*Carmine Falcone, Penthouse Suite, Gotham Skyscraper
The lights of the city were a beautiful sight from the high point of the Falcones seat of power.
Carmine sat in his preferred lounge chair, on the table next to him was a glass of wine, some bread, cheese and unfurled newspaper. The TV was playing with the news but the aged mafia boss had his gaze and attention directed to the city below him.
'Aut Caesar Aut Nihil,' he thought with amusement.
Since his release from prison last year he had been kept busy. Old allies and new came out of the woodworks to pay their respects to him, gangs and capos were petitioning for his support, politicians and cops even came looking for a handout.
While nowhere near the unlimited power he use to have it was still enough to push him into once again becoming one of the most powerful men in the city.
'Hell, it probably helps that Batman, Penguin and the Clown took out the Maroni's.'
In the years before Batman and the rise of Penguin and all the other psychos, the only real challenge to Carmine had been the Maroni crime family. But there's had turned into dare he said a friendly rivalry with business interest going in different directions. Sure it technically meant sharing the crime world but it kept the peace and many of the Falcone and Maroni's married into each others families. There was even a time Carmine and Salvatore Maroni considered marrying their children together and combining the families fully. That plan would never come to fruition due to some business deals going south, mistrust and the Batman becoming a reality.
Raising his glass in remembrance of his old rivals/comrades Carmine murmured, "Saluti amici."
"The situation in the Himalayas has grown more severe as Indian and Pakistani officials are demanding answers from the Chinese government for the reason of deploying a battalion of soldiers to the region for 'training operations.' Many are saying..."
Sighing, Carmine turned off the T.V.
He had little interest in Asian affairs, not when there was still so much to do here in Gotham. Recently, he had sent his boys to the docks to begin pressuring Penguin's associates into joining him. A mixed success which thrilled him to no end as he assumed he would have to lay siege and wage a few turf wars to gain such allegiance. The fact they were willing to surrender to his side so easily just showed how damaging Penguin's incarceration had been.
Just this past month the Rogers Yard Basin, a location with huge amounts of smuggling, mostly drugs had fallen under his control. That alone brought dump trucks of money his way and most importantly the manpower he desperately needed to challenge Penguin.
Taking a bite of bread with some cheese, Carmine chewed slowly as he pictured a map of Gotham. The city was divided with shades of blue for Penguin territory and red for his. Slowly the red began to spread across the board till finally it fully immersed the entire city.
He was no fool though.
The fight for control of the city would take years, perhaps even a decade. Penguin was no slouch, the sheer wealth the fat man had could probably challenge Wayne and Luthor. The contacts and mercenaries not to mention the freaks Penguin had relations with would be very difficult to overcome.
Carmine smiled finishing his glass of wine with a satisfying murmur.
But Penguin had made too many enemies, too many people wanted to see him fall. And as long as he stayed in check he could probably have the Batman focus his attention on the fat bird.
Just like with the Falcone's, Penguin had built himself as the top dog with all the power. But that also made him just a vulnerable as they had been before their fall. This time Carmine had learned from his mistakes. The sight of Penguin on his knees before receiving 3 to the back of the head gave him such joy.
Looking at his empty glass he grunted before getting up and walked to the kitchen to refill it. Since his release he avoided having any servants or maids save for the cleaners. The only people in the building were his security with a dozen men just in the hall right over. He preferred his privacy and since leaving prison he found himself desiring the privacy not afforded to him behind bars.
Pouring a generous portion into his glass, Carmine heard a rustle in the living room he had just came from.
Pausing to consider who it could be, he could only roll his eyes. No one was visiting him today and his men would of told him if his son Mario was coming up. No alarms had sounded which meant it was not an ordinary person. Knowing who it was Carmine was sure he somehow had gotten into his Penthouse via the window. How the man could do that at such a great height and still bypass the securities he had placed on the windows he would never know.
Grabbing his glass he walked back into the living room, annoyed and not in the mood to deal with the vigilante.
As he rounded the corner he started to say,
"Alright, alright, you want to talk I get that. But seriously Batman..."
The words got caught in his throat as instead of seeing the armored bat like figure he expected was instead a dark cloaked figure.
The cloaked figure raised there hand and made a motion.
Carmine felt his legs get swiped under with him falling into a chair. A few of his tall standing lamps bent unnaturally and wrapped around his body binding him.
Everything happened so quickly he didn't even notice his glass of wine hovering in the air before it settled gently on a table.
The cloaked figure made a few more gestures with the sounds of doors locking and furniture being moved to block the entrances into his apartment. After a few moments of doing this the cloaked figure nodded before moving a chair to face towards Carmine and took a seat.
