Batman Fan Fiction ❯ Catwoman: The Tamer ❯ Escape ( Chapter 4 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Escape

We were blinded, dragged, buckled down and transported away in a matter of minutes. I could only catch snippets of muffled voices and the occasional bark of laughter from the crazy clown, but it all sounded distant. There was a body lying underneath mine. Robin was my initial guess, but when I called no one answered, and I was nearly certain they hadn't knocked the kid out, mostly because they would have done me the same favor.

Whatever the mystery man used to bind me didn't seem sentient, and also too elastic to be typical metallic chains. I tested their durability, trying my best to muscle my way out. It went just as terrifically terrible as I predicted, except the material was now marginally less constricting and I could breathe without restriction. Good news for me, I was a flexible and frisky feline tonight that demanded her freedom. I kept at it, pushing out as far as I could and wiggling about until finally my limbs were released.

Then the vehicle stopped, the motor shut off and the doors opened. I swore under my breath, then quieted myself to listen to two pairs of footsteps crunch on gravel. One traveled away, the other closer to me. I hoped it was the cackling oaf coming to check on me and not the cause of tonight's purroblems. I snatched the cloth from my eyes and examined the body I was currently using as a bed.

The Batman, powered down and wrapped up… just like a toy under the tree. He was completely useless to me in this state, and a waste of time to rescue if still under the influence of that hussy. So, as much as it pained me to do so, I had to leave him lying there, or risk recapture. I rolled off him, landing upright with more than enough room to stand up straight. My vision cleared itself and I tried to make sense of my location. All I saw were wires connected to more wires, and steel beams that held together other steel beams that doubled as something to wrap even more wires around.

My best guess, we were stashed in the guts of a crazy mobile contraption. It probably exploded too, knowing Jokers M.O. Regardless of whatever it was, I needed to find a way to escape. "Quickly," the approaching feet proclaimed. I saw an entrance, or exit in my case, concealed as a movable panel. I made a move for it.

Too late...

The feet stopped right beside it, and then the hinges creaked as the rusted door swung open. Thinking fast, I dashed on stealthy paws to the other side of a random beam and silently climbed it, keeping keen on remaining out of sight. I made it up to the top of the machine, and found a nice vantage point to watch whatever unfolded without the worry of being seen.

From the darkness, I could see it was the Joker who emerged, which relieved me. I had no doubt I could take down the clown in a fight with ease. The first thing I noticed was the syringe held securely in curled fingers. There was a sinister looking concoction inside it, and I knew avoiding that needle was vital.

The second detail that caught my eye was the swollen lip and scratched up chin where the boy fiercely kicked him. It caused his puzzled face he made once he realized me missing all the more comical. He looked up, but in the other direction, verifying my successful concealment. It was when he started to exit that finally pushed me off my perch.

I dropped from above, descending as hushed and unseen as death, and landed a purractice purrfect kick to the back of the head. I hit the ground with grace. He crashed to the floor with a remarkably hushed "oomph" and a weighty thud. The presumed poison he planned to administer skittered away from his limp hand.

As masterful as my attack had been, it was impossible to confirm it went unheard, which meant my actions were once again going against a timer. In desperation, I started to think aloud because it worked to calm me down and help me think.

"Alright, assess the situation. I'm alone, clearly outnumbered and more clearly overpowered. Fighting is not a wise decision which means escaping to regroup is my only option. Still, I can't just run away empty handed either." I started to pace, stepping over the unconscious men on the floor. "If only I had the keys to this thing, I could maybe drive us out of here." I looked over to Batman. "There's no way I can carry you out without risking getting caught, but I don't want to leave you here either."

"My only choice is…" I looked below to the beat up clown, then back up to Bruce. I sighed. "I guess there's no helping it. As much as it pains me to leave you tied up and defenseless…" And then I remembered who he was. The man was never defenseless, never without some sort of shield and sword up his sleeve; an attribute I greatly admired.

With no more self-debate needed, I picked the villain up and slung him over my shoulders. He had more muscle on him than I estimated, but nothing I was unable to bear. On my way out, I managed to palm the needle from the floor, tucking it in my "Secret pouch" and set off into the night to act as the stealthy cat I was designed to be.

No alarms tripped. No guns fired. Not even a shout of, "Hey, you there!" It was too easy to get away. I trekked through bushes to keep anything that might be following me off my tail. Not before long I found myself on the side of the highway. Needing a ride, I set the buffoon to the side, and posed as a hitchhiker. With my looks, there was no wait to grab a purrvert's attention. He stopped, asked me where I was headed, and I charmed him with an exaggerated stretch.

"You look like a big, strong man. Could you possibly help me carry something? I would greatly appreciate it. Enough to say… give you a reward for your efforts." It was pathetic to see him clamber so excitedly out of the vehicle. I sighed, dully watching the predictable moron as he came over to me, deliberately giving me a cheesy grin. I pointed down at my hostage. "My friend's passed out from drinking too much again. Yes, he is an idiot but I can't leave him here. Help me load him into the car, handsome. I'll make it worthwhile."

"Yes ma'am." He gave a mock salute before beginning the task. He flipped the limp body over, and had a miniature conniption after seeing the ghost-white face. "Wait a minute! Isn't that... oh God! Are you?" I put a hand on his shoulder.

"No silly, relax! We're coming from a costume party. Our car broke down on the way home and he was passed out. I would have called for a tow but my phone's dead. So, can you help me out stranger?" It was that simple to win over the gullible fool. A whiff of seduction goes a long way.

