Rocking Boats

He looked at his watch: 1:43 AM. He stepped inside the security office, and announced confidently, "You have an intruder in Area 5, Mr. Marshall."

Marshall looked up at him, then looked at his closed-circuit TV screens and other sensors. He saw no signs of any intruder, but he long ago learned not to argue. "Shall I intercept him?"

"Let him pass, if you would, please. I suspect he has enough of a headache."

Marshall noticed that Alfred had a glass of water and some aspirin on his tray. "Yes, sir."

Marshall shook his head, and looked back at the TV screens and multi-function displays. He had been head of security at Wayne Manor for just over three years now, and never could figure out the mystery of Area 5. The other four areas were merely quadrants of the estate, Areas 1 and 2 on the west side, and Areas 3 and 4 on the east. They all included a corner of the main house of Wayne Manor. Area 5 was different. It bordered areas 3 and 4, but there was nothing out there. Once every few months there was an intruder in Area 5. It usually happened some time after midnight, although Alfred was the only one who ever seemed to know about the event as it was happening. Occasionally, Alfred would order him to intercept the intruder; Marshall invariably failed, but the next day Mr. Wayne himself would give Marshall a report about where the guards had been looking for the intruder, and what needed to be done to beef up security. On other occasions, Alfred would merely ask that the intruder not be interfered with. Tonight, it was the latter.

There! He saw a shadow move on one of the TV screens connected to a camera monitoring Area 5! He promptly noted it in the security log. Marshall smiled. Finally he'd be able to tell Mr. Wayne something about the night's event in Area 5, instead of just hearing the details from his boss!

Alfred saw it too. Things were going to happen fast tonight, Alfred thought.

He hurried down the corridor toward one of three passages that led from Wayne Manor down into the Batcave.


The shadow slipped into the Batcave from an outside entrance, bypassing Wayne Manor, then quickly walked up to the console, and there he froze. The pink envelope that was propped up on his computer console was identical to the one he had in his pocket. It must be another riddle. But, how did it get left inside the Batcave?!

"Computer, check physical security."

The multifunction displays showed green lights lighting up one by one; a moment later, a feminine voice announced "The Batcave is secure."

The shadowy figure approached the envelope and picked it up.

"I didn't mean to worry you, Master Bruce." Alfred was just stepping into the Batcave from one of the passages leading from upstairs. "I anticipated your arrival directly into the cave tonight, and I knew you would want to see it immediately, so I left it here for you."

The figure rolled his eyes: that was one riddle solved, he thought!

For his part, Alfred had long ago learned that there is much more to The Batman than just Bruce Wayne in a dark, rubbery suit. There were times when he looked at the man in the funny suit, and knew it was still Bruce Wayne. The reverse was also true: there were times when Alfred looked at Bruce Wayne dressed as himself, but knew he was dealing with The Batman. Now was one of those times.

The figure pulled a pink envelope out of his pocket, and handed it to Alfred. "I was out with Vicki tonight. A little before midnight, Vicki excused herself to the restroom. While she was gone, one of the waiters said a woman had sent that over to me. I didn't get a good look at her -- medium build, reddish hair, a gray coat. That's it."

While Alfred opened the envelope he had just been given, the figure opened the one that had been on his console and took the card out: a big, fluffy cat was sprawled on its back on an expensive-looking rug, apparently asleep. Opening the card, he read the preprinted caption: Purr!

This time, he was not surprised to see the neatly-written riddle above it:

Judging by the tap,
The judge foolishly ruled,
But judging by its wrap,
The judge had been fooled.
A bad tap may violate the rules,
But fooling a judge is a game for fools.
Crime can come in many wraps,
And crime can be exposed by many taps.
The real criminal here is the tapper,
But none suspect because of his wrapper.
The day will come when the judge sees the fools:
Interesting to see how the judge rules!
Harsh is the verdict for fooling a judge,
And only a fool thinks that verdict will budge.

The figure smiled. For once, he felt like he was a little ahead of the game.

Just then, he realized what a headache he had. He put the riddle down, and reached over to Alfred's tray for the aspirin and water. "Thanks," he said to Alfred.

"You're quite welcome, sir," Alfred looked up. "A reddish-haired woman, you say?"

The figure nodded.

"But I thought that young man from the park...."

"Nygma," the figure interrupted.

"Yes, Nygma. I thought he was the riddler," Alfred continued.

"That's what I thought, too."

"Then who is this cat-woman?"

The figure glanced at Alfred, as he began to print out files from the computer. "Good question." Meanwhile, he copied the same files onto a CD ROM. Next, he collected the CD ROM and the printed copies and put them in a folder, slid the folder into an envelope, and sealed it shut.

He glanced at the clock: 2:13 AM. He just had time to make it!

Quickly, he began to suit up.

"Could I persuade you to take a sandwich?" Alfred asked.

"I just had dinner," the figure answered, already completing that visible transformation. The Dark Knight was hurrying out into the darkness of the night....



Watching from the darkness, the phantom-like figure was waiting outside the gymnasium. He knew she'd be showing up for an early workout before going to work. She was a freelance investigative reporter; an honest one, tough, and just a little naive. Those three traits explained why she was known, but definitely not a big name in Gotham -- and not on the payroll of any of Gotham's major news services!

The phantom liked her work, and appreciated her honesty. Every once in a while, she would receive some contract work from Wayne Enterprises. She was always very appreciative of the work, and the phantom-like figure knew that those contracts helped keep her independent in Gotham City, which is just what he wanted.

Approaching her in the parking area were two more figures. They appeared to pull out some badges. They had a brief discussion with her; it appeared one of the men with badges was doing most of the talking. Then the two men turned to leave, and, as they did so, the one who had done the talking looked right in the direction of the Dark Knight. He just as quickly turned away, and the pair continued leaving, but the Dark Knight was sure he had been spotted.

As the two men left, and the woman approached, the phantom moved out of the shadows a little. She was a little startled, and possibly a little shaken from her conversation with the other two men as well as from the sudden appearance of this dark phantom in front of her, but she was definitely ready to defend herself.

"Gotham Bureau of Investigation," the Dark Knight's voice was the kind of whisper that got someone's attention. "But those two agents are dirty." She studied him, as he continued. "And you're rocking their boat."

"How did you know?" she asked.

He tossed the envelope with the file inside it down on the pavement near her. "Here are some more leads for your investigation."

"Why?"

"So you can rock it some more."

She started to squat down to pick up the envelope, but was careful to keep her eyes on the phantom-like figure in front of her.

"Who are you?" she asked.

"Someone like you. Someone who likes to rock boats."

Her hand couldn't quite find the file on the pavement at her feet. For a moment, she took her eyes off the phantom and looked at the envelope. In an instant she had it and was looking up again -- but the Dark Knight had disappeared back into the darkness of the earliest part of the morning.