Nora shook the Mayor’s hand, then addressed the crowd. “Thank you Mayor Linseed. As the new Police Commissioner I intend to carry on my crusade for women’s rights, and to prove that women can run Gotham City better than men.” She paused and looked at Chief O’Hara witheringly. “Much better. So, my first official act will be to appoint a new Police Chief – Millie Linseed.”
Chief O’Hara’s reaction betrayed his thoughts, ‘Saints preserve us, indeed!’
Mrs. Linseed strode to the podium, pushing her husband out of the way in the process.
“My dear,” Nora said as she shook Mrs. Linseed’s hand. The new Chief of Police took a place at Nora’s side, while Angelina and Evelina beamed in the background.
Nora launched into an hortatory oration. “Women of Gotham City, throw off your chains! For thousands of years men have run the world – and what do they have to show for it? A mess, that’s what! It’s time for us women to show them how it’s done!”
“Hear, hear!” and “Yeah, yeah!” Mrs. Linseed, Evelina and Angelina shouted enthusiastically. Then they broke into song:
“For she’s a jolly good person,
For she’s a jolly good person . .
.”
Bruce, Dick, O’Hara and Jim and Barbara Gordon exchanged fuddled looks.
“For she’s a jolly good person,
Which nobody can deny.”
Sometime later, the banquet hall was virtually deserted. Only the still-seated O’Hara and Jim and Barbara Gordon, along with the standing Bruce, Dick and Mayor Linseed, remained.
Mayor Linseed tried to explain himself. “I had no other choice, Mr. Wayne. My wife is such a devoted follower of Miss Clavicle’s Crusade for Women that she refused to cook or clean or wash my shirts until I appointed Miss Clavicle Commissioner of Police.” The man was close to hysteria. He ran a finger under his collar. “I’ve worn this shirt for a week! I haven’t had a decent meal in months!”
Bruce was soothing, if condescending. “It’s all right, Mayor Linseed. We understand.”
The Mayor was hoarse as he turned to James Gordon and said, “Commissioner, can you ever forgive me?”
“Of course, Mayor Linseed,” he replied drily. “I . . . I understand how difficult it was for you.” Barbara looked as if she didn’t understand one bit, but said nothing.
Dick put into words what was on everyone’s mind. “The question is, how difficult is it going to be for Gotham City?”
“Shrewd observation, Dick,” Bruce complimented. “I suspect there’s more to Miss Clavicle than meets the eye.”
This statement put matters in a new light. “Something dishonest, Bruce?” Barbara questioned.
“I wouldn’t jump to any conclusions just yet.”
O’Hara brightened. “Well, I’ll just get me boys in the Investigation Squad to–” He stopped, crestfallen. “I forgot. They aren’t me boys any more.”
“Nor mine, Chief O’Hara,” said Jim Gordon. “Nor mine.”
A few days later, Batman, Robin and Alfred were in the Batcave when the Hot Line began to bleep. Alfred answered.
“One moment, sir – I mean, ma’am!” Alfred extended the phone to Batman, “It’s her, sir.”
Batman took the phone. “Yes, Miss Clavicle?”
In the Police Commissioner’s office, Nora held the phone, with Evelina, Angelina and Chief Linseed standing in the background. “Commissioner Clavicle, Batman, calling to tell you you can take an extended vacation. We women are handling things now, and we won’t need any help from you men, Bat- or otherwise. Goodbye, Batman.”
Nora took out a pair of shears and cut the phone wire. “Men!” She snorted. “Hmph!”
Taken aback, Batman slowly cradled the phone. “Hmmm. There’s something curious about this affair.”
“Very curious, indeed, sir,” Alfred agreed.
“Well, we’re dressed for investigating,” Robin observed. “Let’s investigate!”
“There’s nothing to investigate yet, Robin,” Batman pointed out, “however, we could take a ride around Gotham City, just in case.”
“Well, good luck, sir,” Alfred said. “We men are counting on you, you know.”
“Right, Alfred,” Batman confirmed. The Caped Crusader thumped the older man on the shoulder in a sign of fellowship. “To the Batmobile!”
The Dynamic Duo leapt into the Batmobile, which then roared out of the Batcave.
Meanwhile, in the secret closet behind Barbara Gordon’s bedroom, Batgirl had a very similar idea. She made her way through the iris into the abandoned freight elevator which contained her Batgirlcycle. After the short trip down to street level, she took off to start her own investigation.
