Author Note: I actually try with this one, not bad I guess.
"Found anything new Jim?"
"Nothing but what you already knew Batman, the guy doesn't have anything on him. No name, no address, not even his fingertips and DNA on the database, whoever this John Doe is, he never attend any school and don't have valid citizenship"
"How about the interrogation?"
"Same story, all checked out. Those who ever met and talked to him said the same thing, This guy called Maurice put it the best; He was a nobody, fresh recruit taken from some random alley in Gotham, a homeless."
"A nobody doesn't just take control Penguin's whole operation in a week, Jim" (or knew Cassandra parents)
"Well whoever he is, he's a lucky nobody. The night after we catch Cobblepot, we captured every known high-ranking penguin officer inside and outside of Gotham. Biggest bust we had in months, everyone but his booker, treasurer, the rest of his weapon cache, and this John Doe. They said he got promoted after that stunt you pulled at the harbor."
"And he's the last of the Penguin officer still free, power succession got him on the top all in less than a week."
"Doubt it was that simple, and he just joined a week ago. Like I said, one lucky nobody."
"We have to find him Jim, Gotham doesn't need another villain with no origin."
"Well wherever he is, I hope he know we're coming. We need to gave him a Gotham welcome"
"What do you mean the series doesn't even exist!". Yell John, slamming the two thousand dollars rubberwood solid birch, pine veneers table with his fist. 'damn that hurts'
"Li- like I said boss, no one ever heard of this thing. We'd ask every vendors in the East Coast; black market, international distributors, every networks link in the underworld. We even contacted the Calculator. We can't find any games called Monster Hunter: World.". The mere henchmen cower behind the table, nearly melt himself into the the 16th century Safavid Persian rug. Behind him are two more of Penguins thug, none even dare lift his heads up.
"Useless the lot of you!". The twenty year old signals them to get out of his- Penguins office. 'Who said being a crime boss is easy?'
When the goons closed the door behind him, John take a premium cuban cigar on his table, and light it up with his gold coated match. He suck up too much and nearly died coughing. 'I just remembered I didn't smoke'
He look around Penguins office, well his office now. A lofty semi-luxurious room hidden within the captains quarter of the Final Offer, an ancient decommissioned Cargo ships that has been Penguins personal headquarters, this along with the now Vacant Iceberg Lounge and Penguin's sewage lair, the one batman and GCPD task forces raid last week. 'The only one reason I made it out from the Harbour, was because he let me. Good thing I read enough of his detective comics to know about the tracking device.'.
He tried to relax himself, leaning down on his semi-aniline executive leather chair that's too tall for comfort. 'How short is he again? Cause this chair was designed for a child!'. He nonchalantly placed his feet on the table, wearing a Penguins themed slippers. Of all the luxury things Penguins left him, Shoes are the only thing he can't really used. 'Even his shoes are designed for a child'
Nevertheless, John Doe do enjoyed the improvements in his life. Penguin's office, the transformed sailor quarters into a lavish office room that is the very picture of extravagant, and greed, definitely an improvements from the alley. Fully furnished with ornaments and miscellaneous luxury items worth Twelve times Gotham's GDP per capita. He sees relics that belongs in museum, worth more than a million USD, Paintings, fresh of the auction, and various ornaments and trophy from penguin adversary's throughout his career in Gotham. And some umbrellas
'He might be crazy, but the little guy sure know how to life a live'. John still can't believe he pulled it off. The moment he left behind the note and the tracker, he knew Penguin and his crews were toast. Nevertheless, when John left, the entire criminal's in that lair never noticed him leave, just like how John'd never noticed how nearly every member of Penguin's crew; including his officers and Lieutenants were there. All in all John had though that would be last of his criminal career, preferring to play hobos rather than meeting Batman as bad guy for the second time. When he hides in the alley again, thought his crime adventure is over, Penguin scattered thugs were searching for him.
He thought they found out what he did, that they'll take revenge for his boss, his minds dreaded at the thought what they would do to traitors when. 'They'll feed me to the sharks'
Turns out when they found him, except the sharks, they gave him the seat of command. Apparently he's the last lieutenant not behind bars, and the rules Obliges him to take up the command until Penguin got himself out of jail. 'I must say, they're quite a loyal bunch, they're stupid, but loyal. Penguins must've earned their respect'.
The following days were surprisingly easy, Penguin's treasurer and booker flocked to him when they heard of a substitute in leadership. Apparently Penguin's already had procedures for such specific contingency, and there's only one objective in the master-plan, 'Keep the business running 'till I get out'.
And so John did, the first thing in the list was too regroup all the scattered crew. As John mentioned earlier, the crews respect for Cobblepot has been Penguin's greatest advantage few other criminals could have. He checked every living persons in Penguin's payroll, other than the treasurer and the Booker, some individuals distinguished themselves.
