Shade stood atop the three-story building in downtown Gotham, watching as a man, clearly drugged on Burgeon hit a dumpster repeatedly with his knee. He then leapt on top of it. He was accompanied by a woman who appeared to be tearing her hair out and dropping the locks onto the ground. It was a horrifying sight. But she could not get involved and help them, she remembered her promise to her husband.
She would stay away.
"Not going to get in on the action?" Shade heard a voice behind her say. A woman's voice.
She turned quickly and saw a woman there dressed in all black and wearing a mask over her eyes. She had enormous brown eyes and bold red lipstick. The Catwoman. Shade was wondering how the woman was able to so quietly sneak up on her.
"You," Shade said.
"Me," the woman said and began to walk closer.
Her walk was snakelike, seductive, distracting. She moved looked like her entire body was made of silk.
"Don't come any closer," Shade warned her.
"Or what?" the woman asked and simply slowed her walk.
Shade stood still as the woman walked right up to her. She was prepared to fight this woman, if necessary. The Catwoman stood a few inches away from her and looked her up and down, sizing her up.
"You're shorter than I imagined," the Catwoman said, realizing she was a few inches taller than Shade.
Shade watched as the Catwoman's hand moved slowly towards her face. She grabbed the Catwoman's forearm before she could touch her.
"This isn't your real hair," the Catwoman said with a smile as she looked closely.
Shade pushed the woman's forearm away.
"Do not attempt touch me again," Shade gave her a second warning.
"And your eyes," the Catwoman said, still smiling slightly. "Contacts."
"Get back," Shade ordered.
The woman was observing her too closely. Even though the lighting was dim, and the air was slightly foggy, this woman seemed to have incredibly sharp eyesight. Her nighttime vision was unbelievable if she could make out contact lenses.
"Hmm..." the Catwoman said and crossed her arms, tapping a finger against her chin.
A passive move...she seemed to know that Shade would not attack her unless provoked.
"Why would you go through so much trouble?" the Catwoman asked. "Surely, being a vigilante is hard enough without having to worry about concealing your hair and eye color. This job can't be easy with a wig."
"None of that is your concern," Shade said.
"Only a public figure would go to such lengths to conceal who they are," the Catwoman said. "A public figure and a vigilante. There sure are a lot of those in this town."
The Catwoman walked over to the edge of the building and looked down at the drugged woman who was half bald after tearing out over half of her hair. The Catwoman's back was to Shade and Shade fought the urge to attack the woman who had been part of her husband's blackmail. She knew the Batman's true identity and had been part of whatever group had sent threats to expose his identity.
"The police are slow tonight," the Catwoman said.
"You're behind this," Shade said to the Catwoman's back.
The Catwoman turned around.
"Behind what?" the Catwoman asked in a tone that was both innocent and patronizing.
