slowly, they all fell to their knees.

Batman and Robin writhed while reaching for their utility belts. "Hang on, old chum!" Batman encouraged. "I’ve got to reach my Bat-ear plugs before these catcalls overcome us!"

"They have earplugs, too, Minstrel!" Octavia observed, loud enough to be heard through her companion’s earplugs.

"Not for long, they won’t! Take them away from Robin and put them in Tabitha’s ears while I take care of Batman and Catwoman! I think our negotiating position just became much stronger!"

"Are you sure?"

"We need Catwoman to complete the transaction!"

"Why don’t we just grab the jewels and keep our money?"

"No! I told Catwoman we would negotiate and we will!"

"There is no honor among thieves, Minstrel! She told us that herself!"

The Minstrel sighed. "I know! Reneging on the deal would be stooping to her level! I may be many things, Octavia, but I’m no common thief!"

"You’re something else entirely, Minstrel! Especially to me!"

“That’s better! Now, come on, before I strain my voice!"

Batman and Robin were just about to fit their Bat-ear plugs into place when they felt the implements taken from their hands.

"Batman," Robin cried. "What’s happening?"

"Catwoman is winning this round." The Dark Knight’s body relaxed at that instant as he felt himself overwhelmed by the combined stress of the sinister sounds and lights and his efforts to negate their effects. Robin was just as helpless when Octavia turned away from him.

"What happened?" Tabitha asked as she soon found herself rousing in the cool night air. She was on the pavement outside the warehouse.

Catwoman blinked behind her mask, her vision slowly clearing. "It seems the Minstrel has subdued the Dynamic Duo," Catwoman replied groggily. She, too, was sprawled on the blacktop.“Whatever he did to them, we now seem to be being spared the effects."

"Then he managed to double-cross us instead of vice versa."

“Purrhaps."

"Not so, ladies," the Minstrel announced. "You may not be a lady, Catwoman, but, I am a gentleman. We came here to close a deal, so, let’s do it."

"Fine," Catwoman said. "Give Tabitha the money, she’ll give your lady friend the opals and we’ll all be on our way."

"Not so fast, Catwoman. I’m altering the deal, because you led Batman and the others here somehow."

"How do you know they followed me?"

"They didn’t show up until after you did. I have other reasons, if you are interested."

"Never mind. Let’s hear your offer."

"I’m leaving you all the jewels, save the one Octavia selected to admire. I would have turned the rest in for the reward Amber Forever or her insurance company would have gotten around to offering before the end of the week, anyway. The rest of the deal is a trade based upon who captured whom."

"So, I get Batman and Robin and you get Batgirl and one opal?"

"That’s it, except I keep all of my money. Oh, and I’ll turn off my catcall transmitters before I go. The Dynamic Duo will be completely available for your disposal, with my compliments."

"What would happen if I went in and got them while your catcalls purrsist?"

"I think you’d be rendered as helpless as they and your men are now."

"Do I have a choice, then?"

The Minstrel grinned. "Certainly," he said, "You can break off our negotiations and give me all the loot and the chance to do away with all the heroes myself."

"I find your alternative proposal most perrturbing."

"I thought as much."

"I suppose Ms. Forever’s petty cash and the rest of the jewels keep my work from being a complete waste of time." A cunning look crossed Catwoman’s face. "Who gets the Batmobile?"

"It’s all yours," the Minstrel conceded with a gallant bow.

"In that case," she said, smiling like a Cheshire cat, "I accept."

"You’ve made a wise decision, Catwoman. Oh, and unless you object, I’ll keep Batgirl’s motorcycle," the Minstrel said. He produced a control and switched his catcalls off.

Catwoman stood, waving a hand airily. "Very well," she said. Then, she extended her other hand and felt the Minstrel’s strong grip. Both smiled as they shook hands. Their business concluded, Catwoman put a tiny tube to her lips, and blew through it. "All right, Tabitha. Let’s get the stuff." She led her henchwoman and the Minstrel back into the warehouse where Batman, Robin, and her henchmen lay helplessly on the floor. The women moved the prone men onto the cart with the lead case of jewels. "One question, Minstrel. What happened to your lady and Batgirl?"

