FALCONE ESTATE

Crime had definitely been good to Carmine Falcone. Mayor Harvey Dent couldn't deny that as he was led up the steps of the Falcone estate by one of his well dressed goons. His property and home could rival that of Wayne Manor. In fact it was currently better, considering how Bruce Wayne had allowed his property to go to hell.

The estate was bustling with activity which was common now since Falcone had turned his home into his own campaign office. It probably wasn't the best idea in the world for Harvey to willingly walk into the enemies territory but the confrontation could no longer be avoided. Carmine Falcone had played his hand in the campaign and true to his character, he had taken the dirty route.

Harvey's bodyguard, Brett, was with him and he was clearly on edge. If Falcone wanted him dead it wouldn't be hard to accomplish that now, even with his trusted bodyguard of ten years by his side. The only consolation to his demise would be that Falcone would finally go down for his crimes seeing as Harvey had made it known to his staff that he was going to the Falcone estate.

Of course, the crime boss would never risk that on his own estate so having Brett with him wasn't entirely necessary. It was more for Brett's ease of mind that he accompany him into the Falcone home.

Once inside the residence, the well dressed goon led them up a large flight of stairs and to the office of Carmine Falcone.

Harvey glanced at his bodyguard. "Wait out here, Brett."

Brett looked at Harvey and looked as if he might argue the matter with him. After a brief pause he begrudgingly nodded he understood.

Harvey confidently walked into Falcone's office. There stood the old crime boss with his back turned to him. He was staring out of his window with his arms clasped behind his back. The room was empty except for the two of them.

"When my assistant told me that the Mayor himself had come to visit me I could hardly believe it."

Harvey walked forward. "You should have known it was coming, Falcone. After what you pulled."

Carmine turned around and looked at him. The crime boss was just as old as Harvey, if not older. He gave him a slight smile that did not reach his eyes. "I pulled nothing nefarious, Mayor. I just came into some delicate information that I felt you needed to know about. Would it be my fault if this said delicate information were to get leaked to the public?"

"But I'm sure the delicate information would remain unveiled if I were to drop out of the campaign. Is that about right?"

Carmine took a Cuban cigar from his coat pocket and lit it. He took a long drag from it before speaking. "That's a reasonable presumption. Besides, I'd heard that you originally planned to retire after your term was up anyway."

"That was before I learned you were running for Mayor," Harvey explained. "As long I draw breath I will never allow a tyrannical criminal like you to ever become mayor of my city."

Carmine took another long drag from his cigar. "That's exactly what you're going to do. Otherwise that damning information regarding your son will be released to the public and his very promising career will come to a dramatic end."

Harvey clenched his fists. "You're a slimy piece of work, Falcone. Only a coward would try to win a campaign by blackmail. Be a man and try to win the old fashioned way."

Carmine stared at him coldly. "I'm a business man, Harvey. This is how business gets done. You've served your time as Gotham's mayor honorably. It's time you stepped down and let me take over."

"That'll never happen, Falcone," Harvey said through clenched teeth. "You're scared of losing because you know you will. That's why you're blackmailing me. The people of Gotham City know who you really are and it's good citizens will never elect you as mayor."

"You'd sacrifice your son's career just to keep me out of office?" Falcone asked.

"You're damn right I would," Harvey said point blankly. "I know my boy would rather end his career than have you as Gotham's mayor."

Carmine sighed. "I'm sorry to hear that, Harvey. I thought you were a better father than that."

"Don't you have any children," Harvey asked. "How would you feel if someone threatened to ruin their reputation?"

Carmine shrugged. "I have several children scattered throughout all the world and I wouldn't give a damn. If they were as weak as your son and allowed this kind of information to be obtainable...then they'd deserve it."

Harvey stepped closer, almost losing his cool and jumping on the old crime boss. He stopped himself at the last moment. Carmine smirked at him smugly.

"My son has his demons, Falcone...but don't take that as a sign of weakness. He's a far better man than I could ever hope to be."

"It doesn't matter," Carmine said indifferent. "Have a good day, Mr. Mayor."

Harvey stared at him a moment longer and then stormed out of the office. Brett had to walk fast to keep up with him. Harvey grabbed his cellphone from his pocket and dialed his son's number.

"Junior," Harvey said after his son answered on the other end. "I have something to tell you. I tried to protect you from it but I've failed."

"What are you talking about?" Harvey, Jr. asked on the other end.

"We shouldn't talk about it over the phone. Meet me at my house in a couple hours."

Carmine Falcone glared at the door Harvey had just stormed out of for several moments. The stubborn man was never one to back down which was something Carmine had always admired about Harvey Dent. He had been sure that the information on his son would have made him see reason and step down from the campaign.

He took another long drag from his cigar and pondered over his options. He ultimately shrugged and walked over to his phone to dial a number. A few seconds passed by before someone on the other end answered.

Carmine put his cigar out in the ash tray. "My original plan has failed. It's time to go to plan B. Have our asset pay the dear mayor a visit."

