Chapter 7:
"Lava, lava, lava," Robin chanted as he stared at the open cage door. He was now lying flat on his back on the cold floor, attempting to relieve the heat racing through his body.
"Did you know," he began loudly, "that ice is actually chocolate filled with birds?"
Mr. Freeze, still at his table but now cleaning his freeze ray, looked over at the teen in disbelief.
"And," Robin continued, "if you sit by a dog you become a sunflower. Isn't that funny? What would it feel like to be a sunflower? Have you ever wanted to be a sunflower?"
The villain slowly shook his head in reply, although he wasn't quite sure why he was replying to the delirious sentences coming out of the sidekick's mouth.
"One time," the teen stated solemnly, "I wanted to be a jelly doughnut. But the rooster told me that the sidewalk would drink me up. So then I changed my mind. I don't want to be drunked…dranked…drinked…?" He trailed off in confusion.
"You sound drunk," Mr. Freeze declared before returning his attention to his freeze ray.
"And you sound like a rat," Robin retorted. "A ratty rat finger with sprinkles."
Rolling his eyes, the villain stood up, turned toward the exit and checked his watch. It had been nearly half an hour since Frosty had left. Finding a rival henchman, knocking him out and coming back shouldn't take that long!
"One more thing," Robin declared, his voice much louder than before. "I've never been drunk and you're stupid." There was a quick beat of silence and then he added, "I guess that's two more things."
Mr. Freeze snarled and turned back toward the cage only to run face-first into an icy, Robin-sized fist. The villain dropped limply to the ground and the Boy Wonder stumbled to the table. He grabbed the remote and slowly filled the room with warmth, leaving a small square of frozen air around the head of the unconscious criminal.
"Utility belt, I love you," the teenager whispered as he patted the pocket over his right hip. The anti-delirium Bat-pill had taken longer to work than he would have liked but at least he wasn't spouting nonsense anymore. And, thanks to the mild warmth spreading throughout the room, he could finally breathe without fire or ice clogging his throat.
His legs were tired, his torso was aching and his right wrist was throbbing. He dropped onto the nearest chair – a short rest would be okay. Mr. Freeze was unconscious, two of the henchmen were gone and the third goon would be easy to knock out.
"Boss!" came a voice from the hallway.
"Best laid plans," Robin mumbled angrily before standing up.
Frosty skidded around the corner into a room full of warmth and the sight of his boss lying motionless on the ground. There was also an open cage door and a teenager with his arms folded across his chest. Robin was glaring at him and Frosty flinched noticeably before turning around and racing away.
Sighing, Robin began to follow. He wanted to run but his energy reserves were depleted. Just walking was proving to be difficult. But he needed to find the way out because someone had Batman in an icy park trap.
The Boy Wonder was completely lost in his thoughts, his eyes following the shallow footprints of the henchman in the slushy ice. A flash of memory shot through his mind: Batman was in Gotham Central Park. Robin wasn't sure why, but he knew that his partner would be there.
His progress was suddenly halted by the strong chest of Frigid. The henchman immediately grabbed Robin's right wrist and twisted, fully expecting the boy to drop to his knees as he had before. This time, however, the Boy Wonder was ready for the pain.
Robin twisted with the wrist and jumped, using the rough momentum to flip into an air-borne log roll. Ignoring the scream of his ribs, the groan of his bloody left arm and the searing pain in his right wrist, the teenager easily landed on his feet. Now Frigid's entire left arm was twisted and Robin used the rebound from his flip to whirl the henchman around and slam him onto the solid ice of the floor.
Frigid was smart enough to curl his head into his chest. He landed hard on his back but was able to stay conscious. The air was gone, though, and he was gasping in pain.
The Boy Wonder wrapped his left arm across his aching torso and pressed his right hand onto the open wound on his left bicep. The torn ligament in his wrist, however, was preventing him from pushing hard enough to stop the blood. Unfortunately, he was going to be leaving an easy-to-follow trail of bright red on the icy-white ground. And, he realized as a wave of dizziness hit him, he was losing a lot of blood. His arm had been bleeding intermittently from the time the tree had snatched a chunk of flesh away. Robin didn't know how long ago that was, but he did know that he needed to find something to wrap around the wound.
