Bat-Villain Clones to Chase

Author's Note: Hello, everyone, and welcome to Episode 8 of my Batman '66 continuation! I had a lot of fun writing it, so I hope that you'll have fun reading it! But first, it's review response time.

Juliasimon77, thank you for the high compliment! I hope that you'll enjoy this part too. Now, on with the story!

As the trio began trudging closer and closer to the inside of Clayface's kiln of crime, the trio began thinking of ways to escape.

"Holy hot pottery," Robin remarked.

"Keep calm, old chum," Batman reassured his sidekick. "For every situation, there's always a solution."

"Solution," Bonnie told herself. "That's it!" she exclaimed out loud.

"What's it, Bonnie?" Robin asked. "Our…our history as crime fighters?"

"Don't be silly, Robin!" Bonnie said. "I just recalled something from my paleontology studies. If clay is exposed to excessive levels of heat too quickly, it's prone to cracking. And we're heading up close to a heat lamp now!"

Bonnie turned her head towards a large heat lamp that was on the right side of the heat lamp that Clayface had neglected to turn off.

"Your paleontology studies may have just saved our lives," Batman told her. "If we can just…rock this clay jar close enough to the heat lamp…"

"Push, everyone!" Bonnie said encouragingly. "Push against the jar as hard as you can! Our lives depend on it!"

Everyone began following Bonnie's lead and pushing in the direction of the heat lamp.

"Did you know, Robin," Batman said as he was pushing his weight against the jar, "that clay, when exposed to rapid, uneven heat, experiences thermal expansion—forcing its molecular bonds to fracture under pressure?"

"Holy heatwave!' Robin replied back. "I had no idea, Batman!"

At first, as the group pushed, the jar didn't move at all. Then it moved ever so slightly. Then, at last, it began to tilt on one end, and the trio had to use every muscle in their bodies in order to keep it tilting on one end. The heat lamp began hardening the clay jar, and with that, they began pushing against the jar in order to cause deep cracks within its surface from the heat.

One crack appeared, then two, as the flames felt hotter and hotter against their uniforms…

"We must keep going!" Bonnie encouraged them. "If we don't break free soon, we'll be relics for Clayface's next exhibit!"

And keep going they did, as more and more cracks started to appear on the jar. Pushing against the cracks, something had to give, and that something was the jar, which shattered to pieces right in front of the kiln.

"That was an impressive deduction that you made, Miss Linseed," Batman told Bonnie as the trio dusted themselves off next to the conveyor belt. "Let this be a lesson to you, Robin-always pay attention in class."

Robin nodded, and Bonnie added with a chuckle, "It looks like my studies just saved more than fossils today!"

Suddenly, something in Batman's utility belt began to beep sharply.

"Holy red line!" Robin remarked. "It's the portable Bat-Phone in the Batmobile!"

"There's no time to lose!" Batman exclaimed as he whirred around, and the three heroes ran towards the exit of the Gotham Pottery Factory.

After opening the trunk of the Batmobile, Batman quickly answered the portable Bat-Phone.

"Yes, Commissioner?"

"Batman! It's a crisis!" Commissioner Gordon told him. "Clayface is demanding twenty million dollars for the porcelain jewels that he stole from the Gotham City Museum, or else he'll unleash clay clones all over Gotham!"

Before Batman could respond, Commissioner Gordon picked up a nearby black phone that was nearby him and, after a few seconds, spoke to Batman.

"It's worse than we thought!" he said. 'A clone of Bookworm has been recently spotted in the Gotham City Library! Warden Crichton said it has to be, because the real Bookworm is currently locked up in Gotham State Penitentiary."

Another pause.

"Great Scott!" Commissioner Gordon told Batman after several seconds. "The Joker and the Harlequin at the Gotham City Amusement Park…King Tut and Cleopatra at the Gotham Museum…the Archer and the Puzzler at a movie set…it's incredible!"

"Stay calm, Commissioner," Batman told him. "Myself, Robin, and Bonnie can handle this. I give you my word."

Hanging up the phone, Batman explained what was going on to Robin and Bonnie.

"Holy clay criminals!" Robin remarked, punching his fist. "How are we going to stop so much of Clayface's army in such a short period of time?"

