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Chapter 244: The Daily Life of a Gothamite
October 23, 2023 | Author: Rowing Without Oars 233
Iceberg Casino, the office.
"I'm delighted you could come, Mr. Black."
Cobblepot waved the umbrella in his hand, his tone light and cheerful.
"Ladies, what are you waiting for? Go pour our distinguished guest a drink!"
The beautiful women in maid and bunny girl outfits immediately split up to attend to him. One took the umbrella and briefcase from the man in the suit who had just entered, while another pulled out a chair to seat him.
"I'm so glad you've finally come around."
Cobblepot said happily, and with a grand wave of his hand, he swept the large pile of gnawed-on fish bones from his desk to the floor below. Two bunny girl attendants hurriedly bent down to clean up the mess.
"Like I said, the Iceberg Casino represents the future direction of Gotham. This is an investment that's absolutely worth it. Your company will surely prosper in my hands."
With that, he extended a greasy, fat hand, his face wreathed in smiles.
The man called Black sat down and said gently, "You may have misunderstood, Mr. Cobblepot. I didn't actually come here to discuss a partnership.
Last night, my wife and I had a long talk, and we've both come to a decision. My company... it's more than just a business. My family has run this company for generations. Maybe it just breaks even, and maybe I don't have the talent to make it bigger or better, but to me, the company is like family.
So I can't sell it to you, Mr. Cobblepot. I appreciate your kind offer."
Cobblepot's smile vanished instantly, and he withdrew his hand.
"Oh, so you've discussed it?"
"Yes. We're flattered by your interest, but we're really not a good fit—"
"Good, very good." A smirk played on Cobblepot's lips as he twirled the umbrella in his hand. "Tell me, Black, do you know Gotham?"
"No, I'm from Chicago. My family has always been..."
"Good, very good. I figured as much. You have no idea what this place, Gotham, is really like, do you? You were born into the privileged class; you've never seen a place like this. Not like me. I grew up in Gotham.
For as long as I can remember, people have died around me every single day. Drugs, shootings, robbery, or maybe just getting beaten to death on the street while taking a walk at night... I bet you think all that is a world away from you, don't you? That's because you've never truly lived in this city."
A look of confusion appeared on Black's face. "I... I don't quite understand what you mean..."
"The point is, accidents always happen. In a place like Gotham, no one is indispensable. It's not strange for anyone, anywhere, to disappear or drop dead one day."
Black's expression changed slightly. "Are you threatening me?"
"Threatening you? Ha, what are you talking about? Please, don't misunderstand. I'm threatening your whole family." Cobblepot grinned. "Think about it. What will happen to your daughter, your wife, after you're dead?
Maybe she'll get addicted to drugs? Maybe they'll meet some people they shouldn't, and one bad investment will wipe out the family fortune and leave them with massive debt. They'll have no choice, especially your daughter. Her pampered life has left her unable to survive in this city. Her only option will be to sell her body..."
"You..." Black's eyes widened in disbelief.
"And your company. Think about it. What if, after you die, everyone discovers you were actually a hypocrite? That you cheated on your wife. Evidence of your smuggling is found in the company. The tax bureau discovers evidence of your long-term tax evasion..."
"I didn't, you can't..." Black's voice began to tremble.
"I can, of course I can." Cobblepot's grin turned sinister. "It seems you still don't understand who calls the shots in this city. If I say it exists, it exists. If I say it doesn't, it doesn't. It's all just a matter of my word. I advise you to think it over carefully..."
*Click.*
As he spoke, the lights suddenly went out.
The entire room was plunged into darkness.
Black and the maids and thugs inside and outside the room were still looking bewildered, but Cobblepot already knew what was happening.
He didn't give any orders, didn't resist. He just heaved a long sigh, a resigned expression of someone who had given up on his face, and spoke to the darkness above. "Not again, seriously?
How about we make a deal? Can you just give me a minute? I'm in the middle of a meeting, it's important work stuff..."
But before he could finish, he felt a powerful hand grab him by the back of his collar, lifting his entire body off the ground without any room for argument. The Penguin's short legs kicked wildly in mid-air as he yelled, "Gently! Gently! This custom-tailored suit was very expensive..."
The lights came back on, and The Penguin had vanished into thin air. Black stared dumbfounded at the now-empty desk, at a complete loss.
Yet, the maids and thugs next to him looked as if this were a common occurrence, not panicking in the slightest. One bunny girl even dutifully approached Black and calmly refilled his glass.
Black looked bewildered. "You... how are you all so calm?"
"Oh, it happens once or twice a week. You can sit here and wait a moment. Mr. Cobblepot should be back soon." The bunny girl gave him a sweet smile, then lowered her voice to a whisper. "Let me tell you a little secret, you've really lucked out.
Whenever a conversation like this gets interrupted by Mr. Cobblepot being 'invited' away, he's usually much easier to talk to when he gets back."
Black: "???"
