Batgirl's eyes lit up as she saw the lock on the file cabinet. It was a very simple, three cam piece. She'd be able to crack it in just a few seconds. She had broken into Dr. Chase Meredith's office with such ease. She wondered why Bruce and Dick never gave her the respect that she deserved.
She hoped to change that now though, as she was going to discover exactly what this Dr. Meredith was up to. She figured this would be a big help to Bruce. He had been so wrapped up in trying to bring down Two-Face, but she

knew he was concerned about this Dr. Meredith situation. She figured he was probably out after Two-Face at the same time she was doing this. Little did she know, he had just left the home of Dr. Meredith, and had come even closer to slipping under her hypnotic spell once and for all.

As Batgirl began to flip through the files, she found nothing out of the ordinary. Just typical patient notes. Everything seemed to be on the up and up. Then she made a startling

discovery. Commissioner James Gordon, her father, was one of Dr. Meredith's patients! His file didn't have anything out of the ordinary in it. It detailed his stress problems and how the city ordered stress reduction for insurance purposes and so forth. What was so unnerving to Batgirl was that her father had never mentioned anything to her.
Batgirl had no proof, but she felt more than ever that this Dr. Meredith was up to something. She planned to bring this crooked therapist down.

 

Chase stared out the window of her apartment. Batman had just left a moment ago. She felt good about the way she handled herself. He hadn't completely caved yet, but it was unrealistic to think that he would. She liked the way she teased him though, let the desire build. That had gone well.
As she began to wonder what creative thing he would try to do to please her, a small buzzer went off at a closed circuit monitor in the corner of her bedroom. It was a security monitor alarm system that was connected to
her office. Someone was in there. She went over to the screen as the camera panned around the room.
"Well well.", she said to herself as she recognized the young lady responsible for the breaking and entering. What was going on? It could be so many things. Was Batman playing her? Faking his hypnotic submission as Batgirl dug up some dirt? Or, was Batgirl wise to the fact that Batman was falling under her spell?
Things were quickly becoming a lot more complicated.

 

Batgirl was so shocked by seeing her father's file in Dr. Meredith's office that she didn't hear the whirling of the camera's motor at first. When she finally did notice it, she looked up and saw it zoomed right in on her. She was caught red handed. Damnit! Maybe she wasn't as slick as she thought. Nonetheless, she needed to get some more information, not only to prove herself to Bruce, but to protect her father.

 

The next morning, Barbara was outside her father's office before he even got into work. She hadn't slept. It had just been a couple hours since she was lurking around Dr. Meredith's office and found her father was one of the suspicious Doctor's patients. She was upset, understandably. Barbara fully expected to find that Dr. Meredith was a criminal, somehow using her therapy to con men out of millions. She shuttered to think her father was potentially in danger.
Commissioner Gordon got into the office
around 7:30. He was pleasantly surprised to see his daughter waiting for him. As they entered his office, she wasted no time in confronting him.
"Dad, why didn't you tell me you were going to see a therapist?!", she asked
"Ohh. How did you find out?"
"Not in the manner I should have, which would have been hearing it from you!"
"It's - complicated honey"
"I've got time", Barbara said, plopping herself on the office couch.
"So...", Barbara prodded.
"I started going because the department made me, you know the whole stress reduction thing. I was required to see her for three visits."
"Did you complete your three visits?"
"Yes. I've decided to continue seeing her though"
"I see. Can I ask why?"
"She's really helping me sweetheart. I had a lot of unresolved feelings after your mother died. Issues I just locked away, things I never
dealt with.. She's helping me come to terms with a lot of that stuff. She's really very good."
"How come you didn't tell me about this?", Barbara asked.
"I've never been the 'therapy' type, you know that. I guess I was a little embarrassed. I didn't want to look weak in front of my little girl."
"Daddy, you could never look weak to me", Barbara reassured, "but are you sure you trust this woman? I've heard some things"
"Barbara, I don't know what you've heard, or from whom, but Dr. Meredith is completely trustworthy", the Commissioner blasted. It was obvious there was some anger in his voice. Even he noticed it, and the tried to cover up, "Sorry honey, I just thought you would trust my judgment of someone's character, that's all."
Barbara realized she wasn't getting anyplace. So she told her father she understood, and that she would call him later. She had to formulate a plan on how she could get the goods on Dr. Meredith.

next page