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 8 - THE EXCHANGE
Twenty minutes passed after Dick Grayson had been knocked unconscious. Dick lay prone, face down on the blue rug of a room at the Gotham Historical Society. He moaned and then lifted himself from the floor. He rubbed his eyes, trying to make them see straight. He caught sight of his watch. It read two-thirty.
"Oh, God," he said aloud. It took a great deal of his strength to get to his feet. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his cellular phone. He punched a speed dial button.
A few moments later, Dick managed to mumble, "Al-Alfred? -- Yeah, it's me, Dick. Quick, let me talk to Bruce."
Dick waited for almost two minutes. Finally, Bruce Wayne answered the phone. "Dick? Where are you? What's wrong?"
"Bruce?! Bruce ... Barbara Gordon has been kidnapped! They knocked me in the head. I can hardly see straight."
Bruce Wayne was flabbergasted. First, upon hearing that Barbara Gordon had been abducted, and second, that someone had been able to get close enough to his former ward, the martial arts expert, to knock him unconscious. "Where are you, Dick?"
"The Gotham Historical Society."
"Do you know who kidnapped Barbara?"
"Yes!" Dick growled. "The Penguin! And if he harms ..."
Bruce interrupted Dick's threat. "Listen, Dick! Alfred and I will be right over there. I'll call Commissioner Gordon. I'll be there in my civilian identity."
"Why not Bat --" Dick started to ask.
Bruce answered the question before his long-time partner could ask it. "Because how would it look if Batman learned of this crime before the police commissioner? Let's play it safe."
"Okay. I'll wait here for you."
"Expect some police. We'll be there in about twenty minutes."
Gotham City police officers did arrive at the Gotham Historical Society shortly after Dick got off the phone with Bruce Wayne. Commissioner Gordon arrived on the scene in short order. He was quite concerned for the safety of his daughter.
Bruce Wayne walked into the building fifteen minutes or so thereafter.
"Bruce!" Commissioner Gordon greeted him.
"Good morning, Commissioner. Any word about Barbara?"
"No, I'm afraid not. I feel horrible. What would the Penguin want with my daughter, Barbara?"
Bruce answered, "I don't know, Commissioner. I'm sure that Batman could answer that question better than I." He then looked past Gordon and spotted his former ward. "Dick! Are you alright?"
Dick rubbed the back of his head. He grimaced when he touched the bump that was the size of an egg. "Yeah, I'll be alright. Bruce, can we go? I don't feel well."
"I asked the lad if he wanted to be checked out at a hospital and he declined," Gordon explained.
"Is it okay that he leaves, Commissioner? I'll have him checked out by my personal physician. Are you through with him?" Bruce asked.
Gordon replied, "Of course, Bruce."
Dick looked at the police commissioner. "Sir? I'm really sorry that I couldn't prevent those villians from taking Barbara. I'm really sick over this. If only I could've ..."
"And may had gotten yourself killed!" interrupted Gordon. "I understand. You did everything you could. But, son, please understand this -- it was the Penguin. Only Batman and Robin can deal with the likes of him!"
"And Nightwing," Dick added while rubbing the back of his head.
"Yes. Of course, and Nightwing. Go home and get some rest, son," the commissioner instructed.
Dick asked, "Please call me if you hear from her, sir."
"Of course. Good night, Dick. ... Bruce."
Bruce and Dick got into the rear of the Wayne limousine. Alfred slid into the driver's seat.
"Bruce, your van is parked in front of ..."
"I'll have it picked up later," Bruce said. "Alfred, let's go home. I think before we arrive back to Wayne Manor we can expect that Batman will receive a call from Commissioner Gordon."
Less than ten minutes later, a beeping sound was heard in the limo. Bruce Wayne pushed back a panel on his left, revealing a secret compartment. Inside was what appeared to be a red telephone.
"Yes, Commissioner?" Bruce said in his Batman voice.
"Batman! Thank goodness you're there! I need your help desperately!" Gordon said.
"You're calling to tell me that your daughter Barbara has been abducted by the Penguin."
Gordon was stunned. "Incredible! How do you do it?!"
"It's my job to know these things, Commissioner. Be assured that I'll do everything in my power to gain her safe return."
A somewhat relieved Commissioner Gordon replied, "Thank you, Batman. I knew I could count on you."
Bruce said, "We'll be in your office in a little while. I think we can expect a ransom demand from the Penguin at anytime."
***
It was about five in the morning in the office of Police Commissioner Gordon. The private line on Gordon's phone buzzed.
"Commissioner Gordon speaking," he answered.
On the other end of the line was a female speaking in a hushed tone. "Oh, hi, Mista Commish! Did ya know there was a TV show named after you? I never watched it because I don't like cop shows. But it --"
"Who is this?" Gordon growled into the phone.
A disappointed voice replied, "It's me, Harley. Don't ya remember me? I'm the cute one with ..."
"What do you want, you delinquent Annabelle!" Gordon growled again.
