Batman: Gotham by Gaslight Page #4

quiet down a bit?

Arrest me, will ya?

I'm not the one you should

be talking to.

Am I, Mr. Bruce Wayne?

Find me at Skinner's End,

everybody knows me!

You'll pay up if you know

what's good for you.

Or mark me...

You'll hang!

(THUNDER BREAKING)

(SCREAMING)

(ALL SCREAMING)

(THUNDER BREAKING)

Ah, here you are.

How punctual.

Even a bit early, Batman.

You should feel at home here

with my collection.

Usually, it's on our own face,

that is the mask.

These masks,

the ones you choose to wear,

they show the true self.

Of course, you understand

why I couldn't say more.

Now, we both know you cannot

do your work on me.

I'm not a street walker.

It's antithetical

to your neurosis.

I'd stake my

professional reputation on it.

(WHIMPERING) You can't!

(HUGO SCREAMING)

HUGO:
Help me!

HUGO:
Stop.

Please, no, my God, no!

(SCREAMING)

(MEN LAUGHING)

(HUGO GROANING)

(MEN CHEERING)

(HUGO GROANING)

(RIPPING)

(ALARM BLARING)

(CHAIN RATTLING)

(THUDS)

(GRUNTS)

(BLIMP WHIRRING)

(SCREAMING)

(AIR HISSES)

(CLICKS)

- (EXPLODING)

- (ALL COUGHING)

(GROANS)

Arkham to police headquarters.

The Batman has murdered

Dr. Strange

and escaped in the

police airship.

He's heading right for you.

(GLASS SHATTERS)

(GROANS)

(BATMAN GROANS)

(GRUNTS)

POLICEMAN:
This way, fellas.

(WHISTLE BLOWING)

(HORSE WHINNYING)

(BOTH GRUNTING)

(CREAKING)

(GROANS)

(RUMBLING)

(GRUNTS)

(HORSES WHINNYING)

Fire!

(GUNS FIRING)

(EXPLODING)

(BATMAN GROANS)

No.

BULLOCK:
There he is!

(GUNS FIRING)

(GUNS FIRING)

Keep firing, boys.

Shoot to kill.

Belay that order!

Nice of you

to join us, Commissioner.

Do you mind telling me exactly why we

shouldn't shoot the murdering lunatic

who's gutting whores

all over town?

Watch your tone, Chief.

We have witnesses who saw the Batman

at the time of the Isley murder.

And what about the two men

he just killed at Arkham?

We don't know what happened

for certain, Bulldog.

There'll be no lynch mob

on my watch,

do you understand?

We catch him and if

he's guilty, he hangs.

But I want him alive.

Now fan out.

Find him!

(GROANING AND PANTING)

Pick up everyone.

He could be anyone

on the street.

Get in.

(HOOVES CLOMPING)

As you surmised,

I get tired of Crest Hill.

I amuse myself by

slumming with the unwashed.

Do your downtown escapades usually

end with excessive bleeding?

The belt and gloves

must go immediately.

Any of the bat accoutrement.

They'll have the entire area

cordoned off.

Homes, carriages searched.

It wouldn't do to have them

find your stage wear.

POLICEMAN:
Hold! Hold, I say!

Open up, open up in the

name of the law.

Is there a problem, Officer?

Um, no, Mr. Wayne.

We've just been, uh...

You should head home.

Dangerous characters

on the streets tonight.

Duly noted.

Anything else, gentlemen?

Uh, no.

Excuse me, sir.

And madam.

Have a wonderful night.

(HOOVES CLOMPING)

Lucky bugger.

BRUCE:
You were

very convincing.

I'm an actress, darling.

Didn't you know?

I'm the toast of Gotham.

You, on the other hand,

would never make it out

of the chorus.

You must commit

completely to the role.

And how exactly

do I do that, Ms. Kyle?

Repetition.

You must practice.

Practice, practice.

I want another squad

moving into Cape Carmine.

- And then...

- BULLOCK:
Commissioner!

We found something, sir.

The boys just found her.

Show me.

Mmm.

Well, I guess it's true

what they say.

Practice makes perf...

I had these brought up.

I have a rather

large wardrobe.

The entire production

is mine, you know?

I'm not just another

pretty face.

I feel a perfect fool for not

realizing your secret earlier.

When you first kissed

my hand backstage,

I felt the callous

on your palm and thought,

"This man's got the hands

of a trapeze artist."

I saw the circus in the acrobatic

dismount you used in your show.

And then of course, your

fighting style and the whip.

Expert lion tamer.

I grew up with those cats.

Looked after them, loved them.

Papa hated them.

He wasn't a kind man

to them or to me.

He was always threatening

to shoot them.

And I believed him.

One day he tried to

but someone had taken

the bullets out of his gun.

And now, you look after all

those strays in Skinner's End.

Someone has to.

They don't have anyone else

to protect them.

Until now.

Until the Batman.

Does he have a story?

Selina...

Oh, your parents.

Are you making them pay?

The criminals?

I was but...

It'd never be enough.

They couldn't ever pay enough.

Could they?

They're here.

Police! Put your

hands in the air.

What's the meaning of this?

Oh, a thousand pardons,

Ms. Kyle.

For disturbing the sanctity

of a lady's bedchamber.

What do you want, Bullock?

Bruce Wayne,

you're under arrest

for the murder of one

Marlene Mahoney.

- Who?

- Oh, is that how it is now?

You've killed so many,

you don't even

know their names.

Think hard, Wayne.

Maybe you'll remember.

You'll have a long time

to think about it.

Bruce, it'll be all right.

I'll contact Harvey.

He'll clear this all up.

I wouldn't be countin' on Mr.

Dent being too helpful, lassie.

He's the one who suggested we look for Mr.

Wayne in your hotel.

Commissioner, James,

this is absurd.

You can't imagine

I'm actually the ripper.

Get him out of my sight.

DENT:
The county of Gotham

has abundant evidence

linking the accused to at least

three of these vicious murders.

Physical evidence, a lapel

pin of the Dionysus Club

to which Mr. Wayne

is a member,

was discovered at the site

of Sister Leslie's murder.

Also, an eye witness

who was overheard

placing Mr. Wayne

at the scene of the crime.

That witness, Marlene Mahony,

was subsequently discovered

mutilated in the same barbaric

manner as the other victims

after reportedly attempting to

extort cash from the accused.

Furthermore, the prisoner

was also acquainted

with reaper victim,

Ms. Pamela Isley.

One wonders how many other

lovely young women wards...

Enough! Enough!

You've made your point,

Mr. Prosecutor.

The accused will be remanded to the

custody of Blackgate Penitentiary

until such time as a trial by jury

can be arranged by the county.

If it please the court,

as the nature of these crimes

is so detestable,

and Mr. Wayne has ample financial

resources to escape justice,

I request the court

to not set bail.

Granted.

Bailiff will remove the

prisoner to Blackgate Prison.

Court adjourned.

PRISONER 1:
Hey, Jack, you're

not the only one who can cut.

PRISONER 2:
Let's see if Wayne

blood really is blue. (LAUGHS)

PRISONER 3:
(LAUGHS) Tell him.

(PRISONERS SHOUTING

INDISTINCTLY)

(PRISONERS GRUNTING)

Blackgate's real progressive.

Warden likes to encourage

physical exercise.

You'll see.

The deluxe suite.

Please, enjoy your stay

at the Hotel Blackgate.

(LAUGHS) Yeah, we're looking

forward to seeing you checkout.

(PRISONERS CHATTERING)

I love what you've done

with the place.

Selina, what

are you doing here?

This is no place for a lady.

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