Of course, none of them could have known what was happening at that same time in Commissioner Gordon’s . . . . er . . . Commissioner Clavicle’s office!
Nora was seated behind the Commissioner’s desk, flanked by Evelina and Angelina. Chief Linseed was across the desk, addressing her idol and new boss. “Nora, what you’re doing is wonderful. Women will finally take their rightful place in the world.”
“Half the credit is yours, Millie dear,” Nora praised. “You reorganized the police department.”
Modestly Mrs. Linseed said, “It was nothing, really.”
“Nothing? To fire every man on the police force and replace them all with women? That was quite a job.”
“Well, I’d better see that things are running smoothly.” She turned to leave.
“You do that, dear.”
Gotham City’s new Chief of Police Millie Linseed turned back at the door with a flourish and blew the three women a kiss. As soon as she had left, Police Commissioner Nora Clavicle’s expression changed from saccharine to sinister.
“Now that she’s out of the way,” Nora declared, “you may proceed with ‘Operation Ransack,’ while I proceed with ‘Operation Disaster Insurance.’”
Evelina spoke up, "But what about Batman and Robin, boss?"
Nora answered derisively, "Those masked menfolk? Pshaw."
Angelina, though, was not so easily dissuaded "And what about . . . Batgirl?"
"Oh, yes! I forgot about her,” Nora admitted. “With a woman helping them, Batman and Robin might just give us some trouble . . . but all we have to do is make a call and lead them into a trap."
“We can’t call them, boss,” Evelina pointed out. “You cut the wire.”
“So I did,” Clavicle conceded, “but we can still lead them into a trap.”
“Well, how? How can we find them?” Evelina complained.
Nora smiled. “Where does one usually find Batman and Robin?”
Evelina began, “Well, usually, they’re at the scene of some crime–”
“Aha!” Nora exclaimed, pointing a finger straight up and nearly coming out of her chair.
Evelina realized at what her boss was getting and grinned. “Ha, ha. Ah, yes. I see what you mean.”
They all laughed conspiratorially. Then Nora said, “You two run off and rob a bank or something. With any luck, not only will Batman and Robin come after you, but Batgirl will get on your tail as well. I’ll meet you where we’ve stashed the truck, then we’ll go to the warehouse together.”
As soon as Angelina and Evelina departed on their unlawful errand, Nora Clavicle pushed a button on her intercom. “Bonnie, get me the CEO of Dropstitch and Company.”
A moment later, the intercom buzzed. “I have a Mr. Arkwright on the line, Commissioner.” Bonnie didn’t much care for her new boss and didn’t mind if her tone showed it.
Nora picked up the telephone, “Mr. Arkwright? This is Police Commissioner Clavicle speaking.”
“Yes, Commissioner Clavicle,” answered a voice with a pronounced British accent. “I heard about your appointment. Congratulations.”
“Thank you, Mr. Arkwright.”
“Now, Commissioner, what can I do for you today?”
“I need you to evacuate all the personnel from that warehouse I rented to you . . . immediately.” Nora explained.
“Oh?” replied Arkwright. “Why?”
“I’m sorry, but I can’t tell you anything beyond the fact that it is . . . police business.” Clavicle smirked to herself. “I assure you, your inventory will remain secure. You can resume business as usual tomorrow.”
“All right, Commissioner,” Arkwright agreed. “Always happy to cooperate with the police . . . and one of the company’s landlords. I’ll make sure no one is in the building in say . . . ten minutes?”
“Yes, that’s fine. Thank you, Mr. Arkwright. You don’t know what this means to Gotham City.” Nora hung up the phone and started to think about exactly which trap she would spring.
‘Oh, if only Batgirl graces us with an appearance!’ Nora smiled. ‘If all goes according to plan, my call to Arkwright will insure the Terrific Trio won’t be . . . disturbed.’
Nora had been interested in intricate and stringent bondage for as long as she could remember. When she was on the lecture circuit, her favorite pastime had been to visit local libraries. After she had inspected each facility’s women’s collection, she had always made time to search for arcane texts on her other passion.
One time out in Idaho, she had discovered a half-forgotten library. It was so old, that once inside Nora could smell the mold. There she had been amazed to discover two shelves, front and back, full of books about torture. Then she had come across a volume entitled Torture of the Body with Just Mankind, written by a woman!
