Batman Page #21

COMPUTER:

Ignition.

The stunned COPS gaze into the Batmobile's cockpit.

COP:

There's somebody in there!

They TUMBLE OFF THE HOOD as the turbine engines ROAR TO

LIFE and THE BATMOBILE BEGINS TO MOVE.

COPS AND ONLOOKERS quickly clear a path. They stand there

stunned as the futuristic auto PICKS UP SPEED and advances

toward the end of the block. The LEFT TURN SIGNAL flashes

dutifully. And the BATMOBILE VANISHES AROUND THE CORNER.

PANDEMONIUM BREAKS LOOSE as the COPS bolt for their cars.

EXT. STREET - NIGHT

SIRENS WAIL. PASSERSBY STARE SLACKJAWED at the driverless

BATMOBILE as it tears down the street, passing, darting,

dodging buses and CUTTING OFF TAXIS -- all with a squad of

COP CARS in hot pursuit.

EXT. ALLEYWAY - NIGHT

BATMAN sees the BATMOBILE rounding the corner and

approaching on the straightaway. He takes VICKI in his arms

and STEPS DIRECTLY INTO THE PATH OF THE ONRUSHING

HEADLIGHTS.

BATMAN:

STOP!

BRAKES SQUEAL. The BATMOBILE stops one yard short of BATMAN

and VICKI. A moment later BATMAN is AT THE WHEEL.

SIRENS BUILD. LIGHTS FLASH. The COP CARS are now visible

behind them. BATMAN floors the pedal; the Batmobile's

powerful AFTERBURNERS kick in; and the hapless cops KILL

THEIR SIRENS as BATMAN zooms off into the night at 140 mph.

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. BACK ROAD - NIGHT

A deserted stretch of road, lined by ancient tall pines on

either side. The BATMOBILE roars past.

INT. BATMOBILE - NIGHT

VICKI is gradually coming to on the passenger's side.

VICKI:

... How long have I been out?

BATMAN:

Quite a while. I took the scenic

route.

VICKI:

(gazing around her)

Well, I've certainly enjoyed it.

What's that?

He's just hit a BUTTON on the dashboard.

BATMAN:

Garage door.

EXT. ROAD - THAT MOMENT - NIGHT

At the side of the road, a FALLEN TREE, surrounded by

underbrush, RISES HYDRAULICALLY INTO THE AIR -- revealing a

SECRET ROAD invisible from the main thoroughfare.

Doing sixty, the BATMOBILE makes a hairpin turn. Seconds

later, the FALLEN TREE drops back magically into place.

INT. BATMOBILE - A MOMENT LATER - NIGHT

As they cruise down the hidden road, VICKI STUDIES BATMAN'S

FACE. KNOX's words are very much on her mind.

VICKI:

I meant to ask you. Up on the roof

-- how did you know my name?

BATMAN SMILES in response. VICKI smiles with him.

VICKI (cont.)

I'm serious. How did you know?

No reply. VICKI frowns, looks through the windshield, and

SEES -- much to her horror -- an enormous SHEER CLIFF WALL

LOOMING DEAD AHEAD.

Wide-eyed, she looks at BATMAN. Still smiling, he HITS THE

GAS -- SPEEDING UP. She lets out a SCREAM.

ANGLE ON CLIFF WALL

One second to impact. Suddenly the cliff wall VANISHES

ALTOGETHER -- revealing, in its place, the GAPING MOUTH OF

AN UNDERGROUND CAVERN.

The Batmobile zooms through. A moment later, the CLIFF WALL

-- which is nothing more than a HOLOGRAPHIC PROJECTION --

winks back into existence, showing no trace of the cavern.

INT. BATCAVE - NIGHT

We all know this place. Although we haven't had time to

acquire the familiar mementos -- the dinosaur, the giant

penny -- the BATCAVE is unmistakable. Vast banks of

blinking computers. A state-of-the-art crime lab. A fully-

equipped workshop for hammering out new toys. It's the

biggest and best secret clubhouse a boy could wish for.

BATMAN climbs out of the car. He removes his cape, strips

off his bullet-riddled jersey and his body armor. There are

TWO BIG BRUISES on the center of his chest.

VICKI looks on as he goes to a rack along one wall and

picks out a fresh tunic -- one of four. She wanders over to

examine the row of bat-suits -- and the BODY ARMOR.

VICKI:

What is this stuff? Kevlar?

BATMAN:

Better. It's not on the market yet.

VICKI:

It doesn't protect your head,

though.

BATMAN:

That's why I wear a target on my

chest.

THE BATMAN takes obvious pleasure in showing her his

futuristic bachelor's pad. His tone is jokey, almost

flirtatious. Behind the mask, he's a lot looser, more

carefree, than some guys we could name...

... like Bruce Wayne.

VICKI is, to put it mildly, awed. She wanders around gaping

at millions of dollars' worth of equipment.

VICKI:

How'd you find this place?

BATMAN:

Stumbled across it when I was a boy.

VICKI'S HEAD jerks up abruptly. In the dim recesses

overhead, BATS ARE SCREAMING. She shivers.

BATMAN (cont.)

They don't come down here. They're

afraid of the lights.

VICKI:

I don't like bats. Not that kind.

BATMAN:

They used to terrify me. But I

forced myself to keep coming back,

and --

(smiling)

-- I guess I became the thing I

feared the most. I'll do your photos

now.

He goes to a HIGH-SPEED PHOTO PROCESSING MACHINE -- the

kind they have at Fotomat, only better -- and loads the

roll.

VICKI wanders over to the edge of a DEEP BLACK PIT. She

kicks a pebble over. Long seconds pass; no sound.

She looks up. Suspended over the bottomless pit are a pair

of GYMNAST'S RINGS. This guy is dedicated.

VICKI:

Who pays for all this?

BATMAN:

I have sponsors.

VICKI:

The computers?

BATMAN:

I'm running a check on the tainted

products. There is a pattern.

Beauty products. Personal hygiene.

VICKI:

No more makeup. -- Looks like we'll

all be showing our true faces now.

She looks straight at him. It's almost a direct request.

But BATMAN is preoccupied with the matter at hand.

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