Dire Need of a Hero [Gotham General]

[Thomas Elliot]

[| AN HOUR AGO |]

A television bigger than life itself flicked to life, on the screen a shot of a terrible car wreck was shown. A luxury-sport car had been totalled, a throat was cleared from beyond sight.

"Authorities say Bruce Wayne, head of WayneTech out of Gotham City has been critically injured and is not responding, sources say he suffered severe brai-.."

The channel changed; yet another source of televised news roared to life. A woman, mid-20s, Asian; the usual stereotype for a news reporter shot to life now, another perspective showed the car in greater detail; a Lambo was crunched beyond proportion.

".. At this time billionaire Bruce Wayne is being rushed to Got-"

ring.. ring

A cell phone started up, that was as a hand reached out and grabbed hold of it- the hand picked the phone up and observed the touch-screen with a sigh.

ring.. ring

A generic ring-tone illustrated a lot about someone. In this day and age it was unusual to NOT have a favorite song, or a "wicked line" by some flashy rapper in a thousand dollar chain and cross emit from the device.

ring.. ring

The sigh was heard again but a finger belonging to the same hand rolled across the bottom of the touch-screen as "0:01" popped up. The phone now was pressed against the man's ear as once again his throat was cleared as he answered.

"Doctor Elliot speaking.."

Thomas Elliot, Tommy.. Doctor Elliot. Three different names, one very important man. Being coined the best surgeon of his generation was no small task, Elliot had done things previously thought impossible. Between blessing the deaf with a voice, the crippled with legs and the comatose with consciousness, Doctor Tommy Elliot had surpassed even the great Thomas Wayne in Gotham City as arguably the best surgeon the world had ever seen.

".. I understand. What's the prognosis?"

Tommy Elliot moved from Gotham to Massachusets after losing his mother to a rare form of lung cancer and used the family fortune to fund his education at Harvard University where he graduated well before his colleagues and soon moved from the class-room to the operating table.

"Interesting. Is the situation dire..? I mean.. Is he on the brink of total brain damage or can the situation be saved? Crunch the numbers and give me a realistic percentage."

Tommy Elliot and Bruce Wayne grew up living very similar lives and even at a point considered themselves brothers. Being the only child in a family was hard, especially in a family that was well-to-do. Besides the high expectations, they were still children.. Mischievious little boys that got into petty trouble.

".. Yes, I know the lead surgeon position is open at [Gotham] City Hospital but I was planning on staying in Mass for a bit, until football season started anyway so I could catch a few games."

Despite having successful parents; Tommy Elliot idolized Thomas Wayne which is why it came as absolutely no surprise when he was of-age, he decided to follow the footsteps of the man. What he didn't expect, however- was that his life would be so similar.. Thomas Wayne saved the life of Tommy's mother after a devastating car accident that took the life of his father. Now, Tommy was able to repay Thomas Wayne by using his skill on the citizens of Gotham, those that loved Thomas Wayne and looked up to him almost like a folklore hero. To this day he's considered an icon by many.

"It's a 24 minute flight normally but in this weather? Fourty five minutes, tops. I'll be there, make sure to prep the room and have Bruce on the table. Don't get started before I get there I don't want to have to clean up another doctor's mess."

It was safe to say Tommy had grown confident in his abilities as a surgeon, but 'confidence' was never a weak portion of his life. He was taught from an early age to be a perfectionist and be meticulous in everything you do. That same skill that was forced on him from birth made him the talented surgeon he is today, and now he has the chance to pay Thomas Wayne back when he saved his mother- by of course saving Bruce Wayne.

"Don't thank me, it's my job.. I'll be there soon."

Ending the call presumably, Elliot placed the cell-phone down onto the small table to his right as he flipped through the channels again- this time letting off a count aloud.

"Three.."

.. He flipped it to another broadcast now showing a map of the road that the accident had happened on.

"Two.."

Yet another flipping of the channels, this time a graph of the number of accidents that happen on that same road Bruce Wayne had wrecked on popped up on the screen.

"One.."

A red bar flashed across the bottom of the screen..

"Boom."

