Save the Planet, Kill a CEO

Disclaimer: I own nothing but my original characters and works; all other characters and worlds belong to their respective owners. I'm just playing with them.

Betad by: Priapus, Beans, Mike God of Lore

The Guild of Gamers: The Nightmare

Chapter 14: Save the Planet, Kill a CEO

– Princess Diana (Wonder Woman) –

"Diana, I understand, truly I do, but Danae is Legion's daughter as well. She's been raised by him for sixteen long years," Clark started, watching as her jaw clenched. "You realise this is almost certainly a trap or the prelude to another of his games?"

"Of course, I know that. How could I not? Legion even told me that he had plans for my people during my imprisonment. I know the risks. Danae claims that she asked Legion to meet me, but I have no doubt this is playing into some plan he has for me, for my people, or for us. I am no fool, Kal," Diana retorted. 

"Nobody is saying you are," Bruce cut in. "Even I believe that Danae was the one to ask Legion for permission to meet you. She's been remarkably upfront and honest for the daughter of one of our greatest villains."

Danae had been endlessly questioned since her appearance, even willingly being bound in the Lasso of Truth. 

"She's my daughter as well; surely you see the chance we have? Danae even admitted that Black Canary is on New Themyscira and that Green Arrow has become one of Legion's killers. We have a chance-"

"Even if we could get into Legion's realm, he is at his strongest there. We'd be headed to our deaths, at best," Bruce cut in, making her nod.

"So we should just leave the thousands of people that Legion has taken to their fates?" Diana asked.

"No, and you know that is not what Batman was saying," Clark cut in. "Any assault on Legion's realm will need to wait until we have an idea of how to counter the reality-bending powers he has in there."

"But-"

"Which is why I think we should go with Diana's idea," Bruce cut in, making her eyes widen. "You are right; this is an opportunity. I have no doubt this is a trap, but Danae may have inherited her father's strange powers. By studying her as she acts as your sidekick, we may learn how to counter Legion himself. It goes without saying that this is extremely dangerous, but what choice do we have? If we try to lock her up, Legion will retrieve her and he has proven he can come and go as he pleases. We could use her as bait for a trap, but Danae herself has admitted that she can go home 'whenever she pleases'."

Diana relaxed, reminding herself that these two weren't her enemies despite the high-tension situation they had found themselves in.

"Turning her against her father would be difficult, to say the least. She seems to genuinely love him, but you are right. This is a chance, Diana," Clark agreed, placing a hand on her shoulder as she took a deep breath. "I find it strange that Danae doesn't hate you, if you don't mind me saying so."

"No, I thought the same. She was raised by my worst enemies, but Danae herself said that Legion spoke fondly of me, of how I never broke under the year I spent with him," Diana admitted, even if she didn't feel like that was true. At the end, when she watched him walk away with Danae, she'd have done anything to get him to let Danae go. Her dreams were plagued with Legion and his touch, leaving her feeling unclean. "Aresia, Cheetah and Circe certainly gave their own opinions on me, but Danae sees Legion's words as gospel. He isn't just her father, he's her god," Diana admitted, knowing how difficult the mission before her truly was going to be. "Legion was impressed by me; he told her tales of my own deeds; I just don't understand why."

"I think Legion truly believes the tripe he spreads. Despite everything, I don't think he hates us," Clark admitted, rubbing his chin. "He could have killed you once he had what he wanted, but instead, he let you go. For a monster, he has his own code, twisted as it may be."

"For now, have Danae act as your sidekick, though be very cautious over what you tell her. I cannot advise taking her back to Themyscira; if she goes back to her father, he'll be able to find your island," Bruce said, making her scoff.

"Assuming he doesn't know where it is already, Aresia could have told him its location, as could Circe. Not to mention, they grabbed me from the Watchtower. It would be foolish to assume there is anywhere they cannot get to," Diana admitted, making him nod.

"It's possible that the protection of the Greek Pantheon is keeping him at bay, something to look into," Bruce said, frowning slightly, as he always did when it involved magic or the Gods. "Legion has to have some weakness; we just haven't found it yet."

– Markus Grey (Legion) –

I hope Danae is having fun.