Lark, a gorgeous but not much for words brunette personal bodyguards of Penguin, also acted as his chauffeur. A highly skilled hand-to-hand combatant compliment her role as Penguin's last line of defense. She was away on a personal assignment for the Penguin when the GCPD special task force swarms the lair.
The Electrocutioner, 'He's a guy with defibrillator strapped on his gloves, that's it'
Linda Friitawa, later known as Fright. A genticist who had her medical license stripped off for conducting an unauthorized human experiment. She suffers Albinism, a congenital disorder that makes her allergic to sunlight, which she repressed with Scarecrow modified toxin, as well as gave her power and superhuman capabilities in the process. After that she left but later returned and became Penguin number one informant in Gotham. She's gone undercover during the Raid, thus not present.
Next was Imperceptible man, basically an unimpressive invisible man. He was present during the Raid but managed to slip away since, well he's invisible.
And Finally, Ethan Cobblepot aka Blacksun. 'That's right, Penguin got himself a son. Worse, someone slept with Penguin'. Ex-ceo of the now bankrupt VicForm Technology which operated in Burnside. He's doesn't share his father physical similarity of a real Penguin, being handsome and tall, he do share his father ingenuity however. Though the young genius fried himself badly after Batgirl foiled his plan to use mind controlled teenagers to overthrow his father, in a frail attempt to gained him recognition as his son. Penguin however accept and took the boy under his wings after. Now serve as Penguin personal tech-person and hacker all from his sickbed, personally guarded by Lark.
Once he got the group set up, his next objective was to establish himself as the new leader in Penguin's absence, well the original plan was to find someone else. John had enough of his supposedly brief criminal career. So he got them all in the same room and told them to choose a leader in Penguin's absence, and when it failed (naturally, the discussion turned into a bar brawl), he proposed to do thing 'Democratically'.
Much to his surprise, John got the most vote.
'I'll vote for John, after the stunt he pulled at the harbor, I thought no one else better to lead'
'I heard he beat the crap out of Nightwing's pretty $$, said he use a secret kung fu technique to blind him'
'Dude, I was the one bail him out of safety, you know what he was doing when we found him? Holding Blackbat in the neck! Ya heard that right, the little whore who kicked Croc in his leatherbag ass and pissed on Deathstroke when boss hired him to kill her. And Johny here got her on his mercy.'
'Really, that's what gets you? did you even saw happened afterwards? He came face to face with The Bat himself! and doesn't even pissed his own pants! Told you, the guys a legend.'
'So? All hands rise in favor of John being the new boss?'
. . .
'Miss Lark, any objection?'
'...no'
And so they king him the new boss of the Penguin's crew
Forcefully, he did his duty as the new "boss". And the next objective was to find and account every remaining resources they had. Good thing the booker didn't get himself arrested, otherwise GCPD will truly shut Penguin crew for good.
In the aftermath when Gotham Police capture the Penguin at his lair, they sweep the bird-crap smell's area, finding several intel that indicate every Penguin operation; From racketing, International weapon trade, to something far-fetched as involvement in human trafficking. It includes cache location, Ledgers, Partners, and multiple legally owned business that front Penguin's criminal corporation.
GCPD however found half of it to be completely false, mostly were dummy; barely used storage and fake locations. Penguin apparently keep most of his resources moving, accounted only by him and his booker and trasurer, whose whereabouts were a tightly kept secret. The only valid information GCPD had found were Penguin's network of contact, high ranking crew's member current locations and more than enough evidence of illegal contraband and blackmail.
Thus, John had himself nearly every bit of penguin's resources to play with, though lacking in manpower. With half a dozen shipment to complete and other half on the way, John would managed one of Gotham most persistent criminal empire with zero experience of simple business management.
'Wonder what happened if I sold all of these to commissioner Gordon? Maybe he gave me a pardon? Even date his daughter? God I always wanted a piece of the orginal Batgirl. Kept thinking what's she's doing right now, something along the line of kicking criminals butt or something."
"Really Dick? A pepper spray?"
"Shut up Barbs. I'm still traumatized by the bloodshot, gods I preferred bullets than pepper spray anytime"
"Guess we found the weakness of the mighty Nightwing, a spread of kitchen spice! Let me guess your next arch-villain, the Condiment King!"
"Really funny, Barbs. Damian, helped a brother out here."
"Do not talk to me Grayson, it's humiliating to have a brother defeated by a common thug"
"Really lil D?"
His snapped out of his daydreaming when the telephone rings.
"Hello, this is penguins and co. Gun store, What can I helped you?" Said John playfully.
"Ahh, Johny boy soo glad you still kickin'".
