Poison Ivy's Rainforest Revenge, page 1
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Cover
Title Page
CHAPTER 1: CLEAR AS DAY
CHAPTER 2: FLOWER POWER
CHAPTER 3: PUTTING DOWN ROOTS
CHAPTER 4: QUEEN OF THE JUNGLE
CHAPTER 5: BELL JAR
Poison Ivy
Biographies
Glossary
Discussion Questions
Writing Prompts
Copyright
Back Cover
CHAPTER 1
CLEAR AS DAY
At twilight, a long line of cars began to arrive at Gotham City Conservatory. Limousines and expensive cars delivered well-dressed guests to the front of the glittering glass building.
The conservatory had been closed to the public for several months for major restorations. Now everyone was excited to go inside the newly remodeled building to see the display of plants presented by the Conservatory Campaign.
Bruce Wayne’s black town car was the last in line. As the billionaire climbed out, wearing a tuxedo, no one suspected that the Dark Knight — Batman — was actually in their midst! Safe in his secret identity, Bruce paused, took a deep breath, and admired the building. The restoration had been a success.
Then the mogul looked toward Robinson Park, one of the city’s largest green spaces. The park was next to the freshly redone conservatory and stood in stark contrast. For years Robinson Park had been neglected and poorly maintained. Paths and bridges were in disrepair. Trash littered the ground and the plants that had managed to grow needed pruning. But all of that was about to change.
Tonight’s event was a fundraiser by the Conservatory Campaign to benefit Robinson Park. Bruce hoped it would raise enough money to return the park to its former glory.
Tim Drake — the secret identity of Batman’s crime-fighting partner, Robin — climbed out of the car next. Disguised as Bruce Wayne’s ward, he was also dressed in a tuxedo for the formal event. But Tim was in a much bigger hurry to get inside. He gazed up at the elegant building. Three stories of glass, framed in white, glowed in the twilight.
“WHOOOO!” Tim let out a low whistle.
The conservatory looked like something out of a fairy tale! The display inside the huge greenhouse was sure to be just as wonderful.
Tim cleared his throat to let Bruce know he was ready to go in.
“Sorry, Tim.” Bruce smiled at the boy and placed a hand on his shoulder. “I thought I smelled something.”
At the end of a red carpet, waitstaff carrying trays of glasses and appetizers welcomed the pair through double doors. Inside the conservatory the air was warm and damp — perfect for growing plants. A fountain burbled in the corner while the city’s richest patrons nibbled and sipped.
“Mr. Wayne!” Tim’s chaperone was immediately surrounded by social elites. His wealth and power rarely went unnoticed. Everyone wanted his attention. If they only knew his true identity!
Luckily, Tim did not draw as much attention. Nobody noticed as the teenage boy slipped away from the crowd to get a look at what he had really come to see.
All around the room rare plants were on display. The unusual specimens had been collected from rainforests the world over.
Tim found them fascinating and slowly studied each one. Some varieties had extraordinary adaptations and many were carnivorous!
The nepenthes, commonly called pitcher plants, captured his attention first. The meat-eating flowers looked like rearing snakes with deep cuplike hollows. When an insect or small mammal fell inside the hollow, it would be caught in sticky liquid. While trapped at the bottom of the large open chamber, it would slowly be digested.
Beside the pitcher plants were large Venus flytraps. The flytraps had hinged “jaws” made up of two leaf-like structures that snapped shut on flying insects. And next to the flytraps were more insect-eating plants that grew sweet smelling sticky paths to lead bugs to their doom.
As Tim walked over to look at a display of rare vines, he noticed that most of the party guests were clustered in one area. They were flocked around a beautiful raven-haired woman dressed all in emerald green who seemed to have captured everyone’s attention. Even Bruce Wayne’s.
But the plants were what had captured Tim’s imagination. As he approached the next exhibit, Tim thought he saw one of the enormous ferns unfurl before his eyes. It looked like it was reaching out to touch the guests. Beside it, another plant also appeared to be moving!
Tim rubbed his eyes and looked again. He scanned the room to see if anyone else saw what he saw. But everyone in the crowd was staring intently at the dark-haired woman in green.
The woman was telling them about one of her favorite flowers. She held a special variety in her hand. She moved it slowly past each of the admiring faces in the crowd, so everyone could get a close look.
“Mmm… isn’t the scent divine?” she asked. She breathed in deeply, encouraging her captive audience to do the same. Then she let her breath out with a sigh and a mysterious smile.
Tim wondered briefly who the woman could be. Her long, black hair cascaded over half her face, making it difficult to see her eyes. Could she be the botanist in charge? He didn’t have much time to ponder before something else caught his eye.
Above the gathered guests he spied more moving plants! Several hanging shrubs appeared to be sending down sticky tendrils.
Pushing past a man in a dark suit, Tim tried to get a closer look. But the people were packed in too closely. Nobody would budge. Nobody wanted to step away from the woman and her captivating flower.
Tim ducked behind a patron in a red gown, trying to spot Bruce Wayne in the crowd. Something felt off, and he didn’t like it. The harder he tried to get to Bruce the more the crowd seemed to push in tighter. Tim could not get through.