As for me, I certainly am.

Humming to myself, I flip the knife in my hand a few times as I slowly walk towards my prey, kneeling on his back as I yank his hair back to expose his throat, slitting it with a whistle.

It's nice to go back to the basics sometimes. For all the fun that comes from the extravagant games, sometimes all you need is a well-placed knife. 

The Falcone thug tries to say something, but I'm already moving on as he chokes on his own blood, clutching at his throat. I've been a busy boy since I got back to Gotham from my vacation with Danae, leaving a string of murders across Gotham.

The Falcone Family and Black Mask's gang have found countless of their members killed in the night, slaughtered in their beds, but the Penguin? The Penguin's men have gone mysteriously untouched.

Plus, I've been sloppy. 

Smiling to myself, I slip away with a grin. My little plan to encourage people to blame Legion for their crimes went perfectly, and countless thugs, psychopaths and miscellaneous criminals have tried to pass their actions off as mine. 

Penguin had his own men do the same for an attack on Black Mask's turf, killing some of Mask's thugs. That gave me an idea, and I'm just… continuing what he started.

My prey doesn't get far despite his men's best efforts at stopping me, clutching his side as Alberto Falcone limps away, unable to escape my casual pursuit. I'm an endurance hunter, after all. 

For once, I change tactics and pulled out a gun, taking aim and firing two shots into Carmine Falcone's son's back with a smile on my face. The man falls, not quite dead, as I wander over and cheerfully carve the now infamous Legion Smile into his body before leaving the scene.

Across town, Mario Falcone lays in a puddle of his own blood and in prison, Sofia Falcone does the same, having been shanked in the showers. Legion takes the blame for all three, but that's where the funny part is.

I even took several shots at Carmine himself, letting 'myself' get driven away, leaving behind a bloodstain that can be linked back to one of Penguin's enforcers. 

Carmine Falcone doesn't believe that Legion would target him. I've been watching and listening; he's convinced that the Penguin was behind all the attacks on his men. What is he going to think when all three of his children die in a single night, all to Legion? 

Each attack was done near-simultaneously; each one was sloppier than you'd expect from Legion, a rapidly growing legend. Sofia died to a prison shank, a sharpened toothbrush, and the cameras clearly caught that the Legion who killed her was female since Thea did that one for me.

Gotham City is a powder keg, ready to blow. The three-way gang war between the Penguin, Black Mask and the Falcone Family has only been growing hotter as Batman is distracted by me. I just want to see what happens if I toss a lit match onto the powder keg.

I like the idea of keeping Batman's hands full, especially while he's too afraid to let Robin out to play. After Oracle, he's become increasingly worried about me targeting his other sidekicks, so Robin and Cassandra Cain are grounded.

Returning home, I chuckle to myself as I wash my hands before dinner, getting the blood off them. There's so much for him and Batwoman to do, and I'm only going to pile more and more work onto their shoulders. Now that I'm done playing with Green Arrow, I need a new target for my fun and games.

I do love Gotham, it's such a fun place. Even without me doing anything, this entire city is just saturated with fear. 

– Pamela Isley (Poison Ivy) –

Her plants alerted her to her guest, and despite everything, she had to stop herself from shuddering as she turned to face the masked face of Legion, just lurking at the back of her greenhouse.

"My, my, I was starting to wonder if you were ever going to show up. Giving me such a lovely gift and then leaving me wanting more was mean," Ivy purred. She would be lying if she said she wasn't at least slightly scared of the man standing opposite her, but the rose he'd given her still had her mind racing. She'd had plenty of time to study it, to make sure she wasn't being conned.

It was truly a type of wild rose that had died out during the ice age, and as far as bait went, she was well and truly hooked.

"My apologies, Ivy, but I've been a busy boy," Legion said, the smirk in his voice clear.

"Oh, I know. I do catch your streams, sometimes, a little too gory for my tastes, but I can't deny that you know how to put on a show," Ivy agreed smoothly. "But what could such a major villain want with little old me? I'm hardly a villain on your level."

Legion didn't respond for a moment as she lounged on an overgrown flower, her revealing outfit leaving her green skin on display for the man. 

