CHAPTER 4

BLACK MARKET BUST

Batwoman perched on a rooftop high above Gotham City. She had tracked down a few of the Joker’s former henchmen, but they knew nothing about the weak toxin. Now, she was trying one last thing to help solve this mystery.

The crime fighter focused her binoculars on the scene below. Several people milled around the various cars and trucks parked in the dark alley.

This wasn’t a random gathering. It was a mobile black market swap meet. Here one could buy stolen goods, weapons, almost anything.

Both she and Batman had busted it several times. But no matter how many times they took it down, the crooks always seemed to find a way to organize it again. If someone was selling watered-down Joker toxin, this would be the place to do it.

She scanned the milling crowd of criminals. It was a long shot, but maybe, just maybe, she could spot …

Batwoman shifted her focus to a pair of crooks in the shadows. A man pulled out a wad of cash and handed it to a figure in a hooded trench coat. The cloaked figure took the cash and then produced a small green gas tank.

“Got you,” Batwoman said as she put her binoculars away. She dove off the rooftop and rocketed toward the scene below. Then, at the last minute, she spread her cape wide. She caught enough air to slow her down before landing in the middle of the marketplace.

“We’re busted!” someone shouted as truck engines roared to life. Crooks scattered and vehicles pulled away.

Normally, Batwoman would’ve tried to take down as many of the criminals as possible. But right now, she only had eyes for two of them. The trouble was that they were running in two different directions.

Batwoman needed to chase the criminal in the trench coat. But she also didn’t want the canister of Joker toxin to be used in another crime.

The hero reached into her Utility Belt and pulled out a small tracker. She hurled it down the alley and it stuck to the back of the trench coat. The tracker’s red light blinked as the crook disappeared around a corner.

Batwoman ran after the man with the canister and tackled him. She wrenched the tank from his grasp as he stood up to fight.

“Hey, I paid good money for that,” he said as he picked up a nearby pipe.

The ten criminals who hadn’t escaped began closing in. They picked up boards and chains, ready to attack. Batwoman was surrounded.

“I don’t have time for this,” Batwoman growled. She knew she could take them all. But the person in the trench coat was getting farther and farther away. She had to find out who was behind the Joker toxin.

The crime fighter reached into her Utility Belt and pulled out her small gas mask. She put it on and opened the valve of the tank.

HISSSSS!

Green gas sprayed out of the tank and flooded the alley.

“I’ll tell you what,” Batwoman said. “Why don’t you all just sit down against that wall and take a break. You can wait for the police to get here.”

The crooks glanced at each other before dropping their weapons and moving toward the wall.

“That sounds like a great idea,” one of them said with a grin.

Another criminal clapped his hands with excitement. “We get to ride in a police car! Oooh, I hope they run the siren!”

Once everyone was sitting peacefully, Batwoman set down the emptying canister and pulled out her grapnel. She fired it at a nearby rooftop and it pulled her off the ground and into the night.

The crime fighter ran across rooftops and leaped from building to building. She held a small device in one hand, following the tiny red blip on the screen. The tracker led her to a warehouse several blocks over.

SWISH!

Batwoman swung onto the roof and gazed in through a large skylight.

A door opened in the room below and the cloaked figure entered. The figure dropped the trench coat, revealing a woman wearing a black and red body suit. Her face was painted white and a jester’s hat sat atop her head.

“Harley Quinn,” Batwoman said with a snarl. She jumped forward and crashed through the skylight. She dropped to the floor in a shower of glass.

Harley gasped with surprise. “I knew I had bats in my belfry,” she said. “But this is ridiculous!”

The criminal ran across the room and grabbed an oversized mallet. She grunted as she swung it at Batwoman’s head. The crime fighter ducked the blow and then landed a kick to Harley’s stomach.

“Ooof!” Harley said as she dropped the mallet.

Batwoman picked it up and broke the handle over her knee. “Why are you selling Joker toxin, Harley?” she asked. “Where’s the joke in letting other crooks use it?”

“Oh, there’s no joke, sweetheart,” Harley replied before back-flipping across the room. She landed beside a closed door. “I just needed some cash. After all, someone has to pay the food bill while Mr. J is locked away.” She opened the door. “Crackers! Giggles! Mama’s got company!”

Two giant hyenas burst from the room. They cackled with laughter as they charged at Batwoman.

The crime fighter was able to dodge the first beast, but the second one took her to the floor. She pressed her forearm against its neck, barely holding back its snapping jaws.

Batwoman pushed off the floor and flipped the animal over her head. She sprang to her feet and then leaped out of the way as the first hyena lunged at her. She landed atop a stack of crates.

Batwoman dug through her Utility Belt. She pulled out a set of bolas and hurled them at one of the animals. The hard balls at the end of three ropes wrapped around the beast’s legs and it hit the floor.

“Crackers!” Harley shouted.

Batwoman leaped clear as Giggles bounded toward her. He crashed through a crate and its contents flew everywhere. The crate was full of hot dog buns.

The crime fighter reached back into her belt and grabbed another weapon. She whipped her hand toward the other hyena and a large net flew through the air. It wrapped around the beast, trapping it.

“Giggles!” Harley shouted. She reached into a nearby closet, pulled out another mallet, and charged. “Don’t worry, darlings! Mama’s comin’!”

Batwoman caught the handle of the mallet just as Harley brought it down. The two struggled for control of the weapon.

“Who else did you sell toxin to, Harley?” asked Batwoman.

“Oh, that watered-down stuff?” Harley asked. She laughed as she strained against the crime fighter’s hold. “No one else. We need the rest for the biggest joke of all!”

Batwoman’s eyes widened. “We?”

Suddenly, a boxing glove came out of nowhere and slammed against Batwoman’s head. She crumpled to the floor, out cold.

The Joker smiled as he reeled in the glove. “And you won’t believe the punch line.” He roared with laughter.