17423/Dent for DA (The Split - Part Two)r

Dent for DA (The Split - Part Two)r
Date of Scene:	28 March 2024
Location:	Ballroom, Hotel Royale Gotham
Synopsis:	Harvey Dent shakes hands, makes a speech and survives an assassination attempt. Only he's the one who ends up with blood on his hands.
Cast of Characters:	Harvey Dent, Lois Lane, Michael Hannigan, Kaine Parker, Bruce Wayne, Stephanie Brown, Kenesha, Felicia Hardy, Austin Reese, Damian Wayne

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Harvey Dent has posed:
The Hotel Royale Gotham has long been a playground for wealthy visitors to the city, dating back well over a hundred years. It shows in the architecture, especially here in the ballroom. Art deco touches are everywhere, especially in the overarching mural above. They say the man who painted it went mad, that there are hidden details and occult truths in the margins, beyond the ken of ordinary men. At least that's what a dozen Youtube conspiracy videos say.

Today, the place is decked out for Harvey Dent's fundraiser. Black tie, invitation only, the glittering and the wealthy and the powerful intermingling to fill the coffers of the sure bet to win re-election as District Attorney of Gotham. With his main opponent recently disgraced, Dent wouldn't seem to need much in the way of money. After his recent escapades in busting Salvatore Maroni, however, his reputation may be in need of polishing. Makes the dead cops go down easier.

There's a podium for speeches later underneath an oversized banner with DENT FOR DA and a picture of Harvey's face printed on it on one side, with the scales of justice on the other. Security is present, off-duty cops in tuxes mostly. Harvey himself wears a classic tuxedo, black and white as a penguin, with sparkling cufflinks. His hand worries at the coin in his pocket sometimes, a nervous habit. Not that you'd know he was nervous. Handsome Harvey has an infamous poker face - he never shows it when he sweats.

As people arrive, canapes and appetizers will begin to flow on silver trays and Harvey will begin glad-handing and meeting with his prospective donors, while waitstaff guide people to designated tables and a small band fires up off to the side to play soft classical music.

Lois Lane has posed:
While this isn't exactly her normal beat, she did receive an invite. A certain Miss Lois Lane arrives at the fundraiser, glancing about, looking for more than one familiar face.

This evening finds the reporter not in her usual duds, but something a bit more refined, elegant even. A strapless rose red evening gown is the choice for the evening; a long slit down the right side shows off some of her assets, while the sweetheart shape of the bodice directs eyes elsewhere.

Holding a matching clutch, she looks down at her invitation. Were there assigned seats? Pursing her lips, she wanders towards the host of the evening, smiling at Harvey along the way. "Thank you for the invite. This is... definitely something." she says, blowing out a phew afterwards.

Michael Hannigan has posed:
While the hotel may have been a playground for the wealthy, it is only for events like this that Mike ever set foot in this building. That is not to say this hotel is lacking. It's just another hotel was made into a home long before the musician could ever fathom being allowed here. And despite the happenings near the end of his time living here, in Gotham - The Azure Hotel is home.

And yet now here Mike is, as his stage persona Nick Drago, at the Hotel Royale. Dressed up in probably one of the most formal outfits he has available in respect of the declared dress code. His lengthy locks have been tamed back and secured with black ribbon so that the only form of rockstar rebellion is likely that his tie is probably a little looser than most.

The food offerings are looked to and politely refused as he steps around, occasionally getting stopped by someone who recognizes him.

Kaine Parker has posed:
Kaine is here and actually looking the part. A suit, custom made with the traditional black coat, pants, a gray vest and a white button up. Somewhere deep down it feels kind of good to where this again, but the company is still just as cutthroat. A den of thieves and a den of politicians are similar crowds, they just use different weapons. Showing his invite, better not to question how he got it, but it checks out. Was it a forgery? Was it stolen? Kaine won't tell. Either way Richard Reilly is waved inside.

Brown eyes just drink it all in. The world feels foreign yet not. He slides into old habits, hunting for favorite bits on silver trays. Grabbing the nearest champagne flute, he takes a sip. A familiar burn runs down his throat. How he missed this life. Glamor didn't really follow super heroes, Tony Stark notwithstanding.

Just for a night he can indulge in the side that got used to the high end of society.

Bruce Wayne has posed:
A fund raiser for a crusader against crime in gotham? Naturally, Bruce Wayne would be there. and more importantly, perhaps, his sizeable donation check made it there well before he did.

