Chapter Three
"Let me get this straight. You... let Batman know you are behind his scheme?"
Killer Croc asked the figure entering the wildly decorated chamber. "Well?"
The figure was the Mad Hatter, with his exaggerated hat atop his head, a gold
inlayed cane tapping the ground as he walked. The chamber was decorated in the manner
of a twisted version of Lewis Carrol's classic tale. The Mad Hatter walked towards an
area filled with astroturf, complete with croquet loops and real flamingoes surrounded a
throne with a heart sat on it. He sat down on it and a cat leapt onto his lap. The cat was
the strangest animal in the mansion. It's mouth was turned permently into a grin with
plastic surgery. As the Mad Hatter stroked it as a man wearing a soldier's hat and an
outfit looking like a playing car walked out a door and up to the throne. An price card sat
on his ear.
"Sir?" the soldier asked.
"Tea, for myself and our scaly friend here," he said, grinning, a grin wider then the
cat's.
"Answer my question," Killer Croc hissed.
"I did indeed tip off our pointy headed friend that it is I who is behind the
robberys, yes," the Mad Hatter replied.
"Are you crazy!" Croc yelled. "May I ask why??"
The Mad Hatter looked at him, his eyes narrowing.
"You may be in for the money my freakish friend," he said, malevolently. "I am
only half in this plot for financial gain. I want to drive Batman as insane as I supposedly
am."
"Why??" Croc shouted, angrily, walking up and grabbing at the Mad Hatter's
purple coat. "Why??"
The Mad Hatter looked at Croc's hands and looked angrily back at Croc.
"Never-" he raised his voice suddenly, slamming the point of his cane at Croc's
chest. The electric point on the tip sparked, as Croc cried out. Croc wobbled backwards,
grimacing. "-touch me," he finished. He immediately returned to his distinguished
manner. He stood, walking slowly towards Croc. "Batman ruined my life, he ruined my
chances for love, money and happiness. I want him to suffer as I have suffered. I want
our dark-clothed friend to lose his mind. And I think I've figured out how."
"Sir," the Mad Hatter's servant said, handing the man a tray with two cups of
steaming.
"Thank you," the Mad Hatter said, and handed a cup to Croc, who smashed it to
the ground in a rage as the Mad Hatter sipped his own.
***
The diamond...
He moved out of nowhere. Fleeting anger shot through her, then admiration, as
she realized the Batman had seen her move into the museum's window, then gotten in
before her and hid. He grabbed her arm. Catwoman instantly whirled, launching a flurry
of kicks at the Batman. The Batman moved out of the way of all of them and caught her
last one in his hand. He backhanded the thief to the ground. She rolled and touched the
ground hard, stopping her before she hit the alarm's laser.
"Wanting a spat, darling?" Catwoman's lips curved upwards as her gloved hand
touched the red mark on her cheek.
"I think you're more wanting the Dravarian Diamond," the Batman said, his cape
flowing about his suited figure. Catwoman rolled up and faced him.
"Then capture me," she said, smiling. "Throw me in jail."
The Batman smiled.
"I think that won't be neccessary as long as I keep you out of trouble," he said,
moving forward. Catwoman moved low at the Batman's legs. The Batman leapt up in the
air, his cape spreading like capes, as Catwoman went under him. He landed and moved,
grabbing her shoulder and pulling her away from the alarm laser. He pulled her close to
him.
"Time to leave the museum," he said. Catwoman moved close and they kissed.
They held it for a minute but then Catwoman moved. She fast, but the Batman was ready.
He grabbed her arm and threw her to the ground.
"Time to leave the museum," she said. She somersaulted up and flipped
backwards to the window. She cooed at the dark figure who stood in the shadows. "Isn't
going to be hard to keep an eye on both me and the psychos of Gotham City?"
She gestured to the sky and the Batman moved, seeing the Bat signal in the sky.
He flew towards the window, grabbing Catwoman and flew out of the museum. He fired
his grappling hook at the buildings and flew towards the alleyway and set down
Catwoman. With that, he flew up towards the sky. Catwoman looked after him.
"See you later, lover," she whisper. "Round one to you."
She moved into the shadows.
