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Joker's smiling asking the others "are we having fun yet?" As you see Poison Ivy, Killer Croc and Scarecrow holding unconscious guards. Walking past them Joker goes on saying, "Lest ye think that this is all mister Joker has planned for you... and who would doubt my party-planning abilities, by the way? Let me show you what's behind curtain number one!" Behind the curtain, strapped to a table, is Batman, Joker states "our very own Bat-piñata!" The others are very happy with this and Joker goes on stating "What sort of candy do you think will spill out?" As Joker asks any guesses, he lurches and you see a spear coming out of him. Just then Manhunter jumps through a window shooting two guns, killing everyone in the room. Manhunter walks up to Batman stating, "The cavalry had arrived..." and takes off Batman's gag. Batman yells at Manhunter asking what does she think she is doing, and if she thinks that he wanted her help, then he slaps her. Batman asks Manhunter, "What makes you think you're any different from those beasts you murdered? Who gave you the right to take a life?" Batman continues to go on saying that at least the villains acknowledge their bloodlust and don't play hero. Manhunter says, "B-but I'm a good guy - I'm - "

Just then Kate wakes up from her dream thinking to herself that she needs to stop falling asleep with the TV on. She gets out of bed complaining to herself that her body hurts and tries to find a lighter to light her cigarette. Kate ends up lighting it by her gas range, thinking 'nicotine trumps dignity'. Just then her telephone rings and she hears, "Katey, didja hear?" "And good Morning to you, too, Damon. Hear what?" Kate responds to Damon's question. "About Copperhead!" Damon says, Kate responds "um, no. Fill me in." Kate looks at herself in a mirror and wonder to herself if her cut needed stitches, Damon hears her say this and asks about it, in which Kate says that, "she just cut herself." Damon tells Kate that Copperhead is dead and that the press is all over the Federal building. He also asks if she could come in, Kate says, "On a Saturday? Of course, what else do I have to do?" Kate then walks into her living room and sees her Manhunter outfit all over the place and she begins to wonder where she can store her costume. Kate ends up putting them into the hall closet.

The Last Resort - 20 miles outside of St. Roch, Louisiana. Inside a bar, a man in a dark booth is talking to himself. The man is just rambling to himself and seems to be arguing with no one. Carl Sands... the Shadow Thief, sits in the booth arguing with his suit about many things, like killing everyone in the bar. Carl over-hears a news bulletin on Copperhead's death and says "What?!?" in a very surprised manner. The News report goes on saying, "...that credit for Copperhead's death is claimed by someone calling themselves Manhunter." The reporter goes on saying that calls to Power Company were unreturned, seeing how they have a Manhunter on that team, however he was sighted in Paris. The reporter goes on while Carl says to himself "He can't be dead, he was my friend" stabbing a fork into the table. Carl goes on saying that he is going to make a side trip to L.A. and disappears into the shadows. The waitress walks up to the table saying that she was just stiffed, when Carl's hand comes out of the shadows and pays the bill, freaking out the waitress.

As Kate gets into her office, Damon begins to tell her, "We need you to check this statement to the press-" while another office staff member tells Kate, "Court TV has requested an interview for Monday-" Kate tells everyone "Guys, guys, back off! I just got in the door ok?" While sitting in her office, Kate begins thinking over her new "job". She feels a little exhilarated over it, thinking that what she is doing isn't wrong - now dozens of families can sleep at night. Kate wonders who's next... and thinking that she can give the "super-hero" thing a try. "Hi mommy" comes from behind Kate as she turns to see her son, Ramsey and her ex-husband Peter. Kate says, "Oh, crap. Did I -" "Forget it was your weekend with Ramsey again, Kate?" Peter states. Kate covers her face and tells Ramsey, "You caught me! Sorry Ramsey, can you forgive your forgetful mom?" Ramsey, not looking very happy being there says, "I guess, can we go to the citywalk this time?" Kate tells him sure, she just needs to finish her work before they go. Peter glares at Kate and asks to talk to her privately. Kate tells Ramsey to draw something while she "just got called to the principal's office."

