The Ghost of You
Disclaimer: I don't own Batman Begins
Chapter 5: Last Alliances
The Batman stood on a roof with Harvey Dent and Jim Gordon trying to figure out how to bring Lau back from Shanghai. They stood there, not knowing what to do. Harvey Dent had stepped forward with an idea but it seemed too daunting for the men. Dawn was breaking over Gotham and the men still stood there. A message had been intercepted, the police had confirmed it was from the Joker.
"The Joker's gone into hiding and says he'll kill innocent people every day." Gordon said. "Morrison is going to be his first choice, if he can get her."
"What's the catch?" Harvey Dent asked.
"He wants the Batman to turn himself into the police. And he wants Morrison." Gordon replied. "So, what are our options?"
"We have to keep Amanda with Wayne. And I'll have to go into hiding." Batman said.
"I can impersonate the Batman for a while." Dent replied.
"So that's our plan. I'll go to Shanghai and bring Lau here." The Batman said.
"And what about Amanda? Even if she is kept with Wayne, the Joker will get the opportunity to get her again." Dent asked.
"He won't. Amanda Morrison will be kept safe." Gordon said. "At whatever costs."
It was decided and Batman disappeared. The two men looked at the sunrise and left the rooftop where the Bat signal remained untouched and unlit.
At Bruce Wayne's penthouse, Amanda was up with the sun citing that the encounter she had with The Batman had kept her up. But the nightmare that had plagued her was just as obvious. Bruce walked in and saw her awake, wondering why she was.
"It's a little early to be up." He said looking to see what she was looking at.
"Couldn't sleep." Amanda replied.
"You're a bit of a night owl, aren't you?" Bruce asked.
"I guess." Amanda said.
"Alfred told me you had an encounter with the Batman." Bruce said casually.
"Yeah, I did. He was the one who got me to talk." Amanda replied. "And I found from him that Lau is in Shanghai."
"The Batman will be heading there then. I've got some last minute business out there." Bruce said. "We have to leave soon anyway."
"We?" Amanda asked.
"I can't leave you here by yourself, so we're going to Shanghai." Bruce said. "Besides, it'll be a good experience."
She shrugged her shoulders and went back to her room for a moment and looked around. She left quickly and found Bruce waiting for her. They left for the airstrip.
It had taken forty-five minutes to get to the airstrip but once they were on the jet, it was fast take-off. Amanda had fallen asleep and was mumbling incoherently.
"What did she say, sir?" Alfred asked.
"Lau is in Shanghai. How she got that information is out of my league." Bruce replied.
"And what about the threat to Miss Amanda?" Alfred said. "Are you going go through with what you said?"
"I don't know if I am." Bruce replied.
The television on the plane was turned on. Harvey Dent stood awkwardly on a podium with many reporters microphones on it. He cleared his throat and started speaking.
"Although it is against my nature in what I'm doing, I know the identity of the Batman. It's me, I am the Batman. That is all." Harvey Dent said quickly.
Bruce was taken aback while Alfred showed some worry. Amanda woke up not a moment sooner, still a little groggy but okay. The two men hoped she didn't hear their conversation. And when she woke up, Amanda looked around seeing that nothing had moved or changed.
"How long have I been out of it?" She asked.
"About five hours. Did you get enough sleep?" Bruce said.
"Yeah." Amanda said.
"You looked like you needed it." Bruce replied. "We're nearly there."
Four hours later, they landed and they got out, seeing the muggy airstrip and a car waiting for them. Bruce kept a firm hand on Amanda's shoulder as they approached the car. The driver got out and opened the doors.
"Welcome to Shanghai, Mr.Wayne. I'm Lao Shi, I'll be your driver on the duration of your trip." He said.
He merely nodded and when they got in something didn't feel right. The driver took off his cap and revealed himself to be Lau and another man held up a knives up to Amanda and Alfred's throat. Bruce looked at the two of them in panic. He was dropped off outside of Shanghai.
"If you or the Batman try to follow me, they're dead. Understand me?" He asked harshly.
Bruce stood there, looking into the sky descending into the darkness and realized it was time for the dark knight to come onto Shanghai. He looked around making sure no one was around.
At a building somewhere, Amanda and Alfred woke tied to chairs. And Lau had two men in the room watching them carefully. Amanda looked around, seeing a knife, two swords, and a wooden sword. Those couldn't help her at all.
"Alfred? Are you alright?" Amanda whispered.
"I'll be fine but are you going to be okay, Miss Morrison?" Alfred replied softly. "Are you planning something?"
"Yeah but my hands are behind my back." Amanda said. "These two goons are here."
"Miss Morrison, there is a lighter in my back left pocket. Reach for it and burn the ropes." Alfred replied
"That's a little too Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade, isn't it?" Amanda said.
"Yes, but it's an effective idea." Alfred replied.
"Until it started the fire." Amanda said reaching her hand into the pocket.
She had luckily gotten it and burned the ropes. Once she was free, she took the wooden swords for defense. One of the men cursed then muttered 'little weasel' under his breath. He came up to Amanda and tried to attacked her. She hit him with one of the swords but only the gun fell out of his hand. She made a grab for it and shot both men shakily. She then untied Alfred and tried to get out but a man came up.
"Itachi-ka! Itachi-ka!" The man yelled. "You weasel!"
"Like I haven't heard that one before." Amanda said. "And I'm not a weasel."
Just then she heard a window crash and men falling. She went to the source of the noise and saw the Batman fighting off four men. She shot past him and one of the men fell down. But when they hit from behind, she was as lost as a dog was. Her head was once again injured and one of her ribs was broken. And to make that worse, her shoulder was hurting like god knows what. But the men were down and so was she.