Sinner's Tears
"Damn it!" Judge Max Reinhold screamed. "I'll give you whatever you want." He scampered away from the man approaching him. The maniac was dressed in a green ski mask, green gloves, purple sweater, and black cargo pants that he wore tucked into his black combat boots. But it was the double barrel shotgun he welded that worried Max the most.
"I'm sure you will." he replied. He watched the good Judge with the eyes of a predator. Max was a well-built man in his late fifties. He was clean cut. The kind of man you expect to find in an office paneled in dark mahogany wood and decorated with expensive furniture. Max was a fine up standing citizen, a wonderful example of a judicial employee. That's what enraged the man in the mask most.
"Did you think you could hide forever?" he asked smashing the but of the gun into the Judge's chest. "Did you think no one would ever find out?"
"Please." Max pleaded trying to get off the floor. His chest burned like it was on fire. He finally managed to crawl up into his custom made, leather executive chair. The man in the green mask stood calmly watching him.
"Is that what they said?" he asked calmly, his voice almost soothing.
"What are you talking about?" Max replied holding his broken ribs.
"The women."
"What women?"
"What women?" he said, obviously annoyed. "The women you raped." He walked over to the sitting Judge. "The ones you raped in this very office."
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Did they scream?"
"I just told you that..."
"Did they scream?" he interrupted
"I didn't do anything." Max insisted.
"It's a yes or no question your Honor." He let all his contempt flow into the sentence. "Answer yes or no."
"I don't..." was as far as Max got when the maniac punched him in his ribs.
The man in the mask stepped away from the Judge, he danced in a little circle listening to the other man's screams of pain.
"The crys of the repentant are music to my ears." He said. He wouldn't speak again until he was sure that the good Judge could hear and understand him.
Max painfully forced his eyes open. The maniac was sitting on his desk Indian style. Max took note that the maniac still had the shotgun in hand.
"You know if you had stopped with the first one you wouldn't have gotten my attention." The man in the mask said. "You should have pleaded guilty and did your time. Sure you might be someone's punk right now but it's better than what you've become."
"All charges against me were dropped." Max said. "That woman was a lying whore."
"But you couldn't could you?" he continuing, ignoring the good Judges out burst. "You used your power and influence to make her with draw the charges. Then she turned up dead."
"I had none thing to do with that."
"You know what the worst part is? You didn't stop after that. You raped, got away with it. You murdered, got away with it. Even David got the lesson the first time. But the Honorable Judge Maxiumus Reinhold would not stop. After Cindy Manfred came Mary Styles then Tiffany Sheldon then...."
Max listened as the maniac named the victims with uncanny, near supernatural accuracy. Just hearing the names aroused him again. "This is about money." He thought.
"How much do you want?" Max asked as the stranger spoke the last name. "I've got ten thousand in the wall safe." Not that the stranger would live long enough to spend it. Max was owed more than a few favors from the Gotham underworld. When the maniac was gone he'd simply cash one in.
"Do you know why you couldn't stop?"
"What?" Max snapped. He starting to think things was well in hand. This guy was probably some dumb henchman of the brains who'd figured out Max's secret.
"Because sin is addictive." He said putting the shotgun to the good Judge's chest.
"But you can't get blackmail money from a dead man." Max pleaded. The cold, hard barrel erased all his confidence. "I can get you more. Ten thousand is just a drop in the bucket."
"I never came for your money." He said pulling the trigger. "I came for your sin."
* * * * * * * * *
Commissioner James Gordon slammed the office door shut. What he'd seen in Judge Reinhold's chambers sickened him. Gordon couldn't shake the vision of the Judge sitting there with his chest blown open. He had seen causalities before, the war had made sure of that, but this was different. This one struck him as particularly vicious. As his anger subsided he felt he wasn't alone in his office.
"Hello old friend." He said calmly.
"Hello Jim." A voice replied from the shadows. "I take it that it was worse then you thought."
"I didn't think that was possible." Jim said switching on the light.
The naked bulb cast its light on the old desk buried under paperwork. The light spread across walls that were once white but now showed their age and continued flowing over the beaten, worn, hardwood floor. When the light reached him it seemed to stop in its tracks. He stood there in defiance of it. Almost daring it to shine on him. Half cloaked in darkness was the Batman, the defender of Gotham City.
