Batman Eternal #44

SPIRAL

Captain Maggie Sawyer is frustrated by how crowded the Gotham Central Precinct has become with Arkham Asylum inmates since the place was destroyed, not to mention the problems that all Gotham citizens are facing just getting by with all that's gone on lately. Unfortunately, the Arkham inmates aren't able to tell her people anything much about what actually happened at Arkham on the night it was destroyed. She looks in to see the Ten-Eyed Man in questioning, followed by Maxie Zeus and Magpie - none of whom are especially forthcoming, except in as much as that they place all the blame on Professor Achilles Milo. Batman has learned as much in the meantime, and Julia Pennyworth helps him get a location for his target.  Meanwhile, Lucas Fox attempts to repair his Batwing Suit using a small amount of Nth Metal to repel the spirits that have plagued him since he was trapped at Arkham.  Elsewhere, Harper Row catches Stephanie Brown trying to escape her apartment while there is still a huge bounty on her head. Stephanie claims that Bruce Wayne is behind all of the turmoil in Gotham, and she is annoyed that none of Batman's allies are making any moves to stop him because he is responsible for funding the Batman operation. She and Harper struggle together, but Harper warns that she won't let Stephanie go - and she will stun her with her taser if she has to.  Professor Milo is at the Gotham International Airport, preparing to board a flight to Caracas when he is spotted by police officers. To escape them, he releases a vial of chemicals which produce a gas upon impact with the floor. The gas seems to cause a kind of insanity in those affected. Unfortunately for him, Batman crashes through a skylight with a rebreather, and subdues him. While Batman sees to his victims, though, he manages to escape onto the runway, only to be targeted by the Batplane. Using the plane's systems, Batman targets all of Milo's drugs and vials and destroys them. Batman grabs him and demands to know who gave him the means to transform Arkham and destroy it. Whoever it was had also given him the same invitation as all the others Batman had suspected of being behind the attacks on Gotham. Before Milo can give up the name, they are both attacked by spirits.