BATMAN: CRIME, CRIME EVERYWHERE
By Bruce Wayne
DISCLAIMER: Most of the characters portrayed in this story are copyright by DC Comics, an AOL/Time/Warner company. They are used without permission for entertainment without profit by the author.
CHAPTER 7 - PENGUIN STRIKES
It was a Wednesday afternoon at the Gotham City Main Public Library. Dick Grayson and Tim Drake were checking out some books. In line, in front of them, a seven-year-old boy was trying to find his library card. The young boy had been sure the card was somewhere in his pocket. "At least it was ..." he tried to explain.
Barbara Gordon emerged from one of the small research rooms that were located off to the side of the main desk. She wheeled herself over to Dick and Tim after she spotted them.
Dick's eyes widened when he saw her.
"Babs! What are you doing here?" he asked.
She smiled at him. "Oh, just doing some more work on my Gotham historical research project. I try to have a life beside my other duties."
Dick knew what those other duties were. Her assistance as Oracle to Gotham's crimefighters was indispensible.
Barbara asked, "What are you two doing here today?"
"Just checking out some books," Tim answered.
"But since this young man can't find his library card," Dick pointed to the seven-year-old who was still looking through his pockets, "we'll have to wait to check out."
Barbara looked at the books Dick and Tim were checking out. "101 Ways To Make Explosives And Demolitions? The Escape Techniques Of Houdini? The Criminal Mind Simplified? You two have an unusual taste in literature."
"Uh, we're going to make ... uh ... right, Tim?"
"Huh? -- Oh! Right! Sure, Dick!" Tim looked at Dick through crossed eyes.
Dick added, "We can't read philosophy everyday."
Barbara rolled her eyes at him.
The librarian finally checked out their books and the trio started to leave the building.
Dick threw his car keys at Tim Drake. "Tim, go get the car. I'll be there in a minute."
"But the car is right ... Oh, Okay, bro," the young man replied. "See ya later, Babs!"
Barbara smiled at him. "Bye, Tim," she said. The police commissioner's daughter then looked up to Dick. "Why'd you send him away?"
"So I could be alone with my favorite girl," he answered honestly.
She sighed and smiled again shyly.
"Are you busy tonight?" he asked her.
"Dick," she sighed once more. "I'm busy every night, you know that."
"But I have an extra ticket to the play Chrous Line. I was hoping you would go with me? I know its short notice, but Bruce gave me these tickets."
She thought about it for a moment. "I don't think so, Dick. The Joker and Harley are still on the loose. I'm sure Bruce would ..."
He resorted to pleading. "Barbara, please? If you don't go, I have to take him." Dick pointed to Tim Drake sitting in the passenger seat of his car. "Do you know what it's like to take him to a play? And the looks we'll get?"
Barbara giggled. "But you're such good friends --"
"Barbara!"
She was snickering now. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry."
"I promise you'll have a wonderful time. Please say you'll go with me. It'll just be for a few hours. Bruce can get along without us for a few hours."
"Well ..." She thought about the invitation again and then decided. "Okay. Can you pick me up at six-thirty?"
With a big smile on his face, he replied, "Thank you! You don't know what this means! I'll see you in a few hours. Bye!"
Dick bounced to his car, got in, started it up and drove off while waving to Barbara.
As they were headed back to Wayne Manor, Tim asked, "What was all that about?"
"Never mind. I have a problem," Dick said.
"What?"
"I've got to find two tickets for Chrous Line."
***
It was twenty-eight minutes after six when Dick Grayson pulled up in front of the building known as The Clocktower. Barbara Gordon was waiting for him at the front entrance.
He got out of the van, went around and opened the glass door for her. After she wheeled herself outside, Dick leaned over and kissed her sweetly on the cheek. Barbara smiled.
"Have you always had a crush on me, Dick Grayson?"
"Ever since the day I met you," he replied quickly.
Dick easily lifted Barbara into the front passenger seat of the van and stored her wheelchair behind them.
The two long-time friends made small-talk on the way to the theater.
"It's been so long since I've done this, Dick."
"Why don't we do it more often?"
Because we both have a certain nighttime hobby maybe?" she replied.
"I could make time for you," he answered.
