Catwoman #84

Issue Details

Synopsis

THE LESSER OF TWO EVILS Commissioner Gordon wakes up tied to his wife Sarah's headstone. He is the prisoner of Harley Quinn and Catwoman, who holds a machine gun.   Harley Quinn offers to dig up his wife so he can see her again, but instead they take Gordon to a mausoleum where they hold him for reasons they aren't sure on yet--Catwoman thinks they should use him as a hostage to protect the inmates at the Cinque Center while Harley Quinn suggests holding him for ransom.  Captain Rosetti is upset that Director Norsing is taking so long to get things down when the inmates' deadline was last night. He believes her way of doing things is endangering the hostages the inmates took. He orders Sgt. Stannich to put the men into position and wait for his signal. If nothing happens by tonight, they're going in.   Catwoman and Gordon are listening to the news on the radio as they discuss the situation at the Cinque Center. Gordon tells her he had nothing to do with the situation, and she says he sent her there. Actually, Gordon argues, he wanted to send her to prison--where she belongs. She's a thief, and it's his job as a cop to put her away for her crimes. She knows that.   Catwoman is surprised that he didn't want to have her rehabilitated, only off the streets for a while, but Gordon's expectations have lowered ever since he saw how the system can fail during No Man's Land. Still, he's going to enforce the law because their only hope is continue going on like the system works. Catwoman says she is his "failed system" and she's going to kill him. To which Gordon replies, "I'm ready."   Harley Quinn returns with the supplies for Catwoman to write a note and sends her away. Once Catwoman is gone, Harley Quinn tells Gordon that Catwoman blames him for her problems--and she's a lot more fun this way.   Catwoman, meanwhile, goes to rob a bank. When a security guard fires on her, she fires back and injures his leg. He begs her not to kill him, and she says she's not going to kill anyone. She holds up a sign to the security camera that reads "Full pardons for Cinque Inmates or Gordon dies" before demanding that the bank tellers fill her bag with hundreds and twenties.   Oracle is concerned for her father. She believes Catwoman killed the ambulance driver, but Batman continues to insist that there's someone else involved. They put the clues together and realize the only person who could be behind all this is Harley Quinn. Batman leaves to find Gordon at Sarah's grave.   Oracle screams "no!" as news comes in from the Cinque Center that the state police are firing on the inmates.   The news reaches Catwoman, Harley Quinn, and Gordon too. Catwoman fires on Gordon (and misses) just as Batman bursts through the window of the mausoleum. Harley Quinn points her gun at Batman, and the four face off with Catwoman and Harley Quinn holding guns and Batman holding a batarang.   Batman tells Catwoman that Harley Quinn is using her and that if she kills Gordon, she'll take the blame while Harley Quinn walks away. She doesn't care about Catwoman. Harley Quinn says she's the only one who's ever bothered to listen to Catwoman and begins to tell her tragic backstory, starting with her dead parents.   Catwoman stops her. Batman tells Catwoman that he also lost his parents at an early age but he chose a different path--a path she can choose too--but his argument falls flat when she asks him which orphanage he was in.   Catwoman chooses to let Gordon live, though, because when she gets her revenge, she wants him around to see it. And when it comes to a choice between Batman and Harley Quinn, they've both used her and Batman has betrayed her at least once... She chooses neither, and she jumps through the window to freedom as Batman shouts "No!" and Harley Quinn fires at Gordon, who brandishes a shovel in his defense.   Harley Quinn runs away, leaving Batman and Gordon alone as the police cars approach.   Gordon admits that Catwoman wasn't pulling the strings, and he wonders what she'll do now. Batman has no idea.