"Alchemy of Love"
by Belle Book

Part Four

A couple of minutes later --

	Carmen Sandiego entered the big
ballroom, with Touriste Classe and the
detectives right behind her.
	She noticed a number of her VILE
agents on the dance floor.  And there
were Moe Skeeter and Lars Vegas, eyeing
the punch bowl and the big cake that
had just been placed on the table by
her cook.
	"Enjoy yourselves," she said to
the detectives.  "You can dance to your
heart's content.  Or if you don't want
to dance, there's always cake to eat,
and punch to drink."
	"Thanks," said Batman, who she
knew was really Chase.  "We'll decide."
	Touriste left them to go back
to the door, while Carmen repeated, "En-
joy yourselves," and left to find the
two henchmen who would be part of her
plan.
	"Hi, Boss," said Moe, who was
dressed as Lou Costello, wearing a Der-
by hat, an open gray single-breasted
jacket, suspenders, a bowtie, gray
pants, and black shoes.
	"What's up?" asked Lars, who
was dressed as Bud Abbot, and wore a
fedora, a double-breasted brown suit,
dark shoes, and a tie.
	"Batman and Catwoman have ar-
rived," said Carmen.  "You guys know
what to do."
	"Why should we flirt with Ja-
ci?" asked Lars.  "From what you told
us, she's in love with Chase."
	"Yes, and she's probably more
likely to laugh at us than to flirt
back with us even if she wasn't in
love with that guy," said Moe.
	"We know that, but if you two
are flirtatious enough, you might get
Chase jealous," said Carmen.  "And if
you do, that might get him thinking
that he loves Jaci as well."
	"Well, we'll do the Who's on
First? routine," said Moe.
	"Good," said Carmen.  "Now I
have to go and remind the DJ to play
a certain song once your flirting
drives Chase and Jaci onto the dance
floor.  See you later."
	"See you, Boss," said Lars as
Carmen walked off.
	As Carmen went toward the DJ,
she noticed Sam Spade, Miss Marple,
Indiana Jones, and Tituba all head-
ing to the dance floor.  Batman and
Catwoman remained by the door.

*************************************************************************

	Jaci had a good idea why Chase
had asked the others to go on to the
dance floor.
	After all, she remembered the
description of the mysterious woman
who had gotten the costumes Jaci and
Chase were wearing -- and who had ob-
viously gotten the Esmeralda costume
for herself.  It was the same one who
had convinced Chase to confide in Ja-
ci about his one serious relationship
which had ended in disaster.
	And now it was apparent that
this woman was in fact Carmen in dis-
guise!  But why would Carmen approach
Chase?  And did she know about this
secret of his?  And if so, how?
	"I'm glad you decided to stay
behind," Chase said, interrupting Ja-
ci's thoughts.  "I have a good idea
who the mysterious woman was who or-
dered our costumes."
	"So do I," said Jaci.  "Car-
men Sandiego."
	"And Carmen must've approach-
ed me in disguise the night before I
decided to confide in you about Amel-
ia," said Chase.  "But why would she
do such a thing?"
	"I don't know yet," said Jaci.  
"However, I'm curious about another 
potential mystery."
	"What's that?" asked Chase.
	"Did she know about your dis-
astrous relationship with Amelia?" as-
ked Jaci.  "And if so, how?"
	"She knew," said Chase, sigh-
ing.  "I had graduated from Acme soon
after she and the Chief helped capture
Maelstrom.  Suhara wasn't her partner
at that point due to some family emer-
gency, and he hadn't come back to Acme
to resume his partnership with her, so 
she was asked to be my temporary part-
ner until Suhara returned."
	"You mean, she was your part-
ner when you had that case where you
got captured and shot?" asked Jaci.
	"Yes," said Chase.
	'Now things were beginning to
make some sense,' thought Jaci.  'At
least, as far as Carmen's approaching
Chase was concerned.'
	But Jaci's thoughts were inter-
rupted when she noticed that Chase was
staring intently at her, much like he
had stared when he first saw her as
Catwoman -- when she had decided to
flirt with him, and continue only if
he gave her the slightest indication
he was responding to her flirting.
	Smiling, Jaci whispered, "A
penny for your thoughts."
	Chase started, then said, "I
was just thinking that you've never
seemed quite so beautiful as you do
now."
	"Thank you," Jaci whispered.
Then she deliberately stepped closer,
adding, "You know, I'd like to hope
that this relationship isn't restrict-
ed to chasing Carmen around the globe."
	Jaci was now standing close to
Chase -- very close -- and, like Cat-
woman in the animated series episode
"Almost Got 'Im", began to trace the
Bat-emblem on Chase's costume as she
continued, "Or to being just friends.
Maybe there can be more to our rela-
tionship than just friendship or cha-
sing Carmen all over the world."
	As she said those last lines,
Jaci placed her hand under Chase's
chin, and slowly lowered his face to-
ward hers.  Her heart was beating so
wildly, she barely heard him whisper,
"Maybe."
	An instant later, she kissed
him.

