To Begin Again

When Alfred recovered, he found himself helplessly bound and blindfolded. As Rhea removed the cloth from his eyes, he realized he was in a telephone booth located in a deserted corridor. The corridor was part of a subterranean level of Gotham City’s Museum of Natural History, but only his comely captor, Rhea, and the men who had joined her there knew that.

"Who are you? What is the meaning of this? Answer me!" Alfred demanded.

"It’s about earning one million dollars overnight. Not bad, eh, old boy?" Rhea said with a laugh.

"For whom are you working?"

"I serve His Royal Majesty, The Clock King." An alarm sounded on Rhea’s watch. "It’s time I get to work." She picked up the phone and dialed.

"Yes," Commissioner Gordon said.

"I represent Clock King. Let me speak to Batgirl."

A moment later Batgirl came on the line. "This is Batgirl," she announced.

"Are you prepared to deliver the money?"

"I will be when I hear from Mrs. Cooper."

"That isn’t going to happen, but I do have someone for you to talk to." Rhea put the phone to Alfred’s mouth. "Talk, Alfred," she ordered.

"Whatever they do to me is unimportant as long as Mrs. Cooper is unharmed!" Alfred said.

"That’s enough," Rhea said. "I’ll call the third phone booth at Glob’s Drug Store in ten minutes. Don’t be late." The line went dead.

"Ah," Alfred said, trying to get Rhea’s attention. Once he realized he had succeeded, he asked, "How much is The Clock King paying for you to kidnap me?"

"His Majesty has granted me every cent of Mrs. Cooper’s million dollar ransom. I doubt you could offer me more to let you go, even if you do work for Bruce Wayne. It’s too bad His Majesty is getting his money from Wayne in the first place. I’ll bet Brucey would pay a fortune for you."

Just then Rhea was interrupted by a Second Hand. "We’ve finished oiling down the floor, Miss."

"Then we’re ready. I have just one more thing to do before I start Batgirl racing to the rescue." She stepped into the phone booth and took Alfred’s head in her hands. She bent and kissed him hard and deeply. Alfred could not help but respond. "Thank you for everything, handsome. I’ll be back to watch Batgirl try to rescue you. Goodbye until then. Oh, scream all you want. No one will hear you until Batgirl arrives."

"Hey," one of the newer Second Hands said as she passed him. "What would I have to give you to do that to me?"

Rhea grinned at him. "Since you had to ask, more than you could get your hands on," she told him.

"Well," Bruce Wayne said once Batgirl had reported on her conversation with Rhea, "It seems that fiend, Clock King, has taken Alfred as a hostage as well."

"Would you like me to send someone along while you deliver the money to that well-organized devil?" Chief O’Hara asked Batgirl.

"I doubt it would be worth the trouble, Chief. Clock King will have me watched and make sure I arrive at wherever I’m ultimately going by myself."

"Okay, then I’ll follow you myself. Clock King will isolate you over time so you arrive at the end of the game alone. I may be able to help keep people out of your way."

"Thank you, Chief. We’ll do our best to keep you apprised of developments," Batgirl promised Mr. Wayne. "We’d better get moving." Batgirl hurried from the room with the money Bruce Wayne had provided.

"Thank you for all your help, Bruce," Commissioner Gordon said. "Would you like to stay and monitor the situation from here?"

"No, thank you, Commissioner. I have the utmost confidence in you and the Gotham City Police Department," Bruce Wayne said. The two friends said good night and Mr. Wayne departed.

Dick Grayson was just finishing a study session with his friend Susie at Gotham State University when his cell phone rang.

"Hello," Dick said.

"It’s me," Bruce Wayne said. "Meet me at the Gotham Globe Theater. Clock King has kidnaped Aunt Harriet and Alfred."

Before Dick could respond the line went dead. He glanced at the girl reclining across the room from him. "Susie," he said.

"Yes," she responded, meeting his gaze.

"I’m afraid I have to go. Are you going to be okay?"

"I think so. Thanks for all your help."

"I appreciate your understanding. I’ll see you in class."

"Sure. Goodnight," she said pleasantly.

"Goodnight."

Once Dick had gone, Susie clapped her book shut, got up and paced to her room’s small refrigerator. She paced back and plopped back down with a can of Mountain Dew and a dejected sigh. "I should have studied with Wally West!" she said glumly. Then she scowled into her mirror.

Glob’s Drug Store had the rare distinction of retaining three phone booths. The third one had a sign indicating it was once used as an office by famous maverick gossip columnist, Jack O’Shea. Periodically, the store owner explained he kept the phone booths for their historical value and because they still worked. All of them were kept to enable patrons to count to the third, which O’Shea had famously used.

