The onset of nightfall found the Batmobile parked back at the Joker's first stop of the day. The Dynamic Duo had dropped Batgirl off at her cycle following several hours of fruitless searching for the Joker. They were now left alone to ponder their failure.

"But he only stole the donor spleen!" said Robin. "It was a completely pointless crime!"

"Precisely, Robin," said Batman. "The Joker's standard M.O.! My failure to take that into account is the primary factor allowing his escape."

"Lucky for Egbert that we still had that spare bison spleen stored in the Batcave."

"Yes, the doctors say he should pull through just fine if he can resist the occasional temptation to stampede."

"Why did you want to return here to the House of Deathtraps?"

Batman tapped his finger on the steering wheel. "I'm betting…that when the Joker goes into Honest Gabe's and comes out empty-handed, it can only mean one thing."

"That there's something he was planning to carry out with him!" Robin concluded. "Which means he'll be back!"

"Eventually. Honest Gabe has never shown a willingness to provide details of his business transactions, but I wonder what a look at his files would reveal?"

The Batmobile eased into a side alley and rumbled down to a deserted parking lot behind the store. Robin pointed excitedly.

"There's the Jokermobile parked right by the back door!"

"And it's well past normal business hours."

The duo emerged from the Batmobile and approached the darkened structure. Finding the back door unlocked, they entered cautiously. Creeping forward, Robin peered around the large showroom. He gestured at a stack of large triangular-shaped items along one wall.

"There sure are a lot of cones in here."

Batman nodded. "An integral component to many a deathtrap."

As they progressed farther down the aisles, they found themselves passing under a towering assortment of deadly devices. The bizarre collection looked capable of carrying out an impressive variety of exterminations.

"Batman," Robin whispered nervously. "A lot of these contraptions are designed to hold exactly two people, and the moldings all seem to be to our physical specifications."

Batman's jaw tightened. "This establishment's existence is an insult to law-abiding urbanites everywhere – but of particular offense to us."

They cautiously explored the premises, scouring the area for clues. Their search ended as a door to a side room opened and the Joker and two burly henchmen backed out. The thugs' arms were filled with boxes and the Joker was carrying a sack.

"Should have known," Robin muttered to Batman. "Wonder what he's stealing?"

Batman checked his watch and called out, "5.25 hours, Joker! If I'm not mistaken, not only have we caught you red handed in a burglary, but you've set a personal record for your shortest time between prison stints."

Dumping their armload, the henchmen turned and slowly stalked towards the heroes from opposite directions.

The Joker smiled as he spread his arms in welcome. "Ah, the Dynamic Duo. And right on time."

"It's a trap!" said Robin. "Come on, Batman, we'll have to slug our way to safety!" The duo assumed boxing stances.

"Joker, what foul trickery have you concocted this time?" Batman called out, keeping his eyes on the rapidly advancing henchman.

"Ahh, I'm glad that you asked, Batman. It's simply too masterful a plot for me not to share…"

Robin waited until the first charging goon was almost upon him, then fell backwards, pulling the thug with him.

"…Now, as you know, the Maharaja of Nimpah was quite a wealthy fellow…."

As the Boy Wonder landed on his back, he thrust his legs straight up, sending the hoodlum cartwheeling through the air.

CRASH!

"…Why, the press reports that he was such an avid golfer that he specified in his will that he be buried with his most prized keepsakes--eight jewel-inlaid golf clubs manufactured from solid gold!"

Batman ducked under a roundhouse right from goon #2, then sent him staggering back with a pair of uppercuts.

SWOK! SMACK!

The Joker pulled a large bee hive from his sack and triumphantly held it aloft. He had kept the item with him since leaving the scene of the Wizard's driving mishap. He shook the hive vigorously, and an army of angry bees swarmed out.

Batman watched as several dozen bees formed into an attack formation and dove in their direction. The buzzing mass swarmed in circles above the ongoing battle. The two burly thugs surprisingly chose to suddenly lie face down on the floor. Moments after they did, the bees began descending. Ignoring the supine henchmen, one bee after another alighted on the caped combatants. Even the bees that didn't come to rest on them were now hovering just inches away. Robin's first impulse was to swat at them, but he paused for a closer look at the tiny intruders.

"Holy Hornet's Nest! These are African Death Bees!"

The Joker held up a finger. "Correction, Boy Bumbler! There were, sadly, none of that species to be found in the vicinity. These are a rare strain of the South African Stun Bee!