She decided to change the subject. "Where'd you get this van? Former wards of billionaires usually drive something more flashy, I thought."
"It belongs to Bruce. I saw it in the garage so I decided to borrow it tonight."
"I hear he owns a lot of cars."
"He has a fleet -- which he never uses. Look at the odometer on this van! A whole eighty-five miles on it."
When they arrived at the theater, they went inside and enjoyed the play Fiddler On The Roof.
A few hours later, in a downtown Gotham City restaurant, Barbara asked her date, "Dick? I didn't mention this before, but when you asked me out earlier today you said you had tickets to the play Chrous Line."
He decided to be honest with her. "To tell you the truth, I had no tickets for any play until about five o'clock. It's just when I saw you today, I wanted to be with you. But I promise you, give me a few days and I'll get tickets for Chrous Line."
"No," she smiled, "that's okay. I guess I should be flattered that you went to all that trouble for me."
Dick looked to his watch. "It's still early."
"Yes, for people who are up most of the night, it's still early. It's really a very nice night. Why don't we take a little walk in the park across the street?"
After paying the bill, Barbara and Dick moved across the street for a short stroll in Robinson Park. Unbeknownst to them, several eyes were watching their movements with a great interest.
***
Barbara and Dick talked as they moved through the busy portion of the park. It was warm, clear, and the stars shined above them.
"You should see the latest Gotham historical project I've been working on," the very enthused Barbara said.
"Why? What's so special about it?" he asked her.
She tried to explain, "Most scholars have seen Gotham history as the gradual unfolding of a divine plan, with the people acting out their assigned parts. Some have felt that the way to understand a historical period of Gotham was not to study the biographies of its great founders and leaders, but to investigate its methods of commerce and distribution. We have this wonderful port, here. Most modern hist ..." She looked into his face and saw that he was totally confused. She slapped her hands on her thighs. "You know what? Why don't I show you? It'd be easier --"
"Show me what?"
"At the Gotham Historical Society we have ..."
"But, Barbara, its closed now."
A sly smile played across her lips. "I have a key."
***
About an hour later, Barbara was showing Dick some old historical papers that pertained to the beginning of Gotham as a city in the early portion of the 19th century. She caught him, instead, looking at her.
"You're not interested in this, are you?" she asked.
"I'm more interested in you," he replied.
She sighed. "Dick Grayson, what am I going to do with you?"
"You could start feeling for me like I feel for you," he answered quickly.
Barbara was a bit surprised by what he said. She knew that she had for a long time fought her feelings for Dick. In a flustered tone she said, "I -- I -- we just don't have the time, Dick. A relationship requires a lot of time and attention ..." She smiled at him and closed the book that they had been looking at. "We better be going. It really is getting late."
Dick kneeled down in front of her so that their faces were on the same level. He said to her softly, "You are so bright and beautiful. I know we were meant to be together, Barbara. We could --"
"Are you trying to make me blush, Dick?"
"You are blushing," he teased.
Barbara leaned over and kissed him. "You're a wonderful man, Dick Grayson."
"You ready to go?" he asked.
"Yes. Just let me put this --"
Suddenly, the door to the room burst open. Dick reflexively grabbed Barbara and rolled them to the floor.
"Squack, quack, squack. Ah-ha! This is a kidnapping!"
"Penguin?!" Barbara yelled.
The Penguin waddled into the room, his ever-present umbrella at the ready. "I see that you remember me, Miss Gordon. Come along, we're taking you with us."
Dick Grayson played ignorant. "Barbara? Who is this guy?!"
"He's the master-criminal Penguin!" she answered.
"Ah, very good, Miss Gordon, I should have you handle all my introductions," the Black Bird of Prey said.
Two of the Penguin's henchmen, who were dressed in black, grabbed Barbara by the arms and lifted her back into her wheelchair.
Dick yelled, "WAIT! DON'T! TAKE ME! I would be worth more to you! My name is Dick Gra -- UH!"
The Penguin's third G.O.O.N had gone unseen behind Dick and knocked him unconscious with a blow to the back of the head with a sap.
"DICK?!!" Barbara Gordon screamed as she was rolled out.
"Come along, Miss Gordon," the Penguin said as he waddled ahead, "we have some surprises in store for you. Squack, quack, squack."