Jim watched his friend take the report off of the desk. Batman always amazed and fascinated him. The Dark Knight's cape clung to vigilante like a second skin. The pointed ears of the cowl and white eyes gave Batman his menacing appearances, that along with the fact that he could fight anybody this side of Superman to a stand still. In Jim's whole time as unofficial partner to the Dark Knight, he couldn't ever recall hearing the Batman approach. Even now as his friend walked over the creaky office floor there wasn't a sound. Thank God he's on our side Jim often thought.
"Did anyone hear anything?" Batman asked flipping through the report, memorizing it. "This is consistent with a close range shotgun wound."
"That's what the corner said too." He said confirming Batman analysis. "But no one heard a thing. Which doesn't surprise me."
"Why?"
"Judge Reinhold must've been paranoid or something because his whole office was sound proof. A bomb could've went off in there and you wouldn't have heard it if you were two feet from the door."
"A lot of people working down town had that done." Batman said. "To keep out construction noise as Gotham was rebuilt."
"Those that could afford it." Jim joked, staring at the pile of papers on his desk. "The bastard that did this is evil. I don't usually do this but."
"What is it?" Batman could hear the hesitation in Jim's voice.
"Could you keep your boys out of this?" Jim asked. "This ones going to get ugly. I'd like to keep it between you and me."
"Consider it done." Batman replied. He knew Nightwing and Robin wouldn't be to happy about being excluded but he agreed with the Commissioner. What he'd seen in the photos made him cringe. As experienced as his proteges were, Batman knew this was strictly veteran material. Besides there was a part of him that was looking foreword to working closely with Gordon again. With the Commissioner talking retirement, this could be their last chance to relive old times.
"Thanks." Gordon said looking up. Batman was already gone.
* * * * * * * *
Courtroom was fill with people. Some of them family and friends of the victim desiring to see justice served. Others were reporters and such who just wanted to be part of the biggest trial since O.J. Simpson.
Judge Wittcliff was presiding. He was an older black man with a baldhead, graying beard and stern features. His eyes were like stone as he surveyed the court. Everything was going well. It had been a long six weeks. He would be glad to return to his normal life, even if he would miss the attention.
Rhonda Bowmen, prosecuting attorney, sat at her table going over her notes. At five-five, a hundred and ten pounds she was fit and trim. She kept her blonde hair in a tight bun on the back of her head. Through the whole trial she wore pinstriped business suits, some skirts, some pants, in a multitude of colors but all were pinstriped. The press called her the "Pinstriped Prosecutor". She was a lot older than she looked; a trait she used to her advantage. To opposing council she seemed like a wet behind the ears youngster. Nothing could be farther from the truth. She was building quite a track record and she'd be damned if she'd lose a trial this big.
Davon Jackson sat in his chair, nervously rubbing his hands together. The twenty-five year old was accused of killing his girlfriend and their three-year-old child. If convicted he could get life in prison or worse, the death penalty. The thought of it angered him. He didn't graduate collage and get a good job just to be another black male statistic. He knew he was innocent. He even knew who the real killer was. But the police didn't listen. It was too easy to put it off on him. Part of him wished he'd followed his first mind and ran for his life. Instead he listened to his mother and stayed to stand trial. She got him the best lawyer she could afford.
Matt Murdoc ran his fingers over his paper reading the little nodules that spelled words to him. He shifted the dark glasses on his face, as he typically did when he was in court. He could hear the camera shutters in the background. He was celebrity now. Blind Lawyer who defended a madman. He sighed to himself. It was definitely a madman who killed Kasha Roberts and her little boy but it wasn't his client.
"So what do you think?" Davon asked. "Do I ever see daylight again?"
"I promise you will Davon." Matt replied.
"How's your man coming with the stuff I told you?"
"He said he was close to results but its going to take time."
"Time is the one thing I don't have."
The door at the rear of the room opened. The police officer walked down to the prosecutor and whispered in her ear. Whatever he said you could see in Rhonda's face that she wasn't happy.
"Permission to approach the bench your honor?" she said. You could hear a pin drop. Every one wanted to know what was going on.
"Approach." He replied.