The utility belt around his waist, which contained several things that would be helpful to him in this situation, wasn't part of the small amount of things the teenager could remember. So, there was no Bat-wrap for his bloody arm and no blood-warming Bat-pill for his still-cold body.
Frosty's trail had merged with the footprints from the short fight and Robin had no idea which way the goon had gone. Breathing hurt but the pain eased slightly when he bent his torso exactly three and a quarter inches forward. So, hunched over like an old man with a crooked back, the teenager trudged away from the trembling body of Frigid. Ten seconds later he had to make a choice: a sharp left turn or a curve to the right.
There were several sets of footprints going in opposite directions each way so there was no way to know for sure. It was a silly way to decide but he did it anyway - the right side of his ribcage hurt more than the left so Robin curved right. He heard a quiet chuckle from the man he had left on the floor and immediately turned around. Was it a trick or was the muscular goon laughing at the fact that Robin had gone the wrong way? Was the man even smart enough to try to trick the teen into thinking he should go the other way?
Shaking his head, the Boy Wonder decided to go with his first choice. He turned back around and began following the curving path on the right. This time the chuckle came from in front of him and Robin saw the shimmering side of an icicle right before it slammed into his forehead. Stumbling back, with blood streaming down his face, the Boy Wonder watched in awe as rainbows floated over the bright-green head of Frosty.
For the second time in less than five minutes, Robin's progress was halted by the strong chest of Frigid. The leftover ache in his back, from being hit with the anti-hero ray, flared up when it connected with the man's muscular torso.
"Wrong choice, kid," was the last thing the teenager heard as he slid down Frigid's body, crumbling into a pile of flesh at the man's feet.
Gotham Central Park – thirty minutes earlier:
Two sat in the shade of a large oak tree, tossing rocks at the trunk and eating an apple. It had been over an hour since King Tut had set up the trap and there was no sign of Robin. The kid was either too stupid to come back and look for clues or smart enough to stay away. Of all the jobs King Tut had ever given him, Two decided that this one was the worst. It was hot and boring plus he was missing all the "we-have-Batman-trapped" fun.
He idly wondered what would happen if Robin didn't step on the oily slip and slide King Tut had laid out. The boy wouldn't be a sitting duck for Two's rocks, that was for sure. Quickly glancing around, the henchman decided to gather a few bigger stones, just in case the sidekick inadvertently found a way around the trap.
Frosty, hidden in the forest, stared at the short figure with the black, wind-blown hair. Was he one of King Tut's servants or just a man relaxing by a tree? The guy glanced around then stood up and began walking in a slow circle. Frosty carefully watched the movements, hoping to receive some kind of clue.
Then he saw the two small piles of rocks. Why would someone be making little mounds of rocks in Gotham Central Park? There could only be one explanation – to Frosty's simple mind, anyway. The dark-haired man was some kind of nature lover who wanted to add ordinary stones to some sort of weird collection he had or was about to start.
The man bent down and picked up a stone that was slightly larger than the ones in his piles. He tested the weight in his hands and rotated it several times in different directions. Rolling his eyes, this had been a waste of time, Frosty turned around and headed back toward the hideout of Mr. Freeze.
One stood in the alley next to the jewelry store, watching the man who was staring at Two. The guy was obviously loyal to Mr. Freeze; the warm clothing he was wearing on this hot day was proof of that. Why was he here and what was he going to do?
Two was now wandering around, picking up larger rocks and glancing back at his piles. Sighing, One sat down and waited for something to happen. Mr. Freeze's man suddenly turned and vanished into the forest. Surprised but relieved, One stood up and headed back toward the hideout of King Tut.
Mr. Freeze's arctic hideout – present time:
"Well, now what do we do?" Frosty demanded loudly, glaring at Frigid. He held the bloody icicle in his right hand and his left was tightly clenched.
Frigid glared back, annoyed that Frosty was even here. Kicking the motionless body of the sidekick off his own feet, the muscular henchman shrugged. Pain flared up in his left shoulder and Frigid kicked Robin's body again, irritated that the boy had wounded him.
