While Casting Doubt and Discarding Reason

Robin winced as he tried to shift his head and dislodge the tubes from which Doctor Cassandra’s deadly fluids dripped into his bloodstream.

Batgirl had learned the cost of sudden movement earlier and was testing her range of movement more tentatively. When she finished her experimental shifting and stretching, she had confirmed her fears, resignedly thinking, ‘Those crooks have given us precious little chance to dislodge these needles from our necks. Our only choice is going to be to escape—somehow!’

“Do you have any ideas?” Robin asked.

“Well,” Batgirl said, “you and I have gotten out of deadly situations before.”

“It sounds like we both need to think,” Robin replied.

Robin knew Batgirl was right, even though she had not directly answered his question. The two of them had worked together to track down Nora Clavicle following her brief alliance with SPECTRE, the Special Executive for Counterintelligence, Terrorism, Revenge, and Extortion. Once the Dynamite Duo had caught up to the fiendish feminist and the international criminal organization’s leader, the heroes had been tied into the most lethal Siamese Human Knot Robin had ever experienced.

Years later, twins Nora had employed before they developed psychic powers, trapped Robin and Batgirl at a toy store using slinkies imbued with sinister, murderous powers. The arrangement was designed to crush and slice the heroes to death in response to any movement, however slight.

Between their encounters with Nora Clavicle and the members of her evil entourage, Robin and Batgirl had been collected as trophies by Chris Thomson, an androgynous criminal. Thomson’s technique involved a spray that saturated the heroes’ costumes and shrunk them around their wearers, slowly crushing them.

Lately, Robin had found himself teaming up with Flamebird more frequently. Two years previously, they had taken on Playgirl, who had wired them to be electrocuted unwittingly as the Networld software company illuminated a Christmas tree on the roof of its headquarters, thus executing part of a holiday advertising campaign. Three years prior to that potentially incinerating incident, the Joker had arranged a very different fate for the heroic pair at Star Labs. He had bound them face to face in a cryogenic freezing tube, where he intended for them to slowly freeze solid after the circular chamber was sealed.

Robin had frequently been placed in perilous predicaments while working with Batman and occasionally on his own. Bookworm had bound him to the clapper of a bell. The Riddler had tried to cut him in half with a circular saw before throwing him from the side of a tall building. The Joker had both tried to crush him on a printing press and cut him to ribbons with a mobile of gigantic, spinning palate knives. King Tut had arranged for him to become a meal for his pet crocodiles.

Despite his wealth of experience, as he faced the demise Doctor Cassandra and the Eta Beta Lotka girls had arranged, none of his recollections of being a criminal’s captive suggested a means of escape. Momentarily, he wondered if his best course of action might be to put his trust in Batgirl. After all, she faced deadly situations on her own all the time.

For any escape plan he; she; or they might devise, time was of the essence. Both Robin and Batgirl knew unless they found a means of escape, death would be inevitable, as well as extremely painful.

Meanwhile, Doctor Cassandra and her evil entourage eagerly watched the towering chimney. They listened at one entrance to the tunnel system extending beneath Gotham State University.

“I haven’t heard any screams, Docky Baby,” Cabala said, leaning against a wall.

“I don’t think either of them have even peeped,” Purdey disappointedly said.

“Do you see any smoke?” Fluffy asked.

“Not a puff,” Amber replied. Then, she grew hopeful, “At least not yet.”

“Will we see the smoke or hear the screams first?” Tabitha asked interestedly.

“We’ll know very soon,” Emerald enthused, regarding the chimney extending into the dark sky above them through her green lenses. “Shortly afterward, Batgirl and Robin will disappear forever.”

“Speaking of disappearances,” Doctor Cassandra began, “where’s Muffy?”

“She was supposed to pick up Robin at the jewelry store,” Cabala said. Then he stopped, staring. “So, Robin shouldn’t have shown up at the parade, and we shouldn’t have had to take care of him. Come to think of it, Batgirl’s gorgeous goose should have been literally cooked, too.” He paused as his wife glanced at him sharply. Cabala shrugged and explained, “Credit where it’s due, dear. Anyway, Robin should be providing Muffy with . . . um . . . companionship as a mindless--”

“Precisely,” Doctor Cassandra concurred.

“Cabala’s second point is well taken,” Fluffy pointed out. As she became aware of Doctor Cassandra’s gaze shifting, the redhead cleared her throat, quickly explaining, “Muffy didn’t realize we would grab Batgirl. After all, super girl should be long dead.”

“That’s true,” Emerald agreed. “With Muffy and Robin supposedly . . . um . . . occupied . . . with one another and Batgirl allegedly dead, Muffy would never guess we’d use the furnace in the tunnels to get rid of anyone.”

“She might be back at the house,” Tabitha said.

“What about the lab?” Amber asked. “Okie Annie and Soolin are probably still there.”

“Still?” Emerald asked.

“It’s been a really long time,” Fluffy observed.

Amber shrugged.

“We could go look for Muffy,” Purdey pointed out, “but we’d miss Robin and Batgirl’s finish.”

“The screams will echo in the tunnel,” Doctor Cassandra said. “We’ll be able to see the smoke from a long way off. Come on!”

“Are you sure, Docky Baby?” Cabala asked. “Our victims can’t last much longer.”

