Batman: The Killing Joke

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1

BARBARA:
First of all,

I realize this is probably

not how you thought the story would start,

not with a big shiny moon

or a city that could look

stunning in spite of itself.

Or me.

But I wanted you to know

that before the horror began,

before it all came crashing down,

there was a time when capes

and cowls and fighting crime

really was exciting.

I'd been with Batman

for almost three years.

That night my father signaled

for him, so something was up.

(BEEPING)

I tend to stay out of these discussions.

I mean, why push my luck?

- BATMAN ON RADIO: You there?

- Yeah.

We've got a robbery.

(POLICE SIRENS WAILING IN DISTANCE)

Bloody son of a...

You act like you've never been

in a police chase before.

- Take the next left.

- Here?

Here.

(TIRES SCREECHING)

We've got to lose the truck.

Let's lose the cops instead, okay?

(SCREAMING)

(TIRES SCREECHING)

This is going to be a night to remember.

(GASPS)

Fricking A!

(BEEPING)

Caution, falling debris.

(MEN COUGHING)

(BEEPS)

(TIRES SCREECHING)

Okay, we lose the truck.

(HISSING)

(THUD)

(TIRES SCREECHING)

(GUNFIRE)

(GROANS)

(GROANS)

You really want to turn

a robbery into a murder?

You see another way out of this?

BATGIRL:
I know you're in a bad spot.

But there's bad and then there's worse.

(ENGINE REVVING)

(GRUNTS)

Like that.

Negotiating?

He wasn't going to hurt me.

Did he know that?

Sometimes, you have

to have a little faith.

What happened to the drivers?

They got away.

But the night's still young.

(GASPS)

I'm going to need some alone time.

Oh, sure, yeah.

(MAN GROANING)

- Maybe I'll see you...

- (MAN SCREAMING)

Later.

It's a lot of photos.

My uncle's big on family,

even the ones he's hit.

His Holiness is expecting us.

Get the hell in here.

It's all over the news.

- (REMOTE CONTROL CLICKING)

- Every channel.

What can I tell you? Batgirl's hot.

- (GASPS)

- Don't get smart.

(GROANS)

I lost four men yesterday.

Four idiots.

They said they could

knock out the tracker on the armored car.

I don't think they could plug

a computer in their ass.

Do I care?

I'm out 100 grand,

thanks to your frigging fiasco.

And what do I get for it?

The Bat and his bitch

breathing down my neck.

Bottom line, you're going to give me

my money back, nephew, every cent.

Otherwise you're going to become

a very distant relative, very soon.

Capisce?

Okay, unc, whatever you say.

Darker men, huh?

Barbara, why didn't you tell me?

I have a cousin who's a defense attorney.

Ooh, Reese, not that dark.

(SING-SONG) He's single.

Well, that lightens him up

a bit, doesn't it?

Babs, girl,

(STAMMERS) I do not understand

why you're having fishing troubles

when we are in the middle of a lake.

What do these guys have

to do to get your attention?

Steal a book?

It just so happens

I'm involved with someone.

Sort of, kind of.

- That serious, huh?

- (KEYBOARD CLACKING)

What are you doing?

My dad's department

has been setting up city cams.

I've been helping with the program.

It's amazing. You can view

half of Gotham from your computer.

(KEYBOARD CLACKING)

(COMPUTER TRILLING)

Looks like a bad boy, just your type.

(BEEPING)

LONNY:
Jesus, Paris, a friggin' fortune

in the middle of some dump.

It's ridiculous.

It used to be a bank.

The same family's owned

this building since 1929.

- Which family?

- My uncle's.

You are bloody crazy.

You sound pissed.

- No, I sound freaked the "F" out.

- I'm not.

And that's freaking me, too.

My uncle's a dinosaur, Lonny.

By the time he finds out

what we've done, he'll be extinct.

(WHIZZING)

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