Once the villain was secure he asked, "Now, what about my reward?" which I just had to chuckle at. I shrugged, confusing him. Disappointment crept into his once proud expression.

"Let's see if you can catch it." Not giving him time to respond, my heel connected sturdily with the chub of his cheek and he hit the pavement like a sack of bricks. "Yep, you caught it! Purroperly rewarded, sir."

With no more obstacles in my path, I joined the cars on the road into Gotham traffic, calmly driving to the only place I could go with a knocked out murderous psychopath in the backseat of a stolen car and a past criminal record.

There was no immediate response when I rang their doorbell for the second time that night. I always imagined that Alfred was at the ready when a visitor came, and only waited for the ding dong as his cue to open up. He thought it was common courtesy to never dilly-dally. It was a motto he applied to everything he did in life.

I impatiently buzzed again, thinking aloud, "This is the worst time to be sleeping on the job, Jeeves."

"A Pennyworth hardly ever sleeps, madam." His voice carried through an overhead P.A. system. One I was oblivious of until now. There was a good chance I was currently a victim of hidden surveillance, which explained the man's quick reaction of the bell as purr usual, and also tonight's tardiness.

"May I ask the reason for your return? Come to finish me off? Perhaps take over the mansion while Master Bruce is away and unresponsive? If that is the plan you have plotted out, might I suggest you turn tail now and run, you scandalous alley cat, while I still allow you the chance!"

It was a decent threat, and a little hurtful to hear coming from him. Then again, it was an old man holding down the fort of a valiant knight. There was no way to tell if he were capable of backing up the bark in his words, or simply attempting to ward me away with a bluff and a purrayer; not that it mattered. Sure, I could clock Bruce in the face easy because it came naturally, but I could never live down harming a hair on this man's head.

"We don't have any time to spare. Bruce is tied up and in the hands of…" I didn't have a name yet. "Some guy with a mask" would sound silly, and remarkably still believable. "I don't know who yet, or what he wants, but he has the Joker's support so it has to be bad. I managed to slip away, but I'm going to need your help to save him!"

The speaker remained quiet for an uncomfortable amount of minutes; long enough for me to think my plea would go ignored, until finally he gravely said, "Very well. I'll only be a moment, but no funny business!"

The relief gave me the energy to crack a smile. "No kitty business! I purromise on all nine of my lives, my tail and whiskers and lovely cat eyes, claws my heart and hope to die." No less than five seconds later, the mansion's main entrance creaked open, and the old man stared at me with distrusting eyes.

"What can I do to assist you, Miss Kyle?" Polite to the end, this man. Instead of answering, I tugged on my hostage who was purropped against the side of the building, and Alfred jumped away when the body fell sluggishly at my feet. In what seemed like a trained movement, he surprised me by brandishing a musket and pointed it directly at my heart.

"Well, first thing would be to point your big toy somewhere else. I don't feel too safe with a gun at my chest." His hands didn't waver; his aim trained on a kill-shot. I might be faster than him, but I could not dodge a bullet from here. "After you put the gun down, I could use some assistance carrying him inside and tying him down."

"You expect me to assist a criminal with escorting the Batman's greatest enemy into his own home? You must be as looney in the head as he is."

"Hey! Ex-criminal! I just had a bit of a relapse tonight is all. And I figured the Batcave would be a better location. Don't worry, he's knocked out." My words were not very reassuring to him.

"A trickster like him, there's no telling if he's playing possum."
I gave a Cheshire's grin. "He tried that on the drive here. I gave him a few good licks for his trouble."

We managed to get the clown down to the secret headquarters, tie him down tightly to a chair, and have a little chat to clear up a few important details. I explained my escape, why Bruce was not with me, how I had no clue where Robin was, and that I felt sorry for beating up his master in the first place. It was not a very ladylike thing to do. Of course, when I added the part about infidelity, he kindly dropped the issue altogether.

"So, you mentioned you needed my help. Does that mean you already have a plan, Madam?" I shrugged my shoulders, and winced a little due to soreness; something that caught the faithful butler's eye. Plans not involving stealing purretty treasures were not my strong suit, but being a sneak was.

"Not entirely." I reached between my breasts, and he averted his eyes like a gentleman. I retrieved my hidden pouch from a secret space under my costume, and pulled out the syringe. "I was hoping you could help me figure out what this is first."

"I'm not so sure I want to know, Miss Kyle." I looked up puzzled, and found his eyes were still closed. I laughed.

"No silly, I want you to find out what's in this syringe. They planned on giving it to me while I was tied up." He turned, giving an "O" face.

"Ah, that's much better then, although I dread to find out the wicked contents held inside. Is there anything else I can aid you with, perhaps a cup of tea, or a bottle of aspirin while you wait?"

"No thanks, but I do need another favor. With the big man held purrisoner, and the kid unaccounted for, is there anyone else that can back me up in a rescue mission?" I may have asked the question, but there wasn't much hope in my voice.

"There is one other, Miss, but it may take her some time to arrive from her college." He collected the needle from me and took it over to his little chemistry set on a desk in the corner.

"Ah, I forgot about her. A long time ago, I attempted to recruit her to my side of the law. She would have made such an adorable Catgirl."

"Indeed you did. I shall contact her immediately." He turned to me with stern eyes. "And what shall you do in the meantime?" I thought about it, but I didn't have to ponder for long. The man tied to the chair was starting to stir, and all sorts of :meows: exciting ideas popped in my head.