ARTICLES OF FAITH

Documents, cutscenes and various miscellany from the Reason to Believe.

PROLOGUE: NEVER COME TO MIND

NEW YEAR'S EVE

"And I'll dance with you in Vienna
I'll be wearing a river's disguise
The hyacinth wild on my shoulder
My mouth on the dip of your thighs
And I'll bury my soul in a scrapbook
With a photograph there in the moss
And I'll yield to the flood of your beauty
My cheap violin and my cross
And you'll carry me down on your dancing
To the pools that you left on your wrist.
Oh my love
Oh my love
Take this waltz. Take this waltz.
It's yours now, it's all that there is." --- Leonard Cohen, "Take This Waltz"

From the Gotham Examiner, December 23.

Helping Hands Across America To Build Low-Income Housing In East End

The national charity known as Helping Hands Across America has announced their plans to build a new low-income housing project in the crime-ridden neighborhood of the East End. The project, tentatively named the Newgate Apartments, will utilize Gotham City contractors and materials suppliers, said HHAA Housing Director Gail Zildjian. "We believe that locally-constructed low-income housing has a long-term beneficial effect on neighborhoods." she said in an interview. "If more money is available for spending, and it's not being bled off by exhorbitant rents or upkeep that slumlords refuse to handle, the poor represent a significant amount of spending capital. This capital will benefit the whole community, and promote the return of legitimate businesses to the East End."

The East End has long been known as a center for violent crime and poverty, home to "Crime Alley" and the highest per-city-block murder rate in the United States. Business owners find it difficult to operate in the East End without paying protection to one of the three street gangs that vie for supremacy in the area, or belonging under the umbrella of one of Gotham City's seemingly untouchable crime families.

Despite the rising crime rate, police response times to the area are the second worst in the city. Police Commissioner Richard Grogan's office has consistently refused to comment on this disparity. HHAA also would not comment on the possible impact of crime on their projects. "Law enforcement is really such a localized issue that we have to take questions like that one project at a time." said HHAA legal counsel Greg Dudley. "We really are hopeful that the Newgate project will be a new start for the new year in East End, and the benefits will cross the whole city."

Gotham Examiner Special Edition, January 1. Photo, Byline: V. Vale. A beautiful photo of Sanction leaping down from a second story balcony towards a lead table with the jets of his levitation pack firing.

NERVE GAS PLOT FOILED - CALENDAR MAN CAUGHT

Exclusive to the Gotham Examiner.

Four costumed vigilantes managed to stop a plot to unleash a military-grade nerve gas on a party of about two hundred people last night at the stroke of midnight. The Gotham City Police Department reported that Julian Day, also known as the "Calendar Man", hired approximately ten assistants to carry out his plot....

Gotham Gazette, January 4

CALENDAR MAN COMMITTED TO ARKHAM ASYLUM

In a brief court hearing today, three court-appointed psychologists concurred that Julian Day, known as the "Calendar Man" since his Independence Day hijacking of a Tricorner Naval Yard truck carrying weapons, was too insane to assist measurably in his own defense and should be committed to the Elizabeth Arkham Asylum for the Criminally Insane. "He said that he found it hard to believe the police were concerned with such a petty matter as attempted mass murder when the 'new year' of literally thousands of people had been stolen." said examining psychologist Harleen Quinzel of the Gotham City Downtown Clinic. The other two psychologists concurred. Day's commitment was for an "indefinite period".

The other ten arrestees were arraigned on charges of attempted murder, possession of a weapon of mass destruction, theft, and conspiracy to commit murder. One, a British national wanted in that country, will be deported to England, said immigration officials.

GOTHAM CITY DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
1 JUSTICE PLAZA
CENTRAL CIRCLE
GOTHAM CITY, NJ

CONFIDENTIAL

TO: Lieutenant James Gordon, GCPD
FROM: Ass't DA Harvey Dent
CASE: CR-000000001// PEOPLE V. JULIAN DAY AKA THE CALENDAR MAN
Date: January 2
RE: Disposition

Jim -

I've had my deputy interview Julian Day. He declined the offer of the public defender to be present. I also interviewed him myself personally, to double-check his story.