Davon watched her walk to the judge. He had a sinking feeling in his stomach. It only got worse when Matt was summoned up to join them. "We'll just fry him now." He whispered in the voice that he used to imitate white people.
A few moments later both Attorneys returned to their seats. Davon was about to ask Matt what was going on when the judge spoke.
"Miss Bowmen has something to say."
Rhonda cleared her throat. "In light of new evidence obtained this morning the state of New York drops all charges against Davon Jackson."
"Mr. Jackson you're free to go." Judge Wittcliff added.
The courtroom exploded with activity. "What new evidence?" reporters asked following Rhonda and her team out of the room.
Matt hugged a very happy Mrs. Jackson and her son.
"You're a free man." Matt asked.
"Thanks." Davon said with his mother's arm still around him. "Now I have the chance to grieve for my family."
"You do that." Matt replied as they left.
"Take your picture Mr. Murdoc?" a friendly voice asked.
"Peter." Matt said extending his hand to his friend. "I didn't know you were doing freelance again."
"I'm not." Peter said shaking Matt's hand. "Some habits die hard I guess."
"I take it from your accelerated heart rate this isn't a social call." Matt said collecting his things. "There's a place a few blocks from here where we can get some coffee and talk."
A brisk walk later and the men were sitting in the back of a diner that had seen better days.
"So what's on your mind Mr. Parker?" Matt said between sipping his coffee. "Marriage trouble?"
"Nope. MJ and I are doing fine." He answered. "This came across the wire today." He said sliding Matt three sheets of paper stapled together.
Matt ran his fingers across the paper. With his sense of touch he could "see" the raised ink on the pages as clearly as any sighted person could.
Peter stirred his hot chocolate. "A associate a the Bugle faxed that to me."
"It couldn't be him. He's dead." Matt asked finishing the article.
"What villain do you know that hasn't been reported dead at on time or another?" Peter asked.
"Good point." Matt said pushing his coffee away. He'd lost his appetite. "Who ever he is he's killed three people already."
"I know." Peter said. "We've got to do something."
"Gotham's a little out of our jurisdiction isn't it?"
"We know him better then anyone else."
"Fine." Matt said. In his heart he knew Peter was right. "I'm do for a vacation. When do we leave?"
"Actually I was kind of hoping you could go solo."
"What?"
"I can't leave right now my Aunt May is in the hospital."
"I'm sorry Peter." Matt said. He didn't need hyper senses to see Peter was torn between his duty to family and his duty to the world as Spider-Man. "Don't worry. I'll take care of it."
Peter cracked a smile. When Matt Murdoc made a promise Dare Devil delivered.
* * * * * * * * *
Commissioner Gordon took a stroll in his fenced in backyard to relieve some tension. Two more people had been killed since he took the case. This was not the way he wanted to end his law enforcement career. He wanted to retire at the top of his game like Michael Jordan did the first time.
"Jim."
Gordon turned to see Batman standing behind him. It was a rare sight. The Dark Knight out in broad day light. Amazingly enough the sun did little to dispel the darkness the surrounded Batman.
"I haven't seen you out in the day time since No Man's Land." Jim said.
"I'm taking some time off from my day job." Batman said as they walked in the house.
"What's that?"
"Being Superman."
"Was that a joke?"
Batman replied with his typical silence.
"Alright then." Jim said. "What brings you out before night fall?"
"I wanted to let you know that I'm going to be out of town tonight. I'm checking on a possible lead. I'll brief you tomorrow night when I return."
"Thanks." Jim said staring at the picture of Sarah on the mantle. "But you didn't have to do that. You don't answer to me."
"Partners keep Partners informed." Batman replied. "And Jim."
"What?"
"I miss her too."
"Thanks." Jim relied. He was the only person in the room.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Batman had been trailing Spider-man for the better part of three hours. He told himself that he was waiting for the right time to approach the Wall Crawler but he knew he was testing himself. Keeping up with Spider-Man was no easy feat. Not only was the hero younger than Batman, about Nightwing's age Batman thought, Spider-Man was a Meta-Human. Meaning that Spider-Man had, for lack of a better term, super powers. Batman only knew of one or two people who could match the agility that he'd seen the young hero use tonight. As Spider-Man rested on a rooftop, Batman decided to make his move.
