The Batmobile pulled up in the circular drive of George Anri's
mansion-like house, right behind Steed's green Bentley.
"Golly, Batman," Robin said, worriedly, "Do you think something could have happened to them?" He began to stand up with the Bat-bull horn.
"Not this time, old chum," Batman cautioned. "We must be stealthy. The suspect could be awaiting our arrival."
"Oh.sure," Robin replied, jumping out of the bat-mobile. Batman followed, and the dynamic duo ran to the door and rang the bell. Hearing no answer, they opened the door and slipped in, only to be knocked unconscious. First Robin, then Batman.
**************************************************************************** **********
When Batman and Robin awoke, they were strapped on gurneys on either side of Mrs. Peel.
"Mmmm," Mrs. Peel groaned. Groggily, she opened her eyes. "What happened," she questioned.
"We were hoping you could tell us," Batman responded.
"The details are a bit hazy. But, when I entered the house somehone hit me on the back of the head."
Batman nodded as she talked. "That's exactly what happened to Robin and me. Luckily I think I can reach my." his voice trailed off.
"What," Mrs. Peel questioned.
"My utility belt is gone," Batman responded glumly.
"Are you looking for these," a familiar voice questioned. Mr. Anri stepped into the light. He smiled as he held up the two belts.
"So you were right," Mrs. Peel said. "It was George Anri."
"So you suspected me." Anri didn't sound shocked, and he smiled as he said the words. "Then you already know why you are here."
'Of course," Batman responded. "We knew too much."
"Or you suspected that we did," Mrs. Peel added, studying Anri. She lifted her head and looked around the dark room. "And since Steed isn't here, I'm guessing we're to be used as bait."
"Very good, Mrs. Peel," Anri said mockingly. "Now, which one of you is going to make the necessary phone call to get Steed here?" The room was silent. "Let's not all jump at once." Anri waited a few moments. "All right. If you won't volunteer, one of you shall be selected." He walked to the foot of Robin's gurney and began pulling it out the door.
"Robin," Batman shouted. "Don't worry old chum!"
**************************************************************************** **********
Meanwhile, Steed, unable to find Mrs. Peel at Anri's house, had returned to his flat. He began dialing Mrs. Peel's number for the fourth time. "Where could she be," he murmured impatiently. "Perhaps she's over at Bruce's London flat." He opened his adress book and quickly dialed the number.
"Hello?" It was Alfred.
"Alfred."
"Hello, Mr. Steed. How may I help you?"
"Is Mrs. Peel there," Steed asked anxiously
"Indeed she is not, sir," Alfred responded regretfully. "Nor are Master Bruce and Master Dick. They left at around eight-thirty this morning. Apparently Mrs. Peel left a message for them on her answering machine."
"Thank you, Alfred," Steed replied. "If you hear anything from them, please call me."
"Is something wrong sir?"
Steed hesitated, knowing how much Bruce and Dick meant to Alfred. ".They're missing."
"Golly, Batman," Robin said, worriedly, "Do you think something could have happened to them?" He began to stand up with the Bat-bull horn.
"Not this time, old chum," Batman cautioned. "We must be stealthy. The suspect could be awaiting our arrival."
"Oh.sure," Robin replied, jumping out of the bat-mobile. Batman followed, and the dynamic duo ran to the door and rang the bell. Hearing no answer, they opened the door and slipped in, only to be knocked unconscious. First Robin, then Batman.
**************************************************************************** **********
When Batman and Robin awoke, they were strapped on gurneys on either side of Mrs. Peel.
"Mmmm," Mrs. Peel groaned. Groggily, she opened her eyes. "What happened," she questioned.
"We were hoping you could tell us," Batman responded.
"The details are a bit hazy. But, when I entered the house somehone hit me on the back of the head."
Batman nodded as she talked. "That's exactly what happened to Robin and me. Luckily I think I can reach my." his voice trailed off.
"What," Mrs. Peel questioned.
"My utility belt is gone," Batman responded glumly.
"Are you looking for these," a familiar voice questioned. Mr. Anri stepped into the light. He smiled as he held up the two belts.
"So you were right," Mrs. Peel said. "It was George Anri."
"So you suspected me." Anri didn't sound shocked, and he smiled as he said the words. "Then you already know why you are here."
'Of course," Batman responded. "We knew too much."
"Or you suspected that we did," Mrs. Peel added, studying Anri. She lifted her head and looked around the dark room. "And since Steed isn't here, I'm guessing we're to be used as bait."
"Very good, Mrs. Peel," Anri said mockingly. "Now, which one of you is going to make the necessary phone call to get Steed here?" The room was silent. "Let's not all jump at once." Anri waited a few moments. "All right. If you won't volunteer, one of you shall be selected." He walked to the foot of Robin's gurney and began pulling it out the door.
"Robin," Batman shouted. "Don't worry old chum!"
**************************************************************************** **********
Meanwhile, Steed, unable to find Mrs. Peel at Anri's house, had returned to his flat. He began dialing Mrs. Peel's number for the fourth time. "Where could she be," he murmured impatiently. "Perhaps she's over at Bruce's London flat." He opened his adress book and quickly dialed the number.
"Hello?" It was Alfred.
"Alfred."
"Hello, Mr. Steed. How may I help you?"
"Is Mrs. Peel there," Steed asked anxiously
"Indeed she is not, sir," Alfred responded regretfully. "Nor are Master Bruce and Master Dick. They left at around eight-thirty this morning. Apparently Mrs. Peel left a message for them on her answering machine."
"Thank you, Alfred," Steed replied. "If you hear anything from them, please call me."
"Is something wrong sir?"
Steed hesitated, knowing how much Bruce and Dick meant to Alfred. ".They're missing."