9:02 PM
Gotham News Station
"I want to know how this Anarky clown preempted our broadcast?! Someone get me some answers!" the News Director of the Gotham News screamed into the bullpen of cubicles where the station employees were scrambling to figure out the source of the preemption. Vicki Vale, one of the News Anchors, then approached him.
"Chief, I just talked to Jack Ryder. He said that only our network had the Anarky Broadcast. The other networks are just now rerunning it!" Vicki reported as the director groaned.
"And you're not in the chair reporting on it because…?" the director asked.
"Because the story is here, chief, that's why. Two recognized members of the Rogue's Gallery attacking Gotham over a Mayoral Election is national news!" Vicki replied as the director groaned again.
"Whatever but if we lose viewers because we weren't reporting the news, you're getting relegated to traffic duty!" the director grumbled as Vicki merely smirked, watching him stalk off. She then started up the stairs to where the broadcast equipment was located. The equipment was behind a wall of glass. Using her ID Card, she entered the room and started looking carefully around, checking any ports and plugs that were normally empty for any kind of tampering. Finally she found something. A small red device plugged into the side of one of their main broadcast transmitters. This caused her to grin and snap a picture of the device with her phone. She started to turn around but when she did, she came face to face with the Batman.
"Oh! Geez! You scared me Batman, but then again that is kinda the point. Here to give an interview? You owe me about a dozen by now." Vicki commented but Batman remained silent, examining the device.
"Where were you when Anarky made his broadcast?" Batman asked as Vicki shrugged.
"Sitting at the anchor desk in front of an audience of six and a half million viewers, not counting national viewership or the production crew." Vicki replied.
"Anyone leave after the broadcast?" Batman asked.
"Dunno. But I know how you can find out. Everyone who comes into the station has to have an ID Badge and scan it in order to even so much as open the front doors." Vicki replied as Batman put a hand to his cowl.
"Blackbat?" he asked. Down in the station's security office, the two guards sitting and watching the monitors didn't notice the air vent near the wall open up, a black gloved hand reaching out with a small usb device, and plug the device into the back of one of the security computers before slipping back into the vent. Back up in the broadcast equipment room, Batman heard a deadpan and autonomous feminine voice start speaking.
"Device planted." Blackbat replied using a text-to-speech program for their suit communicators.
"Oracle, you're good to go." Batman said into the radio.
"On it. Checking recent key usage logs." Oracle replied.
"So what's this device here?" Vicki asked as Batman looked at the device on the broadcast equipment.
"It's a wireless relay. It allows point-to-point wireless remote access to whatever system it's plugged into." Batman explained.
"So basically anyone with Wi-Fi and a computer could hack into our systems with this thing." Vicki said as Batman scanned the device with his cowl's Detective Mode.
"Not exactly. The range on these devices is relatively short and this room is near one of the outside corners of the building. Someone had to plant the device inside so that someone on the outside could hack in." Batman explained before reaching in and pulling the device out from the plug.
"Won't that alert whoever's plugged in that they've been caught?" Vicki asked but Batman pocketed the device.
"No. They effectively hacked the system and ran once the broadcast was finished. The device was expendable." Batman replied as Vicki gave a slight nod of understanding, looking into her purse to look for her recording device.
"Any chance it can lead you to our hacker?" she asked, pulling the recorder from her purse but when she looked up, Batman was gone.
…
Batman, Blackbat, and Robin were seated in the Batmobile as it tore through the Gotham Streets, Blackbat had the wireless relay plugged into a small black device with the batman insignia on it and a usb port.
"Okay so what are we doing with this thing?" Robin asked, referring to the device.
"This type of wireless relay has a limited range and always requires a twin device plugged into the source computer. We can patch the device into the GPS unit in the Batmobile and zero in on the partner device." Batman said as the GPS in the Batmobile activated, highlighting a spot near the Cyrus Pinkney Museum.
"And we've got them!" Robin said with a smirk.
9:13 PM
Outside the Cyrus Pinkney Museum
A young woman with short brown hair and wearing glasses had just parked her car outside the museum where three other people stood waiting, one of them wearing an Anarky armband.
"We saw the broadcast. Good work." One of them said, leaning in the car window.
"Thanks. If it helps Anarky, then I'm glad I could help." The woman said with a smirk. The crook then heard a strange pinging sound coming from the backseat of the car. He looked and saw the girl's laptop sitting open on the backseat, an alert flashing on the screen.
