Woof sat with his eyes and ears alert in front of their bedroom door. It'd been a good week or so since Ghoul and he had raided the Gotham City Museum. They didn't take anything, only set things up. The museum had been going through some renovation, and was scheduled to re-open on Halloween night. It was fitting, in Woof's opinion. Showcasing there were the finest wines, the best food…but aside from what interested his stomach, was what the Jokerz were after. Or at least what Chucko was after, the rest of them couldn't really understand what his interest in it all was.

Along with new floors and exhibits, the museum was displaying exclusive, high-priced fine arts; paintings, sculptures, etc. all worth over a quarter of a million dollars each. That's what the word on the street was at least. Ghoul had licked his lips when he heard about that healthy sum. Which Woof thought was strange, since both he and Ghoul had grown up rather wealthy. Ghoul did at least; personally, Woof's own family started losing all their creds as he got older.

It was probably the anticipation of a cash-well-earned satisfaction feeling Ghoul had been licking his lips at, because frankly, everyone knew that this wasn't going to be an easy job. In fact, they were nuts just attempting it. That's what everyone kept telling him, anyway. Word on the street was that most of Gotham's cops were going to be put on duty there at the museum, giving everyone else and their brother the perfect chance to go ransack the nearest bank or convenience store. Chucko hypothesized that the cops were going to ditch babysitting the museum's picture show and go patrol the streets. It'd be a good way to nab some dregs to throw in prison or juvy, he had said.

Chucko got a lot of his information off the street, Woof observed. Wasn't the most reliable source, but when your strong man lands himself in prison on petty theft, you really don't have any other way to get it.

Bonk, their "strong man" and second-in-command, had gotten greedy a month or so ago when him and the twins, who were known collectively as Dee Dee, were robbing a convenience store and didn't get out fast enough. The Deeds had come back without him. He was due out in November, so he had to miss their heist, which was a shame, really. Knowing their luck, they'd need him.

Steps down the hall outside their room caught Woof's attention. His splicing hadn't given him a tail (what was a shame, because he was really hoping for a tail) but if he had one, it'd be wagging.

The knob turned and Ghoul stepped into the dark crowded room Woof had been waiting for him in. He stepped to the side to let him in; fully awake and smiling enthusiastically as if he hadn't seen his friend in ages, despite the fact that Ghoul had just gone up to get a glass of distilled water only a few minutes ago.

Ghoul muttered something a little more than a "Meh," and effortlessly patted Woof's head as he slumped passed. Woof bumped the door shut behind him and followed behind Ghoul over to his bed, careful not to step on or trip over the various computer parts and other equipment that was scattered about the floor.

Ghoul collapsed onto the bed and Woof made himself comfortable on the floor next to his feet, which were still hung over the side. He uttered a muffled "Hate this bed," and hid his head under a pillow. It took several twists and turns before Ghoul laid flat on his back, throwing his pillow across the room in frustration. Woof couldn't blame him.

There was a pause.

"Can you get that?"


Ghoul and Woof, and others belong to the Batman franchise.

All else probably belongs to me.