CHAPTER 1 HIGH SECURITY On the roof of Gotham Museum Batman stood motionless in the moonlit shadow of an air conditioning unit Downstairs the party celebrating the museum’s newest exhibit was starting Batman could hear the limousines approaching out front He could hear crowds cheering and reporters squawking about the arrival celebrities He had been invited of course as his alter ego billionaire Bruce Wayne In fact Bruce was one of the biggest patrons of this exhibit of rare Ancient Egyptian artifacts most of which had never been shown in the United States He would join the party soon But first he was going to patrol the roof as Batman Security couldn’t be strong enough when the museum was full of such ancient treasures Any one of the rare artifacts downstairs would fetch a fortune on the black market Gotham’s burglars wouldn’t be able to resist trying to steal something The valuable artifacts were as tempting to them as catnip is to a cat And now was the time for them to strike before the galleries were open The museum guards were busy protecting the arriving elite as they entered the reception hall Batman shifted deeper into the shadows He watched beams of light dance against the cloudy night sky that were shining up from near the museum entrance He listened intently on high alert TAP TAP TAP A scuffling noise came from across the roof Burglars Batman knew Batman smiled He had trained himself to think like a criminal and he was always pleased when his training paid off It was so important to be able to guess what thieves would do before they even knew what their own plans were
Keeping his body completely still Batman swiveled his head and zeroed in on the source of the sound He caught sight of a man in a black ski mask The burglar was hoisting himself over the edge of the roof railing Batman watched silently as the muscular man leaned over the railing and helped two more masked men climb up The men quickly scanned the area but they didn’t see Batman in the dark shadows Then they whispered to each other and headed toward the main elevator shaft in the middle of the roof As the burglars crept closer to his hidden location the Dark Knight got ready to pounce We’ve got to hurry said the leader The show has started We have fifteen minutes before they move from the reception hall into the galleries So now’s the time for our party No Batman spoke from the shadows This is my party The three robbers froze at the sound of Batman’s voice The Dark Knight was already jumping at them FLAP FLAP FLAP His cape billowed behind him as he landed in the middle of the burglars Immediately the hero flattened one crook with a kick to his knee The robber howled and fell to the ground I’m out of here the skinniest robber cried He turned to flee but Batman caught his ankle with his boot and tripped him He hit the ground with a THUDDDD DDDD Only the muscular leader was left standing The masked criminal pulled out a wicked-looking club Bring it Batman the crook said with a sneer You’re not so tough You don’t think so Batman asked Try me With a yell the masked burglar lunged at Batman with the weapon But Batman
simply sidestepped his attack swirling his cape like a bullfighter As the robber stumbled past him the Dark Knight whacked him on the back of the head with the side of his fist CLUNKKKKKKK The muscular burglar sprawled onto the roof and let go of the club The weapon skittered across the floor Before the leader could get up Batman grabbed him by the back of his jacket He threw the robber into the side of the air conditioner knocking him out cold
