Categories > Movies > Batman Begins > Batman: The Scarred and the Damned
Chapter XIII
0 reviewsTwo-Face begins playing mind games with Gordon, while waiting for his Endgame to finally be ready. And Bruce has some soul searching to do as he comes to grips with a truth that was hidden from him.
0Unrated
Bruce felt like he was in a daze as he stood in the elevator that was taking him back up into the Manor, away from the dark depths of the Cave below. The capsule was actually well lit via a lamp positioned in the ceiling above the Billionaire's head, but he could still feel the darkness around him, like it always had been in his life. Even when the elevator stopped and it's doors opened, filling the capsule with natural light, enveloping the young Man as he stepped out into the living room of his Family's Mansion, with bright sunlight shining through it's open curtains and bringing everything to life. But even then, Wayne could still feel the darkness lingering around him, darkness that had been his unseen companion ever since the night he lost his Parents.
The young Man could feel that painful memory begin to surface as he looked up at the painting of Thomas and Martha Wayne that hung over the fireplace, but just as the sound of gunshots and pearls hitting the cold concrete ground began to echo in the distance, Bruce's attention was drawn away to a photo that stood amongst others on the table by the large window.
'Rachel...' the Billionaire thought as he picked up her photo and stared at, taking in every detail of her face like her alluring smile, her crystal blue eyes and her chocolate brown flowing locks. But a thoughtful and concerned expression grew on his face, as what Alfred had told him came back to the forefront of his mind.
'You said you would wait for me, Rachel. I cannot believe that wasn't going to happen.' he asked himself, while the Sun continued to shine down on him through the window that he stood next too. Bruce then felt his heart warm as he remembered their talk inside the burnt ruins of Wayne Manor, from two years earlier.
"I never stopped thinking about you…about us. And when I heard you were back, I…I started to hope."
Bruce could then feel the touch of Rachel's lips on his own as they kissed, remembering her taste and glow as memories continued to flow over him while looking down at her photo.
"But then I found out about your Mask. Your real face is the one that criminals now fear. The Man I loved…the man who vanished, he never came back at all….but maybe he is still out there somewhere. Maybe someday, when Gotham no longer needs Batman…I'll see him again."
But the warmth that the young Man was feeling slowly started to fade as his memories changed to ones that were more recent, finding himself standing on a balcony with the woman he loved, who had a conflicted look on her face.
"The day you once told me about, the day when Gotham no longer needs Batman...it's coming."
"You can't ask me to wait for that."
This brought an uncertain look to the Billionaire's face as he thought of that moment, like as if this was the first time that he had seen it. So Wayne focused on another memory, remembering when he and Rachel stood in his Penthouse living-room and she was look back at him, though there was no conflict in her expression this time, only what could only be seen as a mixture of anger and annoyance.
"You once told me, that if the day came when I..."
"Bruce...don't make me your one hope for a normal life."
"Did you mean it?"
"...yes."
Though this time, Bruce actually saw Rachel's face, noticing the tired and weary expression on her face as she had answered him with a sigh. It was then, that he heard what he believed was Rachel's message as Alfred had recited to him, only this time in her voice.
"When I told you,that when Gotham no longer needed Batman, that we could be together...I meant it. But I now know that a time won't come, when you will no longer need Batman."
And for a long moment, the young Man stood there and looked down at Rachel's photo. Her words repeated themselves in his mind like they were on a constant loop, making his confusion thicken in the ocean of memories that washed over his thoughts as the truth floated on the surface.
'But I was going to retire Batman, once he was no longer needed, for her.' he thought before his attention was caught by the sound of squeaking coming from overhead, making him look up to see a Bat flapping around in the corner of the ceiling closest to him.
'A Bat...' Bruce started to think before the winged creature then flew past him, towards the fireplace, bringing the young Man's attention back to their faces once more.
'Mother…Father…' he thought, before looking between them and the Bat which made him remember what it was that drove him to taking the path that he had in his life. The young Wayne could hear the echoes of numerous memories that began to flow over him, like waves from an unrelenting ocean.
"Don't be afraid, Bruce."
"A Vigilante is just a man lost in the scramble for his own gratification. He can be destroyed or locked up. But if you make yourself more than just a man, if you devote yourself to an ideal and they cannot stop you, then you become something else entirely…"
"Which is…?"
"…a Legend, Mr. Wayne."
"I want to show the People of Gotham, their city does not belong to the Criminals and the Corrupt."
"It's not who you underneath, it's what you do that defines you."
"Who elected the Batman?"
"We did, all of us who let 'Scum' take over our City."
"Why Bats?"
"Bats frighten me, and it's time my enemies shared my dread."
"What the hell are 'you'?!"
"I'm Batman!"
And it was those two words that began to echo in Bruce's mind as he watched the Bat flying overhead, before he returned his gaze to Rachel's photo.
"You were right, Rachel." he then said with a knowing tone, before walking over to the fireplace and placing the framed picture on it's Mantelpiece under his Parent's portrait.
"Of course Rachel was, Sir..." a familiar voice began to say from behind him, making the Billionaire look over his shoulder to see Alfred standing behind him.
"...after all, who else would know you better than her." the Butler added, gaining a slight smile from the Billionaire in return as he looked between him and the photo.
"Well, you would, Alfred."
"Indeed, Master Bruce, though it took me a little longer to see what Miss Dawes had..." the older Man replied as he joined Bruce's side, both now standing by the fireplace and staring at Rachel's picture, before a thoughtful expression then appeared on his face.
"...you see, I personally had always wanted 'something better' for you. And before Batman, while you were away for seven years, I really hoped that you would not return." he then explained, bringing a surprised look from Bruce as he turned to his friend and confidante.
"You never said anything before, Alfred."
"I never felt that it was my place to say, Master Bruce. But when I went on my annual holiday to Florence, I always wondered if I would see you there, perhaps with a Wife and a Kid or two..." Pennyworth began to answer, while his Master remained quiet and listened intently.
"...because in truth, I never wanted 'this life' for you..." he continued to say, before a proud expression than appeared on his face as he slowly smiled.
"...but in the last few years, I have been blessed enough to watch you become the type of Man that any Parent would be proud of..."
This made Bruce look back up at his Parent's portrait, a smile slowly appearing on his face as Alfred continued.
"...and I can also say that I have also seen what Rachel did, in the last year, that you do need to be the Batman, it is the one thing now that makes you truly happy, even if you yourself have not yet noticed..." the Butler added as he and the younger Man then looked at each other, all while the Bat had stopped and has hung upside down from the ceiling overhead.
