Chapter 10: Split Decisions

“Agent Drake was right…” Bruce said at the helm of the computer, the bat-computer as Carrie had come to call it.  He refused to call it that and told her as much. “…the message is a map.  Geo scanning matches it to the historical district.”  Carrie looked on “But that’s three square miles of terrain, how are we going to know where it means to go.  I mean there’s no x-marking the spot.”

“Yes there is.  The only way to complete the map is to misassemble the body itself.  In 1978 Preston Payne, a sculptor with hyperpituitarism, which caused him physical deformities, created a piece called “Life Out of Order”, which features a human form with the limbs out of order.”

“I’m guessing ‘Life Out of Order’ matches the way we have to assemble the doctor’s body to get the map.”

“Correct.  And that gives us two locations where to look.  The sculpture itself is housed in the Gotham Museum of Art, and the artist lives here…” he indicated on the map.”

“So do they mean the artist or the art?”

Bruce pushed a button on the console.  The computer dialed Barbara Gordon’s phone.  “Hello?” Gordon answered, not recognizing the number, likely confused by the bat emblem that appeared on her caller ID.  “Commissioner…” Batman said “I need to meet with you.  Sundown, GCPD HQ.”

“You know the FBI is watching that location?”

“I know.  Bring them.  We all need to talk.”

                Standing on the rooftop, Barbara pulled her coat in tighter, shielding herself against the harsh wind.  She watched the sunset, as red, orange, and purple ribbons of light slipped away under the heavy veil of darkness.  It was almost peaceful.  It would have actually been peaceful had it not been for the supermodel trio that stood behind her, geared in their new body armor.  “How long before he gets here.” Todd asked.

“I’m already here.” Batman said emerging from the shadows.  “He said sunset…” Barbara said.  “Dad always said that of your many personality faults, tardiness wasn’t one of them.”

Grayson stepped forward.  “Alright, what’s all this about.  You have to know that simply by standing here, we should arrest you and bring you in.”

Batman ignored him “The map leads to the historical district of Gotham, narrows down to two locations, the Museum of Art and the residence of Preston Payne.  I can’t search both locations by myself.”

“So you thought you’d just recruit the FBI like we’re hired help?” Todd grumbled, indignant.

“I thought I’d enlist the aid of law enforcement agents that I can help bring an end to this nightmare.” Batman said flatly.

“Fine.” Grayson said, shocking almost everyone “We go in two teams, but I don’t trust you.  Jason, you go with Batman, we’ll take the museum.”  He gave a hard look at Batman “Like this or not at all.”

“Fine.  Agent Todd, my car is down below.”

Batman bled back into the shadows.  Jason moved towards Richard “You want me to play side kick to a lunatic in a Halloween costume?”

“No, I want you to investigate the Payne residence.  It’s a house, less room to loose Batman in.  When you’re done, you bring him in.”

Todd gave him a long, hard, glare.  “Fine.”

Gordon nodded.  “I’ll secure perimeters of both locations with squad cars, in case you boys need assistance.”

Todd made it to the ground level and watched as Grayson and Drake drove off in the SUV.  A black shape tore around the corner.  What looked like a cross between a formula 1 racer and a dune buggy mixed with tank armor pulled up and skidded to a halt.  The passenger side had a panel that lifted up, out, and down the side of the vehicle.  “Get in.” Batman said from within the cockpit.

Sitting and buckling himself with a five point harness, he looked at the array of controls on the dashboard.  “Alright, this is kind of cool.  Nice tires.”

The hatch closed and the vehicle tore into the night.

Grayson and Drake entered the museum, noting that the upper level was designed as a medium sized restaurant, with a skylight dominating the ceiling.  “That’s gotta be dangerous in this kind of city…” Drake mused.

“Where’s this stupid statue?”

“Upper level, security has cleared out the building, Gordon called ahead.”

“Good.  Something doesn’t feel right.  Feels really cold in here.”

“In 1989 a lunatic murdered two dozen people in here.  Maybe ghosts?”

“What kind of mad man would…” but Grayson was cut off by a high pitched cackle screaming over the PA system.  Suddenly the skylight exploded as Joker’s Daughter crashed through, machine guns firing randomly, sending the agents running for cover.

“Well this was a well thought out plan…” Grayson chastised himself.  She ceased fire briefly “Here I was hoping batsy watsy would be the ones showing up here.  Guess he was smarter than we thought.”

“We?” Drake said quietly.  The doors to the museum burst open and in came the Mad Hatter, twin men dressed as Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum, a man in a tuxedo with a red executioner’s mask and cape, a woman dressed in a white corset with rabbit ears.  “You’re going to attack us with a playboy bunny?” Grayson quipped.

“Worse ways to go, I guess.” Drake shot back.  They shot up from their cover and returned fire at the assorted villains as they ran to the back of the museum.

                Batman and Todd entered from a second floor window.  “Don’t we need a warrant?” Todd pointed out.  “You’re following a wanted fugitive.” Batman answered continuing to creep along.  “Just not following too fast.”

“Good enough for me.” The house was two stories tall, basic design, sparsely furnished.  “Someone does live here, right?” Todd whispered.  They made their way down stairs where they could hear the television on.  A sickly sweet odor emanated from the living room.  “Maybe not anymore.” Todd answered himself.  “You’re a real chatter box, ya know.”