(Author's notes:  Jaci's lines before
she kissed Chase are based on Catwoman's
lines to Batman after he rescued her in
"Almost Got 'Im", but Catwoman didn't
succeed in kissing Batman there -- he
got away, leaving her to smile and say,
"Almost got 'im".  And Batman did say
"Maybe" before he managed to get away.)

**************************************************************************

	Chase's heart began to beat
faster as he returned Jaci's kiss.
	He hadn't felt this way about
a young woman in a very long time --
and it was an unfamiliar feeling to
him.  'Is Jaci right?' Chase thought 
as his arms slid around her waist and 
he drew her against himself.  
	The questions then faded from
Chase's mind as Jaci wrapped her arms
around his neck.  He tightened his em-
brace and deepened the kiss, allowing
everything else to fade away.
	However, after a few minutes,
they both had to end the kiss.  So,
almost regretfully, Chase lifted his
head and looked down at Jaci.
	Her brown eyes looked up into
his with a warm, tender gaze.  Some-
how, that seemed to touch him deeply.
	Then, a most-unwelcome voice
broke into the moment.
	"Hey, Catwoman!" the unwel-
come voice said.  "Did you hear that
I was put in charge of the VILE soft-
ball team?"
	Chase and Jaci sprang apart
and turned in time to see a guy who
looked like Bud Abbot coming toward
them.  Behind him was a guy who look-
ed like Lou Costello.
	Chase heard Jaci whisper to
him, "I think Abbot's really Lars Ve-
gas, and Costello's really Moe Skee-
ter," before saying, "No, Abbot, I'm
afraid I didn't hear that."
	That's when Moe/Costello ap-
proaches Lars/Abbot.  Lars replies,
"All right, now whaddya want?"
	Moe said, "Now look, I'm the
head of the sports department.  I got-
ta know the softball players' names.
Do you know the guys' names?"
	"Oh sure," said Lars.
	"So you go ahead and tell us
some of their names," said Moe.
	"Well, I'll introduce you all
to the gang," said Lars.  "Now, let's
see.  We have Who's on first, What's
on second, I Don't Know's on third."
	"That's what I wanna find out,"
said Moe.
	"I say Who's on first, What's
on second, I Don't Know's on third --"
Lars said to Jaci.
	"You know the fellows' names?"
asked Moe angrily.  Chase was becom-
ing very irritated over having been
interrupted -- and to make matters
worse, Jaci was beginning to smile
at them.  Chase didn't like that ve-
ry much and he didn't quite know why.
	"Certainly," said Lars, who
was still looking at Jaci, much to
Chase's growing discomfort.
	 "Well, then, who's on first?"
asked Moe.
	"Yes!" said Lars, still ignor-
ing Moe.  Chase now noticed Jaci bend-
ing over as if she was trying to keep 
from laughing -- and Lars was still 
looking at her.
	Moe said, "I mean the fellow's 
name!"  And Lars said, "Who!"
	It went back and forth from there, 
with Moe saying, "The guy on first!", and 
"The first baseman!", and Lars replying, 
"Who!" both times! Chase might've liked 
hearing this byplay, if Lars hadn't been 
focusing his attention on Jaci, and if 
she hadn't been bent over double, seem-
ingly encouraging Lars to attempt to
flirt with her.
	Finally, Moe cried in frustra-
tion, "The guy playing first!", and 
Lars said, "Who is on first!"
	Moe said, "Now whaddya askin' 
me for?"
	Lars said, "I'm telling you Who 
is on first."
	Moe said, "Well, I'm asking YOU 
who's on first!"
	Lars then said, "That's the man's 
name."
	Moe asked, "That's who's name?"
	Lars said, "Yes."
	That's when Jaci burst into laugh-
ter!
	Chase glared at her, but she was 
oblivious to the glare and just contin-
ued to laugh and laugh.
	Chase noticed Moe and Lars give 
each other a glance before Moe said, 
"Well, go ahead and tell me."
	Lars kept saying, "Who," in re-
ply to Moe's questions while all the 
time seemingly addressing the laughing 
Jaci.
	Chase had had enough of this
whole thing.  He grabbed hold of Ja-
ci's wrist and began to walk away
with her, saying, "Nice to meet you
both" to Moe and Lars as they left.