“Sorry, love,” Doctor Cassandra replied. “Muffy knows enough about our plans to spoil them if she talks to the wrong people. We need to find out what happened to her.”

“Muffy knows better than to rat on us,” Fluffy declared.

“She might not mean to let something slip,” Purdey said. “Doctor Cassandra is right. We do need to find Muffy.”

“What if she proves responsible for interference in our plans?” Amber asked.

“That would be too bad,” Tabitha said, her voice dropping and becoming deadly, “for her.”

“I think that smokestack suggests everything anyone would need to know about the price of betrayal,” Emerald grimly said. “Batgirl and Robin are providing a splendid example of how to handle such personnel problems.”

“Agreed,” Doctor Cassandra said.

Beneath the smokestack, Robin mentally kicked himself for nearly giving up. Batgirl was breathing heavily as she continued testing her range of movement and trying to devise a means of escape.

“Well,” Robin said, “this time, we can move . . . a little.” He winced as he shifted his weight.

“The ability to move is an advantage,” Batgirl agreed. “The faster we get out of here, the better off we’ll be.”

“Right,” Robin agreed. “We may not have a moment to lose, but the faster we work, the faster our blood circulates those chemicals through our bodies, and when the chemical blend is right--”

“Do you think our blood will speed up or slow down the chemical reaction?” Batgirl asked.

“I don’t care!” Robin fervently said. “I think if we get out of here, it might not matter!”

Batgirl favored him with a genuine smile. “Good thinking,” she complimented.

Robin nodded as the Curved Crusader stretched her fingers toward the flanges of her gloves. At the same time, he reached for the flaring edge of his gauntlets. They both carried hidden lock picks which would, they hoped, release them from their chains and shackles. “Do you think we’ll be able to pick these shackles’ locks?” the former Boy Wonder asked.

“Doctor Cassandra’s girls had to open them to restrain us here,” Batgirl replied. “I don’t really think they used magic.”

“No,” Robin agreed as his lips twitched into a thin smile. “I’m sure they didn’t. I can almost reach one of my lock picks.”

Batgirl’s fingertips were also brushing one of hers. “I’m just about there, too,” she said, inhaling and holding her position as she slowly exhaled. She stretched her fingers a fraction of an inch more and took hold of her tiny tool, slowly beginning to extract it.

Robin had drawn his lock pick a fraction of an inch from its hiding place. He was carefully taking a fresh grip to keep his only hope of escape from literally slipping through his fingers.

“Got it!” the Dynamite Duo enthused simultaneously, grinning at one another. Green and purple gloved hands slid from their restraints, which opened softly after a moment’s work. Instantly, both heroes yanked the deadly needles from their necks, before busying themselves with their remaining restraints.

“It’s a good thing we don’t rely exclusively on our utility belts to hold equipment,” Robin said.

‘We would both be dead if we did, a long time ago,’ Batgirl thought. Aloud she replied, “Years of experience.” She was grinning as she stepped forward, massaging her wrists and recalling some of her earliest experiences fighting crime. These had taught her how important carrying backup tools in her boots and gloves could be, since villains who tried again and again to kill Batman and Robin for years had immediately begun to deprive her of her belt and the wonders it kept closely wrapped around her waist.

“Now to go after Doctor Cassandra,” Robin said, stepping through the curtain of blackened chains and holding several aside for Batgirl.

“Hold on, Robin. We need to do something about the chemicals those crooks injected into us,” Batgirl disagreed. “If the reaction occurs, it will be less spectacular than Doctor Cassandra planned, but could still cause us serious harm.”

“We can’t just go to a hospital,” Robin said.

“Agreed,” Batgirl said. “There is, however, an excellent forensics lab here at the Gotham State University campus, and Professor Xavier is a friend of mine.”

“Sounds promising, Batgirl. I’ll get the bags of fluid the crooks left dripping into our bloodstreams,” Robin offered. “Figuring out what they are should enable us to come up with an antidote.”

Robin carried out his plan and the two crimefighters took their leave. Seconds later, two puddles the dripping fluids had formed on the floor touched and caught fire.

Elsewhere, in Doctor Cassandra’s subterranean laboratory, another element essential for the Occult Outlaw’s plans was being proven effective.

“What’s the big idea?” Okie Annie suddenly demanded. She looked around and discovered Doctor Cassandra, Cabala, and all the Eta Beta Lotka girls except Soolin had gone.

“How do you feel?” the younger blonde asked, rolling toward her mentor on her wheelchair and reaching for the stop watch hanging from Okie Annie’s neck. Soolin depressed the button and raised an eyebrow when she realized how long the gas to which the other woman had been exposed remained effective.

“I been better,” Okie Annie admitted. “What did we miss?”

‘Interesting,’ Soolin thought. ‘If memory loss, as well as paralysis, is an effect of the gas, not only will it be practically impossible for any potential witnesses to testify against the girls, but Okie Annie will be oblivious to my scheme to become Amber’s drug supplier, and thus, the dominant, controlling force in that vulnerable wench’s life.’

“Killing the Boy Wonder and that girl,” Soolin replied, frowning.

“I knew that.”

“Doctor Cassandra took over the parade job. She had the girls fill balloons with the gas she used on you and had the balloons given out to the crowd. After popping the balloons, the girls robbed their helpless victims blind. At least that was the plan. I haven’t heard how well it went. Of course, if the gas effected the crowd the way it effected you, we missed a chance to get rich very quickly.”

