BATMAN: Black Mirror Vol. 3

Night 01: Heirs of the Empire

Carmine Falcone has disappeared from Gotham. All three of his city homes, safehouses, ware and stash houses had been cleaned out of his presence. Within eight hours of this news, the city had felt the change in power. Salvatore Maroni, the former main competitor for 'The Roman's' empire, acted quickly to swallow up as much of his rival's territory as he could. When it was announced at a meeting of Gotham's underworld powers that Falcone had already named a successor before disappearing and they'd be replacing as well as reopening the 'Empire' as soon as they got settled, there was a collective grumble among the crime lords. It took years for the underworld to "get rid of" Falcone. The man had connections reaching damn near into the high heavens and was practically untouchable. It shouldn't have come as a surprise the Empire was going to have a replacement general to rule in the old man's stead. What was shocking was the fact that Falcone's replacement was rumored to be a nobody wannabe street runner named Fish Mooney. To many it was bad enough that the new leader was a woman who as far as they knew, held no experience running a massive criminal organization, but it was only right that a man should've taken over. The men of Gotham had been battling with and for 'The Roman' near all their lives. To be basically told that their sacrifice meant nothing and replaced with a female was an insult on the highest level.

"What the fuck was Carmine thinking putting this dame at the head of the table?" Maroni slammed his fork against his dinner table. "If he thinks she'll be enough to stop me from taking what's rightfully mine after all the years of warring and screwing each other over, that old geezer has a thing coming to 'im."

"Maybe Mooney'll be better." one of Maroni's men poured a glass of wine. "Where we couldn't play hardball with Falcone, maybe we can get the new chick to make some changes."

"Yeah, 'specially since the only way someone like her would even get a high seat at the table is banging her way to the top. Once we sink our claws in, ba-boom. The Maroni family'll have Gotham like they're s'ppose to."

Maroni had gathered his men and members of his criminal family at his ancestral restaurant located downtown. The establishment was a front for many of his major drug related businesses, but when the family wasn't dealing narcotics, even Bruce Wayne would admit the food was delicious.

Business, both legal and illegal, was good today. The restaurant was bubbling with legit customers. Men and women with their families sat around smiling drinking wine, laughing loudly and genuinely enjoying the time out of their homes. It felt like Maroni's old days. He looked around and felt assured victory in his siege for Gotham. These were his people and while he hated having to share the city with Falcone, quietly he was going to miss doing business with such a classy and tactical criminal mastermind.

"To Don Carmine Falcone." he raised his glass. "A mighty king, helluva man and a lousy, stiff assed rival in business. He and his "empire" shall be missed. Long live Falcone, but in name only."

With some laughter and jeering, Maroni's men lifted their glasses and toasted their former adversary. The warm atmosphere chilled significantly when the front door swung open. A group of men dressed in designer suits casually stepped over the threshold and took a seat near the back of the restaurant .

Salvatore could sense it. All his years of ruling in the criminal underworld had prepared him for the sight of stooges and his enemy's cronies trying to muscle their way into his domain.

"The fuck is this?" he smirked. A snap of his fingers and his men were already out of their chairs sauntering toward the intruders.

"Do you know where you are?" the leader of Maroni's squad leaned against the table.

"Yeah, it's the place that makes that shitty risotto people have been talking about ." the strangers cut their eyes and chuckled.

"You fuckin' stupid or somethin'? Judging by how you's all are dressed, some ass wipe sent you. You got a lotta nerve comin' in here assholes."