I've decided I want to develop this story into a comic that places a focus on the Wayne Foundation. If you don't know what the Wayne Foundation is it's a charity that helps children who have been kidnapped and sold into sex trafficking. You can find them here. I'd like to turn this into a fundraising effort but I will need to talk to them about it once the story is finished. I'll keep you guys abreast of how that happens.
Brian closed the door to the auto shop and sighed. The cops wouldn't leave him alone, the press wouldn't leave him alone and his family wouldn't leave him alone. For some reason, just because he rescued several kids from a small gang they wanted to claim he was a hero. Brian hated them for it but played along as far as his patience would allow. In his mind, had the politicians done their jobs instead of smoking cigars and soaking up paychecks he never would have had to don that mask in the first place. And to be honest he never really felt like a hero, he was only going after his own daughter who the gang had kidnapped. How was he supposed to know they were footmen in some grand child smuggling ring? He only wanted his daughter but in the end he couldn't just leave those other kids behind. And it was because of that everyone in the whole city was now trying to pretend they were his friend.
Brian: "And now you show up."
Batman: "You're a hero." he replied.
Brian: "So I'm told." Brian pocketed the keys to his shop. "I'd ask to what do I owe the honor of this visit but I have a sneaky suspicion I already know."
Batman: "Oh?" crosses his arms over his chest.
Brian: "Batman Inc. Am I close?"
Batman: nods "I'm impressed."
Brian: shrugs "Yeah well, I learned a few things tracking those animals down. That begs the question though, why me?"
Batman: "Because you know more than most how bad it is in this city and you've proven yourself in action. Not everyone has the intelligence and the physical prowess to fight against a gang single-handedly."
Brian: "Yeah well my dad once told me the secret to taking out 5,000 enemies all by yourself."
Batman: "One at a time."
Brian: "Now I'm the one who's impressed." Brian said.
Batman: "How do you think I've stayed alive this long?"
Brian: "Touche." sighs "You know, getting handed a medal and shaking hands with politicians is one thing. But you..." points at Batman. "Hearing you call me a hero is strangely validating."
Batman: "How so?"
Brian: "Because you care about the people. Politicians only care about their image. You actually fight for what they only promise to fight for. As much as I hate to admit it you coming to me about this somehow validates my public image." puts his hands in pockets and starts to pace. "Hell the talk show circuit doesn't even care about me really. The host maybe but we both know they don't really run the show. The producers, the executives they just want ratings. I'm a paycheck to them." shrugs. “But you care.”
Batman: “So do you. If you didn't I wouldn't be here.”
Brian: “I only cared about my daughter. That was the only reason I did what I did. What kind of hero thinks like that?”
Batman: steps forward. "Come on Brian, don't sell yourself short. You tracked down a kidnapping ring and fought ten gang members with only a torque wrench and frisbees you duck taped razor blades to. When the police were stopped by their own greed you moved in and did what was right. The only thing that separates you from me is our budget."
Brian: "Yeah! You've got all the best gadgets Waynetech has to offer, I have whatever I can cobble together from Big 5 and Home Depot. It makes quite a difference."
Batman: pulls out a small box labeled “Waynetech.” "You noticed that did you?" smiles
Brian: "Oh come on, everyone knows you and Bruce Wayne are buddy-buddy. Its a no-brainer."
Batman: "Here." tosses the box to Brian. "You passed your entrance exam."
Brian: "What's this?"
Batman: "Your very own piece of Waynetech. Welcome to Batman Incorporated." turns away and fires his grappling gun into the air.
Brian: "Hey wait, I never said 'yes!'"
Batman: "Yeah you did." grabs the rope and soars up to the rooftops.
Brian: "Yeah. I did." shakes head.
Brian sat in front of his computer at 3am that night. The light from the monitor was the only illumination in the otherwise darkened living room. He stared at the box Batman had given him which appeared to be and worked like a standard USB hub. Brian doubted highly that the box was nothing more than off the shelf tech but he was unsure how unlock its secret. The raised logo on one side did seem a little suspect but when he pulled that off nothing of consequence was revealed underneath.
Brian: "You said I passed my entrance exam so does mean this is the final?" Brian asked the device.
Jeanie: "Can't sleep honey?"
Brian: "This,” holds up the small box. “is proving to be a tough puzzle to solve."
Jeanie: "What makes you think it's a puzzle?"
Brian: "Batman gave this to me.”
Jeanie: "What?!"
Brian: "He asked me to join Batman Inc. last night after I left work. I wonder..." plugs in the device to his hard drive using a usb cable. When he opens his computer folder a new Waynetech icon is there.
Brian: “Hel-lo. That wasn't there the last time I did this.” looks at the label that he pried off the box.
Jeanie: “Why did Batman give you this puzzle to solve?”
Brian: “He said I passed my entrance exam before he gave me this. My guess is this was supposed to be the final to get me into Batman Inc.”
Jeanie: “So when he asked you to join you said 'yes?'”
Brian: "What do you tell Batman? No?" double clicks the icon and a pdf files opens up showing two tickets to a party at the local Waynetech office.
