Batman: The Scarred and the Damned [Fanfiction]

[ApolloXL5]

CHAPTER XII

As Batman's mysterious new Jet soared through the sky, all was quiet within it's cockpit as the Vigilante sat in the pilot's seat with Jimmy on his lap, while Barbara sat in the Co-Pilot's seat behind with her youngest on hers. The Mother did not know where to look as she stared straight ahead, a dumbstruck expression on her face while her kids looked around with looks of wonder instead.

"Mummy, look. We are amongst the clouds." little Barbara said with a gleeful tone, which only gained a nod back as the older Woman gently brushed her hand over her Daughter's hair.

"I know, Honey, I know." was all she said back, before the vehicle tilted a little to the left as it altered course. Though up front, Batman's focus was on his piloting, which was made a little more difficult due to the fact that he wasn't alone in his seat.

'When I passed the test for my piloting-License, they really should have had an 11-Year old kid sitting on your lap as well. That certainly would have upped the difficulty of the test, though thankfully James Jr. is behaving himself.' the Vigilante thought with a sigh of relief, while the Child in question just sat there in silence and continued to look outside of the cockpit's canopy.

"Mr. Wayne, Lucius here..." a familiar voice then spoke out from Batman's Com-link.

"I read you...'Technician', loud and clear." the Vigilante then replied, making Jimmy glance over his shoulder at the Pilot with a curious expression.

"...I beg your pardon, Mr. Wayne." the CEO said back with a bemused tone, just beating the Boy as he spoke as well.

"Who are you talking too?"

This made the Dark Knight glance at him while placing a gloved finger to his own mouth, gesturing for the young passenger to remain quiet.

"Technician, I have three passengers and need a safe place for them to stay."

"Oh, I see...of course, the Prototype's sensors have picked up the three other life-signs in it's cockpit. You do realize that the Craft was designed for only two pilots, right?" Fox then replied with a curious and knowing tone, which brought an ever so subtle smirk to the younger Man's cowl-covered face.

"That has occurred to me, yeah..." he started to say back, while his passengers listened intently to his half of the conversation.

"...but anyway, about that thing I just asked about?"

"Of course, Mr. Wayne, I have just sent the coordinates for the same facility that the Prototype you're sitting in to your Nav-Com. You can bring your guests here." Lucius replied, making Batman nod back as a map and flight plan appeared on the screen in front of him and Jimmy.

"Thanks, Technician, Batman out." the Vigilante replied before ending the conversation and turning the Jet around, heading back towards Gotham.

Meanwhile, Two-Face and his Mercs were busy putting some distance between themselves and the burning heap outside of the Gordon Residence, using the second fake SWAT-Van that they had in their possession.

"I can't believe you idiots let them get away, it was just a Mother and her kids!" Wintergreen blasted with a furious tone as he kept his attention on his Men, while the scarred-Man simply watched their Prisoner, who was still gagged, deafened and blindfolded.

"Give us a break, Billy, since we were up against 'The Batman' after all." the guy driving the armoured vehicle replied, gaining nods from those that were with him.

"Yeah, I mean 'he' managed to kick your asses too." another added, gesturing to the Team-Leader and those who were with him.

"I bet if we were being led by your old pal, 'Slade', then this wouldn't have happened." the same guy then spoke again, making Wintergreen's eyes widen as in the blink of an eye, he had pulled out his pistol and aimed directly at the other's face before he had a chance to react.

"Say that again, I dare you." the Merc spat while slowly tightening his grip around the weapon's handle.

"That's enough..!" Harvey then exclaimed, making them all stare back as he played around with that half charred coin in his right hand.

"...if anyone gets to shoot somebody around here, then it will be me!" he added with a snarl before flicking the metal piece into the air and catching it.

"Anybody want to test their luck?"

"No, Boss."

"Nah, I'm good." were just some of the almost grovelling words that were said around him, before Wintergreen re-holstered his weapon and turned to their Benefactor.

"What do we do now, Boss? I mean I thought you wanted him and his Family?" he added with a curious tone, gesturing to the oblivious Police Commissioner as a thoughtful expression appeared on Dent's face.

"Give me a second..." he then replied, before tossing the silver dollar and catching it. He then looked down and saw that it was lying Tails side up, making him smile.

"...I have a better idea."

The former District Attorney then leaned over towards heir prisoner and removed his sound-cancelling headphones and gag.

"Harvey...? Where is my Family?" the older-Man quickly asked with a worried and uneasy tone, one that made the Harvey's smile widen.

"I am not sorry to tell you this, Jim, but your Family is dead..." he began to say, not even disguising the joy in his tone as he saw his former friend start to panic in his restraints.

"What...no, you're lying...you must be."

"Oh, but I am not, Jim. I mean, I did promise you that this would happen, but I was hoping to do so with you all together, just like last time..." the disfigured Man continued, only to stop an give Wintergreen and his Men a disapproving look.

"...but my men had itchy trigger fingers."

This made the Mercs stare back with disbelieving expressions, until their Boss gestured for them to play along.

...no." Jim replied with an almost whisper, hanging bagged head in return.

"Yes, Jim, they are and you will be joining them soon enough." Two-Face said back in a definitive tone, before having the headphones and gag put back on their prisoner, who did not even attempt to resist this time.

'Oh, Jim, have i actually broken you this time?' the former DA thought with a gleeful feeling, before his attention was caught by the sound of his phone ringing, making him turn away from the his traumatized prisoner and answer it.

"I hope everything is ready, Bird, for your sake?"

"Almost, Two-Face, since I contacted my own people and they are carrying out your orders alongside the rest of your Mercs and with the materials you requested, so everything should be in place before the end of the day." the Weapons Dealer replied with a slither of fear to his voice, which made Harvey's smile weaken somewhat.

"Is there any way you can speed this up?"

"With all due respect, what you have asked for would normally be almost impossible to implement in the time you have given me, but since I already have a system in place in Gotham, as what you want to do involves the entire City. So to get it done the time we have is nothing short of a miracle, and should be seen as one." the other guy replied with an annoyed tone, earning a reluctant nod from the scarred-Man in return.

"Just get it done, since I would like to have this all set up before a certain Bat appears to mess things up, wouldn't you agree?"

"...of course." the Bird replied hesitantly, before Two-Face then ended the call and turned to Wintergreen, who looked back with a confused expression.

"I am guessing our resident Weapons-dealer is feeling a little pressured right about now?"

"I don't care what his feelings are, so long as he delivers on everything that I want.

"And what will you do with him then?" the lead-Merc then asked, the tone of his voice changing to on of curiosity as his Benefactor looked at him.

"That's not for me to decide." the former DA said while showing the coin in the palm of his hand, earning a nod back from his subordinate in return.

"Very good, Sir." Bill replied, while their Van continued it's way back to the docks.

BATMAN: THE SCARRED AND THE DAMNED

Elsewhere outside Gotham's City-limits, the black-Jet hovered over what looked like a large abandoned Warehouse, only for it's roof to suddenly open up and the Craft to descend into it and land.

"Where are we?" Barbara then asked as she got out, as the Vigilante helped her kids exit the vehicle.

"Some place safe, at least until the situation with Harvey Dent is brought to an end." he replied before gesturing for the family to follow him as they looked at their surroundings.

"Wow this place is big...and clean..." Jimmy observed as he looked around at the empty white room, a look of curiosity on his face as he did so.

"...from outside, this place looked like a piece of junk." he added, gaining a horrified expression from his Mother.

"Jimmy!" she exclaimed, only for Batman to smirk slightly as he kindly gestured to her.

"It's okay...he's right." he said back before turning his attention back to the 11 year old, while noticing that his little Sister was staring at him as well.

"The reason for this place's appearance is to trick others into thinking that it is not what it really is, understand?"

"Yeah, I get it..." Jimmy began to reply with a nod, before his expression changed to one of curiosity once more.

"...can we have a look around?"

"I am afraid not, but you can follow me." the Vigilante said back as he started to walk to a door just aways from them, with the small group following behind.

Batman then allowed Barbara and her kids to enter another more smaller room, joining the Family as they looked at their new surroundings, which included a two couches, a chair, a small kitchen area, a Television and a door at the far end labelled 'Toilets'. To Barbara, the area looked like an Employee Lounge.

"Everything you need is here in this room, so please do not leave it,.." the Dark Knight then said, before looking at the children.

"...until I have returned with your Father, understood?"

This gained a simultaneous nod from the pair who both had hopeful smiles on their faces, before he then looked back at Barbara.

"Thank you, for all that you have done for 'us'." she said, making Batman nod back as he started to head for the door, only to stop when he felt his cape being tugged. This made the masked-Man look down and see the youngest member of their family looking up at him with a innocent and curious expression.

"Why do you do what you do?"

This caught the Vigilante off guard as he looked down at her with a dumbstruck expression, but only for a split-second before he knelt down in front of her.

'Okay, if anyone was going to ask that question, I would have thought it to be either the Mother or her Son.' he thought, while the little girl continued to stare at him.

"I do what I do, because I made a promise..." he began to say, only for the little Girl to cut him off.

"A promise..? To who?" she asked back with an innocence that only someone of her age would still have, an innocence that he himself had lost when his Parents were ripped from him all those years ago.

"It was to my family and to myself..." he began to explain, while little Barbara and her family listened intently.

"...I promised that I would fight injustice in Gotham, protecting it's people from those that would harm them." he added, making Jimmy's little Sister's smile widen in response.

