"That's all I see, Batman."

From the dark corners of the rafters in the warehouse, the mysterious costumed female observed the imposing persona draped in black silently turn towards his teenaged partner.

Robin spoke again, "It's just a blank black card."

Batman moved towards the unconscious gang leader suspended in the doorway of the main entrance to the warehouse with rope around his midsection. The black card that Robin referred to was entwined in the rope. Batman swiftly pulled it out, careful not to loosen the binds. He turned it over and was faced with a strange blue insignia in the shape of a cat’s head with glowing yellow eyes.

"I've never seen anything like that before. Who do you think it belongs to?" Robin asked.

A gruff voice answered, "Someone in way over their head, Robin." The spy shifted uncomfortably in her perch.

The Boy Wonder was obviously confused. "Wait...you mean...?"

“There’s a new vigilante in Gotham,” the Dark Knight finished.

There was a torturous silence as Robin comprehended what that meant. Batman put the card back exactly as he found it and very slightly nodded to his partner. The crimefighting duo quickly disappeared from the warehouse, out of sight of the lurking observer.

Pantherette pondered the vigilantes’ response to her appearance as she heard sirens arriving in the distance. She gracefully made her way around the rafters until she reached a hatch that led to the roof. Quickly climbing through it, she crept along the dark roof, her long black cape protecting her from being seen by the police officers beginning to invade the warehouse. Without detection, she made her way down the building and to her motorcycle that was hidden in an alley behind another warehouse a good distance away from the one she was on.

Throwing on a helmet decorated with her Panther-insignia, she started her bike, affectionately dubbed the Catcycle, and drove off. She had one more destination to go to before she would call it a night. At that late hour, it didn’t take her long to speed across town to a part of Gotham called Crime Alley. Once known as Park Row, the most influential section of Gotham, it now run rampant with underworld scum. She was there looking for one particular piece of scum who had information that she needed.

Carefully concealing the Catcycle in another alley, Pantherette crept through the ground-level window of a certain apartment building, entering its dingy basement. In the corner of the basement, she spied out a ruffled sort of man with curly red hair and a patched-up suit sitting by a table that was covered with money, very carefully counting every last cent. The man’s back was to her and he didn’t even notice as she snuck up behind him. She grabbed his shoulder suddenly and spun him around towards her. Then she immediately clamped her hand over his mouth, keeping in his startled scream.

“Be quiet!” the towering figure commanded. Eyes open wide with terror, the man quickly complied. “Terry the Rat?” He enthusiastically nodded in acknowledgment, as best he could underneath the gloved hand. Pantherette knew that he was a squirrelly little man whose nose was in every aspect of Gotham’s underground. That’s exactly what she was counting on.

“Will you be quiet if I let go of your mouth?” Terry’s head bobbed up and down again. Pantherette slowly let go of him.

“Wh...who are you?” the little man stuttered.

“The name’s Pantherette.” The crimefighter glared down at him. “But I’ll be your worst nightmare if you don’t tell me what I want to know.”

Terry abruptly stood up, knocking over his chair. “Wha...what? What is it you want?”

She took a deliberate step forward. “What do you know about what’s going on with Jackie the Rip? There’s something big going down soon.”

Terry backed himself into the corner, gulping uncontrollably. “I know nuthin’! I swear!”

“I don’t believe you, Terry. Don’t make me force it out of you, because I will.” Pantherette took a few more steps towards the cowering figure.

Shaking, Terry replied again, “I, uh...I don’t know nu...nuthin’!”

Without another word, Pantherette pounced and grabbed Terry’s ankle. She stood up, effortlessly holding him upside-down.

“Alright! I’ll tell! I’ll tell!” he shouted. “Put me down!”

Pantherette carelessly dropped him and waited for him to speak. While rubbing his bruised head, Terry said, “Jackie is trading something big with another gang midnight tomorrow night. I dunno what it is, but knowin’ the Rip, it’s dangerous and nasty. It’s gonna be in the Carusoe Inc. building downtown. Tenth floor.”

“Who’s the other mob boss?” Pantherette prodded.

“I dunno. I swear I don’t know. He’s hiding himself real good.”

Pantherette glared a couple of seconds before deciding that she believed him. “Alright, Terry.” She added harshly, “Keep on your toes, cause I’ll be back.” Then she turned and melted into the shadows of the basement. Terry sat staring at where the teen vigilante disappeared, blinking in disbelief.

P A N T H E R E T T E