A TALE OF TWO WOMEN
VICKI VALE
"Is Batman dead? That is the question on everyone's mind in Gotham. I spoke with Commissioner Gordon about the dead men who was in the Joker's gang…"
"I don't think the Batman was behind this."
"How so Commissioner?"
"In all this time Batman hasn't killed anyone…Why would he start now? Why would he kill the men at the Power Plant and not the men at the Chemical Factory."
"Meanwhile people are protesting outside of GCPD central as the Joker is being taken back to Arkhum…"
ARKHUM – JOKER
"There is no place like home…No place like Home…Uncle Sharp…I had the strangest dream…You were there and he was there…Auntie Em fell and broke her neck."
"Will you gag that degenerate!"
He mumbles under his restraint mask and makes faces. "Not you!" Sharp says to Doctor Quinzell.
"Warden…I have been treating the Joker…"
"You are under review Doctor Quindell…And I am revoking your privileges here at Arkhum."
"You can't do that!"
"Can't I?"
COMMISSIONER GORDON
"Yes I know Your Honor, but Joker should be at Black Gate not Arkhum." He says over the phone. "Yes sir…Good day." After a long day he goes on the roof and shines the bat-light. It is the second day since the Joker was captured. Commissioner waits for two hours, then he shuts it off. When he turns a woman dressed like Batman is standing on the ledge not far from him. "Who are you supposed to be?"
"Batwoman!"
"Are you Batman's wife or something?" She just stares at him, "Sorry."
"He sent me…He's alive…Needs a few days to recuperate." She dives backwards off the building ledge and glides to an alley. When she lands a masked woman is waiting.
"Batwoman…"
"Who are you?"
"A friend."
"No you're that ninja that killed the Joker's men."
"How is Bruce doing?"
Barbara just stares at her, "I don't know anyone named Bruce."
"Nice try Barbara Gordon…Yes I know who you are and I know about Bruce."
"Since you know who we are…We should know your secret."
Barbara leaps at her, but she black flips kicking Barbara and throws a smoke pellet. "Bitch!" She gets on her bike and drives off.
CAT WOMAN
She sneaks into Axis Chemicals, the cops have yet to find Joker's treasure horde. "So if I were a Psycho Clown where would I hide…Bingo!" She opens a hidden door in the floor and finds cash, jewels, priceless works of art. "Come to momma!"
"You don't strike me as the motherly type."
"Wow and who are you supposed to be? Bat-Lady…Bat Chick? Bat-Girl perhaps.
"Batwoman!" She replies throwing a bat-star.
Cat Woman uncoils her whip and cracks it knocking the weapon out of the air. "So it's like that?"
"Oh yeah!"
"Fine show me what ya got." She swings her whip again, but Batwoman catches it on her forearm. They pull, the two women are evenly matched in strength, so Cat Woman rolls forward swiping with her glove claws. Batwoman blocks with her arm gauntlet and does a spin kick. Cat Woman ducks and blocks a knee to the face. A blade comes out of the handle on her whip and she tries to stab Batwoman. She cuts her across the cheek and they break the standoff.
Catwoman pulls herself up to the ceiling scaffold and when she lands Batwoman is there. "You are spoiling my fun."
"Sorry."
They fight in and out of the scaffolding and metal work on the ceiling. Eventually Cat Woman is able to pull Bat Woman's leg and she falls. As she fall Cat Woman escapes. She returns to her loft and changes out of her costume.
SELINA KYLE
"You're Home." Maven says as Selena's black cat Isis runs up to her.
"Yes."
"Did you get Joker's stash?"
"No! Some bitch dressed like Batman got in the way. Calls herself Batwoman."
"Well we have another job if you are interested."
"No…Cat Woman should lay low…Besides I still want to know why Bruce Wayne needs a double."
BRUCE
"AAAHHH!" Bruce leans to the side and the acid catches him on his right shoulder and neck. He throws Joker down and hits his back. The Joker gets to his feet gloating and is stunned by one of the drones which is programmed to protect Batman. He manages to grab a line from the drone and it drags him to the Batmobile.
