Meanwhile At... (2/2)
====Sionis Industries====
Sionis- I see Clayface, I see Orca, but I don't see Penguin. Freeze?
Freeze- We found surveillance equipment in the subbasement. Sionis Industries. Ace Chemicals. He's been watching it all. Except... for you, Brown. You, haven't been worth his time.
Chuck stands beside Freeze quietly, thinking to himself. "Once this is over, once I have clean electronics and my own place again, I'm going to need a long hot shower"
"This, we recovered from Hagen. A radio."
Freeze hands it to Sionis. For a moment, he just stares at it, and then, presses play. He's met with a familiar breathing sound on the other end.
"Penguin."
Penguin- Roman.
...
Sionis- Let's make this quick. Where, are you?
Penguin- You know I can't answer that.
Sionis- Then, you know this isn't worth my time.
Penguin- Just hear me out. If you give me five minutes-
Sionis- You tried to kill me, Oswald. And you didn't even admit it. You know, I always knew it'd come to this. But you didn't even have the decency to do it honestly.
Penguin- Just. Hear me out. Five minutes.
Sionis- Five minutes. And, you better skip the poetry.
Penguin- Thank you. How to explain it... The inmates here consider Arkham a waking nightmare. Hell, they say. I disagree. It is only a nightmare, because we allowed it to be one. Because we declared it as such.
During my last incarceration in Blackgate Penitentiary, I was, over four months, able to take control of the prison's east side. In six months, the Monarch, The Monarch of Menace, owned the South. Together, we formed an alliance- to escape. But to do so, we needed control of the West Wing- built atop a series of tunnels, not unlike the tunnels here in Arkham. This, was controlled by the Music Meister. Those who even knew he existed were few and far between, but there he was. King of Blackgate. He had, let's say, a way with words. The stories you've heard? They're all true. We offered him a place in our alliance- the two of us had heard rumours of a plan he had developed, so of course, our combined manpower would surely be unstoppable. But the Meister doesn't share power. Do you know what he bragged about, as he had Tockman and Kyle drag us down to Croc's lair? His friends. His friends on the other side. We had him killed a week later, through the very method he had intended for us. As Blackgate fell, so did he, and Gotham, Gotham was mine once more. Well, if not for you of course. Ha. With the monarch acting as my regent, I left for Japan. I intended to track down Meister's compatriots. And I did.
For you see, in Tokyo, I met a renegade faction, a group of warriors who opposed Meister's allies, led by this man, Osaki- I asked him for answers, and he told me all he knew. They had infiltrated the Yakuza decades ago, converted their most influential members into servitude, into part of a "higher cause." In Italy, they'd taken over the Mafia, its' Don's sport their porcelain masks, their signature, behind closed doors. They supplied them both, supplied them all, with hitmen, the kind of assassin that was utterly loyal, and unable to be captured. And it led me home. To Gotham. These... Owls, had reached Music Meister in Blackgate, leaving him in charge, keeping order until... Until they could unleash a riot, the kind that would give their chosen champion a platform to battle on. You'd know him, as Daniel, "Danto" Twag.
Chuck- God, you're working with them aren't you? That's why you sent Needham, why you-
Sionis- Ran off like a good little coward.
Penguin- I am not a coward! I came here, to prepare for the inevitable. Six months ago, on Easter Sunday, I brought all of you together. Through blood? Yes. Through deception? Of course. But I needed you, all of you, to work past your incessant *bullshit* so we could survive. And even then, you people just couldn't let things be.
Sionis- Because you tried to kill me, Oswald, me.
"Because you can't change Roman. You would always be bickering with some poor sod, always one hand on your holster and the other down your pants."
Sionis- Five minutes, did we say? Li!
Penguin- No! Don't you get it? We're pawns, Roman, I'm just one who's seen through it. The Owls wanted us fractured, focused on warring with each other, instead of focusing on the whys, the whos, the what. Because who's left to ask "why" when we're all shooting at each other?
Sionis- Oh Oswald... I know you. Really know you. You might, *might* have noble goals, but deep down, you really just want more power, more people to control. Today, it'll be Owls, tomorrow it'll be Bane or, heck, the day after it might be Brainiac. You want us scared, because, well, it's like you said, who's left to ask why when we're all crapping ourselves in terror.