Stephanie Brown has posed:
Despite having started to build up a bit of experience on what to wear to these events, Stephanie had consulted with the expert on her attire for the evening. Alfred, that is. She arrives with Bruce Wayne, wearing a black dress that is flattering in the way it clings but with a fairly conservative cut otherwise. A pair of diamond earrings dangle from her ears and a necklace with a single gem hangs from a necklace.

She walks in with a hand on Bruce's arm, letting him lead and navigate his way through the crowd. Glad-handing where needed, smiling and accepting jokes, good or bad, from others that dwell in his lofty circles. The dour demeanor that his closest family might know is hidden behind that social mask of the wealthy industrialist. And with Stephanie, his son's fiance, as a plus one, it's a good way to keep those who would seek him out otherwise, at a bit more of a distance.

Kenesha has posed:
Kenesha is here as the independently weathly Dr. Kenesha Jones. Archaeologist, historian, linguist... she seems to have a wealth of information to draw on, and sometimes controversial opinions regarding certain historical figures and eras. She's also left quite a large check towards Dent's re-election campaign. While the death of the police officers was tragic, breaking up one of the larger crime families to help make Gotham a safer place is something she can get behind.

Short blond hair has been tamed into a sleek pixie bob that leaves her neck exposed, showing off the Byzantine era jewelry adorning her ears, throat, wrists, and fingers. A sleek black silk sheathe dress with a high slit along the right leg hugs her form, bordered with golden embroidery in Byzantine patterns that match those on the jewelry. She carries a small clutch purse and wears heels to match the gown.

Entering on her own, she glances around here and there, smiling politely as she carefully weaves her way through the throng of social elite. Captured for a few moments by the interesting mural overhead, one brow lifting, a corner of her mouth twitching upward. Back to the present, howeve,r and Kenesha moves through the crowds to offer her greetings and thanks to the host.

"Mr. Dent. A pleasure to meet you. I just wanted to thank you for the invitation and wish you all the best in the coming election." She offers a smile and extends a hand to shake towards Harvey, turning the same smile towards Lois and giving a small nod. "Miss Lane. Your articles are always a joy to read, you have a wonderful sense of detail and a wicked sense of humor that comes through beautifully."

Harvey Dent has posed:
Harvey warmly shakes Lois' hand and, if permitted, will give her the European cheek kiss. The old dames of Gotham always love it and Harvey's gotten in the habit as part of his schmmoozing routine. He smells crisp, his cologne fresh, his grip strong. He smiles wide, the way he's been media trained, but it's always come natural to Harvey. He's a born politician, Mr. Charisma, most likely to succeed, all that jazz.

He slips a hand into his pocket and cups the coin for a moment, letting the ridged edges run against his palm, his own personal stigmata. he feels the dark thoughts quiet, even though he sees injustice all around him. The rich, the fat, the spoiled, the rotten. All of them here to give him money. Shouldn't he be ashamed?

Smile wider, Harvey.

Kenesha gets the handshake, too, "Harvey Dent. Pleasure to make your acquaintance. I'm glad to see some new faces around here tonight - it gives me hope that people haven't given up on the city yet. They shouldn't. We're going to save it, just you watch."

His campaign manager, a young woman named Janus Martell, comes an whispers in his ear, "Seems I have to get ready for my speech. Please, get to know each other, have fun. We're all here for the same good cause: Gotham."

Felicia Hardy has posed:
While Gotham isn't exactly Felicia Hardy's home territory, the city is known for pretty much two things: horrendous crime and old-money wealth. And those are... both things she can appreciate, albeit each in their proper moment.

Plus, a party is a party.

The woman arrives... well, when she does. They call it 'fashionably late' for a reason, and she takes that all quite seriously. 'Black tie' is nebulous for womenswear, but mind your fashion columnist of choice for some tips, and you can find some 'dos' and 'donts.' The length of Ms. Hardy's sparkling white dress is definitely a do - it lends a sense of formality to the occasion. The plunging neckline might land in a more debatable space, but she's always fashion-forward.

And if the dress doesn't impress, she makes up further territory with quite a lot of flashy bling - heavy, drapey necklace sparkling with dozens of cut stones, long dangly earings with more of the same, bracelets with... well, you get the idea by now, right? Real diamonds? Owned? Loaner from some fashion house? 'Liberated' from some wealthy collection and now worn brazenly in public just for the thrill of potentially getting caught?

The last one's a fair bet.

Beyond showing up, the first thing she does is go and look for a drink. She likes anything that sparkles, so champagne is truly a must. "So what is this for, again?" she asks, arbitrarily, of someone nearby - guest or waiter, it really doesn't matter.

