Electra's Web

       Court In A Trap





“I TAKE it he’s back in the land of the living,” asked Electra as she lounged casually on a leather sofa in her office.

 “Of course,” replied Fatima. “Or at least what passes for living in his current world.

 “But don’t worry – the sedatives have fully worn off. He’ll understand every single detail of the proceedings.”

 “Mmmmmm, good,” purred Electra. “This should be exceedingly entertaining.”

 She raised her wine glass in the air towards her friend.

 “A toast,” she said. “The Bat, caught in Electra’s glorious trap.”

 They laughed and clinked the glasses together before taking long, leisurely sips.

 “I’ve asked Robin to conduct a few interviews outside the court afterwards,” continued Electra. “A few suitable derogatory remarks followed by a small announcement. Just to rub a little bit more salt into Batman’s wounds.”

 She grinned and as if on cue the Boy Wonder entered the room.

 “Your car is ready Electra,” he said giving a slight bow as he spoke.

 “Good boy,” she replied. “Do lead the way.”

 A pair of police outriders led Electra’s limousine across town to the Central Criminal Court.

 The convoy avoided the crowd thronging the front of the building and headed for a concealed entrance at the rear.

 Anneka was already seated in the courtroom as Electra and Fatima entered the packed auditorium to take their reserved places beside her.

 Every single seat in the public gallery had been taken and such  was the interest the proceedings were being beamed live on giant screens set-up outside the courts.

 Electra beamed as she looked round at the crowd and waved her hand regally.

 Excited chatter filled the air but then a hush descended as everyone rose at the sight of Judge Eason taking her place on the bench.

 She was one of Electra’s more recent appointments and had already caused a stir due to her good looks, relative youth and harsh sentencing policy.

 She’d described one prominent businessman convicted of fraud as: “Scum of the lowest order” – and ordered him to kneel with his head bowed as she pronounced sentence. The action had drawn universal acclamation from the media and made her a star.

 She nodded to the legal representatives arrayed in front of her and then took her seat.

 “Present the accused,” she said.

 All eyes turned to the dock at the far end of the courtroom. It was bounded on three sides by floor-to-ceiling reinforced glass with wooden panelling behind – from which a door opened and the figure of Batman emerged flanked by two female guards.

 The crimefighter’s wrists were handcuffed in front of him and his ankles shackled together by a short chain.

 “The prisoner may sit while the business of the court is decided,” said Judge Eason and then looked down at Nicole.

 “How does the defence plead?”

 Nicole rose holding a sheaf of papers in her hand.

 “Your honour,” she said. “The defence submits that its client is unfit to enter a plea due to gross mental instability.

 “I have discussed the matter with my prosecuting colleague and she is happy to accept the evidence of the accused’s psychological incapacity.”

 There was a sudden roar from the dock.

 “No!” shouted Batman leaping from his seat and hammering his fist against the glass. “I do not……”

 The words choked in his throat as one of the guards stepped forward and pressed a rod against his neck. His mouth gaped open and his face convulsed from the electric current flowing through his body.

 The woman held the weapon in place watching him impassively as he slowly sunk to his knees.

 Judge Eason’s mouth creased into a slight smile at the sight of his body twitching - his face now pressed helplessly the glass.

 “Gag him,” she said curtly. “If he interrupts again you have my permission to administer further punishment.”

 Electra, Anneka and Fatima were wreathed in smiles as they watched the guard produce a leather muzzle and tie it around Batman’s mouth – securing it tightly behind his head.

 Together with her colleague they hauled him back to his feet and deposited him roughly back in his seat. Both then unsheathed their black truncheons and stood holding them menacingly on each side of him.

 The Dark Knight’s body was still quivering as Judge Eason resumed speaking.

 “I believe the accused has just provided ample evidence to support the defence’s submission. Therefore, I accept.

 “May we hear the prosecution.”

 Nicole sat down and the figure alongside her rose to address the Judge.

 She was a tall, elegant woman with a mane of long black hair, statuesque figure and classically beautiful face.

 Her voice rang out in a clipped, cut-glass accent as she spoke.

