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[center]ALFRED (V.O.)
(Concern, Fear)
Police scanners are reporting a disturbance mam.[/center]
FADE IN.
INT. BATCAVE
Bruce Wayne, the stunning dark hair 25-year-old billionaire handsome playboy who appeared ready for a fight, is shown exiting an old mining style elevator, stepping into a very early and undeveloped version of the Bat Cave. His walk has purpose, he is on a mission. His body was bulked up and shaped like that of a prize fighter though his rugged looks could sweep the most beautiful of women off their feet.
[right]FADE OUT.[/right]
[center]ALFRED (V.O.)
Reports are confirming its Victor Zsasz.[/center]
FADE IN.
Bruce opens a military grade case, inside is the chest plate of his Batsuit with the focus on the Batman logo on it. The suit is much in the style of the Year One comic, basic and gray. Obliviously, this Batman was just starting out and learning his craft.
[right]FADE OUT.[/right]
[center]ALFRED (V.O.)
He has taken hostages, unsure how many are dead.[/center]
FADE IN.
Bruce snaps the utility belt around his waist, now wearing the bat armor beneath.
[right]FADE OUT.[/right]
[center]ALFRED (V.O.)
Police have the location surrounded, they are calling Brayden’s SWAT team. Please hurry Master Bruce.[/center]
FADE IN.
Bruce pulls the cowl over his face, the stumble beard on his jaw line hints at how little time he has had to shave, becoming the Batwoman.
[right]FADE OUT.[/right]
[center]ALFRED (V.O.)
Location confirmed… Wayne Tower.[/center]
FADE IN.
Batman turns in an intimidating manor, the cape floating in the wind as he marches toward the screen.
[right]FADE OUT.[/right]
LOGO:
FADE IN.
EXT. WAYNE TOWER – STREET LEVEL - NIGHT
Police cars surround Wayne Tower which rises into the city skyline, lit up in the darkness like a beacon of hope. It stands out like The One World Trade Center among the downtown city sky line. By far the tallest building in the city and maybe the world.
Jim Gordon, a rugged no nonsense man in his mid-30s stands with a cigar in his mouth as he stares at the scene, thinking what his next move should be. His thick rimmed glasses did nothing to lessen the demanding presence he had and his stumbled face and rugged clothes made it seem he had been going without rest for days. He was calm, cool and collective; there was not much he had not seen and was prepared for anything.
Standing beside of him was his partner, Harvey Bullock. He was a heavy-set man about the same age as Gordon but more laid back, finding the light-hearted nature in everything though he was not as by the book as Gordon. His gray fedora hat never seemed to leave his head as it covered up his greasy messy dark semi long hair to match his rugged beard.
[center]GORDON
Where the hell is that SWAT team I ordered?
BULLOCK
Branden’s team is on their way.
GORDON
(Pissed)
BRANDEN! I specifically told them not to send Branden.
BULLOCK
Commissioner Loeb’s orders.
GORDON
Damn it! It will be a blood bath! We’ll be lucky if he leaves the building standing.[/center]
[right]CUT TO.[/right]
EXT. WAYNE TOWER – ROOF TOP – NIGHT
Batman floats onto the roof top with his cape spread like wings, landing softly as he walks toward a vitalization shaft on top of Wayne Tower.
[center]BATMAN
Alfred, bring up Wayne Tower’s security cameras and let me know where Zsasz is holding the hostages.[/center]
Batman grabs the corner of the ventilation shaft vent. He braces his foot against the concrete surrounding the shaft; pulling on the vent until it breaks free and giving him an entrance into the building.
[center]ALFRED (V.O.)
Yes Sir, bringing the camera system up now.[/center]
[right]CUT TO.[/right]
INT. WAYNE TOWER – VENTILATION SHAFT
Batman lowers himself into the tight shaft silently and begins to crawl on all fours. The shaft is dark and tight, barely enough room for him and only highlighted by lights shining through the occasional vent.
[center]ALFRED (V.O.)
Meeting room, 75th floor. I count 8 hostages… two dead already.
BATMAN
Damn… I’m too late.
ALFRED (V.O.)
No, they’re still others whose lives you can save. Including Mr. Fox.
BATMAN
He is holding Lucius hostage? Cut the power to the building Alfred.[/center]
[right]CUT TO.[/right]
INT. WAYNE TOWER – MEETING ROOM
A body falls to the feet of Zsasz, dead with their throat cut and a look of terror frozen on their face.