"Well, ya don't have to get huffy, Commish!" Harley Quinn said. "And I don't know who Annabelle is either!" She lowered her voice again, speaking almost in a whisper. "Listen, before Mista J gets on to talk to ya, I wanted to give ya what I wanted in this deal. I want a case of Happy Time Sucker Drops. Ya know? The ones with bubble gum in the middle? And I want them all in cherry. Ya see, cherry is my favorite. It makes my breath smell --"
Gordon suddenly heard another voice over phone, "Harley!" Then he heard the female say, "Oh-oh. Ahem!" Then in an official sounding voice, she said, "Commissioner Gordon please hold for the Clown Prince of Crime, Mista Joker. He would ..."
The Joker grabbed the phone from Harley and then spoke into it. "A man with a joke, Commissioner."
The angry Commissioner sneered into the phone. "Why, Joker, you --"
"Uh-uh, Commissioner. Don't say anything that may endanger the life of your daughter. By the way, when you see Batman please tell him --"
"Tell him yourself, you clown," Gordon growled again. "He's right here!"
"Ohhhh," the Joker sang into the phone. "Such wonderful service."
The Commissioner handed the phone to the Caped Crusader.
"Batman speaking."
The Joker laughed. "Oh, Batman, how are you?"
"Since when has my health been your concern, Joker?" the Masked Manhunter replied in a dark tone.
"Oh, I care. I care. Everyday I hope your health gets worse and worse."
Batman kept his emotions under control. His voice was as cold as ice. "What do you want?"
"Oh, Batman, it's not so much what I want. I do, however, have something you want."
"Barbara Gordon," the Dark Knight answered.
"Ohhh!" The Joker laughed. "Aren't we the clever detective?" He laughed again. "Yes, Caped Crumb, we have the commissioner's precious daughter. You can have her back safe and sound. We only want one, little, teenie-weenie thing in return."
"My sucker drops!" a high-pitched voice said behind the Joker.
From what Batman could hear, the Joker covered his hand over the phone and said in a muffled voice, "Shut up, Harl! If you don't stop it, we'll be trading you in for --" The Clown Prince of Crime uncovered the phone with his hand and spoke directly to Batman once again. "Where was I?" he asked.
"What do want for the safe return of Miss Gordon?" Batman asked.
"The Riddler!" The Joker laughed.
This time it was Batman who cupped his hand over the telephone and informed everyone in the Commissioner's office, "He wants the Riddler in return for Miss Gordon." The Caped Crusader put the telephone back to his ear. He replied, "All right, Joker. In the interest of receiving the young lady's safe return, we'll make the deal. But I warn you, if you harm that innocent young woman, I'll ..."
"Batman?!" the Joker feigned shock. "We wouldn't dream of harming a defenseless young lady." His voice then turned hard. "But any tricks, old friend ... and I can't guarantee what may happen. Now listen closely. We'll make the trade on the 75th Avenue bridge. You know where that is, don't you?" He stopped to laugh. "You come in the westbound lane. We'll meet you in the middle. We'll bring the commissioner's daughter. You bring the Riddler. Be there at midnight. And cops with guns and other creeps with capes are not invited. You come alone. Bye-bye!" The phone call ended with the Joker laughing hysterically.
***
At the criminal's hideout on the top floor of the Benbow Tavern, Laugher, one of the Joker's henchmen, asked his boss, "Joker? Why do we have to go through all this just for the Riddler?"
The Joker answered, "That question just shows why I'm the boss and you are just underling!" He laughed. "Don't you see, Laugher? We're a team! All for one and one for the joke -- or something like that!" He laughed again. "But most of all, my fine, fellow felon, he understands all that electronic mumble-jumble with alarm systems. I think he learned it in some prison work program." He laughed once more.
One of the Penguin's henchmen was in a corner, sharpening a knife. He put the blade of the knife to his scarred cheek to test how sharp it was. He said with a gleam in his eye, "I say we have some fun with the girl before we make the trade." He looked across the room toward a bound and gagged Barbara Gordon. Barbara's eyes widened in horror at his lurid proposition.
"What am I? Chopped liver?!" Harley yelled out. "Look at me! I'm fun, aren't I?"
"That's not what he meant, Harl," the Joker told her.
She thought for a moment. Then she finally came to the realization at what the villianous henchmen meant. Harley's eyes crossed and a look of fury came across her face. "WHAT?!" she screeched. She leapt on top of the thug and started beating him with her fists. "Are ya INSANE?!!" she screamed between blows.
The member of the Penguin's Grand Order of Occidental Nighthawks, or G.O.O.N's, covered himself from Harley's punches.
The Joker finally managed to pull Harley off the Penguin's henchman.
"Stop it, Harl!" the Joker laughed. "He isn't one of ours!"
The Penguin, who had watched the entire scene, hit his henchman over the head with his umbrella. "Why you, bird brain! Don't you understand anything? First of all, she is the daughter of the police commissioner. Second, if Batman ever found out, he wouldn't rest until he tracked us down to end of the earth!"
"Batman?" the Joker said as he rubbed his jaw, "It's that Nightwing who worries me. Batman may track us down, but it would be Nightwing who would kill us! You should see the look in his eye when he looks at our dear Miss Gordon, there."
Barbara raised her head up at that last statement. She wondered just how did Nightwing look at her? She really hadn't noticed anything unusual. What was it that even these criminals saw?
The Joker continued, "The day we were confronted by those confounded Bats at the library ... if I had pulled the trigger on Miss Gordon, here, I wouldn't be with you now telling you about it, I'm sure." He laughed without humor.
