When we last left off, the ransom pickup instructions had just reached the Gotham PD – and now it’s time to find out how the pickup turned out.

Detective Comics #620: Rite of Passage Part 3 – Make Me A Hero

Written by Alan Grant
Pencils by Norm Breyfogle
Inks by Steve Mitchell
Letters by Todd Klein
Colors by Adrianne Roy

So… the ransom pickup went poorly. Instead of one person, the kidnappers sent a motorcycle gang, making the whole thing kind of a shit-show. The one with the bag manages to get the slip from the cops – but not from Batman.

Batman follows the biker to a limo where the money is received by a black man in a white suit – who then kills the Biker with a poisoned ring. Batman hits the car with a tracker and then tails them to the airport.

Back in Haiti, Jack & Janet are scared about what will happen to them and worried about Tim.

Tim is meditating in Wayne Manor and going from the art, he’s watched the whole tape. However, he’s basically internalized the Serenity Prayer right now, and as there isn’t much he can do about his parents, but he can do something about Moneyspider, he’s going to focus on that to keep his mind off of things.

In the slums of Haiti, The Kid’s father is confident that they’ll get enough money from The Obeah Man’s score to live in comfort – and at the airport Bruce Wayne (showing up for the first time in 3 issues), disembarks.

Back at the Batcave, Tim’s research on the Moneyspider reveals a philanthropic bent to his activities – giving the money from his heists to, for example, Cambodian farmers. This helps give him a bead on who Moneyspider is and decides to personally meet them.

At Gotham University, with the headmaster of a dorm, Tim goes to confront the hacker face to face – Lonnie Machin, aka Anarky. Tim is actually interested in engaging with Anarky and tries to talk it over, in spite of the efforts of the Headmaster. Instead, Anarky throws the headmaster into Tim, and then when Tim tries to follow him, he clobbers a janitor in order to grab his mop in an attempt to take Tim down with it. It doesn’t work – Tim basically takes him down in two punches.

Tim returns to Wayne Manor, triumphant and satisfied, knowing that he was able to something at least – if not about his parents then about Moneyspider. Unfortunately, Bruce has also returned, and he’s in less good shape and bearing bad news.

Next time: What happened with Batman?