Categories > Movies > Batman Begins > Batman: The Scarred and the Damned
Chapter III
0 reviewsCommissioner Gordon comes to blows with Lt. Foley at the GCPD, while Bruce meets an old friend at Wayne Tower.
0Unrated
"Good Morning, Commissioner." a Female Officer said in a cheery tone as Gordon and Bullock walked into the Police Headquarters from the Car-park, earning a reluctant smile from the older Man as he nodded while walking past silently.
"Morning." Harvey said back to her with a smile as he followed the Police Chief, leaving the Woman where she stood.
As they walked into the main-office area, some of the personnel turned and looked at them from their work stations while the rest kept their heads down and carried on working.
"Has Lt. Foley arrived yet?" Jim asked aloud with a slightly irritated tone, making the whole room go silent before the Police Officer closest to them pointed in the direction of the lieutenant's office.
"He never left, Sir." he said with an uneasiness to his voice while holding some folders in his hands, making the Commissioner look back with a confused expression.
"What do you mean, he hasn't left?"
"Well, I came in and he was still in the middle of processing the guys he had arrested earlier this morning." the younger Man replied, earning a nod from Gordon in return.
"Okay, thanks." he said back before turning his attention to Bullock, while the other guy quickly walked away with his folders.
"Well, I have some filing to get started on. See you later Commissioner." the chubby Officer replied with a knowing smile before he walked away as well, leaving the older Man standing there.
"Get back to work!" he suddenly said with an aggravated tone to the others, who all snapped back to work, which then earned a sigh from the Commissioner as he walked in the direction of the Lieutenant's office.
It was quiet inside Foley's office as he sat at his desk, keeping his attention on the files that lay before him. His eyes scanning each and every page of them as he read them all in their entirety, not even flinching at the sound of his Boss's voice from beyond the closed door ahead.
'Right, here we go again…' the Lieutenant started to think before the door suddenly opened, which made him look up to see Gordon walking in.
"Good Morning Commissioner, how can I help you today?" he asked with a calm and collected manner, not looking the least bit intimidated by the Police Chief, who closed the door behind him and stared back.
"We need to talk." he said back with a tone that Foley knew only to well, which made him sigh as he picked up his coffee mug.
"Yeah, I guess we do…" he said before taking a sip nonchalantly, but Gordon simply shook his head in amazement at his subordinate's attitude.
"…so how many times are we going to have this talk?" the younger Man then asked, making the Commissioner place his hands on his hips and shake his head slightly in amazement at his subordinate's attitude.
"As many times as is needed for it to sink into that head of yours." he replied.
This made Foley gesture to the older Man's right, gaining Gordon's attention as he looked there to see a chair.
"Then you better pull up a chair, because this will take a while." the Lieutenant said back with a tinge of sarcasm to his voice, which made Jim grit his teeth as he placed both hands on the desk and stared down at the other guy. But Foley just ignored him and looked back down at his files, which made the older Man's eyes narrow behind his glasses.
'Arrogant little…' he started to think, only to stop and sigh as he stood back up.
"Look...Peter, I heard that you were out on patrol again last night and caught the felons from the Gotham National Bank."
"Yes I did, including Victor Zsasz. You know, the serial killer that escaped Arkham during it's mass breakout two years ago." Foley replied with a smug look, one that did not phase Jim at all.
"Before you go and pat yourself on the back, I did also hear that they weren't exactly in any condition to cause you trouble..." the Police Chief started to say as his Subordinate's eyes widened a little, making his smile disappear.
"...because you were after the one who left them there to be picked up."
Foley suddenly got up and walked over to one of his blind-covered windows, taking a look out at his colleagues as they worked away.
"I don't need another lecture from you, Commissioner." he the said in a direct manner, but Gordon did not budge from his spot as he kept his attention on the Lieutenant.
"You're a good Cop, Peter. I wouldn't have promoted you if that wasn't the case, but you've got to let this go."
It was now the younger Man's turn to grit his teeth, as this line got under his skin.
'What the hell?..' he began to think, before turning around and staring daggers at the Police Chief.
"What? Like you obviously have..." he suddenly spat, making Gordon look back with a surprised expression.
"...because I remember when you began the manhunt for the Batman, the one who killed this City's White Knight. Those were your very words..." he continued while pointing a finger at the older Man, who simply stood there and watched.