Barbara listened with great interest in how afraid the villians were of Nightwing.
***
A full moon blazed in the sky at midnight in Gotham City. The Batmobile drove onto the 75th Avenue bridge. The steel bridge was the oldest bridge in Gotham City. It was nearly a hundred years old and rose about four hundred feet over the Gotham River.
Batman and a handcuffed Riddler stood alone in front of the Batmobile. Westbound traffic on the bridge had been blocked off by the police. The roadblock was almost a mile behind the two costumed figures.
Batman said to his long-time nemesis, "It looks like your friends aren't going to show up, Riddler."
"Riddle me this Caped Crusader -- what throws towels, sponges and never wins?"
"A loser ... and I'm not a loser, Riddler," the Dark Knight replied quickly.
"Oh?" the Riddler laughed.
"Just why are your friends going to all this trouble for the likes of you, Riddler?" Batman asked.
"Wouldn't you like to know?" the Riddler replied and then giggled loudly.
Suddenly, two pairs of headlights could be seen. They were coming down the wrong way on the bridge, going east in the westbound lanes.
A red automobile and a black van stopped about fifty feet from the Masked Manhunter and the Riddler. The Joker, the Penguin, Harley Quinn and two of the Joker's henchmen got out of the car.
Five more goons jumped out of the van. They set up Barbara's wheelchair and then dumped her into the seat. Barbara had her hands tied in front of her.
The Joker laughed and then called out to Batman, "Batman! I see you've lived up to your end of the bargain!"
"I always keep my promises, Joker," the Caped Crusader replied.
Penguin ordered, "All right, Bat-Breath, just send the Riddler over ..."
The Joker threw his arm sideways, signaling to the Penguin to stop. "Wait! Wait a minute. Alright, Batman, where's the rest of your retarded family? Where's that Nightwing and Boy Blunder?"
Off to the Joker's left a costumed figure emerged from behind a short concrete wall that seperated the vehicle traffic from walking pedestrians.
"That's Boy Wonder to you, Joker!" Robin announced.
All the criminals heads turned toward the teenage partner of the Caped Crusader.
"Looking for me?" Another voice rang out from behind the villians. All heads turned toward Nightwing.
Suddenly, a short bolt shot from a small crossbow pierced the Penguin's top hat, knocking it off his head.
"Perhaps you'd include Huntress, too," a feminine voice said to the right of the group of villians.
"Huntress?" a mystified Robin asked.
"Huntress?" the uncertain Batman asked aloud.
"Huntress?" the Riddler remarked without a clue.
"Huntress?" said Nightwing, who was obviously confused by this new entrant.
The Penguin panicked, he started screaming, "BATS! We're surrounded by BATS!"
All eyes locked upon a tall, beautiful, brunette, who was dressed in a stunning, tight-fitting, maroon and black costume. A black mask shaped in the form of a bat covered her eyes to conceal her identity. Her long hair fell from her head to her shoulders which were covered by an equally long maroon cape that was flapping the night wind. In her hands she held what looked like a very dangerous small crossbow.
The criminals were astonished. They were surrounded on all sides by crimefighters.
The Penguin's face expressed utter horror as he looked to Batman. "Egads, Batman! What graveyard did all of you rise from? They move like ghosts!"
An unimpressed Joker spat, "Bah! Ghosts?! Hooded Has-beens, if you ask me! Get them!"
The members of the Penguin's G.O.O.N's who had piled out of the van attacked Nightwing like a pack of wolves. Nightwing leaped into the air and threw himself into his attackers.
The Penguin, Harley Quinn, and Barbara Gordon looked on in amazement. The ordinary person ran away from a group of cutthroats -- Nightwing attacked.
The pile of bodies crumpled to the pavement with Nightwing on top.
Some distance from that scene, the Riddler struck a distracted Batman in the back with his fists that were handcuffed in front of him. Batman staggered a bit but recovered in time as the Penguin attempted to lance him with his umbrella. The Caped Crusader sidestepped him and punched him in the jaw.
Nightwing was twisting and turning, knocking G.O.O.N's down left and right.
One thug tried to tackle the newcomer, Huntress, from behind. The female crimefighter turned sideways, kneeled on her right knee, backhanded a fist into the criminal's abdomen. The blow knocked the air out of the man's lungs. Huntress stood back up and gave the villian a backhand fist to the face which sent the man sprawling to the ground.
Robin knocked one attacker out with a punch. He then grabbed the Penguin by the shoulders, spun him around and punched him hard in the face. The Black Bird of Prey fell back so hard that his head struck the front bumber of the red autombile. The Penguin layed on the ground unconscious.
Nightwing punched another G.O.O.N in the face. He sensed another thug coming at him from behind. Nightwing gave that would-be attacker a back kick to the groin, which sent the man to his knees, grabbing his crotch, in considerable pain.
The Joker hit Batman as Harley looked from one battle to another totally confused about what to do. The Clown Prince of Crime jumped on the Masked Manhunter. Batman's back was across the front hood of the Batmobile. The Joker had his hands around Batman's throat, trying to choke the life out of the Caped Crusader.
