Batman: Hero of Gotham

14- The Raid Of The GCPD

Bruce opened the door to Wayne Manor and saw an entire squad of GCPD officers scouting his home. Bruce noticed police officers were taking things. "Hey! Hey! Careful. Put it back." Bruce ordered an officer.

"I'm afraid we can't, Mr. Wayne." Lieutenant Gordon said, walking down the grand staircase. 

"Says who?" Bruce asked.

"This warrant." Gordon showed a paper to Bruce. "It's not personal. I had the boys turn the lights off and keep a low profile."

"There's gotta be a mistake." Bruce grabbed the paper out of Gordon's hands and skimmed through it. 

"That's what we're here to find out." Gordon said. "Maybe we made a mistake. Maybe you did."

"Alfred, keep an eye on them. Make sure they take only what they have to." Bruce said to Alfred who stood behind Gordon.

"Of course, sir." Alfred obeyed and walked away.

"I meant what I said about 'not personal'. We only want files related to Wayne Enterprises. The warrant covers your place, pardon me, places of residence. And any companies you own. Your holdings are...extensive."

"Who authorized this?" Bruce asked, annoyed.

"I know you and the D.A. are buddy-buddy but this one came from the top. It's a valid warrant, I gotta serve it. Mayor Hill signed off on this himself. As long as he's mayor, he calls the shots."

"So you just do whatever Mayor Hill says?", asked Bruce.

Gordon sighed. "Hill and I, we have a vested interest to keep things professional. For Gotham's sake. Doesn't mean I like the words whistling through his windpipes. I dunno how your neck ended up on Mayor Hill's chopping block, but here we are."

"Hill knows if I go down, Harvey's campaign goes down too."

"That'd be a real shame. Mr. Dent's the only D.A. I ever trusted to make a conviction stick. As mayor, I think he can finally turn things around for us. For all our sakes, I pray you've got nothing to hide." Gordon said and walked away. Bruce heard the faintest sound of breaking glass and looked behind him. He found a picture frame that was on the floor and picked it up. The picture was of him with his mom and dad when he was a toddler. He heard footsteps approaching behind him and he figured it was Alfred. 

"Al, leave me alone." He said aloud.

"Bruce? It's me." A woman's voice said. Bruce got up and saw that it was Vicki Vale, the Gotham news reporter and interviewer. "I didn't mean to interrupt."

"It's not a problem, really." Bruce said.

"First the mayor's office, now Wayne Manor. Gotham continues its streaks of break-ins."

"Really going for the record, huh?" 

"Listen, Bruce...a scandal, surrounding a beloved family like yours, captures the public's attention. I can help you get the right kind of attention. Through my connectors at the Gazette, I have all kinds of access. I can dig up whatever you need to fight this."

"I appreciate the offer, Ms. Vale. Trying to say 'I'm the good guy here'--"

"--Instantly makes you look bad. I get it. So, let me say it for you. The Gazette received this supposed 'evidence' like every other media outlet. And it's all hearsay. Flimsy sources. There isn't a shred of hard proof."

"Still, allegations like this...they don't magically appear. Someone is going after my family, after me." 

"Obviously the sender didn't identify themselves. We have no idea who it could be. No one's even done their due diligence on this yet. The press saw the fumble, they grabbed the ball and ran."

"Hill wants me out of the picture because with my backing Harvey wins in a landslide. All signs point to Hill." 

"You're a kingmaker, Mr. Wayne, and Harvey Dent is Gotham's knight in shining armor just waiting for the crown. You're the first target on Hill's list. By tonight, this scandal will be broadcast to every screen in Gotham. Everyone will be talking about it."

"This isn't my first pass through the rumor hill--I know the damage it can do."

"Then go on the record--right here, right now--and stop it." Vicki pulled out a recorder, ready to push the button that would start recording. "You need to get out ahead of this. Your side is what matters, not wild speculation."

"On the record then." Bruce decided. 

"Whenever you're ready." Vicki said.

Bruce thought of a decent quote and then spoke. "The Wayne family has always been a cornerstone of Gotham. We've never had, and never will have, connections to organized crime."

"That's exactly what the people of Gotham need to hear!" Vicki congratulated Bruce. Bruce walked with Vicki as she got ready to leave. "You're going to beat this, Bruce. The Waynes always come out on top." 

"Goodbye, Miss Vale." Bruce said goodbye and Alfred shut the door behind her.

"I hate to admit it...but everyone smells smoke. A fire is heading this way." Alfred spoke.

"Batman has made plenty of enemies, but my family? We've done nothing but support Gotham, even in its darkest days." Bruce replied. "Harvey's the District Attorney, he should've told me this was coming."

"Then found out why he didn't." 

Bruce nodded in answer.