Batman didn’t respond, he just moved towards the living room, silent as a ghost.  When they reached it, they found Preston Payne sitting in an overstuffed chair eating something as he faced away from them.  Batman held up a hand, indicating Todd to wait.  “Preston.” He said.  Payne continued eating, not reacting to Batman at all.  He and Todd moved around opposite sides of the chair.  Preston Payne’s deformed body was seated with a bucked of stale, popcorn.  A wire connected his wrist to a motor next to his head, pulling and releasing the arm imitating the motion of eating.  A large envelope sat in his lap.  Payne had been dead for at least a week.  Todd groaned in disgust.  He reached for the envelope.

“No, wait.” Batman said, but Todd had already grabbed the envelope.  They heard a click and tanks discreetly hidden around the house started spraying methane gas.  Batman shoved Todd to the large window as a spark ignited the gas, turning the first floor the house into a fireball that launched Batman and Todd out.  Batman rose up and looked back.  “Who the hell would do all that?” Todd asked.  “Victor Zsasz and Firefly.” Batman growled.  The problem was much larger than he thought.  They both heard gunfire from the direction of the museum.  “Car, now!” Batman roared.

                Grayson and Drake did their best to avoid the weapons fire as they dodged through exhibits.  “We gotta get out of here.”

“Well, we’re on the second floor, there are roof exits, and gun fire coming up behind us.  I’m open to suggestions.”

Batman barreled the car towards the museum, vehicles in the road skidded to the sides to make way for the intimidating vehicle.  He pulled up a monitor that displayed thermal imaging.  “There.” Todd said, accurately guessing that the two figures running were in fact the agents.  “Second floor.”  Batman looked away from the screen and sped the vehicle forward.  “Hold on.”

Joker’s Daughter rounded the raised platform that held the best tables for the restaurant and looked to the sweeping bay windows that overlooked the rest of the historical district.  Bright lights bled in heavily from the window.  “You must be joking.”

The car tore through the windows, sending glass and the Tweedle twins flying.  The cockpit snapped open and Todd sprang from the vehicle tackling the robber known as the Red Hood.  Batman fired a grapple line into the ceiling and flew out of the cock pit catching White Rabbit in the face with the heel of his boot.  He spun midflight and sent two small balls sailing towards the recovering forms of Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum.  The flash bang grenades sent both men flying into the rubble that was the far wall.  Duela Dent smiled “Where does he get those wonderful toys.”

Mad Hatter tucked himself behind a display and aimed his machine gun.  He felt a tap on his back.  He turned and found Agent Drake there.  Before he knew it, a fist landed on his jaw and he was unconscious.

Jason Todd rounded on the Red Hood, grabbing the mask and delivering a hard head but, then bringing up his foot into the man’s chest and kicking him off the second floor railing to the ground below.  The action tore the hood away and left the man sprawled below.  He wasn’t sure if he was dead or unconscious and didn’t care much at that moment.  He glanced at the clump of crimson fabric in his hand.

“Is that all of them?” Jason said looking around.

“Where’s Dent?” Batman said.  Jason heard a noise down below “Gotta jet, handsome!  See you around!” she shouted from below firing a grenade at the agents.  They scattered as it exploded into a noxious green gas.  Grayson and Drake were far enough away, Jason shielded himself with the red hood, and Batman threw himself through the gas, his cape dispersing the cloud as he went.  When he landed on the first floor, Dent and the man who was the red hood were already gone.  The agents went down the stairwell expecting to find Batman, but the caped crusader had vanished.  The sound of grinding mortar and crunching glass alerted them to the car as it backed out of the museum.  Todd bolted up the stairwell “He’s got the envelope!” he shouted but the car had already sped off into the night.  Grayson stood there, not knowing how to feel.

                “Commissioner…” an officer yelled from the shadowy line of police cars. “Dispatch just got a call from city hall.  Killer Croc is going after another city council member.”  In the distance Batman’s car sped into the night.  No, she told herself, this was still her city and she will protect it.  She got into the officer’ patrol car “Let’s go.”  The officer nodded and sped towards city hall.  “Should we call for back up?”

“No, I can handle Croc.”

In the time she’d been with the department, she always felt like she was trying to catch up to her father’s ghost, be every bit the cop he was, and better.  Sometimes that came at great personal cost.  As they arrived at city hall, she exited the vehicle and ran through the double doors.  The officer called out to her, but she didn’t hear him.  She bolted up the stairwell to the fifth floor.  Across the hall from the Mayor’s office was the city council chamber.  It was dark empty.  She could hear her heart beat thudding in her ears, felt it slam against her chest.  A soft growl came from the dark hallway.  She reached for a light switch but nothing.  Then a roar and croc lunged out of the shadows, sending her through the Mayor’s office door.  She pulled herself out of the wreck of glass and wood and saw the silhouette of the officer approaching.  “Stay back!” she yelled “Its Killer Croc.”  The officer kept coming forward.  “Bravo…” he said, until he was standing under the lights.  He took off his policeman’s hat and revealed half of his face disfigured and contorted.  “Did I say council member?” Two-Face asked.  “I meant he was kidnapping you.”

Croc slung the unconscious woman over his shoulder, but as he turned he paused.  Something caught his attention.  He stepped into Mayor Wayne’s office and took a few deliberate breaths through his nose.  He then laughed.