"...and then less than a year later, you no longer care. I mean Harvey Dent was your friend and yet you leave his killer out there to do whatever he wants." Peter added, but Gordon simply adjusted his glasses rather awkwardly as mention of the former DA's name brought back flashes of that night.
"That's..." the older Man started to stammer while trying to block out the images and focus on Foley once more, but the Lieutenant cut him off before he could say any more.
"No disrespect intended Commissioner, but I will not let Dent's Murder go un-avenged..." he started to say before noticing his Boss's face, for he knew what Jim was about to say in return
"...and it doesn't matter if the Batman hasn't killed since then. Because he has already taken a life and even if he hadn't, vigilantism will not be tolerated in Gotham City any longer."
It then went quiet in the office as both Men stood there, but then before either could say another word, the Lieutenant's phone started to ring. This gained a knowing look from Gordon as he glanced at the phone and then to Foley, who had started to move back to his desk.
"I'm guessing that's your Wife again, wondering when you will be coming home." the Police Chief said as he turned and walked towards the door, only for Peter to stop him.
"Commissioner...you may have stopped the manhunt, but I haven't. And if I find out that you are in any way still connected to Batman..." he began to say in a serious tone while holding his hand over the still ringing phone, which earned him a mirrored look from Jim in return.
"I am the Police Commissioner, Peter. I have dealt with far more 'intimidating people' than you, that is something to remember." he replied before leaving the office, gaining a thoughtful expression from Foley as he picked up the phone's receiver and took the call.
BATMAN: THE SCARRED AND THE DAMNED
Meanwhile at Wayne Tower, located in the center of Gotham. Bruce was standing in front of the other members of the board, all seated around the long table and staring back at the younger Man in there midst.
"So...what does everyone think, do you like my idea?" he asked with a calm and confident tone, while the rest of the board then turned and talked amongst themselves. It would have been completely silent in the large Meeting-Room, if not for the whispering. But then Lucius Fox stood up from his spot at the table closest to younger Wayne, gave his friend a smile before looking back to his colleagues.
"Yes, What do we think of Mr. Wayne's plan?" he said, gaining the other's attention as they looked at their Chairman.
"Well...it would be quite the undertaking..." a female Board-member began to reply, before she was suddenly cut off by a middle-aged Man across the table from her.
"But it would be an extremely expensive one, especially if it does not work out." he said with a condescending tone.
"Well I think it sounds like a wonderful project to get behind..." an older male voice then said, which made everyone look to Douglas Fredericks.
"...something that Thomas Wayne would have green-lighted back in the day, so you have my support Mr. Wayne." he added, before the majority of the Board-members nodded back in response.
"I think you have your answer Mr. Wayne." Fox then said with a smile, gaining a nod from Bruce in return.
"That's great."
"So when should we announce this initiative to the general public?" another female board-Member then asked, making the Company's owner look over to her.
"I was thinking of telling everyone at a fundraiser I will be hosting at Wayne Manor tomorrow night, since it will be the first public engagement the Mansion will have had since it was rebuilt."
"That's a splendid idea Mr. Wayne and I think that I can speak for everyone here, when I say we will all be present." Lucius replied, gaining smiles from their audience before the Chairman turned back to them.
"And if there is nothing else, then I call this meeting to a close."
With that the other Members of the Board then departed as Bruce joined Fox's side, only for Fredericks to join them as he got ready to leave.
"I hope this 'party' will go better than the last one you held at the Manor, Mr. Wayne?" he asked with a knowing tone, which Bruce merely replied with a slight smile on his face.
"I don't plan on kicking everyone out and burning the place to the ground, if that's what you mean Mr Fredericks." he replied with a mirrored tone, one that brought a smile to the old Man's face as Lucius watched.
"Just making sure and please, it's Douglas." he said back while holding out his right hand to the younger Wayne, who shook it with his own.
"Okay, but only if you call me Bruce in return."
"You know Bruce, having witnessed how you have handled your Family's Company in the last two years, as well as this project you have in mind. I feel that I misjudged you, because the Apple hasn't fallen far from the Tree." Douglas replied with a warm tone and smile, which Bruce mirrored.
"Thank you, I appreciate that Douglas."
The older Gentleman then nodded to both Men and picked up his small suitcase, before looking back at them.
"Well, I will see you both tomorrow night. Good day." Fredericks then said before leaving the room while Fox followed and closed the door behind him, only to return to Bruce's side as the younger Man looked out of the window at the City.