“So, Doctor Cassandra cut us out of the job, and we were supposed to be in charge!” Okie Annie fumed. “Do you have any idea what our cut would have been?”

“Bigger than zero,” Soolin wanly replied. “We were going to use the acid to render the crowd helpless, but Robin and that girl told the cops after they escaped their fatal dip and everything we needed for the plan was impounded.”

“How the heck could that o’ happened?” Okie Annie persisted.

“I don’t know,” Soolin said. “I need to call Doctor Cassandra and let her know you recovered. Then, I suggest we find Susie, the pledge who was spying on us, and wring our lost profits out of her, one way or another."

“I reckon I could blow off a little steam doin’ that,” Okie Annie said, grinning. “Robin and Susie done cost you and me a lot of money. On the other hand, I’m startin’ to wonder if workin’ for Doctor Cassandra was such a good idea. You and me got other priorities, you know?”

“Doctor Cassandra has every right to be mad at us. We had a shot at Robin and Susie. Somehow the trap we set failed. I’m not saying I understand what happened, but the bottom line is, our victims survived! It’s our fault they aren’t both dead, and that’s a problem.”

“So what?” Okie Annie demanded. “Doctor Cassandra overreacted!”

“In my experience,” Soolin began somberly, “when supervillains get mad at their help, there are consequences.” She pulled her t-shirt from where it had been tucked into her jeans and absently traced one of the scars on her abdomen with a finger, recalling how long spikes had impaled her flesh again and again according to Catwoman’s wishes, while she screamed uselessly into a piece of duct tape.

Okie Annie regarded her protégée and recalled hearing about how the Princess of Plunder had ordered Soolin’s torture. The younger woman was still recovering from the painful experience.

“I’m sorry, Soolin,” Okie Annie said, glancing away from the younger woman. “You probably had a good idea. We can find Susie and make her pay for our financial loss. I’d rather be workin’ than hangin’ around this here lab anyway. Besides, the more I think about your plan, the more fun is sounds." The curvaceous cowgirl grinned at her companion.

Soolin’s lips twitched into a smile as she regarded her companion. Then, her normal cool returned as she pulled out a cell phone. “Thanks. I’ll just make my call. I’m sure the unfortunate little pledge will find the price for our failure very high.” Okie Annie and Soolin laughed delightedly.

Moments later, at the Eta Beta Lotka sorority house, Doctor Cassandra took the phone. “Hello,” she said.

“Hi, Doctor Cassandra, I called because the gas you used on Okie Annie just wore off,” Soolin said.

Doctor Cassandra glanced at the clock on the wall and smiled. “That is magnificent news, Soolin. At least one thing besides the last job is proceeding without complication.”

“What’s wrong, Doctor?”

“I tried to destroy Robin’s brain after he interrupted a little side job Cabala and I pulled this morning. He was to be a brainless piece of delicious beefcake, a much more useful fate than death.”

“I agree.” Soolin’s face lit up with pleasure and anticipation. “His fate sounds utterly delicious to me. When is my turn to enjoy the results of your work?”

“No one is taking turns with Robin right now. He and Batgirl showed up to try to stop us at the parade.”

“What happened?” Soolin asked, deflating.

“We got them instead of them getting us. We introduced them into the old furnace in the tunnels beneath the University, as fuel. If my arrangements worked on schedule, they should both have literally gone up in smoke by now.”

Soolin shrugged. “Well, it’s too bad about Robin, but at least we’re rid of him and Batgirl. What’s the problem?”

“Muffy disappeared and she knows enough to complicate our next job. Have your or Okie Annie seen her?”

“No. Annie and I could see if we can find her. I take it she isn’t at the sorority house?”

“She isn’t. Having you two look will let the rest of us get started with the job. Good thinking.”

“Thanks, boss. You don’t think the law got Muffy, do you?”

“I don’t know. That’s part of what I need you to find out. Will that be a problem?”

“No,” Soolin said. “Muffy will keep her mouth shut if the cops got her, at least for a little while.”

“I’ll expect you and Annie to handle the situation if she rats us out. I don’t expect she will, but we need to be prepared for the contingency.”

“Annie and I will take care of the situation, regardless. Goodbye.”

Doctor Cassandra shrugged and put down the phone. “Cabala, let’s gather the girls and get to work on setting up the faux dockyard. Doing it right will take time.”

“Why do you say that, Docky Baby? We should be able to construct something convincing enough overnight without too much trouble. All we have to do is guide in the treasure ship. Right?”

“You may be right, but if we handle the dockyard wrong, we’ll never persuade the treasure ship to unload its pricy cargo for us. Our failure would cost us a fortune,” his wife tartly replied.

“Oh,” her husband said. “Right. I’ll get the girls.”

As dawn approached, Robin and Batgirl finished their work at the Gotham State University forensics lab.

“I think this will prevent the chemical reaction Doctor Cassandra intended to kill us,” Batgirl said, setting a test tube in a rack with a pair of tongs and turning off a Bunsen burner. “I’ll prepare a dose for each of us as soon as it cools.”

“I didn’t know you were acquainted with Professor Xavier,” Robin said.

