Chapter 9

Batman had barely come down the stairway when Selina threw the device at him. It hit him square in the chest and bounced off the stone floor, ringing as rolled about halfway between them and settled like a spinning quarter.

"You're a paranoid freak!" Selina hissed at him. "You have to be in control of everyone, including the people around you. I suppose it was foolish to think we could trust each other that it was…"

Her words slowed to a halt. She had been thinking of all the times they had been together. The experience with Dorian, the time she was poisoned by Dr. Milo, the time she saved him from the Joker's machine on live television, a favor he had returned…but then she started remembering other things. She remembered the dates they had years ago, they had discussed setting up preservations for endangered animals. She could remember the scent. But that wasn't with Batman that was with...

"Bruce?" She said, in a whisper. He stood still for several seconds, and then nodded silently. Her anger returned, her face looked like that of a cornered wild animal, "So, all this time you've been manipulating me, trying to make me a proper member of society. You befriended me, showed interest in my causes, but it was all fake wasn't it? You viewed me as a case study. Another one of your freaks to try and cure. Maybe if I had been a nice kitty on a leash; you'd show real interest, but you'd never accept me for what I was. You're just like Dorian, trying to shape and control people around you according to your vision!"

Batman stood silently, like a wall. Finally she said "Well?" with an exasperated sound in her voice.

Bruce replied, his demeanor barely changing "Is that what you believe?"

After a few seconds, Catwoman calmed down, her teeth no longer born, her ears relaxing on the top of her head. "No," she spoke finally, taking several deep breaths, "Not really. But I do want to know why you bugged me."

Batman walked forward and picked up the device, "It's actually a device I put in to monitor your physical condition for any changes." Catwoman looked down, embarrassed. "Though if you think I'm not taking precautions with two of the word's greatest thieves in my home, you're mistaken," he added matter-of-factly.

"I'll take that as a compliment," Selina said tensely. She then put her hand to her head, "Bruce, I'm sorry, I just…this is a lot to take in at once."

"Did you ever suspect?"

She paused…"No, not really. You were always more than the playboy from the tabloids. Still, billionaire Bruce Wayne," she said cracking a smile, "I was beginning to wonder where all that first class equipment came from. Always wondered why I couldn't find your distributor myself."

Thus began a long, personal conversation. The memories flushed forward as they remembered their past encounters. Years worth of chases, captures, escapes. Bruce seemed awkward, he'd clearly never discussed so many of those old stories, but Selina was amazed at how precise his memory was.

When there was a lull in the discussion, Batman's voice became more serious. "Selina, you once said that maybe there could be something else for us, without the masks."

Selina's expression became sad, her eyes and ears turned down. "Batman…Bruce" She said, "I…"

She suddenly stopped. "Dr. Minerva's coming."

The Cheetah came into the room, shedding her lab coat and safety glasses. She took a deep stretch, moaning slightly, clearly glad to be rid of the cumbersome outfit. "Am I interrupting anything?" She said, glancing at the device in Batman's hand.

"Not really," Catwoman responded quickly. "What's the progress report?"

"To make a long story short, I need access to Dorian's original notes. At this point I'm just working backwards."

"How do we get them?" Batman said.

"Well," she responded, "It's possible they're locked away in some secret government warehouse. Where that would be-your guess is as good as mine."

Catwoman spoke up, "Batman, what about Dorian's island? I know his lab was mostly destroyed by Tygrus but there still might be something there."

The Cheetah leaned forward, curious "Tygrus?"

"I'll explain on the way." Batman replied as he took out his transceiver. "Batgirl," he spoke into it, "Prep the Batplane. We're going for a trip."

He then turned to Selina and Minerva, "The sooner we do this the better. I've got to make some preparations, I'd get some rest, and we'll leave early next morning." He then departed quickly from the room. As he left the Cheetah peered curiously at Selina's expression.

"I guess we'd better turn in," she said finally.


"None of Dorian's notes I received even mentioned Tygrus." The Cheetah said from the back seat of the Batplane, seated next to Catwoman. The Batplane soared just above the clouds. Through the tinted windows, one could just see through them to the ocean.

"He kept it secret," Batman responded as he tried to steady the plane from a slight rush of turbulence. "For twenty years. When we left, we didn't feel the need to tell anyone about him, we figured Tygrus didn't deserve the extra attention."

"Do you think he's still alive?" Batgirl asked.

"Who knows? He was all alone there. If we do run into him, we need to be careful. There's no telling what state of mind he'll be in."

Catwoman looked down, as the Cheetah spoke, "Heck, I'd be interested in meeting him. Just asking a few questions might help out a lot."

"Well, we're closing in on the island, so you may get your chance."

"Finally! If I had to stay in these cramped seating arrangements any longer-"

Just then, a loud, flashing red alarm went off. The dashboard message read, "S.A.M. Incoming."

"SAMs?" Batgirl shouted over the blaring warning sound, "This island is supposed to be abandoned, how can it have air defense missiles?"

"I don't know, but hold on," Batman retorted. He took a sharp turn to the right, the sudden surge in g forces almost making their passengers black out. He then took a left, and continued zig zagging across the sky. He checked his warning system, there were two missiles following him.

"Releasing flare," he said as he flipped a switch. A bright flight released from the plane's back. Batman checked his radar, still one left. He tried to climb altitude. No good, this could be it. "Be ready to bail."

They barely had enough time to register the shock, as they quickly grabbed a parachute each.

He made a sharp drop in altitude, with the missile still in hot pursuit. A quick glance at his radar told him they were over the island.

"If we eject, try to meet on the ground," he said, as he made a last, desperate move to lose his pursuer. Still no good. It was now or never. He gripped the "eject all" lever and pulled it.