Mark Rand

"Hold your position, Paladin," Batman replies.  "Batgirl will call for backup if she needs it.  Right now, she's gathering information."

"Unless he's anchoring nearby, he has several more drawbridges ahead of him," Katherine says.  "The next three are the Sixth, Seventh, and Ninth Street Bridges.  Following them are the North and South Archibald Goodwin Bridges, all five of which are two-leaf bascule bridges, and the North and South Trigate Bridges, which are lift bridges."

"Aren't they locked down soon?" Batgirl asks.

"Yeah, at 11 PM," Katherine says.  "Because tomorrow is a weekday, and not a federal holiday, they won't open until 9:30 AM."

"He might get caught speeding," Batgirl says.  "The GCPD Harbor Patrol also patrols the rivers."

On 9/24/2021 at 8:18 PM, steriaca said:

"He's not going to make it. What can we do?"

"Hope the trains clear the bridge in time," Batgirl says, watching the railroad board.  "The line of lights are the tracks with the lit ones being the trains.  The black vertical lines are the bridge.  The rest of the lights are various signals."  Batgirl pauses, then adds, "The trains are nearly at the ends of the bridge."

"He's closing fast," Katherine says.

"They're clear!" Batgirl calls out.  

After a quick glance at the board and monitors, Katherine hits switches.  "Raising bridge," she calls out.  "He just made it." 

"No wake zone speed is five miles per hour," Katherine says as she looks at various monitors, then starts flipping switches.  "The bridge roadway deck is clear.  I'm going to raise the bridge once the train tracks are clear."

"Our clearance is 42-feet," Batgirl says, looking at a monitor.  "What's his?"

"Let's find out," Katherine says, picking up the microphone.  "Southern Belle, this is Sprang Bridge.  What's your clearance?  Mine is 42-feet.  Over."

"He should know it," Batgirl tells Lady Heart.  "It's in his boat's manual."

"I have 44-feet.  Over."

"Southern Belle to Sprang Bridge.  Over," comes over the radio.

Katherine writes in the log, then picks up the microphone.  "Sprang Bridge receiving, Southern Belle.  Please switch to channel one seven.  Over."

Katherine adjusts her radio.  "Sprang Bridge, open immediately.  I'm coming in, NOW.  over."

"Negative, Southern Belle.  We have trains on the bridge.  Also, please slow your ship.  This is a no wake zone.  Over."

"He's not slowing," Batgirl, who is watching him with binoculars, says.

2 hours ago, steriaca said:

"I could ask how often you had to inform the authority about amorous couples with a flair for the dramatic and a coil of rope around the tracks, but I guess in this city it wouldn't be to odd or rare. A more telling question is, did you have any incidents which mess up the traffic flow recently? Someone could schedule something to make their crimes easier by disrupting car, train, or boat traffic."

"We occasionally get people trying crazy stuff," Katherine replies.  "If we see them, we get on the PA system and tell them either that we can see them or that they're on television.  Fortunately, nobody's messed up traffic flow recently.  However, we might.  There's a boat approaching at high speed and kicking up a wake.  He may not know that he's in a no-wake zone."

Batgirl picks up a pair of binoculars, looks at the boat, and says, "It's a large cabin cruiser.  He's flying a Rogers Yacht Basin burgee."

"Local then," Katherine says.  "He should know the rules."

"Interesting," Batgirl says.

"Oh, yeah," Katherine says.  "Up here you can hear it howl."  She pauses then says, "The monitors above show me what's going on the expressway side.  Lights show me what the trains are doing on the two parallel tracks.  Once a train enters our area, or block, barriers go down across the roads and shift a bit on the board."  The lights shift.  "We have trains coming from both directions."

"I see," Christina says.  "Unlike Honey West, who was never masked, Katherine and I usually wear rolled up black ski masks with rolled up black stocking masks under them."  There is a bit of a rumble from outside.  "GTARail commuter train," Christina explains as they reach the control room.  "Katherine, we have company."

"So I noticed," Katherine says.  "I'll pass you the clipboard and pen so that you can sign the log sheet," she adds as Christina leaves.  "So, who got burglarized?"

"The Vanlandingham estate," Batgirl says.  "We talked to Sara Matthews.  She didn't think it happened last night."

"No surprise," Katherine says as she passes the clipboard and pen to Batgirl, who signs it.  "Last night was windy.  I could even hear it."

"You're right," Batgirl says.

Christina, a blonde in black sweats, opens the door and says, "Come on in.  Katherine's up in the control room.  I'll take you there, then, I can get back to my bunk and Snowy."

"Like about 40% of adults, Christina sleeps with a teddy bear," Batgirl explains.

"My childhood friend," Christina says.  "Follow me."  As everyone climbs the stairs, Christina says, "Don't be surprised by Katherine's appearance.  A lot of drawbridge operators love the cat burglar look.  I wear it all of the time."

"Katherine was one," Batgirl says.

"I know," Christine says.  "That's all in her past."