Zsasz, the cold and emotionless bald man was covered in tally marks across his arms and chest; each mark was a victim he had killed. He raises his arm and slowly cuts a tally mark into his skin beside another freshly cut mark. He worn rugged and torn jeans, almost looking as if he was a homeless man. His voice was always low, a scary calmness as he felt no remorse for his actions.
A sick twisted smile crosses his face as his eyes close with a smirk that could be mistaken for sexual gratification. It was clear, he gets off on freeing souls.
[center]ZSASZ
Another soul freed… liberated from the bonds of this world.[/center]
The group of survivors all look on in horror, Lucius Fox one of them. They are frozen with fear, hopeless and scared. They all know they will die this night.
Zsasz looks at his old rusted knife and smiles like it was something to be cherished, his unholy grail. It was still stained with the blood of his victims.
[center]ZSASZ
Whose soul longs to be freed next?[/center]
Lucius Fox reluctantly stood and stepped forward in front of the rest of the survivors, making himself a sacrificial lamb. Lucius was the 50ish year old head of Wayne R&D, a very sophisticated genius with a heroic attitude. He had worked at Wayne Enterprises since he was a young man under the tutorage of Thomas Wayne himself. He was the one-person Bruce Wayne trusted within his company because he was the one who taught him everything he knew about business.
[center]LUCIUS
Me, take me next but let these people go![/center]
[right]CUT TO.[/right]
INT. WAYNE TOWER – VENTILATION SHAFT
Batman looks through a vent into the large meeting room where Zsasz is holding the hostages. He slowly steps forward and grabs Lucius by the arm; jerking him closer to him while pressing the knife against Lucius throat.
[center]BATMAN
Alfred, cut the power now! He is going to kill Lucius.
ALFRED (V.O.)
Yes, Master Bruce. Doing so now…[/center]
The room below goes completely dark, all sight is lost as panic sets in with everyone. Dreadful screams slice through the darkness.
Batman turns on her infrared vision, showing up the highlighted bodies below. Zsasz turns Lucius, making him a human shield and holds the knife to his neck with a shaky hand and he paces around the room unsteadily.
[center]ZSASZ
I told the police not to interfere, they will only turn my work of art into a disaster.[/center]
INT. WAYNE TOWER – MEETING ROOM
Zsasz continues to hold the knife to Lucius as he looks around the darkness in the room. In the background, the shadow of Batman falls to the ground.
[center]ZSASZ
Show yourself, I know you are here.[/center]
Zsasz backs closer as Batman stands until she can whisper quietly into his ear in a frightening manor.
[center]BATMAN
(whispering)
Here![/center]
Zsasz turns and swings the knife wildly, allowing Lucius to stumble free. Batman’s quickness is amazing though, as he easily dodges the wild attempt to slice him open.
Batman bops backwards, missing a couple of wild swings of the knife before catching it in his right bracer. Zsasz jerks hard, trying to free the knife before Batman punches him hard in the nose with his left hand. Batman jerks his arm down, pulling the knife jammed in his bracer from Zsasz’s hand and sliding it across the floor out of reach.
Zsasz watches in shock and horror before swinging a punch that Batman blocks and counters with a hard punch of his own, followed by another and another.
A bloody Zsasz stumbles backwards, dazed from the punches before he falls to the ground, spitting blood.
[center]ZSASZ
What kind of demon are you?[/center]
Batman steps closer, as Zsasz pulls another knife from his belt and swings at Batman from the ground.
The knife sparks across his chest plate as it reflects harmlessly in slow dramatic fashion.
Batman kicks Zsasz hard across the chin. Zsasz’s head snaps backwards, whiplash like as the knife falls from his hand. He lays limp on his back, knocked out.
Lucius stands, checking his neck for a small cut from the knife. There is a small trickle of blood.
The rest of the people in the room start to rush from the room scared to death, like animals stampeding from a predator. Was it Batman they feared or Zsasz.
[center]LUCIUS
At least now I know why you were so interested in all my research and development.
BATMAN
Sorry Lucius, but how could I explain this.
LUCIUS
No… You don’t have too. I’m glad it’s being used in such a manor rather than collecting dust in some foot locker.
BATMAN
Are you alright?
LUCIUS
Yeah… little shaken up but I’ll be just fine.[/center]
In a calm moment, Zsasz tackles Batman shockingly out of nowhere and without warning.
He comes to rest on top of Batman, straddling him as he tries jam the knife down into his face. They struggle for control as the knife moves closer to Batman’s face. Batman struggles a few moments, then uses his bracers to cut Zsasz’s arm before punching him hard across the face.