To be continued ...
By Bruce Wayne
DISCLAIMER: Most of the characters portrayed in this story are copyright by DC Comics, an AOL/Time/Warner company. They are used without permission for entertainment without profit by the author.
CHAPTER 7 - PENGUIN STRIKES
It was a Wednesday afternoon at the Gotham City Main Public Library. Dick Grayson and Tim Drake were checking out some books. In line, in front of them, a seven-year-old boy was trying to find his library card. The young boy had been sure the card was somewhere in his pocket. "At least it was ..." he tried to explain.
Barbara Gordon emerged from one of the small research rooms that were located off to the side of the main desk. She wheeled herself over to Dick and Tim after she spotted them.
Dick's eyes widened when he saw her.
"Babs! What are you doing here?" he asked.
She smiled at him. "Oh, just doing some more work on my Gotham historical research project. I try to have a life beside my other duties."
Dick knew what those other duties were. Her assistance as Oracle to Gotham's crimefighters was indispensible.
Barbara asked, "What are you two doing here today?"
"Just checking out some books," Tim answered.
"But since this young man can't find his library card," Dick pointed to the seven-year-old who was still looking through his pockets, "we'll have to wait to check out."
Barbara looked at the books Dick and Tim were checking out. "101 Ways To Make Explosives And Demolitions? The Escape Techniques Of Houdini? The Criminal Mind Simplified? You two have an unusual taste in literature."
"Uh, we're going to make ... uh ... right, Tim?"
"Huh? -- Oh! Right! Sure, Dick!" Tim looked at Dick through crossed eyes.
Dick added, "We can't read philosophy everyday."
Barbara rolled her eyes at him.
The librarian finally checked out their books and the trio started to leave the building.
Dick threw his car keys at Tim Drake. "Tim, go get the car. I'll be there in a minute."
"But the car is right ... Oh, Okay, bro," the young man replied. "See ya later, Babs!"
Barbara smiled at him. "Bye, Tim," she said. The police commissioner's daughter then looked up to Dick. "Why'd you send him away?"
"So I could be alone with my favorite girl," he answered honestly.
She sighed and smiled again shyly.
"Are you busy tonight?" he asked her.
"Dick," she sighed once more. "I'm busy every night, you know that."
"But I have an extra ticket to the play Chrous Line. I was hoping you would go with me? I know its short notice, but Bruce gave me these tickets."
She thought about it for a moment. "I don't think so, Dick. The Joker and Harley are still on the loose. I'm sure Bruce would ..."
He resorted to pleading. "Barbara, please? If you don't go, I have to take him." Dick pointed to Tim Drake sitting in the passenger seat of his car. "Do you know what it's like to take him to a play? And the looks we'll get?"
Barbara giggled. "But you're such good friends --"
"Barbara!"
She was snickering now. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry."
"I promise you'll have a wonderful time. Please say you'll go with me. It'll just be for a few hours. Bruce can get along without us for a few hours."
"Well ..." She thought about the invitation again and then decided. "Okay. Can you pick me up at six-thirty?"
With a big smile on his face, he replied, "Thank you! You don't know what this means! I'll see you in a few hours. Bye!"
Dick bounced to his car, got in, started it up and drove off while waving to Barbara.
As they were headed back to Wayne Manor, Tim asked, "What was all that about?"
"Never mind. I have a problem," Dick said.
"What?"
"I've got to find two tickets for Chrous Line."
***
It was twenty-eight minutes after six when Dick Grayson pulled up in front of the building known as The Clocktower. Barbara Gordon was waiting for him at the front entrance.
He got out of the van, went around and opened the glass door for her. After she wheeled herself outside, Dick leaned over and kissed her sweetly on the cheek. Barbara smiled.
"Have you always had a crush on me, Dick Grayson?"
"Ever since the day I met you," he replied quickly.
Dick easily lifted Barbara into the front passenger seat of the van and stored her wheelchair behind them.
The two long-time friends made small-talk on the way to the theater.
"It's been so long since I've done this, Dick."
"Why don't we do it more often?"
Because we both have a certain nighttime hobby maybe?" she replied.
"I could make time for you," he answered.
She decided to change the subject. "Where'd you get this van? Former wards of billionaires usually drive something more flashy, I thought."
