当然,不可能指望整个哥谭都听从教父的命令.哥谭市不乏叛逆的麻烦制造者,其中最突出的一个是萨尔·马罗尼.
马罗尼是一个雄心勃勃的人,他给自己的帮派起的名字就证明了这一点.在哥谭,并非所有帮派都可以以姓氏命名.最初,只有法尔科内家族拥有这种特权,现在法尔科内建立的十二个家族也以姓氏命名.其余的小帮派有自己的代号.
在哥谭,以自己的姓氏命名帮派是一项非常有声望的行为,因为法尔科内是第一个这样做的人,并取得了无与伦比的成功.
通过这样做,马罗尼代表了他从一开始就挑战教父的野心.
在红鸦帮被消灭后,马罗尼吞噬了它的大部分残余,也消灭了另一个敌人.他在东端的街道上几乎是无敌的.
他当然想走得更远,尤其是知道教父正在变老.在法尔科内家族新老两代之间的权力过渡时期,这是采取行动的绝佳机会.
法尔科内将许多行业托付给埃文斯.埃文斯虽然聪明,却缺乏老教父那种精明狠辣的气质.被大都会的外来者袭击的两名调酒师是埃文斯想要改革的酒吧的一部分.
从中,马罗尼敏锐地感觉到教父正在失去权力的事实.小法尔科内还太年轻;他想改过自新,却缺乏老教父的决断手段.他想保持稳定,但缺乏经验.马罗尼认为这是对法尔科内进行致命打击的最佳时机.
根据马罗尼的推测,他认为教父不会直接面对袭击者.虽然丢了面子可以动摇他的威信,但教父确实老了.与声望相比,权力的转移更为关键.在这个权力交接的关键时刻,一旦他的能量被转移,就可能发生大乱.法尔科内不会一分钱一分货,聪明而骄傲,愚蠢.
马罗尼本来打算大手大脚,进一步削弱教父的威望.他甚至打算假装成大都会的人,攻击教父控制的其他行业.然而,出乎意料的是,席勒的住院治疗让帮派们发疯,无情地追捕入侵者.
这种情况让马罗尼措手不及.
本来,他就觉得就算教父去追那些家伙,也没关系.只要他的注意力分散,他就一定会找到机会侵占法尔科内的家族产业.
Maroni is a bold person. He doesn't believe the Godfather is unshakable. Even if he does, he still wants to take a piece of meat from him.
But what surprises him is that the entire Gotham becomes restless. Almost all the gangs start digging deep.
In this disorder, Maroni can't make a firm decision. If he acts now, will the Godfather be angry and target him? He wants a surprise attack, not to directly confront the Falcone family, which he can't win against.
But if he doesn't make a move, Maroni has already made some small actions. If this wave passes and he hasn't established a foothold yet, if the Godfather seeks revenge, he will be completely over.
While he struggles with this, the leader of the criminals unexpectedly approaches him.
These people are really unlucky. They used to be a group of terrorists in the Middle East, working as mercenaries for various organizations. They are brought to the East Coast by another client but end up taking another job in Gotham City.
Their employer is quite generous, so they work diligently. However, Gotham is a cursed place where even the Devil wouldn't have much effect. They are chased all over the city, covered in bruises. Moreover, the docks are controlled by the gangs, so they can't leave.
They have no choice but to seek cooperation with their enemies' enemies.
Maroni's provocative actions against the Godfather are known even to Gordon, let alone these criminals. They want to make a deal with Maroni. As long as Maroni is willing to help them leave Gotham, they will solve a problem for him before they leave.
Maroni initially doesn't want to make this deal. However, he realizes these people can survive under the siege of all the gangs in Gotham, so they must be capable. With this group of killers, he will have more options.
Of course, Maroni won't let them assassinate the Godfather. Meaningless, and they won't do it either. So he sets his sights on another aspect of the Godfather's newly developed industry chain—the police.
Maroni knows, the Godfather is profiting greatly from this new industry chain. If it continues, the Falcone's rule will remain stable, and he won't have any chance. Therefore, he has to destroy this industry chain and prevent the privately-run prison system controlled by Falcone from providing so much profit.
