A police car's sirens screeched as a green roadster sped through the Bowery. From the roadster, Pagliacci aimed her crossbow and shot out the police car's front tires.
"The play is over!" Pagliacci gloated to the crashed policeman.
"Riddle me this- what does a beat cop have in common with the IRS?" Riddler asked.
"They're around because of taxes, and they're both annoying?" Pagliacci replied.
Riddler beamed- Pagliacci was much brighter than most of his associates. Also, she could pick locks like nobody's business. From the rooftops, a blonde in a gray sweater and running shoes watched as the roadster sped back towards Gotham's waterfront and the Nautilus Motel.
Back at the Nautilus, Riddler and Pagliacci examined the fruits of their labor- pearls, diamonds, and several other gems. All were from a reputable jewelry establishment in Blüdhaven- where the Batman rarely ventured. Just then, the blonde in the gray sweater and running shoes darted in through the window.
"Ink?" Riddler asked.
"Hi, Eddie!" Ink replied.
"Who is this?" Pagliacci asked.
"Ink." Riddler answered.
"BASTARDO!" Pagliacci exclaimed at Riddler.
"It's not what you think, Paige." Riddler replied.
"Eddie's like a big brother!" Ink piped up.
Pagliacci grumbled slightly.
"Eddie, who's the new girl?" Ink asked.
"Paige Liccardi…aka Pagliacci." Riddler answered.
"HI!" Ink exclaimed.
Meanwhile, Batman was following an anonymous tip from Blüdhaven about a jewelry store robbery. A trail of tire tracks were all that were left of the perpetrators. Soil analysis would be performed back at the Batcave.
A few hours later, Batman was analyzing the soil samples he had taken from the tire tracks. At the same time, pictures of Pagliacci and Riddler were on the computer screens.
"Looking for new employees, Master Bruce?" Alfred snarked.
"These soil samples contain traces of materials that you'd expect to find at the waterfront. That answers where Riddler and Pagliacci are hiding." Batman replied.
"The boat, sir?" Alfred asked.
"Yes, Alfred. Those two won't expect me to go the long way around." Batman answered.
Back at the Nautilus Motel, Pagliacci, Ink, and Riddler were watching the evening news.
"It's been three weeks now, and Gotham's new crime couple is still at large. We're now going to Jack Ryder to get an opinion from the field." The televised Summer Gleason announced.
Riddler changed the channel to a game show. Ink muttered something about having to go home, and Pagliacci left for bed.
Meanwhile, the Bat-Boat approached the docks. Batman slowly began to clamber upwards towards the street, praying that no one would see him…
"Hi, Bats!" Ink exclaimed from a rooftop.
Batman nearly lost his grip. Ink had probably blown his cover. But now his resolve hardened. He could still take on Pagliacci and Riddler- and he would.
Steam rose from a grate as Batman walked through the dark alleyways of Gotham's waterfront, looking for Riddler's abode. The priest was waiting.
Towering above the derelict streets was a Gothic cathedral. This was where undercover cops and reporters looked for information on their prey. Batman had been there several times before, and he was going back again to visit an old informant- a Jesuit priest.
SLAM! SLAM! went a knock on the cathedral's back door.
"What's the password?" A man asked, opening a slit near the top of the door.
"Ave Maria." Batman replied.
"Batman?" The man at the door asked.
"Yes, Father Fontaine." Batman answered.
"Come on in- step out of the rain." The priest requested.
Batman walked into the cathedral, watching as Father Joshua Wilks -the local priest- stood at the altar.
"Batman, do you wish to confess your sins?" Father Wilks asked.
"I didn't plan to. I'm looking for information." Batman answered.
"Information?" Father Wilks responded.
"Where is Riddler?" Batman demanded.
"He's in the Nautilus Motel, Batman. He…hasn't come for confession in a month." Father Wilks answered.
"Thanks for the information." Batman replied.
"God bless you, Batman." Father Wilks responded.
"You too, Father." Batman said back, leaving the darkened church.
Inside the motel, Pagliacci began to remove her makeup. The white grease paint was the first to go, then the eyeliner…and lastly, the blue tear running from her right eye.
"Where's Edward Nygma?" Batman interrogated the desk clerk.
"Nygma? Look in Room 6." The desk clerk answered.
Just as Pagliacci was removing her shirt, Batman came crashing through the door.
"Ciò che il cazzo?" Pagliacci exclaimed.
Batman was unfazed by the sight of Pagliacci with her shirt unbuttoned.
"Say hello to my pistole!" Pagliacci exclaimed, reaching for her Glock 17.
The Batsuit shrugged off Pagliacci's 9 mm rounds. All Batman had to do was wait until Pagliacci ran out-
CLANG!
Batman was briefly dazed from a blow to the head. When his vision returned to normal, there was Pagliacci- armed with a crowbar.
"The play is over, Batman!" Pagliacci gloated.
Batman made a quick mental assessment of the situation. Just as Pagliacci was about to finish him off, Batman began to laugh.
"Che diavolo?" Pagliacci asked, dropping the crowbar.
Batman continued to laugh.
"Basta! You're scaring me!" Pagliacci exclaimed.
Just then, the sound of police sirens echoed across the waterfront.
"Cazzo." Pagliacci grumbled.
A few days later, Pagliacci and Riddler were at Arkham Asylum again.
"Riddle me this-" Riddler began as the two were laboring in the asylum gardens.
"Shut up, Eddie!" Pagliacci interrupted