Robin observed what was happening to Batman. He disposed of the goon he was battling with by punching the man with a right cross to the chin. The Boy Wonder ran to the aid of Batman. He executed a perfect drop kick to the side of the Joker's head. The Chaplain of Chicanery went flying to the asphalt.
Another thug tried to throw a right hand across the jaw of Batman. The Dark Knight caught the blow in the palm of one hand, caught the man's wrist and flipped the thug to the ground on his back with a remarkable martial arts move. Batman kept a grip on his opponent's wrist and placed a hard foot into the thug's mid-section.
Barbara Gordon could not believe her eyes. One of the Penguin's henchmen, the one that had made the lurid advace to her, pulled a long, ugly knife out of his belt. Barbara screamed, "HUNTRESS! LOOK OUT!"
The criminal lunged at the female crimefighter. Huntress sidestepped the attack but not in time to avoid the glancing tip of the blade. The knife had sliced a long, clean rip to her side, just cutting the skin. Huntress blinked at the cut. Then an expression of absolute fury contorted her good looks. Her voice was as cold and smoking as dry ice. The words she said raised the hackles on the back of the attacking thug's thick neck. "You shouldn't had done that," she murmurred.
The attacker lunged again, stabbing at Huntress' heart. The woman caught his wrist, and the blade struck the side of the black van, just an inch away from Huntress' ample chest. As easily as if she were playing with a child, Huntress clasped an arm lock on the G.O.O.N. and bent the man's arm to the point of where the pain caused him to drop the weapon. The thug whimpered as she kept bending the arm until there was a loud audible snap and the man collapsed to the ground in agony.
Batman, Robin, and Nightwing were still slugging it out with a number of the criminal-kidnappers.
The Joker had seen enough. Running to where Barbara Gordon and Harley Quinn were watching the incredible fight, the Clown Prince of Crime roughly shoved Harley out of the way. He then started to push Barbara's wheelchair to the side of the bridge. Barbara did all she could do to make it difficult for the villian but there wasn't much she could do with her hands tied in her lap.
The master-criminal picked her up out of the wheelchair and swung her to his shoulder.
Nightwing spotted what the Joker was up to. Quickly, he pulled out his Bat- A-Rang from a concealed compartment in his left glove gauntlet. With even more speed, he tied one end of his Bat-rope into a corner of the multi- purpose boom-a-rang.
The Joker was just about to throw Barbara off the bridge. If he did throw her off, she would plunge almost four hundred feet into the Gotham River below.
Nightwing screamed at the top of his lungs, "NO!!"
Without giving the idea a second thought, the Joker threw Barbara off the bridge. Nightwing raced toward the edge, hardly two seconds too late. But he never stopped running. Nightwing threw his Bat-A-Rang at a supporting beam and dived off the bridge after Barbara Gordon.
The Bat-A-Rang twirled around the support beam of the bridge.
Batman looked on in horror as he saw Nightwing dive off the bridge.
The Joker yelled to all the criminals, "Let's go!" The villians ran to their vehicles, including the Riddler.
Batman and Robin ran to the edge of the Bridge.
Nightwing, with his one hundred seventy-five pound weight, dived after the only woman he ever really loved. He was diving head first with one arm extended over his head in hopes of catching Barbara. The other hand was held extremely loose around the the silk Bat-rope that was reeling out of another compartment on his uniform.
He miraculously caught Barbara with his left arm. She screamed. Nightwing immediately caught the Bat-rope in a tight grip in his right fist. The sudden, jarring stop almost caused him to slip on the rope, but with his amazing strength, he held on.
Barbara screamed, "WING?!!" She immediately went into a state of shock. Her mind was overwhelmed by the dangerous events that had just happened in a matter of a few seconds.
Nightwing had cheated death and, so far, was winning.
"Nightwing! How did you --"
"NEVER MIND!" he yelled, cutting her off.
With his incredible strength, he was holding on with one arm. A combined weight of about three hundred pounds was dangling about one hundred feet above the Gotham River.
The villians and their henchmen quickly fled in their vehicles.
Batman and Robin were not interested in apprehending the criminals. The two crimefighters pulled at the Bat-rope with all their strength.
When Nightwing and Barbara Gordon were safely back on top of the bridge, Robin exclaimed, "Holy Acrobatics, Nightwing! That was the most incredible save I ever saw!"
Nightwing winced at the "Holy" exclamation.
Barbara was still in a state of shock. Tears rolled down her eyes.
"Miss Gordon?" Nightwing said to her.
She blinked lovingly at him. "I ... I ..."
Nightwing took her into his arms and held her. "It's all right. You're safe now. I won't let them harm you."
Robin yelled, "Look, Batman! They left the Penguin!"
The Penguin was lying prone on the ground, still unconscious from the blow he received from the Boy Wonder.
Batman pointed in another direction, "Look over there. They left another goon."
Nightwing told him, "That goon is the one who attacked Huntress with a knife."
"Speaking of Huntress, where'd she go? I don't see her," Robin asked.
"I don't know, Robin," Batman answered. "She must've disappeared in all of the confusion."
"Do we have an idea who she is?" questioned Nightwing.
Everyone shook their heads.
Police vehicles screamed to a halt near the heroes. Commissioner Gordon jumped out of an unmarked car and was reunited with his daughter. As he held her, his eyes expressed thanks to Batman and his masked partners.