The police and judges are indeed crucial parts of this chain. Only when they exercise legal arrest authority and then proceed with trials, can the criminals be sent to asylum.
Falcone will put a lot of effort into protecting Schiller because he thinks Schiller lacks self-defense ability. But he has provided the police with so much firepower that he doesn't pay attention to them anymore. After all, those who dare to be police in Gotham have some skills. With enough weapons, they can protect themselves.
Maroni targets Gordon.
Initially, in order to deal with former Commissioner Victor, Maroni chooses to support Gordon. At the time, he doesn't know much about this cop, and he feels he doesn't need to. Gotham's police are all the same. It is normal for them to cooperate with the gangs. Even the least important clerks in the office have at least one gang backing them.
Maroni thinks since he helped Gordon rise to power, as long as he goes to talk to him, Gordon will be willing to work for him.
Although it is dangerous for him to turn against the Godfather, now he has this group of criminals. If the carrot doesn't work, he can use the stick.
Gordon is happy at this moment ,because his fiancee Barbara finally arrives in Gotham.
They meet at the Chicago Police Academy, where Gordon is just a rookie officer and Barbara is an intern lawyer. They work together on a case during their internship, fall in love, and get engaged.
Then, Gordon comes to Gotham for work. In the past, they can only have a long-distance relationship because they are not financially stable. They can't quit their jobs, let alone consider getting married and having a family. But now, Gordon's financial situation improves, so they decide to move to Gotham and live together.
On this day, Gordon comes home from work as usual. Although there is no extra income recently, Barbara has some savings. Together, their money is just enough to buy a good apartment.
They make plans to go see the apartment tonight. If everything goes well, they can move in within two weeks and no longer have to squeeze into this old rental house.
He hears Barbara coming out as he enters the home. The smell of food wafts from the kitchen, and Gordon takes off his coat and asks, "What are you cooking? It smells so good!"
"It's your favorite roasted lamb ribs," Barbara blinks her eyes. Gordon puts his arm around her shoulder and they walk into the dining room together.
"My friend gives me a great suggestion. I contact the landlord of the Pelican Community, and we can go see the house there tomorrow. If like it, we can immediately pay the deposit and move."
"That's fantastic," Barbara smiles, "You know, my family background isn't good and I've never lived in a fancy apartment before. Does the house have a nursery? I really want a daughter, my little princess!"
"Of course, that's what I'm thinking," Gordon kisses Barbara's cheek, and they sit down to have dinner.
"I want our daughter to learn dance. Being a dancer is my childhood dream, but I don't have the chance."
"If you become a dancer, you wouldn't have met me, right?" Gordon smiles and jokes, "I think our daughter should be free to do whatever she wants. Whether it's learning dance, painting, or becoming an excellent lawyer like you."
"Come on," Barbara makes a helpless expression, "This job is so tried. I don't want her to become a lawyer. I hope she has a more relaxed life."
"Dance is the same. It's just because you haven't learned it that you yearn for it. I've seen the cheerleading squad at Gotham University, they do leg stretches every day. Some dance students also complain that it's a short-lived career, and when they get old, it's easy to lose their jobs..."
"You really stress me out. What if our child doesn't live well?" Barbara frowns.
"You should have more confidence for her, and how she lives is her own choice."
"Even if it's being a police officer in such a dangerous city like you?"
"Oh, dear..." Gordon gives a wry smile, "Don't say that."
"I know, you told me before. Your dream is to be a police officer because you were born in Chicago, another dangerous city, and a cop saved your mother, so you also want to be a police officer who upholds justice."
"But it is really dangerous. I've said it more than once, we can go back to my hometown and live there together. It doesn't matter if we're financially tight, at least it's safe."
Gordon sighs, he also knows that Barbara is right. With the money he earns now, they can buy a villa in a countryside in Arizona. He can find a job as a reserve officer there, and Barbara can work as a legal advisor. They could live peacefully and happily.
But even though Gordon knows Gotham is a hellhole, he just doesn't want to leave.
He just thinks, if police officers can't stay in the most dangerous place to protect people, then what is the point?