"Hey, should your machine be doing that?" the crook asked.
"What?" she asked, looking back and freezing in disbelief.
"No-no-no-no-no! This shouldn't be happening. It's impossible!" She exclaimed before a black figure dropped down behind two of the thugs and bashed their heads together, knocking them out while the one sticking his head inside the girl's windows was dragged out and had his head bashed against the roof, knocking him out. The girl quickly unbuckled her seatbelt and started to flee only to come face to mask with Blackbat who simply stood with her arms crossed in front of her. The girl gasped in fear and backed away, bumping into Robin who smirked.
"Y-Y-You wouldn't hit a girl with glasses would you?" she asked fearfully, Robin noticing the Gotham News Access Badge dangling from her neck.
"Depends on the girl. Harley Quinn, Poison Ivy, Killer Frost, definitely. I might yank Catwoman's tail but that's something else entirely. But you? Nah. I wouldn't hit ya…but she definitely will." Robin said, pointing to Blackbat who cracked her knuckles. The girl looked at Blackbat with definite fear.
"W-W-What do you want?" she asked, trembling.
"Where did Anarky plant his bomb for tonight?" Batman asked as he approached.
"I-I-I don't know, honest! I was just told to hack the studio feed and broadcast Anarky's message. I have no idea where Anarky set up the bomb!" she explained. As she did, Blackbat noticed something inside the crooks' car which was parked ahead of them. She pulled back her two-part mask, the part covering her eyes an upper nose first followed by the part covering her mouth, a domino mask covering her eyes as she peered inside the car.
"We don't have time to argue this! People's lives are at risk!" Robin said before they both heard Blackbat let out a shrill whistle. They both turned to see her pull an employee parking pass for Jezebel Plaza, Gotham City's only Outlet Mall, from the rearview mirror.
"Looks like we have a potential bomb site." Robin commented as the girl seemed to relax.
"So I'm free to go, right?" she asked before having a pair of handcuffs slapped onto her wrists.
9:26 PM
Jezebel Plaza Shopping Mall
Jezebel Plaza was your typical shopping mall. The mall closed early every Tuesday during the tourist off seasons and so the place was dark and the parking lot, empty. However, as the Batmobile rolled up to the north entrance of the mall, they could tell something was amiss.
"There. Those doors shouldn't be open." Batman said as they motioned towards the large doors leading into the food court from the outside.
"That's where I'd infiltrate." Robin commented.
"No surprise." Blackbat commented on her voice emulator as Batman parked the Batmobile, the three climbing out and heading into the mall. As soon as they entered the mall, a set of security gates dropped down behind them, trapping them inside, the mall lights flickering on while a jaunty jingle came on over the Mall PA System.
"Attention shoppers! Tonight we have a three for one special on flying rodents in the food court! Get 'em while they're hot!" Harley Quinn's voice could be heard yelling over the speakers. Almost instantly a team of clown mask wearing thugs emerged from behind the counters at the various restaraunts, all of them carrying clubs, bats, iron bars, or crowbars, leaping over the counters and running towards the Batclan. Robin immediately pulled his bo-staff while Blackbat and Batman dropped into fighting stances. Before the first of the thugs could reach them however, Batman fired his grapple gun into the air, grappling onto the ceiling and swinging over the goons heads, distracting most of them and giving Robin and Blackbat an opening to deliver some vicious blows to a couple of them before Batman landed and grabbed a chair near one of the kiosks, throwing it at a group of approaching thugs, knocking two of them to the ground while two more stepped around and swung at the Batman but was stunned when Batman caught the iron bar he'd been using mid-swing, yanking him forward just in time to take a crack to the head meant for Batman by a golf club wielding goon.
"Huh?!" the goon yelped when he realized he'd clocked the wrong guy but looked up to see a gloved fist flying straight at him. At the same time, Robin and Blackbat were easily evading the goons' attacks by weaving in between the tables and chairs of the food court. The tables and chairs were all bolted down and couldn't be moved so they were able to easily weave between them, knowing the goons couldn't just overturn the furniture to get at them. Finally, Cassandra rolled forward past one goon, popping up between him and another with a knee to the chin of one and a punch to the face of the other before putting her arm around the neck of the goon behind her, the one she had punched, and proceeded to pull him into a jumping cutter from out of nowhere. Robin, meanwhile, had his bo-staff at the ready before leaping up onto a table, popping open the built-in bullet shield, and bashing the closest goon in the head. He then proceeded to dive atop the second, sandwiching him beneath his weight and the floor, leaping up, grabbing the third by the arm and, while riding the momentum from his leap, down onto the second before landing back down on the third, kicking him in the back of the head. All the goons were down for the count and the Batclan quickly regrouped.