 “As you know,” she said. “The accused, Batman, was initially held on charges of grand sedition, eliciting forgery, threatening behaviour and conspiracy to dishonour the office of Mayor of Gotham City.

 “Regrettably, during his captivity he has also committed further offences – namely assault, failure to adhere to prison discipline and, most gravely, the attempted rape of a young woman whom he had previously made unwanted sexual advances towards while at liberty.

 “The evidence for all the charges is clear-cut and involves witnesses of the most impeccable character together with video footage and written documentation.

 “The appropriate punishment for the prisoner’s abhorrent behaviour over a sustained period of time is, of course, in the hands of the court. But we shall be pressing for the most severe sanctions to be imposed.”

 Batman sat cowed in his chair      listening to the prosecutor  outline her case the presence of the guards and their truncheons and stun gun forcing him stay immobile.

 He listened with mounting anger as first Electra and then Anneka took to the stand to give their evidence – evidence which painted the Caped Crusader as a violent, depraved, sex-obsessed monster.

 To his fury Nicole made no attempt to challenge their versions of events – nor cross-examine the pair.

 At one stage Batman could contain himself no longer and began to stir – only to freeze as he sensed a movement from behind and felt a truncheon tap his shoulder.

 “Down boy,” came the whisper in his ear.

 At the end of the first day Judge Eason dismissed the court – thanking all those present for their patience in sitting through what she considered the most harrowing evidence they had probably ever had the misfortune to hear.

 She then looked at the dock sternly and said: “Take the prisoner down. And ensure he is under total restraint at all times.”

 

       -------------------



BATMAN’S eyes were heavy and tired the next day after a fitful night spent chained to a rough, hard bed in the holding cell. His wrists and ankles were still shackled but the gag had now been removed frrom his mouth.

 The prosecutor resumed her evidence with a warning.

 “I have to warn the court that many here may find what you are about to witness extremely disturbing.

 “I apologise in advance. But bear in mind the ordeal was much more disturbing for the teenage girl involved. A girl who, as you have already heard, once professed an admiration for the accused.”

 As she sat down TV screens around the courtroom flickered into life.

 Batman was on the bed in his cell – his arms wrapped around Anneka as she stood in front of him.

 The court gasped as his voice came from the speakers.

 “I want to fuck you. I want to teach you a lesson.”

 Anneka squirmed in his grasp gasping.

“No. No. Please Batman. No”

 The film cut from one scene to another showing the Dark Knight’s Lycra trunks falling to his ankles and Anneka on top of him all the time pleading for him to stop as he thrust himself towards her.

 One moment his hands were around his waist, then he was on top of her seemingly trying to rip her clothes off while all the while she shrieked in apparent fear.

 The final shot showed the blonde-haired girl seemingly dashing to the door of the cell sobbing and yelling for the guards.

 As the screens went blank a silence descended on the courtroom. All eyes turned towards Batman who was staring blank-faced in front of him.

 Then - in one giant outpouring of rage – he launched himself forward.

 “LIES!” he yelled. “LIES! LIES! LIES!”

 His clenched fist cannoned into the glass his face contorted in fury. Then his head snapped brutally to one side as a truncheon cracked with unbelievable force into his cheekbone. Another came from the other direction cannoning into his temple.

 “Aaaaagggghhhh,” he choked as the pain roared through his head.

 The next strike sucked all the wind and fight out of him in one brutal blow.

 In one movement the tallest of the guards stepped behind him and swung her baton up between his legs with all her might.

 “Aiiiiieeeeeeeeee,” he screeched as it felt as though his balls were being sent crashing through his body.

 He crumpled to his knees retching helplessly with his hands frantically scrabbling at his testicles.

 “Ooooogaggagagggg,” was the only pitiful sound that issued from his mouth as the guards looked impassively on.

 There were murmurs around the court as every person present watched the scene – but no sense of outrage or shock.

 Electra herself watched with a frisson of excitement at the sight of Batman on his knees gurgling in pain.

 Her excitement only grew as the guard raised her truncheon again and brought it down with a crack on the top of his head. His body jerked and then his eyes closed as he sank into unconsciousness.