Lois Lane has posed:
Kiss kiss, hug hug. Yes, she knows that's how it goes. A bright smile remains on her features as she bows her head at the host. "You've brought out the powerful, influential, and rich. I'm impressed." Lois tells Harvey, clucking her tongue on the inside of her cheek for a few moments.

"I won't keep you from your schmoozing though. I'll have to monopolize your time another time." she says with a wry grin before looking towards Kenesha. "Oh! Well thank you. If only you could tell the New Yorker those things."

Stephanie Brown has posed:
As Bruce Wayne is talking to a business colleague, Stephanie finds an older woman in a blue hat and dress before her. "Why, you're young Stephanie aren't you? Where was it we met?" she says, looking off absently as she tries to remember.

"The first time was the fundraiser for the displaced people from Manhattan," Stephanie replies. "Though last was, I think the gala for the children's center down in Chelsea? It's very nice to see you again, Mrs. Cunningham," the blond coed says, giving the woman a warm enough smile of greeting.

The elderly woman breaks out in a smile. "Oh yes, that's it! One of my favorite charities. I should probably write them another check soon," she says.

"I'm sure they would appreciate that," Stephanie replies, glancing over and seeing Bruce ready to move on. "If you'll excuse me, going to get a drink," she says, giving the older woman another bright smile before moving back over to rejoin Bruce. "I've always thought she was pretty nice," she comments to Bruce of the wealthy woman who is quite into charities. Stephanie gets herself a wine glass with white wine as she looks around the room. "That's the reporter, Lois Lane isn't it?" she asks Bruce, getting an affirmative nod back from him.

Austin Reese has posed:
Events like this aren't really the kind of thing Austin likes. But you know, appearances have to be kept up and if he's going to keep being one of the Wayne charity cases. So wearing a perfectly tailored tuxedo.

He may actually be actively avoiding smalltalk as he weaves in between various other guests, finding his way to various trays of food and drink. Hey they're paying a lot of money to be here right, might as well take advantage.

Kenesha has posed:
Smiling at Harvey as he pulls away to prepare, she inclines her head to him in passing before turning her attention to Lois. Laughing softly, she offers, "Tell you what. The next time you submit a piece to them, let me know. I'll do that same. I'm certain whatever you write will be FAR preferable to whatever dry, boring piece of historical fare that I come up with. And if they still say no, well then, they clearly don't have the taste or class to be worthy of your time." She plucks a glass from a passing waitstaff, offering a smile in compensation, sipping from it lightly.

"To be quite honest, though, I've always felt your writing would do best as series of exposes... it's really a shame that they give you so little space to properly convey the information you've so diligently gathered. If you ever want to self-publish, I'd be interested in funding the endeavor. You deserve a broader audience for your work, certainly." Kenesha sips from her glass and murmurs, "That's Bruce Wayne over there, isn't it? He's taller than I would have thought. Lovely young woman with him, though."

Damian Wayne has posed:
Damian was late. He was helping with something and ran behind. But finally, dressed in a suit appropriate to the event, he arrives at the edge of the gathering, looking around. It's hard for him to not spot is father, and the girl next to him. He arrived a few moments after Austin and when he passes by, Damian gives him a light pat on the back to notice him.

And with that, he moves to join the group. "Father, Stephanie. No Dick?" he asks, grabbing a bottle of water. Still underage, even if he's taller now. Uncapping it to take a sip.

Kaine Parker has posed:
"Richard Reilly" aka Kaine, turns his head as one person slips inside. Their voice is familiar, but he can't place it. Brown eyes slip to Felicia as she makes an entrance. Taking a sip from his flute,

His eyes slip to the others moving about. "Is that Bruce Wayne?" he wonders to himself. Bruce always feels untouchable, much like the Royal Family in Britain. Then he just keeps looking at everyone milling about. Tonight he's here due to Harvey. Kaine was at the docks during Harvey's raid. There's already a little mistrust toward Harvey due to it.

Michael Hannigan has posed:
Nick Drago continues wading through the crowd. It is a slow process though. Stopping when he recognizes someone. Being stopped when someone recognizes him. And at some points pausing to get his sight back because someone forgot to turn the flash of their phone off. Honestly the worst thing about black tie affairs are that sunglasses are often not part of the look.

It is at one of those points that Nick blinks, catching a glimpse of the Wayne pack. Taking note of Damian, the rockstar lifts up a hand to give a wave.

Whiiich is just enough for someone else to grab onto to pull into a photo.

Yeah that one's not going to turn out well.

