Chapter 4 Baiting the Trap

Rupert Thorne saw himself as businessman first and foremost. In his eyes ethics and business were as alien to each other as it was possible to be. It was a businessman's job to make money and if some people got trod on in the process that was their hard luck. Although he had a ruthless disregard for those whose lives he destroyed he was not unaware of the feelings of vengeance expressed by some of them. This was one of the reasons Rupert Thorne lived in an apartment on the 14th floor of the Thorne Tower in central downtown Gotham. A state of the art security system ensured all window and doors were secure being linked to highly sensitive sensors and deafening alarms. To make doubly sure he was safe two of his most trusted henchmen slept outside the bedroom door. Thus, Rupert Thorne felt as safe as it was possible to feel as he settled down to sleep in the early hours of Sunday morning.

A tall sleek figure stood on the ledge of the 14th floor looking in at the man laid asleep on the ostentatious bed. Catwoman had checked out the place the previous night. She'd taken photographs of the room and had spent the day carefully analyzing them. It was clear Rupert Thorne took no chances when it came to his personal safety. The bedroom door was alarmed, as was the bathroom door and window. When the security system was set opening any of these would trigger the alarm. It appeared that the bedroom window was always left open about four inches. Too small a gap for her to slide through and if window was moved even a fraction it would trip the alarm. The button that deactivated the alarm was located at the far side of the bed. Catwoman had studied the photograph for hours before finally deciding there was only one way to deactivate the alarm.

Catwoman artfully secured the sash window with two small wedges so it wouldn't move accidentally. She then slid her hand into the carefully attached bag that was strapped securely to her front and gently removed her most prized possession.

Isis held still in Catwoman's hand and waited to be placed safely on the windowsill. Once there Catwoman carefully removed the safety harness. The small cat purred at her mistress's touch. Catwoman pointed at the window and Isis slid inside the room with ease. All afternoon they had practiced what Isis must do. The small cat moved silently around the bottom of the bed and approached the nightstand. She effortlessly jumped up and stood stock still as the man in the bed stirred slightly. Both Catwoman and Isis held their breath. But the sleeping man just moved in his bed then settled down again and began to snore. Isis placed a paw on the middle button of the control panel as she'd been trained to do and Catwoman saw the indicator light change from green to red. The alarm was now deactivated, removing the wedges Catwoman carefully opened the window and silently slipped into the room. She approached the sleeping form and saw the chain around the man's neck. Gently she unbuttoned Rupert Thorne's pajamas top to expose the key. She eased the chain off his chest then stood frozen to the spot as the man stirred slightly. It seemed an eternity before the settled back down, snoring loudly.

Within the hour she would have the Jeweled Rat in her possession so the key possible being missed was only a minor problem. With luck its loss wouldn't be noticed for hours. She neatly cut the chain and slid the key off. For a while they may think it had been lost in the apartment, the chain having broken as Rupert Thorne tossed and turned in his sleep.

Catwoman silently climbed back out of the window. Closed it back down to the usually four inches and secured it. She raised her had and signaled the small cat. Isis stepped on the middle button again and the alarm was reset. The cat retraced her steps and squeezed out of the window.

Scooping Isis up and placing her back in the cat carrier, Catwoman gently patting the animal affectionately before fastening the bag securely. She then removed the wedges and left the scene with no one any the wiser. And certainly not leaving any clues to how the key had been removed from the person of a sleeping man in a locked and alarmed room.

No one would know how the crime had been committed except the tall figure dressed as a bat who had watched the whole incident through his Batscope.

Batman had watched Catwoman work with a mixture of wonder and annoyance. Theft was after all theft no matter how skillfully carried out.

He watched the graceful movements of Catwoman as she leapt from roof to roof heading towards the museum. He was about to shoot off a line to follow her when the lights in the room opposite came on. Batman trained his Batscope at the window. Rupert Thorne was sat up in bed looking at the severed chain in amazement. Then slowly and more worryingly a smile spread across his face, and then he burst of laughing. Batman saw the man's lips move "Perfect, just so wonderfully perfect".

The two henchmen burst in looking worried, " Is everything OK boss?"

"Everything is more than ok my plan is going perfectly!" Batman saw Thorne say."

Worried Batman took off after Catwoman!