"...and if I am to be completely honest with you, Sir, I have always wanted you to be happy."
This brought an understanding smile to Bruce's face as he then offered his hand to Pennyworth, who then took it as the pair shook hands.
"Thank you, old friend..." Bruce then started to reply, before he then looked back at Rachel's photo.
"...I guess a part of me has always known that, but it's also true that there was also a part of me that wanted to have a future with Rachel, so I pushed aside the former part and focused on the latter. I thought of her as my soul-mate, since she was the one that always knew me best and was my truest friend..." he continued as the Sun continued to shine through the windows of the Living-room.
"...but in the year that has passed since her death, I have found that her absence has become less painful. I guess in the back of my mind that I always knew it was because of my being Batman, but it wasn't until you told me about Rachel's message that I thought about it and realized how right she was." the Wayne added with a knowing smile, before he walked back over to the window and looked outside.
"Being Batman has given me a purpose which channels the anger and pain that has been fuelling my life ever since the night I lost my parents and in turn, I have become the very thing that criminals now fears, meaning that there are 8 year old children out there that will never have to lose a parent in such a situation…"
"Because those same Criminals are now fixated on you, Sir." Alfred replied with a smile, cutting his Master off mid-sentence as the younger Man looked down at the Bat-symbol on his armored chest, only to return his attention to his friend once more.
"Exactly, Alfred. And knowing that makes me happy, it is all that makes me happy now."
"I understand, Sir, and I can take solace in knowing that you have found your path in life. And it is a path worth pursuing, one that I feel honoured in sharing with you." Alfred replied with a proud smile, earning a mirrored look from Bruce in return.
"And I am honoured to have you by my side in this, Alfred, because I couldn't have done any of this without you."
"I don't know about that..." the older Man began to say with a humble tone, making the Billionaire smirk and raise an eyebrow in return.
"Oh really?" he teased, making the Butler's behaviour change to one that the Billionaire was more accustomed to.
"...well, of course you couldn't, Sir."
"That's better..." the Wayne replied as he then gestured for his friend and confidante to follow, before the pair stopped in the doorway.
...look, Alfred, I forgive you."
This brought a surprised look to Pennyworth's face, while his Master stared back with an honest and caring expression.
"Sir, there is no nee..." he started to answer, only for Bruce to cut him off.
"There is, because I understand why you didn't tell me back then. In fact I agree with you, since it was during a time where we had still to deal with both the Joker and Harvey...though you should have told me afterwards. It would have hurt, but I cannot see any reason why I would not have come to the same conclusion as I have now." he replied, gaining a sigh from the Butler as he nodded back.
"I know, Master Bruce. I guess it's true...if you keep the truth from someone through a lie for a long time, even if it is for the noblest of intentions, then the damage brought about when it finally does comes out, will ultimately be more damaging than what would have been expected when the lie was originally told."
"It certainly looks that way..." Bruce began to say back, before a thoughtful expression befell his face, one that Alfred noticed and recognized why.
"Which means that I not the only one here with something to learn from this..." the Butler began to say as he first pointed at Bruce, earning a curious look from the younger Man, before then pointing back at himself.
"...since both you and Gordon do as well, Master Bruce."
"You mean with the Dent Act and Batman taking the blame for Harvey's crimes, Alfred?" the Billionaire asked with a knowing look on his face, gaining a mirrored expression from his friend and confidante.
"You already know the answer, Sir, because if what happened between us is to be any indication...the. The people of Gotham deserve to know the truth and be trusted to make up their own minds. Because in the end, the truth always comes out."
"You're right about that..." Bruce started to reply, only to stop and look back at the portrait of his Parents and Rachel's photo, before returning his attention to Alfred.
"...and Gordon and I will cross that bridge when we come to it, so long as the Commissioner is still alive by the end of the day." he added as a focused look appeared on his face, earning a nod from the Butler in response.
"Well, Sir, how do you suggest we go about locating the Commissioner and Mr. Dent?"
"Like I said earlier, Alfred. I have had no luck finding where their base of operations is, there has been no clues that I could follow up on." the Billionaire answered with a hint of frustration to his voice, bringing a look of realization to the older Man's face.
"That reminds me, Sir. Mr. Fox called a moment ago, in fact that was the reason that I came up here from the cave, because he said that the Satellite is now in position and is ready for you to use."
"Really? That was fast." the younger Man said back with a surprised expression, gaining a knowing smirk from Alfred.
"Lucius thought you would say that, Master Bruce, so he told me to tell you 'you're welcome'." he replied, making Bruce smile in return.
"Okay, we should get back to work…shall we?" he said back, gesturing to the open elevator that stood exposed in the open book-shelf.
"Naturally, Sir. So does that mean you have an idea now, of how to find Mr. Dent and his associates?" the Butler then asked, while a hopeful expression appeared on his Master's face.
"Perhaps, but I won't know until I try it out…" he started to say, only to stop and give his old friend a puzzled look.
"By the way, Alfred, how did you get up here without me even hearing you?" he asked with a slither of eagerness to his voice, which brought a teasing smirk from the Gentleman.
"I guess you are not the only one who can sneak around, Sir, or perhaps I learnt it from watching you…or maybe, you were too focused on your own thoughts to notice."
"I guess all three could be true, since you are full of surprises." the costumed-Billionaire replied with a slight chuckle, before heading into the open elevator.
"You coming, Alfred?" he then asked, noticing that the Butler had not moved.
"Of course, Sir, but shouldn't I deal with the Bat first and make sure that it gets back to the Cave?" he replied while pointing up at the winged-Mammal that was currently hanging from the ceiling, which brought a knowing smile to Bruce's face as he looked up at it.
"No, Alfred, leave it be. Because I am certain that it will 'find it's way' once it's dark enough." he replied, gaining a nod from Pennyworth. Then both Men entered the lift, which then took them back down into the depths of the Bat-cave, while the bookcase slid back into place as the Bat silently hung from the ceiling overhead.
BATMAN: THE SCARRED AND THE DAMNED
Gordon sat on the cold floor of his cell, with nothing but complete darkness and silence to accompany him as he was still fully restrained and blocked off from his senses. But none of this mattered to the Police Commissioner, since his attention was focused on what Harvey Dent had told him which was now ripping him up inside.
