CHAPTER 10: "A Common Danger"

At the Iceberg Lounge tuck in one of its secret conference rooms a meeting was being held.

The room was barely large enough to accommodate the 4 dozen Penguin mobsters that had gathered for the meeting, some were forced to stand in the corners, and a few were starting to feel a little claustrophobic.

The room was furnished sparsely with collapsable chairs, a overhead projector, and a screen at the front. It stood in sharp contrast to the luxury the Iceberg Lounge boasted, but for Penguin it was one of his favorite rooms of the establishment for one simple reason.

Security.

Penguin had spent a fortune on anti-espionage devices to make it a room impossible to hear or transmit anything out of. With figures like Batman and Riddler running around with such sophisticated tech, it pays to keep his secrets and security locked down.

The front of the room had a projector screen showing a bird's eye view of the Sionis Cosmetic factory where the last of Blackwater and their Chief hid. Penguin stood to the side with the Hound who had foregone the usual suit for jeans, a black hoodie pulled up with a sports mask that covered most of his face save for his eyes.

Penguin had been explaining their plan of action for their attack when he stopped to look at the assembled crew and asked, "Are there any questions?"

Silence dominated the conference hall. A pin-drop probably could have been heard. Though while things stayed silent, the whole crew had an uneasy feeling about the plan.

Finally, one of the mobsters gathered the courage to ask the question they all were afraid to ask.

"Boss, with respect... is it such a good idea to do this?"

Penguin gave the mobster an appraising look, "Blackwater's Chief is the last step to take to end this pathetic street gang who challenged us. Fully eliminating them will secure our reputation as well as clear the way for our smuggling operations all along the Blackwater River."

Penguin took a pause, scanning the room it seemed the crew was still was uncertain.

"I would also assume your concerns lay in two parts, the location, and who may show up," Penguin said knowingly.

Set in the Narrows, the location was actually a perfect place to raid. Secluded, quiet, and the local poverty-stricken civilians wouldn't call the cops. And even if they did, police response would be slow. The police rarely patrolled the Narrows and any response to their attack would take at least a half hour to respond to. Plenty of time for the Mob to deal with Blackwater.

No the problem of the location lay with who owned the old factory, Black Mask.

When the Penguin had heard of the Blackwater's Chief's last desperate ploy to survive he had grudgingly admitted it was a clever idea. Black Mask had disdain for Penguin for years, and with the recent attack by the Hound on his drug operations, that disdain had turned into open hate. His hospitality for Blackwater could not be underestimated, with those added guns it would make it another hurdle for the mob.

The final problem would be the biggest for any enterprising criminal in Gotham, the Batman.

Gone were the days when large operations like this could be unleashed with little regard to the law getting in the way. The emergence of the cape crusader always brought with it a strict time restraint before the vigilantes would show up. And no one, no one wanted to mess with the terror that Batman was.

Penguin gave a motion of his cane to shut the projector off, now moving into the center of the room.

"That is why I have gathered as many of you as I have. We will not be going in quietly, this will be a blitzkrieg!" Penguin slammed the tip of his cane to the ground, giving a loud tapping sound to emphasize his point.

"We are going in armed to the teeth, I expect you all to have completed your assignments within the 30-minute window we will be given. At the end of the night, I expect the Blackwater Chief to either be in front of me in chains or dead!"

A different mobster at that point stood up, and pointing at the Hound asked, "What about him? You just spent the last 2 hours explaining the details of this job but you haven't mentioned him once." His tone had taken a snide turn as he finished.

The Penguin glanced back at the silent Hound, "The Hound has raided every warehouse of Blackwater and led us to this point. He has already contributed far more than anyone else."

He gave a dark look to the mobster who had spoken, "Unless you think otherwise..."

The mobster paled at that and shook his head, sitting down quickly and trying to make himself small to avoid the Penguin's attention.

"Anyway," Penguin began pacing in front of the mobsters, "The Hound will be on location outside as backup if needed."

"Anything else," Penguin asked, though his tone said the discussion was over.

Receiving nothing but silence he ordered everyone out to prepare for the raid that night.

After the last of the mobsters left the room, the Hound spoke.

"They are right to be worried." His voice was a little more muffled due to the mask that adorn half of his face.

Penguin looked up to his young ward, "You did not speak up."

James shook his head, "Not my place, plus your plan will work, it's just... I do not think any of the crew want to deal with Black Mask or Batman."

"Oh, do I hear a little nervousness in your voice? I am surprised, after all, you are taking after them by disguising yourself." Penguin jokingly said.

James' eyes narrowed at that, "You suggested taking on a disguise!"

Penguin chuckled, "Yes but a black hoodie with a sports breathing mask from Walmart is not quite what I imagine, you run out of budget?"