As she had read, Nora had become more and more excited. She could hardly believe her good fortune. ‘Could this be true?’ Nora had wondered. She took that book out of the library . . . permanently.
Nora had become discouraged with her Crusade for Women. Too few women had answered her clarion call and were willing to take the steps necessary to establish womenkind’s dominance over men. Although she still firmly believed in the superiority of women, she had decided to abandon her Crusade and focus her efforts solely on benefitting . . . herself.
It was truly liberating. Now she was free! Free to do anything, and free to pursue her . . . other interest.
Nora Clavicle was extremely pleased. She looked forward to the rest of the day with eager anticipation. There was one particular torture in the book she had been wanting to try ever since she first read about it. Nora had spent hours teaching Angelina and Evelina the procedure. If Batman, Robin and Batgirl all three showed up, her wish was about to come true . . .
Later that afternoon, Evelina and Angelina arrived at the Gotham City Bank. On their faces they wore domino masks. Inside were a few customers, a teller, the bank manager, and a mini-skirted policewoman. Evelina and Angelina marched through the door and crossed over to the teller’s window.
The pair produced guns. “Hand over the goodies,” Evelina commanded, “and don’t dawdle!”
The frightened teller forked over the cash, which the thieves stashed in big over-the-shoulder bags. As this was going on, the bespectacled, mustached, bank manager happened to looked up from his paperwork and see what was taking place.
The man shot up from his desk and raced to the policewoman, who was looking in a hand-held mirror, applying lipstick. The banker shouted, “Officer!”
In response, the brand new policewoman smeared her lipstick. She stamped her foot and complained, “Oh! Now look what you’ve made me do!”
“But, b-but . . . there’s a robbery!”
Chief Linseed’s recruit was unimpressed. She was concerned with much more important matters. Gazing into the mirror, she whined, “It’s all smeared!”
During all this, Evelina and Angelina made their way out the front doors of the bank. Outside, two more policewomen, who appeared to be identical twins, were talking.
One said, “Then, add a little paprika and simmer over a low flame for fifteen minutes . . .”
As she passed, Evelina commented, “Don’t forget the bay leaves.”
“And a peppercorn or two” Angelina added on her way by the pair.
Looking up, the policewoman who had been giving the recipe said, “Thank you. Thank you!”
The bank manager had followed the thieves out the door. “Thank you?!!!” he cried, his eyes bugging out. “But my bank’s just been burgled?!”
The two policewomen resumed talking, ignoring him completely. “I hadn’t thought of bay leaves . . . Yes,” said the twin.
The bank manager looked after the escaping crooks with increasing alarm. Evelina and Angelina headed for a getaway car, near where yet another policewoman adjusted a stocking seam.
Evelina and Angelina just began to pull away when the bank manager ran up to this fourth policewoman. “Officer! Chase them! They’ve just robbed my – my bank!”
The policewoman looked up to see the car head off down the street. “How can I chase them, when they have the car?” she pointed down to her feet, “and all I have are my new Gavenchy shoes and I’m certainly not going to wreck them!”
Giving up, the distraught bank manager now turned to a police call box, which he activated.
At Police Headquarters, a uniformed switchboard operator was seated and talking over her headpiece, with Chief Linseed beaming behind her. An emergency call light was blinking madly, but the two women ignored it.
“What’s that, Car Six?” the operator said. “A clearance sale at Arbech’s? Ooh!” She flipped a switch to move from Car Six to a general bulletin. “Calling all cars! Girls, listen! Arbech’s has just marked all their dresses down twenty percent . . . !”
Outside the Gotham City Plaza, Batgirl stood next to the driver’s side of the Batmobile. She leaned over to talk to the Dynamic Duo seated inside. Her Batgirlcycle was parked next to her. The chatter of the police operator
played on the Batmobile’s radio.
”It’s good to see you again, Batgirl,” Batman said. He placed his glove on Batgirl’s right hand. Batgirl obviously noticed the gesture. Robin made no comment.
Batgirl decided to get down to business. “I’ve been cruising around myself, Batman,” she explained. “and everything seems normal so far.”
All of a sudden the three heroes paid attention to what was being broadcast on the police radio frequency. “Don’t forget the shoe sale at DuBar’s, girls. Wonderful bargains. Oh, by the way, Gotham National Bank has just been robbed. But the big news is the two-for-one sale at Slob’s Drugs . . .”