"I think you are a Hero." she said back, which brought a slight smile to Batman's face and the others.

"...thank you." he replied a little hesitantly, before standing back up and heading towards the door.

"Good luck, Batman." Jimmy then added with a hopeful tone, making the Vigilante pause for a moment as he sighed, only to then disappear through it and leave the Family alone in there.

The Dark Knight re-entered the large white room that housed his new ride and looked at the ground as a thoughtful look befell his face, before a familiar voice spoke up from just aways from him.

"Over here."

[ApolloXL5]

This made Batman look in it's direction and see Lucius Fox standing in an open door on the other side of the black-Jet, before walking over to join his CEO in the other room.

"Fox, you're here." he replied with a hint of surprise in his voice, gaining a knowing smile from his friend in return.

"Of course I am. Where else would I be able to remote-pilot 'The Bat-Wing' for you." he replied while gesturing to the large computer system that sat at the other side of the room, which made the costumed-Man look back with a smirk.

"The Bat-Wing?"

"You did come up to me a few days ago, wanting to implement a Bat-motif to all future vehicles and equipment. So I thought I would go ahead and name the first one to come of the assembly line." the older Man answered.

"I like it." was all Batman could say as he looked back at the Jet-fighter, making Fox's smile widen.

"I thought you would..." he started to reply as the Vigilante removed his Cowl, only to look over at what looked like the same Armoury Case that he had back at the Cave. But this one contained a suit that looked similar to the one he was wearing, but still quite different.

"...oh, I see you have noticed that." the CEO then noted, while Bruce walked over to the Case and admired it's contents.

"You have already started working on the new Bat-suit?" he asked with a curious tone to his voice, gaining a nod from Fox as he joined his side.

"And nearly finished, though I still need another day with it at least before it's yours, I'm afraid."

"...sweet..." was all the younger Man could say as he stared at the new costume, his smirk slowly widening before he suddenly turned back to Lucius with a confused look.

"...oh, I forgot to ask, but...where are we?"

This brought a guilty smile to the older Man's face, which only made Bruce all the more curious.

"It appears that great minds do think alike, Bruce, because when you came to me with the idea of a separate entity that would supply you with all your unusual requests, I had already had that idea and had secretly purchased this site a few months back..." Fox started to explain, while Bruce simply stood there and listened intently.

"...so that we could have it ready...for your next Birthday."

"My Birthday?" the costumed-Billionaire repeated with a surprised tone, earning a warm nod and smile from his CEO in response.

"Yes, Bruce. It was meant to be both a surprise and a thank you, because even though the City itself cannot, or in this case, will not show it's appreciation for everything you have done as both yourself and as the Batman in the past few years, 'we' can." he continued, making the younger Man's eye-brows rise as how curiosity spiked.

"We?"

"Well, how would you expect a facility like this to function, Bruce? You didn't think it was just me in here, building everything...did you?" Fox answered with a slightly teasing tone, which earned an embarrassed look from Bruce.

"No, of course not. But who..?" he started to say back, only for his friend and confidante to quickly reply and cut him off.

"I did a background check on a number of the people who have been saved by Batman over the past few years, and a few of them turned out to have certain skills or trades that would benefit your operation. So I contacted them through anonymous sources and they were very happy and eager to help, as a way to 'thank you' I believe."

This made the Billionaire sigh, looking at the ground for a moment.

"I don't do this to be thanked." he said back, gaining a knowing smile and nod from Fox as he placed a hand on his armoured shoulder.

"I know, but you have it anyway." he replied, before the costumed Man looked back to him with an appreciative smile.

"Thank you, Lucius."

"You deserve it, Bruce." the CEO replied, before Bruce then looked around at his surroundings.

"So when do I get to meet the staff?"

"We are currently in the process of setting things up, plus there are also one or two Wayne Enterprises Employees that I know would work well in this environment, and I know they are to be trusted. So until that is all completed, I am the only one who will be here most of the time." he explained, which brought another curious look to the Billionaire's face.

"And I take it that this facility will mainly be underground?"

"Yes, Mr. Wayne, since this place is on top of an abandoned WWII missile silo, which can be re-purposed to our needs."

"Okay, can you make sure that Gordon's Family stays in the room that I have left them in, because I should be getting back to the cave?" Bruce then asked, gaining a nod from Lucius in return.

"Of course, Mr. Wayne, I have already locked their door automatically." he assured the costumed-Billionaire, who then walked out of the room and back towards the Batwing while refitting his Cowl, only to stop and look back at Fox with a confused expression.

"It's just occurred to me, that the Batwing's wing-span may be to wide for the Cave's entrance..." he started to say with a little uncertainty, which made the CEO roll his eyes as he picked up a book from the table beside him and handed it to Bruce as he joined him by the vehicle.

"Here, Mr. Wayne, you will have to read these instructions at some point..." he began to say, only for a smirk to appear on his face.

"...but in the meantime, try the button at the lower left of the your cockpit controls."

"Thanks and if you could also help me with my search for where Harvey Dent's hiding..." he began to reply, only for Fox to cut him off.

"I will have one of our Wayne Enterprises Satellites change it's orbit so we can scan the City, oh and one last thing..." he started to say, while the younger Man stood there and listened.

"If you are going to give me a code-name, then please let me come up with one myself."

"Okay..." the Billionaire began to say with a chuckle as he put his cowl back on.

"....though it was the first thing that sprang to mind when you called."

"Really, Mr. Wayne, 'Technician' was the best you could come up with?" the CEO said back with a surprised tone, one that made Batman smirk back in return.

"Okay, let's see if you can come up with a better one."

"In time, Mr. Wayne, in time. Anyway, good luck." Lucius replied with a smile, before the Vigilante nodded back and climbed back into the Batwing's cockpit, with only a second or so passing before it's engines fired, which lifted the vehicle into the air. In reaction to this action, the facility's roof opened up and allowed the Jet to leave and launch itself back up into the sky.

[ApolloXL5]

BATMAN: THE SCARRED AND THE DAMNED

10 minutes later and the Batwing burst through the waterfall that covered the entrance to the Cave, sending water in all directions as it landed in the enclosed area of rock, almost making Alfred jump out of his ski as he sat at the Bat-Computer.

'Boys and their toys.' he thought with a smirk while looking at the jet-black prototype, which had it's wings in a folded up position as it touched down on the damp rocky floor.

"I see Fox has given you another flashy mode of transportation, Sir." the Butler observed, while Batman climbed out and walked up to him.

"Since the Bat-pod is out of commission, I needed something else that can get me from here to the City and back." the Vigilante replied as he handed the Butler the Batwing's instruction book and carried on to the Bat-computer and sat down, removing his Cowl and placed it next to him on the table next to him.

"And I take it that you will want me to read this book, Sir..." Pennyworth said back as he joined his Master's side, before placing the book on the table of the Bat-Computer.

"... as you never read such things." he added, making the Bruce stop working and glance over his shoulder at him.

"I do read instructions, Alfred..." he started to say in a slightly defending tone, which made the older Gentleman cut him off.

"...yes, but usually only after you have already used the devices or vehicles that the instructions were meant for."

"What can I say, I'm a quick study..." the younger Man replied as he began to work, bringing to life the large main screen and the several smaller ones of the Bat-Computer.

"...but what is important right now, is finding Harvey." he added, earning a nod from his friend and confidante in response.

"You mean before he does anything to the Commissioner?"

"I am not sure, Alfred, but Gordon is definitely part of whatever he has planned." Bruce said back, only for the Butler to notice the thoughtful expression that appeared on his face.

"Master Bruce, what is it?" he asked, making the Billionaire sit back in his chair and stared at the screen.

"I've encountered Harvey twice now since his 'return', but he is not acting the same as he did 'that night' a year ago. He appears more focused, executing plans and working with others."

"Perhaps that is so, Sir. But he is still using that Coin of his to help him make decisions, right?" Alfred asked, gaining a nod from Bruce.

"Yes he is, which makes that his Achilles Heel still. But like I said, he isn't working alone and yet I cannot find anything on who those highly trained Mercenaries are, since they have no special markings or symbols on their uniforms..." he started to explain, before typing away at the Computer's keyboard and ringing up several data feeds onto the screen in front of them.

"They cannot be that 'highly trained, since you have defeated them twice already, Sir." the older Man replied with a cynical tone, making Bruce shake his head in return.

"They are well organized and heavily armed, Alfred, and if I had not caught them off guard with my own specialized tactics, then things might have turned out differently. So I certainly am not going to take their threat lightly." Bruce said back, gaining a nod from the Butler as he looked away with a thoughtful stare towards the Cave's Waterfall-covered entrance.

"What's wrong, Alfred?" the younger Man then asked, having noticed his Confidante's behavior.

"I was just thinking, Master Bruce, that Mr. Dent may just have another Achilles Heel for you to exploit or at least reach him via."

This brought a confused look to the Billionaire's face as he turned his chair around to fully face his friend, who returned his own attention back to him.

"Alfred, what are you talking about?"

"Many years ago, when I was a young Man working in the British Military..." Alfred then started to say, while looking into the distance as Bruce just sat there at listened, noting how his former-legal Guardian looked as though he was picturing what he was remembering, right there in front of him.

