The Silhouette and The Forge
Chapter 21 

The homeless around the area moved about as some rested while others made sure their equipment was in working order. Many of them wipe down the barrels of their rifles along with the various parts currently sitting disassembled in what is to them a ritual.

Something they do to prepare themselves for the war that is to come. To take the edge off and harden their resolve. Something each of them had picked up when serving the nation they once served before being tossed aside by said nation and left to rot amongst the trash.

Something that had to be fixed. Not just for them. But for all the victims of a corrupt system that does not care in the slightest for the people who helped prop the system and those that abuse it up yet they so easily abandon and forget them.

These were the thoughts of all those in the tunnel among many in the parts of Gotham that most have forgotten even exist. To get payback and make the system fair for all. To regain what was taken and if they can never regain it then to ensure those after them never have to feel the loss of all that was paid willing or unwilling like they had to.

The men and a few women moved around going through training regimens as former drill sergeants and military men barked out orders helping them get into shape. Others man tables either making meals or setting up preserved foodstuff for hard times for those that are a part of something greater than themselves.

Something that can and will be a force of good as much as it is a force of change. Further into the tunnel with numerous armed guards moving about dressed in their street clothes with their weapons and blades hidden on their person moved around the small shack where the one who gave them the means to make this all possible resided.

A shack that was even smaller than any of the others used by the homeless and downtrodden, those who had lost everything to this city and the nation. It’s why they grew to appreciate Anarky for he had proven to them that he cares enough for them and sees like they do the flawed system.

In the small shack, Anarky sat with his white mask and a black hoodie with a circle with an A in the center before his various colleagues and generals as each went over their resources, assets, information and all that was necessary for the counter-offensive against the enemy.

Battle plans, strategies, tactics, and what to do should the worst come to pass to ensure that the mission goes on and that those who take up their mantle will have a fighting chance or an idea of what to do. 

“Any news from the scouts on any hidden entrances in the old tunnel systems?” Anarky says to a middle-aged man with grey peppered in his beard as he looks at him with a hard look in his grey eyes but it is a look of respect.

“Nothing yet sir. Should I divert any of them to other sectors of the city?”

Anarky thought it over for a moment before shaking his head. “No. If there were any other areas for the Court to come out of we would have spotted something. None of the scouts had so much even seen a thing until they struck. Meaning it has to be somewhere even we don’t have enough eyes or ears at.”

Karl nodded at him accepting his reasoning and agreeing even if he would prefer to check over other areas just to be safe. But he accepted it without any issue.

“Just keep in constant contact with them and they have backup should they find them. I don’t want any of us getting silenced by those monsters further.”

All in the room smiled and felt a warmth in each of their chests. For once in a long time they felt appreciated. Someone who views them as people.

“Betty, how are things on the logistics front?” Anarky said as an elderly woman who looked so thin and frail but despite her appearance her heart and soul were ready for this fight.

“We have managed to get enough food preserved for hard times. We also have crops growing as you had suggested and the food is growing just fine. Managed to have some of the others get in better clothes and sneak several cans of soup amounting to an amount of food that could keep all of us fed for half a year.”

Anarky nodded pleased. “Good. Have them cut back on taking the food from the grocery stores. Any more and they may start shutting down with the losses adding up. We need them to stay operational for a little longer until we are self-sufficient enough for them to be no longer needed by anyone.”

She gave a nod and a small smile as she accepted the order. After all, why would she or the others argue with it when he had managed to organize them all on such a level where none of them were going hungry like they used to?

They have the means for sustainability if the food charity falls on hard times or grocery stores begin to struggle to get any product in. For the first in a long time, they have the means to not only survive but as Anarky has shown them they have the means to return the favor to all those in power that took everything from them.

Some of them were skeptical of Anarky and his reasoning but once they started listening to him they started seeing everything he pointed out. All of the government is incapable of helping turn Gotham into a halfway decent city for damn near a century.

He was right.

The rich people of the city look down on them and funnel them over to the bad parts of Gotham like sweeping all the trash and undesirable things under the rug. Out of sight and out of mind despite having the accumulated wealth to help them and make the city a place worth living in.

He again was right. Even showed the public numbers of their wealth and the magazines they like to plaster themselves on showing who is the richest. One of the few who helped them was Bruce Wayne who was one of if not the wealthiest and he could have helped more than he has.

Despite some of them viewing Anarky as being correct on the topics before Bruce, many refused to try and harm him simply because of him helping them. He and Jaina Hudson had helped them when they were in a bad situation and it saved their lives. For some everyday people that may not mean much to them, but for people like them that live on the street that means the world to them.