"So I guess the Board-Meeting was not the only reason you came in today, Mr. Wayne?" Lucius asked, earning a nod from his friend.
"That's right."
"Does that mean you are finally going to take one of the extra Tumblers I have in stock downstairs, because that Bat-pod can only do so much." the Chairman replied, but the young Wayne shook his head as he looked over to him and pulled a folded document from the inside pocket of his suit.
"No, I have had time to think about the situation with Applied Sciences and I think it is time we started manufacturing our own equipment." he replied, gaining a confused look from Fox.
"What do you mean Bruce? We already have been."
"I mean I don't want to use any more tech that can be tracked back to Wayne Enterprises, the incident we had last year with Coleman Reese cannot be allowed to happen again." Wayne said back.
"Well I have already taken our Applied Sciences division completely off the books, so no one should be able to do what Mr. Reese did in the future." Lucius replied, which gained a nod from Bruce as he held the document in his hand and looked out the window.
"True, but since the eyes of the World are going to turn towards Wayne Enterprises when it starts my initiative, I would prefer we have nothing to hide. And having an entire division disappear might peak someone's attention, so please put Applied Sciences back on the books."
"Okay, consider it done…" the older Man started to say as he took out his phone and used it, while the younger Wayne watched.
"…but I have to ask, how do you expect to get your 'unusual requests' for your nocturnal activities now?"
"I was thinking that maybe we could together create a 'shadow'-Applied Sciences that could continue to supply Batman." Bruce replied with a knowing look, one that Fox could not help but smirk at.
"I see. So you want to have a shadow-operation within Wayne Enterprises, one that is completely off the books that can design and build your Bat-Tech in secret."
"That's the idea."
This brought a curious look to the Chairman's face as he went quiet for a second, leaving Bruce to wait for his answer with baited breath.
"Okay, we can try that. Though due to the nature of the work and the secrecy needed, the whole venture will take a while to set up." Fox then said, gaining a nod from the Wayne.
"That's alright, in the meantime I will continue to use the tech that I already have. But I do have a few suggestions for you, once the operation is under way." he replied while handing the document to the older man, who quickly looked through it's pages as a smile appeared on his face.
"I see you have added more of a Bat-motif to these designs."
"Yes..." Bruce then began to reply as he looked at the pages in Fox's hands, while the latter continued to study them.
"...I have a number of ideas, as you can see." he added, only for the older Man to cut him off.
"Even a new Motor-Vehicle…" Lucius started to say while pointing at one particular page.
"…the Batmobile', that's a very theatrical name, Mr. Wayne." Lucius replied, making the younger Man smirk.
"Well as you may have noticed, Batman is very theatrical." he said back with a knowing tone, which made his friend mirror his expression.
"Yes I do, Mr. Wayne."
The Chairman then closed the document, before returning his attention to Bruce with a thoughtful look on his face.
"By the way, considering that Applied Sciences will no longer be actively supplying our mutual friend, there is one more creation of it's that you may want to have. I mean it's purely a prototype, like most of the equipment and vehicles you have used in the past. But unlike them, it's schematics have yet to be branded with the Wayne seal, so it is not in our files."
This earned a curious expression from the Billionaire as he looked at Fox, who was just about to continue when he was interrupted by a knock on the door. This made both Men turn round as the door opened to reveal Fox's Secretary.
"Mr. Fox, I am sorry to intrude but your 12 o'clock is here."
"Thank you Jessica, we were just finishing up here." the older Man replied as he and Bruce turned and walked towards the now open door, with the younger Wayne glancing at his watch.
"Who has meetings at Lunch time?" he asked with an inquisitive tone, earning a friendly sigh from the Chairman.
"This is lunch meeting Mr. Wayne, the second one with this particular person in fact who has just planted roots for his company here in Gotham City."
"And who is this Business Man?.." Bruce then inquired, only to be cut off by a familiar voice speaking up as they left the Meeting-Room.
"Bruce…"
This made the Billionaire turn to see a Caucasian Man dressed in an expensive suit with clean-cut brown hair getting up from his seat beside the Secretary's desk, who had a smile on his face as he looked over at them.
"Seb?"
The newcomer's smile widened a little as he noticed the wide-eyed look of surprise on the other guy's face, while Fox just looked between both Men with a curious expression.
