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The Silhouette and The Forge
Chapter 23
“I don’t understand… How in the bloody hell are you making this work!?”
“How did you discover that certain plants have underlying hidden properties that no other scientist has managed to discover with modern technology?”
On and on the questions went as they asked and cursed not comprehending something before their very eyes. Despite being told about me and my potions they didn’t believe it, and despite witnessing me make a few to show them and see if they can replicate it they were in disbelief at the effects.
One giving them a healing factor like some of my more popular ones when having a talon lightly cut one of them at the behest of a veteran scientist without his younger colleague knowing about it and seeing the wound swiftly close up when the potion was applied to the wound. Then of course the outrage at being used as a guinea pig.
But even after watching me go through the motions and make the potions and working with them they were in disbelief, despite witnessing me make them and do nothing else but make the potion they were gobsmacked at how it was so simply made from simple materials.
Some of them had tried to copy my movements and methods but none of their mixtures did anything other than make their lab rats turn their noses up at the pile of refuse that had been given to them.
One rat that wasn’t the brightest tool in the shed had decided to lap up some of the offered mixtures to the scientist who made it joy only for the rodent to start dry heaving and eject the foul mixture from its stomach.
So far none of them have fully managed to make a potion. No idea if it is possible for someone to learn alchemy from the Elder Scrolls but it couldn’t hurt to at least try. Despite these people eventually coming to work for me they can prove useful in seeing if they can learn it. If they do and become too dangerous they will be dealt with accordingly.
My potions have already caused enough problems alongside the drugs. It was foolish on my part to bring so many to the table for everyone to enjoy irresponsibly.
The lid on Pandora's Box has been opened so I can’t do anything about it besides keep control on the manufacturing of the products and keep tabs on who is using them and for what.
This went on for several hours before it came to an end as I was escorted out of the chamber with the scientists digesting all that they had learned trying to replicate what I showed them. Walking down yet another tunnel except unlike the cold drab and barren walls being replaced with wood paneling and portraits of figures from ages past.
Ranging from clothing popular in the sixteen and seventeen hundreds to early twentieth century people, from old men to young girls, even families. All of whom I can only assume have ties to the Court since the legends of the Court go back to the founding of Gotham itself.
That or they don’t have anything to do with the Court and they thought it looked rich enough to show off like a bunch of idiots trying to prove how wealthy they are.
Taking a few pictures with the lenses on my mask for later to see if they are and maybe if I can find more families tied to the Court and continue subverting them. So far I have managed to get a few of the people I know who are a part of the Court and have them be replaced by my hunters.
I am still hesitant to have the hunters be the replacements but as things stand they will have to do until I can have the engineers whip up something that would work to act as my means of controlling Gotham on several levels.
After the incident of them almost killing Batman and their resentment of the engineers even with me trying to fix the issues that cropped up since being a father has hit its limit with that ability I had gained.
Guess it is true what some people say -- not all shitty people come from shitty parents, sometimes you have good parents who get stuck with a piece of shit, and no matter what they do they can’t make it into something worthwhile.
Not that my hunters are shitty. They have more than proven themselves worthwhile investments but they have shown that despite their loyalty to me they have agency and despite me having no issue with that agency it becomes one when they threaten my plans.
It had crossed my mind to have them installed with more than just a shutdown command should they ever turn against me or become more trouble than they are worth. When it had first crossed my mind I immediately crushed it. Despite not liking them calling me father I do in my own way care about them.
When the time comes to handle them if the need should ever arise then I will do so, whether I like it or not is irrelevant.
Entering into a large chamber flanked by a number of talons as we saw numerous owls lounging in chairs, their masks tilted up enough to let them enjoy their drinks as all eyes turned to me. A beeping echoes out across the expansive tunnels as they rise letting me and my escort pass before following behind us.
We all enter yet another large chamber with a few owls already seated in the chairs that don’t look out of place from an Opera house. Walking to the center of the assembly seeing the Head Owl with Talon beside them. “Glad to see you have been willing to work with us. Our scientists have not once stopped talking about what you have shown them.”
“Well, of course, I am a reasonable person. I have much to gain by working with you and the Court. But I am glad to hear my little display opened their eyes to things that modern science has believed to be things of legend.”
We stay in silence as the Owls pour in taking their seats. I see Miss Hudson near the middle row looking at me from her mask. Neither one of us indicates we know each other beyond what we do with the hunter replacing the scum that had ill intent for her being near the front row but looking subdued with his arm still in a cast with some bruises on his face looking faded.
