Batman Page #23

Three rings later, she manages to lift the receiver. To her

amazement, she finds she cannot speak. Finally, she hears a

VOICE at the other end of the line.

BRUCE (V.O.)

Vicki... ?

INT. BRUCE WAYNE'S STUDY - NIGHT

BRUCE at a big mahogany desk in his somber, book-lined

study. The room is dark but for a small table lamp.

BRUCE:

Vicki, I've been thinking about you.

(long pause)

I know it's late. I'm sorry. I --

Are you there?

INTERCUT BRUCE AND VICKI

VICKI:

Yes, Bruce -- I'm here --

BRUCE:

I'm sorry about the way things went

between us. I'd very much like to

see you again.

VICKI:

Well, Bruce... I don't think... that

would be possible.

BRUCE:

I wish you'd reconsider.

(groping)

I didn't stand you up today. The

museum was closed when I got there.

VICKI:

I, uh...

ON VICKI:

Her voice trails off. She's profoundly shaken. She knows.

BRUCE (V.O.)

Vicki? Vi --

She returns the receiver to its cradle.

ON BRUCE:

He hears the click. His lips part slightly. He hangs up and

sits there at the desk, staring straight ahead.

CUT TO:

INT. VICKI'S BATHROOM - NIGHT

TOTAL DARKNESS. VICKI stands before the bathroom mirror.

She holds the OPENED ROLL OF TELEPHOTO SHOTS over the sink.

Then she strikes a match. IGNITES the film. Drops it into

the sink, and -- with hollow eyes -- WATCHES IT BURN.

CUT TO:

INT. VICKI'S APARTMENT - LATER - NIGHT

It's four in the morning. VICKI, wrapped in a bathrobe,

still shaky, pours her fifth cup of coffee. Sitting across

from her is a rumpled and stubbly ALEXANDER KNOX.

KNOX:

Vicki, it all fits. The stuff you're

telling me -- the car, the equipment

-- somebody's paying for it.

VICKI:

I just can't --

KNOX:

The FBI. You know who's got the FBI

computer contract? Wayne

Technologies.

(shaking his head)

The guy's bats all right. He's bat

sh*t crazy. This is gonna be the

most incredible --

VICKI:

But he's not.

KNOX:

Not what?

VICKI:

He's not crazy.

KNOX slaps his forehead in frustration, sprawls back in his

chair.

KNOX:

Vicki. We got a wealthy millionaire

here... who dresses up like a bat. He

goes out at night and swings around

-- in his cape -- on a rope.

(throwing up his hands)

Okay. Maybe I'm crazy.

VICKI:

Allie... he wants to tell me.

That's why he took me there. Because

he's trying to tell me.

KNOX:

Gimme a break. If he wants to chat,

he can talk to his car.

The joke dies. VICKI stares dead ahead. KNOX looks on in

utter disbelief as it all comes into focus: he's lost her

loyalty. VICKI is in over her head with BRUCE.

VICKI:

He has to tell someone. And I'm the

one. He's trying to tell me.

KNOX, hurt in a way he doesn't fully understand, gets up

and pulls on his coat. He stares at her coldly:

KNOX:

Well, when he does you know my

number.

CUT TO:

EXT. NEWSSTAND - DAY

CUSTOMERS are lining up to buy the early edition of the

Globe, which carries the full-page banner headline:

WAR OF THE FREAKS

Batman, Joker in Fluegelheim Shootout

In the midst of the hubbub a DELIVERY TRUCK cruises past,

dumping a bundle of AFTERNOON EDITIONS on the sidewalk.

"WAR OF THE FREAKS" has been relegated to the lower right-

hand corner of the page -- supplanted by more pressing

news:

STOCK MARKET CRASHES

Product Scare Drops Dow to 1100

Biggest One-Day Decline in History

INT. WAYNE FOUNDATION - DAY

BRUCE in a plush office suite downtown, on the phone to his

broker. Behind his desk is a big plate-glass window with a

fortieth-floor view of the financial district, so he can

wave at his fellow millionaires on their way down.

BRUCE:

Don't sell. It won't last. We'll

ride it out.

With exaggerated calm, he hangs up. He lifts the receiver

to dial another number, then hesitates and hangs up again.

INT. RECEPTION AREA - A MOMENT LATER - DAY

BRUCE, affecting an air of nonchalance, strolls past a

squad of SECRETARIES at desks. Phones are ringing off the

hook.

INT. HALLWAY - A MOMENT LATER - DAY

BRUCE ambles past a couple of COLLEAGUES. One of them is

shambling catatonically down the hall, bumping into walls.

The other is WAILING HYSTERICALLY.

WAILING COLLEAGUE

... a nine-million-dollar bath!

BRUCE nods in sympathy as they pass. He stops outside the

door to a men's room, looks around cautiously, then enters.

INT. MEN'S ROOM - A MOMENT LATER - DAY

A small anteroom outside the bathroom proper, with a bank

of PAY PHONES on one wall. BRUCE checks the bathroom to

make sure it's empty, then digs out a quarter and dials a

number. He cups one hand confidentially over the receiver:

BRUCE:

(the familiar rasp)

Vicki?... This is Batman. I thought

I'd call and see how you're doing.

INT. VICKI'S APARTMENT - DAY

VICKI:

(hesitantly)

... I know it's you, Bruce. I'm not

going to talk to you unless we can

discuss it.

INT. MEN'S ROOM - ON BRUCE

BRUCE:

(a little smile)

Who's this "Bruce"? Are you trying

to make me jealous?

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