Chapter 11
Sparkling like Christmas lights, the Queen's Ruby rested safely in its plexiglass case. The "wonky" lighting noted by Selina the night before hadn't changed. Either the museum was purposely displaying a fake, which was unlikely, or they had no idea it was a fake. What did that have to do with Red Claw?
The museum's staff had done an amazing job cleaning up the room after last night's events. He could barely tell that this room had been the scene of a break in and an explosion less than 24 hours before. They'd even replaced the skylight. But the extensive cleaning didn't mean all the evidence had been wiped away. Using the infrared scanner built into his cowl, he examined the room for any additional traces of the unidentified corrosive that had eaten through the display's wires. Nothing. Not even a drop on the floor next to the case. Whoever had switched out the gems had been careful.
Catwoman slid down the rope he'd left hanging from the open skylight.
"Anything?" he asked as he took a closer look at the case holding the ruby. Catwoman had insisted on examining the main security switch after he disabled it.
"No cut wires, no gadgets to bypass the system, nothing. Not even a scratch or dent on any of the wires where an electricity diverter could have been placed. Whoever disabled the system last night was thorough and left no trace."
"The lighting hasn't been changed on the display case," he said, changing the subject. "And the local security system wiring has been replaced." He gestured toward the ruby with his pen light
"May I?" she asked. Grabbing his pen light, she held it above the ruby. With the additional lighting, the ruby lost its dark red coloring. "That explains a lot."
He waited for her to continue.
"Proper lighting would've been a dead giveaway of a fake. Rubies from the Mogok valley - where this one was discovered - are typically blood red. This? This looks like someone took a red crayon and turned it into a hunk of plastic."
"The case's lighting is intentional," he said.
"That'd be my guess."
"Then someone with access to the exhibit knows it's a fake."
She nodded, handing the penlight back to him. Reaching in his utility belt, he secured a small device to the side of the podium.
"What is that?"
"Localized electromagnetic pulse emitter. Disrupts the local security system." Tiny red lights flashed for fifteen seconds before glowing green.
"I prefer my way," she said, flashing her diamond-tipped claws. He carefully lifted the plexiglass case surrounding the ruby and set it down. Pressing button in his gauntlet, he detached the gauntlet computer.
"It's a phone," she said, surprised, as he rotated the computer in his hands. He started taking pictures of the ruby and its display case for the case file. "Smart," she said. She was impressed. He tried not to let it go to his head.
He snapped the phone back into his gauntlet and picked up the ruby. Turning it over in his gloved hands, he tried to think like Red Claw. He ran his gloved fingers over the smooth sides of the gem.
"What are you looking for?"
He didn't answer as he continued to slide his fingers over each face of the ruby.
"Let me, my gloves are thinner." She took it from him and ran her fingertips over the ridges. Her brows knotted together. "Here. There's an imperfection...a seam, maybe?" She picked at it with the claw on the end of her elegant pointer finger. A compartment slid open. It was empty. He pulled one of the empty plastic test tubes he used to collect evidence from him belt. It fit in the compartment perfectly. Everything started to make more sense.
"Whatever was in this compartment was Red Claw's target. But it was gone before she arrived." He put the gem back into its case and studied Catwoman for a moment. When he arrived on the scene Catwoman had just reached the ruby. She hadn't had a chance to take whatever was in the compartment. Then how did she fit in? "Who knew you were pulling this job?" he asked.
She shot him a look.
"Who knew?" he asked again.
"No one. I'm not some newbie amateur."
"You're sure?"
"How is this relevant?" He didn't answer. Cold green eyes studied him. Inhaling, she unwound her whip from her waist.
"Come on," she said, pulling herself back up the rope they'd used to get into the museum. She didn't flinch as she climbed, never showing the pain her wound must be causing. He admired that. A lot.
"Where are we going?" he asked when he reached the roof.
"To see a friend."
^()^
The sallow glow from the gallery of computer screens reflected off the man's dirty glasses. He toggled between programs and screens as he typed furiously, lines of code multiplying by the second. Suddenly, a thin leather cord wrapped around his throat.
"I don't have anything worth stealing," he said, slowly setting his palms on either side of his keyboard.
"Tell me something I don't know."
"Catwoman," he croaked, sitting back in his chair to get some slack.
"Calculator." Calculator, A.K.A. Noah Kuttler, renowned hacker and information broker to every crook and criminal within a thirty mile radius of Gotham. Like a dealer of rare collectibles, Calculator dealt in exclusive information.
"I need to know everything you know about what happened at the Gotham Museum last night."
"Damn, right to it, huh?" he said as she relaxed the whip.
"I'm a busy gal," she said nonchalantly.
"Maybe you should Google it. See, there are these things call 'news blogs' that will provide all the information you're looking for." The whip tightened again.
"You know as well as I do that what I want to know won't be on Google. You're going to tell me what Red Claw was after."
"Even if I knew what you're babbling about-"
"Don't play dumb. You know everything that happens in this town. Unless you've lost your touch? Maybe you're obsolete and I should be talking to someone else?" she asked, digging at him where it hurts. Nothing bothered him more than the thought of someone else scooping him on intel.
"What makes you think I'd tell you anything?" She spun his chair, pinned his hands to the armrests, and got in his face with her nose millimeters from his.
"Because if you don't, he'll break your arms." Batman lurked in the corner, his mass large and intimidating.
"You brought your fucking boyfriend here?" he shrieked, incredulous. The corner of Catwoman's mouth curled into a smirk.
"You really think he didn't already know you were here?" she hissed in his ear as her diamond claws pinched his skin. "Haven't moved hideouts in years and you didn't even notice when I looped your rooftop camera feed. Maybe you have lost your touch."
"Go to hell," he growled. She smiled and dug her claws harder into his arm. A strangled cry of pain escaped his lips.
"You owe me, Calculator. Remember when you sold me out to that meta for a few grand?"
"And you broke my jaw for that!" She dug her nails in harder, breaking the skin. "Ok! Ok! Rumor is Red Claw was after a designer biotoxin that some Kaznian loyalist had gotten his hands on."
"Do you have a name?" Batman asked, speaking for the first time since they left the museum.
"No."
Catwoman released her hold on Calculator as Batman stepped closer. She knew what he wanted her to do without looking at him.
Batman grabbed Calculator by the throat and picked him up, his feet dangling from the floor. Calculator's panicked eyes darted between the costumed figures.
"The name," Batman growled, slamming him into the bank of computer monitors lining the wall.
"I'd tell him," she said, crossing her arms and leaning against a table holding more screens.
"N-N-Nardoc Sera. He works at the museum!"
"You aren't telling me everything," Batman growled. Catwoman glanced at him, her eyes never betraying her surprise. "I think you know more about the ruby than you're letting on."
"He just doesn't want to be helpful tonight, does he?"
"Doesn't look that way," Batman said, his grip tightening.
"Some artist in the East End was working on a top secret project for Sera," Calculator whimpered.
"And?" Catwoman asked.
"That's all I know! I swear!" Batman held him aloft for a few more seconds before throwing him back into the chair. Calculator gasped, shaking. By the time he regained his breath, they were gone.