The Great Escape, Part 2
Facing Freedom
-Make sure to read FaceOff, a Two-Face Monologue, to catch up to what's going on.
SCHEME PHASE "BREAK OUT" DAY 1:
One of Harvey Dent's doctors walked down the hall to Harvey's cell. A clipboard in hand, he was thumbing through the analysis of his patient by a team of doctors, eager to rehabilitate Dent back into the world of the sane. He passed solitary, with the resounding cackle of the Joker, real name unknown, echoing in his mind. He looked up at the guard by Dent's cell door and nodded.
The cell creaked open as the doctor walked inside, then shut with a final Clang. He sat across from Dent, who was laying on his back. He quickly pocketed something as he sat up to face the doctor, both sides of his face looking just as good as they did almost a year ago, before he was burned.
He looked at the doctor expectantly as the doctor folded the papers back in place then looked up at Dent. He wore large glasses, and had a white 5 o'clock shadow that he itched continuously. It annoyed Dent. He finally spoke, "Harvey, I am here to give you one last assessment before we release you to rehabilitation. If you pass, you will be transported to a mental hospital with less security and more freedoms. It is located in South Gotham, the Triton Mental Institution. From there, after a rigorous amount of test and several weeks, or possibly months, of rehabilitation – "
"I'll be released on probation to start my own life. I've been told all of this a few time, doctor." Dent smiled. His voice was different than before. Maybe it was what he went through here in Arkham. Maybe it was a good sign. Maybe it wasn't.
The doctor stared at Dent for a moment, then shook his thoughts back on track. "Now before I release you, I have a few questions." He looked at the front page on his clipboard. It says here you haven't been seen with the coin you had upon arrival in quite some time. What happened to it?"
Dent's hand involuntarily twitched to his left pocket, but he recovered, "I threw it away."
The doctor looked up with a surprised expression, "Threw it away?"
Dent sighed, "I saw it as a symbol of who I was, and I thought that throwing it away would help rid me of my 'Two-Face' persona for good." He looked at the floor, seemingly shaken by the reminiscence.
The doctor scribbled a few notes on his clipboard, "Did it work?"
Dent looked up and focused the left side of his face at the doctor, "Doc, I haven't heard from that part of me in months. So I assume it did."
The doctor scribbled a few more notes, then looked up again, "What about your supposed relationship with the man known as The Joker? Did you start a friendship or was that Two-Face who did?"
Dent leaned back against the wall and took a moment. "Doctor, when you are in a place like this, being alone can make a man crazier than any trauma. I needed someone to talk to, and the lunatic was across the hall. Sure, I despised him upon being in here, but the more I spoke with him, the more I began to replace that anger with pity. I think our conversations helped me see his sickness, and in turn see mine."
The doctor nodded as he scribbled furiously on the paper, "Interesting, Very interesting. That's very profound of you to say." He turned the page over, then back again. He sighed, then took off his glasses and looked Dent straight in the eyes. "One more question. If, or when, you are released, what do you plan to do?"
Dent sat for a moment, thinking. He smiled, "Oh, probably get back in touch with my family. You know, make up for… Lost time."
The doctor sighed, then stood. "Well, Harvey, I'll submit my notes to the board, but it looks like you'll be out of here tomorrow morning." He put his glasses back on and extended his hand, "Congratulations, Harvey. We're all proud of you for overcoming this." He turned towards the door.
"Oh, yes. It was quite a struggle. But now I feel much… Stronger." Dent smiled charismatically as the doctor left his cell. He had the rest of the day to himself before he would be put in a holding cell in solitary and he could have one last conversation with The Joker.
He sat on the bed again and pulled the coin from his pocket. He made sure he was completely alone, then began flipping it. "You really are a pain in the ass, Dent." Two-Face's gravely voice grunted as he watched each coin toss. "You just had to scream and scream in there while I talked to the doctor." He stopped the coin with a catch of his hand, then looked at the result, the charred face stared back at him. "Too bad I'll have to finish him when I get out of here."
Finally, Dent broke through his maniacal persona's defenses, "Why? Why kill a man who just released us?" His voice shook with rage.
"Released us?" Two-Face smiled, "Dent, by the time I'm out of Triton, I'll have gotten rid of you for good." He pocketed the coin, then stretched out on the cot, "And then I can go back to making things right. Making them fair."
-
SCHEME PHASE "BREAK OUT" DAY 1 – at night:
The cell door shut and locked Dent in his holding cell for the night, away from anyone else, save the few deadly criminals in solitary. The guard walked down the main hall, then shut the final sealed door, leaving the hall deserted of anyone but the insane.
There was a groan of springs, then the brushing of metal as a scarred face appeared across from Dent's cell. He tapped on the bars, "Hey, ugly! Wake up!" He grinned as Dent's face appeared across the hall. "So? How'd it go with the shrink?"
Dent grinned almost as wide as The Joker, "Oh, I got him good. I'm out of the hellhole in the morning."
The Joker squealed in delight, "Wonderful. Then, after rehab, you're coming to get me, right? I mean, without my antics, they would have had nothing to distract them from your subtle changes." He seemed to bounce in his cell.
Dent flipped the coin in front of him, "Oh, don't worry, I already flipped. You'll be out in no time. Just be good now, and I can vouch for you in my 'humble opinion as a veteran of Arkham.' " The two of them cackled in glee.
The Joker peered across the hall, "Is Dent giving you much trouble?"
"Oh, no more than I can handle. He'll be gone before I get out of rehab. Trust me."
The Joker grinned even wider, "Great. Oh, my recently repaired fiend, give us a few months, and we'll rule this city."
Two Face glared back at The Joker, "With true justice. With fair, true justice."
"Of course, whatever you say, One-Face!" And The Joker cackled again as Dent laid back down on his bed.
"Tomorrow, I leave, and start to push you out, Dent." Two Face whispered, before finally falling asleep.
-
SCHEME PHASE "BREAK OUT" DAY 1 – at night:
An unmarked alley in downtown Gotham.
Commissioner Gordon paced back and forth, hoping his ace in the whole got his message. He left it at a crime scene after the investigators had left, intending for the vigilante to meet him here at
midnight. After twenty minutes, Gordon decided the message had been lost or picked up by someone else. As he walked to his car, a Whoosh sounded behind him. He turned to see Batman, the most wanted man in Gotham now, on a false charge of five murders.
A deep, rough voice came from the mask, "You called?"
Gordon thought for a moment, "The doctors are releasing Harvey into rehabilitation in the morning."
"And?"
"I'm not sure if it's a good idea."
"Are you a doctor?"
"Look, he killed five people without thinking twice. Flip the coin, bang, dead." His voice involuntarily raised in volume.
The masked man began to pace, "Maybe it all finally sank in. He did finally accept the surgery, right?"
Gordon sighed, "Yeah. Yeah, he did."
Batman looked up, "Give it a shot. I can always throw him back to you if things don't work out."
Gordon turned away, "That's the problem. I keep worrying that when things really don't work out, you may not be there." Gordon turned, but faced an empty alley, the Batman had gone. Kind of like now. He thought to himself, then got in his car and drove home.