Addicts.
They're often lumped all into the same category, generalised by the stereotype of junkies that live on the streets, homeless and criminals. Well, in Gotham, the only type of addict is often the latter, resorting to crime in some way, shape or form to get their next fix. They were an easy source of manpower that are willing to do anything just for another dose.
Easy pickings for a crimelord looking for some soldiers to use on a difficult job.
That's exactly what addicts were used for in Gotham.
To do tasks no one except the most highly trained and skilled individuals would and could do. Rather than risking their own men on a risky job, they'd just get some random junkies off the streets and let them loose.
During gang wars, Gotham often saw the biggest drop in addicts and the homeless, they were all being used as expendable soldiers in the war for territory. But once the war was over, those smart enough to hide came back out of hiding and there was always plenty of people turning to drugs to help them get through their miserable lives.
There was never a shortage of expendable soldiers.
However, not all addicts can be generalised one way.
That was because of a type of addict that didn't have the usual consequences most other addicts had. The type of people who despite being junkies just as bad as the rest of them, were still able to function in their day-to-day lives without much if any trouble.
High-functioning addicts.
A type that was becoming more and more common, especially within Gotham City.
A safety mechanism that was often subconsciously used to hide thier addiction from the rest of the world, including themselves. They couldn't be used as expendable soldiers in a war if no one was able to recognise that they were addicts.
Often, they were figured out by just luck, pure coincidence, a mistake on their part that was highlighted very easily by someone with a keen eye. That's exactly what happened with Jacob who had been looking over the reports and files, comparing them to his own. He had his own accountants and people that took stock of all their inventory. But he also closely looked over his accounts and inventory himself. His holdings might have expanded, but Jacob was still the same person he had always been.
Dedicated, intelligent and unwilling to lay his trust in those that hadn't proven themselves loyal.
He was surrounded by men who worked for him purely for money. Jacob couldn't trust those people, all it took was for someone with more money than him to come along and pay just that little bit extra and suddenly, he'd be betrayed by his own men.
No, Jacob couldn't trust anyone and so, he needed to make sure that all the work was looked over carefully by him again and again. It was that dudiligence, that dedication that highlighted a little mystery of the missing drugs in his inventory. Tracing it back to a source was easy, but it was very clear that from the amount of drugs taken, this guy wasn't simply selling it on the side.
His home was filled with all the tools belonging to an addict, despite it being clean. But while the amount of drugs that had been stolen being relatively small in comparison to the amount purchased, there was too much for a single man to have take over the course of a week without overdosing many times over.
He was not only an addict, but a supplier to others.
"Please, it won't happen again, I promise." It was a sincere plea, but such a basic and overused plea that Jacob had heard many times in the past. This was not the first time he had to kill someone, or had them executed.
Jacob had pulled the trigger many times before in this very room, especially in the beginning. Back when he needed to send a clear message that he was the one in charge and was willing to do what was necessary. While the need to send such a message had died down in recent weeks, there was still a few here and there that needed to be put in their place. It was just how Gotham was, someone was always working to overthrow those above them.
"You stole from me." The masked man spoke, Jacob seated upon the comfortable, leather sofa.
His previous standin had disappointed him with his performance not only with Bane, but a few followups. The next three were equally as disappointing, failed actors who were looking for a stable income, but lacked that certain flair necessary to pull off a believable lieutenant. They were meant to be a strong and firm lieutenant within the False Face Society, someone who n a short few months had rapidly grown more and more powerful to the point he was second only to Black Mask.
They had lacked that charisma and presence necessary to make it believable.
This newest one however was different.
Jacob wasn't certain for sure, this was his first time seeing the guy in action, but he was doing well. Time would tell whether this was simply a one time deal, or if he could continually pull it off.
"It was a mistake. I-"
"You're right, it's a mistake." The actor said firmly, voice calm and collected, yet still possessing a dangerous tint to it. "When a weed grows in your garden, it's a mistake. But you don't leave it here, what you do is you pluck it out. That's exactly what I'm going to do to you."
Here the actors gaze turned to Jacob, a silent ask as to what they were going to do next. "Perhaps I could offer an alternative." Jacob offered, pretending to be nothing more than an aid to the actor. "The amount stolen from us is miniscule, hardly anything in fact. However, it is clear that to have used it all in the last week should have killed him. He was either not working alone, or has been giving it to other people."
Jacob had long since suspected that there was more just like this guy quivering on his knees. More high-functioning addicts and they were exaclty what he had in mind for a new breed of criminal he intended to create. A new breed that would make his rise to the top of the False Face Society and then Gotham city possible.
He just needed to find them all.
"Why not use him to find these other people, especially if they are within the False Face Society and use them." Jacob's stand in nodded his head, understanding the job he needed to fulfil and turned back to the kneeling figure.
"It is something I could consider, would you be willing to sell out your compatriots to live to see another day?"
The man bowed his head lowly. "Yes, please god, I'll tell you all you need to know. Just please, don't kill me." Seeing all this unfold, Jacob smiled, rising to his feet as the armed guards moved forward, dragging the kneeling man off the ground and out of the room.
"You did well." Jacob told his standin, sitting on the chair that he vacated, once again returning to his position behind the desk. "I am very pleased with your performance, but it is not a done deal just yet. Prove to me that this wasn't just a fluke and I can guarantee wealth beyond your imagination."
The guy was effectively being another part of Jacob's armour, the person who would draw all the ire and anger of his enemies and be the one to wear the target. The rewards for such a service should match the risks and Jacob was not one to let good work go unrewarded.
"Thank you." He then paused, the act he had been putting on melting away to show that he was just a nervous guy who had begun to realise just what he had become apart of. But like many people in Gotham, there was no real turning back after going this far. "May I ask, what do you intend to do him? I'm meant to be you, so if people ask, what should I say?"
"What I intend to do is none of your concern." Jacob told him, once again returning to his work. "You're here to pretend to be me, nothing more, nothing less. You do not need to know all my plans or the reasonings behind my actions. The reason for that is because by pretending to know everything, by pretending to be in charge, no one will be able to figure you out. You will give orders that you don't know the reason for them and therefore, no one else will be able to either."
Only Jacob would know the real reason and while everyone else was so focused on trying to figure out the reason by his standins actions, they will get nothing. All because the actor didn't know the reason behind it either.
"Now, David, was it?" Said man nodded his head. "Your job is done for the day. You can return home to your son."
That last part made David tense up, fear reflected in his gaze. He had thought that no one knew of his son, but Jacob had and that little tidbit was something he would use to keep David in line. A reminder that he may play the part of leader, it was actually, he, Jacob that was the true leader and always would be.