Harley backflipped off the Joker’s giant jack-in-the-box landed and threw back her
shoulders bravely My Puddin would want me to act He’d want me to free him He’d want me to get revenge And that’s exactly what I’m going to do Both hyenas laughed with maniacal encouragement You think I should talk to Poison Ivy Harley said as she reached for her phone I agree Red’s my best friend and she’s always up for some fun I just know she’ll want to help Robin tugged at the ropes that bound his wrists behind his back The cords were tight but he could move his fingers He ran his fingertips over the knot until he could identify it as Batman had taught him A surgeon’s knot the Boy Wonder announced Good Batman said glancing up from the bank of computers he was studying You know what you’re up against Now all you have to do is free yourself Robin glanced around the Batcave There were no sharp objects nearby he could use to cut the rope He’d have to untie it but this knot was difficult We just captured the Joker Robin grumbled tugging at the cords I thought we could have some downtime I want to play my new Veggie Wars video game Batman smiled over at Robin The sooner you free yourself the sooner you’ll be frying potatoes he said Practicing your skills could save your life I guess Robin sighed as he pulled at another cord Other kids have normal homework Sheesh But already he could feel the knot loosening Then with a final tug the ropes fell away Robin leaped to his feet Victory he shouted Hello video game CLOMP CLOMP CLOMP The Boy Wonder dashed up the stairs that led from the Batcave into the mansion above He nearly crashed into their butler Alfred who was coming down Good evening Master Tim Alfred said He called down to Batman The Bat Signal is shining over Gotham City Ah man Robin groaned
Apparently Poison Ivy is holding a property developer prisoner the butler continued She appears to be helping a group of gardeners They are protesting the developer’s plan to put a building in an empty lot they use for a community garden I have it Alfred Thanks Batman said looking up from his computer Robin glared down into the Batcave One of the computer screens showed a green light blinking on a Gotham City map Another screen showed a scene of confusion near a community garden Batman was pulling on his bat-eared cowl Robin sighed and trudged back down the steps Don’t wait up Alfred We may be a while Batman said as he slid behind the wheel of the Batmobile Robin leaped in beside him As they roared from the Batcave Robin grumbled Good-bye video game The Batmobile pulled into a shadowed alley between a pair of old apartment buildings Across the street flashing lights from cop cars lit a row of police officers holding large plastic containers An angry crowd blocking the sidewalk chanted Save our garden The police and the protesters were so intent on arguing no one noticed the Batmobile arrive Why are those people mad at the cops Robin asked as they leaped from the car He gaped at the plants rising high and wild behind the protesters Shouldn’t they be mad at Poison Ivy There’s no way they planted those monsters Robin was right The garden was a wilderness of massive plants bearing vicious looking flowers threatening fruit trees and hideous vegetables Some plants were sprouting massive tentacles That was a garbage-strewn empty lot until those people turned it into a garden Now the police have been ordered to remove them Batman said They crossed the street keeping to the shadows This isn’t the cops fault but the police make a handy target We need to end this situation before someone gets hurt Batman fired his grapnel toward the roof of a nearby apartment building The hook
caught on a ledge and drew him upward Robin followed right behind him flying up into the air He landed beside Batman on a fire escape landing Below the crowd’s anger upset the plants A monster tomato plant swayed like a baseball pitcher Several giant red fruits flew from its stem over the heads of the crowd PLOP SPLAT SQUISH They splattered against the windshields of the cop cars It’ll take ages to scrape that off growled a cop hefting his container of weed killer and stepping forward This means war You can’t use weed killer here a protester shouted trying to block the police Poison Ivy may be a criminal to you but she’s trying to help us And that weed killer could poison her too Wrong Batman murmured as he scanned the overgrown garden She’s immune to all toxins but the police aren’t Unless they’re careful they could poison themselves The Dark Knight took in the garden layout The plant beds form a maze And there’s Poison Ivy Right at the center Robin said What’s that thing she’s waving in front of her captive Batman studied the scene below It looks like she’s trying to get him to sign a deed Come on
