"Thank you for coming, Batman," said Dr. Leland. "I just wanted you to be on hand in case I'm wrong about this, and the recreation only makes his condition worse."

"It's worth a try," agreed Batman. "And it looks like we're in for quite a storm."

He glanced out the window of Dr. Leland's office at the approaching thunderclouds. "As soon as Miss Droukas arrives, we'll collect Zeus and take him outside," said Dr. Leland. "It's likely nothing will happen – we might just all look like complete idiots standing out in the middle of storm. But a little rain never hurt anyone."

"No," agreed Batman. "Don't much like the look of that lightning, though."

The door to Dr. Leland's office opened and Clio entered the room. "Are you ready, Miss Droukas?" asked Dr. Leland.

She nodded, and they all three left the office and headed into the cell block and down the corridor to Zeus's room. It was empty.

"He's not here," said Dr. Leland, surprised.

"Where is he?" asked Clio.

"I don't…um…know," stammered Dr. Leland. Well, this was embarrassing, she thought, as she looked around the empty cell. Batman too was studying, not the room, but the rest of the cell block.

"Where's the Joker?" he asked suddenly. "And Harley Quinn?"

"They're missing too?" asked Dr. Leland, rushing over to their cells. "I don't understand…"

"I didn't realize security was a problem here," said Clio.

Understatement of the century, thought Dr. Leland glumly. Batman kneeled down to study the ground for a moment, then said, "Follow me."

They obeyed as Batman followed the heat traces to the electrotherapy room. "Stand back," he commanded, and then he kicked down the door.

"Hope you're gonna make him pay for that door, Doc!" laughed the Joker's voice. "It's always puzzled me, Batsy, how you're so concerned about stopping crime, but you have no qualms about racking up millions of dollars worth of property damage. Is there some kinda Bat charity that pays for all this stuff? Or do you just not believe in materialism?"

Batman saw Maxie Zeus strapped to the metal electrotherapy table, while Harley was standing over by the switches as the Joker rewired the connections to amplify the power.

Zeus suddenly noticed them. "Brother Hades!" he exclaimed. "And daughter Athena! There is treachery afoot in Olympus! My unsightly slave Hephaestus and consort Aphrodite are conspiring against mighty Zeus!"

"For the last time, I ain't your goddamn slave!" shouted Joker.

"And I ain't this Aphrodite tramp!" shrieked Harley.

"Aphrodite?" repeated Dr. Leland. "Oh…you mean Zeus…"

"Ain't got no respect for women!" shrieked Harley. "When a gal says no, she means no, buster!"

"Oh, he'll learn, pooh," chuckled Joker. "You ready for your lightning bolts now, Zeusy?" he laughed. "Think I finally got them made for ya after all!"

"Don't!" cried Batman, but Harley had already pulled the switch. The rerouted wires began fizzing and smoking at the overloaded power, as the electrical current traveled from the wall and through the ceiling. They suddenly heard a crack, and looked up to see that the ceiling was breaking apart under the strain.

"Get out of the way!" shouted Batman, leaping at Harley and shoving her towards the door. He seized a table and threw it over Zeus, grabbing Joker and ducking underneath it. A moment later, the ceiling fell inward, leaving the room open to the storming sky.

Batman lifted off the table covered in rubble and looked around. "Thou art not my brother Hades after all," murmured Zeus, impressed. "Thou art the hero Herakles, whose strength brought him great renown."

"Oh, give it up, Zeusy," groaned Joker. "If you really are the god of lightning, why doncha prove it? Why doncha command that lightning there to…"

He was cut off as a lightning bolt struck the metal table, sending a powerful electric shock through Maxie Zeus. Clio screamed, racing over to him. "Maxie!" she cried. "Maxie, are you ok?"

He stared at her with a strange expression on his face. "Clio?" he murmured. "Baby, is that you?"

"Maxie?" she whispered, hopefully. "You remember me?"

"Of course I remember you, baby," he said. "I could never forget you, my love. Who are these people?" he asked, looking around the room. "What's going on? Is that the Joker?"

"Oh, now he recognizes me!" snapped Joker. "So I'm suddenly not Hephaestus anymore, huh, Zeusy?"

"Hephaestus?" repeated Zeus. "Why would you be him?"

"I dunno – you tell me!" snapped Joker. "You were the one calling us this crap! Doncha remember? Aphrodite there? Hades? Athena?"

Zeus looked at him blankly. "I…um…didn't know you were a fan of Greek mythology."

"Well, I'm certainly not now, thanks to you!" shouted Joker.

Zeus stared at him. "He's crazy, right, Clio?" he asked. "He's just babbling nonsense."

"Yeah, baby," she whispered, beaming. "But thank God you're not anymore."

She hugged him tightly as Dr. Leland untied him. Batman grabbed Joker and Harley and dragged them back toward the cell block. "So he was cured by being struck by lightning?" demanded Joker. "That's the lamest thing I ever heard! And I was gonna shock him anyway! I would have cured him, and I would have been a goddamn hero!"

"Well, you already are a god, puddin'," breathed Harley, smiling. "You wanna go all Greek god on your little goddess?"

"No," he snapped. "I don't ever wanna hear anything about Greek mythology ever again. Bunch of sick, twisted, skirt-wearing psychos."

"Said the pot to the kettle," muttered Batman, shoving him back into his cell.

"I don't wear skirts!" shouted Joker. Then he grinned. "Unless you want me to, Batsy!"

"Thanks, but I'd rather not have to goudge my own eyes out," retorted Batman.

"Aw, but then you could be blind as a bat!" chuckled Joker. "What a gag! I'll see what I can borrow of Harley's for our next encounter," he said, grinning.

Batman sighed. "Great," he muttered, heading out of the cell block. Greek heroes never had to deal with this.

The End