November 3rd – Election Day
12:13 AM
Batcave
The Batmobile rolled into the batcave, having just returned from visiting the Commissioner. Robin and Blackbat were both near the main batcave computer, Robin on the main computer while Cassandra sat at a workstation to the side, her fingers hammering away on the keys to the workstation computer. As Bruce approached, pulling back his cowl, he saw that Tim was studying something on the main screen.
"Find something?" Bruce asked.
"I think so, yeah. I might've found Anarky's motive for seeing Ronson murdered." Tim said, pointing to the screen which showed a similar verse like the one decrying Hamilton Hill's alleged crimes against Anarky only this one was aimed at Ronson.
"The Hill, the Hunter, and the Puppet. The three competitors for death. We know their crimes and the voice of the people shall be heard! The Puppet of False Kings knows only one true master and speaks from two sides of his mouth. He speaks of working for the people while a knife is held to his throat by the Falcone family and their criminal empire! If elected, he will be executed as an avatar of corruption!"
Bruce finished reading it and furrowed his brow.
"Where did you find this?" Bruce asked as Tim got up from the chair, Bruce sitting down at the computer in his place.
"On a tag like what we found on the bomb at Jezebel Plaza. I scanned this one since I didn't think removing it while the bomb was still live was a good idea." Tim said as Bruce gave a nod.
"Good thinking." Bruce said, looking the verse over again.
"So Ronson has Falcone ties?" Tim asked, surprised as Bruce pulled up a program listing Ronson's campaign contributors.
"I've known this for a while." Bruce said, surprising Tim.
"Wait, you've known this and haven't said or done anything before now?" he asked.
"I only get involved if I can prove that Ronson has committed a crime of some kind. Ronson is very clean with only a couple of moving violations against him. Besides, it's my business to check the campaign contributions for every candidate. Determines who's pulling what strings." Bruce said as Tim looked at the list.
"So all you have to do is buy a politician? I'm beginning to see Anarky's point of view." Tim replied.
"It's not like that. More often than not, those contributions are simply reinforcing the candidates' existing views and ideals. But that's beside the point. Look at this." Bruce said, pointing to the list. Several of the various names on the list had little red flag icons next to them.
"I'm not quite sure I understand the filing system here, Bruce." Tim commented.
"The red flags are generated when the name is associated with any one person or group with known criminal ties. Ronson's gotten a lot of contributions from criminal groups and just from looking at this list, they appear to all be shell companies owned by Carmine Falcone." Bruce said as Tim scowled.
"Cass, are you seeing this?" Tim asked. Cassandra's response was to knock on the top of the workstation she was sitting at, both men turning towards her. Cassandra had backed her chair away from the computer and was motioning to the screen.
"What've you got Cass? Looks like some kind of an epistle." Tim commented jokingly.
"It's a statement." Bruce replied, reading what Cass had written which was…
"I was too young to understand at the time but the mob association theory has merit. I remember shortly after my parents died, when I was prepping for my initial Batgirl campaign, I would visit Ronson's hardware store and while I was there, on a few occasions, a couple of guys would come in and Ronson would give them an envelope of something. Cash is my theory. The men would then leave but Ronson would always be in a sour mood afterwards. Possible protection racket." Cassandra had written.
"So wait, how does one go from paying protection money to the mob to getting campaign contributions from the mob?" Tim asked.
"I think I know exactly what happened but we'll need Ronson to confirm it." Bruce said, pulling the cowl up over his head.
"Wait, why Ronson? The guy hates you." Tim said, he and Cassandra following after him towards the Batmobile. Batman then came to a stop before turning back towards them.
"You know how he's pushing for reactivating the Anti-Vigilante Task Force?" Batman asked.
"Yeah?" Tim asked, Cassandra looking just as curious.
"When he first started his campaign, he wasn't pushing for that task force. Instead he was pushing for a boost to the GCPD's Organized Crime Unit, something he hasn't talked about ever since he began promising to reactivate the AVTF." Batman said before turning and continuing towards the Batmobile.
12:54 AM
The Home of Mr. A. Ronson.
