Batgirl: Episode 2
Faces of Crime
Strat0071964
Who is Gotham’s King of Crime? As Barbara Gordon filled some books at the library she thought on the sinister question. This so called King of Crime’s most recent stunt had humiliated many of the traditional wretched rogues.
Word had come to her, and hopefully the Dynamic Duo. A competition was being held to determine Gotham’s true King of Crime.
How could a villain do that? It occurred to her one surefire way – eliminated the terrific trio, her Batman and Robin.
Then she saw the slender, bookish man standing there. It was one of Batman’s enemies the Bookworm, he wore a smile on his face. “I come in peace Miss Gordon.” He started. “Looking for a book on great criminals and crimes.”
“How about something on going straight and being a respectable citizen?” Barbara snipped.
Sighing, Bookworm shook his head. “I am afraid it is not in my blood, beautiful one.” He reached as if to touch her hair. A glare from Barbara made him pull back, rather embarrassed. “Sorry, doll.”
“Remember,” Barbara advised. “My Father is Police Commissioner.”
Bookworm nodded his head. “I do,” He sounded wistful. “And there’s this Batgirl, who raises a dilemma about fighting girls.”
“Why worry?” Barbara asked. “She seems a fairly good fighter, capable of taking care of herself.”
“Oh, indeed.” Bookworm acknowledged.
Barbara handed him three books. “Great Crimes and Criminals,” She started. “Riddle Me This,” By the Riddler on his retirement.” She handed the third. “Why I Quite Crime.”
Bookworm accepted all three. “Thank you Miss Gordon, good day.” Tipping his hat he went to check out.
Slipping to her office, Barbara called her Father to inform him of the Bookworm’s ambitions.
Gotham Diamond Emporium-
The sun shone gloriously that morning as Commissioner Gordon and Chief O’Hara strode into the diamond exchange. The manager greeted them both, “Oh, good morning gentlemen, beautiful morning isn’t it?”
“Yes it is,” Gordon replied.
“Aye, it sure tis,” O’Hara said. “Beautiful day for a robbery.”
The manager laughed, “Well, we certainly don’t want that to happen.” with mocking humor. “But, perhaps we should take some of your pricey items along for safe keeping.” He smiled.
The manager laughed, assuming it was a joke. Then O’Hara whipped out a gun and a bag, “Now be a good lad and fill it up with those stones.”
The manager stopped laughing. “You can’t be serious.”
“But we are,” The commissioner said. “We are.” He took his own gun, “This is a stick up, now move.”
The manager proceeded to obey in disbelief.
Barbara Gordon stormed into her father’s office, Detective Alan Davis was there with the mayor of Gotham, who angrily shook his head, and “I just can’t believe it.”
“I heard there was an A.P.B. out on my father,” Barbara said. “What’s going on?”
Davis quickly filled her in on a string of morning robberies perpetrated by what witnesses described as Commissioner Gordon and Chief O’Hara. “I know your father was supposed to meet O’Hara for breakfast this morning, but that’s the last we’ve seen of them.”
“It can’t be true,” Barbara said. “My father is no criminal.”
“I’ve already contacted the Dynamic Duo,” Davis said. He sighed, “I’m also thinking this has to be the work of one of Gotham’s so-called criminal masterminds. But, who?”
Barbara shook her head. “Mad Hatter maybe?”
“Still in Gotham Penitentiary.”
The door opened, Gordon and O’Hara entered, “What’s been going on?” Gordon demanded.
Davis walked to them, “I’m afraid you’re both under arrest.”
“And suspended pending a complete investigation of this matter.” Bitterness was apparent on his face at being the bearer of bad news.
The two men looked at the others in shocked disbelief. Barbara quickly filled them in.
Gordon said after eating at a local breakfast diner they got into the squad car, and passed out.
“Where’s the car?” Davis asked.
“Downstairs in the garage,” Gordon said.
Davis headed out, “Maybe there’s some clues.”
“Detective,” The mayor called out, “While Gordon is suspended and the chief also, you’re commissioner now.”
“Don’t want it,” Davis shot back. He exited the office.
“Barbara, we have to process them, you may as well leave.” The mayor said.
“I’ll see you at home later, honey,” Gordon told his daughter and kissed her forehead, “don’t worry, everything will be all right.’