"I simply want to invite you to host a very special little game I've been planning," Legion finally answered, making her tilt her head. "I'm a big fan of fitting games, and for my next batch of contestants, I think you're the best possible host. Well, it was you or Swamp Thing," Legion admitted idly, making her blink.

"I did just say that your games were a little gory for me, didn't I? I might be a villain, but senseless violence isn't exactly my style," Ivy admitted, making him chuckle.

"Nothing senseless about this. I've procured the CEOs of the companies most to blame for the damage to the environment. The theme of the game is nature fighting back," Legion explained, making her eyes narrow. "I'd like you to be our host as a one-time thing. I'd be happy to have you on my staff more permanently, but I understand that it isn't for everyone."

Ivy paused, eyes narrowed in thought as she watched him. She had no doubt about the power balance here. Legion may be new to the villain scene, but he'd rapidly become far more prominent than she was. 

"First, where did you get that lovely little flower?" Ivy asked, making him chuckle.

"From the arena, I made just for you. A copy of Earth, back in the Jurassic period. It's where this particular game will be held," Legion explained, making her eyes widen at his casual admittance of creating a copy of the planet. "It'll also be your payment, should you host my little game, an entire planet devoid of humans where nature is flourishing. Sure, some of the dinosaurs might not want to share, but I'm sure a big girl like you can handle some overgrown lizards. Naturally, I'd give you the ability to come and go as you pleased," Legion offered.

Ivy could feel the avarice in her chest warring with her self-preservation, but her mind reminded her that Dollhouse was doing amazing. Dollhouse was thriving, never being tortured or killed, because she joined Legion willingly.

"Hey, Ives, you doing okay? Bud and Lou are going mad for some-" Harley started as she walked in, freezing as she spotted Legion lurking in the corner. Harley didn't hesitate, reaching for her gun and taking aim. "What the- Where the fuck did you come from?"

"Now, now, Harley. Let's not do something you'll regret," Legion scolded, waggling his finger. "I'm just discussing business with your friend here."

"Harley, it's fine. Legion was just inviting me to host one of his games," Ivy said, her tone warning as she gestured for Harley to lower the gun. "May I see this arena before I decide?"

"What- you can't be serious, Ivy?! It's Legion, you wanna end up at the top of the League's shitlist?" Harley asked incredulously, trying to be the voice of reason as she continued aiming at Legion. 

Or tried to anyway; as they both turned to face each other, Legion vanished into the shadows, reappearing behind Harley as he swiftly snatched the gun from her hand, making Harley shriek in surprise as she spun around, already trying to kick Legion.

Legion just pushed her, chains forming and binding Harley as she flew backwards, holding her in the air as she struggled with a curse on her lips, Legion's smiling mask staring down at her.

"Behave yourself, Miss Quinzel, before I take offence," Legion purred, running his hand up Harley's thigh over her red and black leather pants. "Even you aren't mad enough to enjoy what would soon follow."

"What the- lemme go, you fucking creep, or I swears I'll-"

"Harley! Please shut up and stop antagonising the very dangerous villain," Ivy barked, making Harley go quiet with a mulish look on her face.

The chains faded, leaving Harley to fall flat on her ass with a grunt and another curse, their eyes moving to Legion's hand as a screeching noise distracted them. Legion opened his hand, dropping the crushed gun to the floor, making Harley's eyes widen at the casual display of strength.

"As for your request, Ivy, that's easily done," Legion said, waving his hand as fog started to pour from the door, leaving her room. "It's just a few steps away."

"Ivy ain't going nowhere alone with you; I'm coming too," Harley spat, making Legion shrug carelessly.

"If Ivy wishes to bring her… pity project along, she's welcome to," Legion said simply, making Harley scowl.

Ivy rose, looking between her friend and the rose on her bedside table, making her choice as she stepped forward. 

The sound of breaking glass made her jump, spinning around as a cowled figure burst through her bedroom window, quickly joined by several others as Batman ruined her window.

"Ivy, stop," Batman ordered, a scowl on his face as they faced Legion. Zatanna, Nightwing and Starfire moved to surround the villain, Zatanna glowing with magic and Starfire glowing with green energy as Legion tilted his head in amusement. "You know nothing good will come from working with Legion."

