The history of Gotham City's sewers is long-standing, and regardless of the city's renewals, they have largely remained untouched, being the darkest underground realm of Gotham.
Essentially, no Gotham citizens would wander down here for no good reason. If Marvel's New York's sewers still house some oddly evil scientists and friendly neighbors, the sewers of Gotham at this time can be said to be desolate. Even homeless people and beggars won't descend here, because they've heard the legends of people mysteriously disappearing upon entering.
However, Catwoman, being highly skilled and bold, could squeeze into every nook and cranny. To evade Bruce's eyes, she quickly slinked into the sewers.
Catwoman indeed has a unique talent in this regard. She hadn't gone far before she discovered traces of human activity near the Eastside Reservoir.
Originally, she was merely curious, so she followed these traces persistently. However, soon what she discovered exceeded her expectations. Catwoman discovered a massive conference room in the sewers.
Even if Catwoman is daring, she knew this was a big deal; she hastily dialed Bruce's number.
Falcone, Bruce, and Shiller arrived at the scene. Standing in the massive conference room, Bruce looked up at the dome studded with ribbons and said, "This construction could not have been built by gangsters or hooligans..."
Indeed, the ceiling here stood more than ten meters high, and the whole room was aided by a colossal stone support structure. Not to mention the ingenuity of the architectural design, the sheer scale of the project was beyond what a couple of people could handle.
Falcone stood at the front of the massive conference table, seemingly silent. The Godfather's gaze slid along the table to Shiller, who seemed lost in thought at the other end. He asked, "You don't seem surprised."
"Neither do you," Shiller responded.
The three men fell silent, and finally, it was Bruce who broke the deadlock. "It seems we've all guessed that there is a mysterious force secretly manipulating Gotham, and this is the proof," he said.
"We've all paid a heavy price for it," said Falcone, "I know that you've never stopped wondering about your parents' death, and so have I."
The Godfather closed his eyes, seemingly deep in thought, "My eldest son was killed similarly in a mysterious shooting. It happened one night many years ago, but I chose to remain silent, until today."
"Do you think these people are the culprits?" Bruce rapped on the table, then looked at Shiller. "Professor, you have no reason to investigate this matter, but you called out the assassin by name when you confronted him."
"You better not be so judgmental. What do you think I have been investigating serial killers worldwide for?" responded Shiller.
Bruce frowned, "Did you know about the existence of this organization a while ago?"
"More than that, I also know many other things, but I can't reveal them. Even if you knew about them, I'm afraid you wouldn't be able to change anything."
"What's its name?" Falcone asked.
"Court of Owls, and their assassins are called Talons."
"That nursery rhyme..." Bruce suddenly recalled. In Gotham City, there was always a bizarre and terrifying nursery rhyme circulating: Beware of the Court of Owls, watchful throughout, peering from the low walls and attics, dwelling with you in your home, in your bed lies its presence, talk not of its name, lest its talons seek your head.
Falcone fell silent and didn't keenly probe further. Bruce wanted to ask more, but Shiller interrupted him, "What we need to consider now is why did this organization suddenly withdraw from here? It doesn't seem like a good sign."
Shiller was genuinely perplexed, by how the Court of Owls vanished overnight?
In this many comics, he hasn't seen the Court of Owls slip out of Gotham. Judging by the appearance of the conference room, it seemed to have been in use just recently. How could it have disappeared all of a sudden?
Caressing his chin, Bruce suggested, "Maybe they've just shifted their base?"
"But why the sudden shift in base?"
Both Bruce and Falcone shook their heads. From their perspectives, such behavior was indeed strange. Nothing substantial happened in Gotham recently, so why was this organization in such a rush to relocate?
Moreover, the conference room indeed was quite concealed. If they hadn't hastily left and left traces behind, chances are, even if the aboveground structures in Gotham were to be rebuilt, this underground base still wouldn't be discovered.
With such a colossal investment, and such an exquisitely constructed edifice, they could just abandon it. What exactly happened that they didn't know about?
"However, we all confirm that indeed such an organization exists, and Gotham's development to this day is not accidental," Falcone said.
"We have to unite," Shiller asserted, hammering on the table.
"No matter what you think, I have to warn you that this organization is more terrifying than you can imagine. Not only is it manipulating Gotham, it's also trying to manipulate the whole world."
"If we can't muster the power to confront it, then Gotham and the entire world will inevitably be shrouded in the darkness of the Owls' wings."