“I give up,” Tim said to himself. But then he had a brilliant idea.
Tim stepped outside and took a deep breath of the cool, clear air. He turned around to look at the building he’d just left. Though the glass was a bit fogged, Tim had a better view of what was happening in the greenhouse from the outside.
And what he saw was shocking!
Tim had been right about the plants. They were moving. In fact, they were making a move! The fern frond he’d seen uncurling earlier was now stretching toward a short man’s suit pocket. The long tendrils dropping down from the hanging baskets were winding themselves onto expensive necklaces and other jewels. Not only that, they were unclasping them!
While Tim looked on, the plants withdrew, taking wallets and jewelry with them. The guests were being pick-pocketed by plants!
Tim knocked loudly on the glass walls to alert Gotham City’s wealthiest patrons that they were being robbed. He yelled and pointed frantically, but nobody paid any attention. It was as if the guests were all in some sort of trance.
Tim pounded again, searching the crowd, trying to find Bruce Wayne. Surely Batman’s alter ego had noticed what was going on. At last Tim spotted his companion. He was standing right beside the lady in green. Tim spotted something else, too…
The woman in the emerald dress was the only one still wearing any jewelry. A slim gold bracelet was wound around her delicate wrist. The three-leaf design of the bangle reminded Tim of something…
Before Tim could put the clues together the woman reached up and removed the long black wig she’d been wearing. A mane of long red locks cascaded down and over her shoulders.
Tim sucked in his breath. He was looking at Gotham City’s very own vining villain, Poison Ivy!
Cursing himself for not figuring it out sooner, Tim fit the pieces of the evening together in his head, puzzling out the devious plot. Poison Ivy must have gassed everyone in the conservatory with toxic spores released from inside the flower she was so anxious to share. Once the patrons were in a stupor, Poison Ivy and her plant assistants had robbed them of their valuables!
The leafy thief had almost gotten away with her crime too. But she had not counted on one thing — a pair of uninvited guests.
CHAPTER 2
FLOWER POWER
Behind the great glass building, Tim found Bruce Wayne’s car and the costume he had hidden inside. It took only a moment for the dressed-up teen to transform into Robin, Boy Wonder!
After ditching his tux, Robin raced back to the conservatory. He didn’t have to worry about being seen through the glass walls, because the guests inside were staggering around in a haze. All but one.
Poison Ivy was stroking the leaf of one of her plant helpers like it was a fuzzy pet. Clearly she was safe from the spores she’d unleashed on the rest of the crowd. But Bruce Wayne was not. Batman’s alter ego looked dazed. Robin had to get to him — and fast!
Using his grapnel and a rope, Robin climbed to the top of the tall building without any trouble. He balanced on the glass dome and took a rebreather mask from his Utility Belt. He couldn’t risk breathing in any of Poison Ivy’s toxic spores. When the mask was secure, Robin dropped down through the greenhouse vent.
FWHIPP!
Robin landed right behind Poison Ivy. He could have grabbed the botanical burglar easily, but there was something else he had to do first.
Running at full speed Robin tackled Bruce Wayne.
OOOF!
He rolled with the tycoon right out the front door.
“
Robin helped Bruce sit up and lean against a wall. Then the Boy Wonder raced back inside. He didn’t have time to wait for his partner to recover fully. He just had to hope that he would.
Inside the plant palace things had gone from bad to worse. The guests were no longer dazed and staggering. They were actually wilting!
Many of the guests were falling to their knees, slouching over in their chairs, and putting their heads down on tables. Those still standing looked as green as Poison Ivy’s emerald-colored evening dress.
Then a green flash caught Robin’s eye. Poison Ivy was fleeing into another room. He had to get to her before she got away!
Scanning the conservatory’s lush interior, Robin spotted something that might help. A long creeping vine was hanging from the overhead display. It looked sturdy and thick — thick enough to hold the weight of a teenage boy!
Robin took three running steps, leaped, and reached out for the living rope. He caught the vine with both hands.
FWOOHM!
Robin sailed over the collapsing guests toward Poison Ivy. The green villain whirled and saw the Boy Wonder zooming through the air.
In an instant, the vine Robin was holding sprouted thorns! Large, nasty spikes sliced through his gloves and dug into his palms. He let go and fell.
CRASH!
The young hero landed on the fancy buffet table. Food and dishes flew into the air before splattering and shattering on the floor. Robin slid off the table and clattered to the ground along with them.
By the time Robin struggled back up to his feet, Poison Ivy was even closer to the back exit. Grabbing an unbroken plate, Robin flung it as hard as he could.
The plate spun like a flying saucer. It hit the wall next to Poison Ivy, shattering one of the panes of glass that made up the conservatory walls. Robin picked up another plate and another.
FWHIP! SMASH! FWHIP! SMASH!
With each throw he got closer to his fleeing target.
But with each throw Poison Ivy got closer to the exit!
“Hold it right there!” a voice shouted from above them.
Batman dropped down from the ceiling — right into Robin’s line of fire!
The Dark Knight’s cape swirled around him. He grabbed a plate out of the air with one hand, a split-second before it struck his chest plate.
