Chapter 15

Getting Information

"Toxicodendron radican,"

Lucius Fox confirmed at his desk when he spoke on his mobile phone. "The most common name for the plant is Poison Ivy."

Batman was sitting on the saddle of the BatCyle near the river front listening to Fox ramble on about the effects of the plant to the human body.

"I don't need all the detail." Batman said acting impatient. "I just need to know if the ivy was found in any of the blood samples I give to you."

"I'll review them again and let you know if I come across anything. Do you need anything else?"

"No,"

He fired up the engine and sped off into an on ramp of the over pass. While steering the bike he tapped into Gordon's cell phone.

Commissioner Jim Gordon unlocked the back door of his town house, he was ready to hit the sack but his cell phone rang.

"This is Gordon," He said.

"How many roses make a dozen commissioner?" A female voice asked through the other line.

"Twelve."

"Smart man. For that is the time of when Judge Whitehorn dies. Oh if you think there's a party waiting for you at Star Labs think again."

"Who is this?"

"You'll find out soon, commissioner,"

Batman entered the lab room of Star Labs only to find that it was empty. He moved to tables filled with glass jars and samples of vials containing unknown substances.

"Sir," Alfred said through the comlink.

"Go ahead Alfred," Batman said looking at a vial that contained another ivy leaf .

"Commissioner Gordon sent a text message stating that the hostage situation at Star Labs isn't the crisis."

"I know." Batman replied looking at the leaf. "But the murderer did leave another clue. Meet me at the bunker in one hour."

Tilly Whitehorn groaned as she awoke. A blinding light was directly in his eyes. She squinted trying to adjust to it, but was failing miserably as the light burned them, out of options he closed them again. Tilly tried to lift her hands but to her surprise she found that they were bound by warehouse chains to a steel chair.

"Where am I?"

"Welcome to be secret garden Tilly." A woman's said from the shadows. "Plan on a short visit dearest."

"What do you want?" Tilly screamed has tears rolled down her face.

"Relax; I want to show you something." The red haired woman stepped from the shadows wearing a black leather jacket with an imprint of a red rose on the back. Her lips were stained with green and eye lids covered with green eye shadow.

In her hand was a red rose. "It's a rare rose that used to strive well in the forest the surrounded Gotham. But then keep the bulldozers, those horrible bulldozers and destroyed by precious. It was all thanks to your dear old daddy and his friends. They are murders and it's time for them to pay for their sins against nature."

She looked at Tilly.

"That is not justice." Tilly said coughing up blood.

"Justice will be served and your dear old dad will end up into the ground and wither away just like the beautiful creatures he condemn to be destroyed. The poison only takes a few minutes to react to the body. At first it feels normal but then you feel the burning, the gasping for air and then finally you take final breath.'

She laughed.

"They say poison is the cleanness way to kill someone. It leaves trace of blood on the floor and no evidence that there was murderer in the room of time of death."

Bruce Wayne still dressed in his Kevlar armor was sitting at the computer desk in the hidden bunker that he used at a second bat cave. He sensed that the goddess of Love was planning something cunning and he couldn't risk her invading his home uninvited.

Alfred Pennyworth came from the lift carrying a container of breakfast and the Gotham Times. "Care to explain why you're not in the cave again sir?" He asked looked at the young dark haired man studying the screens that had pictures of the leaf that he founded at Star Labs. "It's nearly witching hour; I trust that you had one of your full minute power naps?"

Bruce wasn't paying any attention to his old butler his mind was focused on the ivy leaf.

"Taking up gardening, Master Wayne?"

The billionaire gave a small smirk. "No, it was found at one of the crime scenes of the Jane Doe. Could be another calling card, but I need to have a closer look." He rose from the chair and moved to the workbench where there was a microscope resting. He placed the slide of the leaf on the holder and peered through the lens. "There seems to be traces of plasma imbedded in the cells of the leaf." He added. "Could be from the victim or the murderer,"

Alfred looked at the front page of the newspaper. "Master Wayne, I think you should have a look at this?"

"What?" Bruce answered as he looked at the image on the print.

Body Discovered at the Gotham Docks.

"When did this happen?"

"Two hours ago"

"Gordon would have told me." Bruce growled feeling that the distraught that he failed to save another life. "I should have known."

"Master Wayne, you can't be everywhere. You're just one man."

Bruce removed the slide and placed it on the DNA scanner near the computer.

He slumped his body in the chair and looked at the list of names that matched the blood from the leaf. His lips were formed into a straight line as his eyes focused on one named that became highlighted. "Carlos Mixx."

He rose from the chair and walked over to the steel cage. "Looks like someone is going to have company tonight,"

"You mean morning; after all it is 3 AM."

"Whatever," Bruce replied reaching for his grappling hook.

Claros Mixx opened his eyes. He felt a panic attack coming on was his deep browns looked at the ground above. The only thing that stopped his body from the impact was wire wrapped around his ankle. His heart began to beat fast as sweat poured out of him.

Batman was holding up the drug push named Mixx by the wire. He could feel the sweat running off his sharp featured face.

"I want information."

Claros shuttered when he heard that bone chilling voice that made his skin turn white as he looked up at saw the Batman crouched down on a stairway only holding the grapple wire with one hand.

"You think this is scaring me freak!" Mixx shouted through the dead silence between the two of them. "I'm not scared. You don't scare me." He said looking down at the ground below them.

Batman curved his lips forming them into a small sly smirk.

"You should be."

He let go the wire and watched the bald head Latin man fall while screaming his lungs up.