“Holy Bargain Basements, Batman!”
“Our concern is the bargain hunters at the Gotham National Bank,” Batman commented wryly. His tender touch of Batgirl’s hand was quickly forgotten.
“Right, Batman,” said Batgirl with determination. She strode to the Batgirlcycle as the Batmobile buzzed off.
Evelina held a brightly colored plastic mouse in her right palm. Angelina had different colored ones in both hands.
“Do you think we should have gotten these out?” Evelina worried.
“Oh, but they’re so cute!” Angelina gushed.
“Look,” Evelina said, “here comes the boss.”
Nora Clavicle walked up to her two minions.
“How did you get here, boss?” Angelina asked.
“I took a taxi to a couple of blocks away. I didn’t want any of our police force around here, but I don’t want anyone to know I was anywhere near the warehouse.” Nora looked at what her sycophants had been doing. “Give me that one, Evelina. I have a very special place for it.”
Evelina handed the plastic mouse to her mentor. Nora continued, “We'll leave the truck here for now. Let’s get to the warehouse.”
The bank manager paced back and forth in front of his bank. His face brightened when he saw the Batmobile. He ran over to meet the Dynamic Duo at the curb.
The Batmobile pulled to a stop. Batman saluted Batgirl as she arrived. She parked her vehicle on the street side of the Batmobile.
“Thank goodness you’re here, Batman,” the manager gratefully declared. “Two girl bank robbers just robbed my bank, while the policewomen did nothing! And then they took off into thin air in a getaway car–”
“Sometimes you can see a great deal in thin air, sir,” Batman observed.
“There’s no time for that, Robin. We’ll use the portable Batcomputer in the Batmobile.”
The trio raced to the back of the Batmobile. Batman opened the trunk and accessed the mobile Batcomputer.
In seconds the electronic marvel searched the real estate records. It revealed that Nora Clavicle had recently purchased a warehouse in Gotham City.
“Hmmm. Robin, go ask the bank manager for a description of the robbers.” As Robin ran off, Batman turned to Batgirl. “Although we have no evidence connecting Miss Clavicle to this crime, I have to wonder about what she's done to the police department.”
“I have to agree, Batman,” Batgirl admitted. “Although a policewoman can do the job as well as any man, putting all these rookies on the street doesn’t make sense. What kind of training could they have received in just a couple of days?”
At that point, Robin rejoined them. “The bank manager said the robbers were both blonde. One was tall, while he said the other was, um, ‘well built.’ They wore masks and flowing, pale, golden dresses!”
“From reports I’ve heard,” Batman began cautiously, “that sounds like–”
“The two women who were with Clavicle at the luncheon in Commissioner Gordon’s honor!” Batgirl finished.
“Let’s check out that warehouse!” Robin concluded.
The Terrific Trio clambered into and onto their respective vehicles and roared away.
Minutes later, Nora was in her warehouse, hiding behind a pile of boxes of knitting needles, with Angelina and Evelina crouched behind her. Boxes of different sizes, shapes and colors filled this part of the building. Some piles were of only two boxes, while other stacks consisted of as many as eight. The floor of the warehouse was shiny black with white speckles.
Gotham City's new Police Commissioner grasped a knitting needle of her own in her right hand and held up the plastic mouse with her left. “Think of it, girls, what we’re going to accomplish with just these two items!” The look on her face made it clear that the purpose of her
needle was not knitting.
Nervously, she switched what was in her left hand for what was in her right. As she fondled the synthetic rodent, the feminist criminal hoped with all her heart that Batgirl would appear. If
this woman who was so foolish as to work for men would be the one
who wandered near her hiding place, that would be perfect.
Suddenly, Clavicle spied a figure approaching. It was Batman. She saw Robin right behind him. Nora had left one door to the warehouse unlocked. As she planned, Batman had taken advantage of it. It was fortunate for her he had, because the crimefighters were moving so stealthily that if Nora hadn’t been looking in that direction, she might not have seen them.
Nora placed the mouse amongst the boxes, out of sight, and shifted the needle back to her left hand. Then . . . ‘Yes!’ Nora’s heart leapt in her breast when she saw Batgirl was with Batman and Robin! and Batgirl was moving towards her position–
In a flash Nora stepped out, grabbed Batgirl above the left elbow with her right hand and positioned the point of her needle at the Dark Knight Damsel’s throat. “Don’t make a move, Batgirl!”