GCPD

Officer Damian Kyle stormed into Commissioner Ellen Yindel's office. She was reading over some paperwork and sipping coffee from a mug that read: Daddy's Little Girl.

"Commissioner, we need to talk."

Commissioner Yindel didn't bother looking up from her paperwork as she said. "Let's start with you learning to knock on my door before entering, Officer Kyle."

Damian closed the office door. "Sorry about that."

Ellen placed her paperwork on the desk and finally looked up at Damian. "We'll let it slide this time. What's on your mind?"

"There's been another one."

"Another what?" Ellen asked.

Damian started pacing around the room. "Another murder by the Mutant gang. It's getting worse day by day. We have to do something!"

Ellen sighed. "Look, Officer...Kyle, is it? We've been working around the clock on this Mutant gang problem long before you transferred here. Taking down a gang of this magnitude takes time."

Damian stared at her incredulously. "What measures are we taking, Commissioner? How much time do you want to give these scrum bags? Time means the loss of more innocent lives."

Ellen slowly stood from her desk and stared at him icily. "Are you questioning me on how to do my job, Kyle?"

Damian shook his head. "No, ma'am. I'm not questioning you on how to do your job. I am imploring you to actually do your job. Allow us to bring the full weight of the Department down on these mutants."

"And how do you propose we do that, Kyle?"

"By assembling a special task force specifically designed to take the Mutant gang down," Damian proposed. "We catch enough of them and lean hard then we're bound to find out the identity of their Mutant Leader sooner rather than later."

Ellen studied him for several moments. "I'll take your suggestion into consideration."

"Consideration?" Damian repeated. "We need to act now!"

Ellen slammed her hand on the desk. "I am the Commissioner, boy! You are just a regular beat cop who does as he's told! Even if I were to assemble a task force, I wouldn't put a hothead like you on it!" She breathed heavily and took a moment to regain her composure. "Now go do your job and I'll do mine."

Damian clenched his jaw angrily and stared at her for several moments before opening the door. He stepped out and simply said, "Ten."

"Ten what?" Ellen asked.

"That's how old the latest victim was," he said. "A ten year old girl on her way home from school. Take that into consideration."

With that he slammed the door shut.

DENT HOMESTEAD

Harvey Dent crashed onto his couch and leaned his head against the sofa cushion. Brett closed the front door and looked around. He had been very uneasy ever since they'd left Falcone's estate.

Harvey sighed, "You're making me nervous, Brett. How bout go grab us a couple of beer. It'll help take the edge off...for both of us."

"Yes, sir."

Brett dutifully walked into the kitchen to retrieve their beer while Harvey just stared up at the ceiling.

Their were a few moments of silence and then their was a loud crash from the kitchen. Harvey rushed toward the kitchen and saw the broken beer bottles on the floor in front of Brett. His bodyguard was staring at something in alarm.

"What's wrong?" Harvey asked, worried.

Brett took out his pistol. "Blood. Stay down here, Mr. Mayor."

Harvey then noticed a great amount of blood at the foot of the stairs. A bloody trail led up all the way to the top of the stairs. All he could think about was his beautiful wife and he rushed up the stairs against Brett's wishes.

"Grace!" He called out. "Grace, baby where are you!?"

"Mr. Mayor, come back!" Brett called after him.

Harvey made it to the top of the stairs and stormed into his bedroom. On the bed lying in a bloody heap was the corpse of his wife. A woman he loved, adored, and had been married to for fifty-five years.

He ran to the bed and grabbed his lifeless wife. He cried, "Grace. Oh, Grace."

Brett arrived at the bedroom doorway and was stunned at what he saw. He failed to notice the hulking figure that approached from behind him. He turned and screamed at what he saw. He fired a shot but the bullet didn't graze the figure's skin.

Harvey looked up with tear stained eyes and saw the figure snap Brett's neck with ease. The figure was easily seven feet tall with green scales in place of skin. It had bright yellow eyes and sharp pointed teeth.

"Why?" Harvey asked. "Why Grace!?"

The hulking figure chuckled. "It's nothing personal. Call her collateral damage." He walked ominously toward Harvey and grabbed him by the neck.

"What are you?" Harvey asked.

"You can call me Killer Croc."

Harvey Dent, Jr. sped his Porsche into his parent's yard. He exited his car and rushed up the steps to the front door. He wasn't sure what his dad was so disgruntled about but he knew it wasn't good if he insisted on him coming over this late at night.

He came through the front door and called out, "Mom? Dad?"

No answer came.

He walked further into the quiet house and that's when he noticed the broken beer bottles. He then noticed the blood leading up the stairs and into his parent's bedroom. He proceeded quickly up the stairs toward his parent's bedroom. He first saw his father's dead bodyguard and then he noticed them.

His parents were on the bed in a bloody heap. His father's lifeless eyes stared up at the ceiling. His final expression was that of shock and terror.

Harvey, Jr crawled into the bed and grabbed his parent's bodies and then he cried as he cradled their crushed skulls in his arms. He looked up and and saw through his tears words that were written on the ceiling.

The words were written with his parent's blood: FEAR THE MUTANTS!