A/N: CATgrl, I still love to read your reviews. They always give me a smile because of the humor. I like how you note how dense Corinna can be on the matter of Synthroid. I'm sorry I haven't written much lately. This story is very hard to sit down and write out. It takes a lot of though that most of the time I'm not committed to when I get in from school. Tomorrow, I have a paper needing to be typed for an English class, so I probably won't get any extra writing finished.

Chapter 11

Michelle led Batman right to Spellbinder's lair. Batman gasped at the sight of the place tore up, and Michelle stared with wide-eyes. "It wasn't like this when we left," she told him.

Batman set Michelle down and took a step close to one of the holes in the wall. It was made by a laser gun, and Batman ran his hand around it. "Impressive," was all he said.

Michelle, uneasy about being left by herself as Batman headed inside, ran after Batman. She glanced around wearily, afraid that Synthroid was still lurking in the shadows. She was so caught up in her fears that she slammed into the back of Batman and fell down on the ground.

Batman leaned over and offered his hand to Michelle, who took a moment before accepting his help. "Be careful," he said gently, and she nodded. Batman knew she didn't really hear what he'd told her, so he didn't worry with telling her anything else. He just began to walk around to get an idea of what he was dealing with.

Laser gun holes filled the walls, and Batman didn't like that; he could dodge laser gun fire, but not enough to dodge the laser guns that shot holes in the walls. There just appeared to be too many guns that'd worked on the wall. "What happened here?" Batman asked himself.

"Where do you think the runaways are?" Bruce asked.

Terry glanced around. "I'm afraid to find out," he admitted.

"You think it's that bad. You think this Synthroid killed them all?"

Terry took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "He killed their leader, why not kill them?"

"It just seems too heartless."

Bruce, you for one should know that villains are heartless. What makes this guy different?"

Bruce mulled over the question. "Because, there's something different about this one's strategies. The laser guns are a well known aspect of villain life, but the carnage that has been done is far beyond the mental capacity of any normal villain."

"What are you saying?"

Bruce sighed. "I think it's all set up."

"Why would this be set up?" Terry argued. "It looks pretty real to me."

"That's the point, Terry. We're meant to believe this was really a massacre to keep us away from what is really occurring."

"Bruce, you're not taking in meds with hallucinations as side-effects are you?" Terry asked not really wanting to believe that he was being set up.

"McGinnis." Bruce growled.

"Okay, sorry. So, this set-up theory; where do I start to try and figure that out?"

"Just get Barbara down there." Bruce told him.

"All right."

Batman called up Commissioner Gordon with one of his gadgets. "Hello, Commissioner, I have an emergency here. A new villain is in town, and he's set us up. I need you to come take a look at this for me and help provide answers."

"Terry, it's getting late."

"I was told to contact you and let it alone." Terry said quietly.

Barbara sighed on the other end of the call. "Fine, McGinnis, but just because Bruce asked for me to come take a look."

"How kind." Terry replied with a hint of sarcasm.

"McGinnis, the sarcasm is not necessary."

"Yes, ma'am." Terry replied.

Barbara hung up the call, and Terry sighed. Bruce's voice came over the headset. "Head back here, Terry."

"Sorry, boss. I'd like to stay here with Michelle until Barbara gets here to take her. I can't leave her here all alone so shaken up."

Bruce was quiet for a moment. "All right. Make sure the girl is safe."

"No problem."

Commissioner Gordon and a team of police officers got the Spellbinder's lair pretty quick, and Batman was relieved. In all honesty, he was really tired from his early activities with Corinna. But, he did his duty of Batman by waiting for support.

Barbara saw Michelle and the outfit she was wearing. "McGinnis," she hissed at the boy underneath the Batman costume. "Who is the girl?"

"Michelle is her name. She's afraid this Synthroid will come after her and kill her like he killed Spellbinder."

"Have you seen his body?" Barbara asked.

"No, but I haven't let Michelle out of my sight to wander off."

Barbara looked Terry in the face. "Go find out if the girl knows how to find Spellbinder."

Batman nodded and walked over to the frightened ex-Jokerz member. He knelt beside her, she was huddled in the corner of the room. "Do you know where Spellbinder is?"

Michelle's eyes held deep fear as she said, "He's dead."

"Could you show us where?"

Michelle scrunched her face up as she nodded. "Yes," she whispered as she covered her eyes.

Michelle stood up and began leading Batman to where Spellbinder was killed. Barbara and her team followed behind Batman until he stopped. They all looked around before settling their gaze upon Spellbinder's fallen body. Michelle didn't look but said, "His collarbone was crushed before he died. I'd say Synthroid choked him if I hadn't saw the scene. Spellbinder died of fright."

Barbara and Batman walked over and peered down at Spellbinder's body. Barbara thought for a moment before saying, "I think this was all set up. Synthroid is flexing his power in front of everyone to prove that he's game to go after the big prize." She turned to Batman. "You," she said meaning Terry and Bruce.