Batman: Caped Crusader

And now, Hattie’s Tea Party,

with your hostess with the mostest: Hattie Tetch!

Good evening, Gotham.

Crime. It's a plague in our city, and no one seems to be looking for a cure.

Nightly gunfire and bloodshed have become routine in Gotham.

None of us are safe.

Commissioner James Gordon and his officers

have turned our streets into a war zone.

And matters are only made worse by the interference of a masked outlaw

whose true agenda remains unknown to the good citizens of Gotham.

And while we cower in our homes,

the G.C.P.D. spends its time harassing one of Gotham’s most esteemed businessmen.

If you’ve been following my coverage of Rupert Thorne’s trial,

then you know that the case against him is gossamer thin.

Rumor has it, D.A. Peter Mitchell has found a surprise witness

to bolster his flimsy prosecution.

But they don’t call me the Mad Hatter of News for nothing.

I did get the name for you, dear ones.

Now, we can all hear what surprising comments

Thorne’s accountant, Julian Gregory, makes when he’s flown to testify this week.

Some of Mr. Gregory’s colleagues refer to him as “Calendar Man”

because of his eidetic memory when it comes to dates and times.

That should make it very easy for him to remember the day that he was--

Is there a problem, Mr. Thorne?

Yeah, I need a new television.

And Julian Gregory has to die.

Are we certain that Gotham International is out of the question?

The D.A.’s office won’t put Gregory on a commercial flight.

Gordon will use one of the smaller airports.

I would think that the Commissioner would simply

tell you the whereabouts of this accountant.

I work alongside the police, Pennyworth. That doesn't make me one of them.

But with the professional relationship you have with Barbara Gordon,

her father should extend more trust.

Our goals might be the same, but our methods never will be.

Moldoff Airfield would definitely suit the Commissioner’s needs.

So would the Burnly County airstrip.

Shall I investigate one while you the other?

No. I'm taking your advice.

Oh? The father or the daughter?

Barbara.

Sir, if you truly haven’t earned the Commissioner’s trust,

he might not appreciate your attendance.

I might be uninvited, but that doesn't mean I'm unexpected.

Your guest is here, Mr. Thorne.

Take a seat.

I'm hearing a lot of things I don't like, Eddie.

Things about how my business is being handled.

Mishandled by you.

It's that damn Batman!

- Every time we make a move, he-- - That lunatic is not top of the list.

Who is at the top, Eddie?

The accountant.

Good, Eddie.

It would also be good if tomorrow he wasn't troubled with breathing anymore.

Oh, I'll find him.

If I gotta turn over every rock in Gotham.

- He's already been found. - You got a mole in the G.C.P.D.

Diversify your portfolio, Eddie. You diversify, you have options.

Options. Yeah... I'll remember that.

You know damn well this isn't fair.

You put the bullet in Dent, and I'm the one who loses his shield.

Relax. You'll get your shield back, buddy. I'm working on it.

You been handing me that line for weeks, and I’m fed up with it.

I'm not the only one with skeletons, Flass. If I don’t get...

- Whoa. Where do you think you're going? - Step aside, sister.

This meeting is for detectives only, officer.

No uniforms.

- Flass? - Sorry, Sloppy Joe. Chain of command.

Hattie Tetch is annoying, but she’s right. The D.A.’s case is shaky.

Julian Gregory is our last, best chance to put Thorne away for good.

We need to protect Gregory and clamp a lid on every detail about this case.

Thorne's broken every law in the book,

how does this case come down to one witness?

Thorne's pockets are as deep as his crimes.

That makes putting him away harder, but we need to get it done.

It's our job to protect this city. No one else's.

- Yeah, you and your bat buddy. - Something to say, Flass?

Absolutely not, sir. On the job, sir. Protect this city.

You're worthless! Every one of you. Worthless.

What about me, Eddie? Am I worthless?

Not now, baby. I'm workin'.

Argh! You ruined my train of thought.

You were tellin' 'em all how worthless they are.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, that's right. Worthless!

Every single one of ya.

The Thorne Mob? More like the Keystone Idiots!

Tonight, that's over.

Tonight, you're gonna show me you got what it takes!

Show me you're bona fide!

- What's "bona fide"? - Like this ring here.

- Eddie got it for me. It's the real deal. - Shut up!

We run this town, see?

We run it, and we’re gonna keep running it,

no matter what that sniveling accountant squealing in court like a...

A pig! A mouse?

The squealer goes tonight. Get me?

No mistakes. No excuses.

In the dirt.

- This is Gordon. - Barbara.

Oh, hi. Let me guess, you need some legal help?

I need information.

Moldoff Airfield or Burnly County airstrip,

where is your father meeting the accountant?

Right. Of course.

Unfortunately, my father doesn’t tell me case details.

He’s in danger, Barbara. Withholding this isn’t helping him.

Okay. Fine. I guess, in the past, he’s used Moldoff, but--

- You made a good speech. - Thanks.

And didn’t mention the Batman.

The Batman is an asset.

I appreciate what he does, but I won’t rely on him to do this department’s job.

I’m not built that way.

- Neither am I. - I know. I count on that.

Oh! Oh! Here’s another one.

What do James Polk and Warren G. Harding have in common?

- I don't know, both were presidents? - Same birthday! November 2nd. Scorpios!

What are the odds?

Whoa, whoa!

Whoo!

Die, squealer! Die!

Come on, Eddie. Let's get outta here.

Let go, ya freak!

I got nothing to...

Eddie, you didn’t have to do that. Jimmy woulda never squealed.

That’s how a secret stays secret, Dez.

Yeah, sure, but when Mr. Thorne finds out...

But Thorne ain’t gonna find out

because that accountant’s gonna be in the dirt before anybody tells him. Yeah?

Okay. Okay. All I'm saying is, how you gonna do it, Eddie?

Don't worry about it.

I know a guy.

Dad told me you saved the accountant.

Now I need to know where your father is keeping him.

Or you can just call him, ask him yourself.

He can’t give me that information without compromising himself.

But I can? Of course, I can.

I’m Barbara Gordon, public defender. I’m always compromised.

Protecting Julian Gregory is all that matters right now.

I don't know where he is.

- You can find out. - Maybe.

If I cross a bunch of lines that I'm never going to cross.

I won't spy on my father.

- You can trust me. - I do.

I trust you'll find him on your own. Without using me.

You know why you're here. I need to get to the truth.

Sir?

Thorne knew when and where Gregory was landing.

If we have a leak in this department, I need you to plug it.

Sir, if there's a leak in the department, we both know that it's F--

I thought you wanted to see me, Commissioner.