To Catch A Bat

    A Promising Start

BATMAN was hunched in front of the computer screen yet again as Robin entered the room.

 On the display was a detailed map of Gotham City with a series of flashing lights blinking away. The Caped Crusader’s eyes roved determinedly over the flashing red dots as he desperately tried to establish a pattern.

 By the side of the computer lay a pile of open newspapers – each one open to the mocking, taunting adverts which had been placed over the past week.

 The Boy Wonder stood silently as he watched his partner’s concentrated efforts.

 Despite all the dynamic duo’s best endeavours the series of robberies, assaults and – in the last two cases – seemingly ritual slayings of police officers had continued unabated.

 The pressure had only been cranked up by the full page spreads in the papers deriding Batman for his inability to put an end to the crimewave gripping the city.

 Even the TV stations were now openly criticising his efforts and questioning whether he was this time completely out of his depth.

 Suddenly Batman pounded his fist on the desk and shook his head in frustration.

 “No luck,” said Robin finally breaking his silence.

 His partner sighed.

 “No – nothing. I just can’t make any connection but I know there has to be one. It’s here somewhere. I can sense it.

 Batman knew - knew beyond all doubt – that whoever was doing this had more than just financial gain in mind. They were setting him a riddle, spinning a puzzle he so far couldn’t solve in an attempt to prove their superiority over him.

 And they were doing it in the full glare of publicity so the whole of Gotham City could see it.

 Robin knew it too – and could already see the strain it was taking on the previously ice-cool crimefighter.

 He stepped forward and put a hand on Batman’s shoulder.

 “Why don’t you leave it for a while?” he said. “Take a break and refresh yourself before we go and see if we can find anything more tonight. It’ll do you good.”

 Batman sighed and nodded his head.

 “Good idea,” he said – although slightly reluctantly. “I need to recharge the brain.”

 He pulled his weary body out of the chair, stretched and started out of the Batcave.

 “I’ll see you in a few hours,” he said as he went.

 Robin nodded and settled himself into the empty chair in front of the computer.

 His eyes fixed on the map and the twinkling dots – carefully moving from one speck to another as they took in the various crime scenes.

 He stayed like that for 30 minutes – his efforts seemingly as futile as Batman’s. Finally he slumped back and began to haul himself up but stopped abruptly halfway up.

 His gaze fixed on a dark brown patch to the west of the city centre. It was a mixture of housing, high-class designer goods and jewellery stores and some very up-market restaurants.

 It also did not have a red dot showing within a mile of its centre.

 The Boy Wonder’s brain whirred as he stared intently at the criss-cross of streets.

 A smile broke out on his face as he thought: “So that’s where you are!”