"You bastard!" Claros screamed as his body nailed the impact of the pavement, he gasped as the wind got knock out of him. Batman flew down, landing over him and hauled him up with the collar.

"Who's been paying you to sell this trash on the streets?" Batman asked in forceful tone as he searched through Claros' pockets and pulled out a plastic bag.

"I don't know."

"That's not the answer I want."

Claros gulped down. "I only do what I am told that's it."

Batman could tell that he was hiding something. "You know about the murders of the teenage girls don't you Mixx?" He squeezed the collar tighter.

"The girls? The bald drug pusher asked. "What girls?"

"Don't play coy with me."

Mixx looked at Batman sneering.

"No one's going to tell you anything freak. They're wise to waste your act. You've got nothing on us, just rumors from the commissioner. They know everything about you Bats. You want them, you got one way. And you already know what that is….

Batman growled as he dropped Mixx.

"How many more lives will it take freak to wake you up?"

Midnight….

Rose Red entered the office of Judge Carl Whitehorn the father of Ashley and Tilly; she walked to the desk, poured the vial into the glass of water. "Wither and die Mr. Whitehorn." She said looking at the clear liquid settle into the water. She then pulled out a drawer and grabbed a folder. "You won't need this anymore." She hid into the closet when the door knob turned and the Judge walked in with his silver grey hair reflecting in the ceil lights. He picked up the glass and gulped down the water.

Red made her presence known. "Hello there, handsome."

Judge Whitehorn looked at the youthful red head and smiled. "Hello there, are you new to the staff."

"No," Red said. "I'm only here for a short time." She looked at saw the sweat pouring out from his flesh. "I've come here to give message." She removed her gloved hand which showed a small automatic cross bow attached to her wrist. "It that message is simple one." She fired the darts into his chest. "You and your kind will pay for the sins against nature." She fired again. "At this very moment the words of comfort I have for you is the hope that you rot into the earth and flowers will grow on your grave."

Stone fell backwards and smacked his head against the floor. Red walked over and sat on his chest.

"Who are you?" Judge Whitehorn asked gasping for air.

Red leaned her head closer to him and said. "I'm poison to any man that crosses my path." She pressed her lips onto his. "A kiss goodbye, Judge and don't worry about your youngest daughter it was very moment she's just gave her last breath." She looked down at him and watched his eyes roll back.

Her cell phone rang. "What is it darling," She asked.

"It's Mixx's. The Batman is on to your cause Red. He knows something."

"Relax; soon the little bat will be out of our hair." She said looking at the vial. "And Gotham will be a perfect place for a summer harvest."

Commissioner Gordon ducked at the barrage of questions as he passed the annoying reporters. He entered the office of Whitehorn and saw a few of his detectives standing around talking to the employees.

Detective Megan Heart handed Gordon a photo of Carl Whitehorn, his eyes were sucked in and lips seemed like they were dissolving.

"I know sir, it's shocking." Heart stated.

"Yes it is Carl Whitehorn was the best judge in Gotham. I want a floor by floor search of every room."

Heart nodded.

Gordon looked and in the corner of his eye he saw Batman appear from the shadows. He waited for everyone to clear out.

"You know that this was all planned. Someone had a vendetta towards the judge."

Gordon shook his head. "I can't see why my friend, Carl was a good man never did anything dishonorable in this life. I've known him for years."

Batman flipped on his heat vision lens over the slits of his eyes and looked at the carpet floor. He discovered a patch of powder and dabbed his gloved finger in the dust.

"What's that?" Gordon asked.

"Cement dust." Batman said as he looked at the water glass. "Have your men sample the water, there's something hidden."

Gordon nodded.

"I'll let you know if I …."

He turned and saw that he was staring at his own shadow.

"I hate when he does that."

In the hotel room Diana was looking out at Gotham wearing a white evening gown, her hair was dancing in the cool wind as Bruce entered by asking the maid to unlock the door.

"I was wondering if you forgot." Diana asked rocking her body back and forth.

Bruce moved in closer, she could see the dark the circles under his eyes. He looked worn out and drained.

"Bruce, how are you feeling?" She asked. "You look tired."

"I'm fine Diana," Bruce said acting a bit standoffish. He hated when people took pity onto him. Instead he would just grin and bear his injuries. "This is not the reason why I am to see you princess. I need to tell you the truth."

Diana was preparing herself.

"I understand that you want to go through with this to save both our souls for the curse we are about to endure and I have come to realize that …."

She pulled him close and kissed him with passion, lust and satisfaction. He pulled away and moved closer to the window.

"To tell you the truth, I thought I could never love a woman again, not ever what happened to Rachel and Selina. My enemies used them to get to me princess," He trailed off with his words looking out at Gotham. "I have a lot of issues princess, and I'm not one for having fun."

Diana crossed her arms. "You already said these three reason's before, on the night when Circe…"

Bruce lifted his hand. "Don't remind me." He moved in closer. "When you said that you loved me Diana, did you mean it?" He took her into his arms narrowing his sorrowful hazel green eyes onto her angelic face.

"Of course I did, I've loved you from the first time we met."

He placed his head on her forehead and brushed off the hair. "This time princess the stakes are higher. We have to be smart about this."

"I understand, Bruce." Diana said pointing her head down. "What do we do?"

He pressed his lips onto hers and then separated.

Diana looked sadly in his eyes.

"I love you Diana, I will always love you." He said. "But they're not going to let us be together." He gave her a gentle kiss on the cheek. "Whatever you chose I shall always be with you,"

Bruce looked into her ocean blue eyes and then walked away.

"Bruce," Diana called out. He turned and looked at her. "We'll find a way out of this."

He nodded.

"Good bye princess."