“I’ve enlisted his assistance on occasion,” Batgirl said. “I used his microscope to examine a clue that helped me figure out why Bookworm formed his Red Headed League half a dozen years ago; he and I developed antidotes to most of Catwoman’s infernal drugs; and his assistance was invaluable in thwarting King Tut’s crime wave after Clock King steered him back into being an arch criminal last year.”

“Professor Xavier is unquestionably one of the best forensic scientists in the country and he teaches,” Robin said, thinking, ‘I wish taking some of his classes would have fit into my schedule when I was a student.’

Batgirl divided the contents of her test tube into two glasses of water and handed one to Robin. “Bottoms up,” she said, grinning.

“Cheers,” Robin replied. They drank the elixir and Batgirl began to clean up the lab.

“Well,” Robin summarized, “now that we’ve survived Doctor Cassandra’s trap, we can get after her.”

“It would help if we had even a vague idea about her plans.”

“What we need is a lead,” Robin said, slamming a gloved fist into a gloved hand. “Detective Montoya and I took one of the sorority girls into custody, but I doubt Renee has gotten anything out of her yet.”

“She hadn’t as of noon yesterday,” Batgirl said.

Robin began to ask. “How do you–?”

“Wait a minute,” Batgirl said, her face brightening. “Did you call Detective Montoya, Renee? Is she a friend of yours? A close friend??”

Robin knew he was being teased. “As close a friend as you are to Lieutenant Mooney.”

“Point taken,” Batgirl said, smiling. Then her mood turned serious as she suggested, “We could head back to the Eta Beta Lotka house . . .”

“. . . on the campus of Gotham City U. Let’s go!”

The sorority house was quiet as Batgirl and Robin approached. They separated and searched quickly without being detected.

The Dynamite Duo smiled at one another as they regrouped in front of the sorority house.

“I didn’t see Doctor Cassandra or any of her henchgirls,” Batgirl reported, resting her fists on her shapely hips.

“Neither did I,” Robin reported. “I didn’t see any signs of criminal activity, either.”

“You said earlier we needed a lead.”

“That’s right . . . and we still do.”

Batgirl frowned, deep in thought, then suddenly snapped her gloved fingers. “I just remembered something! When I was searching this house two days ago, I caught a girl named Susie snooping around. She worked for the Joker years ago, but reformed, and she had deep suspicions about the Eta Beta Lotka sorority. I have a strange hunch the robbery at the parade was a prelude to something bigger. Susie might hold the key to figuring out what it is.”

“You may be right about Doctor Cassandra and the Eta Beta Lotka girls’ plans. I’ve seen Susie from time to time since she reformed after working for Joker.”

“Oh?” Batgirl said, raising an eyebrow behind her mask. “Well, we could both talk to her,” Batgirl suggested, turning to leave.

Robin held up a restraining hand. “Hold on! There’s also the girl in police custody. By now she might have given the police something.”

“So, which girl do you want?” the Curved Crusader asked. Robin blinked and Batgirl quickly added, “to whom to talk.”

“I’ll interview Susie,” Robin said.

“Okay, what was the name of the girl you caught yesterday?”

“Muffy,” Robin replied. “Good luck.”

“Good luck to you, too,” Batgirl said. She and Robin went their separate ways.

Shortly after dawn at the Gotham State Penitentiary, a female guard delivered a message to Catwoman. “You have visitors, Ms. Kyle.” More quietly she added, “I think you might want to see them.”

“All right, Catalina,” the strawberry blonde Princess of Plunder replied, sounding bored. “I know the drill. Do you realize, though, you interrupted my cat nap?”

“I’m sorry,” the guard replied, keeping her face neutral. "I have some good news for you. You're on my list of prisoners permitted to wear non-prison issued garb when seeing visitors.”

“So, did you bring me something more . . . comfortable into which to slip?”

“I hope your normal outfit will suit you for this occasion.” The guard extended a garment bag between the cell bars.

“Purr-fectly, Catalina,” the Feline Fiend confirmed. “Thank you.”

“I’ll give you a few minutes to change.” More loudly the guard said, “Be ready when I get back, Kyle.” She stepped away.

Not long thereafter, the Latin guard followed the shackled prisoner to a room bisected by a counter with padded chairs on either side. The counter was divided in half and barred windows were the only openings between the two sides. After entering the room, Catwoman, with her wrists still secured, stretched languidly.

The statuesque beauty then took a seat across from Okie Annie and Soolin and extended her arms. Her guard removed the shackles and fastened one of the villainess’ ankles to a leg of her chair. A nod then prompted Catwoman’s guard to retreat a respectful distance.

“Boss, I hope you don’t mind my askin’, but how come they done freed your hands?”

“It’s part of one of Warden Crichton’s penologically progressive programs,” Catwoman explained.

“One o' what?” Okie Annie asked, quizzically raising one eyebrow.

“Never mind. I wasn’t expecting either of you for another month,” Catwoman said. “How is your recovery coming, Soolin?”

Soolin had been reclining in her wheelchair and staring at Selina Kyle ever since Catwoman had entered the room. The Englishwoman knew all about Catwoman’s use of the psyche eggschange machine, but still found it hard to believe this tall, blonde Amazon was the same woman as the petite African-American who had supervised her torture.

Soolin fought to retrain her focus. ‘I have to remember that this Catwoman is every bit as ruthless as before!’

“The chair is mostly a precaution now. I’m walking for short distances pretty well, and Annie and I were thinking we might spend some time at a higher elevation. Getting away to such a place, maybe out West, might help with the final phases of the healing process.”