Peter tells Kate, "Way to show your son he's a priority, Kate. This is the fourth time you've forgotten to pick him up." Kate tells Peter that she will make it up to Ramsey, then Peter asks "How will you make it up to me?" also stating that he has things he needs to do. Kate says dryly "Oh, really? Like? Another reading of your new novel at 'Book Soup'?" Kate goes on saying that Peter is desperate for adoration, when Peter begins to yell at Kate, calling her "a castrating bi-" Kate interrupts saying "Now, now, no yelling." Peter then tells Kate that if her son means so little to her, that he should file for full custody. "Against a star Federal Prosecutor? Who happens to be close personal friends with every Judge in L.A. family court?" Kate then dares Peter to go ahead with it and to have a nice weekend.

Kate walks back into her office as Peter tells Ramsey that he will pick him up 6 on Sunday. Ramsey was looking through one of Kate's files of some of the Joker's victims and asks, "Why are they smiling?" Kate takes the file away from Ramsey, saying that it wasn't for "little eyes" which Ramsey says that they're cool and wants to know if they are real live dead people. Kate says no more talk about Mom's work and asks Ramsey what he wants to do today. They end up deciding to go to a restaurant, while eating, Kate tries to make small talk with her son. Ramsey doesn't seem very interested in being with his mom and answers his questions with short phrases. While Ramsey goes to the bathroom, Kate pulls out a cigarette and almost lights it when a waitress says that she can't light that, as there has been no smoking in restaurants for the past five years.

The L.A. County Coroner's Office. A Coroner staff member is looking at a crate, wondering how he is going to open it. "Freakin' S.T.A.R. Labs! Haven't they ever heard of a plain old body bag?" says the assistant right before he gets knocked out. As he falls, Shadow Thief is standing behind him smiling. "Now, lets see if this is really you, old man." Carl says as he opens the container. Carl looks into the container and sees Copperhead's body lying there with a small bag of teeth lying on his chest. "What did this 'Manhunter' do to you?" Carl takes one of the teeth out of the bag while saying, "Let's take your fangs to remember you by... and to plunge into your killer's temple" after he beats up Manhunter, then he disappears into the shadows. Another staff member walks into the room pushing a body cart and says, "Hey Frankie, we got three from a drive-by on Olympic-" then he sees Frankie lying on the floor.

Back at the restaurant a waiter/bust boy is picking up the dishes from the table. Kate stares at the waiter and he turns and looks at Kate. "Hey, you look really familiar? Do I--?" "NO! I mean - whoa!" as he 'accidentally' hits the shake onto Kate. Ramsey begins to laugh at this while Kate asks for a towel. Kate and Ramsey return to her apartment and Ramsey asks, "Why can't we go to the citywalk?" Kate tells him that it was late for one thing and that she was covered in vanilla ice cream. "But..." says Ramsey, "No 'buts.' Watch a DVD, we'll figure something out after I take a shower." Kate tells him. Ramsey looks through Kate's DVD's saying, "Boring, boring, stupid, really boring" then starts looking around the room. Ramsey walks over to the closet and opens the door, when the staff falls out. Ramsey picks up the staff and says, "COOL!"

As Kate is drying her hair, she begins to take to Ramsey through the door asking, "What about we go to the Library? I can get some work done and you can check out some Dr. Seuss or Judy Blume, maybe?" Kate then says we could go to the Old Navy and get you some new pants, and then asks Ramsey not to pull the silent treatment as she opens the door. Kate looks and sees Ramsey holding the staff, Kate tells Ramsey "put that down!" Ramsey asks, "Where did you get this? It's so-" as he presses a button on the staff.





Kate begins to run toward Ramsey as he clicks the button...




KA-BOOOM




To be continued

Characters:

Dream:

Batman Villains
Batman

Kate Spencer / Manhunter (LA District Attorney)
Damon (Matthews; his full name was not given in this issue) (Assistant LA District Attorney)
Peter (Robinson; his last name not given in this issue)
Ramsey (Robinson; last name not given in this issue)
Dylan Battles (name was not given in this issue) (waiter at the restaurant)

Copperhead - dead body
Carl Sands / Shadow Thief

Unnamed Office Staff
Frankie (Last name not given) (Coroner staff member)
Unnamed Coroner Staff
Unnamed Waitress at The Last Resort

Issue summary written by: glguardian (Tad Dupre)