As Batgirl and Chief O’Hara entered the store, Batgirl was recognized and the patrons began to surge toward her. The third phone started ringing.

"I need to answer that," Batgirl called. "Don’t touch it!"

"Okay, folks," Chief O’’Hara said authoritatively, "Let us get to the phone. Thank you." His thanks may have been premature, because he began to repeat himself and push his way through the mob with Batgirl close behind. He was forceful without being violent and led the Caped Cutie to the ringing instrument more quickly than most would have predicted.

"Hello, this is Batgirl."

"You made it," Rhea said. "I’m glad. I was afraid one of the patrons would answer and that would have been too bad for the old boy, you know?"

"Just tell me what you want next," Batgirl said.

"Good idea. You made if from Police Headquarters to Globs’s Drug Store pretty easily. Your next run will be a little more challenging. There is a phone at the main gate of Spay Stadium. I’ll be calling it with your next instruction in half an hour."

"That’s impossible. I’ll never make it."

"Clock King said you’d say that. Listen carefully." She described an unusual route for Batgirl to use which would make it impossible for Chief O’Hara to continue to follow. "If you start immediately, you should make it. If you wait around to argue, Alfred’s death will be on your head."

Rhea hung up and pulled the limousine into traffic. It was nearly time to pick up Clock King and Mrs. Cooper.

"Well, Mrs. Cooper," Clock King said, "What did you think of the performance?"

"It was delightful. I’m almost sorry it’s over. I know Bruce would have loved it. He’s always so busy."

Doctor Walters was watching the crowd depart and smiling at his guest as they talked. His next ploy was critical to his plans. "I understand many of the cast dine after the show at the Blue Heron. I have a reservation if you’d like to join me for a bite to eat."

"Oh, I don’t know. I wouldn’t want Bruce or Alfred to worry."

"I’m sure they wouldn’t mind. If you’d like, I can have a word with your man and give him the rest of the night off. It would be my privilege to drop you off after we eat."

"He does work awfully hard. Oh dear, I’d hate for anyone to get the wrong idea about your kind gesture."

"I am confident we can allay their fears together," Clock King enthused. "Seriously though, the last thing I want is to make you uncomfortable. If you really don’t want to accept my invitation for any reason, I’ll understand." As he spoke, he smiled and leaned toward her conspiratorially.

Harriet Cooper considered the gentleman’s modest proposal and made her decision swiftly. "Why not?" she asked aloud. "Why don’t you make the arrangements while I freshen up a bit? I’ll meet you in the lobby."

"Splendid. Thank you, Mrs. Cooper."

Once she had gone, Clock King made his way to his car and spoke to Rhea while they waited. "Where do we stand?" he asked.

"Batgirl is on her way to Spay Stadium. I’ll be calling her again after I drop you at the Blue Heron. Are you sure it’s time to send her to the final destination?"

Clock King chuckled. "After the ride I’ve sent her on, she’ll be quite ready to wrap things up. Put up the partition and keep up the good work. After Mrs. Cooper and I eat, we’ll drop off the dear lady at stately Wayne Manor. Her role in my plans will have then have been completed."

"Yes, your Majesty."

"Here she comes." The partition had just closed when Clock King ushered her into the car.

"Oh dear. They couldn’t find my coat in the cloak room. I hope that isn’t a bad sign."

"Not to worry. I’ll make sure you’re quite comfortable in my car. There is no telling who we will see at the Blue Heron."

"Oh, yes," Mrs. Cooper said. "The restaurant has been open since the ‘20s and served government officials from the President on down; foreign diplomats, celebrities; superheroes; and occasionally their arch enemies."

"I’m delighted you’re familiar with the restaurant," Clock King told her, smiling.

"Oh, yes. I haven’t eaten there in years."

Once they arrived, Rhea stepped from the car and got the door for her passengers.

Meanwhile, the Batmobile was arriving at the theater. The Dynamic Duo raced into the lobby and took in the scene of normalcy awaiting them.

"Gosh, Batman, if this was the scene of a kidnaping, the crime appears to have been nonviolent."

"Yes, Robin. All appears normal." Batman paused and began to move toward the box office. "Let’s investigate further.”

"Batman and Robin!" the clerk exclaimed. "How can I help you?"

"Did anything at all unusual happen during tonight’s performance?" Batman inquired.

"Did you see any costumed characters?" Robin asked.

"Besides the two of you, no," the clerk said hesitantly. "It’s been a fairly standard night."