Brian: "I hope you don't have plans Saturday, it looks like we're going to a party."
Getting into the party was one thing, avoiding all of the press hounds proved to be something else entirely. Worse still was avoiding Bruce Wayne, the party's host who, like all corporate CEO's had only held the party to boast about himself. He gave a great speech about protecting personal privacy and the freedom to not have your wires tapped by the government but Brian didn't buy his schtick for one second. He was like any other CEO, he only wanted to sew mistrust of the government so people would deregulate corporations some more and they could siphon away even more wealth for themselves than they already had. Once the speech was over Brian and Jeanie simply waited for some signal from batman who naturally, was no where to be found.
Jeanie: “How do you think he'll contact us?”
Brian: “That's a tough one. It'll have to be a signal we'll recognize but no one else will. Something like...”
Jeanie: “Like the bat signal in the skies over Gotham city?”
Brian: “Well, maybe something a little more subtle.”
Bruce: Arrives with two models, one on each arm. “Hey there Ryan, how you enjoying the party so far?”
Brian: “Uh its Brian and thanks again for inviting us.”
Bruce: “Oh shipes, I'm sorry. I meet so many people and I'm terrible with names.”
Brian: “Hey no worries, I'm the same way. You were close though so I'll give you credit for that.”
Bruce: leans over and holds Jeanie's hand in his own. “And it is such a pleasure to meet a gorgeous young lady like yourself.”
Jeanie: “Um, thank you.”
Bruce: “Oh before I forget, you got a message. Some reporter was looking for you. My butler Fred has it. No Al. No Fred. Oh screw it he's my butler and he's over there.”
Brian: “Uh thank you sir. I'll... I'll get right on that.”
Bruce: “Please, call me Bruce!”
Jeanie: “Nice to meet you Bruce. Again.”
Bruce: “The pleasure is mine.” winks at Jeanie before wandering off.
Brian: “Come on, let's get that message and get out of here.”
Jeanie: “But he said it was...”
Brian: “I don't buy for one second that it was a reporter who left that message.” walks over to Alfred and asks for the message.
Alfred: “Very good sir, follow me.”
Alfred leads them both into one of the back rooms that are still under construction.
Jeanie: “This is a strange place for an interview.”
Alfred: “The Master insisted you have privacy madam and this is the best way to ensure you get it.” turns and motions towards an open room.
Brian: “Right here?”
Jeanie: “Where's the reporter?”
Alfred: “He's running a little late but I assure you he'll be here in a minute or two. Good evening to you both.” bows and leaves.
Brian: “Yeah we're here for an interview alright but it ain't with no reporter.” Brian starts looking through one of the many open boxes in the room.
Jeanie: “You sound pretty confident.”
Brian: holds up a pair of binoculars with bat wing shaped lenses. “Rather strange to find this kind of gear in an office don't you think?”
Batman: “Depends on who the gear is for.”
Jeanie: “Oh whoa! It really is you!”
Brian: “I wondered when you were going to show up.”
Batman: “Glad to see you figured out my little invitation. How do you like the stuff?”
Brian: “A little presumptuous to put bat symbols on everything isn't it?”
Batman: “I call it 'Batman Inc.' for a reason you know.”
Brian: “Fair enough. So what do I call myself? Batman 2?”
Jeanie: “Whoa, whoa wait a minute! You don't think you're actually going along with this do you?”
Batman: “I think Brian can...”
Brian: “Sorry Batman but she's right. Look I know you went through a lot of trouble and you placed a lot of trust in me bringing me here but I'm still not 100% in on this. I've got my wife and my daughter to think about you know? What is it you expect me to get into?”
Batman: “That sex trafficking ring is based right here in San Jose. The reason of course is because of the reduction in the police force. So far they've been able to avoid and serious charges because the police are overworked and understaffed. The only way that ring is going to be stopped is if someone who already possesses inside knowledge about them decides to step up. With your skills and my equipment you could easily take them down.”
Jeanie: “And what about me? Where do you figure me in this grand plan that might get my husband killed?”
Brian: hands her a headset.
Batman: “An old friend of mine named Oracle used to provide remote support for me. She was essential to helping me solve many of the crimes I did. Without her I may not be the hero you think of me as today.”
Brian: “We should call you 'Overwatch.'”
Jeanie: smirks at Brian. “Creative.”
Batman: “By my count sixty seven kids of gone missing in the last six months alone. How many more have to vanish before someone takes action?”
Brian: “Hey man you're preaching to the choir we just aren't sure we're the people for the job.”
Jeanie: “Seriously, what can we do?”
Batman: “With my help, a lot more than you can possibly imagine.” Holds out his hand for them to shake.
Brian: looks at Jeanie. “He's right, if we don't who will? I already helped out those eight kids with second hand stuff. Imagine what I can do with this.”
Jeanie: “If you die, I'll never forgive you.”
Brian: “Alright Batman, you've got yourself a deal, er Bat.”
Batman: “Glad to have you aboard.”
P.S. I just finished writing the first draft of The Bludhaven Knight (formerly Shadows of the Bat). I'm going to make some sample pages and start spamming Kevin Smith until he gives me permission or shoots me down.
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