I have serious doubts about the man's sanity and think he will ever go to trial. Most of the interview consisted of him lecturing me about Saint Macarius, whose feast day is apparently today. Macarius was a confectioner that lived in the fourth century A.D. It is also Isaac Asimov's birthday, and the day Georgia entered the U.S. It was an educational interview if nothing else.

I think we will have to write this one off like the Joker and send him to Arkham more or less indefinitely.

His associates are another matter. Some of these guys are three and four-time losers, who weren't told much about the caper, as far as I can tell. Of course, by contrast, Mick Blanchett, Donny Calloway and Nigel Barrington are big wheels in the Sullivan organization. Something else was definitely going on New Year's Eve besides a psychotic killer obsessed with the calendar trying to take out hundreds of people with nerve gas.

I know you said the vigilantes that were involved are not related in any way to "your friend". I have no idea who they are either, but they have been on Day's trail since July. I also think they were involved in the Veteran's Day walk-ins. Whoever they are, they can certainly throw a scare into people.

Half of me wants to look into them more so we know who we are dealing with. The other half doesn't want to know so long as they keep doing what they're doing.

Have O'Hara rattle the cages in the Danny Boy Sullivan's usual hangouts and see what he can find out about any connection with Day's gang. Who had money to throw at these guys? Where did it come from?

As usual don't put the results in the casefile until you've checked with me personally. Zucco and the Roman aren't touching this case but I don't want to give them any reason to start.

H. Dent

PART ONE: YOUTH'S A STUFF WILL NOT ENDURE

JANUARY 5 - TWELFTH NIGHT

CLOWN (sings): O mistress mine, where are you roaming?
O, stay and hear; your true love's coming,
That can sing both high and low.
Trip no further, pretty sweeting;
Journeys end in lovers meeting,
Every wise man's son doth know.
What is love? 'Tis not hereafter;
Present mirth hath present laughter;
What's to come is still unsure.
In delay there lies no plenty,
Then come kiss me, sweet and twenty;
Youth's a stuff will not endure.
Shakespeare, Twelfth Night

Gotham Daily Post, January 6.

CALENDAR MAN DEFENDS ACTIONS

In an unpublished letter sent to Gotham Examiner crime reporter Vicki Vale, whose story abut the Calendar Man's New Year's Eve attack, Julian Day defended his actions as being appropriate for New Year's. Vale and the Examiner had no comment except to say that the letter had been turned over to the authorities. Arkham Asylum officials state that Day does not have letter-writing privileges, and that he must have smuggled out the letter somehow. "We will conduct a full investigation and increase security." said asylum director Jeremiah Arkham.

The text of the letter follows:


Dear Ms. Vale -

I would like to correct several misapprehensions which are communicated in
your news story of January 1.  As it is the feast day of Saint Sebastian,
who defended the divinity of Christ, I feel it is necessary to defend the
divine origin of my own plans and their essential soundness. 

Man did not create time.  Evolutionary biology teaches us that the exact
opposite is true.  Time created man.  However, it is in the fundamental
nature of man to impose structure on time.  Thus my so-called 'crimes'
are, in truth, establishing a connection to one of the deepest instincts
of man, to the very core of his soul - the need to understand and mark the
passage of time.

The chief error in your article, similarly, lies at its very core.  On
January 1 a terrible crime was committed - not averted.  Four persons
whose true identities remain hidden even to me (for the moment),
eliminated the division between the old and the new, which has been given
the name "January 1" in the modern, Western, Christian, Gregorian,
post-adjustment, non-Soviet calendar.  January 1 would have been very
different for thousands of people from December 31 if I had succeeded.
The families of the dead, the city, Helping Hands, all of them would have
had a new year markedly different from the old - indeed, it would have
been their first truly new year in many dreary and identical years past.
And now what have they to look forward to? A year just like the last year.
They have had the worst crime imaginable commited against them, and they
do not even know it, because what was stolen was so deeply intertwined in
their souls. 

