One Universe: Season IV IC Thread

[TrueMastermind]

"Umm...Mr.Castle. Wake up..." Frank awoke to a smiling Julia, her radiance emmiting a glow of the heavens. Frank had tended to her last night while she was asleep on his bed and it certainly showed. While the cuts and bruises still remained, she seemed like she felt no pain, no hurt.

"There's somebody here for you..." Snapping out of his mouth-waterung trance, Frank dragged his head up to witness Martin Soap leaning against the wall, smoking a fancy cigar. Frank didn't even want to know how the sly cop sneaked in, he just wanted him out.

"What the hell do you want? And why did you come here?" No reply. Soap continued to send clouds of lung-clogging smoke from his cigar while strolling around the little hideout, scanning it from head to toe.

"Answer me!" Chuckling like a cocky ***tard, the Lieutenant finally turned to look the Punisher eye to eye, a deed few men dared to do.

"To tell you what to do, obviously." Just the superior tone lingering in Soap's voice angered the Punisher greatly, causing him to reach for a loaded pistol laying on the table behind him. But Soap didn't even acknowledge the weapon, instead proceeding on with what he had to say.

"Ma's Pizzeria. On 44th and Bollard. One of the Gnucci's rackets is in the back. Go to the rooftop. There you will meet a man who will tag along with you on this assignment. Is further explanation needed?" For the first time today, Frank flashed a smile. Then he chuckled. To him, the idea of a blonde-haired, blue-eyed preppy telling him what to do was hilarious. But despite the laughs, he knew he had to do it, and that just made it funnier.

"Just get the hell out of here," Suprised that the big-headed cop complied with him, Frank watched him walk out of the door before shifting his gaze towards Julia.

"He's kind of cute." All laughter died.

 

[Eddie Brock]

THE JOKER

Maxwell Dillon - the man known as Electro - furrows his brow in confusion as he hears the classical music wafting from the warehouse. Was he sure this was the place? It had to be. He had watched Clayface walk out of here only a few minutes ago. Ignoring the peculiarity, Electro tries to enter through the side door. It's locked from the inside. Electro's hand sparkles with electricity as he blasts the doorknob off.

"What the Hell?"

A large dining table is set up in the middle of the room with two chairs. A clean white tablecloth hangs over the side, and sterling silverware is arranged neatly beside empty plates. A large roast chicken sits on a platter in the center of the table. The Clown Prince of Crime hums along with the music as he finishes lighting the candles on the table. He turns and sees Electro.

"Oh, dear! How ungracious of me! Welcome, welcome! Please, come in!" The Joker motions to the seat at the near end of the table. Electro moves closer hesitantly. The Joker closes his eyes and seems to lose himself in the music. "Do you like it? It's Bach. Listen to the violins, how they respond to one another. It's positively exquisite."

"What is this, Joker?" Electro asks nervously.

The Joker smiles pleasantly. "I was expecting you, so I thought I might prepare a small feast," he explains. The Jack of All Crimes seats himself and lays a napkin across his lap. He picks up a glass of red wine and holds it under his nose. "A fine Merlot."

"You were expecting me?" Electro repeats uncertainly.

"Well, not you specifically, but I knew Scarry Harvey would send someone eventually."

Electro shifts his weight, trying not to let the strangeness of the situation get to him. "Then you know why I'm here," he replies. The Joker appears more interested in listening to the music, but Electro continues. "Two-Face knows what you're doing, and he wants it stopped right now. This is his city now, and there's no place for you in it."

"Now, is that any way to speak to your gracious host?" the Joker immediately snaps with a venomous tone not frequently heard. "I didn't take orders from Harvey when his face was symmetrical, and I'm certainly not going to start now. Run along, errand boy, and tell your master that the Joker can't be strong-armed."

Electro smirks. "Two-Face said you'd resist," he remarks. "He also said I was free to do whatever I needed to in order to get his message across." As Electro balls his hands into fists, electricity sparks from them. He wants to shock the smile right off of that clown's face.

The Clown Prince of Crime puts down his wine. "Harvey must be getting desperate if he's willing to hire freaks. Is your little spark plug show supposed to scare me? Don't make me laugh. Ha!"

Without warning, Electro fires a bolt of electricity at the table, frying the chicken and knocking over the candles.

"I slave all day over a hot stove, and this is the thanks I get?" the Joker asks incredulously. He stands up and takes his butter knife in his hand. "Well, come on, then! Don't keep me waiting!"
​

​

 

[Byrd Man]

Parker Robbins exits the backroom of the Cheetah Club with a shake of his head. He has just had a long conversation with his boss, and it isn't looking good. According to LaMonica, Max Dillon was missing. Skinny Pete was late with the resupply to their dealers. And to make matters worse, Lau had severed his ties with the organization. Lau knows something, or so Robbins thinks. He thinks the noose is beginning to tighten, but he's not sure who the hangman is.

Lost in his thoughts, Robbins walks through the club and walks by a man getting a lap dance from an exotic dancer. The man keeps his sight on the woman while letting his peripheral vision drift towards the entrance of the back room. Detective Marcus Driver makes a mental note, and goes back to his lap dance.

*****

"Skinny" Pete Tillman bites his fingernails as he sits in his car and waits in the back alley for the courier to deliver the drug resupply. A black SUV pulls up and a skinny man with dark hair steps out. Michael "Mink" Sullivan. The man with him is his boss, Oswald Chesterfield Cobblepot, better known as Penguin.

"Peter, my boy," Penguin says as he extends his hand to the drug lieutenant. "Sorry we're late. Mink was just introducing me to his cousin. I'm always willing to employ those that work hard."

"I bet," Pete says lazily. "You got the ****."

"Of course we do," Penguin replies. "But I came along with Mink to talk to you."

"Speak, then. I gotta hurry up and get these **** out to the corners."

"Well, Peter, as you may already know. In this business, reliable people who are hard workers are always hard to find. And someone of your talents could be better served with another organization."

"I don't like where this is going."

"I want you to work for me, Peter. Mink is a good muscle man, but he doesn't have the math skills for the drug trade. Forget that two-sided former lawyer and suit wearing axe man, and join my team. With them, you're a lieutenant in name only. The Italian LaMonica and his freak buddy Dillon boss you around, and you get paid the same as those corner kids. With me, you'll be a true lieutenant. Answering only to me. More importantly, you'll get a raise. 5% of all profits each week. I routinely make a quarter of a million dollars a week. Take five percent of that and multiply it by fifty-two."

