Chapter One
A non-descript warehouse at the docks of Gotham.
Trash littered the floor. A distinct odor of piss and vomit hung in the air. A large burly man, Louie, his hands holding down some poor soul's head in a tub of ice water, looked annoyed. His Boss, crime lord Oswald Chesterfield Cobblepot, also known as Penguin, a short fat man known for his penchant of wearing tuxedos, stood nearby.
Louie relaxed his grip and drew his victim from the water. "Kaff…Koff…uhh."
"So're we ready to have a right chat, now?" Penguin asked. "Or will it be more of the bucket for ya?"
The victim was Needles, one of Joker's goons. Penguin and Joker had been recently vying for the same turf within Gotham, and it appeared Joker was starting to get an upper foot hold.
"I got nuthin' to say to ya," Needles spat. "I'm not afraid of you, Penguin. Joker's gonna run over you like a dead opossum tryin' to cross the road."
Penguin whacked Needles on the back of his head with his signature umbrella cane. "Is 'at right? Well, you'll be lucky if yer walkin' upright a'fore this night's over," he said. "Louie, douse him again, and this time keep 'em there till he squirms."
Louie immediately immersed Needles' head back into the bucket with tremendous force. Needles barely had time to inhale.
Penguin began to wax philosophical. "Make no mistake," he said. "I'm on top of the underworld here. No clown is about to take my turf without a fight. Even if we 'ave to wipe out all of his men to do it. Ha ha ha ha ha."