Story: "The Stray" (22 Pages)

Credits: Chuck Dixon (plot, script)
Michael McDonnell (pencils)
Rodney Ramos (inks)
Albert T De Guzman (letters)
Gloria Vasquez (colors)
Digital Chameleon (separations)
Michael Wright (associate edits)
Matt Idelson (edits)

Feature Characters: Black Canary II, Oracle

Supporting Character:

Jason Bard

Villains: Ra's al Ghul
Talia
Ubu

Synopsis:

Dinah turns up just in time to stop Jason Bard's windpipe being completely crushed by Ubu - 'the Comte' of course says he's only trying to protect her. When Dinah sees Jason safely back to shore, Oracle tries to use him to warn Dinah of the danger she's in, but she refuses to believe that Comte Raymond is really the dangerous Ra's al Ghul. When Canary borrows Bard's transmitters to talk to Oracle directly, the two women have an argument, and Canary threatens not to return to Gotham...ever.

Oracle arranges for Bard to escape Europe as quickly as possible. Nevertheless, he is followed by a car full of al Ghul's people. Barbara sends him off-road, scattering through a flock of sheep and into an abandoned abbey. She has the plans of the abbey, and uses them to guide Bard around weak floors which some of al Ghul's men fall through. Unfortunately, when there are still two of them left, Bard comes to a dead-end, but is able to use a cunning combination of a recess in the wall and Oracle's video transmitter to escape. Now his only duty on the case is to get to safety, while Oracle plans what to do.