"Any little thing might be of critical importance," Batman encouraged.

"Wait. There may have been something. Doctor William Walters invited a Mrs. Harriet Cooper to join him in his private box. Mrs. Cooper normally watches the stage from multimillionaire Bruce Wayne’s box. Mr. Wayne’s box was vandalized this afternoon.”

"Have you contacted the police about the vandalism?" Robin asked.

"First thing, Robin. They came and went hours before the show."

"Do you know if they found any clues?"

"They didn’t say."

"Let’s have a look at the vandalized box and the one where Mrs. Cooper watched the performance," Batman suggested.

The vandalized box was predictably a mess. The Dynamic Duo concluded after a moment they would be able to learn nothing the police had not previously discovered from the wreckage. Doctor William Walters’s box was another matter. The familiar scent of Harriet Cooper’s perfume hung in the air. Batman examined every inch of the box minutely and selected one of the Doctor’s business cards from a stack his guests were intended to take. When he finished he thanked the clerk and led Robin to the Batmobile.

As the Dynamic Duo roared away from the Gotham Globe Theater, Batman asked, "What did you make of the crime scene, old chum?"

"Your box was a mess."

"What about the other box?"

"Aunt Harriet had obviously been there. I didn’t see any sign of a struggle. Do you think Clock King gassed her, Batman?"

"No. I find the presence of Aunt Harriet’s perfume significant. She would have had to have been there for some time to leave the scent as she did."

"Holy Spectators! Clock King didn’t take her until after the play. He would have had to wait for the rest of the audience to go to avoid witnesses. We only smelled Aunt Harriet’s perfume. He could have used an odorless gas. Why don’t you think Clock King did that?"

"Because Bruce Wayne gave Batgirl the ransom for Aunt Harriet’s release before the intermission."

"Holy Timetables!"

"There is one other significant thing, Robin."

"What’s that?"

"Commissioner Gordon wasn’t told Doctor William Walters had been kidnaped."

"That means, the good doctor could be working with Clock King!" Robin turned to his mentor expectantly. Then he had another idea and slammed a fist into his glove. "Unless, of course, Doctor William Walters is Clock King!"

"You’ve done it again, old chum. A possibility even more likely since a Mister Walters was Clock King’s alias when he arranged for the Time Museum Collection to be brought to the Gotham City Hall of Science and Industry. I’m hoping the Batcomputer can tell us more about this suspect."

"To the Batcave?" Just then, Robin realized they were nearly already fourteen miles outside of Gotham City.

As Batman and Robin arrived at the Batcave, the Batgirl cycle carried its pulchritudinous passenger ever closer to her next rendezvous. The route she had been given was obviously of Clock King’s design.

She turned onto a railroad track and sped across a bridge before Chief O’Hara called her to complain. "Where are you going? I can’t follow you in my squad car."

"I’m sorry. Chief," she responded over her police radio. "Clock King chose the phone at Spay Stadium carefully. He knew I’d never make it in time by road so he provided the route. This part was obviously designed to keep squad cars from staying with me."

"It worked. Do you want me to try to meet you at Spay Stadium?"

"No. If Clock King is watching and sees you show up, there is no telling what he’ll do to the hostages."

"Okay," O’Hara said grudgingly. "Keep me posted on where that second-rate sinner has you go."

"I will, Chief. Thank you for all your help."

It was soon apparent to Batgirl her insidious itinerary incorporated a secondary sinister scheme. As she plunged through a narrow railroad tunnel, she spotted the single headlight of an oncoming train. Batgirl increased her speed and began to plan how she would leave the tracks. The oncoming engine grew ever closer. The train was descending a moderately steep grade. It would be up to her to get out of its way. She guessed she would make it with room to spare. Suddenly, the train’s horn blared, totally overwhelming her concentration.

"Focus!" Batgirl told herself. Without thinking, she had slowed. Again she accelerated and concentrated on the spot from which she planned to leave the tracks. She and the train were now racing to reach this spot first. It was a race Batgirl HAD to win. Descending the grade, the train would not be able to slow down. It hurtled toward her, its whistle screaming.

Batgirl hugged her handlebars to lessen wind resistance and shot toward her objective at a speed that would have given any driving instructor a heart attack. The shadow of the looming engine brushed Batgirl as she flashed onto the road. The roar of the engine was deafening and the force of displaced air as she passed it brushed her skidding motorcycle aside like a feather. She turned into the skid and spun as the train hurtled past. She was breathing heavily and sweating profusely as her bike came mercifully to a stop.