“Welcome everyone to this momentous occasion!” The Head Owl says with their arms outstretched as the crowd remains silent, all eyes on me and the speaker. “Silhouette has proven themself worthy of joining our Court by dealing with the rebel that had believed themself the one to clean our Gotham from the darkness that taints it!”
The crowd murmurs amongst themselves. “The one to call themself Anarky has been dealt with, Silhouette having brought us a trophy of his accomplishment and after our experts tested it seeing that it was indeed Lonnie Machin.”
At that revelation, the crowd erupts into cheers and insults to the lower class. I latched onto the fact they knew who Anarky was. So they could have taken care of him themselves and used me to do it for them…
Keeping my thoughts to myself as the speaker continued ignoring the crowd, “He and those that followed him on his crusade are no more and have scattered like the rats they are fleeing from those above them being reminded of their place in the grand scheme of things.”
They go on and on working up the crowd as they eat it up while I look in Jaina’s direction seeing her do an admirable job of hiding her dislike of what the speaker is saying. Have to give her that, she is hiding far better than I would have before all of my gifts were given to me since despite everything hearing how these people think of the poor is just horrific.
They speak of them as if they are sub-human or even less than a human in worth. Never mind the fact that the vast majority are kept in poor conditions by the very same people in this room. Eventually done working up the crowd the room was alive in excitement before the speaker turned to me and I them.
“Silhouette with the power vested in me as the Head of the Court of Owls, I ask you to kneel for what is to come next.”
Doing as told and playing along with the act dropping to a knee similar to the knights of old. The speaker is presented with an ornate dagger that looks old but well cared for. Unlike everything else in the Court, it is not embedded with jewels or anything of the sort, but it still holds an aura to it that shows it is old, and yet despite the lack of anything of value it looks more valuable from how old it is and the history behind it than anything else I have seen.
They step closer holding the dagger aloft, “With my power and the backing of the Court of Owls, I the Speaker and The One Above All grant you Silhouette the title and rank,” They say this with a zealous tone of voice tapping my shoulders with the dagger, “Of an Owl amongst our Court. All the privileges and rights that come with your new title have made you far more than the common man of the world.”
Keeping my head bowed for the duration as a select few muttered resentment at me having joined the Court despite more than proving myself, and the title of a simple Owl was something that I had expected to happen. The discussion with Jaina comes to mind about how she has been treated by the Court and her feelings about how it is run.
Hearing them mutter about me being let in just like that, acting as if finding Anarky was a simple task compared to the amount of effort I had to exert to find the little bastard was astounding. Between him and seeing the Courts extensive hideouts and tunnels underneath Gotham further proves how little of Gotham is under my gaze.
The dagger is raised after having gone through the motions of their equivalent of knighting me, “Rise Silhouette, court member of the Court of Owls.”
Doing as told I stand straight and sweep my gaze out across the Court before stepping back hands held at the small of my back. The Head of the Court drones on for a while before brining the meeting to an end.
But not before giving an ominous warning, “Remember we are close now to our great plan. Soon we will bring Gotham to a golden age never before seen.”
Many Court members cheer at that as I merely watch on with the talons staying silent now interested in what this plan was. None of the members that I had spied on ever spoke a word of it. Occasionally speaking when they had believed they were truly alone with no one or thing listening in.
Even then it was simply small worthless scraps that never pertained to anything of worth. The crowd disperses as they all rise from their seats walking away in orderly fashion noting how a few give me searching looks as if weighing my worth.
“Silhouette, please follow me.” The Head says walking past me with a swish of their cape.
The talons form up around us as we march deeper into the hideout. “So what is this grand plan?” I ask cutting to the chase on what has my current interest.
“You will be explained what that is in a moment. What do you think of the Court from what you have seen of it?”
“Do you want the truth or for me to lie?” I ask back and after a moment they chuckle.
“The truth if you would, I grow tired of sycophants.”
Putting on an act as if gathering my thoughts despite already knowing what I want to say about my thoughts on the supposed boogeyman of Gotham who has had a reputation so great that it puts the fear Batman gives the criminals to shame.
“It has its uses, but I see too much bias, laziness, and delusional fools running amok. Corruption one could even argue. While having capable members of the Court that could have sped things along far better being slowed down by the chafe and dead weight.”
Talon turns with one part of his visor looking at me while I simply stare ahead at the Head of the Court. “Some may take offense to what you say of the Court…” They say cryptically.
“What about you? Do you take offense?”
