Batwoman #32

Issue Details

Synopsis

DEADLY IS THE NIGHT Kate Kane and her cousin Bette visit the Gotham Children's Hospital Charity Carnival when Bette makes the mistake of commenting that it would be nice if they could have been joined by Kate's fiancée Maggie Sawyer and her daughter Jamie. It's a sore point because Maggie's ex-husband Jay has decided to sue for custody, and Kate can't do anything to help.   Suddenly, a woman calls Kate's name from nearby, and she turns to see that it is Sophie Moore - the woman for whom Kate had allowed herself to be kicked out of West Point. Upon realizing who Sophie is, Bette uncomfortably excuses herself, allowing the women to catch up. In the interim, Sophie has been promoted to a colonel, and has since become an instructor at the Gotham Military Academy, starting Monday. Awkwardly, she suggests that things don't have to be weird between them, but Kate dismisses the issue, saved by a phone call from Maggie. Abruptly, Kate ends the conversation, emphatically commenting that the call is from her fiancée, and turning away before Sophie can invite her out to dinner sometime.   Maggie warns Kate away from coming to Metropolis to help wade through the paperwork that she has been drowning in - which Kate takes a bit personally. Though she was the one who called, Maggie is too busy to talk, and hangs up before Kate can even tell her she loves her.   Elsewhere at the carnival, Alex Witherspoon is disgusted to see Natalia Mitternacht walking free after she was acquitted for murdering Alex's father. Hoping to see the woman put down for good, Alex makes a call to someone who is more able to do the job than she.   Troubled by both Maggie's distance and Sophie's return, Kate pays an unscheduled visit to her therapist Dr. Huss' office, to talk it out. On the subject of Sophie's return, he reminds that leaving something behind is not the same as dealing with it. It's possible that Kate still holds romantic feelings for her, though she denies it profusely. Unfortunately, he doesn't have more time to talk about it, and Kate swallows her problems for the time being, hoping to burn off some stress later that night.   That night, Anton Knight complains of Nocturna's parading herself in front of other men, reminding that he is not her real son - he is her lover. She reminds that his father's estate has begun to run dry, and as such, she needs to facilitate her lifestyle somehow. To that end, she has decided to steal a chalice from a museum exhibit on Lady Báthory - with or without his help.   Kate, meanwhile, has become frustrated with how few punks are on the street, given how much she wants to punch someone. Bored, she checks her voicemail, and finds a message from her father. He explains that her sister Beth seems to be doing well in her rehabilitation - though it will still be a long road to go. The next message is from Sophie, who got the number from Bette, to Kate's chagrin. She begs the opportunity to talk over dinner, and this only serves to trouble Kate further.   Fortunately, or not, Kate spots something going on at the museum, and upon investigation finds two security guards bleeding on the floor. She provides first aid, briefly, before seeking out the cause of their injury. When her flashlight catches Nocturna in its beam, she is horrified by the woman's inhuman appearance. Sinisterly, Nocturna remarks that bats are supposed to be friends with vampires. The woman's fingernails are like razor-sharp claws, and she swipes at Kate's gut, narrowly missing evisceration. Instinctively, Kate leaps back, flinging batarangs blindly behind her, one of which pieces her opponent in the eye. Before Kate can take any further action, though, she is knocked out by another intruder - Anton, who hurries Nocturna and the stolen chalice out of the museum.   Elsewhere, Alex Witherspoon's assassin, Derek, reveals his plan to take on both a costume and code-name, given that he's in Gotham. He's decided on the name "Killshot".