"It's what I could get on short notice," James replied exasperated.

Penguin laughed at that, it was always fun to needle the boy.

"Hmm, but back to the main point," Penguin's voice turned serious. "Are you also scared of the Black Mask and the Batman?"

James walked over to the folded chairs in the front and sat down.

"I am not sure about Black Mask, he is a psycho but I know in a fight I could take him. But Batman..." Here he paused.

"Batman is a legend, and for good reason. You don't go fist-to-fist with Deathstroke, or match wits with the Joker if you aren't. I wouldn't go within a thousand miles of those two, and he has beaten them repeatedly." James said.

The Penguin nodded in agreement, "Wise thinking, I have seen the Batman in action and nothing will make you a believer more of the danger he poses."

"So what should we do if he shows up?" James asked.

Penguin began walking to the door and motioned to James to follow, "We will adapt my boy, or simply run as fast as we can. Either way, you will be outside the factory, and I expect you to book it as soon as you see a black cape."

"Can you at least not be in the raid in case he does show up?"

Penguin laughed, "My boy, and miss such an important moment in our mob's history! I do not think so!"

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*Meanwhile outside the front of the Iceberg Lounge.

Robin crouched on the balcony of a building across the street from the Iceberg Lounge.

The past week had proved fruitless in his hunt for the Hound. No one seemed to know his real name or where he could be found. After a few days, Robin decided that it would be better to stake out the Lounge in hopes of spotting him or at least getting some clue.

Night after night had brought nothing but failure until now. The Iceberg Lounge front entrance saw a mass of Penguin's men entering the establishment and after a few hours left in droves. All of them walk or drove off in different directions.

'Such large groups entering and leaving in mass means Penguin is prepping for something big. Probably the attack on the Blackwater Chief.' he thought.

Unfortunately, despite all of the arrested and injured Blackwater gangsters, and the Penguin mobsters, no one had revealed the location of the Blackwater Chief. Simply put, now in police custody they felt more fear from their own criminal bosses than the GCPD and Batman.

Even Eddie Blade who Gordon and Batman had been enthusiastic to interrogate had yet to crack. They were confident with the threat of multiple lifetime prison sentences that he would eventually but that would take time.

But now that an attack was being prepared, it presented an opportunity...

'We could catch the Penguin, Blackwater, and the Hound all in one go if I play this right.' Robin thought with a growing sense of excitement.

Robin reached into his cloak and brought out his communicator device, this was a unique opportunity that would require all hands on deck.

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*Meanwhile at Sionis Cosmetic Factory.

The Blackwater Chief was busy drinking heavily on a couch with a few of his remaining men.

Off to the side the Black Mask had walked into the factory, flanked by a dozen of his men, while talking to one of his informants on his cell phone.

"How many did you say left the Lounge?"

A muffled voice told the Black Mask.

"Mmmh, no you will get your pay, this is good stuff."

The voice on the phone took on a questioning tone.

"What the hell are you talking about?!? I will pay you when I pay you!

The voice replied in the negative.

"Listen you little piece of shit! I will gut you and use your entrails for my morning sausage if you ever talk out of turn again!" Black Mask yelled in fury.

Silence from the phone.

"Anyway, good work, and I'll see you soon, byyyyyyyeeeee." He said with a happy voice before hanging up.

Black Masked walked up to the drunk Blackwater gang and put his foot onto the belly of their Chief, applying pressure slowly.

The Blackwater Chief grunted, "What the hell do you want!?!"

Black Mask gave the Chief a quick kick in response earning a grunt from the gangster.

"Get sober," Black Mask growled before sounding excited, "We will be having company tonight."

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*Meanwhile at the GCPD Major Crimes HQ.

Detective Harvey Bullock slid a pile of informant cash to a figure in the shadows.

"You sure about this," he asked the shadowy figure.

The figure in the shadows shrugged and grab the cash offered. "As sure as I can be, the Penguin Mob will attack the last of Blackwater tonight. I don't know where exactly, but the Narrows seem to be the main thing being whispered."

Bullock took out a cigarette and lit it. Offering one to the figure in shadow which was refused he took a deep breath.

"Surprise, to say that you of all people would help us out," he remarked taking a long drag from the cigarette.

It had been a bit of a bust in terms of information with all the captured Blackwater gangsters and mobsters they had gotten this last week. None of that group was talking, and Gordon's new favorite arrested mobster Eddie Blade had yet to crack.

So when he was presented with some information on the latest in the Blackwater and Penguin gang war he had eaten it up. Mind you, he never expected to get an informant from this person!

The shadowy figure tucked the money into their coat, "A common danger unites the bitterest of enemies."