"Assume a state of motionless, Robin!" Batman warned. "The South African Stun Bee is an easily agitated creature. It craves absolute tranquillity. We dare not move a muscle."

"Even our mouths?"

"Our mouths, our toes, our fingers…even the tiniest of movements could be enough to set them off."

"But we're moving our mouths even as…ouch! OUCH! I'm getting stung, Batman!"

"Yes! (hiss) As am I!"

The heroic pair managed to keep silent and found that complete stillness made the bee stings stop. Unconcerned with their plight, the Joker proceeded with his speech.

"Now, as I was saying, there will be bouquets of flowers from around the globe at the Maharaja's funeral…hundreds and hundreds of pretty posies to attract our little bee friends. Unfortunately, large gatherings of Gotham mourners have not historically reacted well to hordes of bees unleashed in their midst. And once these bees see all the frantic movement their presence inspires, they will take out their displeasure on everyone in the cathedral – security forces included."

A bee crawled over the tip of Batman's nose. Already feeling a numbing sensation from several stings, he held his breath and remained frozen. Cracking his knuckes, one of the Joker's thugs approached the preoccupied pair.

"Whatsamatta, Bats? Have those mean ol' bees decided to pick on you? Well, me and Ernie will help brush 'em offuh you."

Batman could only watch with distrust as the brute walked up to him and jabbed a meaty fist into his stomach.

FUMPH!

The second goon circled behind the motionless Robin, then gave him a vicious kick behind the knee. Robin yelped as he dropped to his knees.

"Ouch! They're stinging me again!"

The Joker set down the empty beehive and picked up a box that had 'Hold for King Tut' stenciled along the side. He held it aloft to give his foes a peek at the object that had attracted him back to the store.

"Phase two will commence as the hearse attempts to drive away with the Maharaja's coffin. The delicious device you see in my hands will correct the car's course, disabling the chauffeur, and bring it straight to my hideout for perusal and plunder!"

"That's what you think!" Robin managed to call out between bee stings.

"Ehh…what is the brat talking about?"

The Joker's cellular frankfurter began to ring. He grudgingly answered it.

"Yes? I'm kind of busy."

Undine was on the other end. "Joker! I got to thinking after I heard about your old caper disguised as the Maharaja – and I decided to make some phone calls. Well, dig this: the Maharaja is over in Nimpah right now – alive and well!"

"Oh, he is, is he?" Hanging up his hot dog abruptly, the Joker fixed the motionless crime-fighters with an accusing glare.

"So…this whole funeral was a charade that your stuffy police commissioner set up - just to trick me into being easily convicted!" He nodded to his henchmen, who returned to their tasks, fists swinging.

"Very amusing - turning the tables on me with a phony death announcement," the Joker continued, ignoring the nonstop chorus of punches and slaps accompanying his monologue. "And I'll wager I have that meddling dolt Gordon to thank for being followed around all day, also. Well, it's only fair that I return you to him with some instructions. Yeh-ss."

He strolled around the group as the pummeling continued. He grinned as a particularly vicious blow knocked Batman onto a table in front of him. "It was so kind of you to bring the Batmobile right to me. With all this equipment I borrowed with which to booby trap the hearse, I would have felt terrible if it had gone to waste."

The duo's efforts to remain still and avoid the bees' ire were hopeless. Their uncivilized opponents persisted in gleefully belting them around the room.

"So you didn't bring that usual tagalong Batgirl with you this time," the Joker observed. "Well, she's certainly shown more brains than you two by having the sense to avoid my path. However, for my own peace of mind, I'm going to have to put her someplace for safekeeping, anyway."

Robin was gradually collapsing. In addition to being severely bruised, he had absorbed close to a dozen bee stings. His eyelids slid shut and the Joker could tell they would not be opening very soon. He turned his attention to Batman.

"You'll be glad to know that, with your quaint little vehicle at my disposal, you won't be kept separated from Batgirl for long. Rest assured that she'll be delivered to you in style. And I can think of no transportation more befitting her than your ostentatious auto."

Batman struggled to keep his eyes open. It appeared to him that the Joker was standing at a very odd angle. And even this lopsided point of the view was deteriorating as everything started going black. The taunting voice continued.

"When next you awaken, you'll find yourselves confined to a cozy box in my warehouse. Yeh-ss, and I'll have a wonderful proposition for you!"

The last thing Batman heard before he lost consciousness was the Joker's annoying high-pitched laughter.