"…Bruce Wayne, as I live and breath."
"This is Sebastian Lamont, but I guess you already know that Mr. Wayne." Lucius replied as Bruce nodded back while offering his hand to Sebastian.
"Yes, Lucius. We were room-mates at Yale,…" he began to say as both younger Men shook hands.
"…it's good to see you Seb." the Billionaire added as the new arrival took a step back and smiled.
"You too, Bruce. And I would love for us catch up, but…" he started to say back while gesturing to the Chairman, earning a nod from Wayne in return.
"Of course, you and Lucius have a 'Lunch Meeting', so I should get out of your hair and let you two get on with it." he replied with a hint of embarrassment to his voice while taking a step back from the pair.
"Well it's true that Mr. Fox and I have some things to discuss about the futures of both Wayne Enterprises and Lamont Industries, but we can chat over drinks later…if you're not busy of course?" he asked with a hopeful expression, one that made Bruce smile back as he began to back away from them.
"Unfortunately I am swamped today, but why don't you come to the Fundraiser I am hosting at Wayne Manor tomorrow evening, we can catch up then."
"That's a great idea Bruce, count me in." Lamont replied, which made the younger Wayne nod back as he continued to back away.
"Mr. Wayne, I will forward the details that we were discussing to you later on." Lucius then said, earning an appreciative smile from the young Billionaire.
"Thanks Lucius, and I see you at the party Seb." he replied before turning around and entering the elevator, leaving Lamont and Fox standing there.
"What time does the Fundraiser start Lucius?" Sebastian then asked earning a smirk from the older Man as he began to gesture towards his office.
"We can discuss the details during our meeting, now if you will follow me."
"Right, then by all means, lead the way please." Lamont said back as both Men then walked towards the Chairman's office.
BATMAN: THE SCARRED AND THE DAMNED
A few moments later and Bruce exited Wayne Tower in his dark-Blue Lamborghini-Mercielago, joining up with the traffic which was flowing down the main street beside the Skyscraper. The young Man was focused on his driving as his smart-phone activated from it's holder on the dashboard, the Bat-symbol appeared on it's screen which brought a smirk to the Billionaire's face.
'Great timing.' Bruce thought as he glanced at the screen, before returning his attention the to the road ahead.
"Phone, enable hands-free."
"Hands-free activated, password please." the device spoke back in a robotic voice, while the driver turned the vehicle onto another street.
"Password '10:48pm'." Bruce then said in a solemn tone, as the mention of that particular time brought back flashes of his Parents deaths to his mind, though his face remained completely calm as this happened.
"Password accepted, access to Bat-Computer granted." the device then replied, with the Bat-symbol flashing in return .
"Report." the Wayne requested, which made the Phone's screen change as data began scrolling down it.
"Police unit-1300 has reported a sighting of 'The Bird' in Down-town Gotham, in the area of China Basin. Commissioner Gordon has called in several units to search the area."
This made Bruce stop at the cross junction ahead and signal a right turn as the traffic light shone read overhead.
"Okay. Phone, call Alfred and encrypt call." he said while sitting there and waiting while the traffic drove by on the junction, with the device pinging as the Butler's name appeared on the screen.
"You rang, Master Bruce?" the old Man's voice spoke out from the Smart-phone, while the green light suddenly appeared on the traffic light. Which made the Billionaire turn the Lamborghini right and accelerate away from the junction.
"Alfred, the Bat-Computer just notified me that the GCPD has possibly found 'the Bird'."
"That is the Arms-Dealer, correct?" the Butler replied with a curious tone, gaining a nod from Bruce as he kept his eyes on the road.
"Yes, he has been moving weapons through Gotham for that last six months. And I think it is time for this Bird to be caught, don't you?"
"Of course, Master Bruce. But considering that it is the middle of the day, I do not think that there is anything Batman can do at this time." Alfred said in a very frank-tone, one that earned a knowing look from the young Man.
"Yeah, it wouldn't be very subtle for Batman to make an appearance in broad daylight now, but if you can go down to the Cave and ensure the Bat-Computer keeps us updated on this event."
"I am on my way now, Master Bruce. So I can assume that you are returning to Manor now?"
"Yes, I should be back in around twenty minutes." the Billionaire replied as his vehicle left the City Centre, joining the free-way leading out of Gotham.
