003.

[velocette]

[LOCKED to WARDEN FILTER]

[He's thumbing through papers, frowning a little.]

Who's the best fighter on board?


[LOCKED to HARVEY DENT]

Hey. Guess we're hitched to the same wagon now.

Comments

[halftheman]

Some. Why?

[velocette]

We'll see how they do when they're up against the real world.

[halftheman]

I can already tell you they don't.

[velocette]

[oh, he grins]

Then you're gonna surprise yourself, if you decide not to bullshit the jobs.

[halftheman]

If you say so, warden.

[velocette]

One more thing. Don't flip on this one till you get yours--we're going to have fish. Two. I have an idea, never got to see if it worked at home.

[halftheman]

Fish? What do you mean, fish?

[velocette]

They're just fish. Rumble fish. They kill each other if they're in the same tanks.

[Yeah he'd made up that phrase--rumble fish--so his dimwitted brother would understand why they were so profound for him...but the phrase kind of sticks, now.]

They're called Siamese Fighting Fish in the pet stores.

[halftheman]

And what the hell am I supposed to do with a fish? Had dogs. Never had fish.

[velocette]

What'd you do with the dogs?

[halftheman]

Two rottweilers; Romulus and Remus. Companions. Guards. Had to put 'em down. Got injured.

[velocette]

You just feed fish. They're easy.

[halftheman]

Sounds boring. Ornamental animals.

[velocette]

Most fish are. These are special.

[halftheman]

Why? Cause they'll kill each other? Any animal will if you kick it hard enough.

[velocette]

Yeah, I know, but you don't have to kick these. That's the point.

[He's practically giddy at the thought that maybe, maybe Two-Face or Harvey will get it, because right now he's pretty sure he's the only person alive (or dead) who does.]

Living does it to them. Just like with people.

[halftheman]

So why keep 'em if they're just going to kill each other?

[velocette]

That's the trick.

[Which reminds him:]

How d'you define 'ethics'?

[halftheman]

It's a code of conduct for proper behavior. Varies culture to culture.

[ Law school definition. ]

[velocette]

That's kind of a joke, isn't it. [He'd be snickering if it was just a little bit funnier, a little bit scandalous.]

I believe in personal ethics though. Back home they tell me I'm a criminal...but everyone's got their personal code.

[halftheman]

You've mentioned before. [ And he doesn't believe it. The man's about as criminal as the rest of the warden element. ]

[velocette]

[He won't often catch nuances, but he hears--or sees--disbelief because for once he's actually watching for it.]

What's your idea of criminal?

[halftheman]

You killed a man before? For pleasure? For compulsion?

[velocette]

[His expression doesn't change, but there's an almost imperceptible distance in him now, like a screen has come up.]

Yeah.

[halftheman]

Make you feel good? Feel powerful?

[ Harvey watches; nobody should forget by his nature, he's as much a psychological predator was a physical one. He was a lawyer, once. And a damned good one. ]