'It…it can't be true, they are not dead, they can't.' he thought erratically while the only sound he could hear was the echoing sound of his own heart beat, which sounded like a deafening drum being constantly hit in the recesses of his mind.
'Barbara, Jimmy….little Barbara."
But as Jim pictured all of their faces, he found a tiny glimmer of hope in that image, one that stopped him from losing himself to the cold painful idea that the former DA had dropped on him.
'Wait…wait…I never saw their bodies, plus I don't think that Harvey would simply kill them without doing so in front of me, because he would want to see the pain and grief in my eyes...' he began to think, before suddenly feeling something grab his left arm and pull him to his feet with some force as he was dragged somewhere.
"G..t y..r ha..ds of.. m…!" he mumbled back furiously from behind the gag, though the Police Chief could not hear his own voice while trying to resist whatever was moving him. But all this brought the older Man was a punch to the gut, making Gordon fall to his knees as the gag was ripped out of his mouth, earning a deep inhale of air from the Captive as the headphones too were then yanked off his head.
"How are you feeling, Jim?"
This immediately caught the Prisoner's attention as he recognized the voice of Two-Face, making him tighten his hand into a fist as his blood began to boil while breathing heavily.
"You didn't…kill them, Harvey, my Family…isn't…dead." he spat back with desperation tinting his words, gaining a chuckle back from the Manic.
"Oh really, why is that then?"
"Because you want…me to know what…it feels like to lose…my Family, so that…I can finally apologize…for your own loss. So stop playing games with me!" Jim replied defiantly, only for him to then hear what sounded like a sliding metal door being pulled open, but far more rusted as it screeched along somewhere in front of him.
'My God, what is that in front of me? It' feels both hot and cold!' the Commissioner then thought as he suddenly felt what could only be described as a cold breeze, as well as something else that was very hot radiating before him, which must have been covered by whatever had made that screeching noise as his forehead started to sweat.
"You think you know me so well, Jim, that I can act only one way and not another…" Dent began to reply, while his Prisoner felt a hand grab the back of his blindfold.
"…but I guess it is time to show you the reality of your situation." the former DA added, his voice tinged with a sinister teasing-like tone before the blindfold was quickly ripped off his head.
Light suddenly assaulted the older Man's eyes, which stung due to the darkness that that they had been subjected to for the last several hours. He gritted his teeth as the blurry mix of orange, yellow and white light moved furiously before him, making his eyes squint as they tried to adapt.
'What the hell I am looking at?' he thought with a confused expression as the image before him, though it would not remain a mystery for long, since it was slowly starting to sharpen and answer the Police Chief's thoughts, making his pupils widen and gaining a gasp from him in shock.
"Christ, no!"
For before both him lay the bodies of three people burning in what looked like a bonfire standing outside of the building they were in, as the Sun began it's descent behind the Gotham Skyline in the distance. The fire danced and enveloped the three bodies, burning them to a crisp, but despite the damage that had already been done, Gordon could make out that they were of an Adult Woman, an almost adolescent Boy and a young Girl.
'No..!' he thought as his one tiny spark of hope began to burn away, like the bodies in the fire before him, before Two-Face then stood between him and the flames, which made the older Man look up at him as tears began to run down his face.
"You…" Jim began to say, his voice trembling and ambivalent as his anger and grief began to mix and boil within him, making the Scarred-Man smile as he looked down at him.
"Yeah, Jim?" the former DA asked back, eagerly awaiting his Captive's next words.
"…you son…of a Bitch!" the Commissioner cried out as he tried to launch himself at the Manic, only to suddenly get punched back into the stomach, winding him once more as he fell back to his knees as two Mercs appeared at both sides of him.
"That's it, Jim, there is the pain and anger that I know so well." Harvey then exclaimed with an almost joyous tone as he knelt down before Gordon and stared back with glee, while the former just looked back at the burning fire and the bodies in it's flames.
"You know what it is like, but this is worse for you now than it would have been." Two-Face then added, regaining the older Man's attention as he looked up at him, tears still streaming down his face.
"What…the…hell…are you talking about?" James managed to ask while grimacing, as the light from the bonfire began to illuminate the area as the night started to settle in, with the evening sky mirroring the colors of the flames.
"If it wasn't for your friend, the Batman, you would have only lost one life 'that night' a year ago…" Dent began to explain as he took out his Coin from his right suit pocket, before flicking it into the air and catching it.
"…it would have been painful beyond description, like an empty void within your very soul that might never again be filled. However, you would at least have had your Wife and youngest Daughter at your side afterwards, but since you and the Bat defied the justice that Rachel and I deserved, how else was I to respond than to take it to the next logical step…" he continued with a mixture of joy and hate in his voice, while Gordon's eyes drifted back to the raging fire behind the Manic.
"…so you have no one to blame for this but yourself…and the Batman, of course."
"There's nothing logical about what you have done to me, Harvey…" the Police Chief started to reply, while continuing to stare into the fire as it's flames reflected off the pupils in his eyes.
"…since you are now no different to those you used to stand against…" he added, before then locking eyes with Two-Face as a angry yet stoic expression befell his face.
"…you are a Monster!"
This made the Manic grit his teeth and stare back with daggers as he leaned in close to the Captive, gripping his coin tightly in his hand while doing so.
"That maybe true, but I am only this way because of what you and 'he' did to me. After all, you reap what you sow..." Two-Face started to reply as he stared down at his former Ally, noticing that Gordon's gaze was returning to the burning pile behind him, with his angry expression waning as the pain and grief that image brought on rose back to the surface.
"...and now that you are finally there, it is time for the Batman to join you." the Manic added, before standing back up and turning to face the raging fire, just as the Commissioner's attention was brought back to him once again.
"What...what are you pla...?" the older Man began to ask, only for him to be cut off by the arrival of a Military-styled armored truck, gaining a smirk from Harvey as he looked over his shoulder to see the mixture of grief and confusion on Jim's face.
"As I told you earlier, Jim, everyone in Gotham is guilty of the part they did or didn't play in what happened to Rachel and myself. And while the most important thing in your miserable life is your Family..." he answered, making the Police Chief's gaze return to the burning remains as he heard that last word.
"...for Batman, it is this damned City that he treasures, a city filled with people who are indecent and deserve what is coming to them. Because by the time this night is over, Gotham will burn, one way or another...and you and the Bat will be the ones who lit the match." the scarred Man added, before gesturing to the two Mercs standing either side of the Prisoner, who quickly put the blindfold and headphones back on Gordon, removing the sight and sound of his family being consumed in the Bonfire. But it was already too late as that image had now been seared into the older Man's mind as the tears continued to flow and soak the blindfold's fabric.
