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Batman The Long Halloween 13: Labor Day
Batman
The Long Halloween
Part 13
Labor Day
Based off the Comic Book miniseries The Long Halloween by Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale
Gotham City
Labor Day
A month had past since anyone had heard from Harvey Dent, deep below Wayne Manor; Batman had all the clues of the Holiday murders on display except for one. The only murder where no trinket had been left behind, it wasn’t the only thing that struck him as odd. There was no Holiday to speak of, it was Carmine’s Birthday nothing else, this fact told Batman that the killer seemed to look up to The Roman in such a way that his birthday served as a Holiday. But clearly the killer wasn’t above killing The Roman’s family, Carla Viti was Carmine’s sister and also the mother of the first victim of this spree, Johnny Viti. The report stated that she suffered three gun shots to the back at close range, she never even saw her attacker she had died before hitting the floor.
Next to him Robin also looked over the evidence covering the table, he was pretty new to this game but he was already obsessed by this case just like everyone else. At every murder the killer left behind the weapon and something related to the holiday except for the last one. Looking over the list of the dead he could see no pattern in the acts which was no surprise if Batman couldn’t find one he sure wouldn’t.
“Maybe the killer took something from the last murder,” Robin looked at one of the pictures. “Carla Viti had gone there for something; she has been looking for Holiday since the start.”
“Something that might have led to who Holiday was,” Batman looked through the papers from the last murder before finding an inventory of what was found. “The only thing missing was the file on Alberto Falcone. However the new Coroner couldn’t be sure there was one. Jasper may have kept it out as a favor to The Roman.”
*****
Deep under the streets of Gotham City away from the prying eyes of the cities citizens a lone figure moved among the sewer system. His face wrapped in bandages he had spent almost a month now roaming the system. No longer a single person Harvey Dent escaped the hospital the night he had acid thrown in his face, the attack had caused Harvey’s mind to snap bringing an alternate personality to the forefront. A personality that thirsted for revenge and pushed the half that was still Harvey Dent to take the revenge that was theirs.
“Who are you?” Harvey looked up at the large form that was no standing in front of him. It was a large man, maybe 7 feet tall and as wide as an elephant. He was dressed in a black suit but his skin was gray.
“Solomon Grundy, Born on a Monday,” The large man hissed.
“Never ask a question you don’t want to know the answer to,” Harvey’s voice was colder almost as if it was someone else.
“Solomon Grundy, Born on a Monday,” Solomon repeated as he reached out for Harvey and slammed him into the filthy water. “Solomon Grundy, Born on a Monday.”
“Christened on a stark and stormy Tuesday,” Harvey coughed as he got his head above the water. Solomon stepped back a look of confusion crossing his face. “Married on a gray and grizzly Wednesday, Ill on a mild and mellow Thursday. Worse on a bright and breezy Friday, died on a glorious Saturday, Buried on a baking blistering Sunday; is that what happened to you? Did you die and come back? Can a man live two lives?
Solomon was now sitting on a ledge above the water as Harvey stood in front of him, the dark personality seeing a chance at revenge as he looked over the large giant before him. Moving slowly he walked closer and sat next to the man, before the day was over he would have a new friend and the Roman would be a step closer to being destroyed.
*****
Jim Gordon stood on the roof of Police central next to an open briefcase that was resting on the ledge of the roof. Batman had arrived only moments before answering the Bat single that had shined over the city. Batman could feel the difference in Gordon, it was a feeling he had expected Barbra had kept him informed of how he was doing since the day nearly a month ago. It had gotten worse since Gordon opened Harvey’s briefcase, it had been left behind after the tragic events in the courtroom and picked up by a janitor who gave it to the on duty officer in the lobby who sent it off to Gordon’s office. The feeling had been Gordon could give it to Gilda Dent but that all changed when Gordon opened the gun to find a .22 pistol and Falcone’s ledger. The very Ledger Batman had stolen from Falcone’s safe the night of the wedding over a year before, he had left it on the roof for Gordon and Dent, while it wouldn’t be used in court it could have helped get a leg up on The Roman’s operations.
“The evidence is pretty damning,” Gordon held both the weapon and the ledger in his hands. “A .22 caliber handgun and Carmine Falcone’s ledger giving him access to all of Holiday’s victims. They say he was obsessed with getting Falcone that was his motive. My God Harvey Dent is Holiday, the last victim she was killed after Harvey escaped. He was late New Years Eve, how long have you known.”
