"Hey!" "No word then, Master Bruce?" "None." "And I've scoured the entire city." "No one has seen either Robin or Dick Grayson for two days." "I really should remain upstairs then, sir." "Lest he call." "Oh, by the way, this came for you an hour ago by messenger." "No!" "It can't be!" "They know your identity, detective." "Who are you?" "How did you get in here?" "You must forgive Ubu, detective." "He is well-trained." "Allow me to introduce myself." "I am he who is called Ra's Al Ghul." "The Demon's Head." "I thought you were only a legend." "I am quite real." "And as I am sure you realize by now my reputation for resourcefulness is well-deserved." "As you can see, we have a common problem." "Your ward was abducted on the same night as my daughter." "You do remember my daughter?" " You're Talia's father?" " Yes." "But surely you would not expect her to mention me by name." "Keep your distance!" "I am merely old." "Older, perhaps, than you can imagine." "But not so old that I cannot assist you in your search." "I get the message." "Okay, then." "For openers, look at the blade." "It's used by a cult of mercenaries based in Calcutta." "Even the rope appears to be made of a hemp indigenous to that area." "Well done, detective." "You are worthy of your reputation." "To India, then." "Come, I have an aircraft waiting." "Infidel!" "Forgive my servant." "He feels that no one should precede me." "Call it overzealousness." "I think I'll call it strike one." "You still have me at a loss, Ra's Al Ghul." "Just how did you learn who I am?" "I control a vast global organization, detective." "Obviously, Batman's activities require certain costly implements." "It was simple for my people to learn which wealthy Americans were amassing what Batman might require." "The one who matched my daughter's description of you was Bruce Wayne." "Next time I'll have to glue my mask on." "Do you need help?" "I need nothing." "As Napoleon told me, a strong will can fuel a frail physique." "How can you be certain, detective, that those we seek are to be found here?" "I make it my business to know things like that." "Here." "There's an incense shop." "Infidel!" "Okay." "That's two." "Yes." "No!" "Yes." "Unless you tell me how to find the mercenaries who did this." "They have fled with the boy and the woman." "Where?" "To Malaysia." "In a pagoda in the shadow of Mount Merapi." "I know nothing more, I swear it!" "Look at it, detective, one of the last of the rain forests." "The world depends upon its oxygen, yet the rich see only profit in its destruction." "You who belong to the overclass have much to answer for." "Bruce Wayne donates millions of dollars a year to preserve these forests." "Which are being depleted at the rate of 120,000 acres a day." "Does your money solve this problem?" "No." "It will take more than wealth, it will take power." "And, I fear, ruthlessness." "Humankind must be forced to serve the planet instead of its own appetites." "And you're the one who'll do the forcing?" "I am qualified, yes." "But I may not have sufficient lifetimes left to me." "Master, ahead." "Look!" "In the shadow of the volcano, just as the Indian said." "Let us hurry." "The next piece of our puzzle surely waits within." "Sweet dreams, tabby." "Congratulations, detective, on thwarting our tormentors." "Obviously, our quest was meant to end here." "Maybe, maybe not." "Look at this." "A map of the Himalayas." "There's a faint scratch, almost certainly made by a fingernail tracing a route." "Indeed." "I am familiar with that area." "The nearest field large enough to accommodate my aircraft is 100 miles from our destination." "So I will arrange for a helicopter when one is needed." "After you." "The mountain in question is directly ahead." "I've radioed for my men." "They await me on the mountaintop." " While I descend the hard way." " You must search for clues." "If we perceive any danger, we can signal you with..." "Master, we must get you to one of the pits." " Pits?" " Ignore him, detective." "We must stay on the hunt for the sake of the children." "All right." "If that's the way it's to be played." "Robin." " Batman!" " You okay?" " Am I glad to see you!" " I'll have you free in a minute." " Been here long?" " A couple days, I think." "I still don't know who grabbed me." "I do." "Ra's Al Ghul." "Obviously, your little accident wasn't fatal." "I imagine you and Ubu left the chopper when I wasn't looking." "Indeed." "At the moment it exploded, it was proceeding on automatic pilot." "So how long have you known, detective that I planned your ward's capture?" "Almost from the beginning." "How could you have known Robin and your daughter were abducted on the same night?" " Unless I had done the abducting?" "Exactly." "And do you think I'd have let you take me anywhere unless I suspected you'd lead me somewhere?" "For one thing, there were all those would-be assassins." "They knew where we'd be and when." "Someone had to be tipping them off." "That someone had to be you." "Then there was Ubu." "Always by his master's side always very picky about letting you go ahead of everyone else." "Except in Malaysia, where you knew there was danger waiting." "I am deeply impressed." "As am I." "Ready to go?" "Well, if you say so." "Though it was just starting to get interesting." "The master gave you no permission to leave." "I didn't ask for any." "And that's three." "Wait." "I can't let you leave like this." "My father meant you no harm." " He had a funny way of showing it." " My time is short." "I have no sons." "I need a man to assume my position when I am gone." "Then it was a test?" "But why me?" "Because you are most worthy." "That is now proven beyond any doubt." "And because my precious daughter loves you." "Forget it." "Then this means we must be enemies!" "You will regret this insult, detective." "You will..." "Father!" " He's dying!" " I've had it with your little games." "No game, I swear it!" "Pulse is bad." "He can't fake that." "We must take him to the Lazarus Pit." "You want us to put him in that?" "You're crazy!" "No, listen to me, I know it is difficult to believe but the pit is what keeps him alive." "What has kept him alive for 600 years." " Batman?" " Please, you must believe me!" "We have no choice." "He's stopped breathing." "We've killed him." "No." "All is well." "Put her down!" "I said, put her down!"