Chapter 3: Bruce vs the Burglars
All moons should be this full, this bright. The whistle of winds bridge the dissolve as wisps of clouds move past the glowing orb, followed by a trio -of bats.
At the Gotham Mall to Big Hat Meds Clothiers. The toy store has the facade of a big clown face, the floral shoppe, a big bouquet, etc ... Near the giant top hat and white gloves of the Gotham Men's Wear outlet a Figure in black swings onto the roof.
Shows that it's young Bruce dressed in a black turtleneck with a makeshift utility belt. He looks around to make sure no one has seen him and moves on.
On the side of the building, we hear a crashing noise O.S. as Bruce steps over to the edge and looks down.
"Let's step on it. We ain't got all night." Burglar 1 O.S. said.
A semi-truck has been backed into the loading dock. Two burly burglars are carrying store items to the truck's van. One of them, carrying a stack of VCR's, has apparently just dropped the
top one. He's looking down at the fallen VCR as Burglar 1 steps up to him carrying a box of watches and jewelry.
Inside the Dock's Doorway, an African-American male night guard is tied up on the ground, mouth taped, watching helplessly.
"Wait for me." Male guard said.
A third burglar steps over her, carrying lamps under his arm. He cringes.
"Coming through." Burglar 3 said, with a smile.
As the third burglar shoves the lamps into the truck, Burglar 1 pulls out a walkie-talkie.
"Ok, Skaz. We're done shopping." Burglar 1 said, as he turned to him.
Skaz, we could call him Burglar 4, but we're tired of typing numbers is a mean-looking fellow in a cap and scarf, which conceals a headset and phone mike. He's looking at the alley leading out of the loading dock. He glances this way and that, bringing the mike up to his lips.
"All clear here." Skaz said.
Looking down anxiously.
"Well, Bruce, here goes." Bruce said.
Bruce pulls a mask from his belt and ties it on, making him look very Ninja-like. He takes a deep breath.
As Burglar 1 flattens the antenna on his walkie-talkie.
"Let's blow this pop stand." Burglar 1 said.
But just as the swing the doors closed, they suddenly heard…
"HYAH!" Ninja cried.
Who swings IN, making a dramatic leap to the ground. (His Ninja cry carries into this shot.) When he springs up there are two Ninja stars in his hand.
Even Male guard looks astonished.
The men look at him and look at each other.
"On your stomachs. Arms spread." Ninja guy said.
"Who's this clown?" Burglar 1 asked.
"You heard me." Bruce said.
Burglar 1 feigns deference.
"Yeah. You heard him, boys." Burglar 1 said, with a smile.
And as if on cue, the two guys flanking him begin to spread out.
Now looking a little worried. He glances from one side to another.
"You heard Mr. Kung Fu." Burglar 2 said.
"Yeah. I'm shaking. Say your prayers, sucker." Burglar 1 said.
As Bruce finds himself in the middle of a triangle. Burglar 3 quick shot as he pulls out his gun. Bruce also pulled out his gun.
Who reacts, and spins around sending one star flying left and one flying right. Who has the gun knocked out of his hand as the star strikes it.
Burglar arm is knocked back. Burglar 2 sees immediately what's happened and shouts. And he lunges forward at Bruce.
As #1 flies back, #2 grabs Bruce in a mean bear hug from behind, just as #3 comes from the front. Instead of struggling, Bruce thrusts his head back, striking the back of his head against #2's forehead.
Burglar 2's grip loosens, allowing Bruce to duck as Burglar 3 lets loose with a roundhouse punch, hitting #2 right in the kisser.
Who is now sitting up in wide-eyed surprise as she watches Burglar #2 land in front of her, knocked out cold.
Then, with the grace of a Baryshnikov, Bruce pirouettes and swings his heel into the man's esophagus... with its top propped open. Burglar 2 hits it hard, his body arching back. The heavy metal top comes down, striking him face first with a terrible twang. He slides to the ground, knocked out.
Breathing hard, in a Bruce Lee pose, ready for anything else. But as he looks around we see his opponents knocked out on the ground. He realizes he did it. He looks excited.
