It was a dark and gloomy night in Gotham City. In the wilderness beyond the city, a large mansion sat with no neighbors or visitors. This mansion, to any regular Gothamite, seemed to have been made with passed down wealth. But within the walls existed a mob boss by the name of Sal Maroni. He had siphoned large quantities of money illegally to build his vast criminal empire. But at this very moment, everything was different. Everyone was on to him now. All that he had build was going to come crashing down. In a act of desperation, Maroni had his goons stand guard around the doors and hid in the first floor bedroom. He also hired some backup to protect him as well. Along with him were his highly regarded gangsters. They never betrayed him and never planned on it. Anyone who tried to cross Maroni ended up never coming back. But this was different. Batman was now involved in the situation. He was the one who had figured out Maroni's scheme in the first place. As they hid out in the bedroom, Maroni and his goons sat counting their bills. They still had loads of cash building up from his schemes. Maroni considered escaping with the money, but it was too risky at this moment. A loud bang is then heard. The two goons look up from their bills. "What the heck was that?", one of them asks. Maroni is becoming more and more nervous every second. The goons at the door prepare their weapons. Suddenly, they are launched to the floor by the Batmobile, which crashes through. Batman steps out, and Maroni sits waiting for his backup. Batman walks closer and closer to the bedroom door. Maroni prepares for the worst, but then the back door flies open. Gangsters with guns jump through and Maroni hears the sound of gunshots and grunting. Taking advantage of the opportunity, Maroni runs out of the bedroom and up the stairs to the third floor. He then notices red and blue lights outside. The police had arrived. "I am in for it now...", mutters Maroni quietly. The police step around the Batmobile which still is positioned in the door frame. Along with them is one of the most well respected men in Gotham: Harvey Dent. "Not him.", says Maroni to himself. Other than Batman, Dent was the one man who could take Maroni down. Dent, noticing two goons firing guns at Batman, grabs one them by the neck. "Where is he?", Dent asks. "I'll never tell...", says the goon. Dent then notices the goon looking up towards the third floor. He drops the goon on the floor and heads up the stairs towards the third floor. Maroni sits in an office room quietly. "It will be over soon.", he thought. Suddenly, Dent knocks down the door and grabs Maroni by the collar. He takes him over to the office balcony and holds him over the edge. "It's time you get taken out Maroni!", says the attorney, "I've had enough of your antics!" He prepares to let go, but Batman stops him at the last moment. "Dent!", he exclaims, "That's enough!" Dent releases Maroni and walks away. Batman had never seen Harvey Dent act like that before. It was as if he had two faces. One that was good, and one that was full of anger. "Maybe he just got worked up.", thinks Batman. He leads Maroni to a prison van where he is taken away for his upcoming trial. 