"That was close!" the Delectable Daredevil said aloud. ‘If I had been with any motorcycle police, they would never have made it.’ She glanced at the face of the watch she had pulled her glove away from and continued toward her goal.

"I hope you had a pleasant ride," Rhea said once Batgirl picked up the phone and identified herself.

"If I hadn’t been alone, someone would have died because of that route along the railroad tracks!" Batgirl said, making no attempt to hide the contempt in her voice.

"No harm, no foul," Rhea said coolly.

"Okay, now that you know it’s just me, where are Mrs. Cooper and her butler, Alfred?"

"You have the money right?"

"Yes."

"Alfred is in a phone booth a few levels beneath the basement of Gotham City’s Museum of Natural History. You will be contacted there with final instructions." Rhea hung up.

"She didn’t give me a time limit this time, but I’d better hurry, anyway," Batgirl said. She informed the police of her destination and started. It was going to be a long drive.

"Oh, Doctor Walters, I have had the most wonderful evening!" Harriet Cooper said, pushing back her plate and smiling at the man who had saved her evening.

"Thank you, dear lady," Clock King said. "I must say, you’ve been one of my most delightful companions."

"Oh, really?"

Clock King nodded. Mrs. Cooper then recognized an actor from the performance they had seen and pointed him out to her host. Clock King performed introductions and the three chatted together briefly.

"Well, we must not monopolize you," Clock King told the actor before releasing him. He glanced at the watch most people could see on his wrist. He had a number of other watches under his sleeve. "My, it is getting late, Mrs. Cooper. I’d better drop you at home."

"That’s very kind of you."

"Not at all."

Rhea drove them to stately Wayne Manor where Clock King walked Harriet to the front door and said good night. He returned to the car while Mrs. Cooper went inside.

"Where to, your Majesty?" Rhea asked.

"The penitentiary," Clock King replied, glancing at his watch. "In a few moments, Batgirl will have arrived at her final destination and I will be able to move to the next phase of my plan."

Batgirl arrived at the Gotham City Natural History Museum and let herself in with a tool from her belt. She made her way to the basement and began to cautiously explore the lower levels. Soundlessly she crept downward until she reached a graded floor leading to a phone booth in which Alfred was bound. Gotham’s Dark Angel merged into a shadow and waited, listening. Once she was satisfied she and Alfred were alone, she stepped forward.

"Look out!" Alfred cried. "They treated the floor with watch oil!"

Too late. She had taken barely two steps down the slope when she fell onto her butt and slid toward Alfred. She found herself and the money in the phone booth looking at Alfred’s wide eyes as she came to rest. Batgirl grinned sheepishly and stood. "Are you all right, Alfred?"

The butler responded, "Yes, thank you, Batgirl. I must say I’m delighted to see you. I’m sorry my warning was late. You appeared so suddenly."

"Don’t worry, Alfred. I’m glad I found you. I’ll have us out of here in a moment." As Batgirl spoke, a blade in her hand was slicing Alfred’s bonds from his wrists and ankles. Just as she finished cutting, the phone booth door closed by itself.

"Oh my goodness!" Alfred said.

Batgirl tried in vain to open the door. Her efforts were interrupted by the ringing of the phone. "Hello, this is Batgirl."

"Good evening."

"Is this Clock King?" Batgirl asked, frowning. “You don’t sound the same.”

"You’ll find the times, they are a changin’!" the senior citizen super-villain said, chuckling to himself.

"What do you want?"

"A question, Batgirl. Is my money inside or outside the phone booth?"

Batgirl glanced at the briefcase which had slid into the phone booth beside her. "I have Mr. Wayne’s million dollars with me. Come and get it. By the way, what have you done with Mrs. Harriet Cooper?"

"You’ll be happy to know Mrs. Cooper has been safely conveyed to stately Wayne Manor. I trust the butler is in there with you?"

"Yes."

"Splendid." Clock King chuckled again. "Our deal is complete. You’ve delivered the money and the hostages have been released. Of course, as soon as I hang up, I need to contact the police again to let them know what I want in exchange for you two."

"What do you mean?" Batgirl asked, interrupting Clock King’s laughter.

"I’m glad you asked. You’ve already realized you’re trapped in that phone booth, I trust?"

"Yes."

"It has been magnetically sealed and time-locked. This lock will release in approximately twelve hours, but did I mention, I’ve made that phone booth airtight? Long before twelve hours are up, you both will have suffocated."

"Clock King, be reasonable. Let Alfred go. I expect you to try to kill me, but he is innocent in all of this."