"What the- what're you doing here, Batsy?" Harley yelped, rolling to her feet and pulling out her mallet, turning from Legion to the heroes rapidly.

"Oh, don't worry, I don't think they're here for you," Legion chuckled, flipping a dagger in his hands as the face carved into his mask shifted from a smiley face to a frowning one.

Ivy hesitated, glancing from the heroes to the portal.

– Bruce Wayne (Batman) –

Legion was predictable in some regards. The disappearance of multiple CEOs who are infamous for their anti-environmental policies made him suspect that Legion was aiming for Ivy as his next killer, and bugging the hideout she shared with Harley hadn't been hard. 

Ivy and Harley had been surprised when they arrived, but not Legion who watched them with a certain ease to his stance. He wasn't worried in the slightest; he had been expecting them.

He disliked other heroes coming into Gotham, but he couldn't deny that Starfire and Zatanna would be helpful here, and he'd already sent a message to Watchtower. A message that his cowl told him had not arrived. Legion had been shown to be able to cause a communications blackout around him, and he couldn't reach the Batcomputer either.

"Ivy, you know there's no going back if you do this," Batman said, making Ivy hesitate, but he could already tell that she was too interested in Legion's claims. 

"What can I say, Bats? I'm just a bad girl," Ivy said, her plants lashing out at them as he and Nightwing dodged out of the way of the thrashing vines, Starfire easily tearing them apart as Zatanna warded them off with a single spell.

Ivy made a break for the door, and while Starfire moved to stop her, Legion wasn't idle as he shrieked, the noise shattering the remaining window as he immediately shut down his hearing, using his mask's noise suppression to stop himself from being affected. This wasn't his first time dealing with a villain that used weaponised sound.

Nightwing, Starfire and Zatanna weren't so lucky, each grabbing their heads as the building almost shuddered with the inhuman sound, and he saw blood leaking from Nightwing's ears as he tossed several batarangs towards Legion, cutting off the scream as Legion slashed at them with his dagger, knocking them out of the air with unnatural grace.

Ivy hadn't hesitated, diving into the fog to escape them, and Harley paused as she watched her only friend vanish into the fog before she too turned and fled through the portal, the fog fading as Legion stared at them.

"Don't take it too hard, Batman; I know what the ladies like," Legion taunted with a chuckle. 

"Dnib mih!" Zatanna tried, arcane rings forming around Legion who just looked down at them in curiosity as they snapped his arms to his side, tightening around him. "Ecnelis noigel!"

Starfire didn't hesitate either as she worked in tandem with Nightwing, binding him in a metal rope that was designed to hold villains with enhanced strength, tightening them around the unresisting villain.

This was too easy; Legion just languidly standing there and letting them bind him. There was an unease in the room, watching Legion carefully as Nightwing took away his dagger. 

"Well, that was rude," Legion finally said, making Zatanna's eyes widen. Her second spell should have stopped him from making any sound, but Legion didn't seem to particularly care about what should happen. 

"Rude? You are the insane, I think," Starfire scoffed, making Legion chuckle.

"Insane? Did I ever tell you what the definition of insanity is?" Legion asked, tilting his head. "Insanity is… doing the exact same thing over and over again, and expecting shit to change. That is crazy. But the first time somebody told me that, I don't know, I thought they were bullshitting me."

They went quiet, Batman recording Legion's words for anything they could use to identify him.

"The thing is, okay... he was right. And then I started to see it everywhere I looked. Everywhere I looked, all these fucking pricks, everywhere I looked, doing the exact same fucking thing, over and over and over and over and over again. Thinking, this time, it's gonna be different. How many crimes have you stopped, huh, Batsy?" Legion asked.

"Hundreds, this year alone," Nightwing cut in.

"And what has that changed? Gotham is still a cesspool; hell, crime rates are higher now than when you started your little crusade. But no, every night you put on your fursuit and head out to break some thug's legs, every night you toss a villain into Arkham, where they already have their own personal cell from the last fifteen times you did it, knowing that you haven't made the slightest difference," Legion taunted, the grin clear in his voice. "Tell me, heroes, don't you ever tire of failing in your mission? The world is dying around you, and you're merely postponing the inevitable." 