“I refuse to believe that the man who stood on this roof, who made a promise, a bond with each of us has crossed that line.” Batman remained still. It wasn’t that long ago he first started to suspect Harvey; he had even asked Gordon where Harvey had been on July 4th. But he couldn’t bring himself to say it now something in his gut was telling him they were wrong. “I won’t believe it.”
“What if you are wrong,” Gordon placed the objects back into the briefcase.
“What if I’m not,” Batman turned and took a step for the ledge
“Find Harvey,” Gordon was saying as Batman leaped from the roof. “You know what needs to be done.”
*****
It was a long day for “The Roman” Carmine Falcone standing in his bedroom dressed in the finest silk pajamas hand made from the old country and a robe also made in Italy. They had been a gift from a thankful shop owner who Falcone had sided with in a mob war several years ago. Preparing his bed he saw the shadow appear across the wall, it didn’t take an idiot to figure out who the shadow belonged to. But with this Batgirl running around now it’s been tougher to figure out who is who, but this shadow was much taller then Batgirl meaning it could only be the original.
“Batman,” Falcone turned around slowly, most men would go for a weapon or call for help. But he wasn’t most men, while age may have dulled his senses and slowed his reflexes he was still the Roman.
“Falcone,” Batman stood on the railing of the balcony making him appear even taller. Falcone was always amazed at the skill the Batman displayed, had he been on his side of the law Batman would own the city. “Where is Dent?”
“How the hell should I know,” Carmine like Batman didn’t move. “The bastard killed my Sister, my nephew, my own Son, Alberto. If I knew where he was I’d put a bullet in the back of his head personally. Do you know what people have called this year, The Long Halloween, my nephew, Johnny Viti, was the first to die. On Halloween Night, it could have stopped there, but no you and the Police allowed it to continue because he was killing our people. Mia Famiglia! And you stand here and act like your hands are clean.”
Through his rant Carmine had stepped out onto the balcony until he was right in front of Batman. Pointing his finger at Batman as he continued Batman had enough and grabbed it and shoved him back into the room.
“Pappa,” Sofia Gigante Falcone stormed into the room.
“Sofia, no,” Carmine moved to a sitting position allowing himself to look out the French doors leading out onto the balcony. When he did Batman was nowhere to be seen and no evidence that he ever was there to begin with, it might as well been a dream or something.
“I thought I heard Voices,” Sofia put the gun away as she helped Carmine back to his feet.
“I just tripped that’s all, nothing to worry about,” Carmine straightened his clothes and took another look out the open doors.
*****
Batgirl was a little annoyed when she was told of her assignment, she almost missed the days when she did her thing and Batman did his. It was still like that for the most part she had her own base of operations and her own contacts. But now Batman often asked her for help like tonight, he was sure Catwoman would be following him again so she was to follow him as well and keep an eye out for the thief with a Robin Hood complex. She did ask why his new Partner couldn’t take up the task, in which Batman replied in his usual manor that **** was back at the Batcave honing his skills. There had been no sign of Catwoman around Police Central when Batman spoke with her father Jim Gordon. But it didn’t take her long to find her outside Carmine’s penthouse, across the street complete with binoculars that had a night vision setting, her father had a couple around the house, and a long range microphone. All the equipment a James Bond wannabe needed to live out a life as a spy.
Catwoman wasn’t surprised when Batman showed up at Falcone’s penthouse, with Harvey Dent the leading suspect in the Holiday Murders and on the lamb it was only a matter of time before Batman stopped by to visit the man who made it his job to know what goes on in Gotham City. She had to laugh at herself nether man would ever know why she was out here. Not even Catwoman understood just what she was doing; Carmine could never be what she wanted, even if she were really his daughter. He would never accept her into the family; Sofia was the heir apparent to the family name. It was never going to be Alberto; Carmine would never have allowed it. Mario would have been his first choice but he was sent to Italy and has since disowned his family’s life of crime. She would just be another in a line of secrets the family kept tossed aside like last weeks garbage.
“Look what the cat dragged in,” a low female voice called out from behind her. She was far accustomed to Batman sneaking up on her, despite all her skills and reflexes he still manages to turn up behind her. Since Batman was still on the railing and the voice was far too high to be him it could only mean Batgirl.