Penguin- Perhaps Roman. Perhaps. But right now, I'm also the only person you can truly depend on. What do you say?
====Louisiana=====
The hypersonics are working. A black blur in the distance confirms as much. He'll be here in ten. Nine. Eight. Seven. Six. Five. Four. Three. Two. One. Impact imminent.
"Zod?"
No. *Uhn* The creature has his powers, but it is feral, brutish. One of his underlings then. A waste of time. The Kryptonite in my veins may dull it's senses, the red sunlight emitters may sap it's strength, but each tool I use, is a tool I can't use on my intended target. And I know now that he's been watching me all along.
"From the sound of your breaking bones, I assume you've engaged Zod?"
Bane- Not now, Kuttler. I'm busy.
The longer the creature's in red sunlight, the weaker it becomes. Each strike that lands hurts it harder, and harder and-
"Can you hear me, human? I do hope you can. I don't care for your politics. On Krypton, it was the politicians who had Non lobotomised. It was the politicians who refused to act when Krypton needed them. I have seen your planet, Earth Man, I see very little difference between our governments, and I see very little reason to care for your plight. You have one chance. Impress me."
====Under Arkham====
Drury- Hey! Hey Norbert, I just wanted to talk, is that alright?
Norbert nods, but doesn't say anything.
Drury- It's about what you said, just before Deathstroke- Look, I need you to know this. I didn't bring you for the muscle. And I didn't bring you because I miss having Gar around. Like I said in Washington, I want to give you a choice. ... His name is Kirk Langstrom. He was taken to Arkham two months ago, brilliant scientist- I worked with him before... But he's also a Bat thing.
Norbert- Like Batman?
Drury-Not exactly... Look, the thing is... I robbed you of the chance to be normal when I blew Strange's lab up, because chances are, he would've just reprogrammed you like Hatter did. But Langstrom... He's a good guy. Mostly. And if anyone can cure you, he can.
Norbert- But he's a bat man.
Drury- Yeah, well, different strokes. I know, I know, it probably doesn't make much sense to you "if he's so great, he probably wouldn't have turned into a bat in the first place," but nonetheless! He can help. Just need to find him.
Norbert- You really... You really want to help, don't you?
Drury- I do. And if I know Kirk, which I ought to, we've had dinner before, he will too. You're with good people, Norbert, and, marital problems aside, Batman over there is one of the best there is, right Bats?
Batman- Another 500 yards. Just remember, stick to the plan. You go off script, and they *will* kill you.
Drury- Yeah, no, I figured. I was just-
Batman puts his hand out to silence Drury, as he puts his other hand on his earpiece.
Batman- -Something's wrong. Oracle, I'm putting you on video what's the situation?
Oracle- Oh. Hi, everyone. Selina
Selina- *smiling* Babs.
Batman- Oracle-?
Oracle- Sorry, I just- Good for- *ahem* Batman, I'm trying to access the Arkham security protocols, but there's some kind of encryption, unlike anything I've seen, like it's a reflex, like a pulse.
Batman- It's alive... Oracle, is there a manual override, a terminal I can download the codes from?
...
Oracle- Yes, but you're not going to like where it is.
Selina- Let me guess, the top of Evil HQ?
Oracle- Ha, how did you know?
Selina- We're on it. Ra's can wait, we have to get those people out of here.
Miranda- Hang on, if we wait any longer, The Demon could already have rejuvenated himself. He *has* to be the priority.
Drury- Honey, if we can't stop him, hundreds of people, *our* people will die
...
Batman- I don't like splitting up like this.
Norbert- *Ahem* *We* can deal with him. Probably. You, can open doors. Minimise collateral.
...
Batman- ...He's right. Good luck, the three of you.
"God knows they'll need it...," Selina quips as she and Batman depart for the Belfry, disappearing into the distance.
Drury and Miranda share a weak smile, reciprocated by Norbert, as they too head off. All that stands in their way are 500 yards, and an army of ninjas.
