Kirk Langstrom, a beglassed scientist of medium build, and with a shock of wispy brown hair, rolled the liquid of the serum around in its beaker.

A lot of what he knew about adrenaline and the advantages of certain animal species over humans had gone into the development of the powerful new drug Second Power. He was working on an even more powerful version of this drug, which had just been approved by the FDA.

Unfortunately, the drug was so potent and so popular that it was being stolen everywhere. Pharmacies across the United States were being robbed just so people could obtain the drug. Kirk knew that its true use was to help people recovering from massive bone injuries and spinal cord injuries through therapy, but when taken abnormally it would double the strength, speed, and stamina of any user. Kirk felt a little bit of guilt at his research being used to give criminals something to rob, but he loved his work.

He knew that he had better take a break from the serum and get back to his work synthesizing an even more powerful version of Second Power.

He started up on another test batch of Second Power 2.0, not knowing that after this evening, nothing would ever be the same.

"What's on, Pete?"

His roommate spoke through a mouth full of popcorn. "Oh, it's the news. Another Second Power robbery . . . dude, the news says that Two-Face is back!"

"Two-Face!" Chuck nearly dropped the soda can that he was holding. So, Two-Face was on the loose again. As Robin, Chuck and Batman had almost caught Two-Face, but the villain had escaped. They hadn't heard anything about him for a couple of months, although Chuck knew that Batman had been keeping an eye out for any signs of the villain.

Chuck rushed over to watch the end of the news report. A connection was already forming in his mind between the popularity of Second Power and the return of Two-Face, if only for the fact that the number two was involved and selling Second Power on the black market was a lucrative business.

He would need help to take on Two-Face, since Batman hadn't reported back in after dealing with a mission in Virginia.*

*(For this exciting adventure, read Batman #15.)

Chuck waited until his roommate had gone downstairs to get his laundry, and then snuck out of the dorm. He rushed through the early evening darkness to the place on campus where he hid his Robin costume and the Redbird.

Robin's golden-black cape gleamed and fluttered in the moonlight as he rode the Redbird through the streets. He knew just who to call to help him on this mission as he rode off into the encroaching night.

As the vans' headlights came up the road, a sleepy guard roused himself, and tried to pull a revolver from his holster. A spray of machine gun fire sent him ducking for cover. He pushed an emergency alert button as the vans crashed through the chain-link fence and drove into the office park area.

Kirk Langstrom was walking back from the vending machines in one of the other buildings when he noticed the vans screaming into the parking lot. He heard gunshots and knew that since he was the only employee working at the facility, that he had to call the police. He began to run for the building that housed his laboratory.

One of the vans nearly hit him as it went through the parking lot. Then it turned around and began heading for him.

When it stopped, four of Two-Face's goons jumped out, followed by Two-Face. The other van pulled up.

"Go break into the warehouse like we planned," Two-Face ordered the van's driver. "We're going to have a little fun with this guy."

The thugs walked up to Kirk and began pushing the skinny scientist around.

"Looks like yer in the wrong place at the wrong time," a muscular bald thug snickered.

"Maybe he can give us some of the secrets of Second Power," Two-Face interjected.

"I'll . . . never tell the likes of you . . . " Langstrom stammered.

"Oh, you won't, will you?" Two-Face replied angrily. "We'll see about that."

Kirk gathered up the strength to kick Two-Face in the stomach as hard as he could. He ran inside the building that housed his laboratory.

"Get him!" Two-Face ordered as he dusted himself off.

"We don't got a whole lotta time, boss," a handlebar-mustached goon responded. "Even though we're out in the middle of nowhere, the cops are gonna come soon!

Two-Face flipped his trademark penny. It landed in his hand, showing the scarred face.

He pulled out his snub pistol and shot the complaining goon in the stomach.

"Now, who else wants to argue with me? Get in there and get that little wimp scientist!"

Two-Face and the remaining three goons easily found Langstrom. He quivered as two of the goons grabbed him and pinned his arms behind his back.

"Looks like you're going to pay for not telling us what we needed to know, lab rat." Two-Face motioned to his two goons to grab Kirk's arms and hold them behind his back.

Even in the face of whatever doom Two-Face's goons were going to give him, Kirk remained brave. Maybe at the last minute, one of those superheroes would come and save him, maybe even Batman.

But it was not to be. While Two-Face's goons held his mouth open, Two-Face pulled a vial from the shelf and poured the contents into Kirk's mouth.

"Shut his mouth!" Two-Face ordered. "Make sure he doesn't spit it out!"

Kirk tried to resist the serum going down his throat, but Two-Face and his goons were too determined to make him drink it.

Kirk's eyes rolled back into his head and foam came out of his mouth.

"Looks like this one couldn't take his medicine," Two-Face chuckled. "C'mon, boys, let's go get that Second Power and get out of here!"

Kirk lay on the floor with his mouth foaming and his body twitching violently. Unbeknownst to the departing Two-Face and his gang, Kirk Langstrom was not dead. But when he finally came to, he would never be the same.

"Just as I thought!" Robin shouted. "Let them leave, and then we'll tail them from behind!"

It was a dangerous business following the vans of the Two-Face gang down the road. Batwoman and Robin had their engines in quiet mode and their lights off. They navigated through infrared sensors in their motorcycle helmets.

Batwoman and Robin followed the two vans down the winding roads near the Meadowlands to an abandoned airport. Waiting there was a large helicopter with its rotors already running.

Officers Dowd and Stevenson questioned the guards and investigated the bashed in gate.