Pete stares at Penguin for a long minute before turning to Mink. "You got the stuff ready?"

"Just think about what I said, Peter," Penguin replies. "That's all that I ask."

*****

"This is what Charlie and I found out," Marcus Driver begins as he reports to Captain Essen and Lieutenant Akins inside the MCU squadroom.

"They use the strippers from the Cheetah Room as hookers. The club shuts down around three in the morning. After that, the ladies are escorted to an swanky downtown penthouse. We believe that's where their brothel is. The customers come from the strip club. There seems to be some secret way you go about buying the women's services, we haven't figured that out yet. But when you buy, you go to the penthouse and have your fun, then someone drops you off back at the Cheetah Club parking lot. It could be difficult because the money changes hands at least an hour before a sexual act begins."

"It's not that much of a problem, Detective," Akins says. "We'll have an officer wearing a wire the whole time. We'll have the entire transaction on record. Is that all?"

"No," Driver begins again. "When I was in the club, I saw Two-Face's second in command coming out of a backroom in that club. Ever since they ditched their phones, we're not sure how they've been communicating. I think they get their orders from Two-Face in that room."

"Think he's in there?" Essen asks.

"Probably. I could be wrong and it could be a land line, or they could be communicating through a webcam. Regardless, I think all the major business is going down in that backroom."

"Okay," Essen says. "I'll run this up to the commissioner and see if we can get some surveillance equipment. A wire for an undercover officer and a camera to put inside that backroom. If Two-Face is back there, we're getting him on video and audio."
​

 

[Carnage27]

Jamie ran out of the compound but instantly froze. His bike was lying on the ground, full of bullet holes and dents from blunt objects. It was most definately trashed. He put his hands to his head.

"Logan's actually going to kill me," he gasped.

He turned to the Titans and their unconscious collegue.

"I dont suppose I could hitch a lift with you guys?"

"No problem!" I say as the four of us rush down the aisle of flames Johnny put up for us. As we get to the end, he swoops up in the hovercar and we all hop in, Robin being careful to make sure the princess is okay. "Johnny get us out of here, and get us back to New York. I think we're gonna need Reed's help with this one."

Without another word we rocket off towards New York, leaving the Friends of Humanity compound far behind us. I sigh slightly and sit back in my seat, looking over at Robin, Koriand'r slumped between the two of us, "Were they not feeding her? Or what?"

"It looked like they were. She actually had nice enough quarters. But there were no lights. It was weird," Robin replies.

I nod and wait to get back to the Baxter Building.

 

[Eddie Brock]

"No problem!" I say as the four of us rush down the aisle of flames Johnny put up for us. As we get to the end, he swoops up in the hovercar and we all hop in, Robin being careful to make sure the princess is okay. "Johnny get us out of here, and get us back to New York. I think we're gonna need Reed's help with this one."

Without another word we rocket off towards New York, leaving the Friends of Humanity compound far behind us. I sigh slightly and sit back in my seat, looking over at Robin, Koriand'r slumped between the two of us, "Were they not feeding her? Or what?"

"It looked like they were. She actually had nice enough quarters. But there were no lights. It was weird," Robin replies.

I nod and wait to get back to the Baxter Building.

"Sorry about the tight squeeze. This thing was kinda designed for four people," I explain. Pressing a button on the dashboard, seatbelt harnesses pop out of the seats and lock around the passengers. Like I always say, you can never be too careful.

Okay, so maybe I've never said that.

The Fantasticar takes the skies with a roar as Gotham disappears behind us. The GPS device built into the dashboard points me in the direction of the Baxter. I kick up the throttle to the max.

***

"Attention, everyone, this is your captain speaking. We have arrived at our destination. I would ask that you all remain seated with your tray-tables up and your seats back in the full, upright position until the hovercar comes to a complete stop."

I pull back on the throttle, slowing the Fantasticar so we can make a soft landing on the Baxter Building's roof. I press another button on the dashboard which sends an alert to Reed so that he can meet us right away.

I look at Spider-Man as the Fantasticar touches down. "Not bad."
​

 

[Eddie Brock]

THE JOKER

Electro fires a bolt of electricity across the room, just missing the target. The Joker is deceptively fast, and he gets around on Electro quickly. Electro manages to get off a small shockwave, but it doesn't stop the sudden assault. The Joker jabs forward, missing, but follows with another swift strike. Electricity jumps from Electro's body to the butter knife, but the Clown Prince of Crime doesn't seem to notice or care.

"You really are crazy, aren't you, Joker?" Electro asks, half-impressed by the Joker's resolve and half-terrified by it. "Don't you know I'm gonna make you fry?"

The Joker smiles. "This isn't my first rodeo, Baldy. But don't worry, you've certainly got the hair on my neck standing on end!" The Joker lunges forward suddenly, sticking the butter knife between Electro's ribs. Like a kid sticking a fork into an electric socket, the Joker is given a serious jolt. "HAHAHAHA! What a rush!"

Electro holds the stab wound with one hand while he finally blasts the Joker straight-on. The purple-clad clown is flung across the room before breaking through a stack of wooden crates. Electro had never anticipated that a fight with a normal person would be this tense. He had clearly underestimated the Joker.

"You'll appreciate this one, Electro," the Joker announces as he gets up like nothing happened. "What's the difference between a woman and a battery?" The Joker reaches into his jacket pocket and throws a handful of clattering teeth at Electro. It's nothing more than a distraction. "A battery has a positive side! HAHAHA!"

Electro blasts the chattering teeth until they're nothing more than burn marks on the warehouse floor. When he looks up, he sees the Joker brandishing a candlestick and aiming for his head. "Die already!" Electro isn't quick enough to avoid a blow to the head, but the Joker is knocked back by the electrical discharge running through the candlestick.

"Ooh! How about this one? What do you call a carpenter working on an electrical panel?" the Joker asks excitedly. "DEAD! HAHAHAHA!" He jumps and grabs Electro by the throat. Staring into Electro's eyes, the Joker lets his assailant get a good look at insanity. All of the Joker's green hairs are sticking out, but his smile never falters.

"You're absolutely out of your mind, Joker! That's why I'm gonna enjoy this even more..."

"Not even a chuckle? Come on! I'm bringing my A-game here!" the Joker laughs. Electro pushes him aside, but like a dog with rabies, the Joker immediately gets back up and comes on the attack again. "Of course! What was I thinking? You look like a man who enjoys his prop humor!"

