Tut the Magnificent…

Summary: A little reimagining of supervillain King Tut. A young genius, protégé of Gotham's prime benefactor, Bruce Wayne, distraught at the suffering in a place his hero Batman never deigns to frequent, has decided to help his people help themselves.

Part III...

Present day Gotham…

Van Dyck's…

"Look, sure you couldn't…" Wayne offered his burger to Ms. Dane, who sighed, shrugged.

"Very much afraid I could but I won't, thanks. I don't need to look pregnant or just plain fat on my next report." Sheepish grin. "I'll be fine with the chowder, really."

"Ok…" smile. He took another bite…. "As to Batman, I can't speak for how he thinks, it was just a feeling. After all he's been doing this for at least fifteen years or more. I gotta think he's reached the point where he'd like to call it a day."

"Like Gary Cooper in 'High Noon'? And you and the good citizens eagerly pushing him out?" Danielle smiled.

"God, don't cast me as that mayor…" he gave mock-horrified look. "I don't want him shoved out but the day has to come when others, hopefully professionals, take over from him."

"Well, how long have you been doing what you're doing?" she eyed him.

He blinked, in mid-chew…

"…With trying to help this city?" she explained, a bit startled herself.

"Oh…A long time…"he recovered quickly, wry smile. "That little I do. But I do see a lot of changes over the years. And, thanks…"

"Hmmn…?"

"For not asking what you meant to ask…How long have I known Batman…?" smile.

"I figured you'd been asked that enough…" shrug. "And I am interested in what you've done."

"About thirteen years, if that helps. It's ok. But Jim Gordon's known him from the start."

"You think he knows who he really is?"

"Maybe…" wave of hand, perplexed look. "If so, he's not shared it with me."

"And naturally you wouldn't if you knew." she nodded.

"I dunno…I'm pretty desperate to impress you here. I might say that I knew, even if I couldn't give out the name." smile.

"Ok…" she grinned, putting up a hand. "I deserved that. But I really do want to know about your work on the Commission. In the end, that's what'll matter. Even Batman has to retire as you say or…Go…One day."

Wayne concealing slight wince…

"It's the collective work that goes on, like with getting the city built, fighting disease here…Cleaning the sidewalks up and establishing a water system." she went on, slightly strident tone by end. "Sorry…" she gave a slight hand wave. "My thesis in college was on the work of the Gotham Sanitation Commission. I believe in community effort and I get on the soapbox a bit."

"I think you're right. And I suspect Batman would agree. But even he may have an apprentice…I wonder sometimes if there's more than one…" he regarded her solemnly.

"A Bat Society?"

"I know when Joker first showed there were several copy cat Batmans." He pointed out.

"I remember he killed at least two of them…" Ms. Dane noted, her mood a bit quieter.

"Yeah…" Wayne nodded. "There's a cost, always. Maybe it would be better if he is the one and only.'

"Maybe…But a tragedy all the same, if he can never escape that…Until…" she grimaced.

"Jesus…" wan sigh from Wayne, shaking head. "Here I'm the one going on about the Batman and your trying to give me a chance to puff myself up."

"I doubt you need it." Smile. "But it's nice you don't instinctively. I've met a few who can't live without that, often without much justification." Steady gaze.

He blinked again…

"Well…So…Crime Commission…" he began…

She chuckled, eyes shining… "You're embarrassed…" Open-throated laugh…He staring…

"Sorry…" she put up a hand. "Honestly, it's just I'd've never thought you'd be embarrassed by a little praise. It was meant to be that, you know." Shrewd gaze. "A little, anyway…I do admire what I've heard."

"Only when it's real and not just flack." He gave nervous smile. "Then I start thinking they may find out how little I really have done…"

"Thanks again…" she grinned. He, nodding, then cocking head…

"So…How do you edit a news report?" he eyed her.

"Are you really interested?" she asked.

"I am. I like to know how things really work too. And I get involved with the news often enough that I ought to…"

"Finish your burger while I make a call…" she smiled. "But I will take just one more small piece…' He smiled and handed over a small broken-off piece which she took…Just lightly touching his hand.

"Hey, Woodman, are you still at it?" she asked her phone. "Well, I've a friend here who'd like to see how it's done."