Carmine stared at his unexpected guest with a surprised if annoyed look.
"I suppose it make sense, Penguin would try to take me out. I am surprise he is willing to take the fallout of doing so blatantly..."
"Who says Penguin is the one taking you out? Who says anyone is killing you right now?" The cloaked man interrupted him with a cool detached voice.
Carmine smiled, "Considering you are his 'Hound' I would say that it seems very obvious who is behind this and what the end result will be."
That caused the hooded man to snort, "I haven't been called that in years."
"Don't like your former moniker?" Carmine asked curiously.
Krios shrugged, "It is not so much that I do not like it, it is just that it is something of my past I wish had gone differently. But it is a part of me, and it helped lead me to where I am now."
Looking the man over before him, he could not see his face or much of him thanks to the robes and cloak but he could tell a certain weariness prevailed on the man.
"Still though," Carmine kept his gaze firmly on Krios, "I was expecting someone else to have broken into my penthouse. I honestly think only Batman and I guess you now could of gotten past my security. Perhaps before you kill me you could let me in the know how you pulled that one."
"Perhaps," Krios murmured, his gaze distracted to the side.
The two sat silently like that for awhile. Carmine considered yelling but knew that Krios would either gag him or just kill him straight away. Might as well prolong the inevitable, who knows, maybe he would think of something to get out of this mess.
Death did not particularly frighten Carmine Falcone. He had been threatened and nearly killed too many times to count. The only things he really feared was the potential torture and the fact his legacy and power grab he was working towards would fail before it could even begin.
While the crime lord was considering his life ending calmly but with disappointment, Krios had stirred from whatever was distracting him.
"I honestly thought this would be more satisfying," Krios said numbly.
Carmine raised an eyebrow at that, "What do you mean? Killing me is not getting you a hard on?"
That made Krios laugh, "Despite what people say about me I have never enjoyed killing."
Pausing the young man then said, "Well, maybe not as much as people assume."
"Yet here I am, about to kill the man responsible for the East Side burnings."
Krios waved his hand shushing Carmine, "I know you ordered the goons or at least their boss to set it alight, no need to deny it. Penguin was very thorough in figuring out your game plan, distracting him with rival gangs, distracting GCPD with the burning. Everything you did successfully crippled Penguin's operations and put him away long enough for you to slink back into your old throne."
Standing, Krios walked to the window with the stunning sight of Gotham gleaming around them.
"Your actions were not directed towards me, but you nonetheless indirectly killed some of the most important people in my life, crippled another, forced me down a path further into the crime which has led to nothing but more death and pain. I have every reason to hate you and relish every second of killing you but right now... right now it just feels pretty hollow and meaningless."
"Enough to let me go?" Carmine said jokingly.
Krios shook his head, "Even now knowing I am going to kill you, you are not bothered."
"Lets just say kid," Carmine spoke casually, "I have been threatened and nearly killed plenty. It kind of loses meaning, even if it is truly the end as it appears."
Coming to a decision Krios gave Carmine a stern look, "Can I trust you enough not to make any noise or cause problems before the end?"
"In exchange for?"
Krios seemed to considered for a moment.
"I will make it quick and with as little pain as I can."
Carmine smiled hearing that, "Sounds like a deal."
The coiled restraints against Carmine slackened and soon the crime lord was able to stand. Rubbing the spots where Krios had bound him, he grabbed his glass of wine and walked to stand with Krios overlooking the city.
"You say I killed some important people in your life indirectly," Carmine said conversationally, "Were they collateral from the fires?"
Krios nodded without saying a word.
"Hmmm," Carmine considered his response, "Well whatever it is worth which is not much. I am sorry you lost some people."
"But you wouldn't change a thing would you?" Krios said.
Taking a deep drink of wine Carmine acknowledged the man was smarter then he expected.
"No," Carmine said firmly, "The plan for the most part worked brilliantly. I feel bad for the devastation I caused but honestly it is pretty insignificant in the grand scale of things. My goals while bloody are much more important to me then some peoples lives."
Krios growled, "I hope I never get as bad as you."
Carmine gave a cough causing Krios to look at him.
"What," Krios asked annoyed.
Taking a deep breath Carmine spoke softly but firmly, "Only that we should both be honest, especially since I will be dead soon. Did you not execute the men who lit the fires, if you were like the heroes they would of been arrested, but instead you killed them to fulfil your own desires. Then you tried to rob Gotham City government and killed anyone in your way. And lets not forget you returning to Gotham and destroying Major Crimes and killing dozens of officers just to spring your friend Penguin out."
