Any Other Name by Thomas Newman

The Night of the Wayne Murders

Three years had passed since Victor Zsasz walked up to the Falcone estate and offered his loyalty to the Don. He regretted nothing from that action. Don Falcone was right however, word spread quickly of the hitman joining the Falcone ranks and people either feared him more or if they had their loyalties in Don Maroni, they would try and fight him.

Let's just say they never saw another day and Victor's arms got a little crowded.

Victor's first priority was his first and still ongoing job. He still watched over Viola and after the first few days, he began thinking the job was a slight waste of time. But a few months into the job and he was escorting her to a shop for food, where they were ambushed by a thief who looked like this was his first attempt. He tried to make a grab for Viola but Victor was quick, disarming and knocking the man out. He looked at Viola and saw her simply shake her head to indicate no to killing him. They quickly left as the police pulled up. Victor watched in fascination when they got back, Viola telling Don Falcone everything and after calming him and putting the food they brought away, she went to her piano, never once looking scared, simply taking it in her stride.

After that, the job was a necessity. One time when Don Falcone left to meet with his highest ranks of power over Gotham he had shared equally, Viola was playing her piano and never heard as two people tried to break in and Victor sorted them out instantly. He was slightly annoyed, he was busy eating a muffin Viola had made that day.

Today was the same as any other day. Victor awoke and got dressed, arming himself with his usual weapons of choice, waited by the stairs as Viola would wake and dress and come down and the pair would go to the dining room for breakfast. There Victor would find out what the rest of his day would be. If Don Falcone had nothing for him of importance he was to stay and help with Viola and her jobs today. However if he was given a list of names and what actions Don Falcone wanted Victor to do to them, that would be his task for the day. Today was the former, so Victor stayed with Viola as she walked around the gardens and sorted them out. Victor was on the porch, having a good view of the whole garden as the Don stepped outside. "She adores this garden." Don Falcone commented.

Victor said nothing, letting the Don carry on, taking note of an underlining emotion that Victor couldn't rightly place at that moment, "Before I found her, this was basically a wasteland. Weeds, overgrown bushes and grass, no order. But that changed once she arrived." He paused as they both looked at the view. It was all symmetrical, the back two sections full of herbs and vegetables. The middle and front sections full of flowers and in the middle was a subtle but very beautiful fountain that tied it all together. They watched as Viola, wearing a black pencil skirt with a dark blue blouse tended to the flowers in her usual habit of bare feet. Whenever she as at the estate, she never wore shoes. She liked to be silent in the house and loved to feel the stones and nature in the garden.

Victor took note of the emotion from Don Falcone. It was a paternal love. Soon the Don went inside and after a few more hours Viola finished cleaning the garden. The rest of the day passed slowly, Viola cooking as Victor was called by Don Falcone for a business meeting, the evening consisting of dinner and afterwards was piano playing. After three years Victor had moved closer till he was now sitting beside her on her stool, watching her play. Like her walking barefoot, he took note of how she always wore nail polish. The colours varied every couple of weeks, but it was never a bold bright colour, but subtle and suited the woman beside him that was now in her twenties.

"Don Falcone said I can have a couple of people to help me out on the jobs. Makes my workload a bit easier." Victor said after a long moment of silence, except for the gentle music Viola was playing.

"That's good. Do you know who to call or do you have to like…hold auditions or something?" Viola asked.

Victor couldn't help it, he chuckled. "Auditions for hitmen?"

Viola paused in her music, smiled and playfully hit the man beside her on the shoulder, "Shut up. I know all of the business and jobs you and the rest of men go out on. I just don't know who you…hire." Viola resumed playing with a laugh, "I sound so childish. Falcone runs the criminal underworld and I know it all except for how to hire a hitman."

Victor was smiling, "Its fine, you don't sound like a child. I know a couple of people from back in the day, I called them after the meeting and should be here by tomorrow." Viola nodded in understanding as she continued the piece, Victor watching and looking at the name of the music piece, reminding him of a question he always remembers then forgets to ask till now, "Why didn't Falcone adopt you, become his daughter?"