"Any ideas on where we should start looking for Anarky's bomb?" Robin asked, having recovered his bo-staff.
"We should check the security office. It's likely to have picked them up on surveillance while they were planting it." Batman ordered, the trio racing off into the mall. As they ran, the TV Advertising monitors scattered throughout the mall suddenly came on with a purple, yellow, and cyan blue variation of the American flag waving in the background and the Joker's face in place of the fifty stars while a kazoo rendition of national anthem played in the background, Joker walking onto the screen.
"So you managed to survive your little encounter with my little Wild Card, eh? To be honest I quite expected that. I didn't think the kid could pull it off on her own, especially not on her first try. But she did give you some nice bruises though!" Joker said as with a grin, the batclan running towards mall security.
"So you might be wondering, 'when did the Joker sign up with the mad bomber?' It's actually a funny story! He came to me! Crazy, right?! I tell him I'm going to kill the winning mayor, and he says he'll provide the bombs to keep you busy, Bats! It's kinda nice not to have to use your own bombs for a change. Only downside is there's not as much confetti and streamers with his bombs, but just as much boom!" Joker commented as the batclan arrived in the security office, only to find the monitors smashed and equipment destroyed. The night guards were lying dead on the floor with hideous grins on their faces. Gassed with lethal doses of Smile-X.
"Damn it he saw us coming!" Robin groaned.
"Back into the mall! Set your cowl scanners to scan for explosive compounds! Go!" Batman ordered, the three turning and running back into the mall. As they exited the security office, their scanners picked up something in one of the stores.
"There, that clothing store! Hillman's!" Robin exclaimed, the three running inside. The store was a menswear store specializing in suits, shirts, ties, tuxedo rental, and other gentlemen's apparel. To the naked eye there wasn't a bomb visible but beneath two horizontal display tables and beneath the checkout counter were several bombs tagged with Anarky symbols. The trio immediately went for the bombs, Blackbat and Robin taking the two bombs hidden under the displays while Batman went for the one under the register.
"The yield in these bombs combined could probably level the entire mall. No pressure." Robin muttered as he set to work disarming the bomb. Suddenly the TVs outside in the mall clicked back on but this time it was Anarky.
"I warned you, Batman! I warned you not to get involved! I might not always have agreed with the Joker's motives, but our goals are aligned. I'm giving you this one chance to cease your actions and allow the Joker to carry out his intended promise. Gotham City is corrupt and it needs leadership that will not bow to the corporations or to an already corrupt administration! Gotham is in need of purging and if we must destroy a few buildings and kill a few corrupt officials to wipe away the blight upon this city, then we will do so. Back away Batman! Embrace the Anarchy!" Anarky ordered but Batman didn't stop. The Joker then chimed in over the PA system.
"Hey, Harley, why don't we spread some anarchy of our own?!" Joker asked with a chuckle.
"Sure thing, Mista' J! Come on, Card, it's time to go shoppin'!" Harley could be heard saying but her voice was coming in quite clearly and too close. Robin looked up from his bomb in time to see Harley and Wild Card running into the store, Harley with her mallet and Card with her baseball bat.
"Incoming!" Robin exclaimed as he and Blackbat leapt up from their explosives, quickly moving to intercept the two Joker Henchwomen, leaving Batman to work on his bomb alone. Blackbat was going up against Wild Card alone, ducking her swings with the baseball bat while Robin was dodging Harley Quinn's wild strikes with her mallet. Blackbat managed to sidestep one swing from Wild Card's bat while pulling a small gun from her belt, firing the gun at Card which fired a pair of sharp spikes with a strong black cable between them, pinning Carde's left arm against a nearby retail cart in the center of the walkway. Blackbat charged in to attack but Card merely grinned and plowed both feet into Blackbat's chest, sending her staggering back into a display planter. At the same time, Robin had sidestepped a downward swing from Quinn before stepping up onto the hammer and leaping into the air, landing down atop the deranged psychiatrist who grinned up at him.
"Ya tryin' to get rough with me, bird brain?" she asked, earning a scowl from Robin.
"You're not my type." He replied simply.