The Joker pushes a button on his palm, and water squirts from the flower on his lapel. When the water hits Electro, he shorts out and collapses with a defeated yell.

"Usually I fill that with acid, but I see that water is just as effective. You know what they say! You can't beat the classics! HAHAHAHA!"
​

 

[Karem-Knight]

Oval Office

Lex looked from the outside window of the White House admiring the country that was now under his fatal grip when one of his secretaries came inside to his office.

"Mr. President, the forty cupcake you had ordered from Metropolis have arrived."

"Excellent, prepare them for me now."

Lex then thought to himself about the cupcake he would soon be feasting on as the mathematical properties of them came popping into his head, what with his highly scientific mind and all.

"Forty cupcakes, that's as much as four tens...........and that's terrible."

 

[TrueMastermind]

delete

 

[TrueMastermind]

"Umm...Mr.Castle. Wake up..." Frank awoke to a smiling Julia, her radiance emmiting a glow of the heavens. Frank had tended to her last night while she was asleep on his bed and it certainly showed. While the cuts and bruises still remained, she seemed like she felt no pain, no hurt.

"There's somebody here for you..." Snapping out of his mouth-waterung trance, Frank dragged his head up to witness Martin Soap leaning against the wall, smoking a fancy cigar. Frank didn't even want to know how the sly cop sneaked in, he just wanted him out.

"What the hell do you want? And why did you come here?" No reply. Soap continued to send clouds of lung-clogging smoke from his cigar while strolling around the little hideout, scanning it from head to toe.

"Answer me!" Chuckling like a cocky ***tard, the Lieutenant finally turned to look the Punisher eye to eye, a deed few men dared to do.

"To tell you what to do, obviously." Just the superior tone lingering in Soap's voice angered the Punisher greatly, causing him to reach for a loaded pistol laying on the table behind him. But Soap didn't even acknowledge the weapon, instead proceeding on with what he had to say.

"Ma's Pizzeria. On 44th and Bollard. One of the Gnucci's rackets is in the back. Go to the rooftop. There you will meet a man who will tag along with you on this assignment. Is further explanation needed?" For the first time today, Frank flashed a smile. Then he chuckled. To him, the idea of a blonde-haired, blue-eyed preppy telling him what to do was hilarious. But despite the laughs, he knew he had to do it, and that just made it funnier.

"Just get the hell out of here," Suprised that the big-headed cop complied with him, Frank watched him walk out of the door before shifting his gaze towards Julia.

"He's kind of cute." All laughter died.

"Who was after you?" Suprised at the random question, Julia looked at Frank with much confusion.

"The night you arrived, you said somebody was after you. Who was it?" Fear washed over her face. She was scared to tell. Frank knew this. He just wanted to know why.

"I would appreciate it if you stay out of my affairs." Her tone certainly wasn't pleasant, a fact Frank didn't appreciate at all.

"You walk up to my door, ask for my help, and you're gonna tell me to 'stay out of your affairs!' That's not how I operate. You tell me or I'm gonna toss you back onto the streets!" His outburst placed Julia on the verge of tears, making Castle feel a sense of regret over shouting at the damaged damsel. He wasn't really going to throw her out on the streets; he just concluded that the comment would help him recieve the information he desired.

"I don't know his name. But he knew mine. I didn't think he was dangerous at first; he just looked like a desperate, helpless homeless man, sitting in a alleyway while staring a hole through the opposite wall. When I headed over to him to give him some money, he pounced on me. While he smacked me around, he ranted about some mark or something; it was hard to understand. Then he started to whisper my name. I finally got away after I accidentally broke his arm. But I could barely walk...and that's when I stumbled into this place." Shocked that she actually answered, Frank attempted to process all of this. Julia was shaking terribly, clearly traumatized over the whole expierence.

"Do you know how he could possibly know your name?"

"Probably had been following me for a couple of days, judging by his looks. His eyes...they were filled with hatred...and evil...they shook me to the core..." Not able to hold back any longer, she let out a shower of tears. Frank wanted to see the man who's appearence alone could make a women cry. He couldn't be worse than half of the goons he had gone up against. Julia continued to sob viciously, making Frank uncomfortable. Not knowing how to respond to this situation, Frank grabs some of his guns and strolls out the door without another word.

 

[Eddie Brock]

THE JOKER

DOWNTOWN GOTHAM
11:00 PM
​

"Stop the truck!"

The armored vehicle screeches to a halt in the middle of the Gotham street. Laying before the truck, a small boy is wrapped in the fetal position, crying. The police officer riding in the passenger seat steps out of the truck and approaches the boy.

"Son, are you okay?" he asks softly. The boy continues crying. "What happened? Why are you in the middle of the road?"

"A bad man hurt me," the boy explains between sobs. "He came up behind me and pushed me down. Then, he kept hitting me, and he took my backpack." Through tear-stained eyes, the boy looks up at the police officer. "Is the bad man going to come back?"

The police officer bends down and places his hand on the boy's shoulder. "No, the bad man is gone now. He can't hurt you anymore."

"Don't be so sure," the boy says suddenly in a deep voice. His body begins to twist and contort, and his skin turns muddy brown. With a sickening laugh, the boy transforms into the large silhouette of Clayface. "The bad man hurt me, officer!" Clayface mocks.

"I can't believe you fell for that! It was too easy!" Clayface laughs. He picks up the police officer and throws him against the hood of the armored vehicle. Making himself larger, Clayface slams his fist down on the hood, leaving only the battered and bruised shape of a man on it. From within the cabin, the driver takes a few shots at Clayface, but the bullets are simply absorbed into his mass.

"I'm making a withdrawal!" Clayface announces as he begins to tear the roof off the armored car.

***

FUTURE SITE OF THE "GOTHAM STARLIGHT CASINO"
3:00 PM

Construction crews work tirelessly through the midday heat as a radio broadcasts a report on Clayface's ambush of a cross-bank money transfer late last night. The foreman looks over the blueprints of the casino while trying to ignore the sound of the radio. "Hey, turn that crap off, will ya?" he barks.

Suddenly, the ground begins to shake. Subtle at first, it stops just as quickly as it started.

"What the Heck was that?"