"I had sufficient confidence in the strength of my negotiating position that I asked Octavia to attend to Batgirl."

"I see. But, Batman and Robin——"

"Are yours to toy with or dispose of, in any manner that captures your imagination."

"While I won’t say it was a pleasure doing business with you, I will say our arrangement should prove quite satisfying."

The Minstrel bowed and took up his lute, strumming. He sang:

“Good night, Batman.
Good night, Robin.
Good night, ladies.
I’m going to leave you now.”

He was as good as his word.

Tabitha wheeled the contents of her cart to the Kitty Car and followed Catwoman’s directions loading it. As Tabitha pulled away, Catwoman found and retrieved Hecate, who had answered her silent whistle, before following in the Batmobile.

Octavia joined the Minstrel at his vehicle moments later. "How did it go?" she asked.

"About the way I expected."

"You packed up our security enhancements?"

"We’re quite ready to go. How is Batgirl?"

"I gave her a Batgirl Antidote pill. With time, it should counteract Catwoman’s drug. Do you think Catwoman will try to kill the Dynamic Duo?"

"Maybe, but she never has been able to complete the job before. I’m just glad Batgirl won’t have to suffer whatever she has planned for them."

"Now, instead, Batman and Robin will have her help."

The Minstrel turned and directed a questioning look at his lady. "What do you mean, Octavia?"

"Well, before I took Batgirl and her motorcycle away, I put one of her homing devices on the Batmobile."

The Minstrel threw his head back and laughed. Octavia was perhaps the perfect combination of beauty and intelligence. Any man would want her, but he had won her years ago. He composed himself. "I think the Terrific Trio may clip Catwoman’s claws after all and by this time tomorrow, you and I will be in Amsterdam.”

"Why Amsterdam, Minstrel?"

He responded by playing his lute while revising a song he’d sung before:

“A wandering minstrel I, and now’s the time to wander,
To give me time to ponder, as cat men are taking their lumps.
We don’t indulge in fisticuffs or vulgar brawling. I hear far places calling.
We’ll be back when I hold all the trumps. We’ll be back when I hold all the trumps.”

Once he had put his lute aside, he continued, "Your actions may alert Batgirl that Catwoman was working for someone when she took the Batagonian Cat’s Eye Opals. It may be best for us to leave the country and accelerate my plans for expanding your jewel collection."

"So, we’re going to pick up a few choice baubles from a few well-placed vaults in Europe?"

The Minstrel chuckled. "That won’t be necessary. I have a letter of introduction from England’s most notorious gentleman rogue, the Robin Hood of Modern Crime. In fact, it will enable us to deal with a man called Van Roeper who buys and sells illicit jewels.”

"But, aren’t we keeping our illicit jewels?"

"Certainly."

"Then, what are we going to buy more with?"

The Minstrel chuckled again. "Not only do we have the money we didn’t have to give to Catwoman, but think back to our stock market venture. I asked each of those pompous professional investors to deposit their dues for The Minstrel’s Friendly Stockbrokers’ Protective Association into account number 007 at the Broccoli Bank in Geneva, Switzerland. The rather substantial sum of money with which I opened that account has just sat there since my scheme, as it were, collapsed, happily accumulating interest. Those cautious few who made deposits helped our cause as well. We can draw from those funds for our dealings with Van Roeper.”

Octavia beamed at him. "That plan sounds promising. Now, tell me, why are the jewels so important?"

"They are the key to my latest master plan. I call it ‘Operation High Cs.’ We need, however, more jewels for it to work. So far, our Machiavellian maneuvers have enabled us to successfully make use of Killer Moth and Catwoman. I’m beginning to get impatient and manipulating the underworld requires waiting for the right opportunity."

"Will we come back to Gotham City?"

