Enter: Red Hood

[newoutsiders]

Perfect. Absolutely perfect. If there's one thing you can always count on, it's Batman ruining everything. Even when he's who-knows-where, the vacuum he doesn't even realize he's leaving rushes to fill up with garbage.

Two weeks ago, that kid of his kicked Two-Face out of Gotham Harbor. Great. Very nice for the harbor. A parade for Robin. But did he really think that would make things better for the city? Did he think Two-Face was just going to shrug his asymmetric shoulders and go, "Oh well, I guess I'll just take a smaller piece of the pie"?

No. He's going to expand elsewhere. Obviously. And that "elsewhere" is exactly where you don't want him.

After the last big gang war which left Black Mask in charge of everything, you showed up and redistributed. You've spent a long time pushing those dividers. Making crime controlled. Manageable. Keeping it away from the poor, hapless folks who don't go looking for it. And you've been more successful at it than Batman ever was, even with his whole "Matches Malone" shtick.

But now, Two-Face is questioning those borders he was never even meant to see. He's started expanding to racketeering small businesses. Arming otherwise harmless street gangs. And, if the rumors are true, Two-Face's outfit has begun breaking your number one rule: pushing drugs in schools.

It's time to send him a message. That's why you've called this meeting with your lieutenants. They're all waiting for your next move.

One of your men slinks into your conference room, and whispers a message to you. There's been an explosion down at the docks. One of your men, Rusty, has been undercover as a dockworker there. Batgirl was on scene- he didn't say which one. So many bats to keep track of these days. Rusty fired at her, but she got away. He did say that a tanker full of some weird, orange chemical arrived there and was driven away off the books, but then the explosion happened, and the guy who waved it out is laid up in the hospital.

Comments

[newoutsiders]

Darin nods. "Burnside's been moving out a lot of the lower class," he says, "But some of them are finding homes in Amusement Mile- either finding care under a few brave landlords, or squatting in boarded up buildings. Sorkin Street, in particular, seems to be where they're mostly headed. Worth looking into, maybe."

He winces a little.

"The shelter, I'm afraid... is sub-optimal. It's right in the territories Two-Face is expanding into, and I'm hearing it doesn't feel 'safe.' Either we move the shelter, or we push back."

[exdeadexrobin]

"Amusement Mile, huh?" He tears at the paper of the straw's wrapper. "You know if there's already anyone there trying to set up a low-income housing project we can fund, or if that's something we'll need to be more hands on with?"

Jason's expression flickers at the news of the shelter. He glances at his hands, taking his gloves off. He'd forgotten to earlier. The skin is pretty scarred up all over. Slowly, he says, "He's been pushing us pretty hard already. I'm not keen on rolling over. But you know my feelings on collateral here. We'll try to take back the territory, but won't win us anything to dig our heels in on this. It can't even be linked to us. We move the shelter."

[newoutsiders]

"Sir," he says, a little sardonically, "Come on. Of course I know." Darin always comes to these things prepared for almost anything you could ask of him. He can come off as kind of laid back, but he works harder than pretty much anyone. He pulls out a folder, profiling three landlords. "These three have been doing more for Amusement Mile than anyone, and could probably use some 'angel investors' to expand their operation. You might find one or two a little... surprising... but it looks legit to me."

He fans out the files. They're marked "KEENER, EZRA", "HAWKE, CONNOR", and "QUINZEL, HARLEEN".

"I know, I know," he says. "Ezra Keener, the pre-NML slumlord king. But it really seems like he's turned a corner. And, yeah, her."

[exdeadexrobin]

"I'm not giving money to fucking Harley Quinn," he says. He pulls the file towards him. "The other two look promising... Keener's really shaping up?" Jason flips through the files idly. "This looks like another Falstaff project. Make it happen. How much does that leave us?"

[newoutsiders]

He chuckles. Of course- that third suggestion was more of a joke than anything else. He does that sometimes. Like last month, when he suggested seriously taking a second look at Arkham. "They do great work!"