'Damn you, Harvey, damn you….' James began to think as he lost himself to his grief once more, with nothing but the void to keep him company, before the image of his family appeared to him in his mind.
'I'm sorry…'
Two-Face though felt a smirk appear on his face as he watched Gordon sob, taking pleasure in his Captive's pain, only to then have his attention caught by one of the Mercs as they approached him from the Armored Truck.
"So is everything finally in place?" the scarred Man asked a little impatiently, earning a nod back from the other Man.
"Yes...Two-Face, 'The Bird' says everything is ready and I am here to take you to 'Ground Zero'."
This brought a smile to Dent's face as he sighed happily, before looking back at the two Mercs guarding their Prisoner.
"Get him to his feet and bring him to the Truck, we're leaving." he ordered, gaining a nod from both men as they then pulled Gordon to his feet, with little to no resistance from the older Man in return. And with that, Two-Face, Gordon and the remaining Mercs headed to the armored Vehicle and prepared to leave, while the bonfire continued to burn into the night.
BATMAN: THE SCARRED AND THE DAMNED
Back in the dark and dank interior of the Bat-Cave, Bruce sat and operated the Computer while Alfred stood at his side and watched.
"Okay, Lucius, the Bat-computer is linked with the Satellite." he said while typing away at the keyboard, before the CEO's voice spoke from it's speakers.
"I am now transferring control of it to you, Mr. Wayne, let me know if you need anything else."
"Will do, thanks." the Billionaire replied with an appreciative tone, while the Satellite's sensor window appeared on his main screen.
"Good hunting." Fox said back encouragingly, before ending the call and leaving Bruce and Alfred to their task.
"Sir, you still haven't told me what your plan is." the latter asked curiously, gaining a knowing glance from the former.
"Well, Alfred, this Satellite has the most cutting edge technology available to today…" he began to reply, only for the Butler to cut in with a smirk.
"…to Billionaires with a flair for nocturnal heroism." he teased, making the young Man shake his head and sigh, while his smirk grew a little wider.
"…and it will allow me to scan the area around the Commissioner's home and determine the track marks from any other vehicles that Harvey's new friends use, which should allow me to…" he tried to continue explaining as his older friend looked at the screen, a knowledgeable expression appearing on his face.
"You are going to pinpoint the Vehicle and then follow the tracks back to wherever Mr. Dent's Base of Operations is, aren't you?" he asked back, making Bruce nod back.
"Yes, since I believe I know what type of transport the Mercs are using." he said back as the screen then showed a top down view of the area where the Police Commissioner and his Family lived, only to stop as it's cross-hair then hovered over the Man's premises.
"There's the Gordon Residence…" the bat-suit wearing Man then stated, before typing away as he brought up a small action window inside the Main screen, with it appearing on the right hand side of the House.
"…now there is the armored-Van that I took out with the Bat-pod…" he added while highlighting the burnt wreckage with a double tap of the mouse-ball at the right hand side of the keyboard, before the program then highlighted the vehicle's track marks.
"…now there must be matching track marks close by, since the Mercenaries would have to been using a similar vehicle to have fooled the Police at the Major Crimes Unit earlier and they always use share the same type of tires." Wayne then speculated, before the computer then zoomed in onto another pair of tracks just aways from the building, quickly matching them the pair from the destroyed Van, before bringing up details next to the markings.
"Okay, found a pair that matches the other and it also seems to match with around the time that I rescued Gordon's family." the Billionaire explained, gaining a nod from the older Man standing at his side.
"So you should be able to follow these tracks back to the former District Attorney, instead of back to the MCU." he added, making Bruce nod back in response.
"Exactly, so I really should send a gift basket back to the Wayne Enterprises Employee that came up with the program."
"Since this will undoubtedly save lives, Master Wayne, perhaps you should just give them an extended vacation, in say…the Bahamas." he replied, which brought a knowing grin to the younger Man's face as he focused his attention at the screen.
"Yeah, maybe…" he started to answer, only for his eyes to widen a little as the trail finally stopped at a warehouse at the Docks.
"….looks like we have found them…." he added, only to stop as another little window appeared with information about the premises scrolling down it.
"…owned by the 'Final Offer' transport Company, which itself is a dummy corporation." Bruce read out loud, only to stop and begin an upload.
"What now, Sir?" Alfred then asked, noting the loading bar appear on the screen and start counting from zero to one hundred percent, while his Master stood up and picked up his Cowl from the workstation.
"I am just uploading the destination to the Batwing's navigational computer, because I think it is time for Batman to drop in and visit." he replied, before the Butler looked back at the screen with a puzzled expression.
"Wait a moment, Sir, but what is that?" he asked while pointing at what appeared to be a fire burning next to the building in question, to which the costumed-Man then held the Cowl in his right hand and used his free left to instruct the Satellite into action. This made the screen zoom in on the fire and while it's smoke billowed up, the pair could just make out something in it's large dancing flames.
"My Lord, there is something in there." Pennyworth stated with horrified tone to his voice, gaining narrowed eyes from Bruce.
"Zooming in further and clearing up the image." he replied, only for both his and his Confidante's eyes to widen in horror as the screen then showed the outlines of three corpses burning away in there.
"Running a scan of the bodies…..which appears to be that of a girl around the age of 8 or 9, a boy of 11 and…an adult Woman." the Billionaire then added as he read the results with an uneasy expression, before he then gasped as it dawned on him. With Alfred noticing the anxious look on the younger Man's face.
"Master Bruce?"
"I can't believe that he would actually do that?" the costumed-Man replied with an almost horrified tone to his voice, which was not something the Butler was used to hearing as his own face started to mirror Bruce's.
"I do not understand, what has he done?" he asked again, making his Master look back with a shocked expression.
"Harvey couldn't get his hands on Gordon's Family, so he just killed some random people…probably another family…" he started to explain with a tenseness to his voice, before being stopped as Alfred cut him off.
"…just so he could torture the Commissioner into thinking that his Wife and Children are dead."
"Yeah, he really is becoming like the Joker had said, completely unhinged…" Bruce replied before he turned around and started for the Batwing, while also re-equipping the Cowl.
"….and I now have to stop him…for good." he then added with his disguised and threatening voice as he glanced over his shoulder at Pennyworth,
"But…Master Wayne?"