"Very well Sir, everything will be ready for you when you arrive." Alfred said back, gaining a smile from the young Wayne.
"Thanks Alfred." he replied before putting his foot down on the accelerator, making the Lamborghini speed up more as it zoomed down the free-way back to the Manor.
"Morning." Harvey said back to her with a smile as he followed the Police Chief, leaving the Woman where she stood.
As they walked into the main-office area, some of the personnel turned and looked at them from their work stations while the rest kept their heads down and carried on working.
"Has Lt. Foley arrived yet?" Jim asked aloud with a slightly irritated tone, making the whole room go silent before the Police Officer closest to them pointed in the direction of the lieutenant's office.
"He never left, Sir." he said with an uneasiness to his voice while holding some folders in his hands, making the Commissioner look back with a confused expression.
"What do you mean, he hasn't left?"
"Well, I came in and he was still in the middle of processing the guys he had arrested earlier this morning." the younger Man replied, earning a nod from Gordon in return.
"Okay, thanks." he said back before turning his attention to Bullock, while the other guy quickly walked away with his folders.
"Well, I have some filing to get started on. See you later Commissioner." the chubby Officer replied with a knowing smile before he walked away as well, leaving the older Man standing there.
"Get back to work!" he suddenly said with an aggravated tone to the others, who all snapped back to work, which then earned a sigh from the Commissioner as he walked in the direction of the Lieutenant's office.
It was quiet inside Foley's office as he sat at his desk, keeping his attention on the files that lay before him. His eyes scanning each and every page of them as he read them all in their entirety, not even flinching at the sound of his Boss's voice from beyond the closed door ahead.
'Right, here we go again…' the Lieutenant started to think before the door suddenly opened, which made him look up to see Gordon walking in.
"Good Morning Commissioner, how can I help you today?" he asked with a calm and collected manner, not looking the least bit intimidated by the Police Chief, who closed the door behind him and stared back.
"We need to talk." he said back with a tone that Foley knew only to well, which made him sigh as he picked up his coffee mug.
"Yeah, I guess we do…" he said before taking a sip nonchalantly, but Gordon simply shook his head in amazement at his subordinate's attitude.
"…so how many times are we going to have this talk?" the younger Man then asked, making the Commissioner place his hands on his hips and shake his head slightly in amazement at his subordinate's attitude.
"As many times as is needed for it to sink into that head of yours." he replied.
This made Foley gesture to the older Man's right, gaining Gordon's attention as he looked there to see a chair.
"Then you better pull up a chair, because this will take a while." the Lieutenant said back with a tinge of sarcasm to his voice, which made Jim grit his teeth as he placed both hands on the desk and stared down at the other guy. But Foley just ignored him and looked back down at his files, which made the older Man's eyes narrow behind his glasses.
'Arrogant little…' he started to think, only to stop and sigh as he stood back up.
"Look...Peter, I heard that you were out on patrol again last night and caught the felons from the Gotham National Bank."
"Yes I did, including Victor Zsasz. You know, the serial killer that escaped Arkham during it's mass breakout two years ago." Foley replied with a smug look, one that did not phase Jim at all.
"Before you go and pat yourself on the back, I did also hear that they weren't exactly in any condition to cause you trouble..." the Police Chief started to say as his Subordinate's eyes widened a little, making his smile disappear.
"...because you were after the one who left them there to be picked up."
Foley suddenly got up and walked over to one of his blind-covered windows, taking a look out at his colleagues as they worked away.
"I don't need another lecture from you, Commissioner." he the said in a direct manner, but Gordon did not budge from his spot as he kept his attention on the Lieutenant.
"You're a good Cop, Peter. I wouldn't have promoted you if that wasn't the case, but you've got to let this go."
It was now the younger Man's turn to grit his teeth, as this line got under his skin.
'What the hell?..' he began to think, before turning around and staring daggers at the Police Chief.
"What? Like you obviously have..." he suddenly spat, making Gordon look back with a surprised expression.
"...because I remember when you began the manhunt for the Batman, the one who killed this City's White Knight. Those were your very words..." he continued while pointing a finger at the older Man, who simply stood there and watched.
"...and then less than a year later, you no longer care. I mean Harvey Dent was your friend and yet you leave his killer out there to do whatever he wants." Peter added, but Gordon simply adjusted his glasses rather awkwardly as mention of the former DA's name brought back flashes of that night.