"I wish I could, Batgirl. I really do, but I am quite serious about the demands I’m going to make of Commissioner Gordon. He would probably be willing to risk your life, knowing your perfect record of escaping such situations, but, with a second hostage, I can expect swift cooperation. I’m very sorry. The butler stays.”

"What do you want?" Batgirl asked again.

"What I want is beyond your power to give. I do have some advice, though. The glass containing you in that booth is both shatterproof and bulletproof. In fact, one of my criminal colleagues would probably describe it as Bat-proof. Catwoman she calls herself. Lovely young lady. Anyway, I wouldn’t waste a lot of air trying to break out of there."

"What will happen if Commissioner Gordon goes along with your demands?"

"I’ll tell the police where you are, of course, and place your fate in their hands. If they fail to cooperate, you will both soon be as dead as this phone line will be once I hang up.”

"I swear to you by all that is good, Clock King," Batgirl said, pausing to emphasize the words she spoke through gritted teeth, "You won’t get away with this!"

"Time will tell, my dear Batgirl. Oh, before I forget, you are deep enough underground to prevent your cell phone from being effective. Well, I have demands to make and you have precious oxygen to conserve, but so very little," Clock King paused to chortle happily. "Oh, too. It will have to suffice for both of you. Goodbye."

Batgirl tapped at the receiver several times and hung up, resigning herself to the fact the line had indeed gone dead.

Clock King dialed Police Headquarters.

Once he was satisfied he was actually speaking to The Clock King, Commissioner Gordon demanded, "What do you want, you tyrant?"

"I’m delighted you asked. A woman named Susan Foreman is in Warden Crichton’s care."

"Yes, she was delivered to us along with you and the rest of your gang from Pike County, Illinois, a few years ago."

"Correct," Clock King concurred. "She will be released immediately or Batgirl and Alfred Pennyworth will suffocate in the time-locked vault in which I’ve placed them."

"What?" Commissioner Gordon shouted.

"You heard me. I’ll be eagerly waiting for Miss Foreman’s release. At that time and only at that time, I will reveal the location of my new prisoners. Mrs. Harriet Cooper is safe at home, by the way. Batgirl and Alfred Pennyworth’s lives are in your hands, Commissioner. I warn you. The clock is ticking. That is all." The line went dead in Commissioner Gordon’s hand.

Commissioner Gordon leaned over and contacted his secretary. "Bonnie, I urgently need to speak to the judge on duty. Also, call Wayne Manor and make sure Mrs. Harriet Cooper is really there.”

"Mrs. Cooper turned up?" Chief O’Hara asked.

"So it would seem, Chief, but Clock King is still holding Alfred and he’s taken Batgirl as a hostage as well."

"Do we know what he wants?"

"He’s demanding one of his old henchwomen’s release from prison."

"Batgirl would never forgive us if we were to give in."

"If she were the villain’s only hostage, I’d agree wholeheartedly."

"But she isn’t the only hostage, is she, sir?"

"No, Chief, regrettably, she is not."

"Do we have a choice, then?" Chief O’Hara asked. The two men stared gravely at one another, knowing the answer to the question.

Commissioner Gordon’s intercom buzzed. "Yes, Bonnie?"

“Mrs. Cooper is on the line, saying she is all right, but that her butler, her nephew and multimillionaire Bruce Wayne are missing," the Commissioner’s secretary reported. "Would you like to speak to her?"

Once Commissioner Gordon had reassured Mrs. Cooper, Bonnie reported another development. "The judge is on the second line."

"I’m terribly sorry, Miss Gordon," Alfred began and paused uncomfortably. "Batgirl. If I had handled the business with my employer’s coat differently, I could not have been used to lure you into this situation."

Batgirl smiled at the butler encouragingly as he concluded his story. "Clock King would have still brought me here, Alfred. It’s his fault we are trapped together. Not yours. Besides, I seem to remember you telling me you wanted a more active role in crime fighting."

"I did say something like that, didn’t I?" Batgirl nodded. "I suppose I should voice my wishes with more care. Do you have any idea of how we might escape?"

"Maybe, Alfred. I know I don’t trust Clock King to release us once his demands are met."

"Do you think the police will agree to his terms?”

"Normally, they wouldn’t. This time--”

Batgirl grimaced when she realized she’d just used the “t” word, “However, if he really did release Mrs. Cooper, I’m afraid they will."

"Oh my!"

"The first thing we have to do is minimize our oxygen use. I’d like to hypnotize you."

"How will that help?" the butler asked.

"You will use less of our oxygen in a trance."

"I see. We’d better get on with it, then. What do you want me to do?"