"Don't worry, Alfred, I'm not going to kill him." he said back, noting the slightly worried tone to his Butler's voice, who then spoke up again.
"No, Sir, there is a hit on the media about Dent." he then replied as he sat down and typed away at the keyboard, bringing up a TV screen with Harvey's face on it.
"Hello, Gotham…" he then began to say with a smirk and a sinister tone to his voice, while Bruce and Alfred just watched in shock.
"…remember me?"
The young Man could feel that painful memory begin to surface as he looked up at the painting of Thomas and Martha Wayne that hung over the fireplace, but just as the sound of gunshots and pearls hitting the cold concrete ground began to echo in the distance, Bruce's attention was drawn away to a photo that stood amongst others on the table by the large window.
'Rachel...' the Billionaire thought as he picked up her photo and stared at, taking in every detail of her face like her alluring smile, her crystal blue eyes and her chocolate brown flowing locks. But a thoughtful and concerned expression grew on his face, as what Alfred had told him came back to the forefront of his mind.
'You said you would wait for me, Rachel. I cannot believe that wasn't going to happen.' he asked himself, while the Sun continued to shine down on him through the window that he stood next too. Bruce then felt his heart warm as he remembered their talk inside the burnt ruins of Wayne Manor, from two years earlier.
"I never stopped thinking about you…about us. And when I heard you were back, I…I started to hope."
Bruce could then feel the touch of Rachel's lips on his own as they kissed, remembering her taste and glow as memories continued to flow over him while looking down at her photo.
"But then I found out about your Mask. Your real face is the one that criminals now fear. The Man I loved…the man who vanished, he never came back at all….but maybe he is still out there somewhere. Maybe someday, when Gotham no longer needs Batman…I'll see him again."
But the warmth that the young Man was feeling slowly started to fade as his memories changed to ones that were more recent, finding himself standing on a balcony with the woman he loved, who had a conflicted look on her face.
"The day you once told me about, the day when Gotham no longer needs Batman...it's coming."
"You can't ask me to wait for that."
This brought an uncertain look to the Billionaire's face as he thought of that moment, like as if this was the first time that he had seen it. So Wayne focused on another memory, remembering when he and Rachel stood in his Penthouse living-room and she was look back at him, though there was no conflict in her expression this time, only what could only be seen as a mixture of anger and annoyance.
"You once told me, that if the day came when I..."
"Bruce...don't make me your one hope for a normal life."
"Did you mean it?"
"...yes."
Though this time, Bruce actually saw Rachel's face, noticing the tired and weary expression on her face as she had answered him with a sigh. It was then, that he heard what he believed was Rachel's message as Alfred had recited to him, only this time in her voice.
"When I told you,that when Gotham no longer needed Batman, that we could be together...I meant it. But I now know that a time won't come, when you will no longer need Batman."
And for a long moment, the young Man stood there and looked down at Rachel's photo. Her words repeated themselves in his mind like they were on a constant loop, making his confusion thicken in the ocean of memories that washed over his thoughts as the truth floated on the surface.
'But I was going to retire Batman, once he was no longer needed, for her.' he thought before his attention was caught by the sound of squeaking coming from overhead, making him look up to see a Bat flapping around in the corner of the ceiling closest to him.
'A Bat...' Bruce started to think before the winged creature then flew past him, towards the fireplace, bringing the young Man's attention back to their faces once more.
'Mother…Father…' he thought, before looking between them and the Bat which made him remember what it was that drove him to taking the path that he had in his life. The young Wayne could hear the echoes of numerous memories that began to flow over him, like waves from an unrelenting ocean.
"Don't be afraid, Bruce."
"A Vigilante is just a man lost in the scramble for his own gratification. He can be destroyed or locked up. But if you make yourself more than just a man, if you devote yourself to an ideal and they cannot stop you, then you become something else entirely…"
"Which is…?"
"…a Legend, Mr. Wayne."
"I want to show the People of Gotham, their city does not belong to the Criminals and the Corrupt."
"It's not who you underneath, it's what you do that defines you."
"Who elected the Batman?"
"We did, all of us who let 'Scum' take over our City."
"Why Bats?"
"Bats frighten me, and it's time my enemies shared my dread."
"What the hell are 'you'?!"
"I'm Batman!"
And it was those two words that began to echo in Bruce's mind as he watched the Bat flying overhead, before he returned his gaze to Rachel's photo.
"You were right, Rachel." he then said with a knowing tone, before walking over to the fireplace and placing the framed picture on it's Mantelpiece under his Parent's portrait.
"Of course Rachel was, Sir..." a familiar voice began to say from behind him, making the Billionaire look over his shoulder to see Alfred standing behind him.
"...after all, who else would know you better than her." the Butler added, gaining a slight smile from the Billionaire in return as he looked between him and the photo.
"Well, you would, Alfred."
"Indeed, Master Bruce, though it took me a little longer to see what Miss Dawes had..." the older Man replied as he joined Bruce's side, both now standing by the fireplace and staring at Rachel's picture, before a thoughtful expression then appeared on his face.
"...you see, I personally had always wanted 'something better' for you. And before Batman, while you were away for seven years, I really hoped that you would not return." he then explained, bringing a surprised look from Bruce as he turned to his friend and confidante.
"You never said anything before, Alfred."
"I never felt that it was my place to say, Master Bruce. But when I went on my annual holiday to Florence, I always wondered if I would see you there, perhaps with a Wife and a Kid or two..." Pennyworth began to answer, while his Master remained quiet and listened intently.
"...because in truth, I never wanted 'this life' for you..." he continued to say, before a proud expression than appeared on his face as he slowly smiled.
"...but in the last few years, I have been blessed enough to watch you become the type of Man that any Parent would be proud of..."
This made Bruce look back up at his Parent's portrait, a smile slowly appearing on his face as Alfred continued.
"...and I can also say that I have also seen what Rachel did, in the last year, that you do need to be the Batman, it is the one thing now that makes you truly happy, even if you yourself have not yet noticed..." the Butler added as he and the younger Man then looked at each other, all while the Bat had stopped and has hung upside down from the ceiling overhead.
"...and if I am to be completely honest with you, Sir, I have always wanted you to be happy."
This brought an understanding smile to Bruce's face as he then offered his hand to Pennyworth, who then took it as the pair shook hands.
"Thank you, old friend..." Bruce then started to reply, before he then looked back at Rachel's photo.
