"Later, As The Initial Shift In His Promising New Career Draws To A Close, Bruce Wayne Seeks Solitude In The Employee Break Room"
Standing off in a corner of the empty room, Bruce spoke into a miniaturized radio hidden in his jacket. "Where are you, Robin?"
"Approximately 90 miles from your position, passing over Mouthwash Reservoir," came the response from the Batcopter. "No sign of the submarines so far!"
"I'm not making any progress with the Riddler either, but at least I'm keeping Dr. Daka at bay."
"Any news from Batgirl?"
"Not so far. Well, keep me posted. Good hunting."
"Roger – over and out!" said Robin.
Bruce hastily stashed the radio in his jacket as he heard someone entering the room behind him. It was Nurse Blondy Jo, now clad in her street clothes.
"This is the employee lounge, ma'am. Do you work here?" asked Bruce.
"Ah sure do, sugah!" said the buxom belle. "Ah jest went off duty. Say! Aren't you theyat handsome new doctah, Bruce Wayne?" She sidled up to him.
"Yes, I suppose I am. I must say, however, that I am undeserving of your adjectives."
"Why, ah'll bet yoah jest the most talented doctor in the hospital! And so humble, too!"
"Please, please - I am new to the facility and still have much to learn."
"Why shugah, yoah jest the man ah need! Ah've got this leetle ol' cut raht heah at the top of mah leg and thet thing jest won't heal."
"Hmm," he said nervously. "Perhaps you should consider scheduling an appointment."
The smile faded from the pretty blond's face as something dawned on her. "Oh, ah do apologahze. I'm keepin' you from your work, ain't I? Youah supposed to be getting' trained on theyat new-fangled machine in ampitheatah B!"
"I'm supposed to be in ampitheater B?" Bruce asked, completely disconcerted. "Are you sure?"
"Heah ah'm getting' you in a heap a'trouble! You best come along with me, sugah!"
They two marched down the corridor, with Blondy Jo leading Bruce along by the hand.
"Let me stop in here briefly to check on a patient," Bruce said as they passed the Riddler's room.
"Oh, ah don't know if you bettah do that! Youah late already."
"It will just take a moment, nurse," he said firmly.
Bruce entered the room. He could make out the form of the Riddler sleeping soundly in the darkness. He started to depart, then stopped and took a closer look. His sharp eyes were able to make out a headpiece encircling the Riddler's forehead.
"And what's this?" he said, striding toward the bed.
Before he could reach the Riddler, the lights blazed on. Doctor Daka stepped out from behind some curtains. Daka's prosthetic claw attachment had by now been replaced by his "gun-hand", which he kept trained on Wayne and Blondy Jo.
"Oh, mah word!" exclaimed the nurse.
"Stand back, Miss!" Bruce cautioned.
"You have most inopportune timing, Mistah Wayne," Daka observed.
"What's this headpiece you've got on the Riddler?" asked Bruce. "Isn't that one of your zombie devices I've read about?" Bruce knew from experience that once it was activated, the Riddler would be compelled to follow Daka's every command.
"If you take one more step, I will be forced to shoot you," Daka stated calmly.
"And the Riddler? What will you do with him?"
"Be assured that I will see to Mr. Nygma's care personally. How unfortunate that you will not be there to witness his recovery."
"You can do with me what you will, you venomous rodent, but know this - you will never control my mind."
"Your mind is not worth controlling, Mistah Wayne. I would not waste the electricity necessary to convert you into a zombie. You are merely a spoiled pest to be exterminated."
"Cornered By His Arch-Enemy, Bruce Wayne Is Forced To Fight For His Very Existence As He Has Never Done Before!"
With a righteous fury, Wayne hurled his father's doctor bag at Daka. The heavy satchel nailed Daka squarely in the chin, knocking him to the floor.
"Take one dosage of swift justice, Daka!" Bruce advised his co-worker.
Bruce cautioned Blondy Jo back away from the villain. As he approached his foe cautiously, Blondy Jo produced a syringe from her waistband and injected Bruce with it.
Stunned, Bruce could only murmer, "Nurse?" before toppling over. Blondy Jo moved to help Daka to his feet.
The aging criminal congratulated the young woman. "You have done well, Blondy Jo. You are a most useful mole. One never sees such ingenuity in the ranks of the zombified."
She smiled. "Yoah jest lucky ah'm natchilly evil."
Elsewhere in the hospital, Barbara Gordon was pacing the empty hallway. "I can't afford to have Bruce Wayne blowing my cover at this stage...but hopefully he's gone home by now," she said to herself.
She stopped in front of the Riddler's door and listened intently. She could hear the sound of electrical crackling from within the room. Steeling herself for danger, Barbara threw open the door and entered.
She saw sparks fly around the Riddler's head. His entire body was completely rigid. Dr. Daka was kneeling beside the bed, his hand operating a fiendish portable zombie generator. Bruce Wayne lay unconscious nearby on the floor.
From behind her, a hand holding a cloth soaked in chloroform suddenly clamped over Barbara's mouth and nose. Nurse Blondy Jo wrapped her other arm around Barbara's torso, pinning her arms to her sides just long enough for the drug to take effect. Barbara resisted briefly, then slumped unconscious in her arms.
"Excellent!" declared Daka. "Quickly, tie her up while I complete the preparations for the Riddler!"