**BREAKING NEWS** WORLD RENOWNED SURGEON DOCTOR THOMAS ELLIOT IS EN ROUTE TO GOTHAM CITY HOSPITAL TO OPERATE ON BRUCE WAYNE IN WHAT IS BEING CALLED "LIFE-SAVING" EMERGENCY SURGERY

"Works every time."

Pushing his weight to the right, the overstuffed leather office chair spun to the left as standing tall as Tommy Elliot- and in his hand was a shot of a dark liquor- probably Whiskey. Taking it with one fell swoop, Elliot tossed the shot glass over his shoulder and didn't bother to watch it fall and shatter on impact as he continued forward with a smirk on his face.

".. And people call this rocket science.. Heh."

[| PRESENT TIME |]

On an operating table beneath a series of bright lights, a man lays- bloodied and bruised. Multiple bodies wearing protective masks and gowns scurried, while watching the vital signs on the screen to the left.

"DOCTOR COREY, BLOOD PRESSURE IS DROPPING!"

"GOD DAMN IT, WHERE THE HELL IS ELLIOT?!"

The beeping begun to rapidly pick up as the man's heart was beginning to thud like a metal band drum.

"WAYNE'S HEART RATE IS ELEVATING, WE NEED TO GO IN NOW! WE'RE GONNA LOSE'EM! WE'RE GONNA LOSE'EM, DOC! WE GOTTA GET THIS GOING!"

As those in attendance continued to panic, the operating door opened and with a mask pulled over his forehead, making a grand entrance was Doctor Thomas Elliot, just in time.

"Wow, why is everyone so worried? It's just brain surgery people- we'll be chewin' on cashews and munchin' on walnuts in no time. I got this."

With a wink, Elliot pulled the mask down over his mouth and stepped into the operating room fully, that was as the emergency operation was underway. If anyone could save Bruce Wayne's life, it was Tommy- not just an old-friend, not just a man he once considered a brother, but the best damn surgeon the world has ever seen. He was no slouch, he had a job to do and he'd do it because.. Well..

If Tommy can't, it can't be done.

Ever.

[Thomas Elliot]

[[DAY OF THE OPERATION]]

It had been a few hours since the operating door closed and details of Bruce Wayne's operation had broke. Now? The door had opened and standing in the media/waiting room was Gotham's most reliable reporter; Vicki Vale. The stunning reporter caught Tommy off-guard as he had to double-take as she basically pushed a microphone into his face as the camera shot to life.

"Doctor Elliot! Vicki- Vickie Vale from the Gotham News Now! Doctor what's the status of Bruce Wayne?!"

Removing the gloves from his hands, Elliot balled them up and fired off a toothy smile in Vicki's direction.

".. How about me and you get some dinner?"

Taken back by Elliot's left-field request, Vicki raised a brow.

"Excuse me? What about Mister Wayne?!"

"Oh.. Oh, him. Oh yeah, Bruce'll be fine. Some damage but nothing he can't recover from. Bruce is an old-friend of mine, tough as damned nail.. The city of Gotham has absolutely nothing to worry about in terms of his recovery."

With a sigh of relief, Vicki looked thrilled. Elliot continued to fire off that uncanny sense of confidence as she looked back in his direction.

"Yes Doctor Elliot, yes.. The City of Gotham can sleep at ease knowing that it's most influencail man will return to normal form. This is Vicki Vale for Gotham News Now signing out, Good Night Gotham- Bruce Wayne will be OK."

Keeping that comforting smile wrapped across her face, Vicki nodded as the camera shut off- all the other cameras and crews sighed from the back as they knew they had lost the scoop of the century to Vicki- something that made her pretty despised through the industry. As the camera man did a cut-throat taunt signaling the end of the feed, Vicki moved the mic from her lips and was about to walk off- causing Elliot's right hand to shoot out, grabbing her by the wrist.

"Whoa sweetheart, what about my offer?"

Turning around, Vicki had a smile still, this one illustrated a much different emotion though.

"I'll have to respectfully deny, Doctor Elliot.. I've got plans."

