Christian Bale

(BOARD) MEMBER
Is he taking over?

EARLE
Not yet. I checked th trust, and
bruce can't assume control until his
thirtieth birthday.
(presses intercom)
Jessica, where's that coffee?

BOARD MEMBER
But that's in three months.

49.

EARLE
We'll have to move fast.

BOARD MEMBER 2
To do what?

EARLE
An IPO. There's nothing in Bruce's
trust to stop us taking the company
public... we'll have an offering...

BOARD MEMBER
(getting it)
And Bruce will become just another
board member.

EARLE
Precisely. We can't have some clown
prince running things.
(presses intercom)
Jessica?

No answer. Earle steps to the door and opens it.

His assistant...

(The Joker JABS)his gun in the Chechen's face. The Chechen's bodyguards
REACT. The Joker's men DRAW on them.

THE JOKER
And you know what they have in
common? They're cheap.

CHECHEN
You said you were a man of your word.
The Joker PLUCKS the cigar from the Chechen's lips.

THE JOKER
I am.
The Joker tosses the cigar at the pile.

THE JOKER
I'm only burning my half.



101.




The Chechen watches the money catch fire.

THE JOKER
All you care about is money. This
city deserves a better class of
criminal, and I'm going to give it to
them. This is my town now. Tell
your men they work for me.
The Joker crouches down to the Chechen's...