In another part of the complex, an unearthly figure curled up in the shadows. Its red eyes glowed in the relative darkness of the laboratory. For the first time, it stretched out a pair of leathery wings. It unsheathed claws on its hands and feet that would be used for the first time tonight.

"What happened to me?" its voice said.

The figure crept over to a sink on the side of the laboratory. It looked in the mirror.

"No! My God, No! What have I become?!"

The creature let out a growl of anguish. One clawed hand brutally struck the mirror, and shards clattered into the sink. Clawed feet scratched across the floor toward the window.

The police officers had been alerted by the noise, and they immediately burst into the laboratory. They heard the glass in the window breaking as they entered with pistols drawn.

Officer Stevenson ran to the window. "Hey, come here and take a look!"

Officer Dowd came over.

They both saw a large bat-like shape flap its wings and head off into the midnight sky, off toward the hills in the distance. They were too much in wonder of the sight to fire their weapons.

Officer Dowd squinted in the moonlight. "Do you think that was Batman?"

"I don't know why he would be here, especially this long after the robbery took place," Stevenson replied. "Besides, I always thought Batman could fly, but I didn't think Batman could fly like that," the other responded.

"Yeah," Officer Dowd said, scratching her head. "That thing sure did not look like Batman . . . it looked more like a Man-Bat!"

Robin used the lockpicking skills that he had learned from Batman to quietly open the gate while Batwoman held the large chain that was holding the gate closed.

They entered, and ran quietly between the terminal buildings so as not to be seen. Both heroes had to remember their martial arts training to run so quickly and quietly.

Batwoman and Robin were able to sneak right up to where Two-Face and his henchmen were loading the helicopter.

"I don't think what's in those boxes belongs to you, Two-Face," Robin announced.

The criminals turned as one to face them.

"I remember you," Two-Face growled. "I had the chance to kill you before, but your partner saved you. I don't see him around now!"

Robin and Batwoman readied themselves to fight the group of six criminals.

Two-Face flipped his trademark coin. It came up heads.

"Well, looks like instead of killing you right now, I'm going to give you a chance to run. So get outta here!"

"Not this time, Two-Face!"

Robin threw his Batarang at one of the criminals, knocking the gun from his hand.

The henchmen pulled out their machine guns and readied to fire.

Two-Face pulled out his pistol. "Remember, I gave you a chance to run!"

Bullets sprayed through the air as the acrobatic heroes managed to avoid getting blown away. But Two-Face was an excellent shot, and he managed to wing Batwoman in the side.

"Argh!" Batwoman fell to the ground. "Lucky shot . . . "

Robin backed up to defend her. "I'll get you, Two-Face . . . "

The criminals surrounded them and readied their weapons.

Two-Face snickered. "You two are going to get more lead drilled into you than . . . "

At that moment a figure leapt from the shadows and impacted into Two-Face's side, knocking him over.

"You!"

Batman appeared out of the shadows. As soon as Two-Face got up, Batman's fist impacted deep into his solar plexus.

Two-Face's goons were momentarily transfixed by the appearance of the legendary Batman. But then they remembered why they were there.

Robin tore into them with a vengeance. When Batman was taking a break from beating up Two-Face, Robin shouted out to him.

"Batman! Batwoman's hurt! We gotta get her out of here!"

"Batwoman?" Batman replied. His distraction gave Two-Face just enough time to creep away, and then break into a run toward the waiting helicopter.

"Get this thing into the air!" Two-Face shouted to the helicopter pilot. The pilot started up the helicopter, and the huge rotors began turning.

Robin continued to beat the stuffing out of Two-Face's goons. Batwoman's injury had made him fight more efficiently, more ruthlessly, than ever before. In the back of his mind he knew that someone had to chase after Two-Face, while someone else took care of Batwoman.

And Batman was better at medicine than Robin.

Robin knocked the last goon out, and then ran for the Redbird.

"Where are you going, Robin?"

"I'm going to get Two-Face!"

Robin ran back to where he had parked the Redbird. He revved it up.

"Robin, wait!"

Robin fired up the Redbird and took off after the helicopter. It was just getting ready to take off.

A spray of gunfire from the helicopter made Robin have to do some fancy steering to avoid the bullets. He pushed a button on the Redbird's instrument panel and fired a grappling hook at the helicopter, which attached to the side.

Robin pushed the retract button on the grappling hook, and he flew up to the side of the helicopter, which was now lifting off into the air.

Robin stood on the step rail, then used his acrobatic skills to grab the top of the doorway, and then swing his legs through and shove one of Two-Face's men out the helicopter window down to the ground.

Two-Face turned around from the co-pilot's seat and drew his gun.

"You ain't fast enough to dodge bullets, kid!"

"Don't fire that thing in here!" the pilot warned.

"The heck with you!"

Two-Face fired anyway, but Robin was able to move away in time. He leapt at Two-Face hard enough to shove the villain out of his seat.

Two-Face fell. Luckily for him, the helicopter was flying near a group of low hills, so he only made enough of an impact in the grass to knock him out.

Robin moved up into the co-pilot's seat and began fighting with the pilot over the controls.

"Let go, kid!"

Robin wanted to get control of the helicopter so that he could use it to chase after Two-Face and retrieve him.

The pilot fought back, trying to regain control of the helicopter.

But it was too late. The helicopter impacted against the side of a hill. A flash of fire and smoke consumed it.

"Robin!" Batman shouted. Had Robin, his ward and partner, just been blown to bits?