Batman rolls to a crouching position ready to attack as he looks around the empty meeting room for Zsasz.
The door on the far end of the meeting room is swinging shut as Zsasz tries to escape within the building.
[center]BATMAN
Lock yourself in here Lucius, I’ll be back.[/center]
[right]CUT TO.[/right]
INT. WAYNE TOWER – OFFICE SPACE
Zsasz stumbles through the darkness, bouncing between the walls, office doors and cubicles while holding his bleeding arm. He seems to have gone down a few stories judging by the height of the buildings outside.
He stops suddenly, looking around the dark room as he tries to catch his breath.
[center]ZSASZ
(scared, shaky voice)
Where are you demon? I know you are here! Let me free you from your darkness, let me liberate you![/center]
Zsasz starts to randomly stab wildly into the darkness, unable to see anything around him.
[center]ZSASZ
You ruined my work! The marks… they are a lie. I’m an abomination now. I need to kill you… or someone. I need to correct my canvas.[/center]
Zsasz continues to stumble around for a few moments, stabbing wildly into the darkness as he trembles in fear.
He stops at an office door, staring at it as if he knows something is behind it.
Slowly he reaches for the door knob and opening it dramatically slow with his trembling hand, to find nothing there.
He takes a deep breath before Batman drops from the ceiling and wraps him up in his cape like a sudden spot in a horror movie. Batman jerks him into the darkness of the ceiling as Zsasz screams out in fear.
[right]CUT TO.[/right]
EXT. WAYNE TOWER – STREET LEVEL
Gordon, Bullock, the mob paid overweight and balding Police Commissioner Gillian Loeb, Handsome and dirty blond hair ex-special forces detective Arnold Flass and the arrogant SWAT team leader Branden all stand in a circle, planning Branden’s entrance into the building.
[center]BRANDEN
Don’t worry sir, we’ll make sure Zsasz gets what he deserves.
GORDON
How about you try not to rip this place apart when you are finished, or at least keep from shooting a hostage.
LOEB
Gordon, that’s enough![/center]
Branden and Gordon share a common look of disgust; as if they are ready to start swinging at each other any moment. Gordon is clearly not liked by everyone in the circle but Bullock.
The crowd behind them start to scream in shock and amazement. Gordon and the rest of the cops in the circle looks up, relieved and confused.
[center]GORDON
What the hell?[/center]
The hostages start to exit from the main entrance of the building, running for their freedom as relief washes over all of them.
[center]LOEB
Shit… he must be here. Change of orders Branden, bring me the Bat freak.
BRANDEN
Yes sir.[/center]
Branden turns and motions for his team to get ready, they were going in.
The SWAT team starts to rush across the parking lot toward the front door with guns raised, ready to shoot first and ask questions later.
People suddenly scream in terror as the entire crowd turn to watch Zsasz falling fast toward the ground, screaming in fear before stopping only a couple feet from the pavement.
Zsasz’s body falls just in front of Branden, nearly hitting him. The SWAT officer staggers backwards and falls screaming in shock as he shoots a few rounds off. He stares at Zsasz in disbelief.
The crowd looks up in time to see Batman spread his cape wide and glide across the city skyline.
[center]GORDON
There’s no hiding it now.[/center]
The entire crowd watches as Batman floats over top of them, as if he was flying. A television camera catches the entire scene as Vicki Vale, the early to mid-twenties beautiful fake blond headed reporter who just happened to be old friends with Bruce Wayne, stands beside of it with a microphone in hand, reporting on the situation. She is filled with excitement as she watches the biggest story of her young career flash across the sky above her. She can see promotions lining up.
[center]VICKI
Please tell me we got that on tape.[/center]
Her camera man, who is filming where Batman just glided past holds up a thumb up.
The group of cops look back to see Zsasz hanging from the side of the building still as Branden starts to stand up and gather himself. Other members of the SWAT team start to cut Zsasz down.
Gordon, Bullock, Loeb and Flass stand side by side in as much shock as the rest of the crowd.
[center]GORDON
Freed the hostages… captured Zsasz and she did it with style. I’d say that will make for a good swing in public opinion.[/center]
Gordon walks forward, heading toward Zsasz as he pulls his handcuffs out of his back pocket.
[center]LOEB
I really hate that asshole.
FLASS
Gordon or Batman?
LOEB
Both.[/center]
Bullock busts out laughing at his commissioner before following Gordon.
[right]FADE TO.[/right]