"So after you defended yourself you were put in solitary confinement. Then someone who identified themselves as a doctor and a number of prison guards took you to the Gotham Underground against your will. Then while you were down there you were treated like a slave until the police came in. At which point you managed to escape and were heading to an exit when Batman came and picked a fight." Dahl looked at him with a raised eyebrow.
"Yeah, sounds bad but I actually was on my way out when he threw those sharp batarangs at me. So I caught them and broke them then punched him. He was the one that picked a fight and there is no way I am trusting a masked vigilante, especially when he attacks first." Rico nodded and shared his reasoning.
Dahl seemed to think for a moment before nodding, "okay… I can work with that." She wrote something down on her notepad. "Then after he subdued you, you were knocked out and then woke up when you were already on your way here to Stryker's Island. Then shortly after arriving you were forced into the supervillain prison block, which is probably how they got around charging you. Then there was a break in and a breakout when an international criminal who is your uncle and you have not seen for years broke in to take several prisoners with him that are still missing."
Dahl looked at Rico and he nodded. "That sounds about right."
"Okay…" She sighed. "You are right there is plenty we can do with this." She then looked at him then pulled the police file over. "Now let's look at what the police said they did." She opened it and began reading. "They said they charged you, but there is no corresponding paperwork. Then there is the fake death report from Blackgate. Now after finding you alive in the Gotham Underground they labeled you as an escaped prisoner but are not charging you with escaping a crime. Now the crime you were charged with is nonexistent and lacks any material evidence. I think with all of this… give me an hour and I will have you walking out the door." Dahl informed him and then packed up the file and her notepad. "I will also accept the offer to become your mercenary's personal lawyer."
She stood up and waved him off. "Now go think of a place you want to eat. After I get you released we will go out and talk about what we are doing to milk this corruption for money." She informed him.
Rico nodded and stepped away. Moving back to the blue door. It did not open immediately, instead it took a few minutes before the door opened when the lawyer knocked on her own door. As he walked back into the cell block he picked up the thermodynamics book and went up to his cell. Now he would just wait.
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Lois was sitting in the office staring down the Warden of Stryker's Island. Miss Dahl, a lawyer that was gaining some renown, was standing at the entrance. Lois had come here immediately when she was told she could get a recording of the Warden committing a crime. She was already trying to work the Ricardo Bell angle.
"Warden Green, it has come to my attention that you are holding my client prisoner without good reason. I will have you release him within the hour or I will be charging you with kidnapping and false imprisonment." Dahl was starting off strong.
"Your client, who is a known criminal and escaped prison?" Warden Green asked.
"He did no such thing. Those were the police's suspicions and the Batman who illegally assaulted him." Dahl shook her head, rebutting him. While completely disregarding the known vigilante.
"The batman is a recognized-"
"Criminal, he is a criminal vigilante who has put people in debt because of their hospital bills. As far as the federal government is concerned he is a criminal but they are too scared of his friends to pursue him." Dahl interrupted him. "Now are you going to release my client?"
The Warden narrowed his eyes and then turned his attention to the computer in front of him. He used the mouse and then clicked a few buttons and then a recording began playing. "- So I caught them and broke them-" He then clicked again and it stopped playing, that was definitely Ricardo Bell's voice.
"You were listening to a privileged conversation between client and lawyer." Dahl asked with a raised eyebrow. While Lois began realizing what was going on. While it was between the lines, what the Warden had done was highly illegal. Lois's recording device was already going.
"In my prison there is no such thing. Now I am going to continue holding your client for- what are you doing?" Warden Green stopped himself as Dahl pulled out her phone and dialed a number.
"Hello, yes I have confirmed that Warden Green is treating Stryker's Island like his own personal fortress and is illegally holding people and listening in on privileged conversations. We will proceed with the class action lawsuit against North East Detainment Facilities Corporation." Lois sucked in a breath as a smile graced her face. The North East Detainment Facilities Corporation ran all of the prisons in the nearby cities. Blackgate, Arkham Asylum, Stryker's Island, Iron Heights, and Slabside were all run by the corporation. There had been rumors for a few years about the corruption that was existent in them. Blackgate's exposure left them open to discussion and Dahl was pushing it in order to topple the entire group.
This was going to be a massive story. But Lois was starting to feel a bit used. She was going to need something in exchange. Because she was getting a story out of this, but this would also end up causing problems for her as well.
Warden Green slammed his hands on the table. He was looking angrier than she had ever seen him. "You dare! I am-"
"ARGUS will be taking over control of the facility until such time that a replacement can be found. If one can not, the prisoners will be moved to a new facility." Dahl informed him then turned to Lois. "Do you wish to join me outside to watch?"
Lois nodded her head. "I do but I feel like you are getting far more out of this arrangement." Lois agreed as she followed Dahl out.
"Hmm… I will see about doing something." Dahl opened the door for Lois and they walked out.
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