Unlike the other rich folk of the city who would occasionally do their charity events, they only did so to save face after something was brought into the light and they did it to make themselves look better for many reasons but not to help them. That is the last thing on their minds if even that is why they would do such things. 

Not to help those who struggle to survive each day trying to simply scrounge together enough resources so they wouldn’t die. It’s why after the Court did what they did many more began to flock to Anarky. Before they had decent numbers but not what they have now. When the Court came out and slaughtered so many on that cursed night they all realized how right he was even if grudgingly so.

Since then they have had a mass exodus of people coming to join up with Anarky. It had been difficult to ensure no one grew wise that he and those that supported him were not found but so far they had managed to pull it off. 

On and on it went as they all went over the reports ensuring everything was going as smoothly as possible. Just as everyone thought it was all over as Anarky was about to go about dealing with his assignments a voice cut in.

“My my my. You have certainly been busy down here…” Said a figure clad in black coming out of the small shadow of the room that should not have been capable of concealing them that well. 

As everyone in the room pulls out their weapons they are stopped as they are forced onto the table with guns held at the back of their heads. Looking at those around them and the armed guards being disarmed with cries of shock and fear then silence outside of the shack. 

The only one not being restrained was Anarky who had risen out of his chair and pulled out a Glock leveling it at the approaching figure and keeping the agents that some of their people had on occasion spotted in the distance. 

“So the dogs of Uncle Sam have come for me and those who believe in my cause. Well, we won’t go quietly.” Anarky said in a low growl. The many people being held at gunpoint despite the danger all make their agreements known as defiance can be seen with a fire in each of their eyes.

Despite the situation of them being put in a bad position, he keeps the gun aimed at the gas-masked figure all in black while keeping the various agents in his field of view. 

“Of course not. Especially when you are still of use.” The figure says stalking closer.

Anarky pulls the trigger and they all but disappear as he turns the gun around only for it to stop with his arm held in their grip. Just from the grip on his arm alone told him it would be useless to try and free his arm so he slid a knife out of his sheathe hidden under his long shirt sleeve and went for their throat.

“Like hell, any of us will help you bastards willingly.” 

Just as the knife is about to make contact their other hand grips the blade as it halts completely. Angling the knife so it cuts through the glove to pull it back it doesn’t even budge.

The gas mask stares at him before looking down at the knife held in their hand tilting their head and humming. “Cute knife.”

Gripping just a bit harder the metal snaps and shatters into shards onto the floor with the tinkling sound of metal on concrete. Before Anarky can even process what he just saw he is lifted into the air and slammed down onto the table back first as it cracks and breaks from the impact and the air is forced from Anarky’s lungs as he grits his teeth fighting off a groan of pain. 

“Now with that out of the way, some introductions are in order. You know me as Silhouette. Nice to put a mask to the one who decided to lead Gothams equivalent to the French Revolution.”

Credit to Anarky he got up from the table in a fighting stance as he narrowed his eyes at the one he had used their product to help the downtrodden fight back against their oppressors. 

“Doesn’t matter what your name is or what title you call yourself, you're just another faceless monster either working for the government or for your own personal gain.” 

Anarky sends out a few probing jabs that Silhouette easily dodges or bats aside with one arm not taking him seriously. Not the first time Anarky has dealt with someone who never viewed him as a threat. 

“I must admit I knew you were resourceful but had not expected you to gather this many loyal followers and have set up long-term sustainability for the homeless here. At least not in such a short amount of time.”

Ignoring their comments seeing it as only a distraction Anarky tried to think of a way out of this. As he circles them while they remain as still as a statue not even tracking him with their eyes as they merely stare at each of his advisors and generals.

After throwing out several quick jabs before going for a punch to their solar plexus only for it to be caught in the palm of their hand and held in place in their grip. Using the grip on his fist to pivot off of, he aims his roundhouse kick for the side of their head and just as he thought he had them they grab his ankle fully stopping the kick.

“Did not expect you to know how to fight so well Lonnie.”

Ignoring that they of course know his civilian identity one moment he is held in an awkward stance incapable of making them let go of his hand and foot before he is slammed back first against a wall of the shack as the wood cracks but doesn’t break groaning like himself as his back is on fire.

As he is busy getting his bearings Silhouette pins him to the wall with their forearm braced against his throat making it hard to breathe as he holds their arm staring into the soulless lenses.

“Now that you have been put in your place and gotten all of that pent-up energy out of you we can talk.” 

He glares up at them, eyes narrowing. “Do you think me or anyone in here will work with you?! If you were not with the government or those in power you would be helping us— Hurrghk!” He says before gasping as the arm pinning him puts more pressure on him.