"Yes." Bruce said.
Just then he hears a muffled shout. He turned and looked over at the male guard. Now standing, gesturing with her head as if to. Bruce turned his head to Skaz have a gun.
Who looks puzzled at first, until he turns toward the truck. At that instant a shot is fired…
*BANG!*
Bruce manages to leap out of the way just in time.
Skaz has his gun out and continues shooting. He's covering himself as he gets to the cab and opens the door.
Now ducking behind the dumpster. Another bullet strikes the metal. Just then the shooting stops as the cab door slams shut and the truck revs up.
On the Cab as a determined looking Skaz slips the clutch into first and guns it.
As it lurches forward, the unlocked doors swing back open and loose boxes and items start spilling out.
Bruce looks toward the guard apologetically…
"Excuse me." Bruce said, with a smile.
The guard craned her neck to watch him. This guy's not for real.
On the truck as it continues, it strikes speed bumps which cause more stuff to fall out.
Bruce running as fast as he can, trying to catch up. He dodges and leaps over lamps, VCR's, boxes and whatnot that continue to fall out.
On the alley exit, as the truck comes barreling out. Bruce is getting closer.
The cab, as Skaz puts the engine into a higher gear and accelerates. Bruce who is almost there. With a flying leap he manages to grab onto the end of the truck, but just barely.
As the semi swings from the parking lot onto the road, we see Bruce dangling on the end of the truck, his feet sliding along the ground.
Bruce using every ounce of energy to pull himself on.
At one point the truck hits a bump causing the box of jewelry to fall him. Nevertheless, he seems to be getting on. As he does…
In the van, we see that nearly half the contents have spilled out and what remains are mainly heavy duty items, including a couple of refrigerators, held back by rope. But not for long. The van hits another bump and the rope snaps, just as… on the road showing the semi going up an incline.
The police car was street, the two policemen, the van were speeding, the policeman turned his head to Bruce. He drinks…surps and he looks at Bruce.
"Hey, Jonesy. There." The policeman replied, as he pointed to Bruce.
Jonesy the button to sirens. Skaz driving. He glances at the outside mirror, the police car and Bruce. Skaz driving was speeding. The police car was speeding. Skaz looked at the police. The police car to the van.
The van crashed the police car, Jonesy and the policeman were grunts, the van crashed the police car, again. Jonesy and the policeman were screaming. The van crashed and the police car fell onto the street. The police car was smashing. Bruce turns his head to the police car smashing and gets up. The police car was rolling and fell to the street.
Bruce walked peering over the front of the van, he looked at the street. Skaz now holding the pistol outside the window in his left hand.
"Aah!" Skaz replied.
He drives with his right hand, while firing, with his left. The bullets hit the front edge of the hood, causing Bruce to duck back down for cover.
Bruce now looks more anxious than ever. Skaz who spots something ahead and veers the wheel. On the Cab, as it goes up the curve, riding on half the sidewalk. Skaz break stop to the cab. Bruce fell and rolled the van. Bruce s the front of the cab strikes a speed sign, flattening it
Instantly. He was followed by more garbage cans.
Bruce looked battered as hell. Just then he realizes something. He pulls a pouch from his belt. On the pouch it must contain at least a half-dozen stars. Bruce who starts shaking them out so that they are dropping in line with the tires on the driver's side. On the first tires which suddenly blow.
"AAH!" Skaz screaming.
Skaz as the cab lurches on a tilt. On the other tires which also blow, right in a row, causing the entire van to tilt toward the driver's side.
The van as the remaining contents-TV's, other heavy appliances-all shift to the tilted side. Semi as it slowly but inexorably slams onto its side, skidding along the street. Bruce, now hanging on the grill upside down as the cab is skidding toward the camera. He looks ahead of him in alarm.
Bruce sees the wall of a building, heading straight for him. Bruce cringes as the front of the cab slides within a foot or so of a building and comes to a halt. Bruce slumps in relief.
"Oh…" Bruce sighs.
