Batman Issue 691

"Two Knights"
Harvey Dent lives in a world that is literally split down the middle. Right and wrong. Good or bad. Black and white. And one thing is for sure, the Batman does not change. Two-Face has been attempting to break into Batman's inner-sanctum with teleportation for years, but Batman's mystical and technological counter-measures bested even the most powerful of teleporters. The new media-friendly Dark Knight may have been have been what piqued his interest but the fact that he now stands in the Bat-Cave confirms it. Batman is dead. And the beaten and bloodied pale imitation lying before him simply is not up to snuff.

Muttering over and over again as he continues to spit up blood, Dick denies everything Harvey says. But it's not until a second Batman arrives that Dent's accusations get completely turned on their head. Wearing a spare Bat-cowl and shrouded in darkness, Alfred calls out to Harvey from the shadows of the cave as he delivers several injections of adrenaline to Dick. Re-invigorated, Dick gets the upper hand on Two-Face while Alfred incapacitates Harvey's teleporter. In no time flat, Dent is back inside an armored transport on his way over to Blackgate. There he's to be kept alongside the other captured Arkham inmates in a locked down ward in the East Wing. Except the convoy is intercepted by a band of Arkham escapees working for the Black Mask. Black Mask offers him the same thing he offered Penguin. Join him and stand at his side or face exile. To stay and fight would only mean death at the hands of the menacing mob of madmen behind him. But Two-Face has too much pride than to be someone else's lackey so he willingly accepts exile. A choice the Black Mask accepts.

Back at the Bat-Cave, the mess Harvey Dent left behind is finally cleaned up but the painful lessons learned still linger. Dick and Alfred agree that it's time to stop treating the cave like some kind of memorial museum. After all, the cave was more than just a storage place for mementos and artifacts - it was a top of the line armory and laboratory. Those types of things shouldn't be left lying around. In the end they decide to dismantle the cave, placing everything in storage (including Jason Todd's old Robin tunic). The only thing kept out of storage is Bruce's old cape and cowl which Dick intends on taking with him to the Bunker.

Thirty-one hours of no doubt back breaking labor, the cave is finally clean. Dark and empty just as Bruce had found it. Only one display still remains standing. Dick had saved the original Batman and Robin costumes for last. But upon further inspection he discovers that the base of the Robin display is hollow. Curious, he decides to cut a hole in the base and see what is inside. There he finds a portable hard drive containing an old case file - his parent's murder.

Individuals

 * Batman
 * Alfred Pennyworth
 * Black Mask
 * Two-Face
 * Warp
 * Jeremiah Arkham

Locations

 * Gotham City
 * Batcave

Vehicles

 * Batmobile