"You truly are an idiot," Frigid mumbled under his breath. Grabbing the left leg of the Boy Wonder, the large man turned around and began dragging the small body back toward the dining room where the cage was located.
His eyes widened when he entered the room. It was completely warm everywhere except for one tiny square, where his boss was huddled in the cold. Frigid quickly made his way to the cage and roughly tossed Robin inside, making sure to securely lock the door before turning to the table. He strode over, grabbed the large remote and used several of the many buttons to shrink the area of warmth.
Mr. Freeze stood up and growled in Robin's direction before glaring at his henchmen.
"Where is my anti-hero freeze ray?!" he shouted. Frosty, who had followed Frigid into the room, quickly retreated and raced away.
Frigid had no excuse. He had been too excited to tell Three about Robin, causing him to overlook the fact that his boss would want to know why he had returned without the weapon.
"And why," the villain continued, "did Chilly hear you on the phone telling someone about Robin?"
The words were full of fury outlined with a tinge of confusion. He had trusted Frigid, his smartest and strongest henchman, and the man had allegedly betrayed him.
"I couldn't find the guy and Chilly is an idiot. He's trying to get on your good side by lying about me." Frigid hoped his boss would believe the lie and dismiss the story from Chilly.
Rolling his eyes, it was a good point, Mr. Freeze did exactly what his muscular henchman wanted – believed the lie. Chilly was always trying to find ways to gain approval and Frigid would never betray him.
Glancing over at the cage, where the Boy Wonder was lying motionless, the villain raised his eyebrows in surprise.
"He tried to escape, I took care of him," Frigid answered the obvious question in his boss's eyes. "I got him in the forehead with an icicle but he'll wake up soon. Want me to drop the temperature?"
"No, the warmth will wake him up. If King Tut has Batman, we have to find a way to get him. My prototype works – not as well as the finished anti-hero ray, of course – so I can use the sidekick as bait. But if Batman is unable to escape, I can't use the boy as bait."
"Maybe you could offer to give King Tut the kid, since his henchman has the weapon. Then, when he comes to take him, you can defeat that villain and grab Batman yourself."
"The faux Pharaoh has the weapon!" Mr. Freeze exclaimed. "He doesn't need Robin, he can just use the thing on Batman!"
Frigid had to think fast. The plan he and Three had come up with wouldn't work if their respective bosses believed the other villain had the anti-hero freeze ray.
"Actually, after knocking me down and grabbing the weapon, the other guy was mumbling something about keeping it for himself. I doubt King Tut has it; the goon sounded like he wanted to use it. And if King Tut doesn't have it, he can't use it on Batman."
"You think we have a chance," Mr. Freeze mused.
"Well, don't you think we would have heard something by now if Batman was running around acting like a criminal? King Tut would have used the weapon immediately, right?"
"Frigid, you are smart," the villain declared. "We need a plan to get the weapon and another one to take Batman away from the idiotic professor."
Mr. Freeze began pacing and Frigid quietly backed away. The villain was deep in thought and didn't even notice that his best henchman was now racing down the icy hall toward the exit.
King Tut's mobile palace:
His eyes were squeezed shut in concentration and King Tut was mumbling to himself. Since Mr. Freeze had the sidekick, trapping the kid was now impossible. Suddenly his eyes popped open and he gasped.
"Mr. Freeze has the weapon!" he exclaimed. "He can use it on the Boy Idiot and, if he finds my palace, use the kid to get to Batman!"
At that moment, One walked in and grimaced when he heard the anger in his boss's voice. The news he had was only going to increase the villain's fury.
"Your Highness," the henchman began, "the boy has not shown up. Two has piles of rocks ready but nothing has happened. Also, Mr. Freeze had a goon watching Two but he left soon after I arrived."
"Nothing has happened, idiot, because Mr. Freeze has captured Robin!" King Tut yelled.
Three, who had been listening from the hallway, frowned. How did his boss know that Mr. Freeze had Robin? There was only one way to find out. Striding into the room, Three made his way to the throne and bowed. Hopefully the lie he was about to tell would work. If not, the plan he and Frigid had created would probably fall to pieces.