“Purr-haps,” Catwoman said thoughtfully. “You could have called Catalina and told her you’d be traveling. I don’t have much need of either of you while I’m in here.”

“Doctor Cassandra asked us to find Muffy, who went missing,” Soolin explained. “You know Cassandra is using the Eta Beta Lotka girls, don’t you?”

“I’m purr-fectly aware of the situation. What happened to Muffy?”

“She was supposed to take care o’ Robin after the Doc gave him a permanent attitude adjustment. The Doc’s plan seemed to fail, since the Boy Blunder showed up to thwart a crime. We ain’t seen Muffy since she left on her assignment, but Robin and Batgirl done gone literally up in smoke.”

“What do you mean, Robin and Batgirl literally went up in smoke?” Catwoman demanded.

“Apparently, they showed up to thwart a robbery Doctor Cassandra and the girls pulled at yesterday’s alumni parade. Instead of shipping everyone off to jail, they got caught and chained inside an antique, functional furnace, where Doctor Cassandra . . . induced ignition,” Soolin said, grinning.

“You saw them die?” Catwoman asked.

“Nope,” Okie Annie answered. “When we checked the furnace, Batgirl and Robin were gone and there were only ashes left behind. The flames consumed their skeletons, too.”

Catwoman leaned back and looked up, resting one ankle on her opposite knee and thoughtfully stroking her chin. “Well, Doctor Cassandra’s method may have been a bit ghoulish for my tastes, but the results are purr-fectly acceptable.” She laughed briefly, and then stopped, eyes flashing. “If it’s true. I wish I had a nickel for every time someone thought they had killed off a masked meddler.”

The Feline Felon let the concept hang in the air, then leaned forward once again. “Never mind. You two came about Muffy, though.”

“We’re afraid she done got caught by the law,” Okie Annie explained.

“We’re more worried she talked,” Soolin declared.

“Catalina,” Catwoman said, glancing over her shoulder.

“Yes, Catwoman,” the guard said.

“The police may be holding a woman named Muffy for questioning. We have someone in place who can confirm our concerns, do we not?”

“I’ll ask Kata.”

“Purr-fect.” As Catalina stepped away to use her cell phone, Catwoman returned her glance to the gunwomen who had come to see her. “Muffy has been in my employ for years and won’t spill her guts easily, but she hasn’t spent much time inside.” Catwoman frowned.

“The cops wouldn’t dare go to the lengths we would to wring information out of a prisoner,” Soolin mused.

“They ain’t gonna use torture, but that don’t mean Muffy won’t crack,” Okie Annie pointed out.

“I’m not thrilled Muffy was caught,” Catwoman said. “I’d like you two to deal with the situation. I want other hench-kittens to learn from Muffy’s mistake.”

“What do you want us to do?” Okie Annie asked.

“Speaking to the authorities is unacceptable,” Catwoman declared ominously.

“Excuse me, Catwoman,” Catalina said. “I spoke to Kata. The girl you asked about is in custody and was questioned extensively yesterday. Kata doesn’t know what was said, but Robin was involved.”

“Thank you, Catalina. The girls will send a token of my continued affection to you. Kata will receive a similar gift,” Catwoman said.

“Thank you, Catwoman. Is there anything else?”

“Yes. Get a recording device for me.”

“Yes, Catwoman,” Catalina dutifully replied. She walked away to complete her task.

Catwoman returned her attention to Okie Annie and Soolin. “Purr-fect. If our caped competitors are involved in Muffy’s questioning, we must assume she will crack if she hasn’t already. Our other rivals don’t always play as strictly by the rules as Batman does when working with the police. I’ll record a farewell message for Muffy before an example is made. Losing her is too bad, but necessary.” Catwoman shrugged.

Soolin nodded as her eyes narrowed and her lips curled into a thin smile. Her assessment of this “other” Catwoman had been proven correct!

Catalina had re-entered the room on the visitors’ side. As she clandestinely slipped a miniature disc recorder to Okie Annie, Soolin glanced at Catalina in her guard’s uniform and raised an eyebrow.

Catwoman smiled. “Don’t worry about Catalina, kittens. I’m sure you’ve both heard stories about the infamous, female guards who shirked their duties and released Nora Clavicle. Well, Catalina, Kata, and a few others are earning small rewards from me every once in awhile. I don’t expect them to become as popular as Ms. Clavicle’s admirers, who were fired. My tabbies will remain in place, earning their money, until I need them. Until then, their discretion can be relied upon purr-fectly. Your 'handling' of Muffy will help ensure it.”

Okie Annie nodded and pressed the record button on the recorder. Catwoman leaned forward and spoke again.

Moments later the Princess of Plunder leaned back. “I’m sure you kittens can attend to the details,” she said.

“No problem,” Soolin confidently said.

“Sure as shootin’,” Okie Annie concurred.

“Oh, I don’t want Muffy shot. Such a fate would never do. Anyone could simply shoot her.” Catwoman lowered her voice and issued detailed instructions, to which her hench-kittens listened attentively and nodded.

Shortly thereafter, as Catwoman returned to her cell, she said, “Catalina, I need to borrow your cell phone.”

“Of course, Catwoman,” the corrupt guard answered, handing it over.