What felt like an eternity came to an end as the pressure disappeared and he fell on all four limbs coughing and sputtering. A pair of black boots gently steps to his side and he is brought to his feet courtesy of a firm grip on his hair, yanking him to his feet dragging him along, and forcing him into a chair as all eyes on the table look at him in fear and concern.

“A chair please.” Silhouettes' monotone voice is distorted making it difficult to tell if they are a man or a woman.

An agent comes into the shack with an old tattered chair that is gently placed beside Anarky’s. “Now I understand your reason for doing what you all did. If placed in the same situation I would have done the same thing especially when presented with an opportunity of drugs that can make your dreams a reality.”

They say staring at Lonnie as he listens while trying to make a plan to get out of this and coming up empty. With the amount of time that had passed the others outside would have done something especially with the sounds coming from his shack.

But any plan he could make now comes up short. He is at their mercy. His grip tightened as it stung knowing that this… calling Silhouette a person is far too generous with the agents that accompanied them.

“But you made a rather big mistake.” They say not caring for the glare being leveled at them from everyone at the table. “Would you like to know what that mistake was?”

“…” Lonnie merely glared silently before getting slapped across the cheek, sending him tumbling to the floor. Pulled back and sat back down by two agents standing by his side as his cheek burned and he worked his jaw feeling how sore it was even with his protective mask in place they still managed to hurt him so well is a testament to how strong Silhouette is.

“I asked you a question, Lonnie. Answer it.”

Taking a deep breath before shakily letting it out he responds, “What was our mistake?”

“You used my drugs to do it.”

Dead silence. No one said a word as they all just stared at Silhouette uncomprehendingly. Lonnie blinked owlishly at him now thrown for a loop. 

“Because we used your drugs. That’s it? Not because the government sent you to deal with us?” He said incredulously. No way. He could not believe that for a second. He has stereotypical government agents in the room holding his allies and comrades hostage. Several of them are former war veterans.

“Yes. However, if I was still with the government depending on how long I had been with them then it would vary. If it was at the beginning of my career then you and your little conspirators here would be in some random mass grave out in the middle of nowhere. Near the middle of it, I would cut you all some slack. Near the end, I would have helped you with every resource at my disposal.”

Lonnie contemplates what has been said and questions if it was the truth or some lie he wasn’t seeing the reason for doing so. Get him to doubt himself? 

“Then why do this over the drugs? If you are telling the truth why not help us?!” He says the anger bleeding into his tone at someone with such resources so willingly does not help those they supposedly agree with and just makes money off of it like every other criminal in this city.

“I am helping.” They say folding their hands together as Lonnie is growing to really not like Silhouette.

“Like hell you are!” Said John in the back as the gun barrel pressed into his temple is pushed further into it making him wince but it doesn’t stop him from talking. “Where was the help when the Court came for all of us?”

“You are not wrong. But at the time I didn’t even know they were real. I don’t think anyone had concrete proof they were.” 

John had opened his mouth to argue further but stopped finally processing the acknowledgement from Silhouette. No one in the room had expected them to just admit to something like that. Those who work in the mask and cape field tend to be very arrogant and don’t usually admit when they are wrong or screwed up.

Several of their own had told horror stories of them when they were in a bad way and saw a chance to make some good money in a small amount of time. 

“Now I do get where you are coming from and can respect what you all were trying to do. But!” They said with a raised finger before pointing it at Anarky. “You had been a naughty little shit when you decided to drag my name through the mud. That and let’s be honest here, an anarchist making Gotham into a city of Anarchy? Really? Come on now.” They shake their head tsking at Anarky which rankled him.

Just like many of the other stupid adults in the city thinking they knew better when they were cumulatively responsible for the state the city is in. 

But Silhouette ignores Lonnie uncaring or simply not noticing his growing anger. “That edge lord crap can stay in the fan fiction section on the dark corners of the web. No one gains anything of value besides a few far-too-powerful people. And most of them would prefer a… More controlled environment than what pure chaos you wish to create.”

Sitting back and placing both of their feet on the table as everyone just watches. “Now I can respect how you went about doing everything you did even if I disagree with your obsession with Anarchy as a suitable substitution for Gotham but that is not what I am here for.”

Everyone in the room tenses as they expect to all die here and now. Not one of them begs or tries to sell the others out. As much as the rich and middle class like to look down and speak poorly of them, they do not rat out their own. Especially when Anarky or Lonnie if Silhouette was right about his name helped them get as far as he did and gave them a means to not have to worry about starving.

Reaching into their black trench coat Lonnie braces himself for what is to come.