The football wobbles noticeably as it rises to a maximum height of twenty feet. Its trajectory is such that the pass falls far short of its intended recipient. Milton Price chuckles as he bends down to scoop up the ball. He offers encouragement to eight year old Keith Price. "Give it another try son." Price urges as he tosses the football back to him. Some lessons take a long time to sink in. Despite instructions and guidance, Keith continues to make the same mistake as countless youths first learning the fundamentals of sport. While putting severe arc into a throw delays its inevitable return to the ground, ultimately the ball doesn't travel very far.
After another five minutes of catch with his son, the chief deputy P.A. retrieves his jacket and briefcase from his car and makes his way into the family home in the suburbs. He warmly greets his wife Ann and gets a second hug from his three year old daughter Kimberly. "So, any idea when you expect the jury's verdict?" Ann inquires as Milt pours himself a large glass of spring water. "Very tough to say." he responds. "The strength of our case blows the defense away. On that basis it shouldn't even take five minutes to reach a unanimous guilty verdict. Of course we're dealing with a most unusual defendant, a woman no jury in Gotham City would be anxious to convict. It could take days; rumor has it that a hung jury is the betting favorite."
The Price family soon sits down for a normal dinner. Ann fights her nightly battle with fussy Kimberly, trying to coax the restless child to sit still and eat her peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Father and son dig into their tasty baked lasagna while Ann sneaks in a bite here and there. By mutual agreement, Milton's cases are never a topic of discussion at the dinner table. Both husband and wife agree that the kids, especially while so young, need not be exposed to the often sordid details of the Gotham legal system.
The Batgirl case itself is a source of some tension between the couple. Ann was quite annoyed when her husband opted to press charges against the caped heroine. Although not privy to the specific details of the case, Mrs. Price fully respects the selfless cause for which the Batman and his associates endlessly fight. Ann firmly believes that Batgirl has earned the benefit of any doubt and she should have been spared from an indictment. Milton has repeatedly explained to his wife that his office has taken the crime-fighter's reputation into account, but he insists that the evidence left him no choice but to file charges.
Milton assists his spouse with the after-dinner clean-up. The lawyer then retreats to his private den, leaving the children's baths and bed-time routine in Ann's capable hands. He intends to put in a couple hours of work this evening to catch up on e-mail, case assignments and related matters which have gone unaddressed due to his trial work.
"That was quite a performance you turned in today counselor ... very impressive!" Milton Price nearly jumps out of his shoes as he whirls around to face his uninvited visitor. "Trench!? What the hell are you doing here?" he asks in hushed, yet emphatic tones. "I've worked damned hard to get where I am. I can't afford to have any face-to-face meetings, even with you!"
"Stuff the sanctimonious crap Miltie!" insists the darkly garbed man as he takes a seat without being so prompted. A rumpled cigar protrudes from his lips. He refrains from lighting up, not in deference to Price, but rather because he does not want to risk tripping the sensitive smoke alarm. "Yeah, you're pretty much free to do your own thing, but don't forget that Mr. M still has a big investment in you. He's expecting to rake in a hefty dividend this time."
"You had to break into my home to tell me this?" Price angrily scoffs. "In case you hadn't noticed, the arguments are over and it's now in the hands of the jury. I did exactly as the big man ordered. I prosecuted Batgirl. You have no cause to show up here in the guise of a thinly veiled threat!"
'Trench' sneers at the flustered district attorney. He inspects his yet unsmoked cigar and proceeds to savor its aroma. Price grows impatient as his unwanted guest deliberately taxes his nerves. "The job isn't done yet Miltie." Trench finally retorts. "The jury still has to convict her." He pauses momentarily to assess the grim situation. "Heaven help us both if they come back with anything less than 'guilty as charged'!"
"Now just what the hell is that supposed to mean!?" Price snaps. He quickly lowers his voice to avoid attracting the attention of his family. "Listen here, I don't like what you're implying. No one said anything about rigging the trial. All I was told was to go after Batgirl, by the book. Sweeping the matter under the rug was not an option, but frankly I didn't need Michaleston's prodding to push this case. The evidence was just too compelling for me or my office to ignore."
