Duality

363 15 0
                                    

222 Doubleday Street, what used to be a rundown street now a stable commercial block. The linchpin on this block? Silver Dollar Law Firm, who's lead attorney is the former District Attorney of Gotham City. The man who moonlights as a criminal entrepreneur and mobster mastermind, Harvey Dent. While it is known that Two-Face is a crime boss, it is only theorized that Harvey Dent utilizes his legal tricks to make the activities of his Two-Face persona airtight in the eyes of the law.

Detective Peter Parker walks up to the front office door of the Silver Dollar Law Firm. Wearing the spy glasses he obtained from the Batman. The doors having the titular coin designed into the glass. In his ear, the voice of Batman's adolescent associate Nightwing buzzes in.

"Are you sure we shouldn't have done this as Spider-Man and Nightwing?" The avian avenger asked. Peter muttered into his communicator, masking his mouth pretending to cough to avoid suspicion on the security camera.

"Spider-Man is too recent a public development in Gotham City. If anything happens, Dent can spin it into a public and legal mess. He knows Peter Parker, we're on semi-good terms the few times we've talked. If anyone can get any insight on these legal hurdles, it'll be Peter Parker," Peter said as he walked into the firm, walking to the front desk. One of Mr. Dent's paralegals, Thomas perked up upon seeing the detective.

"Mr. Parker, I assume you're here for Me. Dent? I'll buzz you in," Thomas said with a tone of excitement as he pushed a button on the phone to reach Harvey Dent's office. Nightwing buzzing back into Peter's ear with a question.

"You and Dent have a history with one another?" Nightwing asked. Peter grabbed a cup with some coffee and sat down, holding the cup to his lips to mask the movement of his mouth to relay the answer.

"When I first joined the GCPD, it was with the intention to try and solve my family's murder. I pulled the evidence I could gather and brought it to Mr. Dent to see if there was an actual legal case I could form against someone. He said it was all by technicality circumstantial, so I could bring someone in for questioning for details but not make a formal arrest. After that, it wasn't too uncommon for me to come here and ask him for advice on some cases. Like now for instance," Peter explained as he sipped the coffee.

A few minutes went by, and the main office door for Harvey Dent opened and the man himself walked out. He handled himself well, and the two identities learned to share a sense of style. One half of the suit and tie was a stark white with black accents. A white glove adorning the hand of the unscarred side of Harvey Dent's body. The other side however, a near color inversion of Harvey. Black where white was, white where black was. The glove being a midnight black, with a silver dollar being rolled across the burned and scarred knuckle. On one side of the coin, a facade of the statue of liberty with the year 1992 and the words 'In God We Trust' stamped into them. The other side, having those same details but along with it...burns. Scratches and withering from time and brutality from years long passed.

"What can I do for you, Peter? Want some legal advice? Or is someone giving you a hard time and I need to knock some heads?" Harvey and his other side asked.

"I need legal advice. The GCPD have been digging into the underworld and we need some help guiding these legal strategies. We've been...well we've been getting the run around. Some of these moves that we're noticing....they're uncanny. Insurances being weaved into murders and break-ins that mean multiple gangs that never get along are cashing in big to fund further operations under the guises of financial bouncebacks," Peter explained, spelling out the details of the investigation to Harvey Dent.

Both sides consider the circumstances that would lead to the situations that the young detective is explaining to him.

"Sounds like a classic racket. Insurance fraud, but since these are robberies from known criminals. It'll always go through as a legitimate claim. It's a solid way to keep money flowing," Harvey contemplated, rolling his coin along his unburned hand.

"I'll be honest, and excuse me if this is out of line. It sounds like something you would come up with, Mr. Dent. Is there anyone you know that might be able to make these strategies, outside of you?" Parker explained, writing notes down.

"Might be Willy. He's been squirrelly lately," Harvey's Two-Face side brought up.

"Who's Willy?" Peter asked, prepared to write down notes. Harvey clenched his coin into his hand.

"Wilson Fisk, he's one of my paralegals. A damn good one too. He's well learned about the law. He's friendly too, and makes good coffee. Files good cases. He'd probably be my best bet for someone to make it to District Attorney...but there's one small hitch-"

"His father was a racqueteer for the mob. Thomas 'The Frisk' Fisk." Two Face interjected.

"Yes, Thomas Fisk was one of the main men who would go and collect on the Gotham Mob's 'protection' fees. He's the one who would break the windows and ransack a grocery store after hours. He was called the Frisk because he would effectively shake people down for money," Harvey explained, reigning in Two Face. Peter writes a quick note down for Nightwing to see through the glasses, before saying goodbye to Mr. Dent and heading out.

Dig up whatever you can find on Wilson Fisk.

In The Web Of Gotham Where stories live. Discover now