"I was five when my parents died. I don't remember how, but only that they were criminals trying to get by in the city of Gotham." Viola began, stopping in her playing. Victor knew that part of the story as it was told to him by the Don, but didn't want to interrupt. "Don't get me wrong, they were the best parents from what I can remember. They couldn't afford a lot and wanted me to have a good life. I remember they would go out for the day and come back with money, jewellery and bags of food, drinks and always presents for me. We were happy till…

"Then Carmine Falcone came one day. I didn't realise at the time that our home and the place that they died was in his territory so he came to investigate and found me. Took me in. Gave me a life that my parents were trying to give." Viola looked from the keys to the hitman, "I remember the first day I arrived, and he always called me family, even when Mario left he continued to do so, but never adopted me. I asked him why when I was thirteen and he paused in his work and simply replied, 'it's a step we both can't take.' I was angry at first, I thought he didn't really want me in his life. But he continued to say I was family and I realised one day, I didn't want to be adopted, cause then I would lose my Blake name, and lose my parents altogether. I love Falcone like a father, but I can't lose my last attachment to my family, does that make sense?"

Victor replied instantly, "Of course it makes sense, I have never been one for family but…time changes that." He chuckled slightly, then asked, "Did he ever explain his reasoning?"

"No. But I know he has an understandable reasoning, and I will always respect and be loyal to him."

"Then you're both family." Victor answered, seeing that Viola never once spoke of this, and getting it out in the open tonight helped her.

Viola smiled at him which he returned, "Wanna learn how to play?" Viola whispered. Victor looked from her to the keys and spent from that moment well into the night learning how to play.

The next day Don Falcone was in a rage. He wasn't the type to throw stuff about and hit people, but it was the silent simmering rage that made people except for Victor and Viola back up. The morning they were watching the news as a reporter was covering the story of the Wayne murders that was committed last night. Don Falcone was seated at his desk, Viola and Victor behind him with a few other henchmen about, watching the report. "On my territory," Falcone mumbled out.

"Why murder them?" Viola asked, looked confused.

"A message maybe?" One henchman asked.

"Maybe it's just someone pissed at them for some reason. They are the Wayne's after all, could be anything." Another piped up.

"It doesn't matter," Falcone spoke up, silencing the room. "What matters is that it's on our land. Maroni will be on our backs and everyone who has a business with me and a place under their names with me as back-up will be running around headless." He was silent for a moment till he spoke up again, "I want eyes and ears on the streets. If any of you hear quiet panic or whispers, come to me."

Everyone nodded and began to file out of the room as one of the lesser ranked henchmen walked in, "Two women to see Victor Zsasz."

Viola quirked an eyebrow to the hitman in amusement as Falcone looked at him, "People I called to assist and help in my jobs." Victor explained. Falcone nodded in understanding and waved a hand to allow them in. After a moment two women walked in clothing in black leather. One was light skinned with traits of Oriental, her black hair in an updo style, one of her eyebrows bolder and thicker than the other. The other was taller than the first, dark-skinned with shaved hair, but the top grown out and pink, the sides all shaven. Victor stood in the middle of them as he introduced them. He motioned to the latter one first, "This here is Lilian, known also as Lilly." He motioned to the smaller woman, "This is Martina, small but quick."

In unison, the pair nodded in greeting to the Don and his ward. "Welcome, a friend of Victor Zsasz is a friend of ours," Falcone replied in welcome. He then turned to Victor, "Show them to the armoury, get them settled in." Victor nodded and began leading them out. Viola turned to follow them and entered the armoury with the trio.

Viola watched as Victor led them around and showed them all to offer. After a while he turned to Viola, holding a handgun to her "Can you handle a gun?" He asked, suddenly intrigued.

Viola shrugged with a smirk as she walked to him and took the gun, "One of the guys upstairs showed me how to load and fire, but other than that, I know nothing of the other weapons." Viola gently handed the gun back, slightly afraid she might shoot her hand or Victor's foot.

"Wait, your Falcone's prized possession and don't know how to defend yourself?" Lilly asked.