**************************************************************************

	Carmen smiled as she watched 
Chase and Jaci approach the dance floor.  
Moe and Lars had been perfect, for a 
change.  Chase had really gotten jeal-
ous that Lars was attempting to flirt 
with Jaci.  Now, she hoped Jaci could 
soothe Chase's ruffled feathers before 
they got onto the dance floor -- and 
were exposed to the rest of Carmen's 
plan.
	She approached Moe and Lars,
who were simply shaking their heads.
	"Congraulations," she told
them.  "You two did just fine."
	But Catwoman laughed at us!"
said Moe.
	"But you got Batman jealous,"
said Carmen.  "And that's what you
were supposed to do."
	"Well, thanks," said Lars, re-
luctantly.  "We'll be heading to the
table to get some cake.  All right?"
	"Sure," said Carmen.  "You
two deserve a reward."

**************************************************************************

	Jaci managed to calm down after 
a couple of minutes, and then she real-
ized that Chase had left Moe and Lars 
and that they were now just at the edge 
of the dance floor.
	She noticed that he was trying 
to calm down, and that worried her.  Had 
she done something to upset him?
	"Chase, is there something wrong?" 
Jaci asked.
	He asked, "Would you tell me why 
you were smiling and laughing at that en-
tire conversation?"
	Jaci looked at him, and then she 
realized what Chase meant.
	She said, "I wasn't attempting to 
flirt with Lars!  I didn't even know he 
was attempting to flirt with me!  I was 
simply amused by their antics.  They were 
doing a classic routine done by Abbot and 
Costello.  It's called, 'Who's on First?'."
	Chase stared deeply into Jaci's 
eyes.  He sighed and said simply, "I'm 
sorry.  I don't know what came over me.  
I saw Lars attempting to flirt with you, 
and I just became jealous.  Will you for-
give me?"
	Jaci smiled, unsheathed her claws, 
and caressed Chase's cheek, saying, "Of 
course, I forgive you.  But I have an 
idea of what's happened."
	"What is it?" asked Chase.
	"Maybe you've already fallen in 
love with me," Jaci suggested.
	"I don't know," Chase said, un-
certainly.
	They then heard the dance music 
end.
	"I think this would be a good op-
portunity for both of us to relax," Ja-
ci heard Chase say.  "Will you dance with
me?"
	"Of course," Jaci said, smiling
at him.  Chase smiled back, then took her
hand and escorted her onto the dance floor.
	The next minute, they heard the
first strains of "Have You Ever Really 
Loved a Woman?" being played.
	Chase placed one hand on Jaci's
waist, and drew her against himself.  She
placed one hand on his shoulder, and he
took her other hand in his own.  As Bry-
an Adams began to sing, they began to
dance to the flamenco-like beat.
	Chase alternated between danc-
ing very closely with Jaci to separat-
ing with her and twirling her about.
She laughed in sheer delight whenever
he did so, and as he drew her back to-
ward him, she could see an answering
smile on his face.
	'It's almost as if we're made
for each other,' she thought as they
continued to dance.