"...I was friends with a one 'Thomas James' who served in the same Regiment as myself. He was a good soldier and friend, but one day he received news that his dearest Sister had been killed in a terrible accident back in England and this shook the Thomas to his core, making him unfit to operate alongside the rest of us in our unit. But he continued to work, as though he was trying to use his job as a way to fill the void that was now there in his heart. But he was never fully focused on what needed to be done, always making mistakes and more than once, nearly cost the lives of a number of our Men. He of course would deny that anything was wrong, even to our Commanders who he argued with daily, until they finally put him in a Military Prison for his insubordinate behavior towards them. No one could get through to him, Master Bruce..." Alfred continued, with the younger Wayne just watching him intently.

"...but one day, I thought that I would try, so I visited Thomas and we talked. I spoke about my experience with how I lost my Father, as I felt that I had been through a similar ordeal as he was going through now. And it was in our talk, that I got through to him, that I saw the Thomas that I had known before."

"And what happened to this Thomas James, Alfred?" Bruce then asked with a curious tone.

"He served his time and then took extended leave from the Army, before rejoining the rest of us with a clearer Mind. You see, Master Bruce, even when up against somebody that appears to be unapproachable, if you can find 'common ground' with them, then anything is possible." the Butler then said with a knowing expression, which only made his Master stare back with a more confused look.

"So how would I find 'common ground' with Harvey?"

"By reminding Mr. Dent of what you both have lost, Sir,.....Rachel." the older Man then replied, making the Billionaire's eyes widen in response.

"Rachel....?" he said back with a slightly disbelieving tone, looking at the ground as he remembered her warm smile and beautiful blue eyes.

"Both of you loved Ms. Dawes very much, right, Master Bruce?" Alfred asked, gaining a nod from Wayne as the younger Man looked back up at his Confidante with a mixture of confusion and guilt.

"But, Alfred, even if I was to in some way do that. It would only drive Harvey even more over the edge..." he began to explain, earning a puzzled look from the Butler.

"And why is that, Master Wayne?"

"Because Rachel was going to leave Harvey for me, remember? She was going to wait for me, for when Gotham no longer needed me as the Batman. How can I tell the Man who thought she loved him, that she actually loved me?" Bruce replied with a guilt ridden tone as he continued to look at the ground out of shame, not noticing the worried look that was creeping it's way onto Alfred's face as he remembered their previous talk on that matter, as well as his actions after it.

"....what if that was...not the case?" he then started to say, his words underlined with a note of guilt, which brought the Billionaire's attention back as he looked up at him.

"What?"

"What if Rachel had chosen Harvey Dent over you, explaining so in a letter that was meant for you..." the older Man began to explain with a heavy heart, which made the former remember back to when he was besieged with grief over Rachel's death as the latter brought Breakfast to him in the Penthouse, before taking a small envelope from the tray.

"What's that?" the young Man asked, while the older gentleman whisked it out of sight.

"It can wait."

This memory brought a look of realization to the young Man's face, while Alfred continued his confession.

"...and what if to spare you that pain and grief, I then burned that letter, so to keep you focused on what needed to be done at that dark time." he added, making Bruce look back at him with a confused and almost hurt expression, as though those words were completely alien to him.

"What? I don't understand....Rachel told me, she said that she would wait for me, that when this was all over, that we could finally be together." he replied in a confused and disbelieving tone as he stood up and walked past Alfred, only to stop and look over at the area where the Batwing stood, while the Butler turned and faced with him.

"Ms. Dawes wrote that she meant every word of that, Master Bruce. But deep down, she knew that you would never be able to stop being the Batman, which is why she was going to marry Harvey Dent." he said back in an honest and pained tone, which made the younger Man look back at him as his eyes began to well up.

"I'm sorry...but I can't hear this." the Billionaire then said back, before brushing past the older Man and heading to the elevator.

"Master Bruce, wait..." Alfred began to call back, only to stand there and watch as the Man who had been like a Son to him for just over 30 years left him in the Cave.

"...Bruce...I'm sorry."

Meanwhile back at the Docks, Harvey and his men entered their base with the Police Commissioner in tow as he was still strained and cut off from sight and sound.

"Bird, please tell me that I won't have to wait much longer?" the scarred-Man asked with a slight frustration to his voice, which made the bald Weapons Dealer a little uncomfortable as he stood before a large screen with a map of the City on it.

"As I said to you over the phone, Two-Face, this work can only be rushed so much, especially with the devices and the chemicals involved..." he began to explain before gesturing to the map.

"My men and the devices you asked for are now at the positions you pointed out to on the map, all over the City. By this evening, everything will be in place and ready for whatever it is you have planned. But in the meantime, I am sure there is something you can do to keep yourself occupied. He added with a slither of annoyance, which made the former DA grit his teeth as he tightened his grip around his coin.

"Very well..." he replied reluctantly before turning to Wintergreen, who had just ordered his Men to put their prisoner into one of the back-rooms.

"So what now, Boss?" the lead-merc asked as his Benefactor stared at Gordon, a slight smile appearing on his disfigured Face.

"There is something else I need for you to do for me, Billy....can I call you that?" he said back with a curious tone, gaining a nod from the other man in return.

"Of course, Boss. My old friend Slade used to call me by that, back when we served together in the Special Forces, at least before he disappeared a number of years ago." he replied, before noticing the disinterest growing on the former's face.

"...but, anyway, what do you want me to do?" he then asked, quickly changing the subject as Two-Face's smile began to widen once more as he continued to stare at the Police Commissioner, who was then pushed into the other room.

"I'll tell you..." he then began to reply with a sinister tone.

[ApolloXL5]

CHAPTER XIII

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 it 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.

[ApolloXL5]

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.

[ApolloXL5]

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." Batman 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 the Dark Knight and Alfred just watched in shock.

"...remember me?"

A/N: Well Chapter 13 is now over (with only two left - I believe -), so hope you enjoyed it and thanks for reading, since I really appreciate it.

Next Chapter: Harvey's 'Endgame' begins as he announces his return to the rest of Gotham, as well as his plan. A plan that will change the City forever....but only if the Batman fails to stop him, that is.

[ApolloXL5]

CHAPTER XIV

"Hello, Gotham...remember me?" Harvey spoke as his disfigured Face appeared on TVs all around the City, from homes, Clubs, Diners, pretty much anywhere there was an active Television, gaining shocked reactions from all who were watching.

"As you can see, I, Harvey Dent, am not dead as 'others' had reported a year ago. But I am no longer the Man who you all once believed in to save this City from the threat of organized Crime..." he started to explain, while Batman, Alfred and everyone else watched.

"...since I have realised that there is no saving Gotham, because it is a 'cursed' City, where anyone who enters is 'damned' and forced to lose everything that they love. That is what happened to me when I took a stand against against the Mob, because those I considered friends/allies betrayed me, allowing the Joker to get his hands on the Woman I loved, Rachel Dawes, and myself..." he continued while

a saddened look appeared on his scarred face.

"...before blowing her to hell in a building full of explosives. I would have suffered the same fate, if it hadn't been for the Batman, though as you can see, I didn't get out of there completely unscathed..." Dent added, gesturing to the burnt and hideous side of his face.

"...and after learning of Rachel's death and what had become of myself, I wanted nothing more than to join her, but only after making the ones I held responsible pay for failing Rachel and myself for what happened to us. But the Batman interfered again and I ended up in a coma, rotting away in the depths of Arkham Asylum for a year. I have had much time to dwell on that, also I found out that you, the people of Gotham, had used my name to rid the City of the Falcone Crime Syndicate. Instead of pursuing justice for Rachel, you chose to heed the lies of this Man..." the former DA continued, before the camera moved slightly to the right and revealed the broken looking Jim Gordon, who was on his knees and staring down at the floor.

"...this Man, who built a lie about me and had his Vigilante friend take the blame for it. But I did not ask for that and will not accept it, because I let Fate judge those people and then killed them accordingly." Two-Face continued as he then flicked his coin and caught before showing it's burnt and scarred side to the camera.

"And now, with your dear Commissioner's help, I will now let fate judge you all, Gotham. I have planted and armed four thermobaric bombs in secret locations throughout the City, which together have the same destructive potential as four Nuclear Warhead, minus the radioactive fallout. Now if only two of these devices were to go off, then the level of destruction would be limited to only half of Gotham. But as I have already said, all the devices have been armed and they will all go off at exactly 8:29pm, which was the exact time that my Rachel lost her life..." the Maniac added, while people started to panic as his transmission continued.

"...now you can try to flee the City, but since Gotham has a population of several million people, it will take a while and most of you will not escape the blast radius in time. But as I said, that is only if all the bombs explode, you see, I will be giving the choice to your beloved Commissioner with this remote." Harvey added, before revealing the small device in his burnt left hand.

"If Jim Gordon, here, presses the button on this remote before 8:30pm, then only two of the bombs will detonate and destroy just half of Gotham. That means only half of this City's Citizens, if plan is followed correctly, will have a 50/50 chance of surviving this and reflecting on the fact that their own inability to stand up to injustice is what put them in this very situation." the scarred Man spat with a judgemental tone, before a slight smirk appeared on his half-ruined face.

"But if Commissioner Gordon does not play by my rules, if he does not activate the remote in the set time, then everyone in this poisoned City will die. So, Gotham, time to hold your breath and see if your Hero-Cop here, has the courage to let 'fate' decide who will live and suffer the guilt of their inaction and those that will burn for their sins..." Two-Face continued, only to pause for a second before looking back at the camera with a knowing expression.

