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Chapter 49: Wow, Just Wow!
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Ian interrupted the Bat and spoke with amusement, seemingly undisturbed by the last part.
Batman nodded, also wanting to hear Ian's perspective. As for the last part of his words, they both are smart people, so he understood that Ian will understand that he understands.
Gordon also nodded, then Ian started his speech, "Batman has been doing this for years as he said. He had caught numerous criminals, entire crime families even... Yet it has only been getting worst, almost as if your existence has produced an opposite effect.
I think it's called the law of reverse effort, it states that the harder we try with the conscious will to do something, the less we shall succeed. It doesn't apply to every situation, but it certainly applies here.
That or Gotham is somehow cursed, or perhaps just the usual sinful nature of humans. Excuse me, I was going on a tangent there, too lost in my philosophical thoughts.
Speaking of philosophy, let's talk about The Law of Opposites which states that the path to success requires going against the norm; doing what might be unpopular, unreasonable, or unorthodox.
The norm is what the police were doing before most of them became corrupt, the police in Gotham became unorthodox, and their corruption was a major success because crime thrived in the city until you appeared, and what you symbolize is unorthodox.
However, it's not unorthodox enough, you need to go far and beyond, and what better way is there than to work with a crime lord? Fucking genius."
It was like he was putting on a show, one that'll amuse some such as Batgirl, but get on the nerves of another, Nightwing of course.
"Now that I am done with the philosophical stuff, I'll talk in a way that can make sense for one of you. I understand that his brain is a bit too slow, and the kind person that I am, I will simplify it for you.
The way I rule my territory forbids me from ever being involved in businesses that can put it in danger. My territory is the most peaceful area in Gotham by far, this is why it's thriving and why I am making so much money.
You should all know that the Rose family is barely involved in any illegal business which is why the cops try as they might have yet to find even a tiny piece of evidence about us despite trying to.
Yeah, I know that the cops are investigating the Roses. I also know that some of the other crime lords used their influence in the police to put more focus on the Roses."
"What?!" Gordon opened his eyes wide in shock, but he got his bearing back quickly and questioned, "Are you saying that their influence on the cops is that deep? No, that's not possible because if so, how am I at my position now?"
Ian raised his brow at the middle-aged man, "It's that deep. As for how you reached your current position, I guess it's due to hard work, coincidences, but mainly luck... Perhaps you got a bit of help from the bat." Ian did help back then with the Frank Falcone situation, but he can't say that now, can he?
"My point is that I am semi-moving to the legal business, so I need legal businesses to thrive, and that's not happening in Gotham currently." Ian started explaining things seriously after enjoying Nightwing's changing facial expression for a bit.
However, Nightwing of course wouldn't let that go, "And why should we trust your words?"
Ian eyed him strangely for a good few seconds, "I was joking earlier, but you're actually a bit slow? Or perhaps you wanted to ask another question such as why would I go into the legal business when I can go deeper into the shady businesses and make a ton more money with less effort?"
He ignored Nightwing's apparent seething of anger and Batgirl's giggle, and explained, "Well, there are several reasons, one of which is because of the likes of you... Well, not you but the strong heroes, like Batman and superman. One for his mind and the other for his godly abilities. They make it hard to succeed in my line of work under their watch.
I can certainly rule Gotham if I continued like this in a few years, but that's too long for me.
I can just cooperate with you all and attain that control in record time. Granted, I won't be making as much money at first as I would if involved myself in shady businesses, just a few tens of millions or perhaps hundreds? But I will be making much more eventually.
At the end of the day, it won't matter how many criminals you throw in prison, someone will take their place the very next day.
This rule not only applies to violence but also to drug dealers, gun trafficking, and so on. If I take control of Gotham's underworld, that won't be something to worry about. It will all be controlled."
"Will you still be involved in that? In gun trafficking and narcotics I mean." Batgirl questioned, and Ian noticed her voice was a bit strange, almost as if she was using a voice changer somehow. Understandable as she doesn't want her father to know what she does.
"I don't know... I mean, I don't want, but I might have to though it should be kept to a minimum. I am still unsure about what effect stopping narcotics from entering the city so suddenly would cause. Well, I kind of know, and it's certainly not a good future."
Ian was disappointed that Nightwing remained silent, not saying something even dumber, so he just shrugged his shoulders.
"I also have a vast network of information in Gotham, so I can provide you all with information. It shouldn't be hard to take down the crime families with that. I can even acquire the identity of more corrupt officers, more than the ones I already know."
That was quite the tempting offer, it truly was. Nightwing and Batgirl even thought it was too good to be true. After all, they know a bit about the Rose family, and Batman spoke about how its information network functions, he even told them it's scary if it expands too much.
"Well, I believe my speech has been satisfactory to some, tempting to others, and even incomprehensible to one. I said all I had to say, and well, Batman, it's your turn. How exactly do you want to keep a leash on me?"
Batman's face couldn't help but twitch much to the surprise of Batgirl, but she shouldn't have been that surprised, she experienced the same thing.
She eyed Nightwing noticing his expression remained unchanged almost... almost as he had yet to comprehend the vague roast in Ian's words, 'Was he always this slow? No way, right?'
"My conditions are quite simple. I want evidence regarding several crimes you committed, Damning evidence, and enough to put you in jail for the rest of your life.
I want you to donate 30% of your illegal earnings to charities of my choosing every month. I don't want your organization to ever be involved in a war of any kind, or even do something that might lead to people dying.
How you run your narcotics business will be largely controlled by me. We'll start with a distribution of the minimum until we get rid of it altogether. We will construct or fund some support centers for drug addicts to solve the problem in the meantime. All the earnings from narcotics will be in support of these facilities, meaning you'll be the one funding them."
"Why is it even necessary for narcotics to exist, I still don't understand?" Nightwing couldn't help but voice his doubts.
"If the narcotics supply is suddenly cut off without any preparations, the addicts will seek a new source of supply and perhaps even follow after that source.
Someone might use that as an incentive to start a war with the addicts as the fighting force, and I know that can happen. I have seen how much desperation can change people or drive them to act suicidal and irrational."
Batman took time to explain. He then added, not paying much attention to Gordon and Barbara's baffled expression. After all, his conditions were too harsh, and Gordon knew there and then that Batman was serious about all of this, and that he already thought it through.
"There will absolutely be no gun trafficking in the city, any weapons of any kind aren't allowed. I don't think that's a problem because it's not something you'd want anyway.
No one of the Roses or anyone working with you in general will be allowed to kill people or threaten their livelihood.
If it happens and I find out you ordered it or didn't stop it, you should know the consequences.
You're also required to tell me of all of your illegal businesses, every detail about them, then I'll decide whether you can continue to work in them or not.
There are plenty of other restrictions I have formulated, but these are the important ones. I will send you a document of the others later."
He was still standing in his place, his arms were crossed and his face was expressionless. He seemed extremely intimidating as he spoke a few last words, "I believe you have no objections, right?"
And then there was silence as most of the people in the room gazed at Batman and Ian with gaping mouths. The two looked at each other with a tension that almost started manifesting itself.
"Wow, just wow. What can I say? I am speechless... If only she didn't appear at my doorstep, I would've still been able to scratch some of the restrictions, but now..."
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