A/N: Catgrl, I've gotten another chapter up to sink your claws into. Okay, my pointless, stale humor is not needed. The story is enough, I hope.

Chapter 10

Corinna stepped out of her shower and headed down the stairs. She saw Synthroid's men carrying teenagers into spare rooms, so she quickly raced to Synthroid's lab to see what was going on. Her feet weightlessly carried her into the lab to find Synthroid busy with his projects. "What is going on here?" Corinna asked.

Synthroid turned around and saw Corinna standing there in lounge clothing. "I've taken a crime man's runaways over. They're now mine to order around. Of course, I will listen to their opinions."

Corinna pushed hair back behind her ear and saw Synthroid mixing chemicals. "What are you working on?"

Synthroid smiled and answered, "A potion that will turn to a gas and cause whoever inhales it to pass out and be out of commission for twenty-four hours."

"What are you mixing in it?"

"A lovely blend of tranquilizers and chemicals." Synthroid replied as he measured some heavy-duty tranquilizers.

"Who is it for? Jokerz?" Corinna asked as she leaned against the wall; her legs started to go numb. 'Please don't be for Terry.'

"I wish it to be fore Bruce Wayne, but he is a smart man to be such an advanced age. He'll figure out what I'm doing before I can send this stuff out. So, his little Bat will have to be my guinea pig."

'No,' Corinna thought as she said, "I see."

Synthroid turned and saw Corinna nearly sliding down the wall. "Are you ill," he asked.

Corinna shook her head, but soon nodded. 'It's better he believes I'm ill than know I slept with Terry,' she thought.

Synthroid set down his chemicals and tools. He headed to the sink and washed off his faux-skin, then he walked over to Corinna. She felt very light-headed as Synthroid lifted her up off of her feet and into his arms. For the second time in one day, Corinna had a strong sense of security. Although, Synthroid's security was much different than the security that Corinna had gotten from Terry. Synthroid was merely her superior and protector. Terry had become her lover and offered a life with love, which Corinna was stripped of as a young girl. Both left her torn between a choice to do what was right. She wanted to obey her protector/boss, but she wanted to proceed in seeing what love felt like.

"What did the Bat do to you, my ninja? You're vital signs are very low right now; you've been drained a great deal of energy. Did he fight against you tonight?"

"He did not want to be… reasoned with." Corinna muttered sleepily. She fought hard to keep from revealing her night with Terry to Synthroid.

"Well, you're all right now, Corinna. You're here with me, and I'll get you a shot to heal your inner weaknesses."

'You can't heal this one,' she thought as her mind grew disoriented.

Synthroid carried her up to her room and laid her on top of her blankets. He did not catch on to what had happened in the room not long before. He was more concerned with Corinna, since he had known her for so long; and, he knew that she just didn't tire easy--she was built to keep from tiring easy. He stroked her hair. "Rest well, Corinna," he whispered before leaning down and kissing her forehead.

Batman stood frozen as the female Joker was on her knees pleading to keep her safe from the new villain in town. "So, evil has a new name," he said out loud. "Synthroid."

The female Joker clung to Batman's leg. "Please," she begged, "Don't let him kill me."

Batman pried the young woman off of his leg and held her shoulders. While she'd told the story of what happened to Spellbinder, rain had came through and washed away the face paint on the woman's face. She was young, younger than Terry, and she was crying. "I'll take you to the police, and they'll put you somewhere safe." Batman told her.

"But, they'll lock me up," she protested.

Batman held her arm tightly. "Maybe, that's the direction you need to go," he told her. Terry knew about being kept for running with a rough crowd; he'd ran with a rough crowd and suffered the consequences. It had done him well, and he figured the girl before him deserved a new chance.

The girl didn't fight Batman anymore; she just let him lead her away from the alley where she and her Joker gang had been. She didn't care since she just wanted somewhere safe from Synthroid's power. She was young and never knew a life of crime had such risks as dealing with powerful beings like him. She cowered against Batman at the thought of Synthroid. "My name is Michelle," she said quietly.

Batman held the girl up by her arm; she had started leaning more and more as she rested against him. "Well, Michelle, what turned you to the Jokerz."

"It was something new; something more wild than what I'd all ready tried, and I could get some free stuff."

Batman grimaced. "That," he told her, "Is the wrong logic."

"I never thought I'd see someone so scary as Synthroid," she said completely ignoring Batman's reply to her. "Just his presence scared Spellbinder to death."

Batman had an idea. "Can you get me to that crime scene?"

Michelle looked up at Batman with fearful green eyes. "Yes," she said meekly.

"Please, take me there."

Michelle nodded and pointed in the direction. Batman told her, "Hang on," as he picked her up and fired up the thrusters in his boots. He flew in the air as Michelle pointed out the direction to Spellbinder's latest lair, never be used by him again.