"Spider-man." Batman said stepping from the shadows.
"So you're the one that's been following me." He said. "For a minute there I though it was one of my long list of enemies."
"I want to ask you a few questions."
"Sure." He said walking over to Batman. "How can I help."
Batman handed the other hero a large manila envelope. "Tell me what you know."
Spider-Man examined the contents. "Sure." He said. "But you've got to come with me on the rest of my patrol. It's a long story."
"Go ahead." Batman said.
"Well it begins with Jean DeWolff." Spider-Man said leaping into the night.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Gotham wasn't too different from Hell's Kitchen. At least it didn't appear that way to Dare Devil. The hero was clad in his familiar red costume with the interlocked black double D his chest. He effortlessly somersaulted from his billboard perch, to a flagpole, spun around it gaining momentum. On his third pass he released his hold while retrieving his collapsible cane from its holster and flew through the air. Before gravity could get a firm grip on him fired a jump line from his cane, caught a stone gargoyle and swung to another building.
"Its like this place was designed for non-flying superheroes." He thought. He paused, reaching out with his hyper senses. Gotham lay open before him. The cat hissing in the alley fifteen floors below him, the baby crying two blocks away, all were his to "see". The accident that blinded Matt Murdoc also gifted him with extraordinary powers by raising his other senses to superhuman levels and giving him his radar sense. He risked sensory overload by extending his powers more then a few hundred feet but with a killer on the loose he had to chance it. Methodically he sorted through the sounds and smells searching for something strange, something out of place.
There it was a smell that wasn't normal and an erratic heartbeat emanating from the same person about a mile away and moving away from him. It was a long shot he knew but it was better than nothing.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
"Dad you need to come out with Dick and tonight." Barbara insisted.
"That's alright sweetheart." Jim Gordon said looking at his daughter's face framed by the videophone monitor. "I don't want to be a third wheel."
"You will not be a third wheel." She said. "But you do have to promise not to talk shop with Dick all night."
"That's what police officers do honey." He replied. "Shop talk."
"Well you two do have one other thing in common besides police work."
"What's that?"
"Me."
Jim laughed at his child's remark. "You know what you're right. I'll bring your baby pictures along. He'll love the one of your first bath."
"Dad."
"You were so cute."
"On second thought maybe you should stay home tonight." She said.
"You kids have a good time tonight."
"Okay but if you need anything call my cell."
"I'll be fine." He said. "Good night Barbara."
"Good night dad."
When the image of his daughter clicked off Jim hand the feeling that someone was in the room with him.
"Back from your trip so soon old friend." Jim asked.
The man in the green ski mask looked at the Commissioner and laughed.
* * * * * * * * * *
The Batwing cruised over New York at six hundred miles an hour. Its sole occupant dialed up a coded frequency and waited.
"Oracle here. Go ahead." Barbara Gordon said.
"Is Dick with you?" Batman asked.
"Not yet but he's on his way." She answered. "Why?"
"Where's Tim and Cassandra?" he asked referring to Robin and the new Batgirl.
"Cassie had a thing down town and Tim's on patrol. Why?"
"What route is Tim taking tonight?"
"Alpha pattern." She snapped. "Am I the only one who keeps hearing me ask why?"
"From the information I got from Spider-Man your father could be in danger."
"My Father's in danger and you're playing twenty questions!"
"I said could be." He reminded. "Send Nightwing and Robin to stand watch till I get there. My ETA is thirty minutes. Batman out."
* * * * * * * * *
"Did you think that I wouldn't find out?" the man in the green mask said. "Did you think your position would save you?"
Jim Gordon assessed the situation. First the man held a double barrel shotgun. Second the man was standing in front of the table with Jim's revolver on it. Third and more importantly Jim believed this was the killer he and Batman were after.
"What are you talking about?" Jim asked. If he could get the man talking, he hoped he could by time to figure a way out.
"I'm talking about the murders you committed." He said studying Jim. The Commissioner was a older man, not too far from seventy. Gordon had white hair and a white beard and wire framed glasses. The man in the mask walked closer Jim.
"I haven't murdered anyone." He replied looking up at the maniac in the mask. Gordon cursed himself for having been caught sitting in a chair; it limited his options. "You're the only killer here."