Then, the tremors start again. The steel beams that form the skeleton of the casino shake in their foundations. The construction crew begins to run for cover as the vibrations become more intense. The ground begins to crumble, and massive vines rise up from underneath the structure. The vines wrap around the steel beams, pulling them down from the top. Some workers are crushed by falling pieces, others narrowly avoid a similar fate.

The construction site is flooded with vines and undergrowth - seemingly growing up from the ground below - and through it all, a red-haired face can be seen.

"My children are free!"

***

GOTHAM GENERAL HOSPITAL, SURGERY WING
5:00 PM

"GET THEM OFF ME!" the nurse screams as she bursts through the doors to the surgery wing. Collapsing immediately on the floor, she scratches at her own skin furiously. She lets out a bloodcurdling scream as she writhes on the floor. "AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!"

A man wearing a hospital gown stumbles through the doors behind her. "Go away! Make him go away!" The man punches the glass case containing the fire extinguisher, seemingly oblivious to the pain. Taking a shard of broken glass in his bloody hand, he stabs wildly at the air. "GO AWAY!"

A door is kicked off its hinges by a crazed doctor. Wielding a scalpel, he trips down the surgery wing hallway. A patient rushes him, and the doctor plunges his tool into the patient's stomach. "He...he was going to kill me! You all saw it!" the doctor babbles as the stabbed patient collapses. "STOP LOOKING AT ME LIKE THAT!" He throws the scalpel across the hallway blindly. "The eyes...never stop looking...never stop watching..."

There's the sound of hooves clattering down the hallway as the Scarecrow rides in, flocked by a trio of noisy ravens. The stabbed patient reaches up and tries to grab the Scarecrow's horse, which causes the animal to rise up on its hind legs and buck angrily.

"EMBRACE YOUR FEAR, GOTHAM!"

***

THE ACE OF KNAVES COMEDY CLUB
8:00 PM

As the crowd continues to laugh, the emcee takes the microphone from its stand. "Haha! Alright, that was pretty funny, right?" he asks the crowd. The cheer in approval, and the emcee motions for them to quiet down. "Alright, alright, settle down. Now, I've seen our next act before, and he is one funny dude! Seriously! Give it up--heh--for--heh heh--I said, give--haha--give it up--hahaha..."

The people in the club exchange confused glances.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" The emcee's eyes are bloodshot and rifled with terror, but he continues laughing. Bending over the microphone stand, the emcee struggles for air as his laughter continues. "HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

There's a chuckle from the crowd. Then, it grows into a giggle. Soon, the whole crowd is laughing along with the emcee. They look to each other for help, but their expressions of horror are masked by the enormous smiles on all their faces. Their laughter becomes a deafening roar within the club.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

"Oh, you're too kind. Please, stop." The Joker takes the stage, kicking aside the collapsed body of the emcee. "Seriously, stop. Oh wait! YOU CAN'T! HAHAHAHAHA!"

​

 

[Byrd Man]

​

It's been a little over a week since Joker sprung four highly dangerous inmates our of Arkham, and chaos is ensuing. Clayface robbed an armored last night. This afternoon Poison Ivy destroyed a construction site with her plants, killing three workers and injuring dozens in the process. And just a few hours ago Scarecrow attacked Gotham General, and Joker went on a killing spree in a comedy club.

I'm on the scene at the comedy club with Sarah.

"Excuse me," a young woman with glasses says as she passes by us and snaps photos of the bodies with her camera.

"Carlie," Sarah says to get her attention. "Make sure you get Corrigan to scrape under the fingernails. Doesn't look like signs of a struggle, but you can never be sure."

I turn away from the crime scene and shake my head. "Jesus. The mob were monsters too, but at least they were predictable monsters. With guys like the Joker, you don't know what's next."

I walk out the comedy club and look over at the reporter behind the police parition.

"Alexander Knox, Gotham Globe. Can I get a comment, Commissioner?"

"My comment is no comment, Mister Knox."

Sarah follows me out of the comedy club and to my car. That's where she finishes telling me about the update on the investigation into Two-Face.

"Go to Judge Cirillo," I say after she's done. "Get a warrant for a fiber optic camera to be placed into the back room's wall. If you can get someone from the MCU to install the camera, then go for it. If not, Sergeant Johnson in Tactical will be able to help out."

"Thanks, Jim," Sarah says. We sit in silence for a long while. The crimes of the Joker and his gang are weighing heavy on my mind. That, combined with Two-Face and the big question on if I should confront the mayor, are rattling through my mind so much that I don't realize Sarah is getting my attention.

"What'd you say?"

"I said you look beat. Want to get a bite to eat?"

"Yeah," I say with a smile. "I'd love to."​

 

[Carnage27]

"I don't know if that exactly makes me feel much better. Are we going to meet the old bundle of joy now?"

"No," I respond shaking my head. I can sense the hesitation Stark now has with me. He doesn;t trust me, nor should he. Hell, I'm a double agent. Trustworthiness probably isn't my best trait. "Colonel Fury is directing a mission with some of your younger friends in the city. You two are my assets as of new. He wanted someone with you all the time, as you're now both public enemies at the top of Luthor's watch list. He needs someone who can warn you if the hammers about to strike."

"I thought you looked familiar," I say as I ignore Tony's little jab."I've seen you around the helicarrier back when I was welcome there. So, Miss Rushman, if that is indeed your real name, how exactly will you help us?"

"That's something you'll want to keep to yourself, Captain," I say. "The reason SHIELD thinks I'm here is they sent me on a mission to spy on Mr. Stark. You letting on that you know who I am could jeopardize that."

"And as for how I can help you," I say with a smile, "I know SHIELD's every move, and I can warn you if they decide to grow a pair and come after you."

Their demeanors brighten a little at this, but I raise my hand, "But...there are limitations." I turn to look at Stark, "Which brings me back to you. For this to have any chance of working, I'm going to need intel to feed to SHIELD. It can be false, it can be skewed, or it can be mundane stuff you don't mind parting with. But if I don't get anything, I'll be called back to Washington, and you guys lose your inside source."

 

[Carnage27]

I pull back on the throttle, slowing the Fantasticar so we can make a soft landing on the Baxter Building's roof. I press another button on the dashboard which sends an alert to Reed so that he can meet us right away.

I look at Spider-Man as the Fantasticar touches down. "Not bad."
​

I cradle Koriand'r and rush into the Baxter Building, almost running into Reed in the process. A look of slight surprise crosses his face as he realizes our group has grown quite a bit since we left. He then looks down, brow furrowed, "This her, obviously."