Hamilton, same time, a quiet street in one the nicer….One of several recovering areas nowadays…Areas, but not unusually so…

A small car pulling into a driveway to a garage door which opened…Once inside, after a moment, Henry Tuthill, all of twenty-three now, emerged, carrying some groceries and a bouquet of flowers.

"Hey, Mama!" he called out.

"Henry, sweetheart." Anna Tuthill came from a side door. In her forties now, looking quite a picture of health in casual but quietly elegant blouse and slacks.

"Hey, how are you tonight?" he beamed.

"I'm fine, honey." She came to him. "I was out doing some photographs today in Rockland State Park, I think they're not half bad." Fond smile, touching his arm. "What, for me?" she beamed as he offered the flowers.

"I brought dinner with me as promised…" he noted, holding up bags.

"Henry, you shouldn't have…I have plenty in the fridge and you work late enough as it is." She shook head. "But thanks, lamby." She kissed his head.

"No need for you to be on the stove when you can be out taking pictures and doing your own work, Ma." He insisted.

"Well, let me take this…" she took his bags. "And you come in and wash up while I set up dinner."

"I want to see those pictures after dinner…" he noted as she headed in, he following.

"Hope you will…Just be honest." She called back.

"Mama, I was thinking…" he called. "With Jen Jensen off to Paris, maybe I'd take a couple of days off before Founders' Day? We could do something, take a drive or a day trip or two, maybe? Up to some place where you could get some work in, if you like? Maybe Pam could come along, too?

"That'd be lovely, honey." She'd come back to him after setting the bags down in a large kitchen. "But I don't know if Pam can get away. She's got a load of casework, she said when we talked on the phone yesterday. Involving the new Jensen patents, I think…"

"Well, I'll check with her. I have a little pull at Jensen now. Maybe I can get her some help with that load."

"Well, praise be to Tut…" she beamed…He quietly ignoring… "…If you can, dear." Anna beamed. "Come on now, get washed up."

"Mama…" he followed her…He followed her into the comfortable, spacious, if modest living room of the house…Nodding to a burly man in business suit he passed in the hallway.

"Teddy…"

"Sir." The said Teddy nodded in turn, pulling up cell. "All units check in, He is in the building, standard security sweep."

"All clear…Post two." A voice crackled on the phone as Henry passed on to the living room…Anna awaiting him there.

"Post three…All clear…" Another voice…

"What is it, honey?" Anna asked, smiling.

"Oh, nothing…I was just wondering if maybe you might have met someone today, while you were out." He asked, off-handedly.

"Someone…As in a feller?" she grinned. "You're trying to push Mama off on someone else, boy?"

"Well, you haven't been out with anyone in a while, since Arthur left."

"Arthur was very nice." She noted. "I'm sorry he found Hamilton a little confining…I think my membership in the Society bothered him. He found it a little…Too much, I guess." Smile. "Probably for the best…"

"Well, plenty of fish in the sea, Ma. You ought to be casting more."

"Yes, there are…Praise Tut. I'll surely meet someone suitable, thank you, darling." Beaming smile. "I rather wish you'd get out and about more, yourself and bring a nice loving girl home."

"Plenty of time, there, Ma." He smiled. "But one day…" shrug.

"I hope so. Now, let me get things together, and you go clean up. I don't want your lab things all over our table." Smile.

"I will, but I wasn't doing much in the lab today…And I'm always careful, Ma."

"I know. But let a mother fret a little." Smile

"Hows about asking Teddy to join us?" he suggested.

"You are a sly one, honey." She grinned. "Teddy? If you're free for dinner, come on in." she called down the hallway.

"Thanks, ma'am." Teddy's reply. "If it's all right, sir?"

"Please do, Ted." Henry called back.

"I'll just ask Susan to keep an eye on my post. Thanks."

"Teddy's a nice fellow…" Henry, archly to Anna.

"Enough…Wash." Anna, firmly. He heading off, pausing to let a tall, strikingly athletic young woman in business suit enter from the front door.

"Susan." He smiled to her.

"Sir." She nodded.

"Hope you like Indian, Teddy?" Anna was asking as Henry moved to enter the bathroom.

"Post one is secure, praise be to Tut." Susan told her cell. "All perimeter areas check as secure, maintain contact on regular basis."

…..