"We aren't, Robin," Batman told him. "But if you recall, a fire truck was recently donated to the Wayne Foundation and upgraded with the help of…an old friend. I think it's time that we put the Bat-Fire Truck into action."

Batman took a Bat-Walkie Talkie out of his utility belt and began speaking into it. About ten minutes later, the Bat-Fire Truck arrived next to them. It was a 1960 International Pumper decked out in a black and red paint job with ladders on both sides, and it even had a Bat-Beam in its bed end behind the wheel (behind which was a swivel seat complete with a Bat-Seatbelt for safety), next to which was a rolled-up giant red and black Bat-Hose.

"Holy heatwave!" Robin exclaimed.

"The Bat-Fire Truck, ready for action, sir," Alfred said, getting out of the driver's seat and bowing to Batman.

"Thanks, old friend," Batman smiled.

"Very good, sir," Alfred smiled. "I'll be taking Gotham's public transportation in order to get back to my, er-hem, home."

With that, Alfred walked to a bus-stop, and Batman and the gang went inside the Bat-Fire Truck, where three Bat-Fire Suits were waiting for them on the driver's seat, including black firefighting helmets.

"Let's suit up," Batman said. "We'll need all we can get to fight against Clayface's ghastly criminal force."

Batman got into his uniform, a red Bat Fire-Suit with a black helmet that had his Batman logo in the center. What completed his uniform was a black utility belt complete with red Bat-Fire Extinguisher pellets and a black fire-resistant cape, as well as an opaque Bat-Oxygen Mask.

Robin's uniform was similar to his classic outfit, but with a black fireproof vest which sported a yellow and black "R" on the right side. He also sported a Bat-Oxygen Mask.

Bonnie's uniform, meanwhile, was themed after Robin's colors as well, but with flames on the leggings. Accompanying her uniform was a fire-resistant Robin scarf and thick, black gloves with small picks at the end of the fingers-Bat-Clay Scrapers, to be exact.

All three of them put on their Bat-Firefighting Gear and dramatically suited up, ready to take on Clayface's army for the safety of Gothamites everywhere.

"It's time to extinguish Clayface's plans," Bonnie quipped, "one blast at a time!"

"First things first, Bonnie," Batman said, "we must deduce where Clayface is hiding in order to control his clay army."

"It'd have to be someplace wet," Robin remarked, recalling the recent Bat-Fight, "but I doubt that he'd go back to the Gotham Pottery Factory."

"Wet…" Bonnie told herself, tapping her foot. "Wet…That's it! My search for cephalopod fossils has often taken me to the old Gotham aqueducts on the other side of town. It has the perfect amount of stone and moisture for Clayface to keep his form."

"You just might have gotten it, Bonnie," Batman said proudly. "There's no time to lose! We must go to the Gotham aqueducts and stop any clones from wreaking havoc along the way."

Batman entered into the driver's seat of the Bat-Truck.

"Robin, Bonnie," he said, speaking to the duo, "you can control the Bat-Beam and Bat-Hose, respectively."

"Roger!" they said at the same time, climbing up a ladder and entering onto the bed of the Bat-Fire Truck. Robin buckled into the seat behind the Bat-Beam, while Bonnie gripped the Bat-Hose. Batman revved it up, turned on its Bat-Siren, and off they went through the streets of Gotham!

Their first stop was a nearby photography studio, where a clone of Mister Camera was stealing some rare photographs.

"Say cheese!" Mister Camera laughed. "You've got to look good for the camera!"

Batman got out of the driver's seat of the Bat-Fire Truck. Robin and Bonnie were about to follow, but Batman told them, "You two stay here. I'll distract this phony photographer to get the photographs out of his hands, and you can blast him when I say 'Now!'"

"Aye aye, Batman," Robin saluted as Batman went inside the photography studio, where Mister Camera was making his getaway. Batman took a Batarang and threw it at the clone, startling him and causing him to drop the photos.

"It's time for your final headshot, Batman!" Mister Camera laughed, taking a black flash bomb and threw it at Batman. Batman tried to shield his eyes, but he tripped and just barely made it out of the building towards the Bat-Fire Truck before they went off. That was when Batman took his chance.

