Oracle steers the Hummer up to Dinah. Dinah climbs in saying, "Rick took
her, she seemed unconscious, she wasn't moving much."
"I tried contacting her on the comm. she didn't answer," Barbara says as she puts the Hummer in 1st gear.
"What's the plan?
"I don't know," Barbara replied and pointed out a black briefcase on the back seat, "open that."
Dinah's eyes widen as she zips it open, "Oh wow, is this like a mini lab?"
"More or less," Barbara reached over and punched a few keys a map of New Gotham appears on the screen, there's a bright red dot flashing as it moves through the city, "That's Huntress," Barbara said as she steered the Hummer around a corner, "I think I know where they taking her."
***
A few minutes later Shiva and Rick arrive at the warehouse. They chuck Helena in a small room and then leave. Helena's eyes flutter open, the effects of the drug begins to disappear, her vision slowly focuses and she the numbness recedes. Helena flexes her fingers, she hears someone talking, and shakes her head listens to the voice.
::Huntress, do you copy? Huntress, please, answer me.:: Dinah sounded really concerned.
Huntress an effort turning the mic on with her chin "I'm here," said looking around her.
::Oh thank God!:: Barbara took a depth breath, ::are you okay?::
"Bar." she swallows, "Barbara. you need to stay in the clocktower."
::Too late, Dinah and I are coming for you.::
"No, Barbara, you have to," she struggles to sit up, "This is all just to get you out, go back!"
::I'm not leaving you there, are you okay? .You sound strange.::
"Shiva drugged me, it's wearing off but I still feel pretty groggy. I can't move that well yet," Helena replied, slowly standing up, using the wall as support.
::Where are you?:: Barbara asks as she serves past a taxi.
"Some room, it's kinda cold in here. Could have been an cold room," Helena replied. She started banging the cuffs against the wall, hoping it would break and free her.
::What's that noise?:: Dinah asks.
"I'm trying to break the cuffs," Helena replied resting her head against the wall. She still felt weak, "they chained me to some kind of belt."
***
Barbara has been connected the Clock's Tower telephone line inside the Hummer, suddenly, it rings. Barbara cut Huntress off before picks it up, she knows who was calling. Dinah looked her worried.
"I got the kitty," came Shiva's voice.
"Sandy? Why are you doing this?" Barbara needed to buy time.
"If you want to see her again meet me at wharf 3 in an hour," Shiva replied ignoring Barbara's question.
"Sandy, we need talk..."
"Tick, tock, Barbara, times running out and when it does, buh bye kitty!!"
"What are you talking about?" Barbara and Dinah looked each other.
"Kitty's a ticking time bomb," Shiva replied and then hung up.
Dinah looked up and noticed that Barbara was deep in thought. Barbara snaps to attention, "Huntress, don't move, stay calm!"
::What's happening?:: Huntress struggled to free herself.
"The belt, it's a bomb," Barbara replied, Dinah shot her head up and looked at Barbara, her eyes wide with disbelief.
***
"What?!" Huntress tried to look behind her at hands, a green light flickered on the cuff section of the belt. Huntress sits down on the cold floor "Great!" she grunted.
***
"It gets worse," Barbara explains to Dinah showing her the map in the computer "Helena is in a wharf on the newer side, the wharf were I'm supposed to meet Shiva is on the older side," she says pointing at the screen, while looking up to steer the Hummer.
"She thinks of every thing." Dinah tucks a lock of hair behind her ear.
The Hummer pulls up to the wharf where Huntress is held. Barbara switches the headlights off.
"Okay, Huntress, tell me about the belt," she says as she grabs the machine from Dinah.
::It's a really heavy belt, my hands are locked into these built in cuffs behind my back. I can't move around much cause my ankles are chained,:: Huntress voice replied.
"Can you see any wires?"
::No, it's just a big metal plate. Barbara what do you want me to do?::
"Just remain calm, stay where you are."
::Oracle, she's using me as bait to get to you and kill you, I can't stay in calm!!::
"Huntress, easy, don't worry about Shiva, we have already a plan," Barbara said, while Dinah asked her moving her lips: "What plan?" Barbara put her index finger to her lips.
::Which plan?:: Huntress asked.
"Dinah's on her way to your location. She'll explain everything, just stay calm, ok? Oracle out."
Dinah looked worried to Barbara "And what's gonna happen when she asks me about the plan and I can't answer her?"
"That. I'm working in it. would you prefer to tell her that there isn't one now?"
Dinah shook her head, "No."
"Me neither," Barbara took a deep breath in and then exhaled. After a while, Barbara reached behind her and pulled a bag out. She gave Dinah a heat sensor so that Barbara could monitor heat signatures through the computer, and a small laser pen. She then gave Dinah a small black box.
"Attach this to the belt, my guess is that it's remote controlled, if I can tap into the frequency I might be able to disarm it."