But I think you know your loss.  At the very least you will come to
understand something very much like it.

Julian Day

NIGHT OF FIRES, SHOOTING ON UPPER WEST SIDE

The crime-ridden Upper West Side of Gotham City exploded in violence last night, leaving one dead and three seriously wounded in three shooting incidents and a fire all within a two block-radius. Hannah Mason, a private investigator previously convicted of cocaine possession, was shotgunned in her home while her employee, Noah Sellers, was shot twice but was saved by the timely intervention of a costumed vigilante which appeared in the guise of the Angel of Death. Mason's office building burned in an apparent arson, and police responded later that morning to reports of shooting at Tommy's Saloon, a well-known strip club and bar that also, according to police, held an illicit casino and house of prostitution. Ten arrests were made at the scene with no serious injuries. Witnesses describe costumed vigilantes similar to those that saved a charity ball from being nerve gassed on New Year's Eve making a daring raid on the illegal gambling ring.

The men are charged with firearms violations and operating a house of prostitution and will be arraigned this week. The DA's office would not comment regarding possible organized crime links to the night of violence.

Dear Mr. or Ms. NYGMA:

Thank you for submitting your DESIGN for an ELECTRONIC TOY, GAME, OR DEVICE.

Unfortunately we cannot produce your ELECTRONIC TOY, GAME OR DEVICE at this time.

Good luck in your future endeavors.

Herbert Lando
Schumacher Games, Inc.

PART TWO: RUN, RIDDLER, RUN

February 23

RIDDLER CAPTURED

Edward Nygma, the costumed criminal calling himself "The Riddler" was captured last night after a daring raid on an armored truck allowed him to steal nearly half a million dollars in Panamanian bearer bonds. Nygma was captured carrying nearly half a million dollars in Panamanian bearer bonds. Police have rounded up several criminal associates of the Riddler but two blonde women believed to be lieutenants of his gang, called "Quiz" and "Query" by the master thief remain at large. If seen, they are to be considered armed and extremely dangerous.

The Riddler exploded onto headlines when he robbed the Doublehill Jewelers on the fourth, and the Gotham Art Gallery's collection of Renaissance jewelry on the sixteenth, in each case providing clues in the form of riddles to the Gotham City Police Department. The first clues were discarded as the work of a crank and the second clues were deciphered incorrectly. "In retrospect," said GCPD investigator Lieutenant Clancy O'Hara, "the clues could have pointed to the Art Gallery - we interpreted them differently."

The Riddler was captured in the Battergate neighborhood by costumed vigilantes whose identities are not known, but who previously broke up a South Island gambling ring and foiled the Calendar Man's New Year's Eve attack on a charity ball.

Who Are These Heroes?

The Examiner has recently gained access to police reports filed in several criminal cases describing criminals' impressions of the vigilantes responsible for the apprehension of the Riddler and the Calendar Man.

"The Decedent" - Known to carry a scythe and wear high-collar buckled coat. According to captured criminals, he claims to be dead.

"Shadowfox" - A smooth white mask of porcelain or ivory hides her features. Carries a sword. According to captured criminals, possesses preternatural strength and speed.

"The Piper" - No picture available. Known to carry musical pipes which produce eerie music. According to criminals, is escorted by swarms of giant rats.

"Sanction" - Has access to extremely high technology, including stun pistol and levitation pack. According to criminals, claims to be from the future and possess knowledge of crimes not yet committed.

TO:     isleyp@bio.gotham.edu (Pamela Isley)
FROM:   admin@bio.gotham.edu (Biology Computer Services Admin)
DATE:   12 FEB
RE:     Re: Slow Processing

On 12 Feb, you wrote:

>  Not that there is any problem or anything, and I'm definitely
>  not trying to put in a formal complaint or screw anything up
>  at all, but I've noticed a significant increase in the processing 
>  time of even the most simple calculations and programs that I run in 
>  the lab.  Is there something wrong with the server?

