Catwoman #46

Issue Details

Synopsis

THE ONE YOU LOVE PART 3 Benny Moore and a mysterious associate are talking inside a warehouse in Gotham. His associate has offered Moore a deal: If Moore gives him thirty percent of his gross, he will in exchange get peace of mind. Moore isn't willing to take that deal, spitting at him, and his associate freezes his spit before it can get far. Moore is now willing to take the deal, but their talk is interrupted when they notice a young boy, seven-year-old Joey Allen of the Alleytown Kids, peering inside the warehouse. The associate freezes him solid. Moore worries that boy will die, but the other man insists he isn't a monster.  Catwoman is on a rooftop spying on the East End with a pair of Batman's binoculars, which she says he won't miss. Hush wasn't kidding when he said he would flood the East End with crime. Selina and Holly are trying to keep up with everything that Alleytown Kids report. The East End has fallen into chaos, but Holly can't believe these supervillains aren't leaving behind a trail of dead bodies. Selina tells her to wait: Soon they're going to have to decide between having fun and gaining power, and most of them are going to choose power. That's when Leslie calls Holly and asks her to come to the Thompkins Clinic.   James Lenahan and Carl Worth, meanwhile, are beating Smart Bomb with a phone book inside a police station. Smart Bomb refuses to tell them anything, insisting he is a much bigger deal than they are and one of these days, he was going to fight the Justice League. Lenahan is unconvinced. They're interrupted by Sam Bradley, who begins bickering with Lenahan and Worth. Smart Bomb reactivates his suit's gun, and Lenahan and Worth turn on him, shooting several times. Smart Bomb dies, and they're back at square one--except, Smart Bomb kind of looks like Sam Bradley.   Selina and Holly are in the Thompkins Clinic, standing over the semi-conscious Joey Allen. Selina cajoles Joey into naming his attackers, and he says "blue guy... weird glasses... cold gun..." and "Benny Moore," a small-time meth dealer with a lab on Cooper. Holly has no idea why Moore would want anything to do with Mr. Freeze, and Selina tells her to give her a ten minute headstart before calling the cops--she's going to find out.   Catwoman beats Benny Moore to find the location of his associate, and he names a warehouse on Sunset before she mentions the name "Freeze". He is bewildered, but Catwoman is already out the window.   Lenahan and Worth dress Sam up in Smart Bomb's armor. Commissioner Akins has given the order for Sam to go undercover as Smart Bomb himself. After the trouble last year, Akins wants to cut down on costumed villains in the city, and he wants to do it from the inside. Lenahan and Worth aren't sure of Sam's odds of survival, but they consider this a win-win situation for themselves.   Catwoman makes her way to the warehouse on Sunset and finds it covered in frost in July. She remembers that Bruce told her Mr. Freeze is one of his most dangerous enemies, but he does have weaknesses she can exploit: women, and the memory of his wife Nora. She shouts for Freeze to come out, but Captain Cold answers instead.   Catwoman and Captain Cold make small talk until Catwoman suddenly hits him across the face with her whip. They aren't friends anymore. He froze one of her kids, and that changes everything. Captain Cold is skeptical. Catwoman's position in the East End is weak, and it's time for her to decide if she's with them or against them. He invites her to join him and admires her for going up against the man himself several times. Catwoman waits out his monologue for a chance to kick his gun out of his hand. She beats him.   Captain Cold says that kicking him out of the East End like she wants to do is the stupidest move she could make. He's the one who got the others to think she could join them. Without him, they're going to take her out. She thinks he's bluffing, but a voice over her shoulder assures her he's not.   Cheetah, Angle Man, Hammer and Sickle, and Hugo Strange warn her she's either with them or against them. Catwoman asks to delay her decision, but Captain Cold holds his cold gun to her head and tells her to choose now.   Catwoman is in.