BATMAN
FEAR

One:

Gotham City. The Neo-Gothic capital of the century, and the world's leader in crime. On any given day, a psychopath is plotting to destroy the city. Granted, not all the psychopaths are evil, and such is the case with Gotham's savior, the Dark Knight. The Batman, and his numerous allies, defenders of all that is good and innocent.

And, evidently, of department stores. A shapely, female figure crouches on the forehead of a gargoyle overlooking Shreck's Department Store. The dark hues of the night shroud her features in murky shadow, but piercing, icy blue eyes stab into the dim air, and with catlike grace, the woman stands, precariously balancing ten stories above the ground. Her legs bending in a single, fluid motion, she leaps down, snapping a whip above her head and catching it to an awning, abruptly halting her fall inches above the pavement, as only an experienced acrobat could.

Looking up, she sees a beacon illuminate the cloudy sky, in the shape of a bat. "Damn," she mutters. "It was a great night for a heist." She looks toward the entrance to Shreck's. "Bruce will be on his way. I'd best hurry." She was talking to no one in particular, but Selina Kyle had long ago learned that she was her own biggest fan. It was a trait that had since rubbed off on Catwoman.

Casually prancing over to the glass doors, she extends her claws, and removes a pane of glass in one catty swipe. "Meow," a throwaway line.

"Selina." The name is growled, whispered and boomed at the same time. It is the unmistakable tone of the Batman.

"Ooh," Selina purrs, "you're colder than usual."

A ghost of a smile creeps onto Batman's face. "Store's closing in a few minutes. Just so you know."

Selina puts on an annoyed pose. "You're so damn clever, aren't you?" She bares her fangs, and shows her claws. Her "tail" snaps about into her right hand, revealing itself as a whip. "It's go time." She cracks her whip at him, long ebony black hair whooshing behind her.

Batman lifts his black cape, deflecting the blow. His eyes, not entirely visible through his long-eared, pitch black cowl, locked onto the woman. "I don't want to fight, Selina," he pleads.

She snarls, and with a roundhouse kick to the face proclaims, "The name's Catwoman!"

Batman staggers back, and the emblem on his chest becomes briefly visible, a large black bat on grey background, with sharply curved wings, nearly as imposing as the man himself. He sends a punch to Catwoman's jaw, a blow that loosely connects. Hissing, Catwoman scratches his cowl, tearing it. Shreds of mask and rivulets of blood scatter across the electronics department.

Catwoman kicks him in the gut, knocking him to the ground. She bends down over him, in position to ride him. "Hi, Bruce. Do you like the kitty?"

Batman lunges forward, tossing the seductress aside. "Aww..." she moans. "No time to play with the pussy cat?"

The Batman pops a Batarang from his streamlined, black utility belt, and forcefully flings it at the woman, knocking her head back. Her costume torn in all the right places, she smiles and asks casually, "Does this need to go on?" Leaning against a display clearly labeled do not lean, she adds (or rather taunts), "Call it quits, Batsy?"

Batman grimaces. "Not a chance. We haven't gone at it like this in a while. Why now?"

Momentarily, Selina is caught off guard. "I...I don't know Bruce." Catwoman then pushes Batman out of the way. "But I'd be obliged if you'd let me on my way." She holds her breath as an invisible gas seeps into the room. Too late, Batman realizes that he is being put to sleep.

His last sight is Catwoman's whip trailing past his head, and a fifty dollar bill flutters down to the floor.