Batgirl took a silver chain from a compartment of her utility belt. "Watch me swing this chain back and forth. Forward and back. As it swings, you will feel your eyelids growing heavier and heavier. You are growing sleepy." Once Alfred was fully entranced, Batgirl put her chain away and took some tiny tools from her miraculous belt. "Now, Alfred, with luck I can do something with this phone." Batgirl set to work.

Meanwhile, in the Batcave, Batman snatched a card from the Batcomputer output slot. "That must be it!"

"What is it, Batman?" Robin asked, turning from the textbooks he was studying. Dick Grayson was a top student and Robin took full advantage of downtime in the Batcave.

“Doctor William Walters recently made a generous donation to Gotham City’s Natural History Museum!”

"Holy Fossils! What a perfect place for the Emperor of Eons to hide out!"

"Or, to perhaps send Batgirl to exchange Bruce Wayne’s money for his hostages!"

"Gosh, Batman, that must be it!" Robin said, slamming his fist into his glove.

"I fear, because we are dealing with Clock King, time is of the essence, Robin," Batman remarked, quietly powering down the Batcomputer. "To the Batmobile!"

Susan Foreman lay on a bunk in her cell as her cellmate, Toddi Thelms, read a book on the lower bed. Toddi had worked for Eivol Ekdal when the strange Albanian genius had embarked on a plan to terrorize Gotham City with an army of zombies.

"Wake up, Susan," Toddi said, reaching up and shaking her gently. "Company’s coming."

"Tell them where they can go. I’m tired."

"Good evening, ladies," the female guard said. "Up and at ‘em."

Toddi dog-eared her page and stood lazily, leaning against her bunk. Susan yawned.

"Let’s go, Foreman."

The prisoner turned to look at the guard and glowered at her. "What’s the occasion?"

The guard slid a key into the cell door lock. "The occasion is I told you to get your butt out of bed. Warden Crichton wants to see you."

"Why?" Susan sat up and let her legs dangle over the side of the bunk.

"It doesn’t make sense to me, but I think you might be getting out."

Susan crossed the cell and offered her wrists for binding. "I suppose I could spare the Warden a few minutes then."

"Listen, Foreman. If anyone in here deserves to be let out it is not you. I can’t remember a guest we’ve had with a worse attitude. It’s as if you like it here."

"Save it for someone who cares," Susan advised. "Let’s go."

"Good luck, Susan," Toddi said. "Remember me when you talk to your mouthpiece."

"I will, Toddi. Hang in there. Thanks for all the fun we had."

Susan followed her escort to the Warden’s office in sullen silence. She was happy at the prospect of being released, but knew the guard was right. She was anything but a model prisoner. Something else was at work.

"Ms. Foreman is here, sir."

Warden Crichton turned to face Susan. "We won’t need the handcuffs." The guard retrieved her bracelets. "Ms. Foreman, please sit down." Warden Crichton said, gesturing. "May I call you Susan?"

"Suit yourself."

"Susan, I have to say, I am disappointed in your progress. You are one of the most beautiful, most intelligent young women to have ever come here. You have utterly squandered our time together."

"Why are you lamenting this now?"

"I have extraordinary news for you, but I want you to appreciate how remarkable it is."

"So, it’s true. Someone got smart and decided to let me go."

The guard could contain herself no longer. "You really are an incredible little——"

"That will do!" Warden Crichton interrupted. "You can wait outside." The guard left the office. "Susan, while I think this may be a bit premature, Commissioner Gordon has personally procured a judge’s order for your immediate release. Congratulations."

"Thank you, Warden. I won’t say it’s been fun."

Warden Crichton cleared his throat. "If you’ll follow me." He led her to the prison gates and watched her move to the waiting limousine. The driver opened the door and closed it once the passenger was inside. "I’ll see you soon, Susan," Warden Crichton said as the car pulled away.

"Thank you for getting me out, Grandfather," Susan said.

"You are quite welcome, child.”

Suddenly, Susan’s eyes flashed angrily, “But why didn’t you get me out a long time ago using the TARDIS?!”

“What fun would that have been? When you’ve lived as long as I have, you’ll understand. Besides, you don’t seemed to have changed a bit.”

“Yes.” Susan looked at herself in a mirror on the partition. “I guess the professor’s chemical has the side effect of arresting our maturation process.”

“Well, anyway, it’s time to wind up my plans." He lowered the partition and handed Rhea a card with an address.

"It appears to be a storage facility, your Majesty."