As Robin drove toward Susie’s apartment, he wondered whether to speak to her as Robin or Dick Grayson. Having been out of touch in both his personas for a day, she probably wanted to talk to at least one of them desperately. He certainly had things to discuss with her.

Susie poked her head from among her bedclothes and reached for her phone, rolling onto her back as she drew the receiver to her ear. “Hello,” she drowsily said.

“Hi, Susie, I’m sorry to wake you, but I was exhausted after work yesterday and just got your messages.”

“No problem, Dick,” she said. Susie was now wide awake. “So much has happened since I last talked to you.”

“Listen. I don’t have to work for a few hours. I can make us breakfast.”

“That would be great! I’ll see you soon.”

As Robin put his phone away, he pulled into the storage locker where he kept the Redbird and parked.

Lieutenant Diana Mooney was still on duty when Batgirl arrived at Police Headquarters. “I understand you have a prisoner called Muffy who worked for Doctor Cassandra,” Batgirl said after the friends greeted one another and sat down to talk in the Lieutenant’s office.

“We spent most of yesterday morning questioning her,” Lieutenant Mooney said. “She eventually told us about the planned robbery at the Gotham City University alumni parade. Unfortunately, her information came too late to enable us to stop the robbery or catch the crooks, despite the help you and Robin gave us.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Batgirl replied. She went on to describe what had happened to her and Robin since the confrontation at the parade.

“So, after trying to kill you, Doctor Cassandra has disappeared,” the Lieutenant said, leaning back in her chair and glancing heavenward.

“There was no sign of her at the sorority house and searching the Gotham State University tunnel system would be as pointless as searching the Gotham City sewer system for someone.

“So, how can I help you?” Lieutenant Mooney asked.

“Did Muffy happen to give you anything about any of Doctor Cassandra’s other plans?”

“I don’t think so,” the Lieutenant said and reached for the phone. “To be sure, I’ll get you the interview transcript.”

As Batgirl skimmed the results of Muffy’s interrogation, Dick Grayson turned a pancake over in a frying pan in Susie’s kitchen. He was removing it and adding it to a stack on a warm platter when she stepped into the room.

“I have a lot to tell you, Dick,” Susie said, sitting down at the table.

“Well, we should eat before the food gets cold. I’ll just use up the rest of the batter and scramble some eggs.”

“First,” Susie said, between bites, “I have to thank you for sending Robin to my rescue the other night . . . and I needed rescuing shortly after we hung up.”

“Really?” Dick asked. Susie had finished telling Dick about her ordeal when he sat down across from her and dug into the meal he had prepared. “It sounds like you had quite an adventure. I’m glad you’re okay.”

“Me, too,” she replied, flashing him a grin. Then, her face transformed. “I don’t quite know how to tell you the rest. I’m . . . not all that proud of it.”

Dick knew what was coming, but frowned as he gazed expectantly at her. “Go ahead,” he gently said. He was proud she was about to tell him the truth, but kept his face neutral as he listened, waiting until she finished to respond as though her news would be an unpleasant surprise. ‘Sometimes leading a dual life really hurts,’ he thought.

“Well,” the girl began, “the key to my place dissolved in the acid and I thought Robin could help me get in. I’ll need to make another copy of your key, by the way.”

“No problem.”

“Anyway, Robin broke us in and he used the phone to report what had happened to the police.”

“Okay,” Dick said.

“You aren’t going to like the next part.”

“Will you tell me anyway?”

Susie stared out the window for a moment and darted a glance at the dishes on the table and the pans on the stove. “Maybe we should clean up,” she suggested.

“Maybe,” Dick said.

Susie remained where she sat and her face slowly turned red. “I’m so sorry, Dick. I shouldn’t have done it.”

Dick leaned forward and touched her hand. “What is it, Susie. It couldn’t have been so horrible, whatever it was.”

Dick felt something turn over in his stomach. ‘Do I have to put her through a confession?’ he thought. ‘While I would love to spare her by telling her I am Robin, doing so is out of the question. Neither of us would want to deal with the consequences of that revelation. If only I could think of a way . . . .’

He did not think of a way out for her before Susie recoiled, letting her face fall into her hands. “I—I . . . seduced him . . . Robin. Oh, Dick.” Susie’s shoulders shook and she began to sob silently. “I’m so sorry. Please forgive me.”

Dick Grayson stood and came around the table to draw her to her feet and hold her against him until she had finished sobbing. “I’m glad you told me,” Dick Grayson said. ‘This incident is as much my fault it is hers,’ he thought. “You aren’t going to dump me for him, are you?”

“What?” she asked, looking up to regard him with surprised, teary eyes. “No! Of course not, Dick! I--”

“I’m going to have to talk to the Boy Wonder about this, but I can’t really blame you for being irresistible.” He kissed her gently on the cheek. “Seriously, we can get through this. Everything is going to be okay.”

“Then, you aren’t mad at me?”

“Well, I’m not thrilled,” Dick said, hesitating for a beat and smiling, “but since I succumbed to your charms, I can’t really blame Robin.”

She stared at him for a brief moment and frowned. “Are you making fun of me?”

“No. If I really understand what you told me,” Dick said, “you would rather be with me than a superhero.”

“You’re being great about this,” Susie said, relaxing visibly. “I was afraid we would have a huge fight.”