"...oh and one last thing, I certainly hope none of you put faith into Gotham's apparently misunderstood Vigilante, the one who loves this City so much that he took the blame for what were considered my crimes, in the hope that things would get better in the long run. Only they haven't, have they? Because no matter what the Batman tries to accomplish, he will inevitably fail, just as he did with Rachel and myself." the former DA explained with a disdainful tone, before flicking his Father's Coin into the air and catching it one more time.

"So, let's begin." he finished with a finality to those words, before the transmission suddenly cut off, which made Alfred look back to Bruce, who was already working away at the Bat-Computer.

"Sir, 8:30pm is..." he started to say with a worried tone, only for the younger man to cut him off mid-sentence.

"In just under an hour's time, I know...are you online, Lucius?"

"I always am, Mr. Wayne..." the voice of Wayne Enterprise's CEO then spoke through the Bat-computer's speakers, while Batman continued to focus on it's main screen as he typed.

"...and before you ask, yes, I have just seen that transmission and I am ready to assist you."

"Good, start by using our Wayne-Tech Radio transmitters to try and pick up any frequencies that appear to be alien for the area of Gotham..." the Vigilante started to reply, before Fox cut him off.

"No need, Mr. Wayne, since the new Satellite can scan for different types of frequencies." he said back with an inquisitive tone, earning a nod from Batman in return as he got out of his chair.

"Okay then, get a fix on their frequency and try to block it, so Harvey's bombs can't detonate." he then started to order while making his way towards the Batwing, only for his loyal Butler to catch his attention.

"But, Master Wayne, what about the Commissioner?" he asked, making the Dark Knight stop and look back.

"Gordon won't use that remote, Alfred, I know he won't." he said back reassuringly, bringing a puzzled look to his older friend's face.

"So where are you going?"

"I know where Harvey and the Commissioner are, since I recognised the area around them in the transmission. They are at 250-52nd Street..." the costumed Man replied.

"Where Miss. Dawes died and Mr, Dent was believed to have perished." Alfred replied, his tone of voice tinted with sadness, which made Batman sigh in response.

"...Yes, so I am going to need you to work with Lucius from here and keep in contact with me via my com-link."

"...Yes, so I am going to need you to work with Lucius in finding the Bomb's frequency and block it, so I have only have to worry about stopping Harvey and saving Gordon."

"You can count on us, Master Bruce." the Butler replied in a reassuring tone, earning a nod from the costumed Billionaire as he turned round and walked over to the Batwing.

"I know, now I just need to gain the assistance of someone else before we make our move." he replied with a slight crypticness to his words.

"And who would that be, Mr. Wayne." Fox asked over the Bat-Computer's speakers, making Batman look back after climbing into the Jet's cockpit.

"Someone who hates me." was all the Vigilante would sat before the glass-canopy closed over him and he then piloted the vehicle out of the Cave, leaving Alfred on his own as he sat down at the Computer.

"Alright then, let's find that signal."

BATMAN: THE SCARRED AND THE DAMNED

[/b]

'20 minutes before 8:30pm'

Lieutenant Foley stood beside his Patrol-Car, one of several that blocked off one of three streets leading to 50-52nd Street, holding his Buretta in one hand and a radio in the other as Eckhart approached him.

"Lieutenant, the squads have checked in and reported that the other streets have been blocked and the SWAT teams are standing ready." the younger Man reported, gaining a nod back from George saw one more SWAT van pull up to their barrier.

"Good, now we just wait and make sure that nothing gets in or out of the area 250-52nd Street. I am just relieved that there are no Civilians in there, since the whole area is disused." the Lt. replied, earning a confused look from Eckhart.

"Sir, I don't understand why we don't just move in and take those Mercs down. I mean we have all our SWAT teams here and ready to go, so what is the hold up?"

"Son, you saw what happened when one of our Choppers did a fly by of the place, trying to get a lay of the land. It was shot down by a surface to air - rocket propelled Grenade, meaning that those Mercs have access to some heavy Military hardware, curtsey of 'The Bird' I bet. I have called in the National Guard, but there are still mobilizing. Also we are stretched pretty thin, with half of our men here and the others out there, searching the City for those four bombs that Dent has hidden." Foley replied with a frustrated tone, making the younger Police Officer look out in the direction of 50-52nd Street.

"But what are we waiting for, then?" he asked, which brought a thoughtful expression to the Lieutenant's face as he looked in the same direction, as he remembered what had happened in only 30 minutes earlier...

'At the GCPD Headquarters, Foley sat in his office and looked out of the windows that surrounded his work area, separating him from the rest of the force. They were rushing about with far more urgency as usual, which was to be expected when you consider that they had all just seen Harvey Dent on the TV, threatening the entire City.

'Gotham just doesn't get a break, does it? First it was Ra's Al Ghul's Chemical Attack, then it was th Joker and now it's this...' he thought with a worried expression, before his attention was caught by the door opening as a younger Man stood in the now open doorway.

"Lieutenant, the Bomb Squads are being mobilised as we speak and should be ready to go in 5 mins."

"Very good, Johnson, is there anything else?" the GCPD's second in Command replied, gaining a nod from the Subordinate in response.

"Yes, Bullock called in from the Hospital and says that he is ready to come in and help, considering what is happening right now." he said back, bringing an appreciative slight-smile to Foley's face.

"You have got to give the man credit, he gets shot just a day earlier and still wants to help..." he started to say with an impressed tone, while Eckhart listened to him from his spot in the doorway.

"...but tell him that though while I appreciate his enthusiasm, the best place for him right now is the Hospital."

"Okay, Sir." the younger Man replied, before exiting the room and closing the door behind him, once again leaving the Lieutenant on his own once more, making him sigh deeply as he watched his colleagues continue to work around him.

"We have to talk!" a familiar deep voice spoke once from behind the Cop, making him nearly fall out of his seat as he fumbled his gun out of his holster, only for it to be quickly snatched from his grasp, with Foley finding himself on the floor and staring up at the Batman.

"What...how...how did you...?" he mumbled with a confused and shocked expression, before the Vigilante then picked him up and pushed him against the wall, all while everyone outside of the room continued to work, completely oblivious to his presence.

"We don't have time for this Foley..." he started to say, only for the Lieutenant to interrupt him by fighting back with a punch to the Dark Knight's stomach. But his move was too easily telegraphed and Batman easily blocked it, before twisting said arm around Foley's back and forcing the Man down on to his knees.

"...because no matter what your thoughts are on me right now, there are much bigger things going on and you have to focus on them..." the Vigilante carried on saying while looking down at beaten Man, who looked back up and saw the judging glare that was being stared at him.

"...or are you going to let your Colleagues out there..." Batman added while pointing the Police outside as he spoke, making the Lieutenant look in the direction with a look of disgrace on his face.

"...discover that you are just a shadow of the Man who should be leading them right now?"

There was a moment of silence between the two Men as Batman let his words sink into the Lieutenant's mind, before the latter looked back from over his shoulder.

"What do you want?" he asked with a reluctant tone, while former, with his free hand, took a Memory-Stick out of one of the metallic pouches on his Utility-belt and placed it on the Policeman's desk.

"On this Flash-drive are two addresses, the first is Harvey Dent's base of operations and the other is where he, his Mercenary team and Commissioner Gordon are right now..." he started to explain in his disguised voice, only for Foley to cut him off.

"Why should we bother with his Base if they are not there any more?" he winced as the Dark Knight kept his arm in that tight hold, making him grit his teeth.

"You need to send a Patrol out there and identify the bodies of a Woman, a little Girl and a little Boy who are currently burning in a bonfire outside the building there." Batman continued, before the Cop looked back with a worried expression.

"You're not talking about Jim's Family, are you?" he asked, making the Vigilante shake his head in response, while not letting go of the Man's arm.

"No, Harvey wants Gordon to believe that his Family are dead, but they are safe and out of his reach..." he began to explain, though Foley suddenly tried to resist and break free.

"Where are they!" he spat, making the Dark Knight twist the arm more and stop the Lieutenant in his tracks.

"They are safe, but the family that was killed deserves Justice for what was done to them and you have to ensure that their voices will be heard."

"Okay, they will. And what about the other Address?" Foley sighed in return.

"You have to surround its perimeter and ensure no one gets in or out, once I have dealt with everyone in there, I will send a signal and you can they come in and arrest everyone." the Costumed-Man replied, earning a reluctant nod back from the Policeman.

"Alright, I will see this done, one time. But this doesn't change anything, because even if you didn't kill Harvey Dent, you are still a Vigilante and are acting outside of the Law. So no matter how tonight ends up, I am still coming for you." he said back with a determined look, which brought a knowing smirk to Batman's face.

"Understood, now get out there and do your job, Lieutenant." was all the Vigilante would say next, before pushing the Cop to the floor, making Foley land face first next to his gun. This made his eyes widen as he saw the weapon, before suddenly snatching it up in his hands and quickly turning around and aiming it at the Dark Knight.

'What!' he thought with another shocked expression as he found himself to be alone once more in his office, with only a slightly ajar window as a sign of how his enemy had got out.

"Damn it!" he spat with a frustrated look, before sighing and holstering his weapon.'

"Lieutenant, I asked what are we waiting for?" Eckhart asked once more, snapping Foley from his thoughts as he looked back at the confused looking younger Man. But before either could say another word, a jet-black fighter-jet suddenly flew overhead in direction of 50-52nd Street, gaining an aggravated look from the Lieutenant as he watched the plane.