"Oh, yes, Octavia. When the time is right, I’ll shake things up as they’ve never been shaken before. That righteous reformer, Batman, hasn’t seen anything yet." The lingering strains of the Minstrel’s melodic laughter echoed in the night as the criminals departed.

Shortly thereafter, deep within the claustrophobic confines of the current, catacombed Catlair, the Princess of Plunder stood poised to bring Batman and Robin’s crimefighting careers to their cataclysmic conclusions.

Her prisoners were recovering.

"Where are we, Batman?" Robin asked before wincing.

"Hang on, old chum. The side effects of Catwoman’s catcalls will quickly pass."

"So will both of you, Batman," Catwoman said, laughing. "I’ll explain exactly how in a few short moments. As I’ve told you before, I wouldn’t want you to make your exits without knowing exactly how it’s to be done."

As the Caped Crusader regarded the Feline Felon, he began to consider Robin and his predicament. Cords bound their wrists above their heads and secured their chests, waists, and ankles in place against poles extending from the centers of small, circular platforms on which each stood. Ordinarily, Batman would have pulled a blade and cut himself free in a matter of seconds, however, he had been deprived of his boots, gloves, and utility belt. He could see them lying on a table beside Robin’s belt, gloves and boots. He spared them only a glance as he felt his gaze attracted somehow to Catwoman herself. She leaned against the table, stroking Hecate.

"I see you’ve taken the usual precautions," he said.

"Purrfectly understandable, I’m sure you’d agree. But, it needn’t come to this, Batman. You and I could accomplish so much together. If you were to join me, we could pick Gotham City clean overnight or at our leisure. Or, if being wealthy beyond anyone’s wildest dreams doesn’t make your heart palpitate, I know I could be an invaluable partner in your war against crime. The choice would be yours. In either case, I promise to make your down time much more exciting, if you’ll allow me."

"I’ll never turn criminal, Catwoman, and I already have a partner in crimefighting. If, however, you’d ever pay off your debt to society, I’m sure we’d both welcome your aid in our war against crime. As for the rest of your generous proposal, Robin and I have little time for socializing. I must confess, though, I cannot help but find your invitation quite tempting."

Catwoman handed Hecate to Tabitha and slinked toward Batman. When she reached him, she slid a gloved hand across his chest playfully. "Purrhaps I could sweeten my offer."

"I’m sure you could, Catwoman," Batman said quietly. Was he weakening?

"Leave him alone, you witch!" Robin shouted.

Catwoman stepped back from Batman and regarded Robin with a wicked sounding hiss. "Tabitha, shut him up!" she ordered.

The ex-dancer strutted slowly toward the Boy Wonder, swishing her hips as she moved and tipping a bottle of liquid Catatonia into a white cloth. Once prepared, the henchwoman pocketed her bottle and stepped on the platform behind her intended victim. She wrapped her arms around him and put the drug-soaked cloth over his mouth and nose. "Night night, Robin," she said huskily to him, her hot breath caressing his cheek as she waited for his body to go limp once again.

"What are you going to do with him?" Batman demanded.

"I’ll do what I once promised you I’d do——kill him, painlessly." Catwoman’s casual bantering manner transformed into shrewd coyness as she changed her focus from Batman to her henchwoman. "Unless, of course, Tabitha wants him. In that instance, I’m sure we could work out an amicable arrangement."

Tabitha regarded her victim critically. "I’m sure I could find something to do with him. However, if I didn’t sense some genuine interest before things got rolling, I’m afraid he would start to bore me much too quickly. It isn’t like we can ask his opinion now."

"How is it Robin has stayed a little boy for so long, anyway? Although, one of my former assistants, Pussycat, told me about a conversation he had with her while he was part of my gang when they were alone together. It’s just possible Robin may have discovered things to purrsue in his free time besides baseball. Maybe he’s finally growing up," Catwoman speculated. Then she brightened. "Too bad, really. Oh, well. That does it. It’s curtains for Robin."