"Will it work?" Dinah asked Barbara looking the box.
"So far it's the only thing I could think of?" Barbara smiled.
::...Do you guys mind hurrying?:: Huntress said through the comm ::"I can't breath that well with this belt on.::
"What's gonna happen if you can't disable the bomb?" Dinah asked to Barbara as she opened the door.
"I'll give Shiva what she wants: me"
Dinah looked worried.
"Go!" Barbara said, Dinah closed the door and headed towards the building.
***
As Dinah entered the building, Barbara started guiding her through it.
::There's a guy around the corner heading your way::
Dinah waited till he appeared and kicked him in the chin. He hit the floorunconscious. She continued down the passageway as per Barbara's instructions, as she neared the room where Huntress was in, Barbara warned her of two guards near the door.
"Got it!" Dinah acknowledged. She rounded the corner and the two guards looked up startled. "Hello!" Dinah said walking up to them, "Have you seen my sister anywhere?"
***
Huntress heard some commotion outside the door. She looked up as the door opened and saw Dinah enter the room. She notices the two unconscious guards on the floor outside the door, "Good job," she said smiling. Dinah grinned as she kneeled beside Huntress.
"Okay Oracle I'm here," Dinah says speaking into the mic.
:Describe to me what you see:: came Barbara's voice over the comm.
"Okay the belt is about 5 inches wide and a inch thick. The cuffs are a little thicker," she frowns a little, "There's an odd looking box attached to the cuffs."
Barbara types feverishly, she nods and says, "That's the receiver, there should be a plug on the bottom where you can attach the interface I gave you."
Dinah nods and plugs the small black box in, "It's in."
***
Barbara studies the diagnostics of the bomb, "Dinah, it's safe to cut the cuffs off the belt. It also doesn't seem to be connected to the chain around Huntress' ankles so you can cut them off too."
Dinah nods again and then starts cutting through the metal with the laser pen.
Meanwhile Barbara is trying to break into receiver. Every avenue she has used so far has ended up in a dead end. She slams the keys, "Damn!"
::What's wrong?:: Huntress asked through the commset.
"I can't disable the receiver," Barbara replied running a hand through her hair.
::So what now?:: Dinah asked.
"The cuffs are pretty durable, the laser won't even cut through. If it could, you might just trip the bomb. It seems the only way to disable it is to get hold of the remote and just switch it off."
::Great!:: Huntress said.
Barbara thought a bit then said in a very careful tone, "You two get out of there, I'm going to meet Shiva."
"I tried contacting her on the comm. she didn't answer," Barbara says as she puts the Hummer in 1st gear.
"What's the plan?
"I don't know," Barbara replied and pointed out a black briefcase on the back seat, "open that."
Dinah's eyes widen as she zips it open, "Oh wow, is this like a mini lab?"
"More or less," Barbara reached over and punched a few keys a map of New Gotham appears on the screen, there's a bright red dot flashing as it moves through the city, "That's Huntress," Barbara said as she steered the Hummer around a corner, "I think I know where they taking her."
***
A few minutes later Shiva and Rick arrive at the warehouse. They chuck Helena in a small room and then leave. Helena's eyes flutter open, the effects of the drug begins to disappear, her vision slowly focuses and she the numbness recedes. Helena flexes her fingers, she hears someone talking, and shakes her head listens to the voice.
::Huntress, do you copy? Huntress, please, answer me.:: Dinah sounded really concerned.
Huntress an effort turning the mic on with her chin "I'm here," said looking around her.
::Oh thank God!:: Barbara took a depth breath, ::are you okay?::
"Bar." she swallows, "Barbara. you need to stay in the clocktower."
::Too late, Dinah and I are coming for you.::
"No, Barbara, you have to," she struggles to sit up, "This is all just to get you out, go back!"
::I'm not leaving you there, are you okay? .You sound strange.::
"Shiva drugged me, it's wearing off but I still feel pretty groggy. I can't move that well yet," Helena replied, slowly standing up, using the wall as support.
::Where are you?:: Barbara asks as she serves past a taxi.
"Some room, it's kinda cold in here. Could have been an cold room," Helena replied. She started banging the cuffs against the wall, hoping it would break and free her.
::What's that noise?:: Dinah asks.
"I'm trying to break the cuffs," Helena replied resting her head against the wall. She still felt weak, "they chained me to some kind of belt."
***
Barbara has been connected the Clock's Tower telephone line inside the Hummer, suddenly, it rings. Barbara cut Huntress off before picks it up, she knows who was calling. Dinah looked her worried.
"I got the kitty," came Shiva's voice.
"Sandy? Why are you doing this?" Barbara needed to buy time.
"If you want to see her again meet me at wharf 3 in an hour," Shiva replied ignoring Barbara's question.
"Sandy, we need talk..."
"Tick, tock, Barbara, times running out and when it does, buh bye kitty!!"