Barbara told him that Davis had already called Batman and Robin. As she walked away, she knew that now Batgirl also had work to do.
Can it be true? Is it possible? Have Commissioner Gordon and Chief O’Hara gone bad? Or is some fiendish felon at work?
Later, in the kitchen of the home which Barbara Gordon with her father. The commissioner and Chief O’Hara both sit with forlorn faces wondering who could be framing them. Both have been suspended, and court dates set, even mug-shots and finger-printed.
“I hope Batman and Robin can catch whoever is responsible for this,” Gordon said.
“Aye,” The chief agreed, tis a grey day for us.”
The doorbell rang, Barbara went to answer. “Detective Davis, come in.”
“Shouldn’t that be Commissioner David?” Gordon asked.
“I like being a detective,” Davis said stiffly. “I’m not interested in – a desk job.”
Looking about their non-plussed faces, Detective Davis continued. “Got a lead on your waitress.” He paused as Gordon’s eyes perked up. “It seems she was just recently hired, her name is Molly Mallory, also called Molly the Moll. I’m betting she somehow drugged your breakfast, then someone drove you both out of town while the robberies were committed.”
He paused for a breath then the detective continued, “It also seems Molly disappeared right after serving you two.”
“Good Lord,” Gordon said. “Done in by our own eating habits.”
“I have an A.P.B. out on Miss Molly. Still don’t as yet know who she is working for, though in the past she has kept company with the Penguin and Louie the Lilac.”
“Good work,” Gordon said.
Barbara looked to the detective and smiled. She felt impressed by his efforts. Perhaps Batman and Robin would get some competition
Davis took something from his pocket, “Here Commissioner, I want you to wear this wire, and tracking device.”
“Why?” Gordon asked, then realized. “You think they will be coming after us?”
“Yes, I believe they will.” His voice was full of confidence.
Alarm in her eyes, Barbara looked to her father, the watch on his wrist. It was a gift from her. And also contained a tracking device – just in case.
“Don’t worry Miss Gordon,” Davis said, and touched her shoulder in re-assurance, “We will catch these criminals.”
Barbara nodded. Her father quickly put the wire on.
“Ingenious,” Commissioner Gordon said.
“Indeed,” Chief O’Hara agreed.
The door burst opened and three gunmen entered, “Don’t anyone move,” One smiled, “we’ve come to rescue you boss Gordon.” His voice contained a laugh.
“No,” Barbara cried.
“Back off girlie,” One of the men said, recklessly waving his gun at her.
Davis held his hands up, “You goons won’t get away with this.”
The gunmen quickly marched O’Hara and Gordon out to a waiting van. Leaving a trussed up Detective Davis behind.
Barbara started trying to untie the tough wound knots. She had to free him and get after the bad guys before they got too far away with her father.
Quickly Barbara moved to untie Detective Davis. She figured it must have been sheer male sexist stupidity that they didn’t think to secure her when they fled with her father and the police chief.
“Good help must be getting hard to find in the crime world,” Davis snapped. He rushed out the door. “Gotta get things moving to get your dad back.”
Barbara quickly moved to the bedroom, through a secret door to another room and changed into her Batgirl outfit. Her father’s homing signal allowed her to trace the bad guys.
Batgirl sped along on her bat cycle, till she came across a blue van, slowly moving down the road. The driver’s panicked when they saw her, and sped up. She gave chase to them. Out a window one fired shots, till his partner jerked him back inside. The shots bounced off the bullet proof protective glass of her cycle.
Jittery bad guys, Batgirl thought.
Then there was the sound of approaching sirens. The van sped along, zigzagging along the streets. Batgirl narrowly avoided colliding with an oncoming car, raised up her cycle, and darted away.
Suddenly, Batgirl found herself in the path of an oncoming semi-cab, no trailer. Its horns blasted. She took a breath, ignited her cycle’s special rockets. The motorcycle shot into the air and jumped over the truck.
Batgirl soon located the truck near an empty warehouse. It was empty this time.
The heroine snuck into the warehouse and hid behind some crates. She watched the bad guys secure her father and the chief.
“Okay, who’s your boss?” Gordon demanded.
One hood laughed, “Why, you are Commissioner.”
“Quit the stalling, tell us who is behind all of this,” Gordon insisted.
