NOVEL WEB END OF GOTHAM
Timeskip
Somewhere In Russia
Deep underground, in a dimly lit cell, there sits a young woman with short, tousled blond hair and piercing blue eyes. Despite the harsh conditions, her beauty is still evident, though her frame is worryingly thin due to malnourishment.
Suddenly, a feeling of someone else's presence makes her turn her head sharply to the left.
"Why are you being so nice to me?" In a sceptical tone, she asks.
Smiling, Angerona says, "Finally, you decided to talk to me, and to answer your question, it's because I can see that you're suffering here and I want to help you."
While frowning, she states firmly, "I don't need anyone's help."
Angerona sighs, expressing her understanding, "Don't you feel lonely in here? A friend can make all the difference,"
Looking down, she admits softly, "I don't have any friends here."
"Exactly. I would hate for you to be all alone, too. That's why I want us to be friends,"
"What's in it for you?" She asks cautiously.
Angerona shrugs, "Nothing. I just enjoy making new friends, especially when they seem as interesting as you,"
"I'm interesting?"
Angerona nods, "Yes, you are. I can tell by the look in your eyes. They haven't lost their fire,"
"I-I don't know..."
"Trust me," Angerona says, leaning in close, "it'll make your time in here a lot easier." Just until I can find a way to get you out of here,"
She considers it for a moment before agreeing, "Okay, I'll give it a try,"
"Great! I promise you won't regret it. Now let's start with something simple, tell me, what's your name?"
"It's Kara,"
"Nice to officially meet you, Kara, I'm Angerona,"
~~~
Gotham
At the edges of Gotham City, the faint, eerie sounds of signs flapping in the wind can be discerned. These weather-worn signs convey important messages - some warn that beyond this point, individuals will be exiting the United States of America, while others indicate that the area has been cordoned off by federal authorities and is off-limits. The haunting sound of the signs serves as a reminder of the boundary between the familiar and the unknown, where the authority of the land shifts and the rules change.
The soldiers positioned around the perimeter immediately become alert as they spot a truck slowly making its way towards them. One of the soldiers, gripping his rifle tightly, cautiously walks closer to the driver's side of the vehicle as it comes to a stop. As the window rolls down, a figure, dressed in a priest's attire, emerges from the opening, casting a somber and serious expression.
"Go back home,"
"This is humanitarian aid!" The priest responds, "Canned goods, medicine, and batteries!"
"Nothing gets in and nothing gets out; those are the orders."
"What difference does it make to you if I throw them over?" The priest inquires.
"To me? Nothing, but when I wear this uniform, my opinion does not matter." The soldier says before adding, "Now be a good man of god and turn back. There's plenty of Got Gothamites in Bloodhaven in need of those supplies,"
The priest, feeling apprehensive, hesitates before ultimately turning back and resolving to seek an alternate route. He arranges to rent a helicopter to survey the devastated city from above. As the military gunships warn them to retreat, he manages to drop the supplies from the helicopter before they are forced to leave the area.
In the gritty streets of Gotham, food is sparse and as soon as it appears, people flock to it, grabbing whatever they can. They eye each other warily, ready to snatch a morsel at the first opportunity. The desperate scarcity has turned Gotham's citizens into ruthless scavengers, willing to resort to thievery just to satisfy their hunger.
This chaos has led to brutal confrontations and a constant struggle to hold onto whatever scraps they manage to secure. Even law enforcement, like the GCPD, must adapt to maintain some semblance of control in the face of such widespread disorder.
The crime lords have established fortified locations throughout the city, eliminating anyone who dares to encroach on their territory. Those fortunate enough to safeguard their possessions are afforded the opportunity to exchange them for other commodities. Surprisingly, even something as simple as an apple can attract significant attention, with individuals willing to pay exorbitant prices for the chance to savor something fresh. Exclusive auctions, presided over by the penguin, cater to a select group of privileged people.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, I interrupt this program in order to perform an auction for a rare item, the likes of which haven't been seen around here in 3 months," The penguin announces as he gets on the stage. He holds up an apple gaining everyone's attention, "A piece of fresh fruit. Dare I say the classic forbidden fruit. Remember the teast? The marvelous sensation of biting into it? The crunch? The juice? The aroma? What am I bid?"
