Batman # 534 - A Wound on the Heart of Heaven

Batman is in Calcutta trying to foil Ra's al Ghul's plan to infect the poverty-stricken city with a deadly plague. Batman's thoughts inform us that even though Calcutta is a city of squalor, the people who live there are inspiring. Batman vows that the city will be saved.

Racing along the rooftops, he receives a call from Oracle. Oracle tells him to go the the temple of Kali to meet his contact who will have more information. She is wary to say too much, in case Ra's people are listening.

Batman jumps down into an alleyway, where a local boy watches him in wonder. The street urchin asks him if he's English or American. Batman tells him that he's American, and he wants to be left alone. The child asks him if he's wearing his costume for the upcoming Festival of Durga. Batman tells him no; he's dressed that way to save the world and tells the boy to go home. The boy informs Bats that he lives in the alley, and therefore IS home. Batman warns him that if he stays he could be in great danger. Eventually, the boy retreats into the shadows.

Batman looks around for his contact, who turns out to be Lady Shiva. Lady Shiva is proud to see that Bruce has reclaimed his position as Batman, and wonders if she had helped if Azrael was still wearing the cowl. Unbeknownst to the two, the boy watches them from the shadows. Shiva tells the Dark Knight that Ra's al Ghul's agents plan to meet on the bridge crossing the Hooghly River. Batman deduces that they must be planning to introduce the virus into the city's water supply.

They walk forward a bit, and Lady Shiva reveals that she was being followed. What's more is she knew she was being followed, but she wanted to lead them into a trap. The urchin watches in amazement from his hiding place, as the two easily defeat the murderous thugs. Batman takes the ring from a fallen man's finger. Shiva points out that is unlike him, but Bats tells her that it isn't for him, either. They stop at a food stand, where Bruce gives the ring to the proprietor and tells him to feed the child.

Batman and Lady Shiva arrive at the bridge, only to discover that is where the Festival of Durga is occurring. The river is full of adherents and statues. Shiva tells him that each year, the celebrants dump the clay statues into the river; where they melt on their way to the sea. The boy shows up, and grabs Batman's cape. Batman reminds the boy that he warned him to stay away, as Shiva points out several assassins in the crowd. The assassins rush to the bridge, but Batman and Shiva chase after them and begin fighting. One of the thugs pulls a gun and is about to fire, when the urchin jumps on him from behind. The assassin easily knocks the boy back and shoots him coldly. This enrages Batman, who knocks the thug down and breaks his arm. He asks the thug about the virus. The thug tells him that the virus is hidden in one of the statues that has been thrown into the water. He then commits suicide by biting down on a poison tooth.

Without a thought, Batman jumps into the river and searches for the virus-filled statue. He finally sees a green mass floating up and manages to capture it; the virus container is still intact and Calcutta is safe. Back on the riverbank, Batman picks up the child who is still alive, though gravely injured. He picks the boy up in his arms and walks away, as Lady Shiva looks on.