(C.U)

The Rolls-Royce drove up into the Batcave. Bruce exited the car and went straight to his computer to check on the bug he'd left in Stern's office. He pulled up the link on screen, which gave him audio as well as sonar imaging of the office. Bruce fast forwarded to the moment he and Selina left.

As soon as the guests had left, a panel had slid open, and a woman stepped out.

"I'm afraid that Selina Kyle will be trouble."

"We've come too far to have our plans jeopardized by some environmental fanatic. Have someone keep an eye on Mizz Kyle."

"As you wish, m'lady." Bruce agreed and sent a teammate to keep watch on Selina.

Satisfied with having covered Selina, Batman decides you focus on his other mission: hunting down Red Claw.

He'd already busted into a meeting of bosses and chosen his informant. He was due to meet Neil for information.

Waking under the bridge in the cold, December night, mob boss Neil was patting down his perspiration as he looked around the park for his contact.

"I head you have intel for me," a voice asked from the shadows.

"Th-there's rumors, of a train heist."

"When?"

"Tonight."

"Red Claw?"

"Don't know, but it's real sketchy. Ain't no one from inside, that's for sure."

The police commissioner couldn't confirm the intel.

"What if it was a military transport?" Batman asked him.

"I'll call up. Blasted feds."

Batman looked through his own resources as Gordon argued with the general.

"What do I do? Evacuate 10 million people?"

A stolen plague unit would suggest that.

"Maybe we can set up camp around the Pentagon."

Batman smiled at the thought of that.

He was just about to suggest a plan when he got a call.

"You were right! Some guys broke into the penthouse."

"You got them, I'm sure."

"Like you even have to ask. The secretary's pretty shook, but your girlfriend's not here."

Bruce sighed, annoyed with Selina's involvement and Dick's snippets.

"I know where she is," Batman drawled and hung up. A second later, he was out the window.

Catwoman whipped herself to the rooftop of Stern's office, remembering that the ceiling to his office was made of glass. Her claws cut out a hole and in she slipped.

This time around, she noticed a baby grand in the opposite end of the room; odd for an office space.

Catwoman approached the piano and lowered her high tech goggles to her eyes. There were worn down fingerprints on some keys, and art fanatic Selina Kyle easily recognized the pattern.

"Ode to Joy, is it? How cliché!"

As soon as she played the last keys, the piano sank in the floor and a panel opened in the wall behind it, revealing a computer.

The batcomputer reported activity in Stern's office and Alfred sent the video to the Tumbler's screens.

"I believe you have a dinner appointment to make, sir."

"Thanks, Alfred." Batman replied and disconnected. What was it today, National quip day?

The Tumbler parked on the rooftop and Batman stepped out, immediately hearing the gunfire. He sighed in frustration for the millionth time that night and blasted off the elevator hatch as his point of entry.

Catwoman ran through the tower, leading her assailants in a chance. She'd lost some in the vents, leaving cat spikes behind her, and escaped into the elevator shaft. It was such a cliché move that even her enemies knew of it, so just as she had managed to jump on one of the ropes, someone cut the other one and Selina almost fell.

Almost, that is. Just as she was certain for doom, someone caught her wrist and she looked up to see the Batman. Catwoman didn't know if this was better, or worse.

"Hey. What's up?"

"Just hanging around."

The Batman. Making quips. She was definitely in trouble.

"Over here!" Someone shouted from the vent.

Batman tossed in a gas bomb and propelled himself up to the roof, taking Catwoman with him.

"What are you doing here?" Batman asked once they were stable on their feet.

"I'd ask you the same question but we haven't got much time. Something's up with the lion mountain site."

"I'll check it out. You're going home." He ordered her and began walking to his car. She cut him off.

"Either you take me with you, or you can expect to have your path crossed by a black cat later tonight. Your choice."

Batman knew she wasn't bluffing and reluctantly let her into the Tumbler. He put in the coordinates for the construction site and made a call on his way there.

"You have the case?" He asked the person who picked up.

"Negative!" A woman's voice replied. She sounded busy.

"There are too many hostiles. We're still keeping them busy. Red Claw made off with the plague." She explained.

"You'll never guess!" A young man's voice added, "Red Claw's a woman."

Selina was impressed, but Batman just swore.

"I know where she's going. Need a ten mile perimeter around the MIGHT construction site."

"We'll get on that next." The boy replied and signed off.

"The resort sight?" Catwoman asked as Batman slammed on the gas pedal.

"Might is working with Red Claw. The resort is a front for terrorist activity."

"That's what the plans were on the computer."

Batman turned to look at her as she scrolled through her pictures of the computer files. He smiled at her, though she didn't notice. He'd never find anyone better for him than her.

The mountain lion site was lit up with construction lights, illuminating semi trucks and military Jeeps and vans, but only a few actual construction vehicles. Batman and Catwoman were crouched behind a boulder, watching the terrorists march about.

The two heard a mountain lion's growl from nearby and Catwoman ran to the rescue. Batman reluctantly followed, staying a few steps behind.

She saw a cat being cornered by a terrorist, holding a military regulation rifle against the defenseless animal. Catwoman whipped her whip out, pulling the man off his feet and towards her. The mountain lion ran off as Catwoman tied up the hunter.