Batman and Robin turned in surprise. “Nor you either, Dynamic Duo,” Nora added. Angelina and Evelina moved out, flanking Batgirl from slightly behind.
The three heroes froze. “Holy Knit One, Purl Two!” Robin exclaimed.
"Exactly, Boy Wonder. This needle is razor sharp and can puncture her jugular vein in an instant.”
Batgirl considered trying to break away, but decided the attempt would probably prove fatal. Clavicle was keeping the point mere millimeters from Batgirl’s skin.
Robin swallowed hard. Neither he nor Batman would do anything to jeopardize their pretty crime fighting partner’s life. They could do nothing but wait to see what would happen next.
“All right, girls,” Nora announced excitedly. “Let’s tie the Terrific Trio into Terrific Siamese Human Knots!” Nora knew that the Human Knot was not really Siamese, any more than there was anything Chinese about the Chinese Water Torture, but since that was how it was known in the West, that was what she called it.
All this meant nothing to Batgirl or Robin, but immediately Batman got a sick, sinking feeling in his stomach. As part of his long training for becoming Batman, Bruce Wayne had studied every known trap and torture. He had hoped he would never have to face this one. Now, those hopes were dashed . . .
Then it occurred to Batman that maybe he could shift the odds in their favor. Assuming these women hadn’t done this to anyone before, perhaps he could cause them to make some mistakes in the positioning of his body . . .
Angelina and Evelina stepped forward with evil joy in their eyes. They both relished the chance to humiliate arrogant men. Angelina and Evelina were dominant women, who became aroused by torturing defeated males . . . and by watching each other do the same.
They met at a photo shoot where they were both working as models. During a break, Angelina mentioned to Evelina how she sometimes felt degraded, earning a living as a sex object.
Evelina casually replied while she was proud of her body and didn’t mind putting it on display, she would much rather do things to men, rather than for them. Kindred spirits, the two became fast friends.
Soon after that, they became devoted followers of Ms. Clavicle. The day Angelina and Evelina met her in person after one of her lectures was a turning point in their lives.
Nora was immediately taken by their Nordic beauty. She invited them back to her hotel room for a late night supper. They eagerly accepted.
Over an intimate dinner with the women’s rights activist, Angelina and Evelina discovered they had much more in common with their hostess than just a belief in the superiority of women. The conversation turned to bondage and torture. Soon, they became Nora’s devoted disciples and now would do anything for her.
First Angelina and Evelina pushed some boxes out of the way, to clear a space on the floor. Then the statuesque Angelina moved behind Batman and shoved him into a seated position. The bosomy Evelina grabbed Robin by his bare arms and turned him around. “Sit down, Boy Wonder, and leave everything to me,” Evelina teased. Robin dropped to the smooth, cool floor. Evelina took great gratification manipulating the handsome, naive teen’s body so that he faced Batman.
To prevent any resistance from the crimefighters while all this was going on, Nora made sure to keep the needle at Batgirl’s throat. Carefully, she moved Batgirl to stand with her purple and gold cape hanging in Batman’s face, then sat the Purple Paragon in between his legs, practically in his lap. Angelina pulled the Dark Knight’s left leg almost into a split behind Batgirl.
Evelina put Robin’s left foot up against the right side of Batman’s rump. She then grabbed Robin’s right ankle, lifted his right leg over Batgirl and then forced Robin’s legs as far apart as possible. Under Batman’s cape, the green, wing-tipped heel of Robin’s left boot dug into Batman’s satin trunks, while Robin’s lower left leg pressed hard against the Caped Crusader’s muscular right upper leg.
Evelina then scrambled over and bent Batman’s left leg at a right angle. This was done in such a way that the outside of his knee touched the floor.
Robin’s right leg was flexed, with his knee off the floor. His ankle was trapped under Batman’s upper left leg, while Batman’s lower leg crossed behind Robin’s ankle. Batman’s foot was restrained by the inside of Robin’s upper right leg.
Next, Evelina hopped back and bent Robin's left arm at the elbow, so that his left hand was over his crotch. Nora then had Evelina thread Batgirl's right lower leg between Robin's left upper arm and his side and over his left forearm.
Angelina picked up Batgirl’s left leg and shoved it to Robin’s left side, where it lay adjacent to her right leg. Following that, Angelina lifted Batman’s right leg.