*************************************************************************

	Chase was beginning to think
the very same thing about the two of
them.
	There seemed to be an intui-
tive connection between them, a con-
nection that he was only beginning to
realize, and which showed itself now.
	Jaci laughed again as he twirl-
ed her around a second time, and sud-
denly, memories flooded him, from the
time he'd first met her as a potential
partner of hers (and even then, found
her attractive), till this moment with
them dancing together.  That was when
the truth hit him like a ton of bricks.
	Chase had indeed fallen in love
with Jaci.  He could no longer avoid
the truth.  And he had to tell her.
	When the music finally ended,
Chase and Jaci stopped dancing, and he
took a deep breath.
	"Jaci?" Chase whispered.
	"Yes?" Jaci replied, looking in-
to Chase's eyes.
	The words wouldn't come.  They
remained on the tip of his tongue.
	Chase was frustrated, but then
he remembered the old line that a pic-
ture was worth a thousand words.  May-
be a kiss was worth the same.
	Smiling, he bent his head down
and prepared to kiss Jaci.
	But then, he heard shouting!
	Looking up, Chase saw Moe and
Lars near the table where a cake and a
punch bowl were.  They were arguing.
	Suddenly, Lars punched Moe in
the face!  Moe lost his balance and as
he fell toward the table, he pulled Lars
along with him!
	CRASH!  The pair hit the table,
causing the cake to fly into the air!
	Chase pulled Jaci down onto the
ground and covered her with his cape.
	Fortunately, the cake missed the
pair -- but he then heard a scream from
behind him and to the right!  About the
same time, he felt something land on his
cape.
	Pulling Jaci up along with him-
self, Chase then turned around -- and
saw a woman who appeared to be dressed
as the Bride of Frankenstein completely
covered with cake.  She was screaming,
"Vat a mess!  Who ees responsible for
zees?"
	He heard Jaci chuckle.  "Sounds
like Professor Sara Bellum," she said.
"How are you, Chase?"
	"Fine," he said.  "Except I be-
lieve I got something on my cape."
	"Let's go and check your cape,
then," said Jaci.
	Chase allowed Jaci to lead him
off the dance floor and toward the en-
tryway.  He was frustrated that he ne-
ver got the chance to kiss Jaci.
	As they left the dance floor,
Chase saw Carmen heading over to Moe
and Lars, who appeared to be picking
themselves up.

**************************************************************************

	Carmen was really frustrated
now.
	Everything had been going per-
fectly.  Chase had been on the verge
of confessing that he loved Jaci --
and Moe and Lars had to spoil it by
arguing and then crashing into that
table!  Well, she had a backup plan
just in case the first one failed, but
she was still angry at Moe and Lars.
	As she reached the two, they
appeared to be arguing.  As usual.
	"Well, boys," she said.
	"It was his fault!" they said
together.
	"Enough!" said Carmen, shaking
her head.  "How did this happen?"
	"We were arguing over which of
us Jaci would be more likely to flirt
with," said Lars.  "Moe said that she
would be more likely to flirt with him,
and he insulted me, so I hit him."
	"You know that your arguing o-
ver something that would probably ne-
ver happen dealt my plan a setback?"
asked Carmen.  "Also, I think a lit-
tle frosting got on Chase's cape."
	She then noticed Minnie Ser-
ies, dressed as Juliet Capulet, leav-
ing with Phil M. Critic, dressed as
Romeo Montague.  Juliet's dress had
a big frosting stain on it.
	"Not only that, frosting got
on Minnie's dress, and the cake it-
self landed on Sara Bellum's head!"
said Carmen.  "Which means some prob-
ably got on Frank's costume as well."
	"Oh no!" yelled Moe and Lars
together.
	"I've got to check and see if
Chase and Jaci are all right," said
Carmen.  "I'll discuss your punishment 
later."
	Carmen then left the henchmen
arguing over whose fault it was.  She
sighed.
	That's when Professor Sara Bel-
lum and Frank M. Poster, the latter
dressed as Igor, approached her.
	"Vere are ze ones responsible
for zis?" asked Sara.  She looked fur-
ious.
	Carmen pointed over to Moe and
Lars, and said, "I've got to check on
some of our guests.  I want you to prom-
ise that you won't harm Moe and Lars."
	"Vould I do such a zing?" ask-
ed Sara, seemingly innocently.  Carmen
nodded.  "All rright," said the Prof-
fessor as Carmen left them.
	'Note to self:  put Moe and Lars
on guano duty at the VILE training site
in Mammoth Caves,' she thought to her-
self.

To be continued