Batman didn't give him the courtesy of responding, reaching into his belt and pulling out a sedative, never taking his eyes off the villain as he fired the dart into Legion's exposed neck.

"Cute. That would have worked last time, but I'm a little beyond that," Legion admitted, unaffected by enough sedatives to knock out an elephant (or Bane). 

"Og ot peels!" Zatanna tried, but again Legion didn't seem affected by her magic as the bindings started to creak.

Nightwing moved forward, ripping the mask off Legion's head as Legion started to chuckle, Alfred staring back at them. 

"S-sister?" Starfire asked before shaking her head. "No, this is just a trick."

"Please, that's nothing. This is the trick," Legion admitted as a burst of incredibly thick fog exploded from him and filled the room as he heard the sound of metal being snapped, his finely honed senses making him dodge to the side as the rope was flung at his head. 

The sounds of whispers in his ear and screams in the distance couldn't cover the sound of Nightwing screaming in pain, the sound of broken bones making his eyes widen as he activated his sensors, cursing mentally as they failed. The fog was so thick he could barely see his own hands, but he could hear Zatanna try to shout something before her words were cut off with a scream.

Starfire called for Nightwing and let out a horrified shout as he heard a meaty thud, sounding very much like a body hitting a wall. 

The fog cleared slightly, Legion just standing there, remasked, and Batman felt his mind rebel against the sight, intense vertigo overcoming him and the sound of static getting louder in his ears as Legion strolled towards him, flipping the dagger in his hands. The corners of his vision blurred and warped, Legion's figure shifting and twisting unnaturally as Legion suddenly rushed forward.

Batman wasn't caught off guard, dodging the knife as he grabbed the extended arm and snapped Legion's elbow, his arm twisting at an unnatural angle, but Legion wasn't deterred as he let out a laugh, a clawed hand slashing at Batman, carving into his suit before Legion paused, tilting his head.

"Playtime is over; how fortunate for you," Legion said, grabbing his broken arm and ripping it off, tossing it aside as a new limb grew in its place. "But don't worry, I have such big plans for you, Bruce. We're going to have such fun."

The fog intensified, blinding him before it suddenly faded, leaving them standing in Ivy's lair. Starfire was kneeling over Nightwing, whose body was twisted in unnatural ways but a scan showed that he was still breathing, nearly a dozen broken bones but no major damage to his internal organs. Legion had aimed to be non-lethal.

Zatanna was bound in the same metal rope that they'd tried to bind him with, hanging from the ceiling with it around her neck and head, acting as a noose and a gag at once as Batman rushed forward to help lift her, seeing her struggling to breathe.

His own chest had four long, deep slashes that cut straight through his armoured suit, but he was otherwise unharmed, and Starfire seemed utterly untouched. 

As Starfire helped him free Zatanna, he looked at the bruises around Zatanna's throat, seeing the pain on her face. Damnit. Legion was getting stronger, far too strong. He'd hoped that Zatanna's magic would be effective against him, but they clearly needed something else.

Contacting Alfred, he couldn't deny that he let out a sigh of relief as his butler responded, alive and well. Legion had been fucking with them. Starfire had obviously seen Blackfire from her words, and he could only guess who Nightwing and Zatanna had seen.

Fog started to gather around their feet, and they quickly moved, barely escaping the botanical garden Ivy used as a lair before it was engulfed in a cloud of fog, fading to reveal empty land, the entire building missing.

Frowning, he contacted the League. Legion clearly enjoyed hunting in Gotham, having some connection to his city, but this was beyond his skills to handle. 

– Pamela Isley (Poison Ivy) –

She wasn't going back to Arkham because she was sure that Legion had plans for that place. If she was going to end up in Legion's hands either way, she'd rather willingly join him than end up on the other side of his games.

Harley ranted at her, but her mind was elsewhere as she looked over the cliff she had found herself on, seeing the miles upon miles of untamed wilderness and thousands of types of plants she'd never seen before.