"For that...for the f**king Batman!"

[ApolloXL5]

BATMAN: THE SCARRED AND THE DAMNED

"Okay, looks like Foley did as I said." Batman spoke aloud from the Cockpit of the Batwing, looking down at the streets below as he flew over them.

"You did threaten his ego, Sir, which can be a great motivator for most people." Alfred replied over the com, earning a slight smirk from the Vigilante.

"Yeah, I did. But the Lieutenant needed the push, or else he would have just kept himself locked up in that office." he said back as his expression became more serious.

"You don't think that the Lieutenant has what it takes, Master Bruce?" the Butler then asked, only for the Dark Knight to ignore him as one of the screens in front of him began to beep.

"Sir?"

"Sorry, Alfred, but I think someone is targeting me." the younger Man replied as he glanced at the screen, just as the Batwing approached 250-52nd Street.

"That is understandable, Sir. "

But Batman continued to ignore the voice of his Confidante and friend as an alert sound blasted out from the speakers at either side of his seat, keeping his attention on what was transpiring at that moment.

'What the hell is targeting me out there?' he thought frantically while looking out of the cockpit at the area around what was left of the building, before it then struck him as the Pilot saw a anti-aircraft weapons platform aiming it's turrets towards him.

"Shi..!" he started to say, only to be cut off by Fox, who spoke over the Com-link.

"Better get ready to use your Counter-measures, Batman." the CEO said in his usual calm tone, leaving the Vigilante to look at his controls and spot the button.

"Oh, there it is."

This gained a knowing sigh from the old Man over the com, but the Dark Knight's focus was still on the upcoming threat, which suddenly became very real as the platform launched a rocket his way, signalled by the Cockpit's audio alert changing to one very loud and continuous tone.

"Evade and launch counter-measures!" Lucius ordered as the Costumed-Man pulled the Batwing away from the building sharply and fired several flares behind it, making the homing projectile miss the Jet as it turned it's attention to the Countermeasures and hit one of them.

Meanwhile, Two-Face watched with a restrained Jim-Gordon at his side from their place on the derelict Building's top floor, the former beginning to smile as he witnessed the Batwing coming under attack.

"Okay, Boys, light him up." he then said into his radio, before returning his attention to the knelt Commissioner.

"Well, Jim, the Bat showed up, just like we both knew he would..." he continued while kneeling down beside his prisoner, who just kept his own eyes on the jet-black fighter.

"...but he is not going to stop what is about to happen..." the Scarred-Man added while undoing Jim's restraints as he kept his pistol pointed at him, before placing the remote in his now free hands.

"...because either way, this damned City will burn."

Gordon though just looked down at the device that lay in his grasp, knowing what would happen if he pressed it's button.

"No..." the Police Commissioner began to say as he looked up at his Captor, while a resilient expression appeared on his face.

"...no, I will not do it."

"Oh yes you will, Jim, because if you don't..." Dent then replied as he looked at his watch, earning a glance from his former friend.

"...then in just under 20 minutes, everyone in the City will burn. But if you can save half of its Citizens if you just push that button, I do not know which half, but that's the point. 50 percent of Gotham will have a 50/50 chance of surviving, just like Rachel and I did..."

The disgraced District Attorney was about to continue talking, only to have his attention caught as his radio came to life once again.

"Two-Face, this is Kuttler..." spoke the voice of the Mercenaries Tech-expert, which made Harvey take his radio back out of the burnt side if his suit.

"What is it?"

"Just thought you would like to know, that our Bat-friend will be in for a surprise in the next moment or so." Kuttler replied with a confident tone, gaining a slight smile from his Boss in return.

"Good, just keep him busy with the rest or our Artillery in the meantime. Oh and, Kuttler..." he started to say back, just as Gordon watched him with a curious look.

"Yes, Two-Face?"

"Please give my regards to 'the Bird' for all the Tech that he has procured for me and let him know that he, along with you and the rest of the Mercenaries will be well paid for your efforts when this night is through." Harvey said back, just as his Prisoner noticed a sinister expression cross his half-mutilated face.

"Of course I will, Kuttler out."

"Oh, if only they knew the truth." the Maniac then said, once his radio had gone silenced, making Gordon stare back with even more confusion in his eyes.

"What have you done, Harvey?"

This made the disfigured Man turn his attention back to the captive Police Chief, a sinister and telling smile on his face.

"I told you a long time ago that there would be no escaping what was meant to happen and I have made sure that this time, there 'really' will be no escape tonight...not for any of us." he replied with a knowing and truthful tone to his voice, earning a worried expression from Gordon as he looked back at the device in his hands.

"So press that button and spare half of Gotham from the fate that awaits us in the next 20 minutes."

Meanwhile, the Batwing managed to dodge another missile as it performed a barrel-roll, only to suddenly be hit by gunfire.

"What the hell?" Batman replied with a surprised tone as he felt the impacts, before noticing that another small screen had activated on his controls, one that showed a top down view of his vehicle and it's starboard wing flashing red.

"You have been hit, Mr. Wayne." Lucius said over the com in a very 'matter-of-fact' tone, gaining an aware expression from the masked-Vigilante.

"Oh, what gave you that idea." he replied with a slight sarcastic tone to his disguised voice, before spotting more weapon platforms activating on the sensor screen.

"Luicus, does the Batwing have any offensive capabilities?" he asked while pulling the Jet out of the firing solution of said platforms, making the CEO sigh on the other end of the Com.

"I should have known that you didn't read the instructions yet, Bruce."

"I have been a little busy." the Dark Knight said back, only to perform another evasive move as another missile and barrage of bullets came his way.

"Well, the Batwing has two Vulcan cannons and a full assortment of 'air to air' and 'air to ground' missiles of varying explosive yields." Fox replied, bringing a relieved smirk to Batman's face.

"So not all the weapons are lethal, that's good to know."

"Master Bruce, in case you haven't noticed, but there are no life-signs outside of 250-52nd Street, since they all appear to be inside..." Alfred then spoke up over the encrypted Com, only to be cut off by Luicus.

"Which means that you shouldn't worry about cutting loose with the Batwing's weapons, Mr. Wayne."

The Vigilante could not help but feel good about the current situation as his smirk widened a little more, all the while keeping his attention on his flying.

"Thanks for keeping an eye on my screens, Alfred. I really appreciate it, since I haven't been able to glance down at that screen for the last few minutes."

"No trouble at all, Sir. In fact I have been able to take a look at the instructions and take some tips from Mr. Fox, so if you want, I can target the turret platforms for you?" he replied with a mirrored tone, earning a nod from the Dark knight in response.

"Please do, Alfred, I am bringing her round for a pass now." he answered while flying the Batwing away from the building, making some distance between it and the weapons as he then flicked a number of switches on the controls panel to his right.

"Going weapons free." he reported, only to then pull the stick down and right in his direction, causing the Jet-fighter to sharply turn around and fly back towards 250-52nd Street, just as a number of targets were marked on his sensor screen.

"All targets locked, Sir." the Butler reported, as the pilot narrowed his eyes and readied his finger and thumb on the guns and missiles triggers of the flight stick.

"Time to end this." he then said with a finality to his voice, before pressing down the triggers and launching a barrage of gun and missile fire that devastated the weapon platforms that were positioned around the derelict building as the Batwing flew over head.

"All targets destroyed, Master Wayne." Alfred then reported, while the Vigilante looked out of the glass canopy and saw the burning wrecks as he circled 50-52nd Street.

"Excellent. Lucius, how are you getting along with finding the Bombs frequency and stopping it?"

"I have located the correct frequency, Mr. Wayne, but it's Military grade, just as I thought." the CEO replied in a calm manner.

"So it won't be a problem for a Man of your Talents, will it?" the younger Costumed-Man asked back with a smirk.

"Of course not..." he began to reply, while Batman returned his attention to hos flight instruments.

"...but it will take several minutes at least.

"I better get down there then and put Harvey's Men out of commission..." the Vigilante began to say, only for the former to cut him off mid-sentence.

"Then I should inform you of a quick way to exit the Batwing, considering how theatrical you like to be. I have made the Fighter's eject system work in reverse and built a trapdoor of sorts into the floor of the Cockpit." he explained, making the Dark knight smile as he noted the eject button's location on his control-interface.

"You have found your calling, Luicus..." he started to say back, only to be cut off as the whole Batwing violently shook from an impact from behind.

As this was happening, Harvey and Gordon continued to watch from their location in the derelict building. The former had a large grin on his face as he saw the dark smoke trailling from the aft of the damaged Fighter-Jet, while holding his radio to his right ear.

"Direct hit, Two-Face. Batman did not see the stealth missile coming, so shall we finish him off?" Kuttler asked, not even attempting to hide his enthusiasm as he spoke. But as Gordon watched from on his knees with a shocked and fearful expression, he saw Two-Face take his coin out and flick it up into the air and back down into the palm of his hand.

"Do it." he then replied with a smile, before turning to the captive Cop and revealing the blacked out Tails side of his coin, which made the latter's eyes widen in response.

Back in the Batwing, smoke was starting to fill the Cockpit as alarms blared and numerous screens flashed red light into the Pilot's masked-face.

"The Batwing's taken catastrophic damage to all systems, I am having trouble keeping her in the air." he replied while fighting to keep control of the flight-stick, which was shaking violently in his grip.

"It must have been a stealth missile, that's the only way that they could have bypassed the Batwing's sensors." Fox guessed, only for the Vigilante to undo his seat-belt and flick a number of switches in front of him.

