Detective Comics # 735 1999 No Man's Land: Fruit of the Earth, Part 3 pg 6 by Dan Jurgens & Bill Sienkiewicz

Detective Comics # 735 August, 1999
"No Man's Land: Fruit of the Earth, Part 3" page 6
Ink over pencil on DC Comics art board
Pencils: Dan Jurgens (Signed lower left)
Inks: Bill Sienkiewicz
Writer: Greg Rucka
Letters: John Costanza

Batman and Clayface stood in front of Poison Ivy. Clayface attacked Batman by surprise but Ivy was planning something against Clayface. Batman grabbed a liquid nitrogen from his Utility Belt and intended to used it againts Clayface. Ivy was using her force of nature to create a battle suit made of lianas that covered her whole body. When she was suited up, Batman used the liquid nitrogen on Clayface who dropped Batman immediately after. Batman and Ivy worked together to get out of the cave to the surface where Robin was waiting for them. Once they were outside, Batman told Robin to drop the explosives into the cave and the boy wonder did. The explosion damaged Clayface, but not enough to stop him as he was already reaching the surface. Ivy used her control over nature to entangle Clayface with the roots and branches from nearby trees and immobilized him. Soon, grass and roots began to sprout from Clayface's body and Ivy explained that he was full of nutrients for plants to grow and thrive. Clayface begged for mercy but Ivy had nothing but contempt for him. Batman tried to stop her from killing Clayface but she entangled Batman as well and the kids at Ivy's care prevented Robin from helping his mentor. Ivy then approached Clayface and used her poisonous kiss on him. Clayface was in shock and couldn't move and after a few seconds, he disintegrated in the air and into the soil. Batman and Robin finally broke free and when they reached Ivy, she was already taking care of the abandoned children and reminded them that it was the first day of summer as she pointed to the many fruits in the trees around the park.

At that moment, James Gordon called Renee Montoya and told her to go and tell their untrusty ally that their alliance was over. Renee was happy to do the errand and Gordon admired Montoya's tenacity.

Meanwhile, in Colombia, an unnamed woman was making a deal with a man. She wanted that man to return to Gotham City in order to fulfill a job for her employer. After considering it for a while, Bane agreed to do as he was asked.

Later, at night in Gotham, James Gordon was waiting for Montoya to return, but instead Two-Face showed up. Two-Face explained Gordon that he sent Cain to kill him because the coin landed on the bad side. Gordon told Two-Face that their alliance was over and Two-Face replied that he should reconsider it because he was holding Renee Montoya as a prisoner in his territory. Two-Face tossed Montoya's badge to Gordon as a proof. Gordon attacked him, but Two-Face was armed with a gun and Gordon could do nothing to stop Dent from walking away. Gordon was left alone, staring at Montoya's bloody badge.

In the meantime, Batman waited for Ivy to recover the secret box she held hidden in the cave. When she handled it to him, Batman opened it and discovered that the content was destroyed. Ivy told him that she did it because those things were made of plastic, a strong contaminant, and that she imagined that he had some backups elsewhere. Batman was mad at Ivy and how she used him to save her. After considering it, Batman decided to let Ivy continue working in the park with the conditions that she grow food from the trees, that she take good care of the children and that she prevent the park from falling into any other villain's hands.

Later, Batman and Robin went to Oracle's Watchtower and notified Barbara of all that happened at the park. She came up with a solution to retrieve the backups that Batman had stored somewhere outside Gotham. Batman was not glad to accept the offer but he did in the end, as he had no other choice. They needed the talents of Selina Kyle and they needed to trick her into doing what they wanted; and so they called her and offered her a job she could not resist.