Stephanie Brown has posed:
Stephanie Brown takes a sip of her drink. Noticing Austin making his way across the room, she flashes him a quick smile of greeting and a little lift of her glass. Though doesn't otherwise interrupt him as he heads straight for the food. Just someone his age should be doing. The appeal isn't lost on Stephanie for that matter!

She sees Damian come in as well, passing by Austin and then moving over to join them. "Evening Damian. You look great in that suit," she tells him. It must be a truce on cutting comments while out at the fundraiser of a family friend like Harvey Dent. "Dick was planning to come, but he caught a case right before the end of his shift. If he can make it out in time he'll show up, but he just indicated it was one that might take awhile." Homicide detectives, having to get out to the scene as quickly as possible to gather evidence.

Austin Reese has posed:
Damian's hand on his back does get Austin's attention, and he turns to give him a nod of greeting, though of course Stephanie gets his attention and he returns the smile, slipping around a couple more other guests and joining them, though he's also grabbed a drink on his way over, "Hey Steph, looking good. You too, Damian." He takes a drink from his glass, "I think Harvey's the front runner to win. Guy's really good at what he does, I know I sure as hell hated being on the opposite side of the courtroom from him."

Bruce Wayne has posed:
Austin's arrival and rapid departure for food earns a gentle smile from Bruce as he turns his attention to Damian's arrival. "Looking rather dapper, I must say," before giving a nod in agreement to Stephanie's assessment.

For the moment, he seems to have managed navigating the social seas of the night, made his appropriate conversation, and has now turned to his favorite part of the evening - scouting out the room. Is he looking for an exit strategy or threat assessment? With him, you never know.

Harvey Dent has posed:
The lights go down and they urge people to go to their seats, at least for the moment. Dinner will be served after Harvey's message. He makes his way up behind the podium. If he has notes, he's not showing it. Maybe he memorized his remarks. Maybe he's speaking off the cuff. He certainly makes it seem the way, natural, comfortable. He looks around, making eye contact where he can. His eyes are sharp and true, heterochromatic, electric blue and stormy grey bordering on darkness. He places his hands on the podium and smiles.

"Thank you all for coming tonight. Increasingly, affairs like this happen remotely, online. Impersonal, mechanized, efficient. Not very warm. Parties expect you to toe the line, to pay your dues and take what you got. I'm here to tell you that Harvey Dent will never be that way. I appreciate everything you give me. And I try to give you a lot of bang for your buck."

"Most recently, if you've been looking at the papers, that buck stops at Salvatore Maroni. One of our most notorious crimelords, a boss among bosses. You notice I'm not saying alleged. Not saying accused. We know who Sal Maroni is. His lawyers have done a good job of keeping him from paying for those crimes. This year, we put an end to that."

"Salvatore Maroni is in our custody now. His trial begins next month. He will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. He will be conviced. he will never be a free man again. His reign of terror on this city will be put to an end. I will get the credit for that, but I didn't do it alone. You helped me. Not only with your financial contributions, although I am forever grateful for those, please," he says with a small laugh. "We can do it because Gotham is tired of living in fear. Tired of being victimized. Gotham is standing up for itself. We are standing up for ourselves."

"Unlike my political opponents, I am a friend of the Batman. I believe in his mission and the mission of his allies. He has earned the trust of this city and the trust of its District ATtorney. But it is not enough. If we cannot incarcerate those who are caught, if we cannot end the revolving door at Arkham Asylum, nothing will change. We have begun to melt the iceberg of corruption. We have begun to end the influence of the criminal class over our fair city. But the work is not done. That's why I'm running for re-election. That's why I'm going even harder after Maroni and all the other scum who sit behind their gates and in their dens of iniquity and think they rule this city. The people of Gotham are a free people. We will be no one's serfs. No one's peasants."

"As your district attorney, I have brought Justice to Gotham. True justice, fairness, equity. The way things are supposed to be. Maybe i haven't always been gentle along the way - well, it's a rough town. Sometimes you have to be rough."

Damian Wayne has posed:
Noticing Drago, Damian offers a wave back, just as he's snagged. Ooof. Sorry, bro! He looks apologetic, before his attention returns to his immediate group. "You all act like I was going to show up in Emo rocker gear and a collar with piercings." A small smirk, before his attention turns to Harvey as he takes the stage and starts to speak.

A drink of water as he listens, Damian's green eyes narrowing slightly in thought. There were parts of the speech he agreed with, but some of it felt uneasy to him and he can't place his finger on it.