"Then I am going to bail out, since we won't know when the next one is fired at us."

"God's speed, Master Bruce." Alfred then said, just as the Dark Knight then pressed the eject button, causing the floor to open up and drop him out of the Batwing. But just as the costumed-man spread out his cape into it's gliding function, the Fighter was hit by another missile, causing it to explode and create a bright fiery backdrop to the Bat-symbol shape of the now gliding Batman as he began to fly towards 250-52nd Street.

"That was a close one. So tell me, what am I up against in there?"

"There are at least several life-signs on both the first and second floors, Mr. Wayne, while there are only two on the fourth floor." Fox replies over the Vigilante's com-link.

"That will be Harvey and Gordon, but what about the third floor?"

"There are no life-signs on that floor, but the Satellite is detecting a large amount of explosives, perhaps enough to bring down the entire building." the Wayne Enterprises CEO explained as Batman noticed three Mercs coming out of the main entrance to the building, looking shocked at the destroyed weapons platforms that stood nearby.

"Okay, we will deal with that in due time. But as of right now, I think that I really should reintroduce myself to these guys." the Dark Knight replied, while the burning wreck of the Batwing fell to the ground behind him.

[ApolloXL5]

BATMAN: THE SCARRED AND THE DAMNED

"God damn it, look at all this damage." the Bird exclaimed as he joined the three masked Mercs outside, who were all staring at the same burning wreckage.

"At least we took out the Bat." one of them replied with a relieved tone, gaining a nod from his friends in return.

"Yeah, we won't be seeing him agai..." another began to say, only to have a pair of customized boots to hit him in the face as the Batman swooped down and took him out, making the guy fall down the steps as their attacker landed amongst them.

"sh*t!" The Bird almost screamed before running back inside, while other two aimed their weapons at the Vigilante.

"Die, Batman!" one shouted as he pulled the trigger, but before any bullets were fired, the costumed-man quickly knocked the weapon out of his hands with an armoured gauntlet while back-kicking his friend through the now closed front door.

"Oh Crap! the Merc panicked before heading into the land of the unconscious as he was met with a fist to his face, leaving the Batman as the only man standing there at the doorway.

"I'm heading in, keep me apprised on the situation with the Bombs." he then said into his com-link.

"Will do, Master Wayne, but I should warn you. The rest will know that you are coming now." Alfred replied, while the Bird's screams of 'Batman's here' could be heard from inside.

"Let them know, it's not going to change anything." the Dark Knight said back, before heading into the condemned Building.

But as soon as he entered, the Batman was welcomed by a barrage of gunfire as several more men opened fire, while the Bird ran up the stairs. This made the Caped Crusader dive behind one of the concrete pillars as he Threw out a smoke pellet between the group, engulfing them in a thick smoke cloud as it exploded.

"Watch out, he's using that damn smoke again!" one called out with a cough, as his teammates became hard to see through the cover.

"Quick, get together and watch each other's..." another started to call out, only to be quickly silenced.

"What was th..." one more began to say, before he too went quiet.

"f*** this!" a severally agitated Merc then cries out as he opened fire with his weapon and spread the room with bullets, before a cry of pain was heard.

"Did I get him?" the guy then asked as he turned and faced the direction that it came from, narrowing his eyes behind his mask as he tried to see through the still thick smoke.

"We have a Man down!" another exclaimed, gaining the former's attention as he then saw the silhouette of one of his colleagues kneeling down beside the slumped form of another against of the pillars.

"Oh crap, that's on me." he said with a shameful tone, only to suddenly feel he hairs on the back of his neck stand on end, as a deep and gravelly voice spoke behind him.

"Yes it is!" the Merc then heard and turned around, before suddenly feeling the full force of a fist smash through his mask and knock him out.

The one that stood by his injured comrade had heard this and quickly threw his weapon to the ground and put both hands in the air in surrender, while the smoke started to dissipate around them and reveal the others lying unconscious around them.

"I surrender!" he called out with slight confusion to his voice, since there was no sign of the Batman in his area. But before he could question this further, he felt a strong vice like grip around the back of his throat.

"Good choice." the Dark Knight replied as he then forcefully slammed the guys head into the pillar and dropped him to the ground to join his teammates before turning his attention to the injured one slumped next to the pillar beside him.

"You will live." the Vigilante then said as he knelt down and took a small device out from his Utility belt and pressed it against the Merc's bullet wound, gaining a loud grimace back as the wounded Man felt a sharp, hot pain in that same spot, while smell of smouldering flesh filled the immediate air around him.

"There, that should hold until you get proper medical attention." the Vigilante added, earning what could only be read as an appreciative groan from the injured Merc as the former stood up and looked up at the ceiling.

"Alright, the ground floor is secure. How is the second looking, Penny-One?"

"Penny-What, Sir?" Alfred replied in the Dark Knight's ear, gaining the most subtle of smirks from the young man in return.

"Just run with it."

"Very well, Sir. Now according to the Satellite scans curtesy of Mr. Fox, it appears that the remaining Forces have readied quite the gauntlet for you." the Butler explained with a slightly worried tone to his voice, though this did not dampen Batman's spirits as he started to walk away from the slumped Merc.

"I'm honoured."

"This is no joking matter, Master Bruce, as it will be suicide if you attempt to reach them via the stairs." the older Man replied, bringing a thoughtful expression to the Vigilante's face.

"Tell me where the majority of the men are standing, Alfred."

"If I am reading this correctly, then you are now standing below the largest cluster of armed-men, Sir."

"Alright, time to make this interesting." Batman then said, before equipping his explosive-Gel gun and firing a splatter of it onto the ceiling, joined by a timer that started counting down from ten.

Meanwhile, Wintergreen and the others closest to him stood ready with their weapons aimed directly at the stair-case, while the rest kept their focus on the surrounding area.

"Okay, stand ready, guys. The Bat will either come up through here or from the edges of this floor, so if you see anything Bat-shaped...fill it with lead, understood?"

"Yes, Sir!" they all replied in unison, before he then stared down the barrel of his rifle, through it's cross-hairs towards the stairs.

'Come on, freak, just show me that scowl of yo..." he started to think, only to be cut off as the sound of an explosion below them 'made the ground shake, before a large part of it collapsed and took the men standing there with it.

"sh*t! Guys!" one of the others called out in a panic as he looked down at the large hole that was now visible there, while concrete dust filled the air.

"Everyone, focus! This is what he wants!" the leader spat, while near the back of the room, the Bird and Kuttler stood next to another of the Mercs.

"Just find and kill the Bat already!" the former cried out in a panic, before his and the tech expert's guard was suddenly pulled off the ledge by something unseen.

"Aarrrgh!" the man screamed, scaring everyone there as they turned to see his body fall off the ledge.

"Oh sh*t, where did he go?" the Bird asked with a growing fear in his voice as he and Kuttler looked over the edge at the ground, only to see nobody there.

"You guys, keep an eye on the floor below..." Wintergreen then said to those still standing around the large hole in the floor, before returning his attention to the Men standing with him at the stairs.

"...and you, watch..." he continued, but was stopped as a small wired claw suddenly shot out of the dark of the bottom of the stairs and latched onto the front of his armour.

"What the...?" he started to ask with a confused expression, before feeling a sharp tug on the wire, making his eyes widen as he realised what was about to happen.

"...oh!"

Suddenly the Batman soared up the stairs using the momentum that his grappling gun had given him, tackling the Merc leader to the ground and quickly moving onto the next and the next, quickly taking the group next to stairs down with a series of punches and kicks.

"Get him!" shouted one of the soldiers standing next to the gaping hole in the floor, as he and the three others opened fire on the Dark Knight. But their attacker rolled out of the way and threw four Batarangs simultaneously, with each one hitting all four in their masked-faces and knocking them off their feet and through the hole to the floor below.

"Hey, Batman!" came a valiant cry from behind the Vigilante, making him turn to see Wintergreen getting back to his feet and equipping a pair of Eskrima Sticks.

"You're a fool if you think I am going to let you get upstairs." he warned with a heavy breath, earning a knowing stare from the Dark Knight.

"And you are a bigger fool if you think that you are going to live beyond tonight."

But Wintergreen simply attacked, making his opponent go on the defensive instantly and block each hit with hi gauntlets.

"What the hell are you talking about?" the former spat, as Batman countered by disarming him of one Eskrima, quickly knocking the Merc-Leader back with a kick to the stomach.

"Harvey has enough explosives on the floor above us to level this entire building, think it through!" he said back with a serious tone, which made Kuttler's eyes widen as he watched the pair."

"What the hell do you mean? Two-Face promised to pay us off big time for our services." he said back with a shocked expression, while Wintergreen attack the Batman once more. But the latter simply and easily deflected the attack, pushing the former into one of the pillars that stood nearby.

"Yeah, why would he promise us the remains of the Mob's Finances if he had no intention of delivering?" he spat back in a disbelieving tone, which just made the Dark Knight gesture to the Bird.

"Why don't you ask him?" he replied knowingly, making both Kuttler and the Merc turn their attention to the Weapons dealer, who suddenly gulped as he felt all their eyes on him.

"What the hell is he talking about, Bird!" Wintergreen spat, which made the bald man suddenly turn and run. But he was quickly stopped as the Vigilante caught him with his grappling gun and yanked him back towards them, landing roughly on his arse.