The home of Candidate Ronson was a quaint two story home in the Gotham suburbs. Plain clothes GCPD Officers were patrolling the grounds outside of the house and had been ever since the Joker's initial threat two nights ago. With it being Election Day, Candidate Ronson was having a restless night and gave up the fight of trying to get some sleep, heading down to his kitchen on the ground floor, getting some wine to calm his nerves. He had just set the wine down on the kitchen island and had turned back to grab a wine glass, and when he turned back he came face-to-face with the Batman.
"What-the-…oh it's you!" Ronson said, almost sighing with relief.
"We need to talk." Batman said as Ronson gave a nod.
"About what?" he asked but his mannerisms suggested that he relieved. Batman caught on and glanced around. He soon saw a small round black device hidden on the cowling over the stove. An audio surveillance bug, and it wasn't FBI issue.
"About some of the contributions you've received." Batman said, picking up the wine bottle and handing it to Ronson, motioning for him to come at him. Ronson was confused but understood, swinging the bottle at the Batman but the Dark Knight dodged, the bottle smashing against the refrigerator. Batman then motioned to be quiet and made a couple of loud thumps on the side of the fridge before grabbing Ronson. By the time the Police got inside, all they found was a shattered wine bottle, its contents pooling on the floor. On the roof of a nearby post office, Batman set Ronson down, Ronson breathing a sigh of relief.
"Don't ever do that again! I have a fear of heights!" Ronson panted as he sat down on an AC Vent.
"We can speak freely here. I know you've received donations from the Falcones through some of their various shell companies and even their legitimate businesses. There's evidence to implicate that you're being manipulated by the Mob so my question is, are you one of them or merely their pawn?" Batman asked as Ronson looked around.
"Pawn. I started running for Mayor to try and get out from under their cursed thumb! My father started that hardware store and for as long as I can remember, we've had to pay protection money to the mob. Last year, one of the businesses down the street from me was burned to the ground because they couldn't pay the monthly protection fee. That's when I vowed to do something about it." Ronson explained, increasingly relieved that he was able to tell someone his story.
"So you chose to run for mayor on a platform of running the mob out of Gotham." Batman said as Ronson gave a submissive nod.
"I underestimated them. I thought I'd be untouchable as a political candidate. I was never more wrong. The day after I began my campaign, one of the Falcones, Alberto I think, paid me a visit. He said that the Falcones would bankroll my campaign and no longer make me pay protection fees in exchange for reactivating the Vigilante Task Force and reversing my stance on the Organized Crime force." Ronson explained.
"And refusal or failure would get you killed." Batman said as Ronson nodded.
"He didn't make any direct threats aside from the usual 'accidents can happen' threat. Falcone gave me a day to think about it. The next day two men came by my daughter's school and talked to her. After that, I agreed to everything they wanted. I've been their…their puppet ever since." Ronson explained remorsefully before looking up at the Batman.
"Batman, I want you to know how sorry I am, really sorry, for the way I've demonized you to the media. I personally owe you my life. You saved me from some muggers once several years ago. I don't know if I'd even still be alive if it weren't for you." Ronson said, Batman giving him a dismissive wave.
"If you want to make it up to me, there's only one way you can. Testify against the Falcones." Batman said as Ronson paled.
"Turn State's Evidence against them? They'd kill me. They're watching my house at this very moment. Having the cops on site has gotta be making them nervous. I'd have to get my family out from under their nose." Ronson said as Batman turned away, putting a hand to his earpiece.
"Oracle, alert Commissioner Gordon and the FBI that they're to take the Ronson Family into Witness Protection as soon as the election is over." Batman ordered, surprising Ronson.
"Witness Protection?" Ronson asked as Batman turned back towards him.
"I've known about the Falcone's hold on you for some time. I wasn't sure if you were a pawn or a willing part of their organization. Now that I know, we can help you escape them once the election is finished." Batman said but Ronson looked visibly afraid.
"After? But what if I win? The Joker will be after me! And worse, that Anarky might blow me up!" Ronson said.
"You worry about your family. I'll worry about the Joker." Batman said as Ronson gave a nod.
11:00 AM
Wayne Enterprises – The Office of Bruce Wayne
Bruce sat at his desk, reading the latest copy of the Gotham Gazette. The headline read…
"Anarky threatens attack over election do-over!"
Alfred was quietly dusting off Bruce's office.
"It would appear that the Governor was prepared to nullify the election, sir." Alfred commented.
"He probably will anyway once Anarky is out of the way." Bruce said as he slid the paper aside, looking at his computer.