"Let's see..." he shuffles through the papers. "After moving the shelter... there's a good place in the Fashion District actually, a little pricey, but definitely safe... well, between our ongoing projects, payroll, and the war chest... I suppose that's it, really. I mean, we're rebuilding The Joker's old stomping grounds into a place hospitable for humans. I'd say that's a pretty big deal."

[exdeadexrobin]

"Yeah."

Jason stops, breaks off and just... laughs. It's a moment before he stops. He does not explain it.

After an additional moment's silence - and then the subsequent food order - Jason starts again, "Show me the plans for the place in the Fashion District. We don't exactly need a fortress, but I want to make sure they've got options if someone with a gun tracks anyone down."

[newoutsiders]

Darin takes your reaction in stride. It was a long time ago, but he's used to a boss prone to those sorts of outbursts.

"Building plans?" he humors you. "Now why would I have those on me? I'd have to be some kind of crazy person to just be carrying those around, expecting you to ask about them."

After placing his order as well, he produces the plans. It's a former sweatshop which had begun conversion into an apartment complex, but the funding fell through before it could be finished. It'll need some major development, but other than that, it's kind of perfect.

[exdeadexrobin]

Jason nods approvingly. "How soon can we have it finished?"

[newoutsiders]

He thinks it over. "We get along all right with the unions, so not long. Six weeks, maybe two months? Until then, well. There's always the Mile."

[exdeadexrobin]

Jason taps his fingers on the table. He doesn't like that answer, but there's also not much else he can do about it. "Then I'll work on Two-Face in the meantime." He snorts. "Guess that's half the Meta Brawl planning."

[newoutsiders]

"Speaking of," he says, "I did get you two tickets. Any women in your life lately?"

[exdeadexrobin]

"... you were serious about that part?"

[newoutsiders]

"Why not?" he laughs. "It's going to be a hell of a show. Word is Roulette's bringing in Lady Shiva. No one should miss that."

[exdeadexrobin]

"Shiva?" Jason raises an eyebrow. "That's... been a while." Now there's a blast from the past... and he hadn't exactly gotten time to really see her in action during their encounter during that, either. It doesn't exactly bring up the best memories here.

But he won't pretend he's not curious.

[newoutsiders]

"Oh, you two have a history, do you?" Darin teases. "Well, I'm not sure she'd make the best date to tonight's affair. But you're free to catch up afterwards- though I doubt Roulette will have her for sale."

[exdeadexrobin]

... the way that Jason chokes on his drink at that implication is probably slightly less than befitting his general "scourge of the underworld" image.

[newoutsiders]

Darin completely loses it. Now everyone in the restaurant is looking at him funny.

[exdeadexrobin]

Jason coughs. "I'm not... even going to explain all the context here, but... no."

"Your interest in my love life is noted, but this is strictly business here."

[newoutsiders]

"Heh. Very well. Ah! Here comes the food."

Your orders arrive, and they look great as always. Darin takes a moment to savor his meal, and eventually turns back to conversation.

"So, that was some nasty business with Van last night. Are you all right?"

[exdeadexrobin]

"Word travels quickly." He shrugs. "Reason I armor up under the jacket. I'm a bit singed, but it's nothing that won't heal fine. Mostly just surprised someone actually turned. It's been a long damn time."

[newoutsiders]

"I suppose that means Donny's out, then," he says somberly. "Damn shame. I liked Donny."

[exdeadexrobin]

"Yeah, I'm not real thrilled here either. I wasn't real sure when he wanted to bring him on as capo, y'know. Makes him the youngest guy we ever had. But I figured, fuck it, he's of age, might need the money anyway. Real fucking thanks for that trouble."

[newoutsiders]

"No making that mistake again," Darin says wryly. "From here on out, I'd say everyone who makes capo should be older than you."

[exdeadexrobin]

Jason rolls his eyes. Not the first time he's heard that crack. "I could be older than I look, you know."

[newoutsiders]

"Sure, sure," he says. "For all I know you could be as old as 16. Some kids are late bloomers."