Carmine turned to look at the city.
"Face it kid, you are just as if not worse then me. Impressive considering how young you appear to be, I never got as bloody as you are at such an age."
Krios turned to look at the city, "I guess that is true isn't."
"Very accepting of you to agree to my point of view," Carmine sipped more wine.
"Like you said," Krios said flatly, "We should be honest."
Carmine finished the last of his wine and set it down, walking back to his favorite lounge chair he sat.
Krios soon stood right behind him off to the side within reach.
"So tell me Krios," Carmine spoke conversationally, "Are you planning to stick with Penguin as a henchman or break out on your own. Your powerful enough to be your own boss after all."
There was a deep sigh from Krios before he responded, "I honestly was planning a normal life, even Penguin was suggesting it. Then the Eastside burned and everything else happened. I know enough that I don't want to work with Penguin as a henchman, and I know that I have a target on my back."
"I guess," Krios said tentatively, "I just want to be free and not have to hide."
Laughing Carmine gave a glance over his shoulder, "You are going to need to get a lot more powerful if you want to do that kid. That level of freedom and immunity from your crimes is something only people like Luthor or Black Adam can get."
"Perhaps," Krios softly spoke as he put a hand on Carmine's shoulder.
"But its the only path I can see to reach peace."
Carmine nodded, there was wisdom in the Krios' words. But he wondered if the man knew how far he had to go to achieve such a goal?
Feeling the man's gloved hand on his shoulder was oddly reassuring to Carmine though he assumed it meant their conversation was coming to an end.
Gathering his thoughts with his impending finale he asked Krios one last request.
"Could you please insure my son Mario is unharmed? He had nothing to do with the fires or plot, merely passed my messages and handled my legal enterprises. He is innocent of any wrongdoing to you."
Krios gave Carmine's shoulder a slight squeeze, "As long as he doesn't bother me, I won't bother him."
Humming in satisfaction Carmine leaned back and began to prepare himself for whatever happened next. He was considering how Krios would do it, a knife to the throat or maybe a quick shot to the head.
No, that wouldn't make sense, Krios' would use his power wouldn't he. But how exactly will he use it and make it painless? Perhaps a snapped neck?
While Carmine pondered his last thoughts, he suddenly realized a change in his breathing. A sense of tiredness and his head becoming lightheaded. Then some unusual pains started in his arm and chest, sweat began dropping from his forehead.
With difficulty, he tried to speak one last time, both to warn the man and also perhaps to screw Penguin.
"Krios... don't trust.... Penguin... he will betray you... just as he did to his old boss... me..."
Soon Carmine's vision began to flicker as if someone was turning off the lights before finally darkness claimed him.
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*Krios "James", Penthouse Suite, Gotham Skyscraper
After a moment, Krios let his hand off Carmine Falcone's shoulder as the older man slumped into his chair. Reaching out with his sense he could detect no heartbeat or breathing from the man.
Carmine Falcone, the original ruler of Gotham's underworld was dead.
Krios started moving the furniture back to its original spots. He tried to straighten the lamps he had used to bind Falcone but after straightening them realized they were too damaged looking to pass off as normal.
'I guess I will take them with me.'
With everything back in place Krios took a final look at Falcone. The still body of the man lounging in the chair would easily pass for a old man passing away quietly.
Krios pondered the conversation he had with old Falcone. Surprisingly, it had been rather pleasant to talk with the man. Just airing out his problems seemed somewhat therapeutic, perhaps he should look into talking to someone.
But it was some of his last words that confused Krios.
'Don't trust Penguin.'
Surely the old crime boss didn't think he could convince Krios to distrust Penguin just from a few last words. The old man seemed smarter then that so why had he said that? Perhaps he was just trying to jerk Krios around.
'Doesn't matter,' Krios thought, 'Oswald has been trustworthy for years, there is no reason to think about what was said. He is just trying to cause problems for Oswald and me as a dying wish.
Still, a seed was planted in Krios' mind. One that while not very potent or strong would have him asking questions at a later time.
Krios took another look outside the window showing the gleaming city of Gotham. His gaze traveled upward as he tried to make out the stars. Despite the pollution and lights he was able to make out a few lending a certain calmness to his mind, perhaps even a twitch of a smile.
Finishing the final touches to the crime scene, Krios gave one last look to Falcone before closing his eyes to concentrate.
It took effort but soon a rippling black vortex erupted in front of him as if it was a door.
Wincing a little from a growing migraine Krios stepped through the door with the floating broken lamps following him before the vortex snapped closed.