"Now!" Batman exclaimed, looking up at Robin and Bonnie, and Robin gave him a nod of acknowledgment.

"Bat-Beam on…!" Robin said, positioning the Bat-Beam to align with the Mister Camera clone.

PEW!

The Bat-Beam hit the clone with a wave of intense heat, completely hardening it and preventing it from moving. Cracks were already beginning to form on its surface.

"How dare you…ruin my focus…" said the Mister Camera clone as he was hardening.

"Bonnie, it's your turn," Robin smiled.

"Oh, boy!" Bonnie grinned, gripping the Bat-Hose and aligning it with the hardened Mister Camera clone.

KERSPLASH!

The water from the Bat-Hose hit the Mister Camera clone, cracking its already weak structure apart and turning it into a pile of gloopy mud.

"We did it, Batman!" Robin said triumphantly.

"That we did, old chum," Batman said. "But the Gotham Aqueducts are still ways away, so our work has just begun."

Their next stop was a pet shop, where a clone of Mister Cobra was stealing a pair of priceless snakes, and Catman a litter of kittens…

The Joker and Harlequin at the Gotham City Amusement Park…

The Bookworm at the Gotham City Library…

After they had defeated several more clones, Batman, Robin, and Bonnie decided to regroup at Saturday's Sundae Café, where the Golden Scoop Trophy that it won sat proudly near its case of ice cream flavors. The trio were sitting down at a circular table, with a makeshift clone map written down on a napkin.

"Holy pottery panic," Robin said. "We've defeated some of Clayface's clones, and we know he's in the aqueducts, but how are we supposed to know which part he's operating in?"

"I noticed that the Bookworm clone misquoted a passage from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz," Batman pointed out. "It appears that the further the clone is from their source, the weaker they become."

"Wait!" Bonnie told the Dynamic Duo, pointing to various places on the map. "I think I see a pattern. Look-the clones' locations are in a circular pattern, with the Gotham Central Aqueduct Station in the center. That's where in the aqueducts that we need to go!"

"Let's knock that nocent down a peg or two!" Batman exclaimed, his cape whirling around as the three of them ran out of Saturday's Sundae Café.

After several minutes, the Batmobile arrived in front of the Gotham Central Aqueduct Station. The building, now far from appearing shiny and professional, was now almost completely covered in clay, aside from the doors and windows. It towered over the trio, who stared at it for a second before walking up to the door.

"This is it," Batman told them. "The Gotham Central Aqueduct Station. Let's face whatever awaits us inside with bravery and dignity!"

Batman opened the door, and what they saw made them gasp. Clayface was now an enormous size, and he was constantly absorbing water around him. Clones of various Bat-Villains, such as the Calculator, the Signalman, and Planet Master were coming out of him. These clones paid no attention to the trio as they exited the Aqueduct Station to cause chaos around Gotham City. Clayface finally noticed them, and when he did, he merely sneered.

"The Clay Crusaders and their little plus-one," sneered Clayface, unleashing three clones to guard his new form. Shame, Louie the Lilac, and Egghead appeared out of his body and began attempting to attack Batman, Robin, and Bonnie.

"Allow me to water your roots," Bonnie quipped to the Louie the Lilac clone, whipping her scarf towards a rusted pipe and breaking it open, causing water to splash on him.

"You may have drenched my plans, dear girl," said the Louie the Lilac clone dramatically as he was washed away, "but like the mighty lilac, I shall sprout anew! Mark my petals!"

"Quickly!" Batman remarked, whispering to Robin and Bonnie. "You distract the remaining clones and lead them outside, and I'll get the Bat-Fire Truck ready for action!"

"Right, Batman," Robin said excitedly.

The Shane clone attempted to shoot Robin with his pistol, but the Boy Wonder surprised him with a well-timed Batarang. He dropped the pistol and made for his lasso, and that was when Robin and Bonnie took action.

"Y'all are about to be roped in faster than a tumbleweed on a windy day!" shouted the Shame clone.

"It's time for your eggs-it," chuckled the Egghead clone.

Robin and Bonnie ran towards the door and tossed it open, and the Egghead and Shame clones followed them.