“Don’t you know it’s not nice to sneak up on people when they are spying on someone,” Catwoman pulled the headset from her head and looked around to confirm it was Batgirl who showed up behind her. Shorter then her she was at least 5’2” compared to her 5’6” but she knew better then to underestimate her just because she was shorter. She was Batgirl after all and had been for nearly a year or so she couldn’t remember off hand.
“Didn’t anyone tell you it’s not nice to spy on other people,” Batgirl took her eyes off Catwoman to see what was going on.
“True, but I doubt you really care if I spy on The Roman,” Catwoman turned back in time to see Batman shove Carmine before he jumped off the railing and used a jump line to swing away from the Penthouse.
“Spy on The Roman,” Batgirl looked almost stunned at the news. “Why would you spy on him, we thought you were following Batman.”
“It only seemed that way,” Catwoman confessed. “Better to let him think the world revolves around him. No I have been watching The Roman; it was why I did follow him on Independence Day, I knew he was working with The Scarecrow and the Mad Hatter I just didn’t know why and I figured if I followed Batman he’d lead me to them.”
“Why are you watching The Roman?” Batgirl stood next to the burglar as they watched The Roman close the balcony doors after sending Sofia away.
“Ever since Carla was killed Sofia has been hanging around making sure her father is safe,” Catwoman ran a claw across the hand rail on the ledge. “No reason though. Holiday won’t be hitting Carmine.”
“How would you know, do you know who Holiday is?” Batgirl turned to face Catwoman.
“Not yet, I have a suspect but nothing I can prove, but it’s not Harvey Dent that much I can tell you,” Catwoman climbed up to the ledge with ease. “I’ll do you a favor kid, what was missing from the last crime scene.”
“What does that mean,” Batgirl’s mind raced as she ran over everything she knew from the crime scene in her perfect memory. There was little she couldn’t remember with just one look.
“August had no Holiday, Carla wasn’t killed for the hell of it Holiday was to hide something. She was getting to close to the answer of the greatest question we’ve all had on our minds this past year,” Catwoman turned around to face Batgirl putting her back towards the street before performing a back flip off the ledge. When Batgirl looked over the edge she saw Catwoman swinging away using her bull whip as a rope.
*****
Gilda Dent spent the night as she had spent every night for the last month laid out on the couch or in a chair waiting for Harvey to come home. If she drifted of to sleep she would rush upstairs to see if he had come in while she was out. Sarah Essen had spent several of those nights with her keeping her company however she was alone tonight. Most officers were waiting for Holiday to strike; several were assigned to escort Sal Maroni from the City Jail to Blackgate Prison. Waking up she thought she heard something in the basement throwing the blanket off she rushed to the basement door.
“Harvey is that you,” Gilda ran down the stairs into the darkened Basement. “Harvey have you come home are you here?”
“Mrs. Dent, Where is your husband?” Batman’s voice came from the shadows as he stepped forward. “You know why we have to find him don’t you Mrs. Dent. We found a gun. The same gun the Holiday Killer uses with the serial number filed off.”
“He said he brought it home,” Gilda wrapped her arms around herself. “From the office.”
“In the groves of the vise on the work bench there are metal shavings, gun metal.” Batman remained still as Gilda turned her back on him.
“Please,” Batman could almost hear the tears coming from her eyes. “Batman help me find him. Find my Harvey.”
“I hope I can,” Batman went out the way he entered the basement leaving Gilda alone in the darkness. All she ever wanted was her Husband with her, The Roman case come between them and now she feared she may have lost him forever all because of The Roman.
*****
Arkham Asylum was shut down for the night, most of the Doctors had gone home leaving the inmates labeled criminally insane in their cells where they serve out their time. But Batman didn’t care if the place was locked down crime didn’t sleep and Holiday was still out there. It was Labor Day time was running out if Batman was going to stop Holiday before he killed again he had until the end of the day to find him. Checking the digital readout that ran in the corner of the night vision lenses on his cowl he made a mental check of the time, it read 2:30 am he had under 22 hours left. Coming to a stop at Julian Day’s Cell he found the villain known as Calendar Man standing at the large Plexiglas wall that made up the front of his cell.
“Tell me what you know,” Batman stared down Calendar Man who showed no fear from his place behind the wall.