Before the henchman could even begin speaking, King Tut held up his hand.
"Why did my lovely queen hear you telling someone that I had captured Batman?" the villain demanded loudly. "And where is my weapon?!"
Shock flew across his face but Three quickly dismissed the expression. How was he going to explain this? He couldn't exactly tell a king that his queen was lying, especially since she wasn't. The lie he had been ready to use was immediately replaced with another.
"I was attempting to procure the weapon, Your Majesty," Three explained. "I thought that by telling my contact about Batman, we would be able to bring Mr. Freeze to us. We could have a trap ready, defeat that villain and grab both the boy and the weapon."
The story made sense and King Tut's fury faded. There was still a problem, however. Mr. Freeze had probably already used the weapon on the Bat-brat.
"Also," Three continued, "after knocking me down and grabbing the weapon, the other guy was mumbling something about keeping it for himself. I doubt Mr. Freeze has it; the goon sounded like he wanted to use it. And if Mr. Freeze doesn't have it, then he can't use it on the sidekick."
That explanation was also plausible and King Tut grinned. "We still have a chance," he murmured.
"I suppose," his queen agreed softly. She was watching Three's face carefully, still suspicious of his actions.
The henchman almost glared at the fake queen when he noticed her studying him. Pushing the emotion away, he re-focused on King Tut.
"Don't you think, Oh Mighty King, that we would have heard something if Robin was running around acting like a criminal? If Mr. Freeze had the weapon, Your Highness, I think he would use it right away."
Nodding, King Tut began staring at Batman. "We need a plan to get the weapon from the person who has it, whether it's Mr. Freeze or his goon."
Absently stroking his goatee, the villain closed his eyes in concentration. He was so deep in thought that he didn't hear his muscular henchman quietly leave the room and race down the hall toward the exit.
The remaining henchman, One, and the queen were staring at King Tut and waiting for instructions. They, too, failed to notice the disappearance of Three.
Juniper Street – midnight:
It was Three who had called Frigid this time. They had met up at warehouse number seven and were arguing about their plans.
"He wants Batman!" Frigid exclaimed. "Get your boss to hand him over!"
"Right," Three replied sarcastically, "because my boss will allow Batman to be released into the hands of another villain. Give Robin to King Tut!"
"This is ridiculous! Just give…" the sentence trailed off and Frigid's eyes lit up.
"An exchange!" he declared. "We tell them we found the weapon and have them bring their respective heroes to a neutral place. Mr. Freeze and King Tut will think they are setting a trap when really the surprise will belong to us!"
Three narrowed his eyes. "I don't understand," he admitted angrily.
Holding back a sigh, Frigid started over.
"We have the weapon. You go back to King Tut and tell him that you found the weapon but you had to hide it. He'll want to retrieve it himself; he won't trust anyone to do it for him. That's how Mr. Freeze will feel anyway. Then you explain that it will be easier to turn Batman into a criminal if King Tut brings him along when you lead him to the weapon."
"Why would it be easier?"
"Because the weapon is there, he can use it right away instead of having to take it back to his hideout! I'll say the same thing to Mr. Freeze. They'll agree; they'll want to have immediate control of the hero they captured."
"How is that a trap?"
"Oh, um…"
"We tell them that the other villain knows about it, too!" Three exclaimed after a brief moment of silence. "We'll make it a race. Both heroes will be there, just like the first time we used the weapon. You shoot them again and we turn them against King Tut and Mr. Freeze! Then we get them to fight each other and whoever wins, probably Batman, is in our control!"
"Gotham Central Park," Frigid nodded in agreement as he spoke. "It will end where it started. Tomorrow night, say ten o'clock?"
Three nodded, also, and the men shook hands.
"Make it convincing," Frigid added.
"And watch out for the oil spill in the area where Batman and Robin fought before," Three advised. "That was King Tut's trap to catch the sidekick."
"By the northern gate, then?" Frigid asked.
"See you at ten," Three grinned as he turned around and strode to his vehicle.