"Yea," I say nodding. "Her vitals are pretty weak...from what I can tell at least. We figured you were the best person to figure this one out."

"Let's get her to the lab," he replies, ushering us towards the lab. As we enter, he clears off a padded examination table, and I carefully place the alien princess on it. "I'll have to run a few tests. You may want to wait outside."

I lead the team back into the common area of Johnny and the Fantastic Four's home, and take a seat on the couch. It's always weird trying to relax in my costume. Just doesn't feel right. But I push away my awkwardness and speak up, "Glad you showed up when you did, Jamie. You really were a big help."

 

[Eddie Brock]

I cradle Koriand'r and rush into the Baxter Building, almost running into Reed in the process. A look of slight surprise crosses his face as he realizes our group has grown quite a bit since we left. He then looks down, brow furrowed, "This her, obviously."

"Yea," I say nodding. "Her vitals are pretty weak...from what I can tell at least. We figured you were the best person to figure this one out."

"Let's get her to the lab," he replies, ushering us towards the lab. As we enter, he clears off a padded examination table, and I carefully place the alien princess on it. "I'll have to run a few tests. You may want to wait outside."

I lead the team back into the common area of Johnny and the Fantastic Four's home, and take a seat on the couch. It's always weird trying to relax in my costume. Just doesn't feel right. But I push away my awkwardness and speak up, "Glad you showed up when you did, Jamie. You really were a big help."

"Yeah, hey, with everything going on, we didn't have a chance to be introduced," I announce as I step forward, extending a hand to our newest tag-along. I was too concerned with getting us out of there in one piece to think about him before, but now I find myself wondering who exactly he is. "Johnny Storm, Fantastic Four."

 

[Catman_prb]

"Yeah, hey, with everything going on, we didn't have a chance to be introduced," I announce as I step forward, extending a hand to our newest tag-along. I was too concerned with getting us out of there in one piece to think about him before, but now I find myself wondering who exactly he is. "Johnny Storm, Fantastic Four."

"Jamie Madrox, ex-X-Man," Jamie said, taking Storm's hand firmly "Gotta say, I'm loving the car. Very sci-fi,"

He turned to Spiderman, an almost nervous expression passing over his usually confident face.

"Please, let's be honest," he said "I just stand around hitting things. It's multi-coloured man over there that did all the saving. I've got to wonder, what's your little team called?"

 

[Keyser Soze]

Act 4: Catastrophe

His name was Heimdall. He was the guardian of the Bifrost bridge, and gatekeeper of the great kingdom of Asgard. The legends say his vision is powerful enough to see through all the Nine Worlds.

Still, even though he could see the two incoming visitors coming from a long way away, he still managed to be surprised by the pairing of mortal and god.

"Loki. Donald Blake."

Loki had cast aside the guise of a mortal child, and now stood before Heimdall in his true form. But Donald Blake remained Donald Blake. There was no Thor in sight.

"Heimdall, good to see you again."

"Let it be known, Liesmith, that your actions on Earth have not gone unnoticed."

"Good, I would be insulted if they were. Now, we are here to speak to my father."

Heimdall snorted with disapproval, turning to face Blake.

"Odin would very much like to see his son..."

"Thor has no desire to see him. I do."

Heimdall nodded, and Loki and Donald Blake passed on into Asgard.

His name was Heimdall. He was the guardian of the Bifrost bridge, and gatekeeper of the great kingdom of Asgard. The legends say his vision is powerful enough to see through all the Nine Worlds. But even he could not see the tragedy that lay ahead...

Odin - father of Thor, and King of Asgard - sat alone in his throne room, as he was inclined to spend much of his time doing. At this moment, he was thinking about what a burden it was to be thought of as All Seeing and All Knowing. Humans are under the impression that those who they know as the "Norse gods" are immortal, but that is not the case. Odin could remember being a boy, and could remember being a lusty young man without a care in the world. He could remember when his father Bor was the All Seeing, All Knowing king. But now Odin was old. He felt so old, ancient.

He had been King for a long time, long enough to learn the great secret his father never told him. Nothing changes when you take that crown and become the "All-Father". Yes, you acquire more power, and yes, you have access to more resources of knowledge (such as Odin's two trusty ravens), but you didn't suddenly become a perfect, benevolent God as the people of Midgard once assumed when they chose to worship him. The doubts, the flaws.... they don't go away. You are still the same stubborn, bullheaded fool you always were, only now you are supposed to be perfect, and everyone thinks that you know all and that you have all the answers. And you have to play the part, lest you disappoint...

Odin had grown tired of the facade. He longed for the great halls of Valhalla. But he could not go yet. Not until his son was ready to take his place, and protect the glory of Asgard.

"Father, so good to see you!"

Loki strode into Odin's throne room as if he had been invited. And behind him was none other than Donald Blake, mortal host to Thor.

"You may have noticed the mischief I have been perpetrating in your precious Midgard, father. I figured that if Thor desires to play happy families, I would give it a try too. I am surprised at your lack of reaction, to be honest. I thought you would have...heh heh.... summoned me here in a rage to heap abuse upon my lowly head..."

"Loki, take your leave. I wish to have words with my son... in private."

Loki concealed it well under a mask of indifference, but there was the briefest flicker of hurt when Odin utered the words "my son". With a smile and a nod, he departed from the chamber.

"Why does Thor maintain his disguise when he is home, amongst family? Depart, Donald Blake, and let me speak with my son."

Donald Blake shook his head.

"It's not Thor that wants to speak to you. It's me."

Odin let out a sharp, humorless laugh.

"You? What would a man of Midgard have to say to Odin All-Father?"

"I need to know. What Loki said, about me not being real, about you just creating me as a shell for Thor to inhabit.... it's not true, is it? He's playing tricks on my mind, he... he's made me forget my past, or something, he..."

"No. For once, Loki Laufeyson speaks the truth. I created you."

In his heart, Donald Blake already knew this to be true. But hearing it confirmed made his throat tighten and his lips tremble. All that he knew, all that he was... it was a lie. He was nothing.

"No, I.... I can't be! I eat food, I sleep, I... I'm in love. I'm a Christian, I pray to God, the real one, and you're saying he doesn't even listen because I'm not his!? I'm yours, I'm a figment of your imagination! I'm not real!"