"It wasn't my idea, Dent made me do it!" he suddenly cracked, showing them all his fear as they looked down at him.

"Talk, Bird, now!" Batman ordered, which made a wet patch appear on the floor of which the bald man was sitting upon.

"Seriously!" Kuttler replied with a surprised and disgusted tone, before Wintergreen then grabbed the scared Weapons Dealer by the scruff of his neck.

"You heard him, talk!"

"Two-Face wants to die and take those that wronged him with him, and he doesn't care who else is present when that happens." he then confessed, bringing a confused look from the Merc-leader's face.

"Why would you agree to such a thing?"

"It's because he's dying..." the costumed-Man then spoke with his disguised voice, making both Wintergreen and Kuttler look between both men with a surprised expression, though Batman remained focused on the Bird.

"...aren't you?" he observed, gaining a nod from the shamed Man in return.

"Yes...Cancer. I have only a few months left to live." he replied in a pained manner.

"Plus despite all the high-tech weaponry that you can get your hands on, your running out of places to sell them."

This gained a nod from the Weapons-dealer in return, which brought a look of realisation to both Wintergreen and Kuttler's faces.

"We have to get out of here, since it is now 8:24!" the latter exclaimed while pointing at his watch, earning a nod from the former.

"And I have to get my men out of here as well."

"Go, I will deal with Harvey." Batman replied as he turned away from the three Men and headed for the staircase which would take him to the top floor, earning a confused look from Wintergreen.

"You're just letting us go?" he asked, making the Dark Knight stop and glance of his shoulder.

"No one is dying tonight, so get out now and leave me City." he then said before disappearing up the stairs, leaving the three Men alone with their Men, who started to slowly recover around them.

"Sir..." Alfred then spoke from the com-link inside the Vigilante's Cowl, gaining his Master's attention as he walked up the stairs between floors 3 and 4.

"...are you really going to let them go, especially after the Police that they killed?"

"Of course now, Penny-One. Now anonymously contact Lieutenant Foley and notify him of the Mercs heading out, because right now, I have bigger problems to deal with." Batman replied as he now found himself standing before Two-Face and Jim Gordon, the latter on his knees and holding onto the remote trigger, while the latter flicked his coin into the air and caught it, while aiming a pistol at his enemy with his other.

"Hello, Batman, glad you could make it. Now tell me, is anybody else getting a feeling of deja vu?" the Scarred-Man then asked with a knowing smile on hos face, making the Dark Knight narrow his eyes back in return as the clock continued to count down to 8:30pm.

[ApolloXL5]

CHAPTER XV

"Well, here we are. Right back at the place where all of this started..." Two-Face began to say, before pointing over at the collapsed part of the building, all the while keeping the gun pointed at Batman.

"...with the death of my love, Rachel."

The mention of that name gained guilty looks from both the Vigilante and Gordon, though the former's was not so pronounced as the latter's, who looked back down at the trigger in his hands.

"We know, Harvey, it was a tragedy, one that we have to live with for every day that she is no longer with us..." the Vigilante replied, only for the Maniac to cut him off angrily.

"And so you should, since it was your fault!" he spat, making the other shake his head in return.

"I told you before, Harvey, that the three of us were responsible for what happened, because we chose to stand up to the injustice that was infecting 'our' City."

"Yes and yet I was the only one who lost everything, while Jim still had his Family and you...you still had this City." Harvey spat back with rage visible in his eyes, while the Costumed-Man's demeanour remained calm.

"Harvey, please listen to reason." he said back, which only made the former DA react like a Bull to a red flag.

"My name is TWO-FACE..!" he screamed back, before looking down at his Prisoner.

"We have less than five minutes, Jim, before Gotham goes to Hell for it's part in what transpired here. So do your job and save who you can, by pressing that Button!" he shouted, keeping his focus on the broken Cop while still aiming his gun at the Dark Knight.

"Fox, how long?" he whispered, hoping not to catch Two-Face's attention.

"Nearly there, Mr. Wayne." the CEO spoke back in the Vigilante's ear-piece, just as Gordon looked back at him.

"Don't do it, Commissioner, since there is always another way!"

"You will do it, Jim, or are you going to let everyone join your Family and know that you failed them all?" Dent said back, which looked to have chipped away at what was left of the older Man's resolve as he sighed and looked back down at the trigger and took hold of it in his hands.

"Gordon, don't! Harvey is lying..." Batman then shouted back, gaining a hateful glare from the Scarred Man as his Prisoner stared back with a suddenly confused expression.

"...but...What?" he asked back with a mixture of disbelief and heartache in his voice, which made his costumed friend focus only on him, despite the Maniac pointing a gun directly at him.

"Barbara and the Kids are safe, Commissioner. You have my word."

Then just like that, the Police Chief looked as if he had a shot of Adrenalin as he sighed and a more focused and serious expression appeared on his face.

"No..." he then said in a clear and defiant tone, before placing the trigger on the ground in front of him.

"...no, I will not do it." he added, only to look up at his Captor and lock eyes with him.

"I am sorry for what happened to Rachel, Harvey..." he began to say in clear and coherent manner, which only made Dent grit his teeth as hearing that name felt like a knife to the gut each and every time.

"...but I will not be forced to choose who lives and who dies." the older Man continued, while Batman silently observed and noticed how angry the former DA was looking.

"Well, I guess you 'really' are fine with sacrificing others to achieve your goals..." he started to say while looking down at the ground for a second, before suddenly turning his weapon to the Commissioner's head.

"...just like you did with Rachel and I. So enjoy this last moment of life, Jim..." he started to say, before noticing in the corner of his eye that the Vigilante was starting to move.

"...and I would stand right there, Freak, unless you want Gordon here to die prematurely." he added while looking directly back at him as he picked his Coin up out of his pocket, which gave the Police Chief his moment as he suddenly sprung up and attacked the Maniac, grabbing hold of the gun and trying to rip it from the others hands.

"Get off me!" Two-Face spat as he resisted the Cop, countering him by kneeing the aggressor in the stomach and hitting him over the head with the weapon, knocking Gordon out as he fell back to the floor. The Dark Knight then suddenly sprang into action and launches himself at Dent, who quickly turned the gun on him and fired.

"Ugh!" the Vigilante grimaced as the shot hit him square in the side, between two armoured sections of his Bat-suit, knocking him down onto his knees.

"Stay down, Batman, since we don't exactly have time for that now, do we." the former DA said back as he readied his coin, while continuing to aim the gun at the Vigilante.

"He is right, Sir, you only have 3 minutes left." Alfred added over the com-link, making Batman look down at the knocked out Gordon.

"So will you and Gordon die now or at 8:30pm with everyone else? Let's find out." he said, earning a knowing and determined look from the Dark Knight.

Sorry, Harvey..." he began to say as the Manic started to flip the coin into the air, taking something out of his Utility-belt and clenching it in his hand.

"...I will not leave our fate to chance!"

The Batman then threw up a bunch of coins into the air with Dent's, making the latter's eyes widen as he lost track of his coin in the rest as they fell back to the ground.

"No...!" he cried out as the coins hit the ground, making him fall to his knees and look for his own amongst them.

"...where is it, where is it!"

The scarred-Man then turned his attention back to his enemy, with an enraged expression as he gripped his gun tightly.

"What have you done, you freak?!" Two-Face then spat as he raised his Gun at the Dark Knight, but the latter this time quickly lunged at him and disarmed the former before knocking him back down to the ground with a punch to the face.

"It's over, Harvey, now shut down the Bombs!" the Vigilante said back in his disguised voice, which made Dent roll on to his back and chuckle as a little blood trickled down the left side of his cheek from his mouth.

"Heh heh, someone hasn't been paying attention, has he..." he started to reply, which only made his Adversary more frustrated as he bent down and grabbed him by his suit.

"Harvey..." he started to say back, making the Maniac's eyes narrow as he quickly pulled a pen knife out of his trouser pocket and stabbed it into the Dark Knight's wound.

"Arrgh!" Batman cried out as he let go of Two-Face and fell back onto his own knees, while the latter stood back up and glared back at him with hate.

"I told you, it's TWO-FACE!" he spat back furiously, before looking at his watch.

"And it looks like you screwed up, Batman, just like you did with Rachel and myself. You really are not good with following through on that whole inspiring people with hope...are you?" he asked with an implying tone, while the vigilante looked down at his armour and saw a small trickle of blood pouring from it.

"Because you have just failed the entire City and condemned it to burn, just like I knew you would..." he started to say, before noticing that the remote was still lying there on the floor and that the Batman was staring at it.

"...do you want the honour, Batman, since Gordon turned it down? I mean you are obviously the man that makes the tough calls, considering that you took the blame for what I had already done."

The Dark Knight though simply stared down at the remote, ignoring what the Maniac was saying as he stood over him.

'I can't let everyone die...perhaps...' he started to think as a conflicted expression appeared on his face, only for him to then grimace and shake his head subtly.

'...no, I can't, I won't. I will not save people by killing people! There must be another way...!' he started to think, only to have his eyes widen as a look of realisation came to his face.

"So what will your move be, Dark Knight?" Two-Face asked as he looked down at his enemy, only for the latter to sigh in return and look back with a calm expression.

"Harvey..." he then started to say, which then made it the former DA's turn to widen his eyes, because the voice he heard was not the disguised one that he was used to, but one that he had heard two times before.

"...what...! Who are you?" he asked back in confusion, with the Batman responding by removing his cowl and revealing his true face to his former Ally.