"That's..." the older Man started to stammer while trying to block out the images and focus on Foley once more, but the Lieutenant cut him off before he could say any more.
"No disrespect intended Commissioner, but I will not let Dent's Murder go un-avenged..." he started to say before noticing his Boss's face, for he knew what Jim was about to say in return
"...and it doesn't matter if the Batman hasn't killed since then. Because he has already taken a life and even if he hadn't, vigilantism will not be tolerated in Gotham City any longer."
It then went quiet in the office as both Men stood there, but then before either could say another word, the Lieutenant's phone started to ring. This gained a knowing look from Gordon as he glanced at the phone and then to Foley, who had started to move back to his desk.
"I'm guessing that's your Wife again, wondering when you will be coming home." the Police Chief said as he turned and walked towards the door, only for Peter to stop him.
"Commissioner...you may have stopped the manhunt, but I haven't. And if I find out that you are in any way still connected to Batman..." he began to say in a serious tone while holding his hand over the still ringing phone, which earned him a mirrored look from Jim in return.
"I am the Police Commissioner, Peter. I have dealt with far more 'intimidating people' than you, that is something to remember." he replied before leaving the office, gaining a thoughtful expression from Foley as he picked up the phone's receiver and took the call.
BATMAN: THE SCARRED AND THE DAMNED
Meanwhile at Wayne Tower, located in the center of Gotham. Bruce was standing in front of the other members of the board, all seated around the long table and staring back at the younger Man in there midst.
"So...what does everyone think, do you like my idea?" he asked with a calm and confident tone, while the rest of the board then turned and talked amongst themselves. It would have been completely silent in the large Meeting-Room, if not for the whispering. But then Lucius Fox stood up from his spot at the table closest to younger Wayne, gave his friend a smile before looking back to his colleagues.
"Yes, What do we think of Mr. Wayne's plan?" he said, gaining the other's attention as they looked at their Chairman.
"Well...it would be quite the undertaking..." a female Board-member began to reply, before she was suddenly cut off by a middle-aged Man across the table from her.
"But it would be an extremely expensive one, especially if it does not work out." he said with a condescending tone.
"Well I think it sounds like a wonderful project to get behind..." an older male voice then said, which made everyone look to Douglas Fredericks.
"...something that Thomas Wayne would have green-lighted back in the day, so you have my support Mr. Wayne." he added, before the majority of the Board-members nodded back in response.
"I think you have your answer Mr. Wayne." Fox then said with a smile, gaining a nod from Bruce in return.
"That's great."
"So when should we announce this initiative to the general public?" another female board-Member then asked, making the Company's owner look over to her.
"I was thinking of telling everyone at a fundraiser I will be hosting at Wayne Manor tomorrow night, since it will be the first public engagement the Mansion will have had since it was rebuilt."
"That's a splendid idea Mr. Wayne and I think that I can speak for everyone here, when I say we will all be present." Lucius replied, gaining smiles from their audience before the Chairman turned back to them.
"And if there is nothing else, then I call this meeting to a close."
With that the other Members of the Board then departed as Bruce joined Fox's side, only for Fredericks to join them as he got ready to leave.
"I hope this 'party' will go better than the last one you held at the Manor, Mr. Wayne?" he asked with a knowing tone, which Bruce merely replied with a slight smile on his face.
"I don't plan on kicking everyone out and burning the place to the ground, if that's what you mean Mr Fredericks." he replied with a mirrored tone, one that brought a smile to the old Man's face as Lucius watched.
"Just making sure and please, it's Douglas." he said back while holding out his right hand to the younger Wayne, who shook it with his own.
"Okay, but only if you call me Bruce in return."
"You know Bruce, having witnessed how you have handled your Family's Company in the last two years, as well as this project you have in mind. I feel that I misjudged you, because the Apple hasn't fallen far from the Tree." Douglas replied with a warm tone and smile, which Bruce mirrored.
"Thank you, I appreciate that Douglas."
The older Gentleman then nodded to both Men and picked up his small suitcase, before looking back at them.
"Well, I will see you both tomorrow night. Good day." Fredericks then said before leaving the room while Fox followed and closed the door behind him, only to return to Bruce's side as the younger Man looked out of the window at the City.
"So I guess the Board-Meeting was not the only reason you came in today, Mr. Wayne?" Lucius asked, earning a nod from his friend.