Felicia Hardy has posed:
It's usually not Felicia's -voice- that gets her random looks, but there's a first time for everything!

Fortunately, from the context of other passing conversation and a few of the more official-like discussions, as well as the imminent speech preparations, she manages to work out what the event is. "Oh, he's running for District Attorney? I would have thought it was mayor, with all this fuss." There's a certain degree of irony in her showing up to support a candidate for law enforcement! Then again...

She's acquired champagne, and lifts it for a sip, while observing the audience. The old lady in blue, previously in Stephanie's company, gets a studious look. Old money in a very literal sense! Old enough to smell it. But... not terribly flashy. She's a jewel thief, after all, not a... Hummel thief.

Oh, the speech is starting. She looks, honestly, mostly bored by it. "Oh it's not even his first term..." Still, 'Friend of Batman' registers, just for the uniqueness of it. "Pro-vigilante law enforcement. Well, that's rather progressive, as things go..."

Michael Hannigan has posed:
If there are such things as mercies it is when the lights go down. With persons being herded to their seats, the rockstar turned actor sits down in his own. Be it through some very thoughtful planning on the ones who did the seating arrangements or sheer dumb luck, Nick is happily finding himself Faaaaaaar from the camera needy attendees.

"Thank you Harvey." Nick murmurs under his breath before he relaxes back into his seat, watching as the previously mentioned man makes his speech.

Stephanie Brown has posed:
During Harvey's speech, Stephanie, takes a seat at the table where Bruce's reservations for those of the family are at. She listens closely, with occasional small sips of her wine. At various points where others clap for Harvey's comment, she does too. Stephanie has a bright smile for the uncorruptible Gotham DA. Something that it has so rarely had in her lifetime.

She turns back to flash Damian a little grin. "We're still waiting for that wild child phase that you never seemed to go through," she comments to him quietly enough to not interrupt.

"Austin," she says to him quietly, "Thank you. Alfred made some recommendations on it," she says of her dress. She nods in agreement with Austin's assessment of the election. "I don't know who would vote against Harvey Dent. Besides the criminals."

Bruce Wayne has posed:
"You would often be surprised how many people do not actually want to see what it takes to get the city cleaned up." Bruce Wayne sighs at that thought, turning his gaze back towards Stephanie. "It is not just the criminals, but also sometimes the general public who would rather turn a blind eye to it. More police and more enforcement cost money, and sometimes people are more concerned with their wallet than their safety." A pause. "Until they lose their wallet. Or something more valuable."

Bruce tries to stem the tide of memory that that meander conjures up, and retrieves a passing flute of champagne as if that will dull the memory of Crime Alley.

Kenesha has posed:
FInding her seat as expected, Kenesha settles in for the speech. It's a necessary evil to these functions, there's always a speech. Sometimes two or three! At least this one is interesting. SHe lifts a brow at the 'friend of Batman' part... but then, Gotham has always been a little more... MORE, than other cities.

Sipping from her glass, she remains quiet during the speech, instead, eavesdropping on some of the guests. Learning little bits and pieces of gossip from the idle rich. Nothing terribly salacious, but it's at least entertaining. And, of course, offering the appropriate polite applause at the appropriate moments. Because really, Harvey isn't wrong about crime and needing to be tough.

Damian Wayne has posed:
Damian glances aside of his father and gives a shake of his head, sympathetic in the thought, even if he does not fully agree. "Hiring good and just officers is more the issue." he murmurs. "How many times have we read of those that are supposed to protect us turning their own blind eye in order for someone like Maroni to fatten their wallet, father." A quiet sigh, but he doesn't press much.

"He's relying on Batman because he knows he cannot control the corruption that exists outside of what the Commissioner controls. And he doesn't address that at all."

Austin Reese has posed:
Austin nods in response to Steph's comment, "Well I suppose if they want to take the time to vote they can, but you'll hear no argument from me." Sadly Bruce is right, too many people willing to look the other way.

Damian's comment gets a slight hmm from him, "Makes me wonder what they could do. Fire everybody tht's not in Gordon's unit and re-hire the ones that aren't corrupt?" He asks, "I doubt that'd go over well."

Kaine Parker has posed:
Kaine just listens to the pomp and circumstance. He debates about speaking up. Yes, Gotham needs cleaning. Hell, it needs a deep cleaning. But at what cost? That's what disturbed him. It was the lengths Harvey was willing to go to create that utopia. If Harvey is the figurehead of Gotham's crusade against crime, Kaine just thinks Gotham would be callous in a new and different way. He's not sure if it would be a -better- way.