‘Thank Heaven that’s over!’ Dick thought. ‘Now, it’s time to get down to business.’ He could still feel his stomach turning.

“We might still have a fight, depending on how you react to what I want to talk to you about.”

“What is it?” Susie asked.

“Why in the world did you single-handedly go after the Eta Beta Lotka girls?”

Her eyes were wide, but had almost dried completely, as she regarded him and softly said, “Oh, I suppose we should talk about that decision.”

“Maybe,” Dick replied, trying to keep the edge from his voice.

“Would you hold me for awhile first?”

“Sure.” He did.

“Good morning, Kata. I’ll take responsibility for the prisoner for awhile,” Lieutenant Mooney told the guard on Muffy’s cell as Batgirl followed her into the cell block. “Go for a walk.”

“Yes, ma’am,” the petite, Oriental guard said, bowing and departing, favoring Batgirl with a silent nod.

Lieutenant Mooney unlocked Muffy’s cell and Batgirl stepped inside to pick up the sleeping prisoner. Muffy stirred as Batgirl followed her friend to a padded cell. “Hey, what’s happening?” the henchwoman demanded as the door closed behind her and Batgirl.

“I’m asking the questions, Muffy!” Batgirl sternly said.

“Batgirl! You should be dead!”

“Maybe I am,” Batgirl ominously said. “You’ve been a bad girl, Muffy!”

“No!” the imprisoned henchgirl screamed. “I want my lawyer! This can’t be happening! Put me down!”

Batgirl grinned at the henchwoman and dropped her some three feet onto the padded floor.

Muffy drowsily began to realize what Batgirl had done to her, as the Curved Crusader knelt beside her and let her voice fill with menace as she said, “For you, Muffy, this interview will seem like a bad dream. Unless you cooperate, I will see to it that our talk will become your worst nightmare!”

Muffy gasped with pain and caught her breath before saying, “You can go to—”

“We’re both already there, Muffy,” Batgirl quietly said. “I’ve been waiting to punish you." Batgirl leaned closely over Muffy, applying weight to the center of the henchwoman’s chest. “I want to know about Doctor Cassandra’s plans. When you can breathe again, you will tell me what I want to know. Otherwise you might never start breathing again!”

Muffy’s eyes went wide before Batgirl backed off, easing the pressure on the henchwoman's chest. “Please—”

“Tell me about Doctor Cassandra,” Batgirl whispered.

“You won’t hurt me. I’m in police custody and . . . you’re one of the good guys.”

“I’ve already told you. I’m a spirit who has come to punish you for the way you’ve lived your life.”

“Batgirl can’t really be haunting me, even if she is a ghost now,” Muffy muttered, shaking her head in desperation. “This doesn’t make sense. It can’t be real!”

Batgirl smiled. “This is a bad dream, and it’s about to get a lot worse!” The Curved Crusader reached down and gripped the henchwoman’s throat, pressing gently. “You know what happens if you see yourself die in your dreams, Muffy?”

“Ohmygod!” Muffy said, as tears filled her eyes and her lungs emptied.

“I want Doctor Cassandra!” Batgirl shouted. “Tell me about her plans! Now!” Batgirl eased the pressure on the young woman’s throat after a moment, permitting the prisoner to speak.

“She’s–she’s after a shipment of jewels.”

“What jewels?”

“I—I don’t know.” The brunette tried to shake her head to emphasize her lack of knowledge, but Batgirl’s hand prevented any movement. “A ship is delivering them to Gotham City soon.”

“So, she plans to capture a galleon in Gotham Harbor within the next few days?” Batgirl asked.

“No!”

“What do you mean, Muffy?” Batgirl sternly demanded. “Explain!”

“Doctor Cassandra talked about building a dockyard and guiding the ship there to unload.”

“So, where is Doctor Cassandra building this dockyard?” Batgirl’s voice grew more gentle and she let go of Muffy’s throat.

“I--I don’t know. Honest!” Muffy said, her quavering voice betraying terror. “Please believe me! She didn’t tell me! I’m sorry! Don’t hurt me! Please--”

“Thank you, Muffy,” Batgirl said. A hiss heralded the coming of a mist Muffy could not help inhaling before she felt herself enveloped in velvety blackness. Batgirl straightened.

The door opened and Lieutenant Mooney entered. “How long will she be out?”

“Only an hour or so,” Batgirl replied. “Would you be willing to let her go so she can lead me to Doctor Cassandra’s dockyard?”

“Are you certain she will?” Lieutenant Mooney asked. The policewoman had been listening through a speaker. “She said she didn’t know where it is.”

“I believe her,” Batgirl said.

“You realize I’ll let you do almost whatever you want to get your information.”

Batgirl grinned. “I appreciate your trust, Lieutenant. I also recognize Muffy is a sniveling coward who will tell me practically anything right now.”

“Then, why should I consider letting her go?”

“She’ll get in touch with someone who will know where the fake dockyard is being built. If I keep my distance, she won’t be able to help leading me to the crooks. Besides, right now she’s tired and confused. She’ll figure out what I did to her after she wakes up.”

“The crooks won’t be happy about her blabbing,” Lieutenant Mooney predicted. “Won’t she need police protection?”

“Not if I stick close and keep an eye on her.”

Lieutenant Mooney nodded. “Our case against Muffy is weak, anyway.” Diana smiled ruefully. “We certainly can’t use anything she told you just now in a court of law, and she was in custody when the crime she told us about earlier was committed. Conspiracy charges are so hard to prove."