He opens the medical drawer in the ceiling above him and sprays his shoulder. Then he sticks himself with a needle to counter any poison from the acid. "Bat…mobile…verbal command…Home!" As the auto-drive pilot takes him home Bruce passes out. As he is unconscious Bruce dreams of his parents. Then he imagines himself marrying Talia and having a family.
"Master Wayne can you here me?" He hears Alfred's voice, but it sounds as if he is far away. "Help me get him to the medical bay." He says to Barbara.
Alfred does what he can, then he calls an old doctor friend of the Waynes. "My God! Is this an acid burn?"
"Yes! I did what I could Doctor Jenson."
"Alfred…How many times must I say…Call me Elaine."
"Right Elain…"
"Listen to the woman Alfred…" Bruce barely says.
"My God he's strong…Alright…let me get to work. Alfred you assist me."
"Barbara go tell Richard that he will fill in for Bruce until further notice."
Doctor Elain operates on Bruce for three hours. He awakens three days later. "Have you been down here all this time old man?" He asks after opening his eyes and sees Alfred in a chair asleep by his bed.
"Where else would I be Sir?"
"The Joker?"
"Arkhum Asylum."
Elain returns to examine him. "You are lucky that stuff didn't get in your face."
"Thank you."
"That you for capturing that bastard who raped me. I can do your skin replacement tomorrow…No food after midnight."
After she leaves he looks at Barbara, "You've been in a fight."
"Cat Woman…She got away. She was trying to steal Joker's cash horde."
"What about the other case I assigned you?"
"The man responsible for the Grayson's death is named Tony Zucco…He was muscle for the Penguin after the Penguin joined the circus. They were smuggling guns across Europe. Richard Grayson, Dick's father found out. Zucco made it look like an accident. After the circus closed Tony Zucco became Antonio Vanz…The crime boss of Bludhaven."
"Gather everything you can on him and find a clean D.A. to take him down." He looks at Alfred, "How is Richard doing?"
"With Lucious' help…Excellent. Miss Kyle has been snooping around. Came to the House."
"He didn't kiss Talia did he?"
"No she left town on business." The next day Doctor Elain performs the skin replacement surgery and Bruce has to heal for the next five days.
TALIA
She had not left town. Talia remains in her penthouse waiting for Bruce to get better. She sits in the living room sipping wine when one of her bodyguards return. "Mistress."
"What is it?"
"The Cat Woman has been snooping around Mister Wayne."
"I will send this Cat a message."
"Yes My Lady."
She places on her royal ninja garb and goes hunting. Talia lands on the roof and scales down the building to Selina's apartment. That is when a bolo is thrown at her, but she cuts the bolo with her sword. "Impressive!"
Selina is in her Cat Woman costume, "Who are you and what do want?"
"Stay away from Bruce Wayne…This is your only warning Selina Kyle."
"You know who I am, but who are you?" Cat Woman flies at her with a kick. Which is blocked. Talia back flips out the window and scales the wall with Cat Woman following.
"You are out of your league Kitty Kat."
"Sounds like you have it bad for Bruce Wayne." She ducks a sword swing and attacks with a claw swing while hissing. Meanwhile on another roof Maven takes aim with a tranquilizer gun. She shoots, but faster than the eye can Talia spins around catches the dart. "Holly shit!"
"Two against one is not very fair Miss Kyle…Ninja!"
There are several explosions of smoke and three more ninjas appear. "Shit!"
"You have been warned Miss Kyle stay away from Bruce Wayne. Next time blood will flow."
BRUCE
He is finally able to resume his identity as Bruce Wayne and Batman. Barbara as Batwoman takes down Antonio Vanz. Because the murder of the Graysons took place in Gotham he is being transferred and District Attorney Harvey Dent is personally handling the case. "Selina!"
"Hello Bruce."
"Well this is a surprise."
"I was wondering if you were dating someone."
"I am why do you ask?"
"A lucky woman…Do I know her?"