"Let me get this straight. You... let Batman know you are behind his scheme?"
Killer Croc asked the figure entering the wildly decorated chamber. "Well?"
The figure was the Mad Hatter, with his exaggerated hat atop his head, a gold
inlayed cane tapping the ground as he walked. The chamber was decorated in the manner
of a twisted version of Lewis Carrol's classic tale. The Mad Hatter walked towards an
area filled with astroturf, complete with croquet loops and real flamingoes surrounded a
throne with a heart sat on it. He sat down on it and a cat leapt onto his lap. The cat was
the strangest animal in the mansion. It's mouth was turned permently into a grin with
plastic surgery. As the Mad Hatter stroked it as a man wearing a soldier's hat and an
outfit looking like a playing car walked out a door and up to the throne. An price card sat
on his ear.
"Sir?" the soldier asked.
"Tea, for myself and our scaly friend here," he said, grinning, a grin wider then the
cat's.
"Answer my question," Killer Croc hissed.
"I did indeed tip off our pointy headed friend that it is I who is behind the
robberys, yes," the Mad Hatter replied.
"Are you crazy!" Croc yelled. "May I ask why??"
The Mad Hatter looked at him, his eyes narrowing.
"You may be in for the money my freakish friend," he said, malevolently. "I am
only half in this plot for financial gain. I want to drive Batman as insane as I supposedly
am."
"Why??" Croc shouted, angrily, walking up and grabbing at the Mad Hatter's
purple coat. "Why??"
The Mad Hatter looked at Croc's hands and looked angrily back at Croc.
"Never-" he raised his voice suddenly, slamming the point of his cane at Croc's
chest. The electric point on the tip sparked, as Croc cried out. Croc wobbled backwards,
grimacing. "-touch me," he finished. He immediately returned to his distinguished
manner. He stood, walking slowly towards Croc. "Batman ruined my life, he ruined my
chances for love, money and happiness. I want him to suffer as I have suffered. I want
our dark-clothed friend to lose his mind. And I think I've figured out how."
"Sir," the Mad Hatter's servant said, handing the man a tray with two cups of
steaming.
"Thank you," the Mad Hatter said, and handed a cup to Croc, who smashed it to
the ground in a rage as the Mad Hatter sipped his own.
***
The diamond...
He moved out of nowhere. Fleeting anger shot through her, then admiration, as
she realized the Batman had seen her move into the museum's window, then gotten in
before her and hid. He grabbed her arm. Catwoman instantly whirled, launching a flurry
of kicks at the Batman. The Batman moved out of the way of all of them and caught her
last one in his hand. He backhanded the thief to the ground. She rolled and touched the
ground hard, stopping her before she hit the alarm's laser.
"Wanting a spat, darling?" Catwoman's lips curved upwards as her gloved hand
touched the red mark on her cheek.
"I think you're more wanting the Dravarian Diamond," the Batman said, his cape
flowing about his suited figure. Catwoman rolled up and faced him.
"Then capture me," she said, smiling. "Throw me in jail."
The Batman smiled.
"I think that won't be neccessary as long as I keep you out of trouble," he said,
moving forward. Catwoman moved low at the Batman's legs. The Batman leapt up in the
air, his cape spreading like capes, as Catwoman went under him. He landed and moved,
grabbing her shoulder and pulling her away from the alarm laser. He pulled her close to
him.
"Time to leave the museum," he said. Catwoman moved close and they kissed.
They held it for a minute but then Catwoman moved. She fast, but the Batman was ready.
He grabbed her arm and threw her to the ground.
"Time to leave the museum," she said. She somersaulted up and flipped
backwards to the window. She cooed at the dark figure who stood in the shadows. "Isn't
going to be hard to keep an eye on both me and the psychos of Gotham City?"
She gestured to the sky and the Batman moved, seeing the Bat signal in the sky.
He flew towards the window, grabbing Catwoman and flew out of the museum. He fired
his grappling hook at the buildings and flew towards the alleyway and set down
Catwoman. With that, he flew up towards the sky. Catwoman looked after him.
"See you later, lover," she whisper. "Round one to you."
She moved into the shadows.