66.1 Appearance
Metropolis, KS.
"That one - number three." The informant pointed out the tall, square-jawed man in the line-up.
"Three, step forward," the police officer ordered over the intercom.
Looking back at the vacant, one-way mirror, Harvey Dent stepped forward.
A minute later, the former District Attorney of Gotham City, now a mobbed up criminal, was being handcuffed and read his rights.
"You'll be sorry," he growled at whoever was on the other side of the mirror. In Gotham City, no one would have dared crossed the kingpin he'd become. But this was Metropolis - there was a different set of criminal loyalties here. He was an outsider. Doing business with out-of-towners had been a gamble but Harvey was known for taking risks.
* * *
At his trial, Harvey insisted upon defending himself. Normally, a judge may have questioned his recklessness - he hadn't been a practicing attorney for over fifteen years. He had documented mental health issues. But again, this was Metropolis. The City had Lex Luthor trying to unleash biochemical weapons upon it and a reputation to maintain. What did they care about some scarred-up has-been from Gotham? It just went to show how ineffective the "Batman" truly was. Metropolis didn't just let criminals go. Dent would learn.
And learn he did. In his prime, Harvey Dent could charm a jury with a cocky smile and a trustworthy gaze. Now, one side of his face was like a grotesque Halloween mask and he had a long rap sheet. It was hard to give a pleading look when half of your mouth curled into a snarl and the scarred part of your face wavered between shades of green and purple.
He was convicted swiftly and harshly. At his sentencing (eight-to-ten in the federal pen), his discolored face grew apoplectic and he lashed out at the nearest person - a guard - headbutting the man and hitting at him as best he could with shackled hands. As he was restrained, Harvey yelled curses at the judge and jury.
* * *
It was only when he'd been transported to the Supermax prison and put in solitary confinement for his own safety (plenty of people would love to take out a former D.A., they said) that he realized the reality of the situation. He was in Bumfuck, Kansas - some federally-owned place outside of Metropolis. He'd gone to the big city on his own to feel things out, report back to his people in Gotham. When he didn't return on time, no alarms were put up. As far as Gotham City's underground was concerned, Harvey Dent's disappearance was, for the second time, their gain. He was cut off from everyone, most particularly his wife and daughter.
...right. Nadine and Duela. He'd tried to keep them out of his head - Nadine would be going crazy if she knew what he was up to in Metropolis. All he told her was that he was going out. That had been weeks ago. He'd been gone weeks at a time before. Now, he realized, she would have no idea what happened to him. She'd think he simply up and left them. He had to get a message to her somehow.
* * *
Gotham City.
A week later, a newly released prisoner by the name of McHale arrived in Gotham City. "Deliver this message," Dent had said to him quietly, quickly, while the guard had his back turned. "My wife will pay you. I promise it'll be worth it." But when McHale arrived at the address Dent had given him, no one answered. He pounded on the door, waited around a few hours, left and came back, but no one came to the door. Finally, the super noticed him.
"Apartment's been abandoned," he said. "You looking to rent?"
* * *
Nine Years Later.
Harvey Dent wasn't sure why he hadn't heard from his wife in the nine long years he was in prison. Any number of things could have gone wrong. McHale could've died, could've gotten the message mixed up. Nadine could have received the message and refused to write back. He had a lot of questions that needed answering. It would appear that she and Duela no longer lived in the apartment they'd shared. Then again, it would appear that he'd abandoned them without explanation nearly ten years ago. He had an explanation for that. He wanted answers. He wanted his wife and daughter back. He wanted Gotham City to know that Harvey Dent had returned.
Character: Harvey Dent/Two-Face
Fandom: Batman/The Dark Knight
Word Count: 754
Partner: Nadine Lewis knowthenbreak