"...I guess a part of me has always known that, but it's also true that there was also a part of me that wanted to have a future with Rachel, so I pushed aside the former part and focused on the latter. I thought of her as my soul-mate, since she was the one that always knew me best and was my truest friend..." he continued as the Sun continued to shine through the windows of the Living-room.
"...but in the year that has passed since her death, I have found that her absence has become less painful. I guess in the back of my mind that I always knew it was because of my being Batman, but it wasn't until you told me about Rachel's message that I thought about it and realized how right she was." the Wayne added with a knowing smile, before he walked back over to the window and looked outside.
"Being Batman has given me a purpose which channels the anger and pain that has been fuelling my life ever since the night I lost my parents and in turn, I have become the very thing that criminals now fears, meaning that there are 8 year old children out there that will never have to lose a parent in such a situation…"
"Because those same Criminals are now fixated on you, Sir." Alfred replied with a smile, cutting his Master off mid-sentence as the younger Man looked down at the Bat-symbol on his armored chest, only to return his attention to his friend once more.
"Exactly, Alfred. And knowing that makes me happy, it is all that makes me happy now."
"I understand, Sir, and I can take solace in knowing that you have found your path in life. And it is a path worth pursuing, one that I feel honoured in sharing with you." Alfred replied with a proud smile, earning a mirrored look from Bruce in return.
"And I am honoured to have you by my side in this, Alfred, because I couldn't have done any of this without you."
"I don't know about that..." the older Man began to say with a humble tone, making the Billionaire smirk and raise an eyebrow in return.
"Oh really?" he teased, making the Butler's behaviour change to one that the Billionaire was more accustomed to.
"...well, of course you couldn't, Sir."
"That's better..." the Wayne replied as he then gestured for his friend and confidante to follow, before the pair stopped in the doorway.
...look, Alfred, I forgive you."
This brought a surprised look to Pennyworth's face, while his Master stared back with an honest and caring expression.
"Sir, there is no nee..." he started to answer, only for Bruce to cut him off.
"There is, because I understand why you didn't tell me back then. In fact I agree with you, since it was during a time where we had still to deal with both the Joker and Harvey...though you should have told me afterwards. It would have hurt, but I cannot see any reason why I would not have come to the same conclusion as I have now." he replied, gaining a sigh from the Butler as he nodded back.
"I know, Master Bruce. I guess it's true...if you keep the truth from someone through a lie for a long time, even if it is for the noblest of intentions, then the damage brought about when it finally does comes out, will ultimately be more damaging than what would have been expected when the lie was originally told."
"It certainly looks that way..." Bruce began to say back, before a thoughtful expression befell his face, one that Alfred noticed and recognized why.
"Which means that I not the only one here with something to learn from this..." the Butler began to say as he first pointed at Bruce, earning a curious look from the younger Man, before then pointing back at himself.
"...since both you and Gordon do as well, Master Bruce."
"You mean with the Dent Act and Batman taking the blame for Harvey's crimes, Alfred?" the Billionaire asked with a knowing look on his face, gaining a mirrored expression from his friend and confidante.
"You already know the answer, Sir, because if what happened between us is to be any indication...the. The people of Gotham deserve to know the truth and be trusted to make up their own minds. Because in the end, the truth always comes out."
"You're right about that..." Bruce started to reply, only to stop and look back at the portrait of his Parents and Rachel's photo, before returning his attention to Alfred.
"...and Gordon and I will cross that bridge when we come to it, so long as the Commissioner is still alive by the end of the day." he added as a focused look appeared on his face, earning a nod from the Butler in response.
"Well, Sir, how do you suggest we go about locating the Commissioner and Mr. Dent?"
"Like I said earlier, Alfred. I have had no luck finding where their base of operations is, there has been no clues that I could follow up on." the Billionaire answered with a hint of frustration to his voice, bringing a look of realization to the older Man's face.
"That reminds me, Sir. Mr. Fox called a moment ago, in fact that was the reason that I came up here from the cave, because he said that the Satellite is now in position and is ready for you to use."
"Really? That was fast." the younger Man said back with a surprised expression, gaining a knowing smirk from Alfred.
"Lucius thought you would say that, Master Bruce, so he told me to tell you 'you're welcome'." he replied, making Bruce smile in return.
"Okay, we should get back to work…shall we?" he said back, gesturing to the open elevator that stood exposed in the open book-shelf.
"Naturally, Sir. So does that mean you have an idea now, of how to find Mr. Dent and his associates?" the Butler then asked, while a hopeful expression appeared on his Master's face.
"Perhaps, but I won't know until I try it out…" he started to say, only to stop and give his old friend a puzzled look.
"By the way, Alfred, how did you get up here without me even hearing you?" he asked with a slither of eagerness to his voice, which brought a teasing smirk from the Gentleman.
"I guess you are not the only one who can sneak around, Sir, or perhaps I learnt it from watching you…or maybe, you were too focused on your own thoughts to notice."
"I guess all three could be true, since you are full of surprises." the costumed-Billionaire replied with a slight chuckle, before heading into the open elevator.
"You coming, Alfred?" he then asked, noticing that the Butler had not moved.
"Of course, Sir, but shouldn't I deal with the Bat first and make sure that it gets back to the Cave?" he replied while pointing up at the winged-Mammal that was currently hanging from the ceiling, which brought a knowing smile to Bruce's face as he looked up at it.
"No, Alfred, leave it be. Because I am certain that it will 'find it's way' once it's dark enough." he replied, gaining a nod from Pennyworth. Then both Men entered the lift, which then took them back down into the depths of the Bat-cave, while the bookcase slid back into place as the Bat silently hung from the ceiling overhead.
BATMAN: THE SCARRED AND THE DAMNED
Gordon sat on the cold floor of his cell, with nothing but complete darkness and silence to accompany him as he was still fully restrained and blocked off from his senses. But none of this mattered to the Police Commissioner, since his attention was focused on what Harvey Dent had told him which was now ripping him up inside.
'It…it can't be true, they are not dead, they can't.' he thought erratically while the only sound he could hear was the echoing sound of his own heart beat, which sounded like a deafening drum being constantly hit in the recesses of his mind.
'Barbara, Jimmy….little Barbara."
But as Jim pictured all of their faces, he found a tiny glimmer of hope in that image, one that stopped him from losing himself to the cold painful idea that the former DA had dropped on him.