She didn't notice two other gunmen come up behind her, but her partner came up behind them, slammed their heads together, and knocked them out. The heroes finally made way closer to the site and found a grate to sneak into the compound.

They subtly disarmed terrorists on their way to the plague, leaving them hanging upside down or knocked unconscious. They'd almost made it to the main room when Catwoman fell, something attached to the back of her neck. As Batman knelt to pick her up, something hit the back of his cowl, an electric pulse short circuiting his suit before rendering him unconscious.

Batman and Catwoman woke up to find themselves tied back to back. Each struggled to pull out of the ropes, but it was as if the bonds had a mind of their own, resisting their breakout attempt.

Catwoman sighed and threw her head back, smiling as she noticed the plants on the ceiling.

"Oh look, mistletoe." She said, drawing Batman's attention up.

The detective smiled.

"Mistletoe can be deadly if you eat it," he said, purposely throwing her off.

"A kiss can be deadlier, if you mean it." They turned their heads to the side, almost able to kiss, but were interrupted.

"Welcome to my little resort," an accented woman's voice came their way before Batman saw the woman in red show herself.

"I hope you're not too uncomfortable. You'll be staying a while."

"You may be surprised to know these accommodations are courtesy of your government." Red Claw revealed as Stern joined her, holding the case of plague.

"They built this top-secret facility to shelter high officials in case of a nuclear incident. Since you wanted the plague so badly, Batman," she paused for dramatic effect, using the moment to place the container near her prisoners as Stern dropped a reaction agent on it.

"We've decided to give it to you. The acid should eat through in a matter of minutes! Enjoy your final stay!"

Red Claw ran off as evacuation alarms rang around them.

"Would I like to get my claws into them!"

"Call for backup, sir?" Alfred's voice came on the cowl's comms.

"I don't have a cure for a prehistoric plague. I need someone who's not susceptible to human disease."

"One of your new friends, perhaps?"

Batman sighed.

"What choice do I have?"

"None, sir. I'll give him a call."

Catwoman was close enough to eavesdrop; being tied together didn't leave them much space.

"We might die today. Last chance to confess." Selina tried.

"We're not gonna die. And anyway, actions speak louder than words."

"You haven't done for me what you wouldn't do for anyone else."

"Don't be too sure about that,"

"Speaking of actions, I hear you made friends?"

"What? I can't make friends?"

"Well, creating friendships needs a certain personality type. Which you don't have."

"Trust me, he has enough friendly personality for the both of us."

Catwoman took a minute to think of who Batman might be talking about, and then it came to her.

"You don't mean..."

Her inquiry was interrupted when the subject of their conversation crashed through the roof.

"You look a little tied up!" Batman's new friend joked as he came their way.

"You can help without making one liners." Batman replied.

The hero laughed and grabbed the ropes from between them, but they reacted against his strength.

"Okay." He he gave up pulling and tried another trick.

"Watch your hands." He warned then took a step back, aiming his eyes at the ropes as lasers shot out of them, cutting through the special fibers.

Bat and Cat jumped off their seats as soon as the binds were off. Selina took a minute to soothe her arms before she realized who was standing near her.

"Oh my GOD! You're Superman!" She freaked.

"Ma'am." Superman nodded, extending a hand in greeting.

Batman seethed with jealousy as he watched them.

"The plague's gonna release soon. If it does, it's gonna spread fast over town."

"I'll take care of it, you find Red Claw."

Batman was eager to run out of Superman's presence, but Selina was still starstruck.

"Cat!" Batman called to her and she snapped her attention his way, smiling back sheepishly at the Metropolitan hero as she ran away with the Batman.

Terrorists and henchmen were running out of the compound as Batman and Catwoman caught up, thwarting their escape. They fought the henchmen inside while there was machine gun fire sounding from outside.

Superman had sealed the container of plague inside a van, and attempted to fly the vehicle up to outer space. He had to maintain a regulated speed as the case might explode under pressure, making the situation worse. It would have been easier without the helicopters on his tail, aiming machine guns at the van.

Meanwhile, Red Claw had managed to escape, leaving her henchmen to take the fall. She attempted to escape through the rocks and boulders, out of sight of the incoming police vehicles, but the mountains had other protectors. An explosion from the building threw her to the ground, and Red Claw found herself surrounded my mountain lions, avenging the attack on their territory.

"You couldn't introduce me to Superman?" Selina complained as they drove out in the Tumbler.

"What? Explain to him how I'm affiliated with a cat burglar?"

Selina felt offended.

"Well, at least we didn't die."

"We're not out of the woods yet," Batman explained as she noticed the Tumbler driving out of Gotham city.

"You said you didn't have an antidote!" Catwoman shrieked.

Suddenly, her mind recalled faces of friends and family. She hadn't said goodbye. Not to Bruce. Not to Leslie. Not Ivy or Harley.

Not to Maggie.

"I know a lab that can help us. Get an antidote if we're affected. And get a read on these ropes," he nodded in the direction of the ropes Selina held in her lap.

"What offends you more? That we could possibly be affected by a plague, or some high tech ropes that managed to tie up Batman?!"

Batman smirked at her question.

"Both."

"So, where's this lab that we're going to? Metropolis?"

"No. Central City."

"My my! You have been busy making new friends, haven't you?"

"You'll be surprised!"