"Lilly." Victor scolded.

"No, it's okay," Viola reassured. "No, I know pretty much all of the business that Falcone runs, but…I never learnt. I'm more of a gather of information through gossip and whispers than assassin by trade."

"So you have never learnt any bit of defence?" Victor asked in disbelief. Viola shook her head and shrugged in way of apology. Victor made a mental note to change that.

Their conversation was cut short when a henchman entered the room, "Don Falcone got a call. He wants you to join him." The trio of hitmen began to move, "Not you. He wants you to make sure your friends settle in. He asked for his ward."

The henchman began to leave and Viola began to follow when Victor gave the gun to Lilly and stepped closer to her, touching her arm to get her attention and when she turned to see in his face he was trying to think of something and ended up saying, "Be careful."

"Always," Viola replied with a small smile. Once upstairs she put on some shoes and quickly joining her guardian, they were soon in the car and heading into Gotham. Viola sat silently as Falcone explained what the call in was, how the GCPD was following a lead on a pearl of necklaces, leading to Fish Mooney and one of her lackeys. "I don't trust her," Viola mumbled, hinting to Fish Mooney.

"I know, but she is a part of our family, family sticks together."

"Till you get offered a better deal, and family becomes a nuisance." The rest of the ride was in silence, till they arrived at a meat warehouse. Viola stepped out of the car and walked beside Falcone as they walked to a shutter and standing behind three of their men as they opened it up and began firing.

Walking in, Viola took no notice of the bodies of a couple of men and one tall one wearing an apron, black gloves and a mask. She had seen many bodies over the years and become a normality for her. Turning the corner, they come face to face with a man holding his hands up in the air, heavy build and wearing quite a bold purple shirt. "Don Falcone sir." The man began.

"What is your name? Or perhaps I never knew it." Falcone asked.

"Gilzean sir." The man now with a name replied.

"Gilzean. Tell Ms Mooney she's too impetuous. If she wants to kill policemen, she has to ask permission." Falcone advised.

"Sir." Gilzean replied in understanding.

"There are rules. Cut them down." Falcone ordered and walked away to stand a few feet away. Viola followed and waited with him as they watched their men cut down the two policemen and once down, the two walked over, "Come with me." Falcone said to the younger of the two with shaven hair. "Viola." Falcone motioned to her with his held out arm, entwining it with hers.

The two walked through the warehouse with the policeman will they reached an empty area. "James Gordon." Falcone called out, "I knew your father very well. He and I understood each other. Respect and friendship."

"Friendship?" The man names James Gordon questioned, looking from Viola to Falcone as they stopped, turned around to face him and unlinked arms.

"Trust me," Falcone continued, "I'm the only reason your alive now and I trust you'll do the right thing when you leave now."

"I will," James replied. "I'll tell what I know."

"Which is what?" Viola asked in curiosity.

James looked from the powerful man to the young looking woman, taking note of little family resemblance that they don't have, "I know you own the police department. The mayor too probably. I thought you had ordered to kill the Wayne's, but if you had, you wouldn't have just saved my life. Would you? But how did Fish Mooney come to have Martha Wayne's necklace? Replica?"

"Yes," Falcone replied.

"But why then frame Mario Pepper?"

"Who knows who really killed the Wayne's?" Falcone asked. "We needed a culprit before the funerals. So that the people of Gotham know that swift justice was done and that they could feel safe and secure. Gotham is on a knife edge, what good will taking the City Hall and the Police do? If you ever could." Falcone continued.

James Gordon didn't reply, simply standing there as the two began to walk away. "He got to those conclusions very fast didn't he?" Viola questioned. Falcone said nothing, "Did you know something was going to happen to the Wayne's? Did you have a plan in advance?"

Falcone was silent for a moment till, "I can only tell you so much, but I need to ensure I still have you fullest love and trust for me."

"You always have and always will. But please don't keep me in the dark long, otherwise, I might get lost in it." Viola warned, looking to Falcone who stopped for a moment and turning to look ahead, Viola continued walking.