“September has Thirty days,” Calendar Man looked over at the wall calendar hanging on the cell wall near him. The rest of the walls were plastered with months and days from all kinds of calendars making up a looking strange wallpaper. “Labor Day is here, yet he still eludes the master detective doesn’t she?”
“We know it was Harvey Dent, we don’t know where he is,” Batman chose to ignore the taunting from Calendar Man. “If you help us locate him, maybe the new DA will take a new look at your case.”
“Dent, Har. V Dent, The Gemini,” Calendar Man stroked his chin seemingly lost in thought as if everything he knew of Dent was rolling through his head.
“The District Attorney, the man who put you in here,” Batman was getting annoyed.
“The Calendar Man is being forgotten, we can’t have that,” Calendar Man turned away from the wall still stroking his chin. “I can’t have that, Its Labor Day, only a few hours left then she kills again you can stop him, you have something Holiday wants.”
*****
Gotham City Jail, it wasn’t someplace Jim Gordon wanted to be at five in the Morning, but he wanted to get Maroni out of the City Jail and to someplace safer for The Boss as he awaited his new trial. Gordon had a hard time even looking at the man that destroyed his friend’s life. It wasn’t that long ago that this man was going to help Harvey Dent bring down Falcone, instead he threw acid into Harvey’s face and now he’s out there in the wind and now the top suspect as Holiday. Looking over at the Swat team member who was going to help escort Maroni he walked to the cell door with the keys in hand.
“Maroni,” Gordon put the keys into the cell door.
“What?” Maroni called out from the small bed he was lying on.
“We’re moving you, get up,” Gordon opened the door and let the swat team member walk in and bring Maroni out of the cell.
“What’s all this about,” Maroni replied as Gordon placed a pair of handcuffs on him and led him down the hallway.
“After what you did to Harvey, I almost think we should let him have you,” Gordon didn’t want to make small talk as they entered the hallway leading to the garage. “Almost.”
“Dent, coming after me, is that what this is all about,” Maroni almost seemed to laugh. Let the coward come, he doesn’t have the balls to do a man’s job.”
Before Gordon could reply Maroni let out a sharp groan as he fell to the ground, the Swat team member had already shoved him to the ground before Gordon even realized Maroni had been shot. As he groped around for his flashlight that he had lost when he was shoved he heard several more shots and the sound of another body hitting the ground. Grabbing the flashlight he pointed it at the attacker and gasped in shock.
“You, but how?” Gordon was dumbfounded. “It can’t be.”
To Be Continued…
Next Time
-Holiday is unmasked
-Inmates escape
-Harvey gets his revenge
-Holiday was not alone
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11/29/2007, 3:10 am
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Rogue9a
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Re: Batman The Long Halloween 13: Labor Day
lol I figured I'd get a reaction like that.
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11/30/2007, 12:15 am
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Rogue9a
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Re: Batman The Long Halloween 13: Labor Day
I would be surprised if you didn't bug me
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12/1/2007, 3:10 am
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Rogue9a
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Re: Batman The Long Halloween 13: Labor Day
Shouldn't be to long I've revealed Holiday and dealt with that plot now I have to tie up the Harvey "Two Face" plot as well as wrap up the Falcone crime family plot. Then pull the rabbit out of my hat
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12/2/2007, 1:11 am
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Re: Batman The Long Halloween 13: Labor Day
it will explain alot about who the person was killing people on Holidays and such. I wasn't happy with how the comic dealt with who Holiday was to many questions and issues with timing
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12/3/2007, 12:48 am
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Rogue9a
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Re: Batman The Long Halloween 13: Labor Day
well it seemed like a good idea but they failed to explain how some of the crimes happened since the person couldn't have done it a couple times
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12/4/2007, 2:13 am
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Re: Batman The Long Halloween 13: Labor Day
yeah its not like a novel these were monthly issues they had deadlines to make
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12/5/2007, 3:25 am
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Re: Batman The Long Halloween 13: Labor Day
This had one Writter, Jeph Loeb. But he did deal with DC and in a way Frank Miller.
I'm trying something out with the Harvey Dent/Two Face character. Since they are basically two people in one body I'm writing him like two people.
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12/6/2007, 1:42 am
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Re: Batman The Long Halloween 13: Labor Day
yeah it would
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12/7/2007, 3:17 am
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