The trio approached, one was the girl Molly, the other two dead ringers for the commissioner and chief O’Hara.
“You were the waitress who served us at the restaurant,” Gordon said. She nodded. “Molly the Moll.”
Her lips snarled. “I hate that name.”
“Fine. Molly Vane, it was a stupid name.” Commissioner Gordon hotly shot back.
“Least we agree on something,” Molly said.
“Hello Commissioner,” Gordon’s look-a-like said. He laughed. “Guess it’s time to let you know who I really am.” He reached up to remove his mask.
Batgirl gasped as the villain dropped his mask to the floor, and heard her father growl in a not so shocked voice, “You, I should have known – FALSE FACE!”
False Face laughed, “That’s right commissioner.” His smug square-chiseled face wore a smile. “What better way to show I’m the true King of Crime than by ruining you two. Then, Batman and Robin!”
“So who’s this?” Gordon asked and glanced to the O’Hara look alike.
The real police chief squinted at the imposter then gasped, “Hubert, is that you?”
“Aye and begora, Horace, it’s me your twin brother.”
Chief O’Hara shook his head, “I can’t believe it, set up by my own brother. I always tried to take care of you and this is how you repay me?”
“Enough,” False Face said and snapped his fingers. His two hoods raised their machine guns. “Afraid this is the end commissioner, chief.”
Batgirl’s heart beat faster. Her dad was about to be murdered before her own eyes, no.
“Wait,” Hubert O’Hara called, “No one said anything about murder.”
“Sorry I forgot to mention it,” False Face said.
“Now just a minute,” Hubert started forwards, but Molly pulled him back and held a knife blade to his throat.
Batgirl dropped a smoke grenade into the scene which caused everyone to cough and be blinded. Then she spun in and kicked down the gunmen and False Face with stylish Judo moves.
“Hold it Batgirl,” Molly said, still holding the knife on Hubert O’Hara. “Don’t move.”
“Is that supposed to be a real threat?” Batgirl challenged. “Threatening to kill one of your own guys is supposed to stop me from coming after you?”
“Can it girlie,” Molly said. “I know how you bleeding heart heroes are.”
“You may have been misinformed,” Batgirl said. “Ask Siren, whom Robin threatened to let plummet to her death if she didn’t cooperate in setting free her captive Bruce Wayne.”
The door burst open and Detective Davis lead a squad of officers inside, “Police, freeze.”
Molly was distracted, Hubert reached up, grabbed her wrist, pulled the knife blade away and ran.
A growling False Face made for the escape door. Batgirl went after him.
“Stay away from me Bat Bimbo!” He fired a couple shots from his revolver. Her bat-rang clipped it from his hands.
Her foot planted square in his gut. As False Face doubled over, Batgirl grabbed his arm, bent it behind his back and shoved him to the feet of applauding policemen.
Batgirl smiled at the officers. Gently deferred some date requests from boys and blue, and even some of Face’s henchmen.
Swiftly, Batgirl made her exit.
False Face and his gang were finished. Out of competition for the title King of Crime in Gotham City.
Later----
“My father and Chief O’Hara have been officially cleared and reinstated,” A pleased Barbara Gordon told Bruce Wayne. They were on lunch break at a classy diner. She sipped her soda.
“Glad to hear that,” Bruce replied. “Batgirl really held her own in the fight with False face and his gag.” He took a drink, and hungrily considered the chicken salad sandwich. “Wonder what happened to the Dynamic Duo.”
“I heard they were distracted by the villain, Kite-man.” Barbara said. “He is also out of contention for King of Crime in Gotham.”
“Kite-man, King of Crime?” Bruce laughed and ate his sandwich. “Got an interview in a bit.” He shook his head. “Girl named Linda Danvers from Metropolis.” He shook his head. “Seems qualified enough.” His eyes rolled. “A little over perky though.”
Barbara nodded her head.
“I don’t understand how Hubert O’Hara could betray his own brother.” Dick Grayson said.
“It can be hard for only children to relate to,” Barbara told Bruce’s ward. “He always felt their parents like his elder brother more, and it grew into angry animosity.”
A slight chill filled her, as she wondered what future actions might be taken by those desiring to be recognized as Gotham’s king of crime.
Then Bruce asked her to Dinner. Smiling, Barbara replied, “Yes Bruce. I’d be glad to.”