"Batman! Batman, look what I've been tinkering with!" Robin stood proudly next to the Anti-Crime Computer - clearly labelled "ANTI-CRIME COMPUTER" with a large sign - wearing a pair of glasses with a spiral pattern in place of clear glass lenses. "X-ray specs!" he announced.
"What a remarkable invention, old chum," Batman remarked, taking the glasses from Robin and trying them on. They did, true to their name, reveal what was behind every wall and in every filing cabinet in the Bat-Cave. "But… What do you think the average citizen would say if they saw us wearing these?"
"I'd say they'd be happy we were doing everything we could to keep Gotham safe."
"Perhaps, but… Perhaps they would also see us as invading their privacy." Batman put his index finger to his chin, deep in thought. "We need to keep Gotham safe, but we can't go looking into the homes of the good people of Gotham, now, can we?"
"Well, golly Batman, I never thought of it like that," Robin replied. "I suppose there are downsides to these specs. Maybe we can only use 'em when we're already in a villain's hideout?"
"Maybe we can, Robin. Maybe… We can." Batman turned the X-ray glasses over in his hands, examining them. "You should go to the gym Robin. I have something I need to look up using the Bat Computer."
"Aw, gee, Batman, do I have to?"
"Yes, Robin. The people of Gotham need us in… Tip-top condition."
With Robin gone, Batman placed the X-ray glasses on a desk - labelled "BAT DESK" - and opened a drawer - labeled "BAT DRAWER (KEEP LOCKED)." The drawer was never locked, but the label kept Robin and Alfred from investigating. Batman pulled a device from the drawer.
The small view screen and dial was a combination of Wayne-Corp and Kryptonian technology. Batman flipped a switch to turn it on and turned the dial, turning static on the screen to a clear image.
On the screen, a Batman wearing body armour broke a thug's leg to get information. The gangs of Gotham responded by carrying guns and training attack dogs. Another Batman used a set of goggles, not-unlike the X-ray specs on the desk, to locate fingerprints and traces of DNA. At the same time, the Riddler kidnapped people and put them into ghoulish death traps. Somewhere in the multiverse, one version of Batman crashed through a wall driving a massive, tank-like Batmobile. The corresponding Joker trapped hundreds on two ferries, both rigged to explode.
Batman sighed and picked up the X-ray specs again. Dick had worked so hard on them, but sacrifices had to be made to keep the people of Gotham safe. Batman popped a panel open and began to disassemble the glasses.
There was a war with crime in Gotham, and it could never be won, but Batman would never stop fighting it. But every war can escalate. Using the multiverse viewer, a device that let him see into alternate dimensions, Batman had realized that the escalation always started with him. Gotham – its people, its crimes, and its criminals - all followed his lead. As long as he stayed goofy and non-threatening, Gotham's supervillains did the same. They'd even follow suit when he de-escalated - labelling every item in the Bat Cave had dropped the average IQ of Arkham Asylum by ten points.
The X-ray specs were in pieces on the desk. Batman would have Alfred bury them. There was a war on crime in Gotham, and it could never be won, but Batman would do everything he could to make sure it never became bloody.