"The evidence?" Trench chuckles sarcastically. Milt glares at him suspiciously and is about to inquire about tampering when the visitor elaborates. "Word has it that the Batman was up there on that rooftop and that it was him who caused ol' Spiker to take a dive." Price is flabbergasted by this inside tidbit, for this is the very first he's heard such a notion suggested. "The funny thing is that Batgirl actually tried to save Denton's sorry ass. She failed and now her pretty little neck is on the chopping block!"
A myriad of thoughts and questions cascade within the mind of Milton Price. If the Batman was there, why is there no evidence of such? Why do all of the facts point to Batgirl? Why is the Batman allowing Batgirl to take a false rap? How is it that neither the G.C.P.D. nor the D.A.'s office have any such intel? Why wasn't I informed about the Batman's possible involvement before presenting my case? Why drop this bombshell on me now, after the case has gone to the jury?
When it comes to mob dealings, Trench believes in a 'need-to-know' philosophy. It is unclear to Milton just how much he actually knows. Trench refuses to confirm or deny any questions pertaining to potential fabrication of evidence or witness tampering. Instead, he limits himself just to his rationale for clueing the prosecutor in at this particular time.
"Michaelston's inner circle was very torn as to which direction to go in." Trench recounts. "They saw a chance to go after the Batman. Granted it was a real long shot, but a lot of those guys wanted to try it anyway. They figured that at least they could dirty the hero's reputation and maybe their ace-in-the-hole, Chief Deputy P.A. Miltie Price, could actually convict the big bad bat."
"I presume the revelation of the video tape changed their minds?" Price theorizes. "It swayed a majority, although there were still some holdouts." Trench replies. "The hatred for the Batman runs deep, especially for old man Michaelston himself. Spike Denton is kind of like a son to him. He wanted so badly to nail the Batman for crippling the kid that it was nearly impossible to get him and his supporters to listen to reason."
"Look, I get the idea that they view Batgirl as settling for second fiddle, but we're comparing a smoking gun versus nothing!" Milt contests. "Surely they had to ..." The lawyer is unable to complete his thought for his mysterious guest suddenly interjects. "Forget second fiddle!" Trench insists. "Where the Batman is concerned, the mob sees no one else in the orchestra. By comparison, Batgirl is very small potatoes. They're irked that the circumstances have essentially forced the prosecution of Batgirl instead of Batman."
Price acknowledges that the Batman is in a class by himself, but he argues that Michaelston and his closest associates apparently underestimate Batgirl. "Don't you realize how many hoods she has taken off the streets single-handedly? Sure she's not Batman, but you'd think Michaelston would relish the opportunity to end her crime-fighting career."
"You don't have to convince me." Trench echoes. "I've seen Batgirl in action, up close. I once watched her confront three armed gunmen, each of whom also had significant height and weight advantages. So guess what? She took down all three of them in under two minutes. Made it look easy!"
"The problem of course is that, for most of us, you have to see it to believe it." Trench reasons. "The heavies in the syndicate have never actually crossed paths with Batgirl. She is typically perceived as more of a nuisance than a threat. They tend to view her as just a broad with a mask and cape who knows a few martial arts tricks. It's different with the likes of say Wonder Woman; she juggles tanks for cryin' out loud! Not to mention that she's damn near six feet tall. Batgirl has no special powers and she isn't physically imposing. Ruthless mob bosses like Michaelston can't resist the temptations of Walter Mitty and imagine themselves capable of crushing Batgirl should they ever meet. In truth, Michaelston couldn't outfight Batgirl on his best day, and that of course was 30 years and 75 pounds ago!"
Trench rises from his chair and makes his way towards the window. He has no desire to field a long series of questions from the anxious prosecutor. He does however see fit to anticipate and answer one such inquiry. "I have risked coming here today because of your family." he warns. "Nothing short of a conviction will satisfy Richard Michaelston. If Batgirl is acquitted, the mob is coming after both of us. I kept the severity of the situation from you until now because it was imperative that you were free of distractions during the trial. You had to be at your best, for both our sakes."