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 8 - THE EXCHANGE
Twenty minutes passed after Dick Grayson had been knocked unconscious. Dick lay prone, face down on the blue rug of a room at the Gotham Historical Society. He moaned and then lifted himself from the floor. He rubbed his eyes, trying to make them see straight. He caught sight of his watch. It read two-thirty.
"Oh, God," he said aloud. It took a great deal of his strength to get to his feet. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his cellular phone. He punched a speed dial button.
A few moments later, Dick managed to mumble, "Al-Alfred? -- Yeah, it's me, Dick. Quick, let me talk to Bruce."
Dick waited for almost two minutes. Finally, Bruce Wayne answered the phone. "Dick? Where are you? What's wrong?"
"Bruce?! Bruce ... Barbara Gordon has been kidnapped! They knocked me in the head. I can hardly see straight."
Bruce Wayne was flabbergasted. First, upon hearing that Barbara Gordon had been abducted, and second, that someone had been able to get close enough to his former ward, the martial arts expert, to knock him unconscious. "Where are you, Dick?"
"The Gotham Historical Society."
"Do you know who kidnapped Barbara?"
"Yes!" Dick growled. "The Penguin! And if he harms ..."
Bruce interrupted Dick's threat. "Listen, Dick! Alfred and I will be right over there. I'll call Commissioner Gordon. I'll be there in my civilian identity."
"Why not Bat --" Dick started to ask.
Bruce answered the question before his long-time partner could ask it. "Because how would it look if Batman learned of this crime before the police commissioner? Let's play it safe."
"Okay. I'll wait here for you."
"Expect some police. We'll be there in about twenty minutes."
Gotham City police officers did arrive at the Gotham Historical Society shortly after Dick got off the phone with Bruce Wayne. Commissioner Gordon arrived on the scene in short order. He was quite concerned for the safety of his daughter.
Bruce Wayne walked into the building fifteen minutes or so thereafter.
"Bruce!" Commissioner Gordon greeted him.
"Good morning, Commissioner. Any word about Barbara?"
"No, I'm afraid not. I feel horrible. What would the Penguin want with my daughter, Barbara?"
Bruce answered, "I don't know, Commissioner. I'm sure that Batman could answer that question better than I." He then looked past Gordon and spotted his former ward. "Dick! Are you alright?"
Dick rubbed the back of his head. He grimaced when he touched the bump that was the size of an egg. "Yeah, I'll be alright. Bruce, can we go? I don't feel well."
"I asked the lad if he wanted to be checked out at a hospital and he declined," Gordon explained.
"Is it okay that he leaves, Commissioner? I'll have him checked out by my personal physician. Are you through with him?" Bruce asked.
Gordon replied, "Of course, Bruce."
Dick looked at the police commissioner. "Sir? I'm really sorry that I couldn't prevent those villians from taking Barbara. I'm really sick over this. If only I could've ..."
"And may had gotten yourself killed!" interrupted Gordon. "I understand. You did everything you could. But, son, please understand this -- it was the Penguin. Only Batman and Robin can deal with the likes of him!"
"And Nightwing," Dick added while rubbing the back of his head.
"Yes. Of course, and Nightwing. Go home and get some rest, son," the commissioner instructed.
Dick asked, "Please call me if you hear from her, sir."
"Of course. Good night, Dick. ... Bruce."
Bruce and Dick got into the rear of the Wayne limousine. Alfred slid into the driver's seat.
"Bruce, your van is parked in front of ..."
"I'll have it picked up later," Bruce said. "Alfred, let's go home. I think before we arrive back to Wayne Manor we can expect that Batman will receive a call from Commissioner Gordon."
Less than ten minutes later, a beeping sound was heard in the limo. Bruce Wayne pushed back a panel on his left, revealing a secret compartment. Inside was what appeared to be a red telephone.
"Yes, Commissioner?" Bruce said in his Batman voice.
"Batman! Thank goodness you're there! I need your help desperately!" Gordon said.
"You're calling to tell me that your daughter Barbara has been abducted by the Penguin."
Gordon was stunned. "Incredible! How do you do it?!"
"It's my job to know these things, Commissioner. Be assured that I'll do everything in my power to gain her safe return."
A somewhat relieved Commissioner Gordon replied, "Thank you, Batman. I knew I could count on you."
Bruce said, "We'll be in your office in a little while. I think we can expect a ransom demand from the Penguin at anytime."
***
It was about five in the morning in the office of Police Commissioner Gordon. The private line on Gordon's phone buzzed.
"Commissioner Gordon speaking," he answered.
On the other end of the line was a female speaking in a hushed tone. "Oh, hi, Mista Commish! Did ya know there was a TV show named after you? I never watched it because I don't like cop shows. But it --"
"Who is this?" Gordon growled into the phone.
A disappointed voice replied, "It's me, Harley. Don't ya remember me? I'm the cute one with ..."
"What do you want, you delinquent Annabelle!" Gordon growled again.