"5 gallons of gasoline!"
"10 gallons of gas!"
"My girl for a night!"
"A case of butane lighters!"
"A fur coat!"
"This...!" A man yells holding up a diamond necklace, "A 20-carat diamond,"
"Sold! Claim your prize, sir," He takes a bite out of the apple before handing it to the man, "Remember the penguin always takes his bite,"
Done with the auction Penguin heads over to his table but finds it occupied by someone. Normally he would have killed the person for such disrespect but this wasn't a normal person.
"Taking a bite from your customers goods. Does that mean the 3 crates you bought from Ivy wasn't enough?" Angerona asks.
"What the customer doesn't know doesn't kill him. Anyways what can I do for you?"
Angerona hives him a raised eyebrow, "You know why I'm here Cobblepot,"
"Right of course, my end of the bargain 5 crates of armor piercing rounds," He calls over one of his men and sends him to get them, "Does this mean your war with the false facers is still ongoing,"
"I'm done with those fuckers for good. I gotta give it to Siones tho, the guy had a lot of followers even if they turned into a creepy cult after the quake,"
"Then why the heavy artillery. Surely it's not just for Scareface,"
"A certain fly rodent is trying to re-resurface and I'm just getting my men ready for when it does."
~~~
In the desolate, no-man's land, three months have passed with only one person keeping record of everything - Barbara Gordon. She watches from her tower, barricaded in with ample supplies of food, medicines, and rechargeable solar batteries. Despite having the opportunity to leave, there's a relentless sense of duty that ties her to this place, something she likely inherited from her father.
To survive, Barbara deals in information, trading maps and knowledge of various underground supply stashes and fallout shelters. She has managed to establish a position of influence where she can manipulate the locals into believing that the food from the shelters is tainted and only she possesses the means to neutralize it.
On top of everything, Barbara has learned that Jeremiah Arkham released all the criminals back onto the streets before he left town. The neighborhoods have been divided and marked to indicate ownership.
In this shattered world, well-known figures such as Two-Face, Killer Croc, Hël, Ivy, the Ventriloquist, and Scareface roam the streets. The Joker's whereabouts remain a mystery.
Amidst this chaos, only a few have managed to retain their sanity, namely The Penguin, Hël, and Ivy. Rumors suggest that the Penguin has established a pipeline from the outside world, which he shares with Hël. It's clear that in a world where basic necessities hold more value than luxury items, a resourceful entrepreneur like the Penguin has found favorable grounds to thrive.
However, the question lingers as to why the people choose to stay. For some, there is no alternative; for others, it's an exhilarating adventure, and for some, it's a matter of holding onto their perceived reality. In a world where food and resources are the sole forms of currency, people are willing to fiercely protect and defend what they have. Those with valuable trade skills, such as mechanics and seamstresses, are welcomed into protected circles, while those with social skills are often turned away or...
After experiencing humiliation before Congress, Bruce Wayne vanished from public view. His sudden disappearance has left many wondering whether he has abandoned Gotham for good.
~~~
Night time
A group of thugs sitting by one of the broken bridges spot a old man wandering around. They jump out to mug the man bat decided to test if the waters separating them from the main land really have mines in them. They push the man towards the ledge.
"If the water has mines the we just have to keep throwing people in," One of them states.
"Maybe we use this to execute anyone who crosses us?" Another suggests and they all agree.
As the man is pushed over the edge the thugs hear something. They look up and see Batman. Batman quickly disarms one of the thugs holding a bat while another pulls out a knife. He goes for a stab but Batman dodges and takes him down with a punch.
"Hang on Alfred," Batman calls out to the hanging man who was Alfred all along.
"Yes, a sensible course of action sir," Alfred retorts.
One of the two remaining thugs Throws a rock at Batman who duck. The rock hits his friend who falls over the edge as he hits the water a loud explosion is heard as there mine goes off. Batman takes care of the last thing and helps up Alfred.
"Sorry I didn't get here sooner," Batman apologizes, "I need to relearn how to get around. All the broken cornices, rubble and broken down rooftops are slowing me down,"
"It's been awhile since you've been in action. How does it feel?" Alfred asks. "Did it feel good?"
"No it didn't feel good. It felt great,"