"Years ago you made a deal with the devil," Trench recalls, "but your wife and kids shouldn't have to pay for that decision. Know this. If you take the bullet, your family will be spared."
After another five minutes of catch with his son, the chief deputy P.A. retrieves his jacket and briefcase from his car and makes his way into the family home in the suburbs. He warmly greets his wife Ann and gets a second hug from his three year old daughter Kimberly. "So, any idea when you expect the jury's verdict?" Ann inquires as Milt pours himself a large glass of spring water. "Very tough to say." he responds. "The strength of our case blows the defense away. On that basis it shouldn't even take five minutes to reach a unanimous guilty verdict. Of course we're dealing with a most unusual defendant, a woman no jury in Gotham City would be anxious to convict. It could take days; rumor has it that a hung jury is the betting favorite."
The Price family soon sits down for a normal dinner. Ann fights her nightly battle with fussy Kimberly, trying to coax the restless child to sit still and eat her peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Father and son dig into their tasty baked lasagna while Ann sneaks in a bite here and there. By mutual agreement, Milton's cases are never a topic of discussion at the dinner table. Both husband and wife agree that the kids, especially while so young, need not be exposed to the often sordid details of the Gotham legal system.
The Batgirl case itself is a source of some tension between the couple. Ann was quite annoyed when her husband opted to press charges against the caped heroine. Although not privy to the specific details of the case, Mrs. Price fully respects the selfless cause for which the Batman and his associates endlessly fight. Ann firmly believes that Batgirl has earned the benefit of any doubt and she should have been spared from an indictment. Milton has repeatedly explained to his wife that his office has taken the crime-fighter's reputation into account, but he insists that the evidence left him no choice but to file charges.
Milton assists his spouse with the after-dinner clean-up. The lawyer then retreats to his private den, leaving the children's baths and bed-time routine in Ann's capable hands. He intends to put in a couple hours of work this evening to catch up on e-mail, case assignments and related matters which have gone unaddressed due to his trial work.
"That was quite a performance you turned in today counselor ... very impressive!" Milton Price nearly jumps out of his shoes as he whirls around to face his uninvited visitor. "Trench!? What the hell are you doing here?" he asks in hushed, yet emphatic tones. "I've worked damned hard to get where I am. I can't afford to have any face-to-face meetings, even with you!"
"Stuff the sanctimonious crap Miltie!" insists the darkly garbed man as he takes a seat without being so prompted. A rumpled cigar protrudes from his lips. He refrains from lighting up, not in deference to Price, but rather because he does not want to risk tripping the sensitive smoke alarm. "Yeah, you're pretty much free to do your own thing, but don't forget that Mr. M still has a big investment in you. He's expecting to rake in a hefty dividend this time."
"You had to break into my home to tell me this?" Price angrily scoffs. "In case you hadn't noticed, the arguments are over and it's now in the hands of the jury. I did exactly as the big man ordered. I prosecuted Batgirl. You have no cause to show up here in the guise of a thinly veiled threat!"
'Trench' sneers at the flustered district attorney. He inspects his yet unsmoked cigar and proceeds to savor its aroma. Price grows impatient as his unwanted guest deliberately taxes his nerves. "The job isn't done yet Miltie." Trench finally retorts. "The jury still has to convict her." He pauses momentarily to assess the grim situation. "Heaven help us both if they come back with anything less than 'guilty as charged'!"
"Now just what the hell is that supposed to mean!?" Price snaps. He quickly lowers his voice to avoid attracting the attention of his family. "Listen here, I don't like what you're implying. No one said anything about rigging the trial. All I was told was to go after Batgirl, by the book. Sweeping the matter under the rug was not an option, but frankly I didn't need Michaleston's prodding to push this case. The evidence was just too compelling for me or my office to ignore."
