The Fall

CHAPTER TWELVE: LOVE AND MARRIAGE THE SMELL permeated the Batcave as soon as Batman edged the machine inside. His costume was sodden with Jet's foul slurry and he felt increasingly nauseous as its stench wafted into his nostrils. True to the villainess's words the Batmobile had gone. In its place stood another cardboard cut-out of his tormentor flaunting her body at him. The Caped Crusader flung himself off the Batcycle and slammed a right hook into her grinning visage. The figure flew across the room and fell flat on its back. Batman stormed over any sense of logic gone from his brain and started stamping wildly on Jet's upturned face. Four years ago, he thought. Four years ago he'd put her away but now she was back and slowly tearing his life apart. Destroying him and his world piece by piece. The blood was pounding in his ears so hard it took him a few seconds to hear the familiar ring of the Batphone. He kicked the cardboard figure to one side and lifted the receiver. "Batman," said Police Commissioner Gordon's familiar gruff bark. "Have you seen the news?" "No." "Then I suggest you turn it on and then ring me back. I want to know what's going on. Why wasn't I told?" The line went dead. Batman stood puzzled for a moment and then picked up the TV remote and switched the set on. He tuned in to the news to be met by the sight of Jet sitting next to Robin. She was looking at an interviewer out of sight of camera and squeezing the young crimefighter's hand affectionately. Across the bottom of the screen streamed a rolling news alert: Latest: Robin the Boy Wonder announces he is to marry former convict turned fitness instructor Jet. "So Jet," asked the interviewer. "Will you be inviting Batman to the wedding? You two do have a history." Jet smiled sweetly. "Well," she replied pausing for a second. "We did discuss him as a possible Best Man but as Robin pointed out the words Best and Man aren't really appropriate for Batman anymore. He has a few, let's just say emotional problems at the moment. But we may include him as part of the entertainment on the night." "Entertainment? What would he do?" Jet smirked. "He'll do whatever I tell him. Just like Robin. Love, honour - and obey." There was a pause as the flustered interviewer ruffled through his notes seemingly taken aback by Jet's answer. She continued smiling innocently at him enjoying his discomfort. "Right," he said finally turning to Robin. The Boy Wonder's faced looked curiously wooden as though he were devoid of all emotion. His eyes had a distant faraway look in them. "Robin," continued the interviewer. "What do you think the future holds for you?" "I just want to make Jet happy," he replied in an almost robotic voice. "Of course - that's why you're marrying her. Will you continue the crimefighting after the wedding?" "If Jet tells me to. You need to ask her what she wants me to do." "Mmmmmm. OK. OK. Well, er, thanks for your time Robin and Jet. You're a lovely couple. We wish you all the best for the future. Let's hope you're very happy." Jet nodded at him a knowing smile creasing her lips. "Oh I will be," she grinned. The screen switched to a sports report but Batman stood numbly still staring at it without taking anything further in. He was so lost in his own thoughts he didn't even hear the Batphone ringing away this time. Long after it had stopped his eyes drifted down to the table and he saw the familiar white envelope lying next to the handset. To Pig Boy ran the lettering. Slowly he picked it up and pulled out the card inside. On the front was a smiling jet with Robin kneeling in front of her his arms behind his back. She had her hands on his shoulders as though she was kneading them and there was an unmistakable look of pain on the Boy Wonder's face. Above and below the two were the words: A good husband.........is an obedient husband. With dread Batman flicked open the card fearing whatever message Jet had now concocted to further wound his ego. In plain type it read: "You are invited to a party to celebrate the engagement of Mistress Jet to her Boy Toy. "The Hilton Hotel, March 10, 7pm." Below the formal type was a smaller, handwritten message from Jet. "Make sure you've cleaned yourself up by then Batman. I wouldn't want my friends to have their day ruined by a stinking, dirty, emotionally unstable failure of a man. XXXX Mistress Jet." Batman's fingers shook as the card fell feebly from them. He gazed into the distance his head drooped and his shoulders sagging. As he stood there alone Jet was ferrying Robin back to her hideout with a picture triumphantly fixed in her mind. It was of Batman standing cowed in his lair his sopping costume reeking of excrement, blood and urine while realisation dawned in his mind that he had met a superior foe. Four years out of anyone's life was a long time - but it was nothing compared to the joy she would reap from the enslavement of the Caped Crusader for the rest of his days. "Ahhhh Robin," she trilled to her passenger. "Revenge can be very, very sweet."