With his other hand, Batman grabbed Poison Ivy’s wrist. She dropped her bag of stolen goods and staggered back, wrenching her hand from his grasp.
“You!” Poison Ivy spat. Her eyes narrowed as she glared at the Caped Crusader.
“Have you missed me, Ivy?” Batman growled back.
“Not as much as you’re going to miss me!” Ivy replied. She whirled and started running back toward the exit.
Batman was not about to let her get away. He seized a Batarang from his Utility Belt and threw it at Poison Ivy. The weighted rope attached to the bat-shaped weapon coiled around her ankles, binding her legs together.
Ivy fell and hit the floor hard.
OOOF!
Batman swooped past her, blocking the exit. Robin moved in from the other side. They had her surrounded!
But Poison Ivy was not done. She shot a hand into the air and summoned a vine — the same one Robin had tried to use earlier — but now the thorns were gone.
Ivy let the vine pull her to her feet. Then a slow smile bloomed on her face.
“What are you going to do now, Bats?” she asked in a teasing voice. Still clinging to her vine she motioned around the great glass hall.
Guests everywhere were gasping for air. They sprawled on the ground and slumped over tables, chairs, and plants. They needed to get out of the toxin-filled building as soon as possible!
Poison Ivy laughed as her vine lifted her up and away. She knew Batman would not come after her when there were so many innocent people to save.
The Dark Knight had no choice. He let Ivy go and kneeled down to pick up the person closest to him. He tossed the gasping man over his shoulder. He tucked a second guest under his arm and raced for the exit. Robin followed his partner’s lead. Without so much as a backward glance toward the retreating villain, he pulled a woman onto his back and ran for safety.
The Dynamic Duo carried guest after guest out of the deadly environment. They laid the well-dressed men and women on the grass in the cool night air. Slowly Gotham City’s elite began to come around, coughing and sitting up.
WEEOO WEEOO WEEOO
Robin heard sirens approaching. Batman had used the radio in his cowl to summon emergency crews. Within moments the crews had arrived and were checking on the guests.
Robin lingered, helping the workers with the recovering guests. But soon he noticed that Batman was not there. Robin found his partner standing in the shadows nearby. The Dark Knight was deep in thought. Or perhaps he was worried.
“Don’t worry. They’re going to be fine,” Robin reported, waving an arm toward the guests.
Batman nodded, grimly. He knew all too well about the many lethal toxins and spores in Poison Ivy’s arsenal. He was glad to hear the guests would be all right.
But Ivy herself had slipped away. And Batman had a feeling that this trouble was far from over. In fact, he suspected it was just beginning…
* * *
The next morning Tim woke up early, like he did most days at Wayne Manor. He padded downstairs for breakfast, only to meet Alfred, Bruce Wayne’s butler, who was standing at the foot of the stairs.
Alfred greeted Tim warmly and escorted him into the adjoining study. Master Wayne was sitting in the quiet room reading the morning newspaper.
Two cups of tea sat steaming on a side table. Alfred had been expecting the boy.
“Good morning,” Bruce said without lowering his paper. “Have a seat.”
Tim returned the greeting but could not bring himself to sit down. Instead he paced back and forth in front of the table that ran along the windows while he waited for his mentor to finish reading.
Ever since the attack at the conservatory, Tim had been irritated. Batman had mentioned that he thought Ivy’s dangerous trick was likely just the beginning of a bigger plot. And Tim could not stop wondering what else the menace might have up her green sleeves. To make matters worse, nobody had seen her since the incident. The whole situation was making Tim feel… itchy.
Sunlight streamed in from the outside, lighting up a row of tiny potted trees that were displayed on a large side table inside the study. Alfred bent over one of the miniature trees with a tiny pruning shears.
SNIP! SNIP!
The butler used the delicate tool to trim and shape a small Cypress. The teensy tree looked just like a full-size wind-swept evergreen in miniature.
Tim paused. He hadn’t ever really looked at Bruce’s bonsai collection before. But he was too upset to admire it for long.
“What I don’t understand is why Poison Ivy would attack the conservatory,” Tim finally blurted, interrupting his mentor’s reading. “Doesn’t she like plants?”
Bruce’s paper rustled. Slowly he lowered it and picked up his tea. “I’d say that is putting it mildly,” he said, taking a sip. “The criminal we’re chasing was once just a shy girl who was led astray by the evil botanist, Dr. Woodrue. He replaced Ivy’s blood with chlorophyll.”
“The green stuff in plants?” Tim asked.
“Yes,” Bruce nodded. “But that wasn’t all. He also injected her with a whole host of allergens. She’s filled with toxins and is truly part plant herself. She doesn’t just like plants, Tim. She identifies with them.”
“And controls them,” Alfred added.
“So, wouldn’t she like a place that’s built especially for plants?” Tim asked. “Like the conservatory?”
To Tim, conservatories seemed like safe havens for plants that needed extra moisture and protection from nature’s harshest elements. Indoors the tender leaves and shoots and flowers were safe from too much heat or cold or wind.
“Why would she steal from people who are supporting a plant palace?” Tim asked.