'Oh shit, its the Penguin himself!'.
"Of course sir, I barely made it out when those cops bust in. A terrible thing eh?". Said John, the guy who lead the police there. "Its the first time you call Mr. Cobblepot, I thought they got you for good"
Penguin chuckle, "They did, the bloody bastards have all the evidence they need to keep me locked up, and my lawyers are as useless as penguins on their molting week! Even with gun on their families head."
"Now enough about me, Let's talk about you John." He gulped at the mention of his name. "how's business. I know you're the guy leading the boys now."
"What makes you say that sir?"
"Cuz the rest of them are in here with me!". Penguin's tantrum give John a chill. "Useless imbecilic, bottom-feeding, simian leg-breakers the lot of them! But enough about me. So do tell me hot guy, What had you been up to all week?"
For some reasons John felt intimidated, even if it seems to be a good-willed innocent questions, John can't keep aside the fact that Cobbelpot was a villain, a Megalomaniac crime boss that found a way to thrive in Gotham crime underworld and elitist. 'I need to pick my words carefully'
"John, you still with me? Don't space out on me boy."
"Of course sir, your boys and booker keeps me informed on your future agenda. The GCPD got half of the cache location, mostly the dummy one however, kudos to your foresight.". John try to honeyed his boss first, it doesn't work.
"Yeah yeah yeah cut the chit-chat bonzo. Just tell me about business"
"Yes sir". John pitted the phone in the shoulder, his arms scattered the table for his notebook. He already prepared a page of things he need to say in case Penguin's called. 'Well well look at me, I'm getting good playing criminal'
John shrough off the thought. "First the shipment, two scheduled to came in this week. The goods we bought from The Whale all safely made it into the stash without any real problem, along with the marksman trainer you hired from his Odessa mob."
"The one we bought from the Tokyo auctions however had a slight... complications. Dragon Claws, the Korean crime syndicate that handles the transportation, just got their ass kick by Justice League International. When their crews on the ship heard of it, they tried to pull a fast one on us and sold it to Black Mask crew. I hired White Rabbit and some of Bane's Mercenary, to helped us steal it back. Now all was accounted for and ready for transport to our section in Bludhaven and Keystone city". John couldn't believe some of the words he just said himself.
"Good, good. How about the Police, did they still came for us?"
"No, apparently Two Face got himself in a tango with Street Demonz. Most of GCPD resources were on West Side."
And eerie silence followed. 'Did I said something wrong' thought John
Penguin's voice finally heard from the phone, He was laughing. "Well well look at you! barely a week in and you're running the show, splendidly I might add". For a fleeting moment, John appreciate the villain commendation. "You reminds me so much a friend of mine called Ogilvy" continued Penguin.
"Really? you flattered me boss"
Ogilvy, better known as the "Emperor Blackgate", was a deformed superhuman that had been Penguin most trusted subordinate for quite a time.
He start his career from the bottom, a young boy acted as mere runner in Penguin's crew. Continuing to help Penguin, even with Batman on his back, Ogilvy became one of Cobblepot's right-hand man and, before long, his favorites. Penguin even trust him enough to put him in charge of his operations during his temporary absent.
'Sounds familiar? Yeah well you should know the ending of his story. It ends with him, laying on Penguin's desk, after Cobblepot hired Bane to kill him.'
With that in mind, John tried to end the conversation prematurely. "Now, is there anything else you need boss, Lark's and Fright currently working on a plan to get you out"
"Doubt it, the four-eyed Chimpanzee called Gordon keep close eyes on me, barely able to smuggle myself this burner phone. Look, I'll trust you kid, enough to let you run the show 'till I get back, don't ever betrayed the Penguin's trust". With that, he closed the call. Parting not with pleasantries, but a warning. 'And here I thought we had a thing'
All these playing bad guy exhaust him. All he ever want was to be at peace; a wish that has gone farther and less significant by every passing moment
'My browser history, why do you haunt me still? If people found out I need to Google 'how to boil water' I'll never heard the end of it"
John unmotivated eyes gaze at the ceiling, of every furnished parts of the lofty room, the ceiling of was left untouched. "I guess Penguins not the type to looking up at something" he muttered to himself.
He shut his eyes, then mind, and snooze himself for whatever tomorrow brings in this shithole of a city
*RING*RING*RING*
"Yeah this is Pen- *Yawn* -guin and co. criminal empire, who are you and how long this conversations going to take."
"It's me again smartass, your boss Penguin. I forgot mentioned this but a major meeting I need to attend goin' down on Metropolis. I wanted you to be my representative, since we both know I can't make it. It'll be a waste not to come after I invest a lot on those Society psychos, now don't embarrassed me kid, all the big league will be there. And try to come back alives". *close phone*
.
.
.
"What?"
