The Mistress of Venom: Part 1

Chapter 1

Suzy Smith, age six, was playing hopscotch in her driveway. 1,2,1,2,1,2,1. Suddenly, she doubled over in pain, clutching her middle. Hearing her cry, her parents rushed her to a nearby Emergency Room. All over Gotham, children were being rushed to hospitals. They all had similar symptoms: a very bad stomach ache, and a headache on some pain level between three and seven.

Commissioner Gordon was worried. Very worried. With one or two children ill, it was just a rare, non-contagious disease. Have so many hospitalized, though, well, this was an epidemic. How could he know if Barbara was susceptible? So far, only children from the ages of four to ten had been stricken but... Well, he didn't know what to think but though Gotham was a high priority it was second to his daughter. Her safety was what mattered most.

Late that night, Gordon stood on the top of a building, next to the bat signal. A silent figure slowly walked toward him from behind but his senses were honed enough that he heard the black cape ruffling slightly in the wind. "Batman." The commissioner turned to see a darkly cloaked figure. With strong shoulders and broad chest tapering down to slim wiry legs, it was easy to imagine his head sat on top of an inverted isosceles triangle.

"You rang," said the Bat in a dark velvet voice.

"Yes, yes, I did," replied the commissioner. "I assume you know..."

"The illnesses," he nodded. "They're not normal."

"Exactly. My theory is that it's caused by some sort of poison but i can't be sure. The doctors, with all their research and technology, haven't quite figured it out yet. They are dosing the patients with pain medicine and sedatives but when they start vomiting blood, all they can do is make them comfortable. If the doctors knew what it was caused by-"

"They might be able to manufacture a cure. I'm on it." Batman started to walk away but then he turned back. "And Gordon, take care of your daughter. I don't know who's doing this but if their plan is to immobilise the city, we need our authority figures to have their heads in the game."

"Yes, sir." The commissioner saluted Batman's back. The Dark Knight laughed quietly as he shot his grapnel gun and swung into his city.