It was a fine line between resisting and guiding, but Batman was able to lead Angelina into draping his right leg over both of Batgirl’s legs, rather than between them. This kept the knot considerably looser than it was supposed to be.
Then Batman caused Angelina to make a second blunder. Batman slipped his left arm high around Batgirl’s neck, instead of across her back. Since this looked as though it put Batgirl at great risk of strangling, Angelina didn’t give a second thought to leaving it there. She then pulled Batman’s left hand next to Robin’s.
Due to the mis-positioning, Batgirl’s left ankle was now propped against the side of Robin’s left shoulder, rather than on it. Even so, Batman was pressed by Robin's left leg on one side and by Batgirl's torso on the other, while Batgirl was caught between Robin's right leg, Batman's left leg and Batman's torso.
Robin and Batgirl were genuinely puzzled as to what this was all about. The intertwining of their bodies was filled with the counter tensions of clinging and resisting, lush with sexual promise and rife with discomfort and claustrophobia. Such feelings were irresistibly present in the two younger members of the Terrific Trio. At first, Robin and Batgirl had to suppress the urge to giggle as their bodies were pulled and stretched into ever more ludicrous positions.
Robin and Batgirl both squirmed. They couldn’t deny feeling the stirring of excitement generated in their bodies by what was being done to them. The Boy Wonder, especially, found being in a clinching position with Batgirl and Batman, with his arms and legs intricately and tightly interwoven with theirs, titillating.
Nora instructed Evelina to come next to her. Still holding the needle at Batgirl’s throat, she handed it to Evelina. Nora then bound Batman’s and Robin’s left hands together, putting into practice the instructions set forth in the book she had found. Nora marveled at this discovery of the Thugee of India. The procedure was so simple, yet so intricate!
By now, this had all certainly become unpleasant for the victims. As Batman’s hand pulled on Robin's, Batgirl's lower right leg pushed on Robin's left side. The Boy Wonder was being forced to hold Batgirl's right leg in place. Batgirl’s legs were further immobilized by Batman’s right leg over her thighs.
Robin’s groin felt like a wishbone about to be snapped. He found it impossible to move his legs farther apart, while moving them together only increased the pressure on his two friends.
Naturally, Batman feigned ignorance about the Siamese Human Knot. As Nora finished tying his left hand with Robin’s, he asked, “What are you doing to our bodies?”
“You’ll soon see, Batman,” Nora said with an evil smile. “We’re putting you into a Human Knot, a ropeless anundal discovered hundreds of years ago.”
Even though done improperly, this was all still extremely painful . . . and Batman knew the worst was yet to come. The sadists now turned their attention to the four remaining free arms. They began to manipulate these limbs in such a way as to bring the heroes to the brink of strangulation.
Batman’s right arm was placed on the right side of Robin's neck. Batgirl's left arm was put across the Boy Wonder’s throat. When Nora joined these hands together behind Robin's head, the Teen Titan was in a precarious choke hold.
With Robin now in jeopardy, the knitting needle was no longer necessary. Nora bent Batgirl's right arm underneath the front of Batman's neck. Batgirl's forearm was put back around Batman's head, where her hand was joined with Robin's right hand. Batman was now on the verge of strangling, as Batgirl and Robin both unwillingly squeezed the veins and arteries in their leader’s neck.
Nora looked at the heroes, exultantly. “Nice work, girls!” Nora said. “A really Terrific Siamese Human Knot!”
As Nora continued to speak, she waved the knitting needle with her right hand. "You are wise to stay motionless or you will be the Terminated Trio.” Nora punctuated Terminated Trio with jabs of the needle in the air. “The slightest move by any one of you will only draw the Human Knot tighter,” Nora closed her left hand as if to represent the tightening Knot, “crush your bones,” Batman, Batgirl and Robin all grimaced, “and mwha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha . . . strangle you, ha, ha, ha!"
Batgirl had no idea what was going on, but she decided that if there was even a chance the slightest move would crush and strangle them, she had better keep quiet.
That thought, though, didn’t occur to Robin. “Holy Hamstrings,” he grunted.
Batman concluded the amount of tightening that would be caused by talking would be worth the chance to impress upon his compatriots the gravity of their situation. Ominously he declared, “Exactly, Robin.”
Robin moaned in response. Then Batman concluded, “This is torture, at its most bizarre and terrible.”