"I only kill the guilty who manage to escape justice."
"What did Judge Reinhold do?"
The maniac stepped back and answered. "Twelve counts of rape, twelve counts of murder in the first, six counts of extortion, and a hundred forty counts excepting bribes and abuse of authority."
Gordon wasn't sure in the man was lying or not but he would do a investigation if he lived through this. "What about Karen More?"
The man named off charges like a judge. When he was done Gordon asked him about the other victims. Then the moment came that dreaded.
"What are my crimes?" Jim asked.
"Murder in the second. Accessory to murder and fifty charges of conspiracy."
"That's nonsense!" Gordon snapped. "I never did any of those things."
The man in the mask laughed. "Really?" he said. "Have you forgotten so soon?"
"Refresh my memory."
"No Man's Land." The masked man replied. He took peculiar delight in watching the Commissioner continence change. "You do remember No Man's Land don't you?"
"How could I forget?"
"Then you remember committing your crimes?"
"I remember doing what needed to be done."
"That doesn't excuse you does it?"
"Look I don't know who you are under that mask but me and my men saved lives during that time. We represented order when there was none to be found."
"You allowed one of your officers to commit cold blooded murder in order to make the other gangs fear you."
"I didn't want Petit to do that."
"Then you arrested him after he killed the defenseless boy?"
"No." Gordon said solemnly.
"What would you do to a officer who witnessed a murder, knew the murderer, then did nothing about?"
"I would have them arrested."
"On what grounds?"
"Accessory to murder." Gordon admitted.
The man in the mask laughed again. "If you had stopped there I wouldn't have noticed you. But you didn't did you? You went on to instigate two rival gangs into killing each other."
"No Man's Land wasn't a picnic for anybody! We all got dirty! We had to in order to survive!"
"You were policemen!" The maniac shouted. "You have a code of honor to follow. You acted like common criminals."
"When the U.S. government blew the bridges to Gotham and cut us off from the rest of the country", Gordon responded, "everything changed. We weren't policemen anymore. We couldn't go by the rules of conduct in the law books. The whole damn book went out the window. We had to improvise."
"You became what you were supposed to protect people from."
"We protected the people in our territory." He said. "We saved lives. It could've been much worse if we hadn't been there."
"Were you protecting the people in your territory when you made a deal with Two-Face?"
Gordon couldn't hide his shock. Only few people knew about his incredible lapse in judgement.
"Yes." He said.
"You partnered yourself with a known criminal to protect the innocent?"
"Yes."
"You don't see the real reason you did all those things do you?"
"I did it because I wanted to protect people."
"You committed all those crimes with the best intentions?" he said pointing the gun at the Commissioner. "The road to hell is paved with good intentions."
Commissioner James Gordon sat strait backed in the chair, with closed eyes waiting for the shot to come. It didn't. The sound of breaking glass came instead. When he opened his eyes a man in a red outfit stood between him and the maniac.
"Give it up Sin Eater." Dare Devil said ready for action.
"Who are you and how do you know my name?" Sin Eater asked. The intruder had crashed through the picture window and kicked him in the chest. His gun lay on the floor between them.
"I also know that you won't be killing anyone else." Dare Devil replied.
"Who are you to stand in the way of divine judgement?" Sin Eater said. "This man is weighted down. I am here to relieve him of his sin."
Dare Devil scanned Sin Eater with his senses. One thing was for sure; this wasn't the same man he and Spider-Man fought in New York. That would also explain Sin Eater's shock at seeing him.
"What ever this man is guilty of the law can handle it."
"Your law is a joke." Sin Eater rebuffed. He slowly moved his hands to his pocket.
Dare Devil picked up Sin Eater's movement and something else flying through the air.
Microseconds later the room filled with thick white smoke. The scent overwhelmed him and sent him into a coughing fit. All he could tell was that another person had entered the room.
* * * * * *
Mat Murdoc aka Dare Devil stood in the backyard of the Gordon residence. He took a deep breath looking up at the night sky. The fresh air felt good flowing into his lungs.
Nightwing sat in the kitchen talking to an unseen person
"Hey all I saw was two men in masks." He said.
"But he does have on his red costume right?" Oracle asked her voice sounding in his ear.