'Wait…wait…I never saw their bodies, plus I don't think that Harvey would simply kill them without doing so in front of me, because he would want to see the pain and grief in my eyes...' he began to think, before suddenly feeling something grab his left arm and pull him to his feet with some force as he was dragged somewhere.
"G..t y..r ha..ds of.. m…!" he mumbled back furiously from behind the gag, though the Police Chief could not hear his own voice while trying to resist whatever was moving him. But all this brought the older Man was a punch to the gut, making Gordon fall to his knees as the gag was ripped out of his mouth, earning a deep inhale of air from the Captive as the headphones too were then yanked off his head.
"How are you feeling, Jim?"
This immediately caught the Prisoner's attention as he recognized the voice of Two-Face, making him tighten his hand into a fist as his blood began to boil while breathing heavily.
"You didn't…kill them, Harvey, my Family…isn't…dead." he spat back with desperation tinting his words, gaining a chuckle back from the Manic.
"Oh really, why is that then?"
"Because you want…me to know what…it feels like to lose…my Family, so that…I can finally apologize…for your own loss. So stop playing games with me!" Jim replied defiantly, only for him to then hear what sounded like a sliding metal door being pulled open, but far more rusted as it screeched along somewhere in front of him.
'My God, what is that in front of me? It' feels both hot and cold!' the Commissioner then thought as he suddenly felt what could only be described as a cold breeze, as well as something else that was very hot radiating before him, which must have been covered by whatever had made that screeching noise as his forehead started to sweat.
"You think you know me so well, Jim, that I can act only one way and not another…" Dent began to reply, while his Prisoner felt a hand grab the back of his blindfold.
"…but I guess it is time to show you the reality of your situation." the former DA added, his voice tinged with a sinister teasing-like tone before the blindfold was quickly ripped off his head.
Light suddenly assaulted the older Man's eyes, which stung due to the darkness that that they had been subjected to for the last several hours. He gritted his teeth as the blurry mix of orange, yellow and white light moved furiously before him, making his eyes squint as they tried to adapt.
'What the hell I am looking at?' he thought with a confused expression as the image before him, though it would not remain a mystery for long, since it was slowly starting to sharpen and answer the Police Chief's thoughts, making his pupils widen and gaining a gasp from him in shock.
"Christ, no!"
For before both him lay the bodies of three people burning in what looked like a bonfire standing outside of the building they were in, as the Sun began it's descent behind the Gotham Skyline in the distance. The fire danced and enveloped the three bodies, burning them to a crisp, but despite the damage that had already been done, Gordon could make out that they were of an Adult Woman, an almost adolescent Boy and a young Girl.
'No..!' he thought as his one tiny spark of hope began to burn away, like the bodies in the fire before him, before Two-Face then stood between him and the flames, which made the older Man look up at him as tears began to run down his face.
"You…" Jim began to say, his voice trembling and ambivalent as his anger and grief began to mix and boil within him, making the Scarred-Man smile as he looked down at him.
"Yeah, Jim?" the former DA asked back, eagerly awaiting his Captive's next words.
"…you son…of a Bitch!" the Commissioner cried out as he tried to launch himself at the Manic, only to suddenly get punched back into the stomach, winding him once more as he fell back to his knees as two Mercs appeared at both sides of him.
"That's it, Jim, there is the pain and anger that I know so well." Harvey then exclaimed with an almost joyous tone as he knelt down before Gordon and stared back with glee, while the former just looked back at the burning fire and the bodies in it's flames.
"You know what it is like, but this is worse for you now than it would have been." Two-Face then added, regaining the older Man's attention as he looked up at him, tears still streaming down his face.
"What…the…hell…are you talking about?" James managed to ask while grimacing, as the light from the bonfire began to illuminate the area as the night started to settle in, with the evening sky mirroring the colors of the flames.
"If it wasn't for your friend, the Batman, you would have only lost one life 'that night' a year ago…" Dent began to explain as he took out his Coin from his right suit pocket, before flicking it into the air and catching it.
"…it would have been painful beyond description, like an empty void within your very soul that might never again be filled. However, you would at least have had your Wife and youngest Daughter at your side afterwards, but since you and the Bat defied the justice that Rachel and I deserved, how else was I to respond than to take it to the next logical step…" he continued with a mixture of joy and hate in his voice, while Gordon's eyes drifted back to the raging fire behind the Manic.
"…so you have no one to blame for this but yourself…and the Batman, of course."
"There's nothing logical about what you have done to me, Harvey…" the Police Chief started to reply, while continuing to stare into the fire as it's flames reflected off the pupils in his eyes.
"…since you are now no different to those you used to stand against…" he added, before then locking eyes with Two-Face as a angry yet stoic expression befell his face.
"…you are a Monster!"
This made the Manic grit his teeth and stare back with daggers as he leaned in close to the Captive, gripping his coin tightly in his hand while doing so.
"That maybe true, but I am only this way because of what you and 'he' did to me. After all, you reap what you sow..." Two-Face started to reply as he stared down at his former Ally, noticing that Gordon's gaze was returning to the burning pile behind him, with his angry expression waning as the pain and grief that image brought on rose back to the surface.
"...and now that you are finally there, it is time for the Batman to join you." the Manic added, before standing back up and turning to face the raging fire, just as the Commissioner's attention was brought back to him once again.
"What...what are you pla...?" the older Man began to ask, only for him to be cut off by the arrival of a Military-styled armored truck, gaining a smirk from Harvey as he looked over his shoulder to see the mixture of grief and confusion on Jim's face.
"As I told you earlier, Jim, everyone in Gotham is guilty of the part they did or didn't play in what happened to Rachel and myself. And while the most important thing in your miserable life is your Family..." he answered, making the Police Chief's gaze return to the burning remains as he heard that last word.
"...for Batman, it is this damned City that he treasures, a city filled with people who are indecent and deserve what is coming to them. Because by the time this night is over, Gotham will burn, one way or another...and you and the Bat will be the ones who lit the match." the scarred Man added, before gesturing to the two Mercs standing either side of the Prisoner, who quickly put the blindfold and headphones back on Gordon, removing the sight and sound of his family being consumed in the Bonfire. But it was already too late as that image had now been seared into the older Man's mind as the tears continued to flow and soak the blindfold's fabric.
'Damn you, Harvey, damn you….' James began to think as he lost himself to his grief once more, with nothing but the void to keep him company, before the image of his family appeared to him in his mind.
'I'm sorry…'
Two-Face though felt a smirk appear on his face as he watched Gordon sob, taking pleasure in his Captive's pain, only to then have his attention caught by one of the Mercs as they approached him from the Armored Truck.