"Batman!" Robin called up to his mentor, who was now aiming the Bat-Beam. "Now!"

"I'm on it, old chum!" Batman grinned, aiming the Bat-Hose at the clones and firing it off.

SPLASH!

went the Bat-Hose, hitting the two clones and turning them into mud.

"We really washed away our competition, didn't we, Boy Wonder?" Bonnie smiled.

"We sure did, Bonnie!" Robin replied. "Now let's give Clayface a little mud bath!"

The trio walked back into the Station, and they saw Clayface-gasping for breath and now weakening. He was slowly shrinking, and was now much smaller than before, with his two hands now turned into giant hammers. The biding time gave Bonnie an idea as she looked at the rusted pipe that she had broken open to defeat the Louie the Lilac clone.

"You'll never defeat me, Bat-Bozos," Clayface huffed. "I've still got enough clones in me for days!"

"He's weakened," Batman whispered to his partners. "If we can just take advantage of that weak spot…"

"That pipe!" Bonnie pointed out. "It's still spilling out water!"

"Holy tidal wave," Robin whispered back. "You mean-?"

"Precisely, Robin!" Batman told them. "We can take advantage of Clayface's current weakness to overflow him with water! But we'll need to act fast, before he makes more clones!"

Clayface began to walk towards the trio, clay sticking on the ground with every step he took. Batman took out his Bat-Grappling Hook and fired it at the pipe as Clayface raised one of his hammer arms.

"I've got you this time, Bats!" Clayface laughed.

In the middle of Clayface raising his arm, the Bat-Grappling Hook hit the pipe and burst it open even more, causing a deluge of water to flood towards Clayface. "Huh?" he questioned, looking in the direction of the pipe.

"Noooo!" Clayface cried dramatically as the water dragged him towards the door. Hurrying to the Bat-Fire Truck, Robin quickly jumped onto the back of it and fired up the Bat-Beam, aiming it directly at Clayface. With a direct hit, it hardened Clayface, causing cracks to form over his now rough body.

"Yet another criminal washed away by the pursuit of justice," Batman remarked as he placed Bat-Cuffs on Clayface's wrists.

Later That Evening…

Back in Wayne Manor, Bruce Wayne, Dick Grayson, and Bonnie Linseed were talking on a couch in the living room. Nobody else was in the room aside from Alfred, who was busy cleaning.

"You handled yourself pretty well back there," Dick told her proudly, holding her hand. "If it wasn't for your knowledge of paleontology back at the Gotham Pottery Factory, we would've become a modern art exhibit."

Bonnie shrugged, but she allowed a small glimmer of pride to light up her eyes. "I guess all those paleontology lectures paid off," she said modestly. "I never thought knowing how fossils crack would come in handy against a supervillain."

"Gotham needs heroes of all kinds, Bonnie," Bruce told her. "Quick thinking is just as valuable as strength or skill."

"Thanks, Bruce," she said quietly. Then, with a playful smirk, she added, "Although I'm still getting used to escaping death traps."

"You're not alone," Robin laughed. "I still remember when the Minstrel nearly barbequed Batman and I."

"So do I, Dick," Bruce said with a chuckle. "But as long as Gotham City has those willing to stand up for what's right-" he looked at Bonnie, "-there's always hope."

Dick placed a hand on Bonnie's shoulder.

"You've made a real difference," he reassured her. "First Harlequin, and now Clayface. You're shaping up to be a real good crime fighter."

"Quite right, Dick," Bruce agreed, and Bonnie stood in awe of what the two just told her, her eyes glowing with determination.

"I guess I'd better stick around then," she said with a giggle. "Someone has to keep you boys out of trouble."

The three of them, as well as Alfred, laughed as the sun went down around Wayne Manor. For now, Gotham City was calm once again, and they could rest peacefully, knowing that as long as they had each other, they could always face whatever came their way.

Author's Note: That's Episode 8, as well as the conclusion of the Clayface cliffhanger! Did you like it? Feel free to leave a review, plot suggestion, villain suggestion, etc., as those really encourage me (if you want to), and stay tuned for the next episode, which will most likely be a single-parter!

Until then,

Gabe S. :)