"That's right."
"Does that mean you are finally going to take one of the extra Tumblers I have in stock downstairs, because that Bat-pod can only do so much." the Chairman replied, but the young Wayne shook his head as he looked over to him and pulled a folded document from the inside pocket of his suit.
"No, I have had time to think about the situation with Applied Sciences and I think it is time we started manufacturing our own equipment." he replied, gaining a confused look from Fox.
"What do you mean Bruce? We already have been."
"I mean I don't want to use any more tech that can be tracked back to Wayne Enterprises, the incident we had last year with Coleman Reese cannot be allowed to happen again." Wayne said back.
"Well I have already taken our Applied Sciences division completely off the books, so no one should be able to do what Mr. Reese did in the future." Lucius replied, which gained a nod from Bruce as he held the document in his hand and looked out the window.
"True, but since the eyes of the World are going to turn towards Wayne Enterprises when it starts my initiative, I would prefer we have nothing to hide. And having an entire division disappear might peak someone's attention, so please put Applied Sciences back on the books."
"Okay, consider it done…" the older Man started to say as he took out his phone and used it, while the younger Wayne watched.
"…but I have to ask, how do you expect to get your 'unusual requests' for your nocturnal activities now?"
"I was thinking that maybe we could together create a 'shadow'-Applied Sciences that could continue to supply Batman." Bruce replied with a knowing look, one that Fox could not help but smirk at.
"I see. So you want to have a shadow-operation within Wayne Enterprises, one that is completely off the books that can design and build your Bat-Tech in secret."
"That's the idea."
This brought a curious look to the Chairman's face as he went quiet for a second, leaving Bruce to wait for his answer with baited breath.
"Okay, we can try that. Though due to the nature of the work and the secrecy needed, the whole venture will take a while to set up." Fox then said, gaining a nod from the Wayne.
"That's alright, in the meantime I will continue to use the tech that I already have. But I do have a few suggestions for you, once the operation is under way." he replied while handing the document to the older man, who quickly looked through it's pages as a smile appeared on his face.
"I see you have added more of a Bat-motif to these designs."
"Yes..." Bruce then began to reply as he looked at the pages in Fox's hands, while the latter continued to study them.
"...I have a number of ideas, as you can see." he added, only for the older Man to cut him off.
"Even a new Motor-Vehicle…" Lucius started to say while pointing at one particular page.
"…the Batmobile', that's a very theatrical name, Mr. Wayne." Lucius replied, making the younger Man smirk.
"Well as you may have noticed, Batman is very theatrical." he said back with a knowing tone, which made his friend mirror his expression.
"Yes I do, Mr. Wayne."
The Chairman then closed the document, before returning his attention to Bruce with a thoughtful look on his face.
"By the way, considering that Applied Sciences will no longer be actively supplying our mutual friend, there is one more creation of it's that you may want to have. I mean it's purely a prototype, like most of the equipment and vehicles you have used in the past. But unlike them, it's schematics have yet to be branded with the Wayne seal, so it is not in our files."
This earned a curious expression from the Billionaire as he looked at Fox, who was just about to continue when he was interrupted by a knock on the door. This made both Men turn round as the door opened to reveal Fox's Secretary.
"Mr. Fox, I am sorry to intrude but your 12 o'clock is here."
"Thank you Jessica, we were just finishing up here." the older Man replied as he and Bruce turned and walked towards the now open door, with the younger Wayne glancing at his watch.
"Who has meetings at Lunch time?" he asked with an inquisitive tone, earning a friendly sigh from the Chairman.
"This is lunch meeting Mr. Wayne, the second one with this particular person in fact who has just planted roots for his company here in Gotham City."
"And who is this Business Man?.." Bruce then inquired, only to be cut off by a familiar voice speaking up as they left the Meeting-Room.
"Bruce…"
This made the Billionaire turn to see a Caucasian Man dressed in an expensive suit with clean-cut brown hair getting up from his seat beside the Secretary's desk, who had a smile on his face as he looked over at them.
"Seb?"
The newcomer's smile widened a little as he noticed the wide-eyed look of surprise on the other guy's face, while Fox just looked between both Men with a curious expression.
"…Bruce Wayne, as I live and breath."
"This is Sebastian Lamont, but I guess you already know that Mr. Wayne." Lucius replied as Bruce nodded back while offering his hand to Sebastian.