"Good," Batgirl says.  You arrive at the bridge tender's house, which is on the south side of the bridge.  Both the Aparo Expressway and the GTARail tracks are visible.  Batgirl knocks on the door.

"Yes?" comes a female voice.

"Christina, it's Batgirl.  Can Lady Heart and I come in?  We need to talk to Katherine."

"Be right there," Christina says.

"I've been here before," Batgirl tells Lady Heart.

"I don't know," Batgirl replies.  "All I know is that it's a highly advanced Batcycle that was a gift from Batman.  Ready to roll?"

Batgirl puts her helmet on, climbs aboard her motorcycle, and says, "Don't forget your helmet.  Once you're aboard, put your arms around me and your feet on the second set of pegs."  She pauses, then adds, "Of course, you can always fly beside me."

33 minutes ago, steriaca said:

Lady Heart floated next to Batgirl. "I don't remember ever seeing the Batgirl Cycle having a sidecar."

"It doesn't," Batgirl says.  "You sit behind me."

Heading for the Batcave, Batgirl says, "A drawbridge is used when the clearance between the water and the lowest part of the bridge is 45-feet or less.  Most in Gotham City are two-leaf bascule-type drawbridges.  Lift-type drawbridges are used when they have either railroad tracks or are multi-level drawbridges."

In the Batcave, the Batboat is docked and Batgirl heads upstairs to get her motorcycle.

Batgirl radios Batman, "Sara thought that the diamonds could be out of state by now and that the burglary probably didn't happen last night.  We're returning to the Batcave to get my Batcycle before visiting Katherine at the Sprang Bridge tender's house.  After that, I'm going to patrol the Diamond District."

"Good plan," Batman says.  "The sea bat is the name of a deep submergence vehicle."

"Understood," Batgirl responds.  "Batgirl clear."

"Batman clear."

"After we talk to Katherine, we're going to patrol the Diamond District," Batgirl replies.  "There's a lot of skyscraper apartment complexes and gem brokers in it." 

"Okay," Batman says.  "It might be J. Devlin Davenport, a socialite and real estate developer.  He's out of state on a business deal and, according to Alfred,  his housekeeper's out of town, visiting a sick relative."

"The Batmobile is recognizable," Batman says.  "It might spook the burglar.  As far as the Drake mansion goes, it isn't empty.  The family housekeeper,
Mrs. Mcllvane, is still there, and so far, the burglar has been hitting only empty houses."

1 hour ago, Tjack said:

“That sounds good.”  He said, pulling up a map graphic from the computer screen on the dashboard between them.  “Now, how do you go about deciding on a pattern for patrol?”

"I just drive around," Batman says.  "Of course, since I live in the area, I know who is away and who has a lot of jewelry.  That tells me where the potential targets are.  One who is away is Jack Drake a globetrotting businessman.  He, his second wife,Dana, a physical therapist, and their daughter, Tamara Carlina “Tabby” Drake, who is Robin."

"I'm going to be patrolling in Crest Hill and Brentwood," Batman says.  "You can, too, until you think it's time to head home."

"They're not related," Batman says.  "It just needed checking out, and, in this business, knowing people who can help you is good."

"Ever see any mermaids?" Batman asks.

"Every time I look into a mirror," Cora replies.  "My maternal great grandmother was a mermaid from Tritonis.  I have gills and the ability to shift into mermaid form.  Just watch," she adds as she sits in a chair in the corner and becomes a mermaid.  "Everyone on my mother's side of the family, both male and female, have this ability."  She then shifts back to her land girl form.

"Most impressive," Batman says.  "We'll leave you to your work."  He and Paladin then leave.  Outside, he says to Paladin, "Robin can become a mermaid.  Right now, she and her family are visiting friends in Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia."

"Cora Peterson," she replies.  "You're looking at the DSV Sea Bat.  She's an Alvin-class deep submergence vehicle.  She's been down as far as 21,300 feet, which is more than any other class of DSVs and, at full speed will do 2 knots, which is 2.3 miles per hour.  Most DSVs do around 1.5 miles per hour.  Right now, my crew and I are upgrading some of her systems.  After that, I'll take her on a test dive in Gotham Harbor."

"Impressive," Batman says.

"I think so, too," Cora says.

At the Gotham University Oceanic Institute, Batman and Paladin, with permission from the captain, board the RV Laurel Blair Clark.   "What can I do for you two, Batman?" the captain, Commander Jason Kirk, a naval reservist, asks.

"We'd like to see the sea bat," Batman replies.  "Is it possible?"

"Sure," Commander Kirk replies.  "Just follow the tracks into that hangar."

Inside the hangar is a submersible that looks like Woods Hole's submersible, Alvin, a tool chest, and a dark-haired woman who looks like Raquel Welsh from the film Fantastic Voyage.  "Good evening, Batman," she says.  "What can I do for you?"

"I'm interested in the sea bat," he replies.  "Have you seen it, Ms?"

"I don't need to talk to her," Batgirl says.