"Yeah but how was I supposed to know that was Dare Devil?"
"The horns on his mask should have been a hint Short Pants"
"I can not be expected to know every superhero on the planet." He replied
"So when in doubt smoke pellet them all and sort them out when it dissipates?"
"That's my style." He replied.
"Well I can't argue." She laughed. "It gets results."
Nightwing insisted that Jim leave so that he wouldn't contaminate the crime scene. Gordon reluctantly agreed so now he sat on the front step flanked by the rest of the members of Batman's crime fighting family. Robin on the left with his cape moving with the gentle night breeze. Batgirl was on the right. She was the only person he knew who was as silent as the Batman was. She reminded him of a deadly animal, ready to strike out at any moment. The eldest member of Batman's team, Nightwing, was out back checking on Dare Devil. Dare Devil was a superhero from New York who was tracking down Sin Eater. Four superheroes total. Some would be flattered at the attention but all James could think about that was a lot of people wouldn't be helped tonight because these heroes were all protecting him.
"You can leave Boy Wonder." James said. "Montoya's on her way with some GCPD officers. I'll be fine."
"I'm sorry sir but I can't do that." Robin said. "We have our orders."
"There are more people in Gotham besides me." He said. "What about them?"
"I wouldn't worry about it sir."
"Why not?"
"He has Green Lantern and the Flash are filling in tonight."
"Oh." He said. Green Lantern AND the Flash watching over Gotham. That was good news. "I suspect a dramatic drop in crime tonight then."
"You alright?" Nightwing asked.
"Fine now." Dare Devil answered. "How is the police officer doing?"
"You mean Commissioner Gordon?" Nightwing asked. "He's fine. You showed up just in time."
"The Commissioner Gordon." He said. "Batman's friend?"
"The one and only."
Dare Devil had recovered enough to try reaching out with his senses. Sin Eater was long gone but he did "see" another figure approaching.
"Batman I assume." Dare Devil said.
"No I'm not Batman. I'm much cooler." Nightwing said. "In fact I'm so cool that sheep count me at night." A cough from behind said that Dare Devil wasn't talking to him.
Batman stepped past his eldest and offered his hand to Dare Devil.
"Thank you for saving the Commissioner." Batman said.
"I'll um let you two talk." Nightwing said excusing himself. He hated when Batman would sneak up on him.
"You're welcome." He said shaking Batman's hand. The thing the stuck out to Dare Devil was how Batman's heart sounded. The only thing he could compare it to was a fine tuned engine. "Your killer's name is Sin Eater."
"I know." He said. "I spoke to Spider-Man. He filled me in."
"But it's not the same man." Dare Devil added.
"I know." Batman said. "I did some digging of my own. Your guy died three years ago in prison."
"You wouldn't happen to know where we can find the current Sin Eater would you?"
"I have a good idea." He said. "But I'll have to ask you to leave my city. I have all the help I need."
"You expect me to just walk away?"
"Yes." Batman confirmed. "I understand personal responsibility all too well but as you said this is not your Sin Eater."
"I'm not about to fight you over this. If you want the case you can have it." Dare Devil said reaching for his cane. "You obviously know where to find help when you need it. Have a good night Batman. I wish you luck."
Batman watched him leave then went in to the house.
* * * * * * * * *
In a hotel room on the grittiest part of Gotham
"That was a close one." He thought stepping out of the shower. "The idiot in the red costume cost me my prize. Now I have wait to get the good Commissioner. I was close enough to taste his sin." He licked his lips in anticipation. "I will have it. One day very soon."
He wrapped a towel around his lower body and walked into the bedroom. His thoughts raced through his head. He had much planning to do. He laid back on the bed staring at the ceiling waiting for his instructions to come. Slowly his mind cleared and he saw the next person who needed to be freed of their sin.
* * * * * * * * *
He crept soundlessly through her bed room window. He expected her to be under guard but she wasn't. The stupid GCPD hadn't figured out his pattern. Why should they? Even the great Batman hadn't found it yet. "World's Greatest Detective" what a joke. The only one that concerned him was the man in red. Hearing someone else speak his name disturbed him. But gazing at her lovely, still, form in the bed made him forget. For a instant he rebelled against the thought of killing her, of freeing he from her sin. Then he remembered he wasn't hurting her. He was helping her. Lightening her soul so that it could float up to heaven. That saddened him because although he loved her he knew they could never be together. He was damned. He took on the weight of all the sin he had eaten. Heaven was no other place for him.
