Batman #3

Setting: batcave. At a work table with headphones on and protective glasses Bruce works on a circuit board shifting from one foot to another in almost an hopping motion.

Bruce: *muttered* it's almost done.. Just a few more minutes.

Alfred snuck up on bruce putting his hand on his shoulder

Alfred: Master Bruce, it's time for your meeting with Commissioner gordon. 

Bruce jumped out of his skin

Bruce: jeez Alfred! 

He sets the device used to modify circuit boards aside. 

Alfred: Come on, you need to return the files of Jason Todd's case to the commissioner. Your substitute project will need to wait.

Bruce: Yeah yeah I’m going. I’m going.

He goes over to the cave’s changing room to get into his suit. Alfred pulling out a big box

Alfred: Here's the files you need to return. And please take the car this time.

Batman: yeah we don't want the files strewn about gotham right?

Alfred: Take care. 

Alfred waves goodbye as Batman drives off through the cave entrance 

Alfred stays behind and organizes some things taking a moment to stare at a set of blueprints. With drawings of circuitry and a list of materials needed for the corner. In the bottom center of the prints in big gothic print it says BATBOT. focus on the blueprints.

Move to a trench coated silhouette in front of the bat signal.

It isn't lit but it's a familiar silhouette of commissioner gordon.

Batman: Salutations gordon. 

Gordon turns around and she smiles at him, her orange hair with a few gray streaks in it pulled back into a bun, her face curved into a smile.

Gordon: Greetings bats. Have you got the cold case files I loaned you?

Batman: right here

Bruce steps aside and moves his cape to reveal the boxes of files

Bruce: and because I felt like it, I converted them to a digital file for easy storage. Easier to store that way. 

Bruce holds out an drive to gordon

Focus on the hands as Gordon takes the drive.

Batman: Let me know if anything new appears. As per usual.

Gordon: Since when can we hide anything from you batman?

Batman: fair point. But still it's much easier if you keep me in the loop ma’am.

Gordon: You know I'm not gonna be around to work with you forever. I only have 10 more years before I have to retire. 

Batman: yeah…I know… any idea on who's gonna be your replacement? 

Gordon sighs: I think I might take my daughter's suggestion on this one. In a couple years they will be old enough to start training and I'll try and train my replacement myself. Better than some politicians' choice of candidate. 

Batman: So no idea?

Gordon: No, my replacement is just more…. Energetic than i like. Her name is Renee montoya.  According to barbs she just needs a couple years to settle down. 

Batman: the same montoya that won the annual city wide scavenger hunt 5 times in a row?

Gordon: yes. The very same. You know I'm really getting tired of all these people just kicking people around because they have different priorities than themselves. Gives us so much more - 

There was a screech from gordons coat and she sighed pulling out a radio.

Gordon: Gordon, what's going on? 

Radio: Back up we need backup. Someone is trying to steal an artifact from the Grecian exhibit and they are threatening to throw acid on the exhibits and the caretakers are still inside. We need backup!

Batman: Tell them I'm on my way. It was nice talking to you gordon. And best of luck with the wanna be’s

Gordon: Yeah yeah.

Batman disappears as Gordon turns around speaking into her radio.

Gordon: Hallows eve is on their way just try to keep the thief from coming out of the building and hold positions until hallows eve gives the signal.

Radio: *audible groaning* okay we’ll keep things intact for code hallows eve. Over and out.

Gordon sighs: these new recruits… so eager to get shot. 

Over to the gotham museum.

The batmobile pulls up into an alleyway behind the building.

 Batman peeks through the alleyway after getting out to take a look and see how many cars were up front and figure out what he could get away with.

There were 3 cop cars with makeshift barricades from garbage cans that were lying around in the city.

After assessing he snuck into the gotham museum through an open window and snuck around a bit pausing for a moment in front of a painting of an amazon warrior with dark hair and hazel eyes. Hearts appear on the lower part of his mask that covers his mouth.

The soft glow snapped him out of it and he pushed a button on his belt turning off the graphics. He then went back to scoping out the place before finally finding the room where the security guard/ caretaker was with the thief.

Batman hid and hopped around in the rafters above the Greek exhibit observing the thief. 

Thief: come on man. Where is Hippolyta's staff? I know it's here in this exhibit.

Batman thought bubble: this bozo sounds familiar…

The thief turns and dramatic reveal of THE CONDIMENT KING an bozo wearing an relish themed beret and an ketchup cardigan and a mustard scarf. 

We get a look at Batman and what's happening under his led mask. And his face is just contorted in disgust as he is now facing one of his weirdest enemies yet.

When condiment king turns his back on where batman is he leaps down and grapples onto the condiment king tackling and pinning him to the ground.

Batman: didn't take you for the history type condiment king.

Condiment king: hey bat. How are you doin? *he smirks despite the fact he is face down on the floor.

Batman: wondering why the hell you decided to try and steal something from here. 

Condiment king: I figured I might get some inspiration from some of the EXHIBITS!!!!

Batman pulls the guy's arms back really far and tightly handcuffs him. 

Condiment king: oh my~ you're moving fast batty boy~ i haven't even poured the -

Batman pulled him up covering his mouth shuddering.

Bat: do us all a favor and shut up.

Condiment king chuckles and bites bats hand. 

Batman glares looking condiment king dead in the eye unflinching.

Frame focusing on a window and condiment king in batman handcuffs getting thrown out of it straight into the garbage barricade that the cops made. 

Condiment king groans and the police sigh nonchalantly, putting him in the car like it's just another night in gotham. 

Batman gets into the batmobile and shudders talking to himself.

Batman: so gross…

There is beeping in the car and Batman looks at the monitor where the car radio is. 

He pushes a button and Alfred was on the line.

The two talk about something that's not important for the reader to know the batmobile driving through the city alleys at one point he passes an little kid wandering the streets and batman slows down and pulls over at an spot

Batman: Hey, I think I saw something. I'll be home soon alfred. I'll talk to you later okay?

He stepped out of the batmobile turning the graphics on the led portion of his mask on.

He approached the little kid kneeling so he was eye level with them and smiling at them. 

Batman: hey kid. What are you doing out here so late at night?

The kid looked at Batman tightly clutching a blanket that was very clearly holding things tightly.

Kid: running.

Batman: Why are you running? I'm sure your parents must be worried about you.

The kid paled and shook their head no.

Kid: my mommy and daddy didn’t want me and my new mommy and daddy are really mean. I wanna go home but I got lost.

The kid teared up ready to cry. Slowly shrinking away from the batman.

Batman sighed: want to see a trick?

The kid looked at him nodding.

Batman: Okay just pull my finger.

He held his index finger out to the kid.

The kid pulled it and a bunch of poop emojis popped up on his mask and the kid laughed giggling.

Batman: yeah it's kinda funny huh?

Kid: yeah!

Batman: Okay, how about I walk with you to a safe place?

Kid: okay!

Batman then walks the street with the kid and once they got to a shelter she could stay at for the night Batman handed the kid a card for Wayne foster care and it had an address on it before disappearing.

Issue 3 end