"Too bad!" she replied, quickly wrapping her legs around his waist and rolling so that she was now on top of him, her hands to his throat.
"Sing lil' birdy! Sing!" she yelled cheerily before Robin kicked her off, throwing her through the display window of a Disney Store, Robin leaping up and charging after her. Batman had defused the bomb under the counter and was just finishing the last bomb when Anarky came on over the televisions again.
"I know you've defused one of my bombs already Batman! You've officially interfered, and unlike the bloated and self-serving politicians the Joker has promised to execute, I keep my promises!" Anarky said, raising a detonator in his hand and jamming his thumb down onto the button. Instantly a countdown timer on the bombs started ticking down from thirty seconds. Batman didn't stop, defusing the second bomb and quickly moving to the third but there wasn't enough time to defuse this one. He checked for motion sensors and found none, grabbing the bomb while prepping an explosive batarang, throwing it into the air where it exploded against the skylights over the mall. He quickly grappled up through the hole, landing safely on the roof and pressing a series of buttons on his utility belt. From the parking lot, the batmobile lit up before a large black object burst up from a storage compartment on the back. The object suddenly unfurled itself in midair, the Bat-Glider, and fired up a series of booster rockets, the glider flying towards Batman who was just finishing putting a taught cable around the bomb. Batman turned just as the glider came flying low over the mall roof straight towards him. Just as the glider looked like it was going to miss him, he managed to snag the bomb to the glider, the glider suddenly pulling up, flying high into the sky as Batman leapt back down through the shattered skylight.
"Get down!" Batman yelled, Robin and Blackbat taking shelter a split second before the bomb exploded high above the mall, the concussive shockwave from the blast shattering almost every single skylight in the mall, sending a shower of glass raining down into the mall. As the Batclan emerged from their cover spots, they looked around, searching for a sign of the Joker's Henchwomen. Robin looked inside the Disney Store but saw a door to the stockroom standing open. Similarly, they heard the fire alarm going off as the emergency exit door was used.
"Should we go after them?" Robin asked.
"Let them go. They'll have a getaway plan in place. They'll be long gone before we can reach them." Batman said as he turned back towards the Hillman's store.
"Any idea why the bomb was set here in the mall?" Robin asked as Blackbat gave a nod.
"Capitalism." She said in ASL.
"Oh right. A mall would be symbolic of corporate consumerism. Right up Anarky's street." Robin said as Batman looked the Hillman's store over.
"But why this particular store? The store isn't near the center of the mall. If Anarky wanted to destroy the mall, he'd want to plant it in the center to maximize the damage. Instead he targets this store." Batman said as the three looked around.
"Don't suppose it's because Hill is the name of one of the candidates is it?" Robin asked.
"Possibly. There must be something here that connects Anarky to this store." Batman said as they looked around. After a couple minutes of searching, Robin was checking the register bomb itself when he found a piece of paper attached to the bomb with an Anarky symbol on it.
"I think I've got something." Robin said as they approached.
"Be careful. The bomb is defused but there might be another detonation mechanism." Batman said, quickly analyzing the bomb but found nothing else. He then snipped the page free from the bomb, Robin unfolding it to reveal a strange verse which read...
"The Hill, the Hunter, and the Puppet. The three competitors for death. We know their crimes and the voice of the people shall be heard! The Hill of False Accusations where innocent men are sent to jail for the crime of exercising their1st amendment rights! If reelected, he will be executed for his perjury."
"This must explain the link between Mayor Hill and the motive Anarky might have against him." Batman said as he scanned the information on the tag into the Batcave computer through his cowl.
"Oracle, I want you to look into Mayor Hill's background. Look for anything involving protests or anything that might provide a motive for Anarky. If it involves the Hillman's clothing chain, flag it for review." Batman said into the comlinks.
"Will do. GCFD is responding to the explosion. Police aren't far behind. Any casualties?" Oracle asked.
"Only a few security guards but they were dead long before we got here. We're returning to the cave. It's unlikely that Anarky or the Joker will strike again tonight." Batman said as they started for the exit.
"I'll keep an eye out for anything suspicious in the meantime." Oracle replied.
"So what's our next step?" Robin asked.
"We do some digging." Batman replied.
End Chapter 3.
Please R&R…
In case you didn't notice my little joke, in the early mall fight scene, Cassandra's flying cutter "from out of nowhere" is a reference to the Randy Orton "RKO from outta nowhere" meme as the RKO is a flying cutter maneuver in Pro-Wrestling.