A/N: Yay, I finally got this chapter done. It just didn't want to get written. But my plot bunnies came back after a brief Harry Potter relapse, and are content to write Batman again. :) Rachel was not a fun character to write, so tell me if I completely destroyed the character... And the updates will probably slow down, since I'm starting school on Monday. I also have volleyball, and an undetermined amount of homework that will take up my time. Luckily, I only have three or four chapters left so I should hopefully finish it by the end of September. Next chapter is Alfred. Please R/R and all that, you know what to do by now :)
I was in the office with Harvey when the Joker's latest threat came in. Harvey read the news, and practically exploded with joy. "I never thought I'd see the day, but the Joker's done something good for once."
I gave him an incredulous look. "He's threatening to blow up a hospital!"
He waved a hand, as if it was of no consequence. "Well, yes, but this is what I've been looking for! With this, Garcia won't object to freeing Bruce!"
I ground my teeth in annoyance. Before the Press Conference, Harvey had looked at Bruce with disdain, bemoaning the fact that 'Wayne' didn't use any of his money to help Gotham. Now it was Bruce this, Bruce that, how can we free Bruce?
Harvey grabbed his coat and his jacket and handed me mine, something that always made me feel appreciated for some reason. "Come on, we have to see Garcia right now, before he comes up with some sort of excuse." He swiped a paper from his desk that had been sitting there for a week, completely filled out except for the spot where a signature was required.
The Mayor's office is only a block away, so we simply walked over there. Well, Harvey walked. I was practically jogging to keep up with his long strides. "The people will be clamoring for Bruce to be released. If Garcia doesn't do anything, then he's facing a serious political backlash, and we all know how he handles those. He'll be forced to do it, and Batman can be back on the streets where he belongs!"
Back where he belongs… My mind went back to the letter I had given Alfred, before Bruce had turned himself in. The way Harvey raved about Batman, it made me realize he would never just be Bruce again. I could wait for a lifetime for him to hang up his mask, but he never could. Gotham needed him too much. It was part of who Bruce was, a part that I couldn't stand. I hated the intimidating masked vigilante, and what he did to Bruce.
When I had given the letter to Alfred, I had felt relieved. No more trying to hold two men at arms length while I battled over my feelings. There was just Harvey now. Except how could I just forget about Bruce when that was all Harvey talked about these days?
"-telling you, this is it!" Harvey grabbed my hand, looking excited. I gave him a gently teasing smile and squeezed his hand.
"Harvey, you're repeating yourself."
He grinned. "I know, but this is the chance we've been looking for. Even Garcia can't worm his way out of this."
The slight crease between Harvey's eyes and the way he pushed his bottom lip up showed me his anger. He didn't like Garcia's tentative moves, the complacency with the public. It was because of his unwillingness to take drastic action that had let Gotham be ruled by the mob for so long. I weaved my way around the constant stream of foot traffic, trying to keep up with the now-silent Harvey. Bruce would have made sure I was right by his side, but Harvey simply surged forward, clutching the paper in an iron grip.
He suddenly cut across the sidewalk, ending up at the door of the building. "Come on, Rachel. We'll free your friend in no time." I covered a wince and followed Harvey into the building. Bruce would hate me when Alfred gave him the letter. I could only hope that Alfred gave it to him at the right time. The friendly old butler and Bruce's surrogate father just seemed to know those things.
Harvey strolled right into the Mayor's office, one hand resting on my lower back. He was known well-enough around here, and Garcia's secretary greeted him with a curt nod and went back to her work as we entered.
When we walked into the office, Garcia was on the phone, impatiently tapping his fingers. He glanced up at the sound of our footsteps, and promptly slammed the device down. "Harvey, I've been trying to get in touch with you!" Was it just me, or was the look that flashed across Garcia's face one of relief?
Harvey smiled. "Well, I can guess why." I also smiled lightly but said nothing. I was more for frank talking and courtroom debates, but I could still play these political games. Harvey wanted me here because he knew I could be a second pair of eyes watching out for him, and catching things he might miss. And it was easier to do that when you could just watch
"The people are demanding I do something about it, but I can't order the police to shoot an innocent man!"
"Of course, there is the Joker's other-"
"Absolutely not, Harvey. I am NOT releasing the Batman."
I squashed the urge to roll my eyes. Garcia was worried about going back on his previous actions. He must have thought it wouldn't look good to lock up a vigilante and then let him go, even if both actions were because of a psychopath's demands. Of course he would choose the worse one to follow.
"But Garcia, the public is demanding it." Harvey threw the mayor's own words back at him, covering it with an earnest look. The public is demanding Batman is arrested, Harvey. I can't go against them. He smoothed out the paper he had brought from his office, and set it in front of Garcia. "It's all filled out, Garcia. It only needs your signature, and we can try to compromise with the Joker. We release Batman, but Reese lives."
Oh, that was clever. We appear to be trying to reason with the madman, and when he blows up a hospital the public are less willing to jump through his hoops.
"Harvey-" The phone began ringing, cutting off Garcia. We all tensed, and the mayor took a fortifying breath before answering the phone. "Yes?" Whoever was on the other line started speaking, and Garcia's clenched hand relaxed a bit. So it wasn't the Joker with a new demand.
"Warden, I don't know why-" Garcia stopped talking again. Warden? Wasn't that someone who ran a jail? I took in a sharp breath of air. The only reason a warden would call was if something important happened - something involving Bruce, for example. Me and Harvey exchanged a look. If someone had attacked Bruce now, the results could be disastrous.
"What!?" Garcia stood up, eyes wide. I bit my lip nervously, desperately wishing to hear what the Warden was saying. What had happened? Was Bruce alright? Harvey was opening and closing his mouth, wanting to say something but holding back.
It wasn't long before Garcia slammed down the phone and sunk back into his chair. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair, looking frazzled. The other hand slid the paper back towards Harvey. "We won't be needing that anymore. Wayne escaped the jail."
Harvey's mouth twitched and his eyes lit up. "How?" I could practically imagine him dancing around the office, laughing his head off. His posture broadcasted his thoughts perfectly - victory!
Luckily, Garcia seemed shell-shocked and was staring at his hands"He walked out the front door." I snorted softly at the look on his face. His eyes were round and glazed over, and his mouth was moving like a fish.
"And nobody saw him?" Harvey's lips were twitching more, and an admiring tone creeped into his voice. If it was anyone else he would probably have been spitting mad, but Bruce was a different story. Harvey had fought the prosecution, digging his heels in and practically refusing to move on the charges. Now Bruce was out of jail, and Batman was able to help Harvey again.
The mayor let out a frustrated sigh. "They all saw him. They just watched as he walked out the door. At least he had his own key…"
"How'd he get a key?"
"They say he must have lifted it off one of the guards."
Twitch. Twitch. Twitch. Harvey's lips were moving uncontrollably now. "I don't think it would reassure the public to know that all it would take was for some mass-murderer to lift a key from a guard to get back on the streets. It only took Bruce a week to escape." His voice was now soothing, consoling.
Garcia groaned and buried his head in his hands. "It'd be terrible. They just let him go…"
"Of course, if they thought you had ordered them to let him go…" The D.A. slid the paper back across the desk. "They would feel more reassured that the Mayor was taking action to protect the city from the Joker."
The paper pardoning Bruce Wayne for his "acts of vigilantism" seemed more reasonable now. I caught Harvey's eyes as Garcia took a pen from his drawer and signed the paper. He was so good at these political games, knowing exactly when to forge ahead with fanfare and when to sidle up and slip under notice. He winked at me, then picked up the now-signed paper from the desk.