"So is everything finally in place?" the scarred Man asked a little impatiently, earning a nod back from the other Man.
"Yes...Two-Face, 'The Bird' says everything is ready and I am here to take you to 'Ground Zero'."
This brought a smile to Dent's face as he sighed happily, before looking back at the two Mercs guarding their Prisoner.
"Get him to his feet and bring him to the Truck, we're leaving." he ordered, gaining a nod from both men as they then pulled Gordon to his feet, with little to no resistance from the older Man in return. And with that, Two-Face, Gordon and the remaining Mercs headed to the armored Vehicle and prepared to leave, while the bonfire continued to burn into the night.
BATMAN: THE SCARRED AND THE DAMNED
Back in the dark and dank interior of the Bat-Cave, Bruce sat and operated the Computer while Alfred stood at his side and watched.
"Okay, Lucius, the Bat-computer is linked with the Satellite." he said while typing away at the keyboard, before the CEO's voice spoke from it's speakers.
"I am now transferring control of it to you, Mr. Wayne, let me know if you need anything else."
"Will do, thanks." the Billionaire replied with an appreciative tone, while the Satellite's sensor window appeared on his main screen.
"Good hunting." Fox said back encouragingly, before ending the call and leaving Bruce and Alfred to their task.
"Sir, you still haven't told me what your plan is." the latter asked curiously, gaining a knowing glance from the former.
"Well, Alfred, this Satellite has the most cutting edge technology available to today…" he began to reply, only for the Butler to cut in with a smirk.
"…to Billionaires with a flair for nocturnal heroism." he teased, making the young Man shake his head and sigh, while his smirk grew a little wider.
"…and it will allow me to scan the area around the Commissioner's home and determine the track marks from any other vehicles that Harvey's new friends use, which should allow me to…" he tried to continue explaining as his older friend looked at the screen, a knowledgeable expression appearing on his face.
"You are going to pinpoint the Vehicle and then follow the tracks back to wherever Mr. Dent's Base of Operations is, aren't you?" he asked back, making Bruce nod back.
"Yes, since I believe I know what type of transport the Mercs are using." he said back as the screen then showed a top down view of the area where the Police Commissioner and his Family lived, only to stop as it's cross-hair then hovered over the Man's premises.
"There's the Gordon Residence…" the bat-suit wearing Man then stated, before typing away as he brought up a small action window inside the Main screen, with it appearing on the right hand side of the House.
"…now there is the armored-Van that I took out with the Bat-pod…" he added while highlighting the burnt wreckage with a double tap of the mouse-ball at the right hand side of the keyboard, before the program then highlighted the vehicle's track marks.
"…now there must be matching track marks close by, since the Mercenaries would have to been using a similar vehicle to have fooled the Police at the Major Crimes Unit earlier and they always use share the same type of tires." Wayne then speculated, before the computer then zoomed in onto another pair of tracks just aways from the building, quickly matching them the pair from the destroyed Van, before bringing up details next to the markings.
"Okay, found a pair that matches the other and it also seems to match with around the time that I rescued Gordon's family." the Billionaire explained, gaining a nod from the older Man standing at his side.
"So you should be able to follow these tracks back to the former District Attorney, instead of back to the MCU." he added, making Bruce nod back in response.
"Exactly, so I really should send a gift basket back to the Wayne Enterprises Employee that came up with the program."
"Since this will undoubtedly save lives, Master Wayne, perhaps you should just give them an extended vacation, in say…the Bahamas." he replied, which brought a knowing grin to the younger Man's face as he focused his attention at the screen.
"Yeah, maybe…" he started to answer, only for his eyes to widen a little as the trail finally stopped at a warehouse at the Docks.
"….looks like we have found them…." he added, only to stop as another little window appeared with information about the premises scrolling down it.
"…owned by the 'Final Offer' transport Company, which itself is a dummy corporation." Bruce read out loud, only to stop and begin an upload.
"What now, Sir?" Alfred then asked, noting the loading bar appear on the screen and start counting from zero to one hundred percent, while his Master stood up and picked up his Cowl from the workstation.
"I am just uploading the destination to the Batwing's navigational computer, because I think it is time for Batman to drop in and visit." he replied, before the Butler looked back at the screen with a puzzled expression.
"Wait a moment, Sir, but what is that?" he asked while pointing at what appeared to be a fire burning next to the building in question, to which the costumed-Man then held the Cowl in his right hand and used his free left to instruct the Satellite into action. This made the screen zoom in on the fire and while it's smoke billowed up, the pair could just make out something in it's large dancing flames.
"My Lord, there is something in there." Pennyworth stated with horrified tone to his voice, gaining narrowed eyes from Bruce.
"Zooming in further and clearing up the image." he replied, only for both his and his Confidante's eyes to widen in horror as the screen then showed the outlines of three corpses burning away in there.
"Running a scan of the bodies…..which appears to be that of a girl around the age of 8 or 9, a boy of 11 and…an adult Woman." the Billionaire then added as he read the results with an uneasy expression, before he then gasped as it dawned on him. With Alfred noticing the anxious look on the younger Man's face.
"Master Bruce?"
"I can't believe that he would actually do that?" the costumed-Man replied with an almost horrified tone to his voice, which was not something the Butler was used to hearing as his own face started to mirror Bruce's.
"I do not understand, what has he done?" he asked again, making his Master look back with a shocked expression.
"Harvey couldn't get his hands on Gordon's Family, so he just killed some random people…probably another family…" he started to explain with a tenseness to his voice, before being stopped as Alfred cut him off.
"…just so he could torture the Commissioner into thinking that his Wife and Children are dead."
"Yeah, he really is becoming like the Joker had said, completely unhinged…" Bruce replied before he turned around and started for the Batwing, while also re-equipping the Cowl.
"….and I now have to stop him…for good." he then added with his disguised and threatening voice as he glanced over his shoulder at Pennyworth,
"But…Master Wayne?"
"Don't worry, Alfred, I'm not going to kill him." he said back, noting the slightly worried tone to his Butler's voice, who then spoke up again.
"No, Sir, there is a hit on the media about Dent." he then replied as he sat down and typed away at the keyboard, bringing up a TV screen with Harvey's face on it.
"Hello, Gotham…" he then began to say with a smirk and a sinister tone to his voice, while Bruce and Alfred just watched in shock.
"…remember me?"
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