2017.01.28 - The Dynamic Duo on Penguin's Trail Part 3
Seated before the batcomputer, Batman is studying the multiple monitors on which are the identities of several men and their police records. Occasionally, he types a command or clicks the mouse, bringing up additional information or filing away something for later retrieval.
Spread across the monitors are mugshots of several dark haired, olive skinned men. These are the criminals who attempted to rob the Gotham City Zoo fund raiser ball. Their biographical data is also listed with all of them being Greek nationals.
Robin walks up to the computer console, still adjusting his cape-clasp. "Any word out of these guys, yet? Origins? Who hired them?" he says, as he stops behind the large central chair.
"I think I have an idea, but I'm not sure how it ties into the Penguin. It just doesn't seem to be his style," Batman answers. A few more clicks of the mouse and he's cross referenced some data on the criminals. Four out of the seven share an apartment.
An apartment on the coast of Italy within view of Mount Circeo.
Robin shakes his head as he looks at the photos. "It sure doesn't but we've speculated someone is pulling his strings, or has offered him so much money that he's deviated from his normal behavior." He looks at the data on the apartment. "So, doesn't ring any bells..."
"It's a shot in the dark, but I think Circe might somehow be involved," Batman explains. "But why would the Penguin have pulled off a jewelry heist for her? It just doesn't make all that much sense."
Robin blinks at this. "Huh. Well... she's a master manipulator, from what I remember from her JLA file," the Teen Wonder says. "He may not have a choice in the matter, in fact. Doesn't she exert some level of mind control, particularly over men? And Ozzie has always wanted to get in good with the ladies... someone like that showing him the least bit of attention, heck, she might not even have to use magic on him at all.." He begins to nod, considering this idea. "Did Ganymede have anything to say about this? She is a Greek sorceress, after all."
"It's very likely that if she is the one behind all of this, she has used her magic on Cobblepot. I still don't understand the point of the jewelry thefts. Maybe there is no point?" Batman shrugs and taps a few more keys, bringing up a file on Circe. "And no, I've not spoken to Ganymede or Diana about this yet." And there's his secretive and territorial streak showing itself.
"Yeah, there's that, too. She's an awesomely powerful sorceress - what can he do for her that she can't do for herself?" Robin says as he scans the file for any updates. "You might want to consider talking to them - they may have more updated information that's not in any database," he says, knowing that sort of argument is more likely to get Bruce's attention.
The young man folds his arms. "Huh. Circe. I did not see that coming..."
"I'll send a message to the Themysciran embassy," Batman acquiesces to Robin's logic. "They have had more dealings with her than we have." And he does just what he has said, pulling up his secure email program and starting a letter addressed to Wonder Woman and Ganymede.
"How's things going for you at Arkham?" Batman asks, pursuing another subject even as he works on the first thing.
Robin gives a thumbs-up. "Tom got the job; I start tomorrow," he says. "Had to wait for the results of my fingerprinting to come back. Interview was a breeze, too. They really don't ask a lot of questions about a recent graduate. Could be they were dazzled by my non-existent transcripts."
Batman chuckles. "Well, with a degree in biomedical engineering from Johns Hopkins, are you at all surprised?" He really did give Tom White an outstanding resume. "Sure you still don't want those nine girlfriends? Zinnia... Aster... Rose...," he starts naming off flowers.
"You are a terrible person with terrible ideas," Robin says, deadpan. "Really, jeez; I only skimmed my college docs. That kind of explains why he was apologizing about the facilities on the tour.."
"Arkham does tend to run on a tight budget," Batman points out. "And most people in Gotham don't even want it open any more. But could you imagine the Joker housed at Blackgate? They wouldn't know what to do with him."
Robin gives an involuntary shudder. "He'd be out in five minutes, and that's only because he'd stop to kill most of the guards along the way.." he mutters. "If it wasn't for Wayne Foundation's fundraising, I doubt they'd still be open, though," he says. "Tough argument to make for the possibility that someday they might be cured."
"The Joker will never be cured," Batman says with grim certainty. He scrolls back through the email, looking it over a final time. In it, he's listed all the clues they have available that seem to point toward Circe being at the heart of the robberies. "Anything you think I should add?" he asks Robin.
Robin sighs as he puts gloved hands atop his head, looking over all the clues and the pictures. "The zoo. Circe is famous for turning men into animals. What connection does it have?"
"Honestly, I think she has plans to turn some men into animals and keep them. According to the Odyssey, she had docile wolves and lions in her home. It really wouldn't be too far fetched for her to want to make herself some more pets. There is a certain irony in robbing the zoo fund raiser when she plans to turn some men into animals to serve her," Batman says. "She might have just casually mentioned getting some animals and the Penguin took it to heart and literally so he stocked up on supplies to keep exotic animals without really understanding her intent."
"Sounds right; he might literally not be in his own mind, either," Robin says, as he shifts position to look at one of the surrounding screens. "The original robbery. Were any of the stones of Greek origin? Maybe someone acquired something that has significance beyond what we know? That could have attracted her attention."
Batman pulls an inventory of the missing jewelry to the larger, central monitor. "There," he says, pointing to an entry. "Some amethyst and pearl pieces imported from Greece. From the Olympians collection at Bernstein and Sons."