"Well, ya don't have to get huffy, Commish!" Harley Quinn said. "And I don't know who Annabelle is either!" She lowered her voice again, speaking almost in a whisper. "Listen, before Mista J gets on to talk to ya, I wanted to give ya what I wanted in this deal. I want a case of Happy Time Sucker Drops. Ya know? The ones with bubble gum in the middle? And I want them all in cherry. Ya see, cherry is my favorite. It makes my breath smell --"
Gordon suddenly heard another voice over phone, "Harley!" Then he heard the female say, "Oh-oh. Ahem!" Then in an official sounding voice, she said, "Commissioner Gordon please hold for the Clown Prince of Crime, Mista Joker. He would ..."
The Joker grabbed the phone from Harley and then spoke into it. "A man with a joke, Commissioner."
The angry Commissioner sneered into the phone. "Why, Joker, you --"
"Uh-uh, Commissioner. Don't say anything that may endanger the life of your daughter. By the way, when you see Batman please tell him --"
"Tell him yourself, you clown," Gordon growled again. "He's right here!"
"Ohhhh," the Joker sang into the phone. "Such wonderful service."
The Commissioner handed the phone to the Caped Crusader.
"Batman speaking."
The Joker laughed. "Oh, Batman, how are you?"
"Since when has my health been your concern, Joker?" the Masked Manhunter replied in a dark tone.
"Oh, I care. I care. Everyday I hope your health gets worse and worse."
Batman kept his emotions under control. His voice was as cold as ice. "What do you want?"
"Oh, Batman, it's not so much what I want. I do, however, have something you want."
"Barbara Gordon," the Dark Knight answered.
"Ohhh!" The Joker laughed. "Aren't we the clever detective?" He laughed again. "Yes, Caped Crumb, we have the commissioner's precious daughter. You can have her back safe and sound. We only want one, little, teenie-weenie thing in return."
"My sucker drops!" a high-pitched voice said behind the Joker.
From what Batman could hear, the Joker covered his hand over the phone and said in a muffled voice, "Shut up, Harl! If you don't stop it, we'll be trading you in for --" The Clown Prince of Crime uncovered the phone with his hand and spoke directly to Batman once again. "Where was I?" he asked.
"What do want for the safe return of Miss Gordon?" Batman asked.
"The Riddler!" The Joker laughed.
This time it was Batman who cupped his hand over the telephone and informed everyone in the Commissioner's office, "He wants the Riddler in return for Miss Gordon." The Caped Crusader put the telephone back to his ear. He replied, "All right, Joker. In the interest of receiving the young lady's safe return, we'll make the deal. But I warn you, if you harm that innocent young woman, I'll ..."
"Batman?!" the Joker feigned shock. "We wouldn't dream of harming a defenseless young lady." His voice then turned hard. "But any tricks, old friend ... and I can't guarantee what may happen. Now listen closely. We'll make the trade on the 75th Avenue bridge. You know where that is, don't you?" He stopped to laugh. "You come in the westbound lane. We'll meet you in the middle. We'll bring the commissioner's daughter. You bring the Riddler. Be there at midnight. And cops with guns and other creeps with capes are not invited. You come alone. Bye-bye!" The phone call ended with the Joker laughing hysterically.
***
At the criminal's hideout on the top floor of the Benbow Tavern, Laugher, one of the Joker's henchmen, asked his boss, "Joker? Why do we have to go through all this just for the Riddler?"
The Joker answered, "That question just shows why I'm the boss and you are just underling!" He laughed. "Don't you see, Laugher? We're a team! All for one and one for the joke -- or something like that!" He laughed again. "But most of all, my fine, fellow felon, he understands all that electronic mumble-jumble with alarm systems. I think he learned it in some prison work program." He laughed once more.
One of the Penguin's henchmen was in a corner, sharpening a knife. He put the blade of the knife to his scarred cheek to test how sharp it was. He said with a gleam in his eye, "I say we have some fun with the girl before we make the trade." He looked across the room toward a bound and gagged Barbara Gordon. Barbara's eyes widened in horror at his lurid proposition.
"What am I? Chopped liver?!" Harley yelled out. "Look at me! I'm fun, aren't I?"
"That's not what he meant, Harl," the Joker told her.
She thought for a moment. Then she finally came to the realization at what the villianous henchmen meant. Harley's eyes crossed and a look of fury came across her face. "WHAT?!" she screeched. She leapt on top of the thug and started beating him with her fists. "Are ya INSANE?!!" she screamed between blows.
The member of the Penguin's Grand Order of Occidental Nighthawks, or G.O.O.N's, covered himself from Harley's punches.
The Joker finally managed to pull Harley off the Penguin's henchman.
"Stop it, Harl!" the Joker laughed. "He isn't one of ours!"
The Penguin, who had watched the entire scene, hit his henchman over the head with his umbrella. "Why you, bird brain! Don't you understand anything? First of all, she is the daughter of the police commissioner. Second, if Batman ever found out, he wouldn't rest until he tracked us down to end of the earth!"
"Batman?" the Joker said as he rubbed his jaw, "It's that Nightwing who worries me. Batman may track us down, but it would be Nightwing who would kill us! You should see the look in his eye when he looks at our dear Miss Gordon, there."
Barbara raised her head up at that last statement. She wondered just how did Nightwing look at her? She really hadn't noticed anything unusual. What was it that even these criminals saw?
The Joker continued, "The day we were confronted by those confounded Bats at the library ... if I had pulled the trigger on Miss Gordon, here, I wouldn't be with you now telling you about it, I'm sure." He laughed without humor.
