Batman Return of the Dark Nights
Written by: Panthera
Disclaimer: The characters within this story belong to DC Comics and Warner Brothers I have just borrowed them for a while. No harm is meant I will return them unharmed when I'm finished the only character contained within that is not DC is that of Zanah she is an original character created by me and my friend. Now, on with the story.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Days Later…
Gordon went down to the cell to check on her. What he found was frightening. Selina Kyle was pacing about the cell her hair in disarray, her green eyes cold and animalistic; her food untouched.
"Selina," he said with concern.
Selina turned and growled softly.
"Miss Kyle are you okay?"
"Miss Kyle checked out and the little bitch threw me in a cage."
"Catwoman?" Gordon questioned.
"Yes," she purred.
"I'm going to let you out for a little while before you have to go to court."
"Thank you," Selina whispered her features softening.
"Are you okay?"
"I will be."
Gordon opened the cell and after cuffing her lead Selina back to his office. Once in the room he undid the cuffs and handed her a brush. Selina fixed her hair and then sat down now able to relax now that the image of the cage gone.
"If you don't like being locked up why did you put yourself in jail?"
"Daggett has to be stopped. After court today he'll be in to get me."
"And if he doesn't come?"
"He will."
"If you change your mind about this now I can still undo everything."
"No. My mind is made up. I'm going through with this."
"Get some rest here, while you can."
"Thank you."
"Don' mention it. Rest well Miss Kyle."
Selina lay down on the couch and quickly dosed off. Gordon covered her with a blanket before stepping out of his office. Once away from her he called Bruce Wayne.
"Mr. Wayne."
"Jim."
"Mr. Wayne I think you should come down and bail Miss Kyle out."
"What's up?"
"She's not handling being locked up."
"I can't interfere. Once Selina makes up her mind if you do anything contrary to what she has in mind she gets very upset."
"I'm worried about her."
"She'll be okay. Selina can take care of herself."
"I hope you're right," Gordon said before he hung up the phone. He then moved back into his office and sat down. He was busy with paper work when a breeze swept through his office. Gordon looked up from his work and saw Batman.
"How is she?" Batman asked softly seeing she was asleep.
"Better now that I let her out of the cell until we get back from court."
"Thank you."
"I tried to talk her out of this, but she wouldn't listen."
"That sounds like her."
Selina's eyes fluttered open and she was surprised to see Batman.
"What are you doing here?" She asked confused.
"Just checking on you."
"I'm fine."
"Miss Kyle…" Batman began.
"Let it go bat's I'll be fine."
Jim Gordon rose from his chair and stepped out of the office leaving the two of them to speak alone. Batman walked over to the couch and knelt by her side. "Selina forget this please. There's no need to torture yourself like this," he whispered brushing her hair away from her face.
"I have to Batman. He's trying to get in my head. He already has invaded my mind. We both know he can't be allowed to gain any further access."
"I can't stand this Selina. Being apart is bad enough, but not knowing if you're safe, what he'll ask of you. What he'll do…"
"I tempted the devil, now I have to pay for it…I'll be fine, I can…" Her words were silenced as he kissed her. He held her close for a few brief moments before letting her go. Knowing if he didn't then he wouldn't be able to at all.
"Be safe," he whispered almost like a silent prayer before rising to his feet.
"I will," she whispered brushing away a couple of tears, which had escaped despite her struggle to hold them in check.
"I love you," he said glancing back to her wishing he could for once talk her out of her decision, but knowing he couldn't. He turned again and in an instant was gone as if he'd never been there at all.
Selina rose from the couch and moved to the window peering out at the dark sky. She closed her eyes and whispered, "I love you too," as the door-clicked open behind her. She turned away from the window and returned to the couch as Gordon stepped back into the room. He handed her a cup of coffee and a couple of doughnuts. "Thank you."
"I had hope to find you gone," he said.
"No, the games almost over in the end no matter how it plays out I win," she said before turning her attention to the coffee and doughnuts. Her stomach growled reminding her of her neglect to feed herself over the past several days. "Won't your men get suspicious about my being in here?"
"No, they think I'm trying to bargain with you for information concerning the cities state of chaos."
"Good, don't need to raise too many questions."
"You're about to step in the lions den," Commissioner Gordon warned.
"A place I'm used to."
"Not this one, it's inhabited by vipers. I hope Miss Kyle that it's a journey you survive."
"I will."
"I hope you're right Miss Kyle. I hope you're right."
"Call me Selina," she purred before returning her attention to her meal and then settling in once again to sleep.
She woke hours later to a gentle shake.
"Selina it's time," Jim Gordon whispered. He watched as she stretched out stiff limbs before rising to her feet and putting her hands behind her back. Commissioner Gordon snapped on a pair of handcuffs and led her out of his office. He then ushered her into a police car and made the short drive to the courthouse.
News crews and reporters surrounded the car pulling up at the curb. Opening the car door Selina was lost in a sea of bright blinding light as she struggled her way to the courthouse.