"You are real, Donald Blake. You think, you feel, and as you say, you love. You are as real as any other living being, as human as anyone else on Midgard. Does it really matter how long you have been real for, or how you came into this world? Your God has as much reason to listen to you as anyone else. If you must, think of it as Him 'working in mysterious ways', that is what you mortals say, yes?"

It was so simple to Odin, so easy for him to dismiss the petty agony of the plaything he decided to make one day. Blake stared at him, his whole body shaking with anger, hate and despair.

"Why did you do it? I never needed to have existed, Thor could have just used this body as a disguise like he was doing before you gave me memories and feelings. Why did you give me a soul? How could you be so cruel?"

Odin snorted derisively.

"Boy, you know not of cruelty, so do not speak of it. I grow impatient. Let me speak to my son."

Donald Blake didn't know cruelty, did he? He decided to show Odin how cruel he could be. He shook his head.

"No."

Odin was astonished.

"No?"

"No. Thor doesn't want to talk to you."

"This is nonsense! I will speak with my son this instant! Do you not know who you are trifling with!? I order you to summon Thor!"

"I know exactly what you are. You are a bitter old man who is afraid of dying alone, and you want your son to forgive you before you die, and be by your side when the end comes. Not going to happen. I won't let it."

And strangely, Odin fell quiet.

"My son. Please..... I would speak with my son."

Tears brimming in his eyes, Donald Blake shook his head one more time.

"No."

He turned and limped out of the throne room. Odin could have forced him to stay, compelled him to transform into Thor. Or with a single thought, Odin could have simply nullified Donald Blake out of existence, as easily as he'd brought him into existence. But instead he sat in silence, and let the man walk away. He had done enough damage. Perhaps he did not deserve to see his son.

 

[Carnage27]

"Jamie Madrox, ex-X-Man," Jamie said, taking Storm's hand firmly "Gotta say, I'm loving the car. Very sci-fi,"

He turned to Spiderman, an almost nervous expression passing over his usually confident face.

"Please, let's be honest," he said "I just stand around hitting things. It's multi-coloured man over there that did all the saving. I've got to wonder, what's your little team called?"

"We're the Teen Titans," I say before continuing. "Well, at least Johnny and I are. I was planning on extending an invitation to you tonight, Robin. And Colonel Fury basically told me Koriand'r would be on the team once she recovered as well."

"I'd love to join, Spider-man," Robin nods eagerly. "I mean, as long as Batman let's me out of Gotham on nights that you'll need me."

And then Jamie's words or ex-X-man resonates in my head, and I turn to him, "You're pretty good in a fight, Jamie. And since you're currently teamless, I don't see why you couldn't join up as well."

 

[Eddie Brock]

THE JOKER

"If we're going to take down Scarry Harvey and his legions of mindless slaves, we're going to need an army."

The Joker spins and faces his associates - the shapeshifter Clayface, the femme fatale Poison Ivy, and the mad doctor Scarecrow.

"Easier said than done," Poison Ivy interjects. Her attention is directed more to the rose on the center of the table than the Clown Prince of Crime's impromptu meeting. "Two-Face controls the muscle in this town."

"Pamela, my dear, you sound worried," the Joker replies. "I have already considered the situation, and I have a plan. It will require my leaving the spotlight for a day or two, so I hope you three are ready to pick up the slack." He smiles pleasantly as he looks across the room. "Make me proud. You wouldn't want to disappoint..."

***

The Joker cracks his knuckles, putting his feet up on the oak desk. "Now, you and I both know that an unstable Gotham can be very profitable for someone in your...line of work." He picks up a pen and begins clicking it, clearly quite amused by it. "But Harvey Dent has run your business partners out of town, and now he won't play ball."

The Joker shakes his head.

"It must be at least a little annoying. I mean, organized crime is the kind of business that necessitates the cooperation of gentlemen," the Joker muses. "Without principles, without rules, what are we? A bunch of animals? Where's the honor in that?"

The Joker laughs to himself.

"As I'm sure you know, I've never fully agreed with that philosophy. Rules, respect, honor. They're just words. Words which complicate things. Me? I've never had a problem with stabbing a man in the back - or any part of him for that matter," the Joker says with a smile. "Professional tip: go for the feet. Lots of nerve endings, and it'll hurt every time he takes a step."

The Joker puts down the pen he was playing with and seems to get serious.

"My problem with organized crime is the organized part. But Harvey Dent takes offense to the crime part. He wants to rid Gotham of crime! How boring would that be?!" The Joker then grins from ear to ear. "And more importantly for you, how unprofitable would that be?"

"You still have yet to explain why you need my help," Wilson Fisk, the Kingpin of Crime, remarks after taking a long drag of his cigar. He looks at the Clown Prince of Crime and adds, "Feet off my desk."

The Joker sits up straight and replies, "Harvey's good at this. Really good. Better than you, in fact." Sensing the Kingpin's offense at this statement, the Joker explains, "He has single-handedly united all of Gotham's underworld, crushing all who oppose his new regime. He controls every enforcer, every drug dealer, every two-bit thug who ever jaywalked."

"And you want me to give up my muscle?"

"Not all of it," the Joker answers innocently. "Just enough to shake the foundations."

The Kingpin takes another long drag, considering the madman's offer. "In return, you don't ever come near my organization, you understand?"

The Joker nods, still grinning gleefully.
​

 

[Green Lantern]

"Mr. Pym! Mr. Pym!"

"It's Doctor actually. How may I help you, Miss?"

"Everhart. Christine Everhart, Vanity Fair."

"What can I do for you Miss Everhart?"

"I'd like to ask you a few questions Dr. Pym, if you don't mind?"

"Go for it."

"What do you make of the public outcry over the events in Stamford?"

"Well obviously, the public deserves to be upset over this. This tragedy is horrible and should never have happened. And with a Registration Act and training initiative, perhaps it wouldn't have. There's always going to be collateral damage, but its the goal of the Avengers to minimize that damage."

"What do you make of accusations from the opponents of President Luthor that say he had a hand in Amazo to fuel his personal vendetta against Superman and the Justice League?"

"I'd say that those conspiracy theorists need to find something better to do with their time before they turn out like the Question."

"How about your critics that say you are nothing more than President Luthor's personal lapdog?"

"I'd tell them that I'm just doing my job to the best of my abilities, its not my decision who my boss is, it was the American people's. If they regret that decision now, that's their own fault. Now if you'll excuse me, Miss Everhart, I have Avengers business to attend to."

Later that night, in the Pym residence:

"Hank, sweetie, come look at this."

