Chapter 14

Paramedics quickly filled Wayne Manor, placing Harvey Dent onto a stretcher. The most they could do was wrap Harvey's face in gauze and medical tape. He was unconscious as they carried the stretcher out of Wayne Manor, while everyone stood in silence and watched. Bruce walked over to Alfred and whispered in his ear. The billionaire then quickly left the scene, going to his private study.

"Alright asshole, let's go." Gordon said, lifting up the man that had assaulted Harvey.

Bruce had quickly got into his Batman gear once he left the party. He knew exactly who was behind the attacks, since "The Boss" was a big name in Gotham. Driving quickly through the city, his Batmobile flying through the air after every small bump, he was prepared to track Salvatore Maroni down and knock a few teeth out of his mouth.

Batman pulled up outside one of the many restaurants that Maroni owned. He jumped out of the Batmobile and walked to the door, kicking it powerfully and making it swing open. Maroni was standing towards the back of the restaurant where the bar was. Multiple men of his were with him. They were all drinking, laughing and smiling.

"Ah Batman!" Maroni shouted, looking back to see what the noise was. Batman walked towards Maroni, fists at his side.

"Why?" Batman asked.

"Why what? I have no idea what you mean." Maroni said with a grin.

"Why attack Harvey Dent?!" Batman shouted, grabbing Maroni's collars and slamming him into the bar. All of his men stood up, but Maroni raised his hand. They all slowly sat back down, staring at Batman.

"I did not attack Harvey Dent. I was here, with my men. Just like I didn't kill Hamilton Hill. I have witnesses too." Maroni said with a smirk. He looked around at his men who were all nodding their heads.

"You…" Batman muttered. He raise his fist above his head, ready to strike the mob boss.

"Alright asshole, let's go." Gordon said, lifting up the man that had assaulted Harvey. He turned him around to take him outside. A gunshot rang through Wayne Manor, and the man quickly fell to the ground. The bullet had gone through his head, shocking Gordon and everyone else in the party. Black Mask was standing at the door, a pistol in hand as he slowly walked into the large household.

"Son of a bitch." Gordon muttered, pulling out his own pistols. Black Mask's masked men quickly ran into the Manor, aiming AK-47's at all the guests in attendance.

"Not so fast Lieutenant." Black Mask said. "Everyone here needs to sit down and shut up!"

"Where did Bruce go?" Vicki whispered to Thomas who only shrugged. The two were quickly grabbed, having their hands tied behind their backs. Black Mask approached Gordon, spinning him around and tying his hands together as well. Alfred and Lucius were also tied up, and all the guests were then put into a line.

"Harvey Dent isn't here… I know that for sure." Black Mask said, adjusting the black gloves he wore. He too out his pistol again and aimed it at Alfred.

"Where's Wayne?" Black Mask asked.

"He had to run out." Alfred told him, looking at the ground.

"Run out? To where? The corner store?" Black Mask asked, annoyed that he had missed the billionaire yet again. "Forget it. He'll be back. And Batman should show up eventually to try and help you people. Both of them will fall tonight."

"You're gonna do that?" Gordon asked, staring right at Black Mask. Black Mask looked over at one of his men, who then walked over to Gordon and punched him across the face.

"No speaking unless spoken to." Black Mask told him. Gordon tasted blood in his mouth and looked up at all the masked freaks.

"Screw you." Gordon mutterted. He was punched again and Black Mask smiled as he began walking down the line of people he had hostage.

Oswald Cobblepot grabbed his overcoat and slowly put it on. He looked up at the TV hanging above the bar and stopped what he was doing. Two side by side images of Hamilton Hill and Harvey Dent were up. Harvey Dent's image was him in a hospital bed, and the image of Hamilton Hill showed that his body was covered with a tarp.

"Holy shit." Cobblepot whispered, walking back over to the bar. He sat back down and listened to the news story.

"You know either of them?" the bartender asked.

"Just the one still alive." Cobblepot told him, looking at the image of Harvey, whose face was now covered entirely. "Son of a bitch, he actually did it." he whispered to himself.

"Need a drink?" the bartender asked him, reaching under the bar.

"Yeah. I think I do."

"That old sack of bones has some balls on him." Falcone muttered, staring at the flat screen TV that hung above the fireplace in his office. He looked at the former and current Mayors. One dead, the other in critical condition.

"What do we do boss?" his assistant asked him. Falcone turned around, facing the man now. He reached into one of his desk drawers and pulled out a piece of paper.

"These are locations he owns, or has agents of his hiding out. He has the same information on me, but I won't let him strike first. Gather all the men you can. Destroy these places. Kill anyone who is associated with him. Then burn their bodies, and burn the buildings to the ground." Falcone told him, smacking the paper down onto his desk.

"Right away." the man said, grabbing the paper and then walking to the door.

"Wait. There's a name he mentioned that isn't on there." Falcone said, leaning back in his seat and thinking.

"Sir?"

"Oswald Cobblepot. That's the name. Hangs out in the Diamond District. Check the bars in that area. Don't let him get away." Falcone said. His lackey nodded and ran off.

Batman kicked one of Maroni's men away from him, not letting him get too close. He ducked under a punch, and responded with his own to another's goons gut. One of the henchmen behind him had picked up a stool and slammed it down onto Batman's back, causing him to fall onto his knees. Maroni was on all fours, spitting blood onto the ground.

"You think you can hit me and get away with it? You got another thing coming Batman." Maroni said, spitting in Batman's direction. Batman looked up, seeing another of the mobsters running at him. He pulled out the smoke pellets Lucius gave him and threw them onto the ground.

A cloud of smoke surrounded Batman and he rolled off to the side, leaving the Maroni mob in confusion. He pulled out two batarangs and threw them. He hit two men in their shoulders, and pinned them to the bar. They struggled to break loose from the batarang while Batman picked up Maroni by his collar.

"Finish me off. Take me out." Maroni taunted, punching Batman in the face. Batman responded by throwing Maroni into one of the table in the restaurant, causing it to collapse underneath him. Batman was grabbed from behind and spun around by another one of Maroni's men. This one was holding a crowbar, and had swung right for Batman's head. He ducked under it, and rammed his shoulder into the man's stomach. Wrapping his arms around him, Batman lifted the man and then slammed him down onto the ground.

"Not so easy huh?" Maroni taunted again. He slowly stood up from the broken table, his body feeling weak and exhausted. Batman turned around, slowly walking back towards him. Another goon swung a baseball bat, hitting Batman in the back with it. Batman couldn't help but drop to a knee from the pain.

"How long do you think you can run?" Batman asked. Maroni reached into his suit, pulling out a pistol. He aimed it at Batman's head, but it was quickly knocked away. Batman tackled the older man's legs, bringing him crashing to the ground. All of Maroni's men were back to standing up, and that's when the sound of multiple guns went off.

"No!" Maroni shouted, looking behind Batman at his men who were being shot over and over from the windows. Batman covered Maroni with his own body, looking back at all the mobsters who fell on the ground.

"Maroni is in there with the Bat. Let's go." Batman heard someone say to the others outside.