Batman: Shadow of the Bat #84

Issue Details

Synopsis

NO MAN'S LAND PART 8: FEAR OF FAITH PART 2 - TO SERVE AND PROTECT Scarecrow is walking alone down a street with a tattered bag. As he finds rats, he puts them in the bag, believing that all you need are a few measly rats to make the people scamper and hide in the corner. At the Ark Project Refugee Center, rats are found to be infesting the food supply. Father Chris tries to salvage the food, but Scarecrow tells him that he believed the peace was only kept in the center because the people were well-fed. Although a young boy, Jonah, offers his rations to Father Chris, he knows they don't have enough food for all of the people. Scarecrow taunts him, saying the people will understand when they starve, since there will be feasts in the Kingdom of Heaven.  Outside of the ark, Batman and Batgirl patrol in The Penguin's territory while the Blue Boys fight with a different gang member. One of the officers continues to beat the man unconscious until Commissioner Gordon stops him. The officer wonders what they are doing there, as everyone in Gotham is going insane. Punctuating the insanity, Father Chris, unknown to Father Papaleo, is inside the Penguin's office, negotiating a deal for more food for his people. Penguin wants to store his arsenal in a fallout shelter underneath the center that was found by Scarecrow. He tells Father Chris that he will give the center food and medicine for his cooperation. Although Chris doesn't like the deal, he is forced to accept when Penguin threatens to kill all the people in the center and use the shelter anyway.   Back at the center, former Black Masker, Mikey is playing with the young children while being spied on by both Huntress and Scarecrow, neither of them trusting him. Father Papaleo asks Mikey if he has seen Father Chris, but all Mikey knows is that he went to look for more supplies. Rabbi Sacharow and a group of his followers entered the center and greeted Papaleo. Although they tell him that their religion prohibits them from staying in the church, Papaleo tells them that Mikey can build them a shelter since he wants to help however he can.   Elsewhere, at the building where Penguin was storing his arsenal, the splinter group of Black Maskers, the False Facers, are planning to steal the supplies. Although it seems strange to some of them that the place is unguarded, their leader, Leo, tells them that no one knows about the arsenal so there is no reason to guard it. As they are searching the building, Batman punches through the wall and scares the gang. As they try to leave, the floor falls out from below them as Batgirl pulls it down around them. Before she can capture them, however, the building is set on fire, and they all barely escape. She apologizes to Batman, but he explains that the fire was not an accident, that someone committed arson to make people believe that the arsenal was gone. In the fallout shelter under the refugee center, Father Chris is organizing the arsenal, while Scarecrow asks him how he felt about making a deal with the devil.   Outside, Huntress breaks into the False Facer's hideout. She warns Leo that she doesn't care what they take from the Penguin, but to stay away from Mikey. She tells him that Mikey is under her's and Batman's protection and he doesn't belong to them anymore. As this is happening, Scarecrow is talking to Mikey, telling him about the weapons in the basement. He tells Mikey that although Father Chris won't say it, he wants Mikey to talk to his old gang and ask for help. He tells Mikey to talk to Chris about the weapons, ask if he trusts Huntress for protection, and if he doesn't then Mikey should go ask for help. Through a slight misunderstanding, Mikey believes Scarecrow, and brings a box of weapons to the False Facers, asking for their protection. Leo, though, takes one of the guns and shoots Mikey. Huntress finds him, left for dead in the street, with a note calling him a traitor, as Scarecrow watches from the shadows.