"It's me, Harvey..." he started to reply in a calm tone, while Dent's expression was one of shock and bewilderment.

"B..Bruce...Bruce Wayne? You're...the Batman?" he asked in a disbelieving tone, gaining a nod back from the costumed Billionaire as he slowly got back to his feet, making the scarred-Man take a step back with a twitchy reaction.

'He's confused. Okay, Alfred, time to see if this works.' the Vigilante thought, while the Maniac muttered in disbelief.

"I don't understand...all this time?"

"Yes, Harvey, and I know exactly what it feels like to have all that pain and anger weighing down on you, the need to seek justice for those you have lost..." he started to explain, only for the still shocked Dent to cut him off.

"Because you lost your Parents, who were gunned down in front of you." he said back, making Bruce nod back knowingly.

"That's right, but that isn't the only thing we have in 'common', because there is something that we share..." the Billionaire continued calmly, only to hear Alfred's voice in his ear-piece.

"2 minutes, Sir."

"...and that is that we were both lucky to know 'Rachel' as well as we did."

The mention of her name made Two-Face's eyes widen in response, showing the unmasked Batman the chink in the former DA's armour.

"You were Rachel's childhood friend, I remember her telling me all about your friendship."

"Yes, so that means we are both probably the only people who knew her the best. I know that you are doing this for her, because you believe that we..." Bruce continued while gesturing to himself, Harvey and the unconscious Gordon lying on the floor beside them.

"...all failed her, but now you're letting that rage and pain poison you into thinking that the entire City is guilty of the same crime."

Harvey's eyes started to narrow back as he gritted his teeth, which the young Wayne noticed but still stayed calm.

"They did, everyone failed her and so deserve to suffer the same fate." he spat back with a venomous tone.

"You really believe that, Harvey? Do you think Rachel would want this...?" the costumed-Man asked back as he gestured to their surroundings.

" I loved her as much as you did, and I know that there is no way that Rachel would want this, that she would condone your actions here..." he continued, with his tone and demeanour becoming more serious and worried, since he knew time was running out.

"Rachel loved you, Harvey. She knew you were a good Man..." Bruce added, while Two-Face just listened as his own expression became less angry as the former could see a slight semblance to the Lawyer he once knew.

"...and she 'chose you' because of that. Just look at yourself and tell me, do you really think that she would want this, because I highly doubt it and I believe that deep down, past Two-Face, that you know it too." the young Man finished, bringing a thoughtful expression to the scarred-Man's face as he looked down at his hands for his Coin and yet saw nothing there, making his eyes suddenly widen as a look of realisation overcame his usual angry and hateful expression. Because for the first time, he did not know what to think or decide as his mind was again overcome with memories of the times that he had shared with his love.

"You're Gotham's White Knight...as well as mine own."

"I love you, Harvey Dent."

His eyes began to well up as this opened his thoughts to further memories, which bombarded his mind like waves crashing against a Cliff-face, reminding him of the Man he used to be.

"Whatever decisions I make as District Attorney will be made with Gotham's best interests in mind. The moment I fail to do that, no matter the circumstances, is the moment that I become everything I stand against."

"You either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become the villain."

"My God, what have I done? Please...Rachel, forgive me." he muttered under his breath while falling to his knees, before returning his attention back to the costumed-Billionaire, who received another update via his ear-piece.

"1 Minute, Sir, please hurry."

"Harvey, turn off the Bombs! There is still time to stop this madness." The unmasked Batman then pleaded, while the former DA just stared back with a dumbstruck look to his face.

"Harvey, please?"

"They can't be stopped, Bruce...not by me...not by anyone." Dent replied with dazed tone and act as he knelt there in a shaken state, which made the Vigilante look around them with a worried expression.

'God damn it! There must be...' he began to think, only to have his thoughts interrupted by a familiar voice in his ear.

"Mr. Wayne, I have managed to disrupt the signal to the main bombs, none of them will explode now..." Lucius began to explain, making Bruce smile back as he sighed deeply.

"Thank you."

"I am sure Gotham will be thankful, but you have just over 40 seconds before the bomb directly under you goes off and I have not control of that one." the CEO then replied, snapping the younger Man's attention back to the situation at hand.

"Roger that." he said back before turning his attention to the still knocked out Commissioner and the shaken-looking Harvey just aways from him,

"Harvey, we have to move!" Batman then said with his disguised voice as he quickly re-equipped his Cowl, making the latter shake his head.

"Leave me...I'm the Villain now, I don't deserve to live for what I have done." he said back, the tone of his voice was one of self loathing, making the Dark Knight shake his head as the former's words reminded him of something he once said.

"I won't kill you, but I don't have to save you."

"No, Harvey, that would be too easy for you and I doubt Rachel would approve." he replied, while kneeling down and turning his attention to the Commissioner.

"Gordon, wake up!" he said while giving the older make a little shake, making the latter stir from his unconsciousness.

"...urgh...Batman? What's...?" he started to say, only for the Dark Knight to cut him off.

"The bombs have been taken care of, but we have to get of here." he replied in his disguised voice, before looking over to Dent.

"Harvey, help me." he ordered, gaining a nod back from the Scarred Man, which brought a surprised look from Gordon as the two helped him up.

"...Harvey! What the?"

"No time, So let's go before this place blows." Batman the ordered the pair as the three of them moved quickly to the far end of the derelict, while the timer on the bomb below them continued to silently count down.

"Sir, Foley and his men have rounded up the last of the Mercenaries that has escaped the building, but you have 10 seconds, 8..." Alfred then spoke through the Vigilante's ear piece, only to be cut off by the latter.

"Not now, Penny-One!" he spat as they reached the edge of the floor, turning his attention to Gordon and Dent in the meantime.

"I don't know if this will work, but hold on to me!" he ordered, which made both men do exactly that. And then just as the last few seconds ticked down, the three of them jumped off the edge as the Batman spread out his cape, allowing them to glide away just as the bomb exploded and enveloped the derelict in a massive fireball. The resulting shock-wave then knocked the wind out of the extended cape, forcing the trio down as they hit the ground and rolled over a couple of times.

"Okay, okay...now I'm awake..." the Commissioner then stated as he slowly recovered, while Harvey and the Batman followed suit.

"...so are you going to tell me what is going on?" he added with a confused tone, before Harvey got to his feet and helped him up.

"What is going on, Commissioner..." he started to reply, stopping just to glance over his shoulder at the Dark Knight with a knowing expression, gaining a mirrored look back.

"...is you are taking me in." he finished while holding his hands out at the older Man in a submissive manner, which only made the former look more confused.

"...Batman?"

"It's true, Commissioner, the bombs were stopped and Harvey has decided to give himself up.

"But..?" Gordon started to say back, only for Dent to cut him off.

"I was wrong and I should face the consequences of my actions. Wouldn't you agree, Commissioner?" he said with an honest and earnest tone, before the Vigilante joined their side and gave the Police Chief a pair of Handcuffs, just as sirens could be heard in the distance.

"I should go and pick up your Family from my safe-house." Batman then stated, earning a nod from Gordon in return.

"Alright, but where will you drop them off?" he asked back, stopping the Dark Knight in mid-motion as he started to turn away.

"On the roof of the GCPD, safe and sound, Commissioner, I promise."

"Very well, you better get moving." the older Man replies with an appreciative tone, gaining a slight nod from the Vigilante as he glanced ever so slightly over his shoulder and then started to walk away into the surrounding darkness, leaving Gordon and Dent as they awaited the Police reinforcements.

A moment or so later, once he had made it a far enough distance away from the Sirens of the Police, who had then arrived and surrounded the burning building of 250-52nd Street, the Batman then activated his com-link.

"Penny-One, I am going to need a pick up." the Batman said as he kept walking, which brought his ear-piece to life in response.

"I am already on my way, Master Bruce, and should be at your Suit's signal-location in 20 minutes."

"That's good. In the meantime, I should have no problem evading any Police-searches, if they choose to conduct any in this area."

"Oh, of that I have no doubt, Sir. But tell me, considering how tonight's events have played out, how are you feeling at this moment?" the Butler asked with a curious tone, gaining a similar expression from the Dark Knight.

"Were you eavesdropping the entire time, Alfred?"

"I wouldn't be doing my job properly if I was not monitoring your situation continuously, Master Bruce. But you didn't answer my question, so I will ask again. Considering how tonight's events turned out, how do you feel?"

This brought a thoughtful expression to the Dark Knight's face, as he made it into the cover of the next area's buildings.

"If you are referring to the fact that this latest crisis did not end with any loss of life, then I can tell you, Alfred, that it feels really good." the younger Man replied in his disguised but relieved voice, which made he smile as he knew that his Confidante and friend would be as well.

"I am glad to hear it, in fact, it is already coming in over the news that people believe that the Batman saved the City, despite his current standing with it." Alfred replied, making the costumed Billionaire sigh in response.

"Well I can hear all about it when I get back to the Cave."

"Of course, Master Bruce, I should be there with the Rolls Royce very soon." the Butler said back, before the Vigilante's attention was caught by the sight of Man cowering at the feet of another, who stood over him with a knife at the other end of the alley he had just entered.

"Alright, Penny-One, though there appears to something that I can occupy myself with in the mean time." he replied back.

"And what is that, Sir?" the old Man replied over the com-link, which only made Batman's grin widen as he narrowed his eyes at the distracted criminal.