At Wayne Manor…
Zanah stared at the media frenzy as Selina was ushered into the courthouse. She looked at Bruce and asked, "Why aren't you doing anything to help her. They'll lock her up and throw away the key."
"I want to help her, but this is what she wants."
"Daggett," Zanah hissed with realization as Dick took a seat next to her.
Bruce simply nodded, as he turned away from the TV unwilling to watch Selina willingly become a sacrificial lamb. "Be safe," he whispered again as he moved towards the study and down into the cave.
"I can't believe she let them catch her," Dick said amazed.
"I can. She hates him. He's a threat to everything important to her. She like a lioness protecting her pride," Zanah whispered.
At the Courthouse…
"Miss Kyle you stand accused of breaking and entering, grand theft, resisting arrest, and assault. How do you plead?"
"Guilty your honor."
"Miss Kyle I hereby sentence you to twenty years in Gotham penitentiary with no chance of parole. Transfer effective tomorrow," the judge said before Selina was ushered out of the courtroom and back into Commissioner Gordon's custody.
Else Where…
"Well, well, well kitten, it seems your Bat's and Mr. Wayne aren't as loyal to you as you are to them. I suppose I'll have to rescue you this time. Boys!"
"Yes sir."
"Go pay a visit to Miss Kyle. Inform her an acquaintance of hers would be willing to aid her in her current situation provided she agrees to aid me in future endeavors. When she agrees arrange her escape."
"Sir?"
"Do it, but leave my name out of it." If the kitten is up to what I suspect it will do me no good to reveal my hand early. Go ahead Miss Kyle try to trap me, but in the end you'll find out too late you're the one who has been snared, Daggett thought before returning his focus back to the task at hand.
At the Police Station….
Selina woke hors later to the cry of a guard. "Miss Kyle, you have a visitor."
"I thought I told you I didn't want to see anyone," Selina snapped.
"It's your brother."
Selina sat up wide-awake even as her heart hammered wildly. She had no family left, which meant one thing someone was lying to hide their true intent of visit. "I'll see him," Selina whispered rising from her bed and stretching stiff limbs.
She watched closely as a non-descript man made his way towards her. Looking him over she noted no distinguishing features of any kind. Once the guard had left the man spoke.
"Miss Kyle an acquaintance of yours would be willing to aid you in your current situation provided you agree to aid him in his future endeavors."
"Tell this acquaintance I will do so, provide certain tasks are not asked of me. The tasks to which I refer he knows very well."
"Of course sister dear I'll come again this evening with those things," he said and he turned and headed back toward the exit.
"Thank you," Selina whispered before laying back down.
Outside….
Her visitor pulled out his cell phone and made speedy work of placing a call to his employer after delivering her reply he was instructed to inform her that a contract would be settled between them at a later time. He was then instructed to set up her escape. The man moved into a small store picked up a few items before returning to the police station.
Selina's Cell…
"Miss Kyle, your brother is back."
Selina sat up and moved towards the cell bars as the man approached. He handed her a bag of various hygienically use and then said, "our mutual acquaintance said that a discussion of contract will be settled at a later time."
"Understood. You take care brother."
"That I will sis and have faith, it'll be all right."
"I know."
"Good-bye Selina," he said and then he was gone.
Not long after her visitor left Jim Gordon came down to check on her. When he arrived she was up and alert.
"Selina. How are you holding up?"
"Nervous," she admitted.
"I take it your visitor wasn't who he claimed."
"You're perceptive."
"Did he take the bait?"
"I'm as good as out of here. Now all I've got to do is wait until he gives me orders to follow."
"You won't change your mind about this. I could…" Gordon began.
"No, I won't Commissioner."
"Jim. If it gets to be too much get out of there."
"Don't worry I can handle this."
"Who are you reassuring me or yourself?"
"Good-bye Jim."
"Selina…"
"In the event I don't return could you do something for me?"
"Give this to Mr. Wayne," she whispered handing him a small silver key.
"Of course I will, but you're going to make it out of there alive. Just take care of yourself and you'll live to see him again."
"I know," Selina whispered as she lay back down to wait for her ride to prison.
Jim Gordon turned and headed back to his office. He paused taking one more look at Selina before disappearing into his office.
Selina rose from her bed as two officers walked towards her cell. The door slid open and one of the men made quick work of handcuffing her, while the other man picked up her things. She was lead out of the police station through a crowd of reporters to a waiting police van. She was thrown in the back of the vehicle and the two cops moved into the front. Selina stared out the window looking at her last glance of freedom.
Her focus shifted as the air conditioner started up. She realized suddenly it wasn't the air conditioning as she began to get drowsy. Knock out gas! Why? Was her last thought before she fell unconscious.
Jim Gordon watched with growing anxiety as the van carrying Selina Kyle drove away. I shouldn't have let her go.
On the Roof…
Batman watched the scene below as the van pulled away. He had watched an hour earlier when the driver and passenger had killed the two cops actually given the task of bringing Selina to jail. Batman made his way to his car and followed the van carefully knowing that if he was going to keep her safe he had to stay a step ahead of her.