They turn and nod at me, “I do but not from what you have said. I take offense that the Court has been infested with such people for far too long.”
We walk down the hall before a talon opens a door ahead of us before closing it with a few talons in the room with us alongside the leader.
It looked like an office you would find in a ritzy mansion but one that is not overly exaggerated with wealth, similar to the dagger it is old but used. A few cabinets hold some liquor or wine bottles, glasses, and cups near them in the lower parts of the cabinets.
Some even have weapons in each case or on walls with animal trophies and some paintings. The leader steps behind an old wooden desk with a big but cushioned leather chair. “Have a seat.” They gesture to the chair in front of the desk.
Taking my seat and reclining in it idly seeing the talons taking up positions in different corners of the room with Talon himself staying by the leader's side. “Silhouette, now that we have some privacy you can hear my feelings on the current state of the Court.”
Resting their elbows on the desk their hands are folded together into the iconic supervillain pose in a triangle as they stare at me. “It is in dire need of cleaning. Far too many of our members have grown to believe they are the way forward and above the rest of the Court. Donovan himself is a prime example. It is why I had him meet you with Jaina.”
Tilting my head at that bit of information. “Rather surprised you would want someone you wish to work for you to first see the worst your group has to offer.”
They scoff at the mention of Donovan being the worst shaking their head, “If you think Donovan was the worst then you are sadly mistaken. The Court has far worse than him in it. One way or another we were going to have you aid us whether willingly, forcefully, or ignorantly. Do not take offense, but we had to be sure you were willing to work with us and not do anything… crazy.”
“Some is taken, but do go on.”
They shrug before going on, “A shame but understandable, with you willing to meet our agents after we reached out to you I felt it was best to send two Court members that represent both the good and the bad of the Court. An olive branch if you would, to show some honesty of what you would be walking into.”
“Is it safe to assume if I tried to back out by that point it was too late?”
“Yes, it would have been too late. But that doesn’t matter now since you are a member of the Court and have proven not only how capable you are but also your interest in being a member of the Court… even if you refuse to show us your identity I cannot hold that against you since many others choose to keep it hidden as well.”
Suppressing a snort of amusement at the Court getting a rude awakening that I wouldn’t be so easy to force into their employ and at the jab of me keeping my identity a secret.
But at least they acknowledge their members try to keep them hidden from the others though he doubted they were not known to individuals like the one before me. Even if they somehow did get a peek at the face behind this mask it is completely different to my real one that they wouldn’t even know who I am.
“A hint of what to expect in plain sight, in the form of two of the Court’s members meeting me. Then from the sounds of it, you intend to do something about the deadweight within the Court?”
They hum holding out a hand as one of the talons brings a bottle of wine over and a glass. The glass gently being placed in their hand before the talon opens the bottle and fills the glass as the figure swirls it for a moment bringing it closer as if savoring the smell of the wine.
“No,” I simply withhold my scoff at that but let them continue all the same despite checking out of this conversation, “Despite the corruption they have shown they can still aid in the city becoming rid of the far greater corruption that grips it like a cancer. A case of the common cold versus something far more insidious and dangerous.”
Talk about double standards. As they say, the rule is for thee but not for me. The fact that quite a few of the wealthy within the city do as they please only getting caught and strung up when many of their own decide that it’s time for them to go.
Many problems this city faces are because of them. The criminals have helped by all means but the rich of the city are no different, simply because they are cleaner and dress better does not make them any different.
As Dad would say, you can dress up and make a hunk of crap pretty but a hunk of crap is still a hunk of crap.
Making myself remain still and not shaking my head at that bit of truth he told me all those years ago and how right he was in the end. You can polish a turd all you want, but it won’t change what it is at the end of the day.
“Anarky and the homeless and poor that flocked to him are a grim reminder to all of us what happens when they band together in a mad attempt to see us toppled. We can throw all the money we want at the problem but it doesn’t change a thing.”
Yes it can. You just need to have an idea of where to send the money to get the desired result instead of just throwing it out like confetti hoping the issue goes away.
“But you have seen that for yourself when you indirectly helped us with the plan going forward.” They say in a pleased tone.
…What?
My thoughts come to a screeching halt at the revelation that just got dropped on me.
“Pardon me for interrupting,” I say as they are about to speak again but stop, “But pray tell how did I aid the Court before even meeting any of you?”
Despite the voice modifier making it so you can’t tell if I am a man or woman it cannot fail to hide the sheer confusion in my voice. Something that they pick up on as they chuckle, swirling their glass like a James Bond villain.