Barbara listened with great interest in how afraid the villians were of Nightwing.
***
A full moon blazed in the sky at midnight in Gotham City. The Batmobile drove onto the 75th Avenue bridge. The steel bridge was the oldest bridge in Gotham City. It was nearly a hundred years old and rose about four hundred feet over the Gotham River.
Batman and a handcuffed Riddler stood alone in front of the Batmobile. Westbound traffic on the bridge had been blocked off by the police. The roadblock was almost a mile behind the two costumed figures.
Batman said to his long-time nemesis, "It looks like your friends aren't going to show up, Riddler."
"Riddle me this Caped Crusader -- what throws towels, sponges and never wins?"
"A loser ... and I'm not a loser, Riddler," the Dark Knight replied quickly.
"Oh?" the Riddler laughed.
"Just why are your friends going to all this trouble for the likes of you, Riddler?" Batman asked.
"Wouldn't you like to know?" the Riddler replied and then giggled loudly.
Suddenly, two pairs of headlights could be seen. They were coming down the wrong way on the bridge, going east in the westbound lanes.
A red automobile and a black van stopped about fifty feet from the Masked Manhunter and the Riddler. The Joker, the Penguin, Harley Quinn and two of the Joker's henchmen got out of the car.
Five more goons jumped out of the van. They set up Barbara's wheelchair and then dumped her into the seat. Barbara had her hands tied in front of her.
The Joker laughed and then called out to Batman, "Batman! I see you've lived up to your end of the bargain!"
"I always keep my promises, Joker," the Caped Crusader replied.
Penguin ordered, "All right, Bat-Breath, just send the Riddler over ..."
The Joker threw his arm sideways, signaling to the Penguin to stop. "Wait! Wait a minute. Alright, Batman, where's the rest of your retarded family? Where's that Nightwing and Boy Blunder?"
Off to the Joker's left a costumed figure emerged from behind a short concrete wall that seperated the vehicle traffic from walking pedestrians.
"That's Boy Wonder to you, Joker!" Robin announced.
All the criminals heads turned toward the teenage partner of the Caped Crusader.
"Looking for me?" Another voice rang out from behind the villians. All heads turned toward Nightwing.
Suddenly, a short bolt shot from a small crossbow pierced the Penguin's top hat, knocking it off his head.
"Perhaps you'd include Huntress, too," a feminine voice said to the right of the group of villians.
"Huntress?" a mystified Robin asked.
"Huntress?" the uncertain Batman asked aloud.
"Huntress?" the Riddler remarked without a clue.
"Huntress?" said Nightwing, who was obviously confused by this new entrant.
The Penguin panicked, he started screaming, "BATS! We're surrounded by BATS!"
All eyes locked upon a tall, beautiful, brunette, who was dressed in a stunning, tight-fitting, maroon and black costume. A black mask shaped in the form of a bat covered her eyes to conceal her identity. Her long hair fell from her head to her shoulders which were covered by an equally long maroon cape that was flapping the night wind. In her hands she held what looked like a very dangerous small crossbow.
The criminals were astonished. They were surrounded on all sides by crimefighters.
The Penguin's face expressed utter horror as he looked to Batman. "Egads, Batman! What graveyard did all of you rise from? They move like ghosts!"
An unimpressed Joker spat, "Bah! Ghosts?! Hooded Has-beens, if you ask me! Get them!"
The members of the Penguin's G.O.O.N's who had piled out of the van attacked Nightwing like a pack of wolves. Nightwing leaped into the air and threw himself into his attackers.
The Penguin, Harley Quinn, and Barbara Gordon looked on in amazement. The ordinary person ran away from a group of cutthroats -- Nightwing attacked.
The pile of bodies crumpled to the pavement with Nightwing on top.
Some distance from that scene, the Riddler struck a distracted Batman in the back with his fists that were handcuffed in front of him. Batman staggered a bit but recovered in time as the Penguin attempted to lance him with his umbrella. The Caped Crusader sidestepped him and punched him in the jaw.
Nightwing was twisting and turning, knocking G.O.O.N's down left and right.
One thug tried to tackle the newcomer, Huntress, from behind. The female crimefighter turned sideways, kneeled on her right knee, backhanded a fist into the criminal's abdomen. The blow knocked the air out of the man's lungs. Huntress stood back up and gave the villian a backhand fist to the face which sent the man sprawling to the ground.
Robin knocked one attacker out with a punch. He then grabbed the Penguin by the shoulders, spun him around and punched him hard in the face. The Black Bird of Prey fell back so hard that his head struck the front bumber of the red autombile. The Penguin layed on the ground unconscious.
Nightwing punched another G.O.O.N in the face. He sensed another thug coming at him from behind. Nightwing gave that would-be attacker a back kick to the groin, which sent the man to his knees, grabbing his crotch, in considerable pain.
The Joker hit Batman as Harley looked from one battle to another totally confused about what to do. The Clown Prince of Crime jumped on the Masked Manhunter. Batman's back was across the front hood of the Batmobile. The Joker had his hands around Batman's throat, trying to choke the life out of the Caped Crusader.
