Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters associated with any incarnation of the Batman franchise. This story takes place during the original Fox run of Batman: The Animated Series/The Adventures of Batman and Robin.
On the fire escape above Harvey Bullock's position, Batman was keeping a silent vigil for the police. He was well aware that if he made the raid on the theater himself that the paperwork inside would never make it to trial. That would put his war with Rupert Thorn back to square one. Batman's attention to the underworld was unwavering, he had made himself a mental note a long while ago that the day he didn't know about every shady deal made in the Gotham, was the day he'd hang up the cowl for good. Much like Bullock today would not be a day for retirement.
Bullock flicked the toothpick from his mouth, which had formed a well-molded sneer. The wait was now forty-five minutes and counting. The word from Gordon had yet to spill over his radio. Bullock never was much for the planning aspects of detective work. Bullock then put the hand-held to his mouth.
"Any sign of the Bat?" he asked Officer Montonya.
" None yet, Gordon doesn't expect him to show given the delicat-," before she finished the sentences she noticed a cape whip around the marquee of the theater. At first she thought it was the Bat, but than realized that he moved to quickly to be spotted even for a blink of the eye. " Detective we've got activity on the roof, I'm not sure but I think I caught part of a cape."
" The Bat!?" I knew it if he even thinks about blowing this bust I'm running him of town." The deep seeded discontent for Batman was too much for Bullock to handle at times. Batman never had to fill out paperwork, or be harassed by the likes of Summer Gleeson, or hear "Shapen up Bullock" from the Commish every time he even thought about stepping over the line. The Bat stepped over said line so many times that it seemed like Gordon was moving it just for his convenience. He was undoubtedly one of the only men, criminals included, who wasn't in awe or in fear of Batman. His willingness to arrest him was far from a shock.
" No Detective, Batman's made it clear that his hands are off this raid. It's our pinch, not his. We should probably get one of the airships to shine a light on the roof."
" Not yet, it'll give us away, so they'll hightail it. I'm not going to waste all those late nights for the winged freak. We move in, in five minutes so look alive.
Batman wasn't oblivious to the controversy below. The earpiece under his cowl was set to the police band. Not doubting Montonya's eyesight, he shot a grappling hook to the westernmost edge of the theater to swing onto the darkest corner of the theater's roof. There was a crack of lightning, almost on cue as he landed. A roar of thunder soon followed. The illumination seemed to almost tickle the theater and make the hoods inside feel the slightest shiver run up their spine. It was hard not to be paranoid when almost everyone was out to get Rupert Thorn. Batman leaped toward an adjacent fire escape where another plain-clothes officer kept watch of the back entrance. There was something strange about this one though. The Dark Knight noticed a small sliver of cloth underneath his gray trench coat. He was keeping out of the streetlight, but Batman's keen vision observed a silver hair behind the fedora. The man was bulky in that he was clearly wearing heavy clothes underneath, but seemed slender enough underneath.
"It couldn't be," Batman muttered under his breath. The next crack of lightning confirmed his beliefs. The man was wearing goggles. He was the Grey Ghost.
The Ghost spotted his opportunity to run in the back door of the theater. The speed in which Batman's grappling hook fired, was only outdone by his disbelief that he was stopping Simon Trent, an actor of all people from stopping a raid. His distance was too far though as the Ghost beat him to the back exit of the theater in the narrow alley. The force in which he kicked the door opened was startling for a man of his age. It's effects were felt by the goons inside, whose playing cards went flying as they scrambled for their Tommy Guns. They ducked behind the decrepit seats as they heard the smoke bombs explode around them. The call that came next from the door was unmistakable. Through the thick mist of smoke and the near darkness that surrounded the theater, that was barely lit by a single light bulb came the call "Foolish criminals, you must learn to obey the law and BEWARE THE GREY GHOST!!"