"I suppose," Tabitha purred, "if you persuade Batman to do whatever you plan to do with him, I would be free to entertain the boys--in the event I chose to." She glanced at Garfield and Hobbs with an impish smile playing at the corners of her mouth.

"Let’s stick to business, Tabitha! So, Batman, what’s it to be? I offer you life with me, or no life at all. The choice is yours, of course." Catwoman’s hand continued to massage her enemy’s chest as she clarified her offer.

"This is your final offer?"

"Of course," she purred as her hand slid lower. "Now, stop asking questions and decide!"

"You are a very beautiful, very enthralling woman, Catwoman," Batman began.

"And," Catwoman prompted expectantly. Anticipating.

"No deal!" Batman said, holding her gaze.

"No deal?" Catwoman repeated incredulously. Her voice became very small. ‘‘Then, you’re rejecting me?"

"I’m afraid so," Batman answered. "I am truly sorry."

"Why?" Catwoman asked, her voice still sounding small and almost mousy.

"Catwoman, as often as you and I dance around these questions, I wonder each time if there is hope for you. I hope you will have chosen to use your beauty and intelligence for good instead of perverting it for evil. There is really no end to what you could accomplish. As often as I ponder these things, I am disappointed. The callous manner in which you condemn Robin to death speaks volumes."

"Spare me the psychobabble, Batman!" Catwoman said, turning casually. Strength had returned to her voice. Batman regarded her, shaking his head sadly. "You’ve had your say! Now it’s my turn! I will not tolerate being rejected. For this insult, you will die."

Catwoman curled her hand so she could draw her claws downward and across Batman’s flesh without actually scratching him. The symbolism was hardly lost on Batman.

"Men, bring over the yarn. It’s time to move on. I’m past ready to be finished–with both of them!"

Garfield and Hobbs each rolled a gigantic ball of yarn past the prisoners and into position behind them.

Catwoman stepped back. "It’s your loss, Batman," she told him, placing her hands on her hips and spreading her legs to shoulder width, thus enabling Batman to appreciate what he was giving up. "Men, tie them in!" she ordered. The men promptly extended the leading ends of the balls of yarn they had positioned and wound them around the Dynamic Duo’s ankle restraints. Next, they tightened the slip knots they had tied in the yarn to take in the slack. After a satisfied glance at their handiwork, Garfield and Hobbs stepped back.

"Finished?" Catwoman inquired.

"Yes, boss," Garfield answered.

"Purrfect." Catwoman praised. Then she returned her attention to her prisoners . "Batman, in just a moment I’ll start the platforms rotating. As you turn, the yarn will slowly entwine you, entombing you just as slowly. Tabitha, get the lights!" Catwoman’s sinewy sycophant bent to set Hecate on the floor before moving to the switch with one long, languid stride. With girlish delight, Tabitha flipped the switch, activating a pair of bright, overhead, hot, lights.

"All set, boss," she said proudly.

"Good. As your body gets all wound up, the light will make sure you are truly hot and bothered. Long before the yarn runs out, you will have smothered within your cocoon. You should have taken my deal, Batman. It was a one time offer. Tabitha, pluck Robin’s feathers."

"I’m not afraid to die, Catwoman," Batman said as Robin’s platform began rotating.

"Off you go, then. Bye bye." Catwoman started Batman’s platform spinning and moved to Robin with a single, sexy stride. "Farewell, Boy Wonder," she said superfluously.

"I wish we could all afford to stay and watch your fate unwind, boys. But, despite the kind things Batman said about me, I need my beauty sleep." With that, the Princess of Plunder was ready to depart, leaving Batman and Robin to their dizzying demise.

"You’ll have several years to rest up after I put you back in jail, Catwoman," Batgirl said, striding into the chamber and placing her fists on her shapely hips.

"Batgirl!" Tabitha exclaimed.

"Batgirl!" Batman echoed.

"Batgirl," Catwoman said. "How did you find us?"

"That is for me to know and for you to wonder about."