Hank went over to the computer that Jan was sitting at. "This just pinged as having you tagged."

The screen was on Vanity Fair's website, where Christine Everhart had used Hank's quotes to spin an anti-registration, pro-civil liberties article.

"Dr. Pym stated today, "There is always going to be collateral damage." Admitting that the registration act and the Avengers are useless in preventing what they were made to prevent. He also went on to slander other heroes and the president in the interview that Vanity Fair conducted with him, saying such things as, "Conspiracy theorists need to find better things to do with their time, before they turn out like the Question." and "its not my decision who my boss is, it was the American people's. If they regret that decision now, that's their own fault." To this reporter it sounds as though Dr. Pym regrets being forced into working towards the SHRA and the Constitutional problems about to arise from it."

"Son of a *****."

 

[Catman_prb]

"We're the Teen Titans," I say before continuing. "Well, at least Johnny and I are. I was planning on extending an invitation to you tonight, Robin. And Colonel Fury basically told me Koriand'r would be on the team once she recovered as well."

"I'd love to join, Spider-man," Robin nods eagerly. "I mean, as long as Batman let's me out of Gotham on nights that you'll need me."

And then Jamie's words or ex-X-man resonates in my head, and I turn to him, "You're pretty good in a fight, Jamie. And since you're currently teamless, I don't see why you couldn't join up as well."

"That sounds like something I'd be interested in," Jamie said, nodding his head thoughtfully "Assuming that there's some place I could stay. I'm currently without a place of residence...and my cash-flow situation isn't much better,"

Silently, Jamie cursed Fury, who had told him in no uncertain terms exactly what would happen if he didn't accept a place on the team. Still, the kids didn't look too bad, and he could always get out of Dodge the next time Fury was preoccupied with a crisis.

"Do I get a badge?"

 

[wiegeabo]

"Master Bruce?"

"..."

"Master Bruce, are you alright?"

"...hmmm?" I look up from the computer and notice Alfred standing beside my chair. "Oh, Alfred...when did you come down here?"

Alfred looks at me curiously. "I have been in the cave for several minutes, sir. Routine checks on the equipment."

"Ah..."

"It's...not like you to be caught off guard, sir." He's right, of course. I'm not sure how I didn't notice him before. Well, actually, I do.

Alfred looks at the computer screen. "I take it you are reading something rather engrossing?

"You could say that." I bring up a separate display for Alfred to look over.
"It didn't take long for me to scan through the data I pulled out of Kord's systems. Most of the things his company is developing are rather mundane. Not even in direct competition to Wayne Enterprises. A couple of items are interesting, like a new type of hover technology. That might be a very useful addition to the batwing. Although, it doesn't look like Kord is actively developing it for the marketplace, which make me more than a little curious as to his intentions."

"One could also be curious about the various technologies Wayne Tech develops that never reach the marketplace either," Alfred states.

"Exactly. But I did eventually find what I was looking for. The proof that I needed." The screen changes as I scan through the data. "Although he didn't realize it at the time, Kord's company developed and built the technology for Amazo's sensor systems. It looks like Cho was telling the truth. But the evidence isn't damning yet. I couldn't find anything tying Kord's sensor package to SHIELD or Luthor. But I haven't finished tracing all the dummy corporations yet."

"I see. And these other screens, sir?"

"Some of the other companies on Cho's list. I couldn't find any evidence in a couple of them. But in these four," I tap a few commands, and two screens disappear, the other four growing to fill their place, "I did. They each developed a piece of Amazo. All very benign when taken separately..."

"But a lethal weapon when put together by the right people. Utterly diabolical."

"The most effective plans tend to be."

"What's the next step, sir?"

I sigh. "There's still several companies to check. But if Bruce Wayne continues to visit CEO's, it's going to raise suspicion in the business community. Rumors will start, if they haven't already..."

"And Wayne Enterprises position may be adversely effected as people questions the reasons you appear desperate to join in business ventures with potential competitors."

"I may be on the hunt for criminals, but millions of people and thousands of employees rely on my company. I'd rather not risk their livelihoods if I can help it."

"So...what's the alternative?"

"Either Superman finds a clear link to SHIELD or Luthor...or Batman is going to have to start paying these companies visits."

I've done some crazy things in my life. Depending on who you ask, including Alfred, I've been doing nothing but crazy things for most of my life. I don't know if this ranks among the top, but it definitely deserves some consideration.

My handheld beeps softly that it's ready. I double check the readings, making sure that the alarm is bypassed. When I see it giving me the green light, I slip it back into its pouch and pull the cutters from the other side of my belt.

After a few passes with the cutter, there's a hole wide enough to slip through. I give the glass a few well placed taps, and it the hole jars loose. The suction cup on the cutter holds, and I ease the glass to the floor as I step inside.

Once inside, I move quickly. There's no time to worry too much about stealth at this point. I'm already in, and have an easy way back out. And, more to the point, once I make my move, I'll only have a few minutes before security is on to me. Which means I'll have guards all over me only a minute or two after that.

I listen at the door, turning up the amplifier in my cowl. I hear nothing but silence on the other side. I pick the lock efficiently and listen again as I turn the knob. This is the trickiest part. The cameras were the only hole in the plan, and I hate holes in my plans. But no matter what I did, I could just not get access to the camera systems. The security in this place is probably only rivaled by my own. I was lucky just to get the basic plans for the building.

Taking a deep breath, ready to run and jump out the window at a moment's notice, I quickly open the door and slide into the hallway. Fortune is with me as I see the cameras pointing the other way. Unfortunately, they're rotating back towards me. I run quickly, keeping my cape tight around me, and slide under the camera as it comes around. I notice the other cameras around the corner starting to rotate. But I also know that the room I'm looking for is only a few doors away.

I remove the jamming device from my belt and start running. Waiting until the last second, just before the camera has me in view, I activate it. In the guard station, they are no doubt seeing nothing but static. If they're well trained, I have no doubts they are, they'll be sending someone up here. And once they find the unlocked room and breached window, they'll lock the place down. I duck inside the small entryway to the room I need, and reactivate the cameras. There's still a chance that once the cameras snapped back on they didn't send anyone, but I doubt the owner of the company would be that sloppy.

The lock on the door is just a complex as I assumed it would be. There's no time for subtlety now. I'm going to have two minutes to get everything I need, otherwise it's going to get messy. I almost wish I could have brought Robin along for backup, but I'd rather he not be involved with this.