"Yes, Lucius. We were room-mates at Yale,…" he began to say as both younger Men shook hands.
"…it's good to see you Seb." the Billionaire added as the new arrival took a step back and smiled.
"You too, Bruce. And I would love for us catch up, but…" he started to say back while gesturing to the Chairman, earning a nod from Wayne in return.
"Of course, you and Lucius have a 'Lunch Meeting', so I should get out of your hair and let you two get on with it." he replied with a hint of embarrassment to his voice while taking a step back from the pair.
"Well it's true that Mr. Fox and I have some things to discuss about the futures of both Wayne Enterprises and Lamont Industries, but we can chat over drinks later…if you're not busy of course?" he asked with a hopeful expression, one that made Bruce smile back as he began to back away from them.
"Unfortunately I am swamped today, but why don't you come to the Fundraiser I am hosting at Wayne Manor tomorrow evening, we can catch up then."
"That's a great idea Bruce, count me in." Lamont replied, which made the younger Wayne nod back as he continued to back away.
"Mr. Wayne, I will forward the details that we were discussing to you later on." Lucius then said, earning an appreciative smile from the young Billionaire.
"Thanks Lucius, and I see you at the party Seb." he replied before turning around and entering the elevator, leaving Lamont and Fox standing there.
"What time does the Fundraiser start Lucius?" Sebastian then asked earning a smirk from the older Man as he began to gesture towards his office.
"We can discuss the details during our meeting, now if you will follow me."
"Right, then by all means, lead the way please." Lamont said back as both Men then walked towards the Chairman's office.
BATMAN: THE SCARRED AND THE DAMNED
A few moments later and Bruce exited Wayne Tower in his dark-Blue Lamborghini-Mercielago, joining up with the traffic which was flowing down the main street beside the Skyscraper. The young Man was focused on his driving as his smart-phone activated from it's holder on the dashboard, the Bat-symbol appeared on it's screen which brought a smirk to the Billionaire's face.
'Great timing.' Bruce thought as he glanced at the screen, before returning his attention the to the road ahead.
"Phone, enable hands-free."
"Hands-free activated, password please." the device spoke back in a robotic voice, while the driver turned the vehicle onto another street.
"Password '10:48pm'." Bruce then said in a solemn tone, as the mention of that particular time brought back flashes of his Parents deaths to his mind, though his face remained completely calm as this happened.
"Password accepted, access to Bat-Computer granted." the device then replied, with the Bat-symbol flashing in return .
"Report." the Wayne requested, which made the Phone's screen change as data began scrolling down it.
"Police unit-1300 has reported a sighting of 'The Bird' in Down-town Gotham, in the area of China Basin. Commissioner Gordon has called in several units to search the area."
This made Bruce stop at the cross junction ahead and signal a right turn as the traffic light shone read overhead.
"Okay. Phone, call Alfred and encrypt call." he said while sitting there and waiting while the traffic drove by on the junction, with the device pinging as the Butler's name appeared on the screen.
"You rang, Master Bruce?" the old Man's voice spoke out from the Smart-phone, while the green light suddenly appeared on the traffic light. Which made the Billionaire turn the Lamborghini right and accelerate away from the junction.
"Alfred, the Bat-Computer just notified me that the GCPD has possibly found 'the Bird'."
"That is the Arms-Dealer, correct?" the Butler replied with a curious tone, gaining a nod from Bruce as he kept his eyes on the road.
"Yes, he has been moving weapons through Gotham for that last six months. And I think it is time for this Bird to be caught, don't you?"
"Of course, Master Bruce. But considering that it is the middle of the day, I do not think that there is anything Batman can do at this time." Alfred said in a very frank-tone, one that earned a knowing look from the young Man.
"Yeah, it wouldn't be very subtle for Batman to make an appearance in broad daylight now, but if you can go down to the Cave and ensure the Bat-Computer keeps us updated on this event."
"I am on my way now, Master Bruce. So I can assume that you are returning to Manor now?"
"Yes, I should be back in around twenty minutes." the Billionaire replied as his vehicle left the City Centre, joining the free-way leading out of Gotham.
"Very well Sir, everything will be ready for you when you arrive." Alfred said back, gaining a smile from the young Wayne.
"Thanks Alfred." he replied before putting his foot down on the accelerator, making the Lamborghini speed up more as it zoomed down the free-way back to the Manor.
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