No, there is nothing wrong with the server.  Your project has been
assigned the lowest processing priority by the computational resources
committee.  Many of the other labs are doing high-end computational
processing which is moving your jobs to the back server.

This decision can be appealed in eight months.

Tom Early
Sysadmin

The greenery hangs down around them at Robinson Cafe. It makes the sounds of conversation soft, even conversation across their table. Her eyes are wide and always look a little startled. He keeps looking at her hands. She keeps looking away. Wild roses are twined with the usual greenery. It's Valentine's Day. They met yesterday. They're on their first date. He thinks he will marry her. Before he knows it, he's asked, and he's blushed like he's never blushed in his life, but she's laughing, the laugh nestling in the vines and the rose petals. "Answer unclear, Mr. Dent." she teases, astounded at her own bravery. "Ask again later." He says her name like a supplication: "Gilda." He takes her hand. They both get very quiet. Silence sweeps over them like a warm and comforting blanket. Her lips part - just a little.

WAYNE FOUNDATION
1 Wayne Tower
Gotham City, New Jersey

To: Harrison
From: Lucius Fox, President
Via Facsimile, Mail, Electronic Mail and Hand Delivery

February 27

H -

I don't care where Mr. Wayne is or what European princess he is shacking up with, or in whose Alpine ski lodge they are doing the shacking. He is required back in the city at once. There is a significant opportunity for the Foundation to do tremendous good, but time is of the essence. Senator Graham has organized a reform ticket and I believe that it will be to their advantage to move swiftly, and they will require a great deal of monetary and organizational support, support we can provide if we can find Mr. Wayne to sign off on the paperwork.

Find him NOW.

Lucius


TO:     isleyp@bio.gotham.edu (Pamela Isley)
FROM:   jdbiggs@bio.gotham.edu (Professor Jeffrey D. Biggs)
DATE:   23 FEB
RE:     New Assignment

Ms. Isley:

I regret to inform you that the head of your thesis committee, Dr. Martin
Estrada, has resigned his research position in order to take up a full
time federal research grant.

Unfortunately the research which you did in his lab is, under your
Employment Agreement, the property of Dr. Estrada and the University and
therefore your graduate project must be turned over to his lab by the end
of March.

Your faculty mentorship and grant trusteeship has been reassigned to
Associate Professor Jason Woodrue.  I suggest you contact him at your
earliest convenience upon his arrival from Los Angeles.

Please contact me if you have any questions.

Jeffrey D. Biggs

February 22

DENT ANNOUNCES CANDIDACY

City Reform Ticket Also Includes Comptroller Thorne

On the steps of the Hall of Justice today, Assistant District Attorney Harvey Dent announced his candidacy for District Attorney. Dent, the prosecutor who won fame in the "Cutter" Viti and Jacky Bertinelli cases, said that "the day of the gangster is over in Gotham City". Although he would not comment on charges of corruption against the GCPD and his supervisor, D.A. Alan Buonacida, Dent said that he intended to clean up the D.A.'s office and "fight for the rights of decent, hardworking citizens". However, he also said that he did not intend to quit his position to campaign for the position. "I intend to let my actions over the next few months be my campaign." he said.

Several other reform candidates shared the press conference with Dent, including City Comptroller Rupert Thorne, who is running for City Council, and Margie Calandros, running for Clerk of Court. Thorne, a long-time civil servant, said that "a new day is dawning for Gotham City". New Jersey Senator Ernest Graham, who introduced the platform, said that the reform ticket was "the only real choice for city voters in November."

The national parties have not made any endorsement of any city government candidates since 1975.


TO:     isleyp@bio.gotham.edu (Pamela Isley)
FROM:   police@gotham.edu (Gotham University Security)
DATE:   19 FEB
RE:     Your Complaint #812-281-49241-29312

After investigation of the above-numbered complaint, the police department
has decided that there is not enough evidence to proceed upon your
complaint of sexual harassment.

Filing a false accusation against another student, especially one so
serious, is a violation of the University Code of Conduct.


Herbert Lefkowitz
Badge ID #981801294

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