Q & A

[amvdent]

Who: Bruce Wayne and Harvey Dent
What: The new D.A. addresses Gotham's high society
Where: The Marriot Hotel in Gotham, Banquet Room

Comments

[amvwayne]

Bruce clapped politely with the rest of the crowd, smiling with too many teeth to look completely genuine. He was in the far back, leaning against the wall furthest from the podium. People would have been suspicious about him standing partially behind a potted plant if they hadn't expected that kind of behavior from him. Unfortunately for him, Dent had never met him before, so he wasn't as likely to ignore him as his peers were.

Before he was fully aware of it, Bruce was shaking Dent's hand and introducing himself, although an introduction was hardly necessary for him. If everyone in Gotham hadn't known his name when he was a child (and they had), they certainly knew it now.

"Afternoon, Dent. Inspirational speech."

[amvdent]

"Mr. Wayne," Harvey answered levelly, his grip on the other man's hand firm and steady. He pulled back to a polite distance and smiled, every motion smooth and rehearsed. He forced himself to look Wayne in the eyes and appear slightly disinterested, as though he weren't aware that the man standing before him was one of the single most wealthy people in the nation- hell, the world.

"Thank you. I do try." His tone was cool but certainly not rude. Harvey had been trying all evening (with mixed success) to strike the perfect balance between passionate politician and detached gentleman. It wouldn't do to let the company see just how ill-suited he was to this kind of work, assessing the sincerity of everything he was told and keeping his exhaustion and uncertainty masked with a smile.

"If my office is to make any progress in the war against crime, poverty, and police corruption, it seems... prudent to address those with the means to aid it," he said carefully.

[amvwayne]

Bruce gave Dent an obvious once-over before looking him in the eye, narrowing his own slightly. It was beneficial for him to employ intimidation techniques, and after being back in Gotham for a few years, he actually found it rather enjoyable to make people squirm. Dent seemed to be standing his ground, however, and he made note of that.

"Quite. Of course, I fully support your efforts to clean up Gotham. As someone with... significant financial interest in all parts of Gotham, I understand your motivation in keeping it from further descending into its self-destruction. However... I do hope you can, ah, overlook some parts of crime in the city, as not all of it is necessarily malicious in nature. Sometimes it's... a necessary evil."

[amvdent]

Harvey cocked his head to the side, smiling even as he fixed Wayne with a politely quizzical look.

"It is my personal belief-and the official view of my office-that no crime should be overlooked, nor tolerated, Mr. Wayne. To what "necessary evil" do you refer, if I may ask? I would think that you more than anyone would wish to see justice exacted on those who deserve it."

[amvwayne]

Bruce sighed with annoyance and surreptitiously looking around to make sure that they had an audience of politely eavesdropping socialites.

"It's business, Dent. I wouldn't expect you to understand the economics of it, but I'll tell you this: it's not always beneficial for the world to have everything on record, and that includes business ventures. Especially ones that we aren't, say... quite ready for. In any case, sometimes deals have to be made and sometimes people have to be... let go, for reasons the country decides aren't valid. Now, ask anybody who owns a company as big as mine, and they'll tell you the same. All I'm saying, Dent, is that you ought to know exactly who you're going against when you're targeting all crime."

[amvdent]

Harvey blinked in surprise, his lips curving into a smirk at the billionaire's words.

Bruce Wayne himself is making thinly-veiled threats to me, he thought with some small satisfaction (and a healthy amount of unease).

I really must be making waves.

Harvey again forced his expression into one of polite disinterest and nodded to Bruce, acknowledging his point.

"I understand your position, Mr. Wayne, and I respect you and your company for the vital services you provide to our economy. I am afraid, however, that the letter of the law is quite clear: no man, regardless of wealth or status, is exempt from civil authority. But I thank you for drawing my attention to Wayne Enterprise's apparently suspect business practices."

[amvwayne]

Mission accomplished.