Meanwhile At... (2/2)
====Sionis Industries====
Sionis- I see Clayface, I see Orca, but I don't see Penguin. Freeze?
Freeze- We found surveillance equipment in the subbasement. Sionis Industries. Ace Chemicals. He's been watching it all. Except... for you, Brown. You, haven't been worth his time.
Chuck stands beside Freeze quietly, thinking to himself. "Once this is over, once I have clean electronics and my own place again, I'm going to need a long hot shower"
"This, we recovered from Hagen. A radio."
Freeze hands it to Sionis. For a moment, he just stares at it, and then, presses play. He's met with a familiar breathing sound on the other end.
"Penguin."
Penguin- Roman.
...
Sionis- Let's make this quick. Where, are you?
Penguin- You know I can't answer that.
Sionis- Then, you know this isn't worth my time.
Penguin- Just hear me out. If you give me five minutes-
Sionis- You tried to kill me, Oswald. And you didn't even admit it. You know, I always knew it'd come to this. But you didn't even have the decency to do it honestly.
Penguin- Just. Hear me out. Five minutes.
Sionis- Five minutes. And, you better skip the poetry.
Penguin- Thank you. How to explain it... The inmates here consider Arkham a waking nightmare. Hell, they say. I disagree. It is only a nightmare, because we allowed it to be one. Because we declared it as such.
During my last incarceration in Blackgate Penitentiary, I was, over four months, able to take control of the prison's east side. In six months, the Monarch, The Monarch of Menace, owned the South. Together, we formed an alliance- to escape. But to do so, we needed control of the West Wing- built atop a series of tunnels, not unlike the tunnels here in Arkham. This, was controlled by the Music Meister. Those who even knew he existed were few and far between, but there he was. King of Blackgate. He had, let's say, a way with words. The stories you've heard? They're all true. We offered him a place in our alliance- the two of us had heard rumours of a plan he had developed, so of course, our combined manpower would surely be unstoppable. But the Meister doesn't share power. Do you know what he bragged about, as he had Tockman and Kyle drag us down to Croc's lair? His friends. His friends on the other side. We had him killed a week later, through the very method he had intended for us. As Blackgate fell, so did he, and Gotham, Gotham was mine once more. Well, if not for you of course. Ha. With the monarch acting as my regent, I left for Japan. I intended to track down Meister's compatriots. And I did.
For you see, in Tokyo, I met a renegade faction, a group of warriors who opposed Meister's allies, led by this man, Osaki- I asked him for answers, and he told me all he knew. They had infiltrated the Yakuza decades ago, converted their most influential members into servitude, into part of a "higher cause." In Italy, they'd taken over the Mafia, its' Don's sport their porcelain masks, their signature, behind closed doors. They supplied them both, supplied them all, with hitmen, the kind of assassin that was utterly loyal, and unable to be captured. And it led me home. To Gotham. These... Owls, had reached Music Meister in Blackgate, leaving him in charge, keeping order until... Until they could unleash a riot, the kind that would give their chosen champion a platform to battle on. You'd know him, as Daniel, "Danto" Twag.
Chuck- God, you're working with them aren't you? That's why you sent Needham, why you-
Sionis- Ran off like a good little coward.
Penguin- I am not a coward! I came here, to prepare for the inevitable. Six months ago, on Easter Sunday, I brought all of you together. Through blood? Yes. Through deception? Of course. But I needed you, all of you, to work past your incessant *bullshit* so we could survive. And even then, you people just couldn't let things be.
Sionis- Because you tried to kill me, Oswald, me.
"Because you can't change Roman. You would always be bickering with some poor sod, always one hand on your holster and the other down your pants."
Sionis- Five minutes, did we say? Li!
Penguin- No! Don't you get it? We're pawns, Roman, I'm just one who's seen through it. The Owls wanted us fractured, focused on warring with each other, instead of focusing on the whys, the whos, the what. Because who's left to ask "why" when we're all shooting at each other?