Ideas run through his mind. Part of him thought about leaving, coming back in costume and saying something. He thought about saying things with small bits of sarcasm. A voice rises, talking about the reliance on Batman. It's true what they say sometimes, it just takes one voice to encourage others.

"And the 'Hasty Harvey' business? You got someone with a badge saying you're a little -too willing- to lead crusade no matter the cost," Kaine speaks up adding his voice in with the others.

Harvey Dent has posed:
Harvey goes on for a while longer. He talks about reform in the city jails, reform in plea deals and in the flood of weapons on the streets of Gotham. He talks up the GCPD, especially laying praise on Jim Gordon. The crime rate has gone down during his tenure as DA - not by much and it's still one of the highest in the country - but down is down, nonetheless, and he feels ike the momentum is going their way.

"I am a proud son of Gotham. I grew up here, in government housing, in the ghetto. I raised myself up with hard work, yes, but also opportunity, opportunity created by charitable programs such as those sponsored by the Wayne Foundation. I had a Wayne scholarship myself," he smiles. "Bruce Wayne has continued the legacy of his father, Thomas, in giving so much back to the city. We are in great debt to him. I, in particular, am in great debt to him."

"We must all lift each other up. We must all work together to make this the city we know it can be. And by god, we're going to have justice. The criminals of Gotham are a superstitious and cowardly lot - it's time we taught them to fear the light again. Thank you for your support. My name is Harvey Dent - and I'm proud to be the District Attorney of Gotham City!"

He moves to step down from the podium, raising his hands to the crowd. There is, of course, a great deal of applause and the band starts to strike up. At the same time, one of the waiters subtly changes his direction. His eyes are intense, his lips dry. He might've just seemed nervous, another citizen just making ends meet, working as a cater waiter. Only this one reaches into his poc1ket and pulls out a sharp, sharp knife. He moves to close the gap between him and Harvey in just a few steps, his knife moving to try to stab the DA, "THIS IS FOR BERTIE, YOU PIECE O' CRAP!" the man cries.

Stephanie Brown has posed:
"It's a lot to deal with," Stephanie says, though in a tone as if agreeing with Damian to some degree on the impact of corruption within the GCPD. "At some point it would need to take a lot of focus to clean up. I'm not quite sure you prioritize that as a DA," she says, and avoiding looking to Bruce for an answer on the question even if she would have if this were other locations without other people around.

She glances over around the room, watching people's reactions to the speech, and who they are talking to. The kind of details she wouldn't have thought to focus on just a few years ago. "I wonder if Miss Lane is running a story on Harvey for the Daily Planet?" she comments, more aloud than expecting an answer from anyone.

She listens to more of Harvey's speech, though eyeing the crowd continually with glances here and there. She turns and starts to ask Bruce Wayne, "So what was Harvey like back when you to were in sch-" That's as far as she gets as she hears the cry from the man attacking Harvey. Stephanie whirls towards the sound to see what is going on.

Felicia Hardy has posed:
Ooooh. Drama! And not even the stabbing.

When the crowd reacts to the speech not with the typical bland acclaim that would be normal for an event like this, Felicia's interest is piqued. "Hasty Harvey?" she goes ahead and asks Mr. Curious Kaine, because, well, why not! He seems informed on the subject, enough to heckle the subject of an expensive fundraiser. That takes a bit of hutzpah.

"Why the nickname?" she wonders. "Is he a little too quick in- ohhhhh, with arrests. Well, I suppose that's not great, either." Ahem.

OK... Yes, ALSO very much the stabbing.

"Oh my! Oh no! Look out! How dreadful!" Felicia does exactly nothing beyond put on an appropriate sort of shocked performance. She falls short of screaming, but only because there isn't blood yet. There probably will be! She saves the good scream for that.

Bruce Wayne has posed:
"It is a tangled mess, and one that has no good answers," agrees Bruce, murmuring quietly before taking another sip of the champagne as Harvey continues. He raises his glass in salute as others offer the applause as Harvey starts to make his way down. "Intense," is his brief answer, which coming from Bruce Wayne, is saying something.

But then there is a commotion, and Bruce Wayne is no longer standing next to Stephanie Brown.

If any were watching, perhaps they would attribute it to adrenaline. Panic. Those sorts of situations where parents lift cars off their children, suddenly endowed with great feats of strength. How else could anyone explain how Bruce Wayne, billionaire playboy philanthropist socialite, is able to cut dash through the crowd as if he were an Olympic dancer, swishing and swaying around people on a sharp beeline towards the imminent altercation before most others even seem to realize that a blade is drawn.