Within the streets of Gotham City, very few cars roamed the streets. This was a very important day. Sal Maroni was to be put on trial, and extra protection was needed at all sides. This meant that civilians would need to stay within their houses or workplaces to avoid any conflict. In the gloom of the old city, a beautiful, stone-chiseled court house stood shining in the sun. There was always action at this court house. Many of the rogues gallery and their goons were prosecuted here. One this particular trial, everyone wanted to see what was happening but it was hard to. Guards stood at every entrance, police vans parked at every corner. There was no getting in there. From up above, Batman watched as they blocked off the city. In his eyes, this was very unnecessary. Maroni was very well known, but it would be foolish to try to get in there. He shoots his grapple gun at the ground and slides down to the courthouse below. "Batman!", says a voice. He turns around and sees Commissioner Gordon, "I'm glad you could make it." "I had to be here Gordon.", says Batman. A guard steps out and ushers them inside. Within the court house there was a great commotion. Chairs were sliding. Feet were shuffling. It was all a mess. Batman sits with Gordon at the watchers section of seating. "Sal Maroni.", says the Judge, "You are here to answer to the charges of murder, fraud, and robbery." The crowd cheers at this statement. Maroni tries to hide his face. "Your honor.", says Defendant Wilkins, "My client has a clear reason for what he has done." Batman rolls his eyes. What would the dumb reason be here? "He clearly is sick.", says Wilkins, "What we should do is place him in a mental hospital." The crowd erupts in anger and Harvey Dent stands up. "I object!", he says loudly, "He is aware of his actions!" "Mr. Dent, please stand down.", says the judge, "It isn't your turn yet-" "This has gone on long enough!", says Dent angrily. He stands up and grabs Maroni by the collar. "You scum deserve to perish!", he yells. Batman steps in to grab Dent as the crowd gasps in horror. The jury whisper amongst themselves. Dent sits down as eyes all around watch him suspiciously. 1 hour later and the jury has come to a conclusion after reviewing the evidence. "We hereby pronounce the suspect guilty!" The crowd cheers as Maroni is taken back by officers. As Maroni is led out, he sees Dent glaring at him. The next day, Dent holds a conference to answer questions. One reporter steps up with a mic in her hand. "Mr. dent, we are aware that you had an outburst at Sal Maroni's trial?" Dent looks around nervously. "Yes.", he says, "I have a problem with my anger sometimes, but I hardly ever reveal it to anyone." More reporters step up, but as Dent answers questions, a dark figure walks through the crowd with a vial in his hands. "What is your opinion of Sal Maroni's trial Mr. Dent?", says a reporter. "I think it should have gone differently.", he responds, "I think he should have gotten the death penalty." Suddenly the dark figure pushes over the reporter. From the shadows, Batman notices him, and runs up to stop him from acting. However, the figure throws a vial of acid thats hits Dent on the side of his face. Batman manages to shield half of the acid, but the other half burns and scars Dent's right leg, right arm, and the right side of his face. The crowd steps backwards as Dent screams in pain from the acid, and he is taken away towards a hospital. Batman looks on at the hospital van and walks away in shame.    

It had been 5 years since the conference incident. Rumor had spread around the city that Harvey Dent had escaped the hospital he was taken to. But the top officials of Gotham weren't concerned with that at this very moment. They needed a new district attorney but there were plenty in other parts of the country. However, what they really were concerned about was the disappearance of the defendant at the Maroni case. He had disappeared about 2 months ago, and no one has heard a word from him since. These officials had to find a way to bring this city back in order. At the end of the meeting table, one official sat quietly in his seat. There was something that stuck in the back of head as he sat thinking. "Maroni is being released today.", he says. The meeting room goes quiet. He had been the only one informed of Maroni's release. "Maroni?", asks one female official, "That foul monster?" "Yeah.", says the other official, "They say that he is getting off on good behavior." A few chuckles are heard throughout the room. "Good behavior?", asks another official, "You can't be serious?" "It's true.", says the other official, "I don't like it either." The officials look at themselves in confusion. Maroni wasn't set to be released until 10 years later. "What do we do?",says someone quietly. "We let it happen.", says the other official, "But we also should hire extra security." Murmurs of agreement are heard across the room. "Is it settled then?" The other officials nod their heads. "Good.", says the official. 

A few days later, Maroni is in a police van. He is being taken back to the city securely and secretly to avoid any conflict. As the van travels down the road the officers in the front look around nervously. This was a dangerous mission and there was bound to be people watching them. Suddenly, a loud 'thunk' is heard. The officers stop the van, but before they can act, a flash of light reaches their eyes as they look on in terror. The van is blasted 20 ft backwards by a sticky bomb and lands on the ground with a thud. A partially bloody Maroni manages to crawl out of the van, his hands free after the explosion. He weakly crawls away from the burning van and tries to stand. However, a dark figure walks up to him and grabs him by the front of his shirt. Maroni faintly smells the scent of burned flesh. He then realizes who the figure is. "Please let me go!", he screams in terror, "It wasn't my fault!" "You filth don't deserve to walk around Gotham.", says the figure in a gravely tone. He pulls out a revolver and prepares to shoot. Up above, Batman watches. He knew something like this would happen. He grapples down and tries to save Maroni, but he is too late. The figure shoots him at point blank and walks away. Batman chases after him, but the figure gets in a car and is driven away before he can act. Batman looks down at the lifeless body of Maroni. He grapples away in shame knowing that he could have prevented all of this.