"It belongs to Bruce. I saw it in the garage so I decided to borrow it tonight."
"I hear he owns a lot of cars."
"He has a fleet -- which he never uses. Look at the odometer on this van! A whole eighty-five miles on it."
When they arrived at the theater, they went inside and enjoyed the play Fiddler On The Roof.
A few hours later, in a downtown Gotham City restaurant, Barbara asked her date, "Dick? I didn't mention this before, but when you asked me out earlier today you said you had tickets to the play Chrous Line."
He decided to be honest with her. "To tell you the truth, I had no tickets for any play until about five o'clock. It's just when I saw you today, I wanted to be with you. But I promise you, give me a few days and I'll get tickets for Chrous Line."
"No," she smiled, "that's okay. I guess I should be flattered that you went to all that trouble for me."
Dick looked to his watch. "It's still early."
"Yes, for people who are up most of the night, it's still early. It's really a very nice night. Why don't we take a little walk in the park across the street?"
After paying the bill, Barbara and Dick moved across the street for a short stroll in Robinson Park. Unbeknownst to them, several eyes were watching their movements with a great interest.
***
Barbara and Dick talked as they moved through the busy portion of the park. It was warm, clear, and the stars shined above them.
"You should see the latest Gotham historical project I've been working on," the very enthused Barbara said.
"Why? What's so special about it?" he asked her.
She tried to explain, "Most scholars have seen Gotham history as the gradual unfolding of a divine plan, with the people acting out their assigned parts. Some have felt that the way to understand a historical period of Gotham was not to study the biographies of its great founders and leaders, but to investigate its methods of commerce and distribution. We have this wonderful port, here. Most modern hist ..." She looked into his face and saw that he was totally confused. She slapped her hands on her thighs. "You know what? Why don't I show you? It'd be easier --"
"Show me what?"
"At the Gotham Historical Society we have ..."
"But, Barbara, its closed now."
A sly smile played across her lips. "I have a key."
***
About an hour later, Barbara was showing Dick some old historical papers that pertained to the beginning of Gotham as a city in the early portion of the 19th century. She caught him, instead, looking at her.
"You're not interested in this, are you?" she asked.
"I'm more interested in you," he replied.
She sighed. "Dick Grayson, what am I going to do with you?"
"You could start feeling for me like I feel for you," he answered quickly.
Barbara was a bit surprised by what he said. She knew that she had for a long time fought her feelings for Dick. In a flustered tone she said, "I -- I -- we just don't have the time, Dick. A relationship requires a lot of time and attention ..." She smiled at him and closed the book that they had been looking at. "We better be going. It really is getting late."
Dick kneeled down in front of her so that their faces were on the same level. He said to her softly, "You are so bright and beautiful. I know we were meant to be together, Barbara. We could --"
"Are you trying to make me blush, Dick?"
"You are blushing," he teased.
Barbara leaned over and kissed him. "You're a wonderful man, Dick Grayson."
"You ready to go?" he asked.
"Yes. Just let me put this --"
Suddenly, the door to the room burst open. Dick reflexively grabbed Barbara and rolled them to the floor.
"Squack, quack, squack. Ah-ha! This is a kidnapping!"
"Penguin?!" Barbara yelled.
The Penguin waddled into the room, his ever-present umbrella at the ready. "I see that you remember me, Miss Gordon. Come along, we're taking you with us."
Dick Grayson played ignorant. "Barbara? Who is this guy?!"
"He's the master-criminal Penguin!" she answered.
"Ah, very good, Miss Gordon, I should have you handle all my introductions," the Black Bird of Prey said.
Two of the Penguin's henchmen, who were dressed in black, grabbed Barbara by the arms and lifted her back into her wheelchair.
Dick yelled, "WAIT! DON'T! TAKE ME! I would be worth more to you! My name is Dick Gra -- UH!"
The Penguin's third G.O.O.N had gone unseen behind Dick and knocked him unconscious with a blow to the back of the head with a sap.
"DICK?!!" Barbara Gordon screamed as she was rolled out.
"Come along, Miss Gordon," the Penguin said as he waddled ahead, "we have some surprises in store for you. Squack, quack, squack."
To be continued ...