For the second time today, the Chicago businessman's worldview was shattered into a million pieces.
*Is the daily life of you Gothamites always this exciting?*
On the rooftop of a certain skyscraper, Cobblepot was held upside down by his short legs, hanging in mid-air. The wind whipped around him, with a hundred-meter drop right below his head.
"Alright, alright, you call the shots! You call the shots in this city! I was just bluffing at the negotiating table!"
Cobblepot, disheveled in the wind, screamed at the top of his lungs.
Orin Vale released his grip. Cobblepot shrieked as he plummeted, looking like a little fat bird too fat to fly. After a hundred meters of free fall, just as his forehead was about to smash into the ground, his vision suddenly blurred. A whooshing sound filled his ears, and in the blink of an eye, he was bizarrely teleported back to the rooftop, held upside down once more.
"Okay, okay, I shouldn't have threatened that guy! I was just trying to scare him! I won't buy his company, alright? I won't buy it!" Cobblepot yelled.
Orin Vale ignored him and let go again. The little fat bird shrieked as it went into another free fall. Just before impact, his vision flashed again, and he was instantly moved back to the rooftop.
"No, what the hell do you want? If you want to know something, then fucking ask me!?" Cobblepot was on the verge of tears.
Not asking a single question, just making him repeatedly free-fall... Could this moron Bat be having a bad day and taking it out on him?
Was there no law anymore?
What to ask... Orin Vale hadn't really thought about it.
But he wasn't just grabbing Cobblepot to vent his frustrations. While it was quite amusing, he was a busy man and didn't have time to play such a boring game.
He was doing this because he was looking for Parademons.
The opening sequence of the Justice League movie had given him the idea. Batman had been searching for traces of Parademons in Gotham back then, and he had used a similar method to lure one out.
Parademons, mass-produced minions from Apokolips, were the primary cannon fodder of Apokolips. They were created by modifying captured creatures from various civilizations. They had low intelligence, no emotions, and fed on fear. Just like sharks are drawn to the scent of blood, Parademons would instinctively approach the scent of fear.
In the movie, Batman had dangled a criminal from the edge of a rooftop, using his fear to lure out a Parademon.
And now, Orin Vale was imitating that method. He had gone to the area near where Gordon's documents indicated Parademons had appeared, and was using Cobblepot's fear to bait the hook.
Sure enough, it came.
A bat-like silhouette, under the cover of the dark night, spread its wings and swooped in from across the night sky with a shrill, bizarre cry.
(end of chapter)
October 23, 2023 | Author: Rowing Without Oars 233
Iceberg Casino, the office.
"I'm delighted you could come, Mr. Black."
Cobblepot waved the umbrella in his hand, his tone light and cheerful.
"Ladies, what are you waiting for? Go pour our distinguished guest a drink!"
The beautiful women in maid and bunny girl outfits immediately split up to attend to him. One took the umbrella and briefcase from the man in the suit who had just entered, while another pulled out a chair to seat him.
"I'm so glad you've finally come around."
Cobblepot said happily, and with a grand wave of his hand, he swept the large pile of gnawed-on fish bones from his desk to the floor below. Two bunny girl attendants hurriedly bent down to clean up the mess.
"Like I said, the Iceberg Casino represents the future direction of Gotham. This is an investment that's absolutely worth it. Your company will surely prosper in my hands."
With that, he extended a greasy, fat hand, his face wreathed in smiles.
The man called Black sat down and said gently, "You may have misunderstood, Mr. Cobblepot. I didn't actually come here to discuss a partnership.
Last night, my wife and I had a long talk, and we've both come to a decision. My company... it's more than just a business. My family has run this company for generations. Maybe it just breaks even, and maybe I don't have the talent to make it bigger or better, but to me, the company is like family.
So I can't sell it to you, Mr. Cobblepot. I appreciate your kind offer."
Cobblepot's smile vanished instantly, and he withdrew his hand.
"Oh, so you've discussed it?"
"Yes. We're flattered by your interest, but we're really not a good fit—"
"Good, very good." A smirk played on Cobblepot's lips as he twirled the umbrella in his hand. "Tell me, Black, do you know Gotham?"
"No, I'm from Chicago. My family has always been..."
"Good, very good. I figured as much. You have no idea what this place, Gotham, is really like, do you? You were born into the privileged class; you've never seen a place like this. Not like me. I grew up in Gotham.
For as long as I can remember, people have died around me every single day. Drugs, shootings, robbery, or maybe just getting beaten to death on the street while taking a walk at night... I bet you think all that is a world away from you, don't you? That's because you've never truly lived in this city."
A look of confusion appeared on Black's face. "I... I don't quite understand what you mean..."
"The point is, accidents always happen. In a place like Gotham, no one is indispensable. It's not strange for anyone, anywhere, to disappear or drop dead one day."
Black's expression changed slightly. "Are you threatening me?"
