The spotlight flittered across the
room, finally settling on the dark form standing onstage.
How in the hell did I get into
this?
He was dressed in a costume, not
unlike his own. Evidently Batman fantasies were a favorite among the women
who frequented this establishment – a woman’s club popular among Bludhaven’s
female residents.
As he walked to the middle of the
stage, cape billowing softly behind him, he recalled the person responsible
for him being the center of everyone’s attention here tonight – Dick. It’s
all Dick’s fault! Yes, the case was important, and yes, Dick did ask for
his help. He couldn’t very well refuse him.
But, as he began swaying to the music,
slowly removing the black cape from his shoulders, and watching the reaction
of the crowd as it pooled around his feet, he contemplated that perhaps he
would learn to refuse him in the future.
Soon the lights began to flicker,
casting shadows on his form, as fog began to rise around him. The scene for
Batman was set and the crowd roared for more.
A rather burly brunette yelled from
front row, center stage. “Take it off!”
The music began pounding in his ears
as he slowly made his way to the end of the stage – to the infamous bar used
in countless cabarets. He grasped it securely with both hands, swinging
around it seductively. Then his muscles rippled as he lifted himself
sideways - his robust arms and abdomen effortlessly supporting his legs as
he paralleled them with the floor. His plan was to entertain this
boisterous crowd with fetes of strength, hoping it would discourage more
garments being discarded from his body than was absolutely necessary.
Unfortunately, that thought was
short-lived as the brunette leapt onstage, tearing the breakaway leotard
from his now exposed body. Well, at least he had the g-string.
**
They were undercover, garbed in tuxedo
pants and tie, and nothing else - the Chippendale garb being copied here in
this Bludhaven club for women. It should have been a simple undercover
assignment. He and Bruce infiltrated this woman’s nightclub as waiters,
looking for evidence. The club was a money laundering front with ties to
the mob.
But, things didn’t go quite as
planned.
The bugs were planted and Oracle now
had access to the club’s security system – monitoring activities from the
closed circuit cameras posted throughout the building. As soon as she
completed testing the equipment, they could leave. Leave for the bugs to
gather the needed evidence in closing down this operation.
But, what they didn’t count on was a 6
foot, muscled brunette paying a hefty fee for a surprise show by an
entertainer of her choosing – namely Bruce. He couldn’t say no. Their
cover might be needed again before the evidence was gathered. So, Bruce did
the only thing he could do given the circumstances – he glared at Dick for
putting him in this situation.
Dick panicked momentarily at the glare
given him by his surrogate father. But, it was important to put an end to
this operation. Bruce knew that, too. The repercussions of such a large
operation would eventually trickle down to
Gotham. But, somehow, that didn’t make Dick feel any better.
“Um…Oracle?”
“Testing those bugs you planted, FBW.
Just one more minute and you guys can get out of there,” Oracle said.
He chanced a glance at the stage where
Bruce now stood in his g-string, the brunette reaching for it. “I need a
diversion, O,” he whispered. “Now!”
“A diversion? What do you mean?” It
was suppose to be routine bug planting operation.
“Take a look onstage,” he said.
Barbara slowly turned the camera
toward the stage, looking for signs of trouble, when the evenings
‘entertainment’ caught her attention. The camera zoomed in.
“Um…hunk wonder? Is that who I think
it is?” she asked while simultaneously hitting the button that would record
the performance for posterity.
“Yea. Yea it is,” he said. “So…how
dead am I?” he asked with a nervous laugh.
“Oh boy. You are so dead,” she said,
laughing hysterically.
“Please O. You’ve got to help me
out. Can’t you blow a fuse or something?”
“And miss the show? Where’s your
sense of adventure.”
“This is Bruce we’re talking about,
Babs” he whispered. “Its kinds like catching your parents having sex,” he
said then placed his hands over his eyes, spreading his fingers, chancing a
peak. “Ew…please make it stop!”
Gasping for breath, Barbara managed to
cause a blackout, her laughter echoing over the comm. link. When the lights
were turned back on, the stage was empty except for the brunette and a black
g-string dangling from her fingers.
*
“This is your fault.” He held the
cape he managed to snatch before his hasty departure – wrapping it tightly
around his bare body.
Dick tried to stifle a laugh. “I
didn’t know you had such talent. Ever think you might be in the wrong line
of work?”
Bruce glared which caused even more
bouts of laughter.
“Hey guys. You out of there yet?”
Oracle asked over the link.
Dick held onto his side, taking deep
breaths before opening his comm. link. Before he was able to answer her
question, he doubled over again in hysterics.
Bruce rolled his eyes as he opened his
link to speak with Oracle. “We’re clear, Oracle. Are the devices
operational?”
Oracle chuckled. “Boy, are they
operational. Why don’t you guys drop by on the way home and see how clear
the images from the cameras are? I even managed to record some of the
night’s ‘entertainment’.”
Bruce’s face blanched and Dick started
pounding the pavement for relief.
“I know that the Justice League is
always looking for good surveillance equipment, so I sent them copies.
Thought they’d want to take a look at what the equipment could do.”
“You didn’t?” Bruce asked with a tinge
of fear in his voice.
“No. But, I just might send it to a
certain Amazon Princess I know. I think she’d find this film of particular
interest.”
“What do you want?” he asked. He knew
when he was beaten.
“Oh…I’ll let you know…In time,” she
laughed and cut the connection.