But still, he is too far away and there is no chance, even with his sudden if perplexing adrenaline fueled race to cross the distance, for him to get there near enough to help.

Harvey Dent is on his own.

Kaine Parker has posed:
Kaine sees the approach thanks to standing and heckling. Honestly, he thought this place would be BURSTING with cops. Yet, everything moves slow. And no one else is standing up. With Flute in hand, he tries to toss the glass toward the charging waiter. He's not looking to stop the guy flat. However, something to st slow him down. Allow security to actually earn their keep. Brown eyes watch as everything goes in motion. And he could miss because a flute is an odd shape. Also, the target is specific and in motion.

Kenesha has posed:
Already on her feet, applauding the end of Harvey's speech, Kenesha can see the events unfolding. Watching them as if happening in slow motion. THe waiter, nervous, approaching at an angle. Reaching into the pocket and withdrawing the blade. The yell. Bruce in motion, Kaine in motion. Curious. Unwilling to give herself away, she watches. Not the attempt at stabbing. The crowd.

Who's surprised, shocked... who isn't. Who remains calm throughout. If the waiter isn't acting alone, then an accomplice might well be in the room already. She doesn't scream, she doesn't shout, she simply.. watches.

Harvey Dent has posed:
Harvey shifts, just barely, enough to save his life. The knife scrapes along his side, opening uip a laceration, skittering along his ribcage. There's a sharp bloom of crimson in his white dress shirt. The tux is ruined and it cost plenty, not that it's the concern of the moment. Harvey's taken off guard, but not for long. Surprisingly, the dignified DA of Gotham leans into his attacker and headbutts the man in the bridge of the nose, making the guy crumple to his knees. At closer inspection, he's young, probably in his early twenties. One of Umberto Maroni's buddies, looking to avenge their friend, the friend who lost his face to acid on Harvey Dent's watch. Handsome Bertie, not so handsome anymore.

Harvey doesn't stop there. His eyes go wide with rage. He kicks at his wrist, sending the knife sliding across the floor. A few swift kicks to the ribs and then Harvey's on top of him, on the ground. Security's so shocked they just watch as the candidate begins to beat the living hell out of his assailant.

Harvey has heavy hands. He supplemented that Wayne Foundation scholarship with boxing, betting on himself to make extra scratch. To get the suits he'd need to impress judges as a new attorney, to get his way into the clubs that he would need if he wanted a career in politics. Ambition fueled by violence. Those heavy hands now crack into the young criminal's face, striking over and over again. Harvey's knuckles come up bloody and he doesn't stop, lost in raw, blind fury as he makes the boy pay for his transgression in pain and blood. There's a hideous crack as he breaks one of the kid's cheekbones.

Harvey just hits him again.

Damian Wayne has posed:
When Stephanie whirls, Damian's attention is brought to the unforlding attack. His hand reaches, catching Stephanie's wrist, holding her in place so that she doesn't go foolishly rushing the stage - there's no chance that they can make it to the stage in time if they wanted to.

Then there's the attack by Harvey in return. And... it gets worse. Now, Damian releases Stephanie's wrist. Someone will surely stop Harvey in time, a glance to Bruce to see if he will - and if not, he'll wander in.

Michael Hannigan has posed:
Nick's not much for politics, but the speech from Harvey seemed pretty good. When the applause starts up, he joins in as well. Although caught up in the moment, Nick has no real chance to take note of the man approaching Harvey. But the shouts seem to be sufficient to get his attention back. After a few seconds. Hand setting upon his chair he starts to get up, pausing as he sees Bruce running forward but Damian remaining still.

F--!

The table rattles with the movement as his hip hits it but miraculously the drinks set upon the top only shake a little, none of the liquid breeching the lip of the glasses. They're probably right. There's probably no hope in getting there to stop the first strike but- Where the FUCK is security in all this?!

When Harvey manages to stop the attack, he momentarily relax but as Harvey proceeds to beat the everloving crap with security not lifting a hand to help. Nick shakes his head, getting up to move over as soon as he can. Right now there's two people tangled up, those hired to stop it aren't doing their job. And even if Bruce intervenes. That's TWO people to hold apart.

Plus he's a rockstar. Rockstars are known for doing stupid shit.

Go with the role.

Stephanie Brown has posed:
Stephanie Brown didn't make a move for Harvey or the attacker. That her attention was elsewhere and she was only alerted by the shout means Bruce Wayne has already moved before she's had a chance to act.