"I don't know. Her name is Talia al Ghul."
She kisses him on the lips, "Well you should keep your options open."
Later he has dinner with Talia, "Talia…I have feelings for you, but tell me. How do you feel about me? Where do you see this going?"
"When a man says that, it means there is another woman." He smiles, "As far as you and me go. I am hoping you and I will get to a point where there are no secrets between us. I am falling in love with you. I am in love with you. I hope you come to feel the same way as I do. If I have to fight for us so be it." They go back to the Wayne mansion and make love.
SELINA KYLE
As Cat Woman Selina goes to see Commissioner Gordon. She waits for him on the roof of GCPD Central. "Hello Commissioner." He draws his gun, "I wouldn't do that if I were you."
"Oh yeah…Why?"
The answer to his question comes with a growl as a large tiger comes out. The Tiger growls, but Cat Woman holds her hand out towards the cat and it lies down and purrs. "I just want to talk."
"How in the hell did you get that thing up here?"
"Not important. You may want to look into Talia al Ghul."
"Why?"
"She's dating Bruce Wayne…Before that a Ninja…The same one I guess who killed Joker's men attacked me…Warned me to stay away from Bruce Wayne."
That is when the Ninjas appear, "What the hell?"
"We are not here for you Commissioner Gordon…We are here for the Cat."
She whistles and the Tiger attacks one of the Ninjas. Gordon shoots at another Ninja who dodges and throws a spike disarming him. That is when Batwoman appears, she glides down and kicks a Ninja in the chest. She leaps into two Ninjas, grabbing one by the head with her hands and the other with her feet and flips them over. Meanwhile Cat Woman gives two sharp whistles and runs for the scaffolding on the side of the building.
Three of the remaining Ninjas chase after Cat Woman. They fight on the Scaffold and as they fight One of the Ninjas cuts the rope. Cat Woman flips over the side holding onto the rail then she hand walks to the other side and kicks the Ninja with both feet. He goes flying into the window of the building smashing through the glass. That is when Batwoman lands on the Scaffolding and takes out the second Ninja.
The Tiger has the last Ninja pinned to the floor of the scaffold. When they are near the bottom Cat Woman whistles and then she and the tiger run off. But Batwoman fires a shock dart, the Tiger leaps into the path of the dart and is knocked unconscious. Cat Woman escapes.
BRUCE
"What the hell happened?" Bruce asks to Barbara when she returns to the Batcave.
"The Ninja who killed Joker's men, has friends. Cat Woman was at the Bat signal speaking to my father, when the Ninjas showed up. She escaped, but Bruce…That Tiger is one of the animals from the Selina's Big Cat Reservation."
He looks at her, "You think Selina Kyle is Cat Woman."
"I'd stake my life on it."
Bruce calls Commissioner Gordon as Batman. "Its me…What did Cat Woman want?"
"She said that the Ninja who killed Joker's men attacked her…Warned her to stay away from Bruce Wayne. She thinks that Talia al Ghul and the Ninja are one in the same. Tomorrow I'm going to speak with Mister Wayne."
"Keep me in the loop…One other thing. Double the security around D.A…Word on the street is he has a hit on Harvey Dent…"
"Will do."
Bruce meets with Gordon and then as Batman he confronts Talia. "Talia al Ghul."
"I was wondering how long it would take you to figure it out my love."
"You're a member of the League of Shadows…"
"I am and my father has chosen you my love to be his heir."
"Why?"
"You took down the Court of Owls single handedly…Like you the League of Shadows seeks to rid the world of the scum that corrupts this world."
"I fight for justice by the law…You are an Assassin!"
"What now? The law cannot touch me…I have diplomatic immunity"
"I took down the Court of Owls…I take down the League of Shadows…"
She walks up to him and places her arms around his shoulders, "Don't fight us my Love…Join us. Become my father's successor and together we will build a better world."
"Not through bloodshed. And if you love me you will leave Selina Kyle alone."
"Do you love her?" He doesn't answer and leaves.