Robin observed what was happening to Batman. He disposed of the goon he was battling with by punching the man with a right cross to the chin. The Boy Wonder ran to the aid of Batman. He executed a perfect drop kick to the side of the Joker's head. The Chaplain of Chicanery went flying to the asphalt.
Another thug tried to throw a right hand across the jaw of Batman. The Dark Knight caught the blow in the palm of one hand, caught the man's wrist and flipped the thug to the ground on his back with a remarkable martial arts move. Batman kept a grip on his opponent's wrist and placed a hard foot into the thug's mid-section.
Barbara Gordon could not believe her eyes. One of the Penguin's henchmen, the one that had made the lurid advace to her, pulled a long, ugly knife out of his belt. Barbara screamed, "HUNTRESS! LOOK OUT!"
The criminal lunged at the female crimefighter. Huntress sidestepped the attack but not in time to avoid the glancing tip of the blade. The knife had sliced a long, clean rip to her side, just cutting the skin. Huntress blinked at the cut. Then an expression of absolute fury contorted her good looks. Her voice was as cold and smoking as dry ice. The words she said raised the hackles on the back of the attacking thug's thick neck. "You shouldn't had done that," she murmurred.
The attacker lunged again, stabbing at Huntress' heart. The woman caught his wrist, and the blade struck the side of the black van, just an inch away from Huntress' ample chest. As easily as if she were playing with a child, Huntress clasped an arm lock on the G.O.O.N. and bent the man's arm to the point of where the pain caused him to drop the weapon. The thug whimpered as she kept bending the arm until there was a loud audible snap and the man collapsed to the ground in agony.
Batman, Robin, and Nightwing were still slugging it out with a number of the criminal-kidnappers.
The Joker had seen enough. Running to where Barbara Gordon and Harley Quinn were watching the incredible fight, the Clown Prince of Crime roughly shoved Harley out of the way. He then started to push Barbara's wheelchair to the side of the bridge. Barbara did all she could do to make it difficult for the villian but there wasn't much she could do with her hands tied in her lap.
The master-criminal picked her up out of the wheelchair and swung her to his shoulder.
Nightwing spotted what the Joker was up to. Quickly, he pulled out his Bat- A-Rang from a concealed compartment in his left glove gauntlet. With even more speed, he tied one end of his Bat-rope into a corner of the multi- purpose boom-a-rang.
The Joker was just about to throw Barbara off the bridge. If he did throw her off, she would plunge almost four hundred feet into the Gotham River below.
Nightwing screamed at the top of his lungs, "NO!!"
Without giving the idea a second thought, the Joker threw Barbara off the bridge. Nightwing raced toward the edge, hardly two seconds too late. But he never stopped running. Nightwing threw his Bat-A-Rang at a supporting beam and dived off the bridge after Barbara Gordon.
The Bat-A-Rang twirled around the support beam of the bridge.
Batman looked on in horror as he saw Nightwing dive off the bridge.
The Joker yelled to all the criminals, "Let's go!" The villians ran to their vehicles, including the Riddler.
Batman and Robin ran to the edge of the Bridge.
Nightwing, with his one hundred seventy-five pound weight, dived after the only woman he ever really loved. He was diving head first with one arm extended over his head in hopes of catching Barbara. The other hand was held extremely loose around the the silk Bat-rope that was reeling out of another compartment on his uniform.
He miraculously caught Barbara with his left arm. She screamed. Nightwing immediately caught the Bat-rope in a tight grip in his right fist. The sudden, jarring stop almost caused him to slip on the rope, but with his amazing strength, he held on.
Barbara screamed, "WING?!!" She immediately went into a state of shock. Her mind was overwhelmed by the dangerous events that had just happened in a matter of a few seconds.
Nightwing had cheated death and, so far, was winning.
"Nightwing! How did you --"
"NEVER MIND!" he yelled, cutting her off.
With his incredible strength, he was holding on with one arm. A combined weight of about three hundred pounds was dangling about one hundred feet above the Gotham River.
The villians and their henchmen quickly fled in their vehicles.
Batman and Robin were not interested in apprehending the criminals. The two crimefighters pulled at the Bat-rope with all their strength.
When Nightwing and Barbara Gordon were safely back on top of the bridge, Robin exclaimed, "Holy Acrobatics, Nightwing! That was the most incredible save I ever saw!"
Nightwing winced at the "Holy" exclamation.
Barbara was still in a state of shock. Tears rolled down her eyes.
"Miss Gordon?" Nightwing said to her.
She blinked lovingly at him. "I ... I ..."
Nightwing took her into his arms and held her. "It's all right. You're safe now. I won't let them harm you."
Robin yelled, "Look, Batman! They left the Penguin!"
The Penguin was lying prone on the ground, still unconscious from the blow he received from the Boy Wonder.
Batman pointed in another direction, "Look over there. They left another goon."
Nightwing told him, "That goon is the one who attacked Huntress with a knife."
"Speaking of Huntress, where'd she go? I don't see her," Robin asked.
"I don't know, Robin," Batman answered. "She must've disappeared in all of the confusion."
"Do we have an idea who she is?" questioned Nightwing.
Everyone shook their heads.
Police vehicles screamed to a halt near the heroes. Commissioner Gordon jumped out of an unmarked car and was reunited with his daughter. As he held her, his eyes expressed thanks to Batman and his masked partners.
To be continued ...