I plant a small charge on the lock and press myself against the wall.

3...2...1...

I shut the cameras down again as the lock explodes and kick the door open. I quickly pull out a couple of data sniffers and plug them into two of the server racks I find in the computer room. I only hope enough of the data I'm looking for can be accessed from here. While they go at work, I start typing in commands to see what the guards are up to. Just like I thought, they're on the move, an elevator already on its way up. I can handle a guard or two. But before they see the smoke and send a call for help?

Three floors before they get to me, I finally shut all the elevators down. They'll be running up the stairs as fast as they can now, but it buys me the time I need.

The data sniffers finish up and I grab them as I run outside.

DING

They fixed that fast.

The elevator doors open and I hear someone shout "Hey, stop!" I can hear the taser darts hit the wall behind me as I turn the corner.

DING

Why couldn't the computer room be just five floors higher?

I turn as the guards pull their tasers, letting my cape take the darts. I turn back around as the guards run at me. I throw a couple of gas pellets out and the two guards go down in a fit of coughing. Of course, this gives the first pair time to round the corner and catch up. And they're not holding taser guns this time.

"No! Wait!" But they don't listen, forcing me to jump through the door before the bullets land home. I just hope they missed their buddies too. I yank out my grapnel and leap into the night air, more gunfire following me.

***

Panting breathlessly, the guards look out of the hole in the window, but see nothing below them except the cityscape. One of the guards pulls out his radio.

"This is Jones. Better call the cops, and the boss. Tell them that Batman just broke into the Stark building."

 

[Carnage27]

"That sounds like something I'd be interested in," Jamie said, nodding his head thoughtfully "Assuming that there's some place I could stay. I'm currently without a place of residence...and my cash-flow situation isn't much better,"

Silently, Jamie cursed Fury, who had told him in no uncertain terms exactly what would happen if he didn't accept a place on the team. Still, the kids didn't look too bad, and he could always get out of Dodge the next time Fury was preoccupied with a crisis.

"Do I get a badge?"

I smile. He doesn't seem too excited, but he also seems to be one of those guys who tries to act cool in situations like these. "No, no badges. We don't eve have uniforms. But," I say tossing him an extra communicator, "I'll give you this. It's how we get in touch with each other when needed."

I look over at Johnny, "As for a room, do you think there's an empty room in the Baxter Building? Actually...we may need two. Koriand'r is going to need somewhere safe to stay."

 

[Eddie Brock]

I smile. He doesn't seem too excited, but he also seems to be one of those guys who tries to act cool in situations like these. "No, no badges. We don't eve have uniforms. But," I say tossing him an extra communicator, "I'll give you this. It's how we get in touch with each other when needed."

I look over at Johnny, "As for a room, do you think there's an empty room in the Baxter Building? Actually...we may need two. Koriand'r is going to need somewhere safe to stay."

First Supergirl, now Princess Koriand'r. Yeah, the hotness of the Baxter's tenants is definitely on the rise. "Hey, it's better than the Thing's ugly mug," I remark.

"I heard that!"

"Heh. I guess we're going to need to figure out a long-term solution, but this should work for now," I shrug. I turn to Jamie. "You should probably be warned not to use the bathroom right after Ben, though."

"I heard that, too!"

"Well, it's not like it's not true!" I shout back. Addressing Jamie once more, I say, "You'll get used to the bickering. It's pretty constant."

At that moment, Reed enters the room looking surprised. "The girl is waking up," he reports breathlessly. "If you'll follow me..."

 

[Byrd Man]

​

I leave the restaurant with a puff piece on Justin Hammer and one piece of info. If Hammer helped build Amazo, he did so as unknowingly as Reed did. I listened hard and long to his heartbeat as I asked him questions about Stamford. His answers, while long-winded and rambling, indicated he was telling the truth.

Either way, I have more than enough from Reed to figure in SHIELD and Luthor's compliance in the Stamford affair. I head back to the office, pound out my story and take off as soon as I can. Changing back into my Superman uniform, I take to the skies and head towards the roof of the Segal Building.

Batman and I are supposed to rendezvous there tonight shortly after dusk. Pool together the results of our investigation into the Stamford incident and figure out what the next step is.

I've found enough to implicate the government, I just hope Batman has as well.​

 

[Byrd Man]

​

"Commissioner, the profiler from Arkham is here."

I look down at my watch. I have a meeting with the mayor in an hour. Plenty of time to meet with the psychologist.

"Send her in please, Stacy."

I stand up as the blonde haired woman in a pants suit walks in.

"Commissioner Gordon? I'm Doctor Harleen Quinzel."

I extend my hand and shake her's warmly.

"Take a seat, Doctor."

Quinzel takes a seat and I follow suit, sliding into the chair behind my desk.

"Is this your first time doing a criminal profile?"

"No, sir. I've worked with the FBI in New York and California, typing violent criminals that range from arsons and rapes to bombings and product tampering."

"That's good. Give me your intial impressions of our subject. The Joker."

I notice a small twinkle in the doctor's eyes. "This is actually a subject I've studied from afar. Something about his crimes. They're revolting....but also fascinating. The Joker is a very difficult character to identify with. His motives only seem to make sense to him, and his crimes range from arsons and bombings to mass murders. Based on his antics and theatrical behavior indicate one thing to me. Above all else, whatever maxims and beliefs he holds, attention is the main thing he strives for. He does these horrible crimes so people can react to the horrors he's committed. He wants to be notorious and infamous. His games with you and Batman imply as much. He enjoys uping the ante and having the ball in his court. That only makes his legend grow that much more."

I nod as I mull over her assesment.

"Very good, Doctor."

"But that only scratches the surface on the Joker. He has so many levels and layers, and false truths and decepitons....it's easy to get lost."

"Well, we're looking to you to help us navigate that wilderness of mirrors for us. I want you to head down to Homicide and meet with Sergeant Merkel. His squad is handling the Joker murders. He'll need your help."

I rise with Quinzel, shaking her hand once again.

"Thanks for your help, Doctor."

"Thank you for brining me in, Commissioner. I feel like the Joker can be a once in a lifetime opportunity to look pure evil in the face."

"Just be careful. If you gaze into the abyss.."

"The abyss gazes into you. Didn't figure a city cop would know his Nietzsche."

"I went to community college for a semester before becoming a cop," I say with a shrug. "Best of luck, Doctor."​