Sionis- Oh Oswald... I know you. Really know you. You might, *might* have noble goals, but deep down, you really just want more power, more people to control. Today, it'll be Owls, tomorrow it'll be Bane or, heck, the day after it might be Brainiac. You want us scared, because, well, it's like you said, who's left to ask why when we're all crapping ourselves in terror.
Penguin- Perhaps Roman. Perhaps. But right now, I'm also the only person you can truly depend on. What do you say?
====Louisiana=====
The hypersonics are working. A black blur in the distance confirms as much. He'll be here in ten. Nine. Eight. Seven. Six. Five. Four. Three. Two. One. Impact imminent.
"Zod?"
No. *Uhn* The creature has his powers, but it is feral, brutish. One of his underlings then. A waste of time. The Kryptonite in my veins may dull it's senses, the red sunlight emitters may sap it's strength, but each tool I use, is a tool I can't use on my intended target. And I know now that he's been watching me all along.
"From the sound of your breaking bones, I assume you've engaged Zod?"
Bane- Not now, Kuttler. I'm busy.
The longer the creature's in red sunlight, the weaker it becomes. Each strike that lands hurts it harder, and harder and-
"Can you hear me, human? I do hope you can. I don't care for your politics. On Krypton, it was the politicians who had Non lobotomised. It was the politicians who refused to act when Krypton needed them. I have seen your planet, Earth Man, I see very little difference between our governments, and I see very little reason to care for your plight. You have one chance. Impress me."
====Under Arkham====
Drury- Hey! Hey Norbert, I just wanted to talk, is that alright?
Norbert nods, but doesn't say anything.
Drury- It's about what you said, just before Deathstroke- Look, I need you to know this. I didn't bring you for the muscle. And I didn't bring you because I miss having Gar around. Like I said in Washington, I want to give you a choice. ... His name is Kirk Langstrom. He was taken to Arkham two months ago, brilliant scientist- I worked with him before... But he's also a Bat thing.
Norbert- Like Batman?
Drury-Not exactly... Look, the thing is... I robbed you of the chance to be normal when I blew Strange's lab up, because chances are, he would've just reprogrammed you like Hatter did. But Langstrom... He's a good guy. Mostly. And if anyone can cure you, he can.
Norbert- But he's a bat man.
Drury- Yeah, well, different strokes. I know, I know, it probably doesn't make much sense to you "if he's so great, he probably wouldn't have turned into a bat in the first place," but nonetheless! He can help. Just need to find him.
Norbert- You really... You really want to help, don't you?
Drury- I do. And if I know Kirk, which I ought to, we've had dinner before, he will too. You're with good people, Norbert, and, marital problems aside, Batman over there is one of the best there is, right Bats?
Batman- Another 500 yards. Just remember, stick to the plan. You go off script, and they *will* kill you.
Drury- Yeah, no, I figured. I was just-
Batman puts his hand out to silence Drury, as he puts his other hand on his earpiece.
Batman- -Something's wrong. Oracle, I'm putting you on video what's the situation?
Oracle- Oh. Hi, everyone. Selina
Selina- *smiling* Babs.
Batman- Oracle-?
Oracle- Sorry, I just- Good for- *ahem* Batman, I'm trying to access the Arkham security protocols, but there's some kind of encryption, unlike anything I've seen, like it's a reflex, like a pulse.
Batman- It's alive... Oracle, is there a manual override, a terminal I can download the codes from?
...
Oracle- Yes, but you're not going to like where it is.
Selina- Let me guess, the top of Evil HQ?
Oracle- Ha, how did you know?
Selina- We're on it. Ra's can wait, we have to get those people out of here.
Miranda- Hang on, if we wait any longer, The Demon could already have rejuvenated himself. He *has* to be the priority.
Drury- Honey, if we can't stop him, hundreds of people, *our* people will die
...
Batman- I don't like splitting up like this.
Norbert- *Ahem* *We* can deal with him. Probably. You, can open doors. Minimise collateral.
...
Batman- ...He's right. Good luck, the three of you.
"God knows they'll need it...," Selina quips as she and Batman depart for the Belfry, disappearing into the distance.
Drury and Miranda share a weak smile, reciprocated by Norbert, as they too head off. All that stands in their way are 500 yards, and an army of ninjas.