BATMAN: TARGET

PROLOGUE:

DISCLAIMER: I'm afraid to say that I do not own any of the main participating characters in this story... sorry to disappoint, folks!

NOTE: Though officially the TARGET prelude, this chapter is also effectively the epilogue of the first short story set after the events of Batman Begins (and the novel DEAD WHITE), BATMAN: LOOSE ENDS.

Alfred Pennyworthy tried to scream, as the entire warehouse began to explode around him. Suddenly, he heard a motor. Something vast, black and metallic slammed into his chest, launching Alfred through the factory wall. Alfred dropped to the grass of Gotham Park. He stared at the Batman's private jet hurtled away.

"Thank you, Miss Rachel…" He muttered to himself.

Rachel Dawes sat in the cockpit of the jet, staring at the distant figure of Alfred. What the Hell had she done? There were many ways she could have saved the old butler without doing such a suicidal, dangerous thing… surely?

The radio crackled on.

"Alfred?" It was a rasping voice. The voice Bruce Wayne used in his guise as the sinister Batman.

"Bruce!?" She exclaimed. He was OK! Rachel smiled weakly to herself despite her fear, "You're OK!?"

"I… I think so," Came the mumbled reply, "Yeah. Surprisingly."

"What the Hell happened to you!?"

"Never mind that now. What're you doing in the plane? It's not exactly public transport," Bruce was concerned for her, Rachel realised, even though HE was the one who had inexplicably vanished for 48 hours, having been almost shot to death by a madman in a top hat, "Where the Hell are you? Can you fly that thing!?"

"Uh… it's on autopilot," She replied.

"Hang on! I've got you on radar. On the autopilot, set coordinates to 481, 176."

"But that's off-shore!" Exclaimed Rachel.

"Exactly. I'm always prepared for any contingency, Rachel… and that's a sea plane!" Bruce chuckled. The bastard ACTUALLY laughed.

Rachel, despite her anger, typed in the coordinates and sat back in her seat. She looked out… people were staring up at her. Suddenly, her day became one Hell of a lot worse, if that was even possible: two military fighter jets flew up on either side of her.

"Bruce," Rachel muttered, "I've got company…"

"Hold on," Came Bruce's rasping false voice- the voice of the Batman, "I'm prepared for any contingency."

"Even this!? How the Hell did you prepare for THIS!?" Screamed Rachel, "Have you got your own little Bat- Air Force? A Bat- Anti Aircraft Arsenal!?"

Bruce chuckled over the speaker:

"Nothing so elaborate."

Alfred knelt gasping on the grass. People stared at him. A stone- faced warden strode over to the old Englishman.

"Are you OK, sir?" Asked the warden, "People reported a disturbance."

Alfred smiled innocently:

"Fine, thank you very much, sir," Alfred slowly rose and walked weakly towards the entrance.

"Um… sir… what's…?"

A tall, dark caped figure stood, waiting for Alfred at the park gate. A large, black tank- like vehicle was parked outside.

"Alfred," Batman glared at the warden, who sidled away nervously, "I have to go and pick up, Rachel, but I just had to make sure you're OK, old friend."

"Marvellous, sir," Alfred beamed at his employer, "Shall I be seeing you back at home, old chap?"

"Of course," The Dark Knight turned and walked to his vehicle. The cockpit slid open and Batman swung over into the Tumbler. The cockpit slid shut and the vehicle raced away.

"Good luck, sir!" Shouted Alfred, and limped away towards a coming taxi, raising his arm…

Rachel was running out of time. The jet raced over the waters, pursued by four fully armed US fighter jets. A rapid burst of machine gun fire sliced at the plane's tail. Rachel screamed momentarily as the vehicle shot down and slammed onto the water. The plane bobbed weakly for only a moment… and the attacking aircraft closed in. Rachel stared through the tinted windows. The planes opened fire, and then the winged, bat-like jet was spinning across the waves, bullets bouncing off its hull. Rachel screamed again, again and again.

"BRUCE! DAMMIT! WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU!?" She hollered into the speaker system but there was no reply… until Rachel looked out of the window. The Tumbler was streaking across the water. Rachel stopped screaming. The US jets turned…

Captain Randolph Stacy sat in the cockpit of his jet. He slipped his goggles down over his eyes and took aim. The plane was evidently a dangerous weapon, and an unauthorised aircraft to boot: Stacy spoke into his speaker to his fellow pilots.

"Prepare to fire," He said, "Take aim…"

Suddenly, a tank- like, black vehicle was racing across the water at them. An unknown, rasping voice came through Stacy's speakers:

"Men of the US Air Force, stand down. An innocent is in that vehicle… this is the Batman speaking and I will not tolerate any harm on the inhabitant of that jet. Leave now and do not harm her, or I may have to react with force."

"What the Hell…?" Muttered Stacy, "Boys?"

"Yes, sir?" It was Sergeant Noel Schneider who spoke.

"You hear that?"

"Yes, sir."

"Well, boys, that tank thing is the vehicular transport for the wanted fugitive The Batman. I want that vehicle destroyed, on the double!"

Batman pressed down the Tumbler accelerator and hit one of the many newly added triggers on the vehicle's controls. A cable snaked out from the back of the Tumbler and the Dark Knight turned his vehicle, allowing the cable to hook onto Rachel's plane's tailfin. The Tumbler raced away, dragging the seaplane with it. Bruce finally spoke:

"Hold on, Rachel! You'll be OK!"

Suddenly, the US planes opened fire. Bullets bounced off the Tumbler, until one punctured his petrol tank. Batman cursed loudly. Oil sprayed upwards, over the windscreen. The attackers opened fire with renewed determination. The Dark Knight saw Gotham Harbour, a mile off…

Two new planes soared down at the Tumbler… Batman yelled out:

"Rachel! Take off!"

"Are you nuts!?" Crackled Rachel's reply, "You'll die!"

"Do it!" Commanded the Caped Crusader, "Trust me."

The "Batplane" rocketed up into the air, the Tumbler hanging loosely from it. The cable was strained… slipping loose. Bruce heard Rachel's scream of horror over the speaker system and hit another button. The cockpit slid back and Batman kicked out, launching himself from the car and aiming his grappling gun… the vigilante grappled onto the plane's wing and clung on for dear life. Wind rushed past the Caped Crusader and he held on… determined not to fail. Slowly, oh so agonisingly slowly, the cockpit slid open and he dropped into the jet, beside Rachel. The cockpit slid shut and the two stared at each other.

"Thank you…" Said Rachel quietly, as Bruce took the controls and rocketed the plane into Gotham… leaving the Tumbler to drop one hundred feet to the ground, waves erupting upwards as it struck the water and sank…