"So?" Batgirl prompted.

“Come on,” Mooney said, motioning Batgirl to follow. “I’ll get the release paperwork started and send Kata to take Muffy back to her cell.”

Five minutes later, after closing the cell door on Muffy, Kata pulled a cell phone from her pocket and dialed.

“I already told you, Dick” Susie protested. “I gave the police everything I know about the Eta Beta Lotka girls.”

“Let’s review. You overheard a conversation that led you to believe their nursing students were practicing medicine without a license. Then you found a girl called Soolin in a wheelchair, with Okie Annie seemingly supervising her as she practiced shooting. When you put two and two together and confronted them, they tried to kill you,” Dick said.

“She tried to kill Robin, too, but we decided not to talk about him.”

“Right,” Dick agreed, suppressing a smile. “You said you searched the sorority house before you followed Soolin and Okie Annie to the party center?”

“Yes. The most suspicious thing I found in the house was Batgirl. She was searching it, too.”

“Have you made any other moves to investigate the sorority, besides searching the house, following those gunwomen, and pledging in the first place?”

“Not really,” Susie said.

“Okay. I guess you called in ‘you know who’ when things started to look really bad. So, what else have you found out about the girls and their criminal plans?”

“I don’t know. I mean, I’ve met most of the girls and know a few of them well enough to call them friends. Those aren’t the ones I suspect of committing crimes, though. The sorority has an inner circle I never came close to cracking. The sorority parties aren’t as wild as stories make them out to be, but I can tell you lots of gossip.”

“You’re the only girl with the sorority in whom I am interested. Besides, the others are all dating other people anyway . . . ”

“‘People’ is the word and it’s definitely plural.”

“Okay,” Dick said, taking a deep breath. “We can say the girls are . . . um . . . socially active. Is there anything else you can say about them that is generally true?”

“Let me think for a minute. I’ve been kind of focusing on crimefighting while playing amateur detective.” She stood and paced the room. “Wait a minute! I found lots of jewelry catalogs in that sorority house. The girls were shopping for top-of-the-line stuff.”

“What do you mean?” Dick asked.

“The catalogs I saw were from Spiffany’s; Hummerts; Trieste Jewelers; U Magnum’s; the Forever Jewel Company; the Manufacturers’, Jewelers’, and Designers’ Showroom; and places like that.”

“Now I understand,” Dick said, favoring her with a smile. “The last establishment you mentioned is in Gotham City’s Diamond District. Weren’t both the fabulous Twins and the famous Duran Diamond Scorpion on display there before your old boss, the Joker, stole them?”

“Watch it!” Susie warned, grinning.

“I suppose Doctor Cassandra and the Eta Beta Lotka girls might be planning to steal some jewels or a particular stone.”

“Maybe,” Susie said. “Most college women can’t dream of affording the jewelry advertised in those catalogs until well after graduation. We don’t have any proof, though.”

Susie paused and looked at Dick through narrowed eyes. “Why do you care? What do these questions have to do with Wayne Industries or the Wayne Foundation?”

“Well, some of my friends who fight crime might welcome an informed theory,” Dick said.

“You’re serious, aren't you?”

“So much so, I could kiss you.”

“Well,” Susie coyly said, regarding him with sparkling eyes, “if you did, I might kiss you back and we’d forget all about your friends who fight crime. Especially–”

“You mean–?”

“Hush!”

An hour later, Soolin sat behind the wheel of a car parked where she could see the Gotham City Jail. Presently, a cab pulled up in front, prompting Muffy to hurry out and step inside. “She got in the cab you’ll see in a minute,” Soolin said into a cell phone, starting her engine.

“Hold your horses,” Okie Annie replied. “I see her, but it looks like Batgirl is fixin’ to follow her, too.”

“Then Batgirl is a pretty lively ghost! Are you telling me she’s still alive?”

“Yep, I reckon so. We’re movin’ now. How do you wanna play this thing with Batgirl bein’ involved?”

“We could take care of both of them,” Soolin suggested. “Do you see Robin?”

“Nope,” Okie Annie replied. “We ain’t got no instructions involvin’ Batgirl or Robin.”

“We didn’t realize Batgirl was still with us. Besides, we can’t let our target get away with getting caught and probably singing like a canary.”

“I reckon you got a point, and as far as our instructions are concerned, it don’t matter.”

“Stick with Muffy. I’ll deal with Batgirl when we get to the right place.”

“Where is that? We don’t know where we’re goin’”

“We’ll know where it is when we get there.”

Soolin put her phone aside, unaware another pair of eyes was focused upon her. These eyes belonged to another agent Catwoman had personally summoned.

“Kata earned her money,” the agent murmured as the last car in the bizarre parade pulled into traffic.

Soolin drove toward the city and smiled as the cab pulled onto the highway. Batgirl was totally unaware she was a participant in an extended game of “follow the leader.”

“Annie,” Soolin said, after retrieving her phone, “am I right in recalling we’re approaching a bridge over the highway, just before the next exit?”

“Yep,” Okie Annie confirmed. “If you can get to the bridge ahead o’ Batgirl, it might be a good place to bushwhack her.”

“My thoughts exactly,” Soolin replied. Her car shot forward as she floored the accelerator.

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