"It is indeed, my dear Rhea. I have an alternative means of transportation there and the locker is big enough for the car. The men will meet us there. We’ll continue to the site of Batgirl’s demise and see her off.” Clock King turned to Susan. “Then, Rhea, my newest associate, can get the money she has earned and we can all go forward."

"Yes, your Majesty," Rhea said, keeping her eyes on the road. Clock King performed introductions between the ladies. Soon the limousine arrived at its destination.

As Susan piled out of the car, she noticed four Second Hands standing near the TARDIS. One was significantly younger than the rest. “Oh, Grandfather, you found Rob!”

“Yes. He was held as a juvenile. It was a simple matter to go back and pick him up out of detention shortly following our arrest.”

Susan quickly connected the dots in her mind. “Oh? So he you could use the TARDIS to retrieve, but I had to sit in prison--”

“Tut, tut,” interrupted the white-haired man. “I wasn’t going to waste my time--”

“Hi, Susan.” The sixteen year old walked over. Although he was having a hard time keeping things straight with all this time travel, he did understand Susan had spent several years in prison. “Wow! You haven’t changed at all!”

“I bet you say that to all the girls. By the way, I haven’t forgotten.”

“Forgotten what?”

“You owe me a swim.”

Meanwhile, Batgirl leaned over the disassembled phone in the sealed booth. The bell rang and she watched the clear walls. After a brief moment the bell stopped. "Still nothing," Batgirl muttered and went back to the task with her tools. She took a cautious breath. "This needs to work soon." She was beginning to feel lightheaded.

As Batgirl labored, she became vaguely aware of an odd wheezing groaning echo sounding elsewhere in the corridors beneath Gotham City’s Natural History Museum. Presently, the Monarch of Moments led Susan, Rob, Rhea, and three other Second Hands onto the landing at the foot of the slope. Susan had taken the opportunity of their trip through the time/space continuum to change out of her prison garb.

"Ah, excellent!" Clock King commented. "Batgirl has entranced Mr. Pennyworth and works vainly to escape. I had feared we would be too late to enjoy her last succulent seconds on Earth."

"I’d advise you not to count her out just yet, whoever you are!" a new voice said.

"Batman," Rhea said.

"Yes, young lady," the Caped Crusader acknowledged.

"That means the Boy Blunder can’t be far behind," Susan remarked.

"That’s right, Miss. I’d strongly advise you to surrender!" Robin confirmed.

Just then, the telephone in the sealed booth rang. The glass encasing the prisoners inside vibrated for a brief moment before shattering!

"How did you do that?" Clock King demanded.

"It took me a couple tries to get the bell to match the sympathetic vibration of the phone booth. Once I found it, though, the walls shattered like a glass broken by a soprano opera singer," Batgirl explained, climbing from the remnants of her prison. "And now, it’s time to ring you out!"

"Not so fast, Terrific Trio. Second Hands, strike!"

Batman and Robin stepped forward and promptly slid down the length of the oiled slope. Batgirl stepped between them and the attacking thugs.

One of the Second Hands rushed her and felt her grip his wrist and opposite hip. With a twist and lifting movement of her arms, Batgirl sent the thug flying to the top of the oiled slope. He impacted with an audible smack and felt himself moving down the slope where Batman and Robin were regaining their feet.

Alfred shook his head when he heard the smack of the thug hitting the slope. He quickly realized he was safe and had been snapped out of his trance. Around him, he spotted the Terrific Trio being rushed by Second Hands while a man who must be Clock King looked on with two female assistants, one of whom was his kidnapper.

Batgirl looked back at the onrushing thug and shot a leg backward into the center of his chest. Stunned, the man stood still while the Dark Angel of Gotham spun toward him, bringing her heel into contact with his chin, knocked him off his feet.

Robin spotted a henchman younger than himself diving for him and sidestepped, gripping the young ruffian by the seat of the pants and the back of the neck. A pivot on the part of the Teen Thunderbolt propelled his opponent face first into the sloped floor. Robin was waiting when the teen regained his feet.

Batman blocked a punch and gripped his opponent’s wrist to yank him off balance with the same hand. As the man lurched forward, the Dark Knight brought his elbow back across the man’s face twice before turning his arm and slamming the elbow into the hapless thug’s chin. The thug toppled. The thug Batgirl threw had regained his feet and was creeping up behind Batman. The thug moved to strike as Batman finished off his opponent. The pivot and connection between the attacker’s jaw and the back of Batman’s fist happened in a split second and ushered Batman’s second attacker to the blackness of unconscious oblivion.

"Grandfather, it looks like the men are striking out," Susan observed.

"Quite so, Susan. Perhaps it’s time for a strategic withdrawal."