"Sorry, ladies, I had to say goodbye to our unexpected guests," Legion said smoothly, walking into the clearing with two hyenas following behind as she spotted her lair behind him in a clearing that hadn't existed five minutes ago. Just what was his power? "So, I take it I have your attention? I took the liberty of bringing your lair with me rather than leave it for Batman to tear apart, looking for anything and everything he can use."

Bud was carrying a severed arm, chewing on it as Harley looked at her pet with confusion.

"Err… Bud, put it down. please tell me that's not Batsy's arm?" Harley tried, making Legion laugh.

"Oh no, it's mine. Batman broke it, rather mean of him, so I decided to just grow a new one. Bud seemed a little hungry, so I let him have it," Legion explained, one of his arms not covered by his leather jacket, the sleeve missing, exposing his muscular arm. She didn't miss that the arm was leaking black blood, coating Bud's mouth as he and Lou briefly fought over the arm.

"Consider me very interested," Ivy admitted, looking around paradise with well-hidden awe.

"Oh, you'll enjoy yourself, I promise. I've got big plans for this," Legion said, grinning with his mask pulled up enough to expose his lower face. "For now? Just relax, enjoy yourself, and get settled into your new home. But then, I did promise you a way out, didn't I?" Legion said, walking forward and planting his lips on hers, knowledge flooding her mind as she felt a sliver of power enter her. Pulling back, he gave her a grin. "Ooh, poison. Spicy," Legion teased. "I'm sure you'll figure out my gift. Have fun!"

Legion backed away, vanishing into a cloud of fog as she looked around her new home, knowing she couldn't go back on her decision now. If she got this paradise, though, it would be worth it. 

Heading into her lair, she chuckled when she found out that despite not being connected to anything, the amenities still worked. Legion's power was certainly versatile, wasn't it? Well, at least she still had access to the internet, the one benefit of the modern world.

– Alexis Kane –

Sitting at her desk in just her panties and a t-shirt with Legion's face on it, she rubbed her finger along one of her many scars, stroking the marks Legion had left on her body. They reminded her that she was better, that she won.

Her plans to prove herself to Legion were on hold, too much attention on her as one of the few victorious survivors. She didn't want to get caught by the heroes before she could show Legion what she was capable of, after all.

Instead, she'd dedicated her time to learning everything she could about Legion. She hummed to herself as she worked on the script for her podcast, focused around villains, of course, stretching as she took a break. As she turned off her monitor, she froze as she stared into the reflection and saw Legion's mask staring back, blinking rapidly as the reflection went back to being her.

It was an increasingly common occurrence, seeing him in reflections or shadowy figures in the corner of her eye. She was sure it wasn't just her trauma; no matter what the therapist claimed, her pills sitting in her medicine cabinet, having gone untouched for days. 

She wasn't crazy; Legion had left his mark on her; they had a connection. She was sure of it. She was the first person to win his games; that had to count for something. Her fingers rubbed against the soft skin on the inside of her left wrist, running along the Legion smiley face she'd carved into herself. 

Laying on her bed, she opened her phone and checked her social media, frowning thoughtfully as she spotted something. It was Halloween soon, and some students from her college were hosting a Legion-themed party, with the dress code requiring that guests be masked. She wasn't surprised; they did an Arkham-themed one last year, only allowing people dressed as an infamous Arkham inmate.

She already had her costume, but an idea struck her. It looked like a lot of people were confirming that they'd be there, away from the security of the school, and she'd squirrelled away quite a few materials from the chem labs over the past few weeks. 

A smile crossed her lips as she made a note of the time and place before closing her phone, one hand touching her scars as the other slowly moved into her panties, almost feeling Legion's hands and blade on her flesh.

It was almost time. 

– Vicki Vale –

Arriving at the GCPD station, she signed herself in as she made her way to the forensic labs, an excited smile on her face. She'd known Markus could beat Legion's sick games, and she couldn't deny that she owed him a lot.

Watching what all the other survivors had gone through had made her all the more grateful that Markus had done so well in saving them. She entered the lab to see him working on some documents.

Markus looked up, his eyes widening and a soft smile growing on his face as he gave her a wave.