Bruce standing in front of the cab, in the cab, Skaz crumpled in a corner, looking bruised and battered. eye down as a shadow·comes over him. There were police sirens.
Bruce looked at the police. Bruce runs and climbs on the rooftop. He looked down when the police arrived. Bruce was running.
(Later at Wayne Manor, that day…)
Alfred read, 'Mysterious Vigilante repels bandits…' for the newspaper.
"I read about your anonymous exploits this morning, and I must say." Alfred said, as he was holding a newspaper.
As Bruce is practicing jiu jitsu moves in his kimono togs. He has a bandage on his forehead and some facial scratches.
"Are you sure you won't reconsider rugby?" Alfred asked.
Bruce posing and throwing punches. He frowns.
"Sorry, Alfred, but the plan is working. I had the edge. I could feel it. There was only one thing wrong- They weren't afraid of me. I've got to strike fear in them." Bruce said.
Just then Alfred notices something o.s.
"Pardon, Master Bruce, but we may want to postpone the shoptalk. I believe you have a visitor." Alfred said.
And as Alfred moves away, Bruce cranes his neck to see, not easy to do on one foot with arms extended.
Andrea is heading their way.
Bruce turned his head to Andrea.
"Hi." Andrea said, as she walks up she notices the bandage. "Hey, what happened to you, trip over some loose cash?"
Bruce continues doing his moves as she looks around, getting a lay of the land.
"It's been three days since we met, and still no calls. I figured you were dead." Andrea said.
Bruce turned around.
"You expect every guy you meet to call you up?" Bruce asked, as he continued his moves.
"The ones that are smart enough to dial a phone." Andrea said, as she glanced at him, a wry smile.
Bruce almost loses his balance on that one. He quickly recovers, scowling, and throws a punch.
"Huhn!" Bruce yelled.
"What is that?" Andrea asked.
"Jujitsu." Bruce said.
"Gesundheit." Andrea said.
Bruce looks annoyed. Turn the other way.
"That was a joke." Andrea said.
"Jujitsu is no joke. It takes years to master." Bruce said, as he thrust out his fist.
"HEY! WHOA!" Bruce yelled.
But as his fist shoots out, Andrea comes out of nowhere to block it with one hand and twist his arm.
"Got a few moves of my own." Andrea said.
And in one swift move, she throws Bruce for a loop. Bruce's on his back, trying to prop himself up. Andrea steps into the foreground, looking down at him.
"Miss Hovey's self-defense class for girls." Andrea said.
Bruce looking up at Andrea. He cracks a smile and starts chuckling.
Andrea looked at him in mock astonish.
"Oh. He laughs." Andrea said.
Suddenly he sweeps his feet, tripping her onto her back.
Flat on her back. Before she can blink, Bruce suddenly has her pinned down, nose-to-nose. Andrea looks up at him as they both break out in playful smiles.
"Nice footwork. Can you dance, too?" Andrea asked.
Bruce smiles at Andrea. Just then Alfred steps out of the mansion with a tray of refreshments. He sees the two of them on the ground and makes an abrupt u-turn, heading right back in the house again.
Bruce and Andrea looking into each other's eyes, wondering what's going to happen next as we.
*Flashback Ends…*
The adult Bruce back at his fireplace in the den. Just then he hears the door open along with distant off-key plunks of a piano. Alfred steps in.
"Pardon, sir, but Miss Bambi is dancing on the piano." Alfred said.
"Brucie, where are you?" Bambi O.S. asked.
Bruce's eyes roll in a pained expression. As he heads toward Alfred, we…
To Be Continued…
Connor McGranahan Message: Hi Viewers, Connor Here, Batman TV series, Movies, and Video Games. Let me know what you all think. review and comment. Thank you. And R.I.P. Kevin Conroy as Bruce Wayne/Batman/Batman Beyond. Remember, I am Batman! Kevin's family and friends. I miss you, Batman. Connor out.
I am vengeance! I am the night! I am Batman!
Kevin Conroy
(1955-2022)
Thank you Kevin.