“You indirectly helped us when you initiated the start of what some would debate is the worst gang war to date in Gotham’s history.” They have my full attention now as they continue, “Our grand plan involves the complete eradication of the poor and homeless along with the numerous criminals that plague the city, whether they be madmen or simply greedy parasites.”
You have got to be kidding me… That’s their plan!? To just wipe out the lower class. How the hell has this organization existed for so long with such a stupid grand plan?
“I see you must be in awe of such a grand task set before us all, but worry not for we have the means now to see this goal finally accomplished, and we have you to thank for it. Had it not been for the gang war you started helping thin the herd out for us and the drugs and potions you have supplied us with we can now see the city saved from those cancerous parasites that have infested it for far too long. Despite the ignorance of our scientists, your product is not the first time the Court has come into contact with… the more supernatural.”
They prattle on unaware of my inner thoughts as I now realize I need to speed up the process of subverting the Court and feeling worried that they have dealt with the magical side of their world.
How far that goes is up in the air. These people are insane and a bit more dangerous than I had anticipated. I expected them to be delusional like your stereotypical rich assholes but not so crazy they want to just purge the poor.
But then again… Gotham.
I take responsibility for the sheer death and destruction that had come from that gang war and every time I hear about it my heart clenches thinking of the countless faces I had seen one way or another that were the result of my actions and I am incapable of ever forgetting any of them.
“I see… an ambitious goal. When do we start?” I ask back, hiding my intentions to completely derail this plan as soon as possible and make sure that the person before me dies a swift death.
“Within a few months. I don’t think I need to warn you about speaking of the Court and anything that happens within it out in public…” They say with the vague threat hanging in the air as the talons around me try to act intimidating yet I roll my eyes at the mere idea of them being a threat to me.
Talon himself merely crosses his arms looking down at me from the side of their leader with their upper body partially in the shadows.
“By no means, I figured it was rather obvious to not speak of the Court in such a manner. Well, thank you for explaining all of that and telling me about what our future goals are. Till next time!” I say getting out of my chair and waving my hand over my shoulder before being escorted out by the talons and exiting out near a deserted warehouse somewhere near the docks.
Several homeless scurry away from me after seeing me walking down the sidewalk in fear before my ride comes and picks me up. “How did the meeting go father?” Agent Smith asks me.
We still can’t get a signal out of the tunnels unless the drones or my equipment manage to get back out to the surface or at least out of the tunnels themselves. Once they do they immediately upload everything on them that they managed to glean from their exploration of the Court.
“Better in some ways and far more horrific in others. We need to accelerate the plan to subvert the Court. If the drones are discovered it doesn’t matter, have them try and catch rides on every single Court member they can find and the talons. Also, have the engineers keep an eye on every single known wealthy individual in the city. If they need more hands to do it they have permission to make them.”
Smith's face looked like it was chiseled out of granite before he nodded, “I see… To think a group of people like that held so much power when they should have been the last to hold any.”
“My thoughts exactly Smith. How are things going with the alliance?”
“Smoothly, we had some issues at first with the other groups letting go of their petty childish grudges against others who had wronged them in some way or another. But they were settled as soon as the issues cropped up.”
“Good. The last thing we need is for one of the groups that works for us to fall apart so close to the finish line when we need them soon.”
Both Smith and I fall into a companionable silence as we move around Gotham with the talons tailing us from the rooftops. Not too hard to lose them as we move through underground highway tunnels as several more cars in a similar make and design that appear nearly identical.
“Are Anarky’s followers doing as they were told?” I say glancing at the drones and seeing the talons move about across the Gotham rooftops and even street level trying to get eyes on me.
It would seem Jaina was right and telling the truth that they wouldn’t fully trust me. Or at the very least trying to get something that would make it so they could control me easier. Regardless of their reasons they have given me all the more reason to take them over along with their resources.
Coming back out of the tunnel with one other car that now appears similar to what ours was with the talons following along while we remain in a taxi cab with me having taken the mask and uniform off with Smith having taken on a Hispanic man’s form with a little gray in his beard. Making a quick pit stop at one of the safehouses we have as Heli quickly turns me back to my younger self.
Saying my goodbyes and thanks to both her and Smith I see my destination sitting nice and pretty before me. The same flower shop I first met Pamela at in my Clint Eastwood disguise. She had wanted me to come here on the day she wanted to hang out.
Some people might be put off by it but I don’t mind. Let’s see how this goes I think to myself before walking up to the shop.