Instead, once she sees that Harvey has avoided the immediate peril, her eyes turn to search the room. Not making the mistake of being caught up in the fight so much to not look for other potential assailants. She palms a butter knife, held in her hand and the dull blade hidden behind her arm as she scans the room, extra attention paid to the other wait staff, but also eyeing people in the crowd of attendees.

Bruce Wayne has posed:
"Harvey. Enough." Bruce Wayne's fingers close around Harvey's wrist, catching his fist as it hauled back to deliver another punishing blow to the waiter's face. "Let the GPD take it from here."

Sure enough, there are uniformed officers making their way over quickly. Perhaps not as quickly as Bertie would have liked. Certainly no quicker than Bertie _deserved_, some might say, though.

Once Bruce has Harvey's hand, they seem to find their normal pace again. Funny, that.

Harvey Dent has posed:
Harvey Dent fights back against Bruce at first, almost surprised as the billionaire proves to be as strong as he is. Harvey's a big man and it shows as he finally gets pulled to his feet by Bruce, the cops descending on his attacker. Harvey lashes out to give the guy one last kick in the ribs.

"YOU TELL MARONI THIS IS WHAT YOU GET. YOU AND ALL YOUR SCUMBAG PALS! YOU TOUCH ME AND YOU PAY THE PRICE! THIS IS WHAT YOU GET WHEN YOU FUCK WITH HARVEY DENT!" he cries.

He spins his way free of Bruce's grasp and swallows hard, gritting his teeth and straightening his tie. His other hand dips into his pocket and he pulls out his lucky coin. He lets it dance across his knuckles, a soothing stimulus, a repetitive act to calm his nerves. He's flustered, obviously, not to mention bleeding still, the left side of his shirt soaked through with the claret of his blood.

"Sorry, folks. This is just more proof that we're on the right track. Maroni's desperate. His back's against the wall. This is just one of his flailing limbs," he says.

His eyes flick back over to Bruce, "Thanks. I guess I...lost my temper," he says. He doesn't sound sorry, though. He sounds excited. His campaign manager grabs his elbow, trying to tug him back to the medic, "Sorry about all that folks. Please, enjoy your dinner. I'll be back out once I get stitched back up, okay?"

Bruce Wayne has posed:
Bruce looks at Harvey, saying nothing. Just looks into the eyes of the DA as he thanks him.

"Hmm."

And then he is being whisked away, and Bruce turns in the opposite direction.

There must be a stiff drink somewhere calling for the playboy after that workout.

Kenesha has posed:
Ah ha.

Turning away from the drama with the DA and Wayne and poor Bertie, Kenesha starts to make her way across the floor, angling to try to cut off the route it would seem some of the other waitstaff are trying to escape through. They may not be true accomplices, but at the very least, they're accessories after the fact. They should really talk to the police. It would be the best thing.

And hey, if she moves a little faster than expected in those heels.. she's fit, athletic, and spends a lot of time going through Indiana Jones style antics! It's a living.

Felicia Hardy has posed:
Ah, there's the blood. Felicia screams, right on schedule!

...however, the whole thing doesn't exactly play out like she's apparently expecting it to from there. One would expect cops to mob the guy, pull him off, people to rush to see to Mr. Dent's safety and condition. Yadda yadda, arrest, yadda yadda ambulance, etc. But that's definitely not what they get. So she gives up on the horrified, shocked screaming routine, given that it's probably not appropriate to the circumstances.

"Oh... well it looks like he's... Hrm. Alright. So, going for more of an Andrew Jackson prototype vibe for his career then, hmm? Not... necessarily the most encouraging."

At this point, she's already backpedaling through the crowd, looking for a convenient exit, muttering as she goes. "Go to a fundraiser in Gotham, they said, what's the worst that could happen, they said."

Michael Hannigan has posed:
Whelp.

At the time Nick left the table the second guy was still capable of standing. By the time he got over there...Not so much.

Giving a sigh looking to the unconcious mass, he at least crouches down to get a general idea of the injuries to the lump on the floor. Seeing nothing that requires 'special' attention. He glances up to see the incoming police officers and stands up. Stepping back.

Oh well.

He tried.

Harvey Dent has posed:
Things settle down. Harvey's publicity team gets to work smoothing things over, getting things resolved. The offender is hustled out quickly to a waiting ambulance. Harvey wants to go back out but instead finds himself whisked away by a police detail. Apparently, this was just the first, amateurish attempt.

Sal Maroni put out a simple bounty - 5 million dollars to the man who kills Harvey Dent.