Tommy didn't like that- after saving Gotham's sweetheart, he knew the city would owe him and he'd get his due.. but what he wanted at the moment was this women.. Vicki Vale.

".. Miss Vale.. Miss Vale. I'm not one to intrude, but.. I just saved Bruce Wayne's life. I just need to blow off some tension, I was 'cooped up with some tight-asses in there."

Not a very keen liar- what usually got Elliot his way was the way his teeth shined when he smiled. Those pearly whites landed him more women than Hefner dreamed of. Vickie however, she seemed different.. a challenge. A man of Tommy's status never had to try these days, chicks seemed to dig the whole 'best surgeon in the world' title he had earned through his career.

"Only.. On one condition."

Vicki cracked, that was as Tommy ripped the surgeon's mask from his face and tilted his head to the side with a smile. He let his eyes meet hers as it was a trick he picked up in South America.. It helped build chemistry and attraction.

"And what's that darlin'?"

".. I want full access to your life, your time away from Gotham and how your family and yourself managed to keep the Elliot name alive through the tragedies. If you can promise me that you'll disclose everything for a future report I'm planning on doing, we've got ourselves a deal.."

She knew how to work her charm- she fired off a few bats of the ol' eye and Elliot fired off a half-cocked smirk, one that was worth a million dollars for sure.

"Definitely, I'd give that to you for free honey."

".. But not tonight. I really do have plans.. How about.. Tomorrow evening? It gives you time to.."

As she trailed her words off, she gave Tommy an 'up and downer,' checking him from head to toe with a smile, one that Elliot knew he had captured hook, line and sinker.

"Clean yourself up.. Tomorrow night, Mister Elliot.. Are we on?"

Despite being set to go, Elliot could use the time to bask in the glory of saving Bruce Wayne. Stretching out his right hand, Vicki did the same as she slipped a business card there.

"Call me, handsome."

Winking, she turned and walked off as Elliot looked down at the card with the smirk still slapped across his face, Elliot's arrogance was at an all-time high normally.. but now it was on overdrive.

"Call? Oh you pretty.. pretty.. little thing.. There's gonna be a lot of 'calling,' but it'll be you- saying my name.. That's a promise, baby-doll."

Blowing a kiss in her direction despite not being able to allow her to see it- Vicki and her camera man had disappeared among the crowd as a few dozen other reports stormed Elliot now, knowing that Vale's absence was something they could benefit from. A thousand flashes seemed to have rippled through the pretty well lit room as questions came from all directions.

"DOCTOR ELLIOT IS MISTER WAYNE GOING TO WALK AGAIN?!"

"DOC ELLIOT, DID BRUCE LOSE AN ARM!?"

"MISTER DOCTOR ELLIOT, WILL BRUCE WAYNE BE ABLE TO EAT LIKE A NORMAL PERSON!?"

He didn't have the time nor the patience to answer the absurd questions but did, give a statement.

"Look I'm not gonna stand here and answer questions all night, this isn't a charity ball. This is the one and only time I'm making a statement so listen up. The current status on Mister Wayne is that he'll no doubt make a full recovery. He had experimental brain surgery that is deemed highly successful. He'll walk, eat, think correctly after full rehabilitation. Bruce didn't lose any limbs, nor did he need any cosmetic surgery- that's all."

More questions was thrown in Elliot's direction as he turned off and headed towards the swinging doors leading to the back of the hospital. Slamming his right hand on the buzzer there- Elliot leaned towards the speaker built into the wall.

"Security- get this leeches outta here."

"Yes Doctor Elliot."

It didn't take long for security, a full force to storm through the opposite side doors as they begun to hassle with the crowd of reports. As Elliot moved beyond the swinging doors, he headed towards the locker-area of the hospital, he knew he had successfully earned the nod as one of the most popular men in Gotham by saving Bruce Wayne. It wasn't that which was why he smiled, instead- the glory he'd gain. As children, Bruce often got spotlight due to be Thomas Wayne's son while Tommy tagged alone with the two. But this time? Tommy would be the stand-out, the one that would be basking in the lime-light.. And it was about time- he deserved it.