"If I may sir, you seem to be focusing more on Anarky than on the Joker. Most unusual for you, sir." Alfred commented.
"It's also unusual for the Joker to have partners that don't fit his usual M.O. I wonder if Anarky isn't just a pawn of the Joker, part of his joke." Bruce pondered.
"Which begs the question, does Anarky know he's being played?" Alfred asked.
"It's possible he does but so long as his goals align with the Joker's own, he doesn't care. But also knowing the Joker, there's some sort of joke to this. Something we haven't seen yet." Bruce said.
"A slight change of subject, sir, but what about Congressman Hunter? We know that Anarky has motive against the other two candidates, but what of the Congressman?" Alfred asked.
"Three words, Alfred. Three words that every union leader fears: Right-to-work. It means that unions cannot force workers to join in order to be employed in their profession. The workers are legally protected from forced unionization. It cripples union houses by allowing non-union employees to gain employment there. It also cripples union recruitment. Congressman Hunter brought a right-to-work bill before the United States Congress over a year ago, a move to make the whole country a right-to-work nation. The bill was defeated but it earned him the ire of every union in the state if not the country. But he did endorse the successful right-to-work bill in the state government. Anarky's motive is obvious." Bruce explained.
"I suppose so sir." Alfred commented, Bruce sitting back in thought.
"Which also begs the question as to why we have as of yet to see the Joker in person. Every time we've communicated it's been remotely, over radios or television feeds. So why isn't he showing up in person?" Bruce pondered, thinking back to Harley Quinn's comments the night before.
"He disappears every so often lately! There are times I don't see him for days! I mean just last week! I never saw him at all! He says he's got a special hidin' place, somewhere that you'd never think to look!" Harley had said.
"Somewhere that I'd never think to look." Bruce muttered to himself.
8:41 PM
Batcave
Batman, Robin, and Blackbat were gearing up for the night. The polls had closed and the ballots were being counted. Early reports showed a record high voter turnout which was bound to appease Anarky in that regard but there was still the matter of preventing the Joker's assassination and Anarky's subsequent bombing. The outcome was still unknown but the latest polls had Congressman Hunter in a slim lead and the returns were showing as much.
"I want the two of you posted at City Hall. All three candidates are being held in separate locations. The minute the results come in, I want you to protect the winner." Batman ordered as Robin restocked his supply of wingdings.
"Where are you going to be?" Robin asked.
"Looking for Anarky. I'm still waiting on the test results the GCPD CSIs were running to come back. Commissioner Gordon should have them. Robin, ask him for the results and relay them to me." Batman ordered as he headed for the batmobile.
"You got it." Robin said as he and Blackbat hurried to the R-Cycle. Before Batman could get into the Batmobile, Oracle came on over the comms.
"Batman, Anarky's making another broadcast!" Oracle reported.
"Track it!" Batman ordered as he leapt into the batmobile, the batmobile roaring off out of the cave.
"Citizens of Gotham, the time is fast approaching. The time when the fascist electorate places their pawn in office, the pawn they have chosen to best represent their interests and not the interests of the people. That pawn will then be summarily executed by the Joker. Although his motives differ from my own, they are no less just and the person he will kill will be no less deserving. But it has become clear to me that Gotham's Dark Knight is dead set on attempting to prevent this from happening, to maintain the status quo of his corporate masters. So to make sure there is no interference, I have planted three bombs in three separate locations. I make no effort to hide their locations. They are located within the following locations: onboard Mayor Hill's yacht in the North Gotham Yacht Harbor, within the Ronson Hardware Store, and within the home of Congressmen John Hunter. If the police or the Batman attempt to interfere with the assassination, I will detonate all three bombs. Embrace the Anarchy." Anarky said before the feed cut out.
"Oracle?" Batman asked.
"It'll take a moment! I'm tracing the bombs. My father is scrambling the GCPD Bomb Squad to those locations now." Oracle said as Batman gave a nod.
"Advise them of the defusal process and warn them that they need to coordinate their defusal so that all three bombs are defused at exactly the same time." Batman said.
"Will do." Oracle replied. Batman rounded a corner and saw the Batsignal illuminating the Gotham Night Sky.