"What are you talking about?" Barbara and Dinah looked each other.
"Kitty's a ticking time bomb," Shiva replied and then hung up.
Dinah looked up and noticed that Barbara was deep in thought. Barbara snaps to attention, "Huntress, don't move, stay calm!"
::What's happening?:: Huntress struggled to free herself.
"The belt, it's a bomb," Barbara replied, Dinah shot her head up and looked at Barbara, her eyes wide with disbelief.
***
"What?!" Huntress tried to look behind her at hands, a green light flickered on the cuff section of the belt. Huntress sits down on the cold floor "Great!" she grunted.
***
"It gets worse," Barbara explains to Dinah showing her the map in the computer "Helena is in a wharf on the newer side, the wharf were I'm supposed to meet Shiva is on the older side," she says pointing at the screen, while looking up to steer the Hummer.
"She thinks of every thing." Dinah tucks a lock of hair behind her ear.
The Hummer pulls up to the wharf where Huntress is held. Barbara switches the headlights off.
"Okay, Huntress, tell me about the belt," she says as she grabs the machine from Dinah.
::It's a really heavy belt, my hands are locked into these built in cuffs behind my back. I can't move around much cause my ankles are chained,:: Huntress voice replied.
"Can you see any wires?"
::No, it's just a big metal plate. Barbara what do you want me to do?::
"Just remain calm, stay where you are."
::Oracle, she's using me as bait to get to you and kill you, I can't stay in calm!!::
"Huntress, easy, don't worry about Shiva, we have already a plan," Barbara said, while Dinah asked her moving her lips: "What plan?" Barbara put her index finger to her lips.
::Which plan?:: Huntress asked.
"Dinah's on her way to your location. She'll explain everything, just stay calm, ok? Oracle out."
Dinah looked worried to Barbara "And what's gonna happen when she asks me about the plan and I can't answer her?"
"That. I'm working in it. would you prefer to tell her that there isn't one now?"
Dinah shook her head, "No."
"Me neither," Barbara took a deep breath in and then exhaled. After a while, Barbara reached behind her and pulled a bag out. She gave Dinah a heat sensor so that Barbara could monitor heat signatures through the computer, and a small laser pen. She then gave Dinah a small black box.
"Attach this to the belt, my guess is that it's remote controlled, if I can tap into the frequency I might be able to disarm it."
"Will it work?" Dinah asked Barbara looking the box.
"So far it's the only thing I could think of?" Barbara smiled.
::...Do you guys mind hurrying?:: Huntress said through the comm ::"I can't breath that well with this belt on.::
"What's gonna happen if you can't disable the bomb?" Dinah asked to Barbara as she opened the door.
"I'll give Shiva what she wants: me"
Dinah looked worried.
"Go!" Barbara said, Dinah closed the door and headed towards the building.
***
As Dinah entered the building, Barbara started guiding her through it.
::There's a guy around the corner heading your way::
Dinah waited till he appeared and kicked him in the chin. He hit the floorunconscious. She continued down the passageway as per Barbara's instructions, as she neared the room where Huntress was in, Barbara warned her of two guards near the door.
"Got it!" Dinah acknowledged. She rounded the corner and the two guards looked up startled. "Hello!" Dinah said walking up to them, "Have you seen my sister anywhere?"
***
Huntress heard some commotion outside the door. She looked up as the door opened and saw Dinah enter the room. She notices the two unconscious guards on the floor outside the door, "Good job," she said smiling. Dinah grinned as she kneeled beside Huntress.
"Okay Oracle I'm here," Dinah says speaking into the mic.
:Describe to me what you see:: came Barbara's voice over the comm.
"Okay the belt is about 5 inches wide and a inch thick. The cuffs are a little thicker," she frowns a little, "There's an odd looking box attached to the cuffs."
Barbara types feverishly, she nods and says, "That's the receiver, there should be a plug on the bottom where you can attach the interface I gave you."
Dinah nods and plugs the small black box in, "It's in."
***
Barbara studies the diagnostics of the bomb, "Dinah, it's safe to cut the cuffs off the belt. It also doesn't seem to be connected to the chain around Huntress' ankles so you can cut them off too."
Dinah nods again and then starts cutting through the metal with the laser pen.
Meanwhile Barbara is trying to break into receiver. Every avenue she has used so far has ended up in a dead end. She slams the keys, "Damn!"
::What's wrong?:: Huntress asked through the commset.
"I can't disable the receiver," Barbara replied running a hand through her hair.
::So what now?:: Dinah asked.
"The cuffs are pretty durable, the laser won't even cut through. If it could, you might just trip the bomb. It seems the only way to disable it is to get hold of the remote and just switch it off."
::Great!:: Huntress said.
Barbara thought a bit then said in a very careful tone, "You two get out of there, I'm going to meet Shiva."