"I think you've mistaken my words for some admission of truth. On the contrary, I think you'll find that Wayne Enterprises has a clean record. Or, at the very least, that nothing has been proven and nobody has been arrested. Of course you may feel free to investigate if you wish, but do be aware that you'll be wasting your very valuable time. If you wish to pursue something more interesting, I would suggest being with any Gotham-based business venture of Lex Luthor, as I know for a fact that that investigation would yield more satisfactory results."

Bruce adopted a solemn expression. "I was merely suggesting that it would be most beneficial to me if you ignored the business practices of some of my peers. However, I quite understand why you would not feel compelled to do so."

[amvdent]

Harvey frowned faintly, studying Wayne with clear dislike.

"I would appreciate it, Mr. Wayne, if you would leave my offices out of whatever petty business rivalry you are currently engaged in. My time is, as you say, very valuable. There are plenty of serious crimes being committed in my own jurisdiction, and I have no wish to interfere in Metropolis at this time. But if it will put you at ease, I would be willing to consider any evidence you yourself may see fit to procure."

Harvey met Bruce's gaze fearlessly, something like a challenge glittering in his own. He wasn't about to become a pawn in the games of supposedly greater men.

[amvwayne]

"No, I wouldn't care to go any further than a casual tip. I was trying to be helpful, not meddlesome. Politics aren't really my thing, you see. Besides, it's not really in my best interests to heavily implicate a fellow businessman who could, in time, become a good ally. I was only attempting to give you the name of somebody who truly employs illegal methods in his business."

Bruce had narrowed his eyes again at Dent's obvious distaste for him, but he didn't particularly care to be glaring for an extended period of time. He looked around, and most of those listening in on their conversation had slunk off to survey the refreshments table greedily, shoving each other around for a bottle of Perrier and a high-class brownie. He was unimpressed by the lack of interest in his conversation with Dent, but it didn't particularly concern him.

[amvdent]

"Well, I have his name now. Thank you for doing your duty as a concerned citizen," Harvey said in a clipped tone, keeping his face determinedly expressionless. He hated to take such a defensive attitude with a man who could very well make or end his career, but Harvey detested manipulation, particularly when he suspected it was being exercised on him. You might well think it would be a necessary skill for any lawyer, but Dent had always preferred honesty and solid police work over misdirection.

"You'll have to forgive me if I seem a little on edge tonight," he added after heaving a small sigh.

"This isn't exactly my usual crowd."

[amvwayne]

Bruce looked Dent up and down and snorted lightly.

"I never would have guessed," he said, amused. He made a point of pulling up his left sleeve to expose a very expensive watch, and had a big show of checking the time. "It's getting a bit late, isn't it? I've got an appointment to have my hair done soon. Of course, they'll have to hold my appointment or I'll get all of them fired, so I'm not particularly worried about being on time."

He smirked. "You could do with a hair appointment yourself."

[amvdent]

Harvey rolled his eyes at the comment, nonetheless carding his fingers through blond hair self-consciously.

"We can't all afford to be immaculately dressed and flawlessly groomed," he said shortly. "Anyway, it's good enough for Rachel."

Harvey wondered idly how Wayne would react to the casual mention of his girlfriend and assistant District Attorney, Rachel Dawes. She had spoken often enough about Wayne that Harvey could hazard a guess at the nature of their relationship (and what he had guessed had made him more than a little uneasy about the man).

[amvwayne]

"I wouldn't take Rachel's opinion as particularly indicative of the quality of a person, but those are just my thoughts on the matter, I suppose."

Bruce knew an annoyingly tense muscle in his jaw had twitched at the mention of Rachel, but he wasn't sure if Dent had noticed. He took another look at his obscenely expensive watch and clicked his tongue.

"It was nice meeting you, Dent. But I had really better be going."

[amvdent]

"Of course."

Harvey nodded his understanding and held out his hand once more, hoping to end on a somewhat conciliatory note.

"Good afternoon, then. Thank you for your time and support."

[amvdent]

This thread is now closed.