"Threatening you? Ha, what are you talking about? Please, don't misunderstand. I'm threatening your whole family." Cobblepot grinned. "Think about it. What will happen to your daughter, your wife, after you're dead?
Maybe she'll get addicted to drugs? Maybe they'll meet some people they shouldn't, and one bad investment will wipe out the family fortune and leave them with massive debt. They'll have no choice, especially your daughter. Her pampered life has left her unable to survive in this city. Her only option will be to sell her body..."
"You..." Black's eyes widened in disbelief.
"And your company. Think about it. What if, after you die, everyone discovers you were actually a hypocrite? That you cheated on your wife. Evidence of your smuggling is found in the company. The tax bureau discovers evidence of your long-term tax evasion..."
"I didn't, you can't..." Black's voice began to tremble.
"I can, of course I can." Cobblepot's grin turned sinister. "It seems you still don't understand who calls the shots in this city. If I say it exists, it exists. If I say it doesn't, it doesn't. It's all just a matter of my word. I advise you to think it over carefully..."
*Click.*
As he spoke, the lights suddenly went out.
The entire room was plunged into darkness.
Black and the maids and thugs inside and outside the room were still looking bewildered, but Cobblepot already knew what was happening.
He didn't give any orders, didn't resist. He just heaved a long sigh, a resigned expression of someone who had given up on his face, and spoke to the darkness above. "Not again, seriously?
How about we make a deal? Can you just give me a minute? I'm in the middle of a meeting, it's important work stuff..."
But before he could finish, he felt a powerful hand grab him by the back of his collar, lifting his entire body off the ground without any room for argument. The Penguin's short legs kicked wildly in mid-air as he yelled, "Gently! Gently! This custom-tailored suit was very expensive..."
The lights came back on, and The Penguin had vanished into thin air. Black stared dumbfounded at the now-empty desk, at a complete loss.
Yet, the maids and thugs next to him looked as if this were a common occurrence, not panicking in the slightest. One bunny girl even dutifully approached Black and calmly refilled his glass.
Black looked bewildered. "You... how are you all so calm?"
"Oh, it happens once or twice a week. You can sit here and wait a moment. Mr. Cobblepot should be back soon." The bunny girl gave him a sweet smile, then lowered her voice to a whisper. "Let me tell you a little secret, you've really lucked out.
Whenever a conversation like this gets interrupted by Mr. Cobblepot being 'invited' away, he's usually much easier to talk to when he gets back."
Black: "???"
For the second time today, the Chicago businessman's worldview was shattered into a million pieces.
*Is the daily life of you Gothamites always this exciting?*
On the rooftop of a certain skyscraper, Cobblepot was held upside down by his short legs, hanging in mid-air. The wind whipped around him, with a hundred-meter drop right below his head.
"Alright, alright, you call the shots! You call the shots in this city! I was just bluffing at the negotiating table!"
Cobblepot, disheveled in the wind, screamed at the top of his lungs.
Orin Vale released his grip. Cobblepot shrieked as he plummeted, looking like a little fat bird too fat to fly. After a hundred meters of free fall, just as his forehead was about to smash into the ground, his vision suddenly blurred. A whooshing sound filled his ears, and in the blink of an eye, he was bizarrely teleported back to the rooftop, held upside down once more.
"Okay, okay, I shouldn't have threatened that guy! I was just trying to scare him! I won't buy his company, alright? I won't buy it!" Cobblepot yelled.
Orin Vale ignored him and let go again. The little fat bird shrieked as it went into another free fall. Just before impact, his vision flashed again, and he was instantly moved back to the rooftop.
"No, what the hell do you want? If you want to know something, then fucking ask me!?" Cobblepot was on the verge of tears.
Not asking a single question, just making him repeatedly free-fall... Could this moron Bat be having a bad day and taking it out on him?
Was there no law anymore?
What to ask... Orin Vale hadn't really thought about it.
But he wasn't just grabbing Cobblepot to vent his frustrations. While it was quite amusing, he was a busy man and didn't have time to play such a boring game.
He was doing this because he was looking for Parademons.
The opening sequence of the Justice League movie had given him the idea. Batman had been searching for traces of Parademons in Gotham back then, and he had used a similar method to lure one out.
Parademons, mass-produced minions from Apokolips, were the primary cannon fodder of Apokolips. They were created by modifying captured creatures from various civilizations. They had low intelligence, no emotions, and fed on fear. Just like sharks are drawn to the scent of blood, Parademons would instinctively approach the scent of fear.
In the movie, Batman had dangled a criminal from the edge of a rooftop, using his fear to lure out a Parademon.
And now, Orin Vale was imitating that method. He had gone to the area near where Gordon's documents indicated Parademons had appeared, and was using Cobblepot's fear to bait the hook.
Sure enough, it came.
A bat-like silhouette, under the cover of the dark night, spread its wings and swooped in from across the night sky with a shrill, bizarre cry.
(end of chapter)