"The evidence?" Trench chuckles sarcastically. Milt glares at him suspiciously and is about to inquire about tampering when the visitor elaborates. "Word has it that the Batman was up there on that rooftop and that it was him who caused ol' Spiker to take a dive." Price is flabbergasted by this inside tidbit, for this is the very first he's heard such a notion suggested. "The funny thing is that Batgirl actually tried to save Denton's sorry ass. She failed and now her pretty little neck is on the chopping block!"
A myriad of thoughts and questions cascade within the mind of Milton Price. If the Batman was there, why is there no evidence of such? Why do all of the facts point to Batgirl? Why is the Batman allowing Batgirl to take a false rap? How is it that neither the G.C.P.D. nor the D.A.'s office have any such intel? Why wasn't I informed about the Batman's possible involvement before presenting my case? Why drop this bombshell on me now, after the case has gone to the jury?
When it comes to mob dealings, Trench believes in a 'need-to-know' philosophy. It is unclear to Milton just how much he actually knows. Trench refuses to confirm or deny any questions pertaining to potential fabrication of evidence or witness tampering. Instead, he limits himself just to his rationale for clueing the prosecutor in at this particular time.
"Michaelston's inner circle was very torn as to which direction to go in." Trench recounts. "They saw a chance to go after the Batman. Granted it was a real long shot, but a lot of those guys wanted to try it anyway. They figured that at least they could dirty the hero's reputation and maybe their ace-in-the-hole, Chief Deputy P.A. Miltie Price, could actually convict the big bad bat."
"I presume the revelation of the video tape changed their minds?" Price theorizes. "It swayed a majority, although there were still some holdouts." Trench replies. "The hatred for the Batman runs deep, especially for old man Michaelston himself. Spike Denton is kind of like a son to him. He wanted so badly to nail the Batman for crippling the kid that it was nearly impossible to get him and his supporters to listen to reason."
"Look, I get the idea that they view Batgirl as settling for second fiddle, but we're comparing a smoking gun versus nothing!" Milt contests. "Surely they had to ..." The lawyer is unable to complete his thought for his mysterious guest suddenly interjects. "Forget second fiddle!" Trench insists. "Where the Batman is concerned, the mob sees no one else in the orchestra. By comparison, Batgirl is very small potatoes. They're irked that the circumstances have essentially forced the prosecution of Batgirl instead of Batman."
Price acknowledges that the Batman is in a class by himself, but he argues that Michaelston and his closest associates apparently underestimate Batgirl. "Don't you realize how many hoods she has taken off the streets single-handedly? Sure she's not Batman, but you'd think Michaelston would relish the opportunity to end her crime-fighting career."
"You don't have to convince me." Trench echoes. "I've seen Batgirl in action, up close. I once watched her confront three armed gunmen, each of whom also had significant height and weight advantages. So guess what? She took down all three of them in under two minutes. Made it look easy!"
"The problem of course is that, for most of us, you have to see it to believe it." Trench reasons. "The heavies in the syndicate have never actually crossed paths with Batgirl. She is typically perceived as more of a nuisance than a threat. They tend to view her as just a broad with a mask and cape who knows a few martial arts tricks. It's different with the likes of say Wonder Woman; she juggles tanks for cryin' out loud! Not to mention that she's damn near six feet tall. Batgirl has no special powers and she isn't physically imposing. Ruthless mob bosses like Michaelston can't resist the temptations of Walter Mitty and imagine themselves capable of crushing Batgirl should they ever meet. In truth, Michaelston couldn't outfight Batgirl on his best day, and that of course was 30 years and 75 pounds ago!"
Trench rises from his chair and makes his way towards the window. He has no desire to field a long series of questions from the anxious prosecutor. He does however see fit to anticipate and answer one such inquiry. "I have risked coming here today because of your family." he warns. "Nothing short of a conviction will satisfy Richard Michaelston. If Batgirl is acquitted, the mob is coming after both of us. I kept the severity of the situation from you until now because it was imperative that you were free of distractions during the trial. You had to be at your best, for both our sakes."
"Years ago you made a deal with the devil," Trench recalls, "but your wife and kids shouldn't have to pay for that decision. Know this. If you take the bullet, your family will be spared."