"I’ll just get my money," Rhea said, creeping toward the forgotten briefcase in the phone booth. She had just reached it when she felt a hand grip her wrist.

"I think it would be better to return that to Mr. Wayne," Alfred said.

Robin felled Rob with a devastating combination. He, Batman and Batgirl began to look around for additional thugs to hit.

"You're not robbing me of Rob, Robin!" Susan pulled a device that looked something like a screwdriver from her pocket and twisted its top. A high-pitched whine lashed out at the Terrific Trio! The heroes pressed their hands against their ears as the noise began to effect their equilibrium.

"Holy Thingamajig, Batman!" Robin shouted over the noise. "The bad guys are starting to take notes about using gadgets!"

"Ah, impetuous child!" railed The Clock King. "I thought we'd agreed not to use futuristic technology, hmmm? Not much of a challenge that way." Under his breath, he muttered, "and we could have picked the boy up again at any time using the TARDIS."

Susan put the device back in her pocket before her grandfather could snatch it away and grabbed Rob by the wrist, hauling him to his feet. She ignored the other Second Hands sprawled on the floor.

"He hit me when I wasn't looking," the dazed young man complained.

"Come on, Grandfather!" Susan said, leading the way from the chamber, tugging at Rob's wrist as they ran.

"They’re getting away!" Alfred called, maintaining his grip on Rhea.

"Go after them, Batgirl,” Batman suggested as the heroes quickly recovered. “We’ll take care of the rest of the gang."

"I’m on my way," Batgirl said. Robin began to snap Batcuffs on their prisoners.

Clock King, Susan and the barely coherent Rob hurried along the corridor and darted around a corner as Batgirl closed the distance between them. After they all turned another corner, Batgirl realized the villains were fleeing toward a tall, blue box with a light on top and the words "POLICE BOX" emblazoned above the door. Batgirl slid to a stop and let her hands come to rest on her shapely hips as the villains darted into the box.

Batgirl had recognized the old man’s voice from the telephone call. "All right, Clock King. You might as well give up. You can’t hide in there forever," Batgirl said.

"Have we got a surprise in store for her!" Susan said, laughing.

"Close the doors, Susan," Clock King ordered. She obeyed as he began flipping switches and turning dials on the other side of the mushroom-like console in the center of the impossibly large room.

"I'm sorry Batman, Robin and Batgirl beat you, Grandfather."

"Beat me?" the old man questioned. "All I wanted from the exercise was to get you out of jail. The other men will be easily replaced."

"And the girl?"

"She started out just as expendable, but I am delighted with her performance. I think a trip to reclaim her might be in our future."

"She’s worth the trouble?"

"Perhaps, but first, it’s past time we were going."

"Let me turn on the scanner. I want to see the look on Batgirl’s face."

"Of course, child." Clock King waited while the image of Batgirl came up on the small screen.

"Ah, the Dynamic Duo has arrived to view our departure as well. Splendid.”

The strange wheezing groaning noise Batgirl had heard earlier sounded as the light atop the blue box flashed.

"What’s happening, Batgirl?"

"I don’t know, Batman."

The box faded from sight and was gone. "Holy Abracadabra!"

"I don’t believe it!" Batgirl stepped forward and stood where the box had been, turning to her colleagues with her mouth hanging open.

"Incredible!" Batman remarked. "It seems this new villain has slipped through our fingers this time."

"I think, somehow, he was The Clock King," Batgirl said, "and Susan Foreman called him ‘Grandfather.’”

“Do you think the the Psyche Eggchange Machine is at work again?” asked Robin.

“I don’t think so, somehow,” Batman said thoughtfully.

"An English police box,” Robin said to himself. Then to the others, he asked, “If that thing can really just vanish, I wonder why he didn’t use it to get his granddaughter out of jail?"

"Probably for the same reason he left a million dollar ransom behind, old chum. As before, Clock King is in the crime game to outwit us all."

"Is that why he looked different?" Robin’s full attention was focused on Batman now.

"That may be part of it. Given he seems to have revealed his true appearance to his gang and a prisoner like Mrs. Cooper, similar deceptions in the future may be expected." Batman was speaking slowly as he thought out loud.

"What do you think, Batgirl?" Robin asked. Gotham’s Gorgeous Guardian did not respond. "Gosh, Batman, she’s gone."

"Yes, she slipped out the other end of the corridor when she thought I wasn’t watching."

"Should we go after her?"

"No. I think it best to show her the respect she would show us under similar circumstances. Besides, Alfred is waiting."

Moments later, the butler was relieved to see them.

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