"Ah, hello, Vicki. It's nice to meet you in more pleasant circumstances," Markus said, fixing his tie. "James mentioned that you came to the hospital, but I was a little out of it at the time."

"Hey, Markus. It is very good to see you alive and well, out of that bastard's sick games," Vicki agreed. 

"Hoping for an interview, Miss Vale?" Markus teased, making her laugh.

"I wouldn't say no to one, but I honestly just wanted to see you in person. I owe you more than my life. I know myself well enough to know I would not have escaped that hellscape," Vicki admitted, leaning against the desk. Her press badge got her quite a bit of info since Commissioner Gordon was more willing to work with the press than his predecessors; it was how she'd gotten into the precinct in the first place. She took in Markus, noticing that he seemed more muscular than before. His time as a prisoner had gotten him into very good shape.

"Well, I am a little busy, but I'm a clever guy. I can work and answer your questions at the same time. And you're most welcome; I got to be the big damn hero; after all, what more can a guy want?" Markus joked, making her chuckle as she started recording and pulled out her notepad. She wasn't going to say no to an interview.

She thought about the first question for a good few moments.

"In your opinion, why did Legion start in Gotham? While he's shown that he doesn't mind travelling, most of his appearances have been right here. Do you think he's local, or is there something else going on?" Vicki finally asked, making Markus hum as he made some notes.

"Legion is obsessed with fear. Almost every action he's taken seems to be aimed at spreading terror, and if we are being totally honest, Gotham is a fertile breeding ground for it," Markus explained. "Even Gotham's hero, the Dark Knight himself, weaponises fear as his main weapon. Gotham was a place of dread before Legion arrived. In addition, Legion has shown that he enjoys recruiting others, and the majority of villains in Gotham are mentally ill in some way, making them ideal targets for him to try and recruit into his games. I don't believe Neo, Legion's female sidekick, is local. She rarely speaks, but her accent is not local. Legion himself is harder to place, as his voice seems to change regularly, so I can't say whether he was already from Gotham." 

Markus had clearly put some thought into this, and despite her gratitude towards him, she saw an opportunity for a truly riveting piece on Legion as she started to ask more and more questions, dancing around the subject of Markus' imprisonment at first before Markus made it clear that he wasn't so traumatised that he wouldn't speak on it.

Plus, the interview would capitalise on Markus' unexpected stardom, something he clearly found strange and a little uncomfortable from his reactions.

She didn't take up too much of his time, knowing that as GCPD's only forensic scientist, he was laughably busy, but as the interview came to a close, she had one last question to ask him.

"One last question before we wrap up: inquiring minds want to know… what are you doing after work?" Vicki asked with a sultry smile, making him chuckle. "In case you were wondering, the only correct answer is 'Vicki Vale'." 

She'd told him back in that damn temple that if he wanted more than a kiss, they'd have to get out of Legion's game first, and here they were, out of Legion's game. 

— Bonus Scene — Oswald Cobblepot (The Penguin) 

Staring at the burning rubble of his Iceberg Lounge, Oswald gripped his cane tightly, shaking with anger as he glared at the ruins. If he hadn't been delayed, he would have been in the club when the bombs went off, and it wasn't hard for him to find out who was responsible.

Falcone.

A snarl left his lips, glaring around the street at his gathered men who had failed to stop the Falcone men from sneaking in through the sewers, causing him to lose his fucking club again. He'd lost a lot of money, a lot of people and worst of all, this was a slap to his face. He looked weak, and he'd look even weaker if he didn't strike back.

Unlike Falcone, he could see the trap. Someone was trying to push them into heating up their war, killing off Falcone's family and hitting Roman's operations while framing him for the deed, but he also knew that if he didn't retaliate, he'd look weaker than ever, and both Black Mask and Falcone would rush to tear his turf apart before the other could do it first.

Roman was smart enough to work out that the attacks weren't him, but Falcone? No, Falcone was an old paranoid bastard being driven to madness because his entire family got wiped out in a single night.

Still, the Falcones were weak right now, disorganised and vulnerable. He'd find the fucker who'd framed him for the assassinations, but not before he finished what they started and gutted Falcone for the attempt on his life.