"One more thing Oracle. Patch me through to the Commissioner's cellphone." Batman ordered. Oracle didn't say a word and did as instructed, the ring signal being heard a couple of times before Gordon answered.
"Barbara? What is it, what's the matter?" Commissioner Gordon asked. Barbara had patched him through using her own phone.
"Did you get the lab results on the DNA tests yet?" Batman asked.
"Batman?! How did you-…never mind, where's Barbara?" Gordon asked.
"I'm fine dad. Batman called me." Barbara replied.
"Oh. Good. To answer your question, Batman, we did. The DNA results were only a partial match to the victim. Possibly a close relative." Gordon replied as Batman scowled.
"Thank you Commissioner. I'll be at City Hall soon enough." Batman replied.
"I'll call you soon, Dad." Barbara said before there was a click on the line.
"Okay Bruce we're clear." Barbara, as Oracle, said.
"I want you to run a background check on Peter Weems. Look for addresses and see if any of those addresses come up as being on the market or abandoned. Also take note if Anarky's broadcasts originated from any point near those locations. Let me know as soon as you have something." Batman ordered.
"On it. I'll notify you if I find anything." Oracle replied, the communications console started beeping.
"Standby Oracle. Go ahead Robin." Batman said.
"Batman, we made a stop at one of the bomb sites to help pass along the defusal instructions but we found another Anarky Tag. You're not going to believe this!" Robin said as Batman narrowed his gaze.
"Try me." He replied.
"Alright. The Hill, the Hunter, and the Puppet. The three competitors for death. We know their crimes and the voice of the people shall be heard! The Hunter of the Conservative Elite! The Hunter did not fight for the worker while in Washington, he fought for the corporation. When he said we had a right to work, he meant we had a right to work under corporations' rules where we had no say and no right to bargain for our betterment! The people have been heard and the Hunter will serve the Fascists no more!" Robin read off, causing Batman to slow down.
"Wait, say that again, that last line." Batman said.
"Exactly what I said. The people have been heard and the Hunter will serve the Fascists no more. You know what that means?" Robin asked, worriedly.
"It means something's been done to Congressman Hunter." Batman replied as the Batmobile came to a stop at an intersection. As he waited for the light to turn green, he happened to glance at an adjacent street corner and saw something that stuck out to him. It was a simple public bench with a Mayoral Campaign ad on it but it was in the process of being vandalized by a couple of young kids, one of whom was spray painting a moustache on the already grinning image of Congressmen Hunter. Batman suddenly remembered something the Joker had said in one of his addresses.
"You know, I've been grinning at you closet lunatics for years but lately my grins have been everywhere! Sometimes from a bus, from a park bench, even grinning down at you from on billboards." The Joker had said as Batman froze. He quickly hit the afterburners on the Batmobile, turning the Batmobile back towards City Hall.
"Batman to all points! Get to City Hall! I know where the Joker is!" Batman said as the Batmobile rocketed down the Gotham Streets. Oracle then came on.
"Batman! They just announced over the radio that the results are in. Congressman Hunter is the new Mayor of Gotham!" Oracle said as Batman scowled angrily.
8:58 PM
Gotham City Hall
Congressman Hunter stepped out of the front doors to City Hall, waving to his new constituents with a broad smile. The flash bulbs of dozens of cameras were going off as Congressman Hunter, escorted by several uniformed police officers, made his way to the podium to give his victory speech.
"Proud citizens of Gotham! Tonight, you have made a decision! You came together despite adversity, despite the threat of serious violence, despite the ravings of a lunatic! You came together and made a choice as to who you wanted to be Mayor! And you chose me!" Hunter announced amidst the crowd's cheers.
"Tonight, though, you also made a choice to have me killed. Assassinated, murdered, thrown into a pine box six feet into the ground. So now I imagine the Joker is going to come along any minute now and do me in. Well…there's just one problem with that. You see…" Hunter said, still smiling as he reached for his chin and pinched the skin, pulling at it, pulling it unnaturally away. The cheering crowd fell silence in disbelief and horror as Hunter literally pulled off his face, revealing a face of chalk white skin, green hair, red lips, and yellow stained teeth, grinning right back at them. The crowd erupted into a sound of panic and one or two people screamed in horror as the Joker threw his mask into the crowd with a wide grin.
"…You see, Gotham, the Joker's right here!"
End Chapter 7