"Detective Renee Montoya," he said, "Did you think I wouldn't find out? Did you think you could hide for ever?"
The woman that was under the covers wasn't Detective Montoya. It wasn't even a woman. It was a girl, Batgirl to be exact. Sin Eater never stood a chance.
"Good job." Batman said emerging from the shadows.
Batgirl looked up from cuffing Sin Eater's unconscious form to give Batman the "thumbs up sign".
Batman already knew who Sin Eater was taking the mask off the villain was just a formality. The face of Harvey Dent former DA also known as the killer Two-Face was underneath.
"How did you know?" Gordon asked joining them in Detective Montoya's bedroom.
"Two-Face was the only link between all the victims." Batman explained. "Judge Reinhold was an murderer and rapist that Two-Face forced into keeping his men out of jail. Karen Moore was a child pornographer that paid protection money to him. Jonathan Rook was a Baptist Minister that dealt drugs that Two-Face supplied to children. You already know the relationship that he had with you and Detective Montoya."
"But why the Sin Eater act?" Gordon said.
"Truthfully I'm not entirely sure. I do know that Stan Carter, the original Sin Eater spent two years at Arkham." He answered. "I think Harvey can tell us the rest." He nodded at Batgirl and she pulled a smelling salt capsule from her utilitybelt.
"What's going on?" Two-Face growled.
"We were hoping you could tell us." Gordon said.
"Where the hell am I?"
"Detective Montoya's apartment."
"How did I get here?"
"You don't remember?" Batman asked.
"No." Two-Face "And stop looking at me like I killed somebody."
"You did Harvey." Batman said as the officers of GCPD arrived.
"That ain't my name no more." He said lunging for Batman but Batgirl, despite her size, held him firm. Then he caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror. "What the hell is this get up supposed to be?"
"Your just full of questions aren't you?" Gordon snapped.
"I didn't do nothing!" Two-Face protested.
"That's right you're Mr. Innocent." Gordon said. "Get'em out of here."
The officers relieved Batgirl of her charge. She promptly exited the window leaving Gordon and Batman alone.
"You think it could be another personality?" Jim asked.
"I don't know." Batman responded. "It wouldn't be that much of a stretch. Harvey's Judge persona is very similar."
"You still think Stan Carter is the connection?"
"Yes but it could be something as simple as they had a conversation while in Arkham." He supposed. "It doesn't take much to plant a seed in a person like Harvey."
"I just thank goodness its over." Gordon added.
"For now." Batman said. "The first Sin Eater NYPD caught wasn't the real one. Stan had brain washed a person who had mental problems into thinking they were the Sin Eater."
"Then the real killer's still out there?"
"Maybe." He said solemnly. "Only time will tell."
* * * * * * * * * * *
Epilogue: One
Location: Roof of the building across the street from Montoya's apartment
"I thought I asked you to leave." Batman said calmly.
"He's telling the truth." Dare Devil replied. "Two-Face isn't the one who killed those people."
"How do you know that?"
"I have my ways." Dare Devil said. He didn't have the time to explain to Batman how his enhanced senses allowed him to "see" if some one was lying.
"You won't mind if I find that out for myself will you?"
"Not at all." He said walking to the edge of the roof. "If they start again I can be found in Hell's Kitchen and you know where to find Spider-Man. That is, if you need any help."
"I'll remember that." Batman said watching Dare Devil execute a flip from the building that would make Nightwing blush.
* * * * * * * *
Epilogue: Two
Location: Phone booth somewhere in Gotham.
"Control this is Traveler. Line unsecured."
"This is Control. Unsecured line understood. Clock is counting. Go ahead."
"Project Gotham terminated prematurely. Resistance underestimated."
"Condition?"
"Satisfactory. Janus cover activated. Request new orders or return to HQ."
"Request denied. Traveler declared nonexistent."
"Understood. Traveler out."
The man in the black trench coat hung up the phone. He walked across the street to the subway entrance. Moments later bystanders could be heard screaming as train breaks screeched.