Greater Gotham News…Editing Lab…

"So…" James noted to a seated Bruce Wayne, the cameraman's initial cautious manner worn off fairly quickly by Wayne's obvious interest and his own confidence in his craft. "It's mostly done with computers these days but some of us, particularly in the small ponds, still like to do what we can by hand. More or less…"

"With three machines to help, if not your standard office computer…" Danielle pointed out, archly from where she stood peering into an editing viewer. "Camere…" she waved Wayne over… "See how I can pick 'em." She noted, indicating the viewer which he moved to, peering through the eyepiece she'd now stepped back from.

"It's us…" Wayne smiled.

Woody eyeing the assistant editor, and his girlfriend, Carrie Floss a woman about James' age, in her twenties, with somewhat wild green-streaked hair, in t-shirt and overalls…Editing lab casual, she'd noted to their surprise guest on his entrance, who rolled her eyes in turn.

We should be all quiver for the romantic moment when Harry/Bruce met Sally/Danielle, eh?

Still…She eyed Wayne, a fine-looking specimen in rather nice duds. Who seems to do the banter crap well and enjoys slumming with the nerds…

…Can't really blame you, kiddo, she eyed Danielle who was busy showing off her recently gained expertise…

Just hope he's nice as he seems…

"So we'll want to enhance Danielle..." James continued.

"Oh, Lord…" Danielle, mock-sigh. "I promise you, most of what you see on TV is me."

"He just adds that special extra…" Bruce grinned.

"I do…" Woody nodded.

"You swell my boobs and I'll knock you on your keyster…" Danielle warned. "Though no objections to a whiter smile and better legs."

"Please…That's for the weathergirls…On Channels 10 and 5, of course…" Woody smiled. "Ours of course are all-natural." Nod to Wayne who nodded.

"Who's buzzing?" Carrie looked round.

"Sorry, me…" Wayne, sheepishly.

"Your watch?" Woody eyed him.

"A gift from an idiot friend…He knows I shut my phone off sometimes. Just a sec, I'll take this in the hall." Wayne rose. "Be right back…" he told Danielle.

"If you want me to guide you outta this maze, you will." She nodded. He grinned, closing door with gentle tug.

"So…That's Bruce Wayne. Ooolala…" Carrie eyed Danielle who gave sheepish grin.

"Marry 'im before he gets a good look at ya…" Woody, quoting Moe Howard, with Stoogian accent.

"You're ok, it's your place you dare not let him see…" Carrie noted.

"Hey, Jim. Bruce." Wayne told his phone, peering out the nearest window. "I don't see a signal…"

Thank God.

"No, this is for you, Bruce." Commissioner Jim Gordon's voice on phone. "I need a favor from the man behind the mask this time."

"Ok…What's up? Someone complaining Batman scraped their car?"

"Just wondered if you could stop by to discuss a couple of old friends…If not tonight, tomorrow's fine."

"This is unusual. Flextime." Wayne told the phone.

"You've earned it." Gordon, archly. "Well?"

"Mine, yours…His?"

"All three, really." Gordon replied. "Carlo Tambino and his daughter and son-in-law for three and Frankie Vallenti for another."

"Old friends, all." Wayne nodded. "But isn't she a nun now and isn't her dad dead and dear husband in prison…I don't know as to good ole Frankie."

"Yes, actually, no, and no longer. And as for Frankie, the no longer applies as well. Admit you're a bit intrigued."

"Admitted. Though Alfred always suspected you'd squirrelled ole Carlo away somewhere in WP. 'Too many associates appearing on the arrest lists, Master Bruce.', he'd say. But can we make it tomorrow?"

"Tell Alfred, I'm going to hire him as police psychic. And tell me it's not cause you're baking or polishing a new antique?"

"Gee, no, Dad…See…" Wayne, affecting awkward teen.

"A girl? Son, that's wonderful. Hell, I'll take a boy at this rate." Gordon, chuckling. "See you tomorrow, nine, my place. Unless she's a sleepover, in which case nine-thirty."

"You're all heart, Gordon."

"That's for sure. Get back to her and don't frighten her off with hints about your 'dark side'. Barbara and I do not want to be caring for you in my old and her middle age."

"Thanks, Dad. I'll get her home by ten."

"Goddamn it you probably will…" sigh. "Good night, Bruce."

"Always leave 'em hanging. After readin' 'em their rights, Jim." He hung up.