"No matter. Nobody invited you into my plans this time, Batgirl. As long as you are here, I'll reinstate the offer I recently made you. You can experience my bondage bag firsthand."

"I'll pass again, Catwoman. Thanks."

Catwoman laughed. "You imagine I'm giving you a choice? How amusing."

"I have a choice for you! Surrender or face the consequences."

"I think I'll face the consequences. You see, I've realized I was at a disadvantage in the recent bondage competition you judged. Nora has bound you into her Human Knots and our French opponent incorporated you into her grand display with Nora and me. You haven't experienced my newest techniques. Once you have, I'm certain you’ll acknowledge my dominant position in this fascinating field."

"You're still obsessed by La Esclavage Reine's challenge?"

"I answered that French pretender's challenge. The throne is mine, as you are about to discover," Catwoman said confidently.

"Do you expect me to pronounce you the winner?”

Batman followed this debate best he could as he spun. He had heard about Batgirl’s recent involvement with Catwoman, but didn’t know many of the details. Of more concern to him was the fact Batgirl was outnumbered four to one.

"I don't care if you announce my victory, Batgirl. That French floozy would never find out and even though Nora and I are friends, I doubt she’d believe me. What is important, however, is you’ll recognize I’m the real Bondage Queen when the Dynamic Duo dies and you are placed in my bondage bodybag," Catwoman purred, concluding the description of her plans with a wicked chuckle.

"I see." Batgirl replied. "You've placed some importance on your imagined title, La Esclavage Reine. Well, Your Majesty," Batgirl said mockingly, "the only things I recognize are the end of your freedom and of your campaign against the Forever Jewel Company!"

"If you wanted to play, my little mouse, you should have waited for the cats to go away. Instead, while the Dynamic Duo keeps spinning toward their fate, my men will pounce on you." Catwoman’s voice became louder and much more commanding as she turned her attention from the new arrival to her thugs. "Get her, guys!"

Tabitha released the men, enabling them to separate and advance on Batgirl, approaching her from different directions.

Batgirl didn’t wait. She spun toward Hobbs and swept his legs from beneath him. As he hit the floor, she darted a glance at Garfield, who lunged for her.

Seeing he was off balance, Batgirl dropped to one knee and took hold of his wrist as his fist flew to the place her face had been. Garfield let out a startled cry as Batgirl’s free hand lifted his shoulder while she pulled down sharply on his wrist. Batgirl moved her hands to opposite sides of her body and released her opponent, who tumbled away from her.

Hobbs had regained his feet and was quickly coming for her. From her knees, Batgirl launched a combination upward to pummel his mid-section. Then she returned to her feet, keeping his arms flailing wildly to avoid a series of efficient blows Batgirl hoped would wear him down. Patiently, she maintained the fury of her assault until the opening she expected arrived. When it came, she snaked an uppercut through his flailing defenses and launched him into the air. He landed hard on his back.

Garfield was lunging at her again, this time from behind. Batgirl reacted to a movement she spotted from the corner of her eye and spun, dodging to one side. Garfield felt himself flung in the direction he was moving as Batgirl eluded him.

Catwoman’s thugs picked themselves up and watched their enemy crouch, waiting and smiling at them. Together, they rushed her. As they reached her position, she surprised them by dropping to one knee again and firing her battle-honed elbows into their exposed bellies. As they doubled over in pain, she straightened and raised a knee into Garfield’s chin. As the thug straightened, Batgirl finished him off by applying the ball of her foot to the point of his chin with titanic force. Her kick knocked him back and down for keeps.

Batgirl turned toward Hobbs in time to relax as he crashed into her, knocking her to the floor. Hobbs reached for Batgirl’s throat as she recovered her breath. Instinctively, Batgirl fired both fists into Hobbs’ sides. She saw pain registering on his face and tried to roll on top of the thug. Hobbs sensed her plan and slammed his head into her chest, thus stunning her momentarily.

Catwoman’s thug knew he had her and took his time about making himself comfortable before delivering a shattering blow to Batgirl’s head that would end the fight. As Batgirl recovered her wits, she realized Hobbs was kneeling beside her and was just about to send his big meaty fist into her nose. Hobbs paused to admire the site of the purple-clad heroine lying helplessly at his mercy. He smiled and let the blow fall with the inexorable inevitability of doom.

Hobbs’ visions of Tabitha, or perhaps even Catwoman, expressing how impressed she had been with his performance evaporated as a shocking blur of pain asserted itself on his consciousness. Batgirl had put every ounce of energy she possessed into a spear hand aimed accurately at her opponent’s throat. He collapsed on top of her, coughing violently.

Now the Dark Knight Damsel had no trouble rolling on top of her opponent and reached down to grab his hair with a gloved hand. Before he could react, Hobbs felt his head lifted and slammed hard into the floor. Then his senses were overwhelmed by blackness.

As Batgirl stood, Batman and Robin were fully enveloped by one layer of yarn. They continued spinning as Tabitha maintained her vigil.

"Very impressive, Batgirl," Catwoman said. "It seems I’ll need to fall back on my reserves. Tabitha, deal with her."

As Batgirl turned to face her new opponent, she realized Tabitha’s approach would be a little different. The dangerous, ex-dancer had retrieved the bottle of liquid Catatonia used on Robin.

Tabitha splashed the liquid onto her gloved palms. As Batgirl watched and waited, she retrieved the cloth she had soaked to deal with Robin and moved in to attack. “My little cat feet are going to kick your——"

"Cut the chatter and fight," Batgirl interrupted, motioning to Tabitha invitingly.

The henchwoman spun, sending a long leg over Batgirl’s head. The Dark Knight Damsel ignored the kick, knowing Tabitha’s real weapons were in her hands. As Tabitha recovered from her spin and sank into a fighting crouch Batgirl kicked at her chest. Tabitha moved to block and was surprised when Batgirl pulled a leg back and fired a kick downward at Tabitha’s abdomen.

The dancer fell to the floor, moaning. Batgirl was upon her instantly, crouching over her and drawing the fallen, drug-soaked rag toward the woman’s nose and moth.

"Oh, no!" Tabitha said fearfully, realizing what Batgirl was going to do to her.

"Oh, yes!" Batgirl replied mercilessly, holding the rag in place against Tabitha’s face until the henchwoman’s body went limp.

"So," Catwoman observed, "it seems I’ll have to deal with you purrsonally."

"So it would seem."

Suddenly, Batgirl spotted Hecate flying toward her and sidestepped, taking her cape in both hands. Before the black cat could scratch her, Batgirl had enveloped the creature in the cape and tossed it gently aside, thus nullifying the threat of the cat’s drugged claws.

The crack of Catwoman’s whip refocused Batgirl’s attention. "I’m going to flay you alive, Batgirl,” Catwoman said, brandishing her weapon. "I don’t get enough of this kind of exercise. I might grow to enjoy it."

"Not if I can help it, Catwoman," Batgirl said and sprang to one side as the lash licked out for her.

Their fight was one sided from the start. Catwoman would snap the lash toward Batgirl, who would spring out of range. With each new attack, Batgirl’s margin of safety shrank. Slowly, she tired.

Catwoman, however, began to show off her skill with her cat-o-nine tails, directing Batgirl’s movements with quick, playful flicks of her wrist at the end of sweeping arm motions. "How long can you last, Batgirl?" the Feline Fiend taunted.

"We’ll see, Catwoman," Batgirl replied, dancing just out of reach of the lash, nearly breathless.

"You can’t win."

"You haven’t hit me yet," Batgirl chided.

"Oh, but I will." Catwoman began to let her lash whirl overhead as she watched Batgirl wait on the balls of her feet for the next strike. Suddenly, the Princess of Plunder lowered her arm and took two long strides toward our heroine. Instead of cracking near her ankles, the whip snaked toward her and encircled her waist, knotting itself. "There. I’ll bet you didn’t know I could to that, now, did you? Tell me, Batgirl. Who is in the catbird seat?"

Batgirl, impossibly, seemed to be ignoring her. Catwoman felt a tug at her whip hand and a sharp pull. Then, she was stumbling toward Batgirl and the back of a gloved hand slammed into her mouth, dropping her. "I am, Catwoman." Batgirl answered. "I was waiting for you to get overconfident and make a mistake. Entwining my waist and letting me use the whip to pull you into range for an attack was the perfect opportunity. Now, our fight is over."

Stunned at the reversal of fortune, Catwoman realized the Purple Paragon was right. A second ago she had been toying with her enemy, tiring her for the inevitable kill. Now, she was lying on her back with a free and uninjured Batgirl on top of her, disarmed and being bound with her own whip.

"What are you doing?" Catwoman asked, still not believing she had lost a fight to the much shorter woman.

"Preparing you for incarceration."

"Like this? When we helped each other escape from that French bimbo's trap? Why?"

"I’m glad you asked," Batgirl said sweetly. Then her tone became hard and accusatory. "We can begin with your pattern cutter. It was just a diversion to get Batman out of the way while you robbed Queen Bess, but I still didn’t appreciate it one bit. Next, we have two episodes involving your Cat’s Whiskers. I’ve never really taken kindly to being restrained without prior permission and neither your men nor your women were at all gentle about the procedure. Next, you and Vixen left me to be entombed in wax at St. Bartholomew’s cathedral. And finally, you stole my body!"

As Batgirl spoke, Catwoman felt herself being rolled onto her stomach and her arms being drawn inexorably toward her ankles. Batgirl was hog-tying her, but Catwoman was almost oblivious to this fact.

Batgirl had woven a spell with each of her words that had fallen from her lips, dripped with righteous fury. As Batgirl’s speech went on, it built an irrational terror in her enemy. Catwoman sensed Batgirl’s pent-up feelings were about to be expressed in a blind rage.

Batgirl concluded, "I’m going to let your threat to flay me alive pass——at least for now.” Batgirl finished securing Catwoman. “If you’ll excuse me, I have two deaths to prevent." She stood and turned off the platforms on which Batman and Robin were being further entwined.

When Catwoman recovered from Batgirl’s spell, she slowly became aware her circumstances had changed dramatically. Things were not good. Batman and Robin had stopped spinning; Hobbs and Garfield lay on the floor moaning and defeated; Tabitha had been subdued with liquid catatonia, the drug-soaked rag still draped across her face; Catwoman herself was lying on her stomach with her wrists and ankles bound behind her back with her own whip; and finally, worst of all, soon Batman would be in Batgirl’s arms. The situation was both ironic and humiliating.

"Thank you, Batgirl. Once again, we owe you our lives," the Caped Crusader said as his rescuer turned off the oppressive, overhead, hot lights.

"You’ve done the same for me, more times than I can count," she replied, stepping up on the platform and sliding a sharp blade between Batman’s body and the yarn surrounding it. When he was free, Batgirl found herself supporting his six foot two frame as blood began to flow freely through his veins again.

Letting her arms encircle his chest and her hands massage his shoulders as he leaned against her, seemed like the most natural thing in the world to do. His shoulders seemed very muscular as they rippled beneath her gloved fingers.

"I’ll get you for this, Batgirl!" Catwoman shouted. "I’ll be back! Much sooner than you think!"

Somehow, the villainess’ caterwauling seemed very far away.

Presently, Batgirl felt Batman wind his strong arms around her. Together they stepped from the platform to the floor, where they stood for a long moment, holding their arms around one another. Neither had said a word to prompt their apparently choreographed movement. Their coordination had been achieved by means of a kind of telepathy Batgirl had never before experienced with her crime fighting senior partner. When she thought back on it, the experience had really been quite thrilling. Electric.

Rarely had Batgirl experienced anything remotely like the proverbial romantic rewards of heroism. More frequently, she found herself having to grin and bear wolf whistles and lewd suggestions. This she did cheerfully, most of the time, because she had demonstrated to certain parties how ruthlessly and mercilessly she was willing and able to deal with unwanted attention when admirers crossed the line. Today was different.

She was holding Batman in her arms and he was holding her in his.

Neither seemed to be at all eager to release the other.

Barbara Gordon had found, soon after becoming Batgirl, it was necessary to keep her natural, romantic interest in Batman in check as she worked with him. It would have been impossible to have been taken seriously as a fellow crime fighter if she had spent all their time together gushing like a little girl. Thus, she had abandoned the albatross of a romantic agenda toward Batman and become an effective member of his team. He, she, and Robin had become a kind of family. The arrival of Batwoman had been more traumatic for her than she would have freely admitted, but the two woman had talked out their positions after a few cases. Batgirl’s perspective on her role in what had once again become a team had been clarified.

Now, standing in Batman’s arms holding him, she felt one of her teenage daydreams had come true. She knew it was still impossible to go much further with Batman, but he made her feel so safe. So special. They owed each other their lives dozens of times over. Somehow, she felt a connection they had to one another was being renewed as they held one another. She would never be able to explain it, but she and Batman both understood it perfectly. Maybe they would go on like this forever. Could they? Should she dare to hope?

"Batgirl," Batman said quietly.

"Hmm," she said dreamily, letting her head rest gently against his massive chest.

"Catwoman’s men are escaping."

"Oh," Batgirl lifted her head and looked at him. What she saw gave Batgirl a warm feeling all over, right down to her toes. Batman was smiling at her. "We'd better get them, hadn’t we?" He nodded silently. She released him and let a warm smile curl the corners of her mouth. "Thank you, Batman. I’ll take care of them. You see to Robin."

"Alright," he responded simply and let go of her.

When Batgirl turned to the fleeing men, pleasure was no longer radiating from her face. She had adopted her sternest look and stepped toward them purposefully. Her body language was betraying her anger . ‘How dare these worthless, petty criminals interrupt?’ she thought.

"Where do you two think you’re going?" she asked rhetorically. "I’ll give you the same choice I gave Catwoman. You will both surrender to me instantly, or suffer the consequences!" Batgirl’s voice projected a deadly quietness, a calm promising the release of barely contained , tempestuous fury if she were disobeyed.

Garfield and Hobbs raised their hands.

Robin, meanwhile, was recovering from Tabitha’s attack. "Hang on, old chum. I’ve got you." Once Robin was free, Batman helped him sit on the platform.

"What happened?" Robin asked.

"Batgirl," Batman explained proudly.

Robin stood up as he looked around. "Holy Weird Use of Weapons, Batman!" Robin exclaimed. "Catwoman is tied up with her cat-o-nine tails and this note." He crossed and retrieved a folded piece of paper.

"What does it say?" Batman asked.

"Self proclaimed Bondage Queen hoist on her own petard, compliments of Batgirl," Robin read aloud. "What the heck is that supposed to mean?"

"I don't know, Robin."

"Well, maybe we can persuade Batgirl to explain. We owe her our lives again, don't we?"

"Perhaps."

"Where is she, anyway?" Batman glanced around the room and noticed the Batcuffed thugs for the first time. He had apparently been too busy enjoying his private memories of holding Batgirl to notice her recover her cape and slip quietly away.

"Who knows, Robin? Who ever knows?"

Batgirl retrieved her homing device from the Batmobile on her way back to the Batgirlcycle. ‘Who put this on here?" she wondered.

She shunted the question aside as the wind began to whip her cape and false red hair behind her as she drove. For her, the case had been a huge success. She had single-handedly mopped up Catwoman and her goons, littering the Catlair with them before she had finished. More importantly, she had held